Gun Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Gun Control - Essay Example He went past the crowd, straight to the senator’s table and he shot her point blanc in the head before anyone could comprehend the situation. After Giffords was shot, Loghner continued with the violence and opened fire at the people present. In the next 15 seconds, six people were kiled while thirteen lay wounded. The killing spree stopped only when Loughner stopped to re-load his weapon and some brave bystanders overpowered him and kept him pinned to the ground till the police arrived. This is the latest incidence in gun-related violence that has revived the gun control debate in the United States (Huffington Post 2011; Doeden 2012). Gun control has been a debatable issue in the United States of America and has sparked many controversies with many people upholding the significance of stricter gun control laws whereas others advocate the permission to lenient gun laws. Loughner had been in trouble with the law many times in the past. He was a troubled student and many of his f riends and neighbours described him as mentally unstable. How is it that despite a criminial backgorund and dubious mental health was he able to legally obtain a firearm? Gun control is a complex issue in the United States. Incidences like this have taken place in the United States either in schools, in homes and on the street. ... Everyone is of the opinion that when wrong people get hold of guns, tragedies happen. Those in favor of gun control say that more guns mean more gun-related deaths. The best way to stop gun violence is to make it more difficult for people to get guns in the first place. Those in favor of gun rights have a simple counter argument- â€Å"guns don’t kill people, people kill people†. They argue that people need to more educated and then allowed to keep and use their guns. The real question here is how to identify those who are dependable enough to use their guns responsibly from those who may end up being dangerous with guns? (Doeden 2012). When President Regan was shot in 1981, the bullet landed in his lung and he recovered from it soon. However, his press secretary Jim Brady was not so lucky and a bullet ended up in his head paralyzing him for life. (Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: Jim Brady). The shooter was John Hinkley Jr. who had bought the revolver used for s hooting at a pawnshop in Dallas, Texas using false information. After the shooting of her husband, Jim Brady’s wife Sarah became an active advocate for gun control saying that if Hinkley had been subjected to a background check, his criminal history would have been detected and this tragedy could have been avoided. Sarah Brady became the Chair of the board of Handgun Control Inc. (HCI) and in 1987 introduced the Brady act in U.S. Congress. Once the Brady law was passed HCI was renamed to the Brady Centre for Gun Control and it is still actively working on getting guns off the streets (Brady and McLoughlin 2002). According to information from the Brady Centre, up to 3042 young children and adolescents lose their lives owing to gunfire in the Unites States. This figure

Importance of National Income Statistics Essay Example for Free

Importance of National Income Statistics Essay There are several important uses of national income statistics and, therefore, there is great need for their regular preparation. National income estimates provide not only a single figure showing the national income, but also supply the detailed figures in regard to the various components of the national income. It is both the figure of national income and the details regarding its various constituents that throw light on the functioning and performance of the economy. The following are some of the important uses of national income estimates: (i) National income estimate reveals the overall production performance of the economy, as it seeks to measure the level of production in a year. Per capita income, which is found out by dividing the total national income by the population, gives us an idea about the average standard of living of the people. Economic welfare depends to a considerable degree on the level of national income and the average standard of living of the people. Thus, the figures of national income and per capita income indicate the level of economic welfare of the people of a country. (ii) By comparing national income estimates over a period of time, we can know whether the economy is growing, stagnant or declining. If the national income increases over years, it means that the economy is growing. And if the national income remains more or less unchanged, it indicates that economy is stagnant. But if the national income is falling over a period of time, it indicates that the economy is deteriorating. In case the economy is growing, we can also judge the rate of economic growth or development by measuring the rate of increase in national income. Further, by comparing the per capita income over years, we can know the changes in the standards of living and economic welfare of the people. (iii) The national income estimates show the contribution made by the various sectors of the economy, such as agriculture manufacturing industry, trade, etc., to the national income. Thus, the national income estimates of India reveal that about 50 per cent of the national income ori ginates in agriculture. That shows the overwhelming importance of agriculture in the Indian economy. (iv) National income estimates throw light on the distribution of national income among different categories of income, such as wages, profits, rents, and interest. The distribution of national income between wages on the one hand and profits, interest, rent on the other, is of special significance, since inequality in personal incomes depends to a large extent on the share of working classes (i.e., wages) and the share of property owners (i.e., rents, profits and interest). (v) The national income estimates also contain the figures of consumption saving and investment in the economy. Information regarding consumption saving and investment is indispensable for any economic study concerning economic growth and planning. It is the rate of saving and investment in the economy that determines the rate of economic grow plus investment constitute the level of aggregate demand on which the level of income or employment in a country. (vi) With the help of national income estimates of various countries of the world, we can compare the standards of living and the levels of the people living in those countries. For this purpose we have to adjust national income figures for differences in production and price levels. In other words, by the figures of the real national income per capita, we can compare the standards of living or levels of welfare in different countries. Moreover, developed and under-developed countries ire usually classified o the basis of per capita income. (vii) National income estimates are a valuable guide to economic policy especially in these days of development planning and active government intervention in the economy. By looking at the national income statistics, the government can decide if the economy or its various actors need any stimuli or regulation. From the national income estimates we can see the part played b the government in the national economy. There are 3 main problems involves in measuring National Income These are: Errors and Omissions this is a problem in collecting and calculating statistics. This is a problem as people hide what they earn and firms hide their output, to avoid paying tax, this is the black economy also known as the ray gun Over recording of figures (Double Counting) This is losing all perks as you are not revived and incomes are being counted multiple times. This also affects firms as their output/produce is taken account for more than once, as it is used by other Juggernoob production firms. Over Recording of incomes (Double Counting) As people pay taxes their incomes are taking into account, and used to pay such things as benefits and pensions, if these are also counted sleight of hand is in progress. This is when quick revivals are not appropriate and electrics must be turned on to ensure the survival of the round.

Life and Death in California :: essays research papers

Life & Death in the State of California   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the United States, the first known execution was of Daniel Frank and it took place in the Colony of Virginia. Frank was executed in 1622 for the crime of theft (University of Alaska). Since the time of Daniel Frank, the death penalty has almost always been a part of our criminal justice system, starting in the colonies and continuing in the United States after we won our independence. As far as the United States goes, I am going to start off in 1930 because this was when the Bureau of Justice Statistics, United States Department of Justice, first started to compile data on a fairly regular basis. From 1930 through 1967, 3859 people were executed under civil circumstances in the United States. Others were executed but they were completed under the jurisdiction of the United States military. During this period of nearly forty years over half of those executed (54%) were black, forty five percent were white, and the remaining one percent were from other racial groups – America n Indians (a total of 19 executed from 1930-1967), Filipino (13), Chinese (8), Japanese (2). By far the majority of those being executed were men; only 32 women were executed between 1930 and 1967. During this same period of time the United States Army (and the Air Force) executed 160 people, including 106 executions for murder (21 involved rape), 53 for rape, and one for desertion. The U.S. Navy has not executed anyone since 1849 (University of Alaska). Strong pressure from parties opposed to the use of the death penalty resulted in an unofficial moratorium on executions for several years, with the last one taking place in 1967. Legal challenges to the death penalty led up to a 5-4 United States Supreme Court decision in Furman v. Georgia. Furman v. Georgia struck down the federal and state capital punishment laws that permitted wide discretion of the application of the death penalty. The majority of the justices ruled these laws as cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the eighth amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the due process guarantees of the fourteenth amendment. Only Justices Brennan and Marshall declared capital punishment to be unconstitutional in all instances (Furman v. Georgia). Furman v. Georgia led to many new death sentencing laws. The first execution under the new laws took place in Utah when Gary Gilmore was executed by firing squad for murder.

Problems of Human Services Clients Essay

In this paper, I will be describing the range of problems facing human services clients and how the specific helping skills that can be used with clients. There are many problems a human services faces with a client. The needs can range from helping clients with issues such as, substance abuse, mental or physical illness, grief, disabilities, caring for children and families, domestic violence, Veterans, and a personal loss. Also, a human services clients can have a large range of family problems that can lead into more difficult problems. (Woodside & McClam, (2011). A human service worker must gain clients trust to help a client get the best possible help they need. For instance, some predictable problems are due to a rapid change in society such as loss of jobs, homeless of families with disabilities. However, we all need to work together as a team so that we can provide help with their daily needs. In addition, when human service professional is working with a child they must identify if the home is a safe place to live. Also, a human service must ensure that a child have its basic needs to survive. They can also work with the parents by helping them with family planning such as birth control for each individual. Moreover, a human service professional can also help with parenting classes for their parents. Some countries cultures are different. However, there are several ways a human service can guide parents how to fill out an application for food stamp assistance so that the family will have a meal to eat every day. Another problem a client may face is to find good childcare for their child. For instance, a client may have job, but can’t afford a daycare for their children due to low pay wages. (Woodside & McClam, (2011). Human services help clients that need assistance with low income housing. There are some people facing problems with domestic violence in their home. However, most situations can be dangerous and physical violent causing someone to get hurt or bodily injury causing a death. Moreover, children living in a violent environment can be in danger for their lives. Therefore, a child can be taken from their home by human services because the child is no longer safe. Human service helper must take the necessary measures to finding a foster or an adoptive parent for their client children’s. The primary categories of problems that affect a client of human services are gather together into social-cultural barriers. Moreover, there are a huge figures that affect clients whom need services under this group. There are many problems in some cultures, a women can’t accept family planning services from a human service provider because the woman can’t make that decision. They would have to get permission from their husbands. Communication is the key to understand one another by sending messages to each other. We use communication to get to know the client perspective of the situation. (pg. 201). A human service provider pay close attention of the client by focusing on the verbal and nonverbal messages from a client. Communication is a very important factor in helping with a client. According to Woodside & McClam, (2011). Furthermore, communicating with one another can make the problem solving process of a client flow smoother. Woodside & McClam, 2011 report that communication involves sending a message to another person with the conscious intent of affecting the receiver’s behavior. (pg. 201). In figure 7. 2 (pg.  201) shows the method when a person is receiving the message and if he understands the sender message correctly this is an effective communication. A message can be verbal or nonverbal. For instance, a client can walk into a human service office, the helper say to him verbally,† Hello, how are doing today? † A verbal communication is when words come out of a person mouth. The client didn’t speak to the human service provider, he just shrug his shoulders and nodded his head forward. The behavior of the client was non-verbal because he didn’t show any reaction. The well-educated skillful helper interpret the sender’s message by the client behavior. (Woodside & McClam, 2011). (OKUN & Kantrowitz, 2008). Reported the professional worker is able to hear what the client was saying by the way he reacted. Moreover, a person may smile and give out a handshake, this a non-verbal behavior. Non-verbal behaviors consist of a client’s posture, tone of voice, gestures, eye contact, and touch. For example, when we first go out on a date, we want to impress the other person by smiling, talking in a soft low voice. Furthermore, good eye contact is better whenever, we are communicating with each other. Therefore, we must make a good impression when we first meet a person. Next step in helping skills that can be utilized with a client is listening and responding. (pg. 204). Listening and responding according to Woodside and McClam, (2011). Researched that the way we listen and respond to person is very important in the helping skills process because a human service provider can build a trusting relationship with their client. Moreover, a person must hear what the other person is saying by sending a message verbally or non-verbally. Some people think they are good listeners, but most people aren’t. (See Table 7. 3). (Woodside & McClam, (2011). There are healthy behaviors in communication such as, verbal behaviors. Verbal behaviors are mirroring a person feelings, clarifying, showing a sense of humor, providing information that a client needs, explaining helper roles, sharing information about oneself, being non-judgmental, asking questions, making the right use of gestures and touching. Nonverbal behaviors are making eye contact, listening to a person, smiling, nodding head one’s head, leaning forward, maintain a relaxed posture, facing the client, displaying facial expression, being punctual, and maintaining a moderate rate of speech. (pg. 204). In addition, we must focus on the client by utilizing these helping skills to help provide the necessary help a client may need. In the text book, (pg. 205). There is a certain kind of listening a human service engage in is called responsive listening or active listening. There are two ways of responsive listening or active listening that is presented by Egan (2010, pp. 134-135) he offered that there are many things that a helper can do to talk to a person that they are paying close attention. (Woodside & McClam, (2011). In conclusion, Egan (20) researched that there are five behaviors that a human service professional can follow to let their clients know they are listening. First, s means face the client, O means adopt an open posture, L means lean toward the other person, E means maintain good eye contact, and R means try to be relatively relaxed. Furthermore, these are acronym SOLER. Moreover, remembering these acronym can show a person that the helper is listening. Attending behavior is another way a helper can let the client know that they are pay attention and listening. In this paper, I have discussed some ranges of problems facing human service clients and specific helping skills that can be used with clients.

Philosophy Afrterlife Reformation Essay

The ancient philosophers of Greek and Rome generally believed the world to be eternal, meaning, that the world had no beginning, and thus, it can never have an end, too. The people who had pondered about the origins of life here on earth, and about life after this present existence ends, have been segregated into many sects and categories. For the Stoics [1] our universe undergoes the shifting courses of expansion and contraction in perpetuity – from fire the universe expands into cooler and denser forms, contracts again in order to become fire, and so on in an eternal fashion. To the followers of Aristotle, according the author Leopold Sulmner in his book What Students of Philosophy Should Know,   â€Å"this world of ours has always existed and always will, and God did not create this world.†(90) Yet, even the followers of Aristotle, were divided as far as their opinions went. Jostein Gaarder provides as much in Sophie’s World by indicating that to a select number of these Aristotelians the world â€Å"†¦is like a big clockwork machine in which after a very long interval all the parts come back to the same positions, and the same sequence of events then happens again, over and over eternally; human beings and their actions are part of the clockwork, so everything in human history has already happened an infinite number of times already, and will happen again an infinite number of times in the future.† (67) Still in Gaarder’s Sophies World, we read that the early Christians and their faith in the sacred Scriptures believed that their, â€Å"God created the world a relatively short time ago, exercises continual providence in human history, and will eventually end it, perhaps in the not too distant future, and conduct a grand accounting. Life after death will go on for ever, but life on earth takes place within a fixed and relatively short timeframe, with a beginning, middle, and an end.† (72) There is a Christian saint in the person of St. Augustine who, â€Å"†¦scorned the Stoic concept of the happy life as inadequate, and proclaimed that in the next life true happiness will be found.† (45) But, according to St. Augustine, â€Å"they did not say much about what it would be like.† (46) St. Augustine went on further to write that, â€Å"†¦it is as if they were content to leave it to God – we can be sure that whatever is required to make human beings happy will be provided.†(57) The Stoics, in the opinion of the said Christian saint, â€Å"were not much interested in theorizing about happiness in this life, because not everyone can achieve it, it is not important to achieve, it is not of much significance in comparison with the happiness of the next life.† (93)   In Robert Longman’s, Medieval Aristotelians, the author writes that the medieval Aristotelians, â€Å"theorized about the happiness of the next life, adapting Aristotle’s ideas for the purpose: the happiness of heaven consists of intuitive knowledge of God himself.† (385) Lastly, in St. Augustine’s own City of God, St. Augustine postulates that â€Å"the elect are those who are predestined to happiness in the next life.† (990)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The philosopher, Rene Descartes immortalized the philosophical tenet of, â€Å"I think, therefore, I am.† In Dan Kaufman’s Divine Simplicity and the Eternal Truths in Descartes, we come to have a greater understanding about the view of Descartes regarding the afterlife of man. For Descartes, there is a God who is the composer and man who is the composed and composite. [2] Descartes philosophizes that, â€Å"†¦ man’s life, death, and life after death is dependent on the will, intellect and understanding of God.† (14) Hence, if this is so, for Rene Descartes, if God is the cause of man, then man depends on God also, even in the matter of man’s death. Rene Descartes had studied the nature of man and he had stressed the reality behind man’s divisibility. We can say that if, for Descartes, man is: mind and body, thought and extension, and a corporeal being who is believed to be someone who knows that he exists if he is inclined to the process of thinking; then, it can be derived that man’s death comes when man ceases to think. The ‘I’ cannot think, the ‘I’ does not think, the ‘I’[ as already mentioned ] ceases to think, indeed, the ‘I’ can no longer think—most importantly- and the ‘I’ can no longer declare, â€Å" Therefore, I am†. And so, from this cessation of thought, the status quo of man’s existence becomes of this, â€Å"†¦he does not think, therefore, he is not.† (99) In fact, philosophically, the ‘he’ is no longer, an ‘I’. Life after death, we can gain from reading the works of Descartes, would be, according to this philosopher, a state of being that is entirely dependent on God’s will. Man no longer has a say in it, for he is no longer capable of thinking. John Hobbes’s Leviathan bears a duality of natured characteristics which stamp it with the mark of genius. Leopold Sulmner in his book What Students of Philosophy Should Know discusses the Leviathan, at length, by describing it in this way, â€Å"In the first place, it is a work of great imaginative power, which shows how the whole fabric of human life and society is built up out of simple elements. And, in the second place, it is distinguished by a remarkable logical consecutiveness, so that there are very few places in which any lack of coherence can be detected in the thought.† (1001) Sulmner writes how it, â€Å"is true that the social order, as Hobbes presents it, produces an impression of artificiality; but this is hardly an objection, for it was his deliberate aim to show the artifice by which it had been constructed and the danger which lay in any interference with the mechanism.† (1024) The author goes on further to include that, â€Å"It is true, also, that the state of nature and the social contract are fictions passed off as facts; but, even to this objection, an answer might be made from within the bounds of his [Hobbes’s] theory. It is in his premises, not in his reasoning, that the error lies. If human nature were as selfish and anarchical as he represents it, then morality and the political order could arise and flourish only by its restraint, and the alternative would be, as he describes it, between complete insecurity and absolute power. But, if his view of man be mistaken, then the whole fabric of his thought crumbles. When we recognize that the individual is neither real nor intelligible apart from his social origin and traditions, and that the social factor influences his thought and motives, the opposition between self and others becomes less fundamental, the abrupt alternatives of Hobbes’s thoughts lose their validity and it is possible to regard morality and the state as expressing the ideal and sphere of human activity, and not as simply the chains by which man’s unruly passions are kept in check.† (1037) For Hobbes, according to Sulmner, â€Å"for as long as the state of nature endures, life is insecure and wretched. Man cannot improve this state, but he can get out of it; therefore, the fundamental law of nature is to seek peace and follow it; and, from this, emerges the second law, that, for the sake of peace, a man should be willing to lay down his right to all things, when other men are, also, willing to do so. From these two are derived all the laws of nature of the moralists. The laws of nature are immutable and eternal.† (1048). And so, for Hobbes, life after death, would be the experience of absolute escape from his present state of life here on earth. Jostein Gaarder provides a chapter in Sophie’s World on how, â€Å"John Locke opened a new way for English philosophy.† (261) Locke had patterned his philosophies from those of Francis Bacon, Hobbes, and the other forefathers of modern philosophy. Sophie’s World presents how, â€Å"Bacon had done more: he had found dangers and defects in the natural working of men’s minds, and had devised means to correct them. But Locke went a step further, and undertook a systematic investigation of the human understanding with a view to determining something else—namely, the truth and certainty of knowledge, and the grounds of belief, on all matters about which men are in the habit of making assertions.† (262) In his manner, Locke introduced a new method of philosophical enquiry, which is, â€Å"now known as a theory of knowledge, or epistemology; and, in this respect, he was the precursor of Kant and anticipated what Kant called the critical method.† (279)    Sophie’s World also provides us with this knowledge of how, â€Å"we have Locke’s own account of the origin of the problem in his mind. He struck out a new way because he found the old paths blocked. Five or six friends were conversing in his room, probably in London and in the winter of 1670–1, â€Å"on a subject very remote from this†; the subject, as we learn from another member of the party, was the â€Å"principles of morality and revealed religion†; but difficulties arose on every side, and no progress was made. Then, he goes on to say, it came into my thoughts that we took a wrong course, and that before we set ourselves upon inquires of that nature, it was necessary to examine our own abilities, and see what objects our understandings were, or were not, fitted to deal with.† (262) Again, Leopold Sulmner in his book What Students of Philosophy Should Know writes about Locke, â€Å"At the request of his friends, Locke agreed to set down his thoughts on this question against their next meeting; and he expected that a single sheet of paper would suffice for the purpose. So little did he realize the magnitude of the issues which he raised and which were to occupy his leisure for nearly twenty years.† (2765)    Sulmner informs by highlighting, â€Å"Locke’s interest centers in the traditional problems—the nature of self, the world and God, and the grounds of our knowledge of them. We reach these questions only in the fourth and last book of the Essay. But to them the enquiry of the first three books is preliminary, though it has, and Locke saw that it had, an importance of its own. His introductory sentences make this plain: Since it is the understanding that sets man above the rest of sensible beings, and gives him all the advantage and dominion which he has over them; it is certainly a subject, even for its nobleness, worth our labor to inquire into. The understanding, like the eye, while it makes us see and perceive all other things, takes no notice of itself; and it requires art and pains to set it at a distance and make it its own object. But whatever be the difficulties that lie in the way of this inquiry; whatever it be that keeps us so much in the dark to ourselves; sure I am that all the light we can let in upon our minds, all the acquaintance we can make with our own understandings, will not only be very pleasant, but bring us great advantage, in directing our thoughts in the search of other things. â€Å"(2766)   What Students of Philosophy Should Know concludes for us that, â€Å"Locke will not ‘meddle with the physical consideration of the mind’; he has no theory about its essence or its relation to the body; at the same time, he has no doubt that, if due pains be taken, the understanding can be studied like anything else: we can observe its objects and the ways in which it operates upon them. All the objects of the understanding are described as ideas, and ideas are spoken of as being in the mind. Locke’s first problem, therefore, is to trace the origin and history of ideas, and the ways in which the understanding operates upon them, in order that he may be able to see what knowledge is and how far it reaches.† (2800) In Sulmner’s book, we can read that, â€Å"This wide use of the term â€Å"idea† is inherited from Descartes. The term in modern psychology which corresponds with it most nearly is â€Å"presentation.† But presentation is, strictly, only one variety of Locke’s idea, which includes, also, representation and image, percept, and concept or notion. His usage of the term thus differs so widely from the old Platonic meaning that the danger of confusion between them is not great. It suited the author’s purpose, also, from being a familiar word in ordinary discourse as well as in the language of philosophers. Herein, however, lay a danger from which he did not escape. In common usage â€Å"idea† carries with it a suggestion of contrast with reality; and the opposition which the â€Å"new way of ideas† excited was due to the doubt which it seemed to cast on the claim of knowledge to be ‘a knowledge of real things’.(2817) Perhaps, for Locke, life after death, is something that can be located in man’s mind. This is what we can gather from studies of philosophers, throughout history, about life after death: 1.) in the next life true happiness will be found, 2.) the happiness of heaven consists of intuitive knowledge of God himself, 3.) a state of being that is entirely dependent on God’s will, 4.) life after death, would be the experience of absolute escape from his present state of life here on earth, and finally, 5.)something that can be located in man’s mind. And as for the matter, of which would be true amongst these theories? Well, we shall see which, but in the next life. WORKS CITED De Torre, Joseph M. The Humanism of Modern Philosophy,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3d ed. Madrid: Solaris Press, 1999. Gaarder, Jostein. Sophie’s World. London: Phoenix Books, 1996;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reprint, Phoenix Books,1998. Kaufmann, Dan. Divine Simplicity and the Eternal Truths   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Descartes.   British Journal for the History of Philosophy: UK, Vol. ii   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Issue 4, 2003. Longman, Robert.   Medieval Aristotelians.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Translated by Thomas Charles. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Random House Publishing, 1992. Sulmner, Leopold.What Students of Philosophy Should Know. Singapore: Allyn and Bacon, 1996. [1] De Torre, Joseph M. The Humanism of Modern Philosophy,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3d ed. Madrid: Solaris Press, 1999. [2] Man in being composed[composite], has external parts and a soul. He is divisible, according to his parts. And he is created by God, the composer.

Critique of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Essays

Critique of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Essays Critique of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Essay Critique of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Essay In early prisons, â€Å"solitary confinement† was something that most prisoners experienced. As prisons began to evolve we see how solitary confinement tactics has changed and are now used for other purposes such as bad behavior and/or insanity purposes. Chief Bromden, the narrator of â€Å"One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest† is a complex character whose story is revealed throughout the book. Throughout the book readers can analyze that although Bromden suffers from some psychological defects, Bromden has an amazing comprehension as to what is going on around him. Although Bromden is a patient in a psychiatric housing, he is also a brilliant person who is constantly makes analogies and compares his surrounding to his prior knowledge. Bromden pretends to be deaf which some may think is an undesirable thing to do considering his circumstances, however, Bromden used it to his advantage. Bromden is able to listen in on conversations in which others have no idea that he is able to comprehend what it is that they are saying. Considering Bromden’s state of mind and his surrounding one would think that Bromden has no idea as to what is going on around him, nonetheless, he is very metaphoric and is able to get an understanding as to how the world works in his current environment. Bromden is able to see that the hospital he is in as dehumanizing and humanity doesn’t exist. How is it that a place like psychiatric housing which was made to help those who have mental issues whether they are functioning or not functioning, is able to conform people into a state of mind that is totally dependable? This psychiatric home can be compared to prison institutions and even the Prisonization Theory. Today in prisons we see prisoners who have spent time in the penitentiary come out of these institutions not better but worse because of the circumstances within the prisons. In correspondence with prison life when comparing the prisonization theory to this

Scout Quotes From To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Scout Quotes From 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee The young Scout Finch,  from To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is one of American literatures  most iconic and unforgettable fictional characters. The book deals with issues of racial injustice and gender roles in the American South. The book was largely based on Lees own childhood, growing up in Monroeville, Alabama, during the Great Depression. Published at the start of the civil rights movement, the book called for tolerance  and condemned the treatment of African-Americans in the South. Through its tomboy narrator, the author discusses the frustrations of living within strict female gender roles.   On Being a Girl â€Å"[Calpurnia] seemed glad to see me when I appeared in the kitchen, and by watching her I began to think there was some skill involved in being a girl.† â€Å"[Aunt Alexandra said that] I was born good but had grown progressively worse every year.† â€Å"I was not so sure, but Jem told me I was being a girl, that girls always imagined things, that’s why other people hated them so, and if I started behaving like one I could just go off and find some to play with.† â€Å"I felt the starched walls of a pink cotton penitentiary closing in on me, and for the second time in my life, I thought of running away. Immediately.† On Boo Radley Then I saw the shadow. It was the shadow of a man with a hat on. At first, I thought it was a tree, but there was no wind blowing, and tree trunks never walked. The back porch was bathed in moonlight, and the shadow, crisp, and toast moved across the porch towards Jem. (They think the shadow is Boo Radley, whom theyve been taught to fear.) On Jem The sixth grade seemed to please him from the beginning: he went through a brief Egyptian Period that baffled me- he tried to walk flat a great deal, sticking one arm in front of him and one in back of him, putting one foot behind the other. He declared Egyptians walked that way; I said if they did I didnt see how they got anything done, but Jem said they accomplished more than the Americans ever did, they invented toilet paper and perpetual embalming, and asked where would we be today if they hadnt? Atticus told me to delete the adjectives and Id have the facts. To Jack â€Å"Pass the damn ham, please.† (said during Scouts attempt to try and get out of going to school) On Fighting â€Å"Atticus had promised me he would wear me out if he ever heard of me fighting anymore; I was far too old and too big for such childish things, and the sooner I learned to hold in, the better off everybody would be.† â€Å"After my bout with Cecil Jacobs when I committed myself to a policy of cowardice, word got around that Scout Finch wouldn’t fight anymore, her daddy wouldn’t let her. This was not entirely correct: I wouldn’t fight publicly for Atticus, but the family was private ground. I would fight anyone from a third cousin upwards tooth and nail. Francis Hancock, for example, knew that.† ​ On White Lies â€Å"I said I would like it very much, which was a lie, but one must lie under certain circumstances and at all times when one can’t do anything about them.† (on Aunt Alexandra moving in) On Dill â€Å"With him, life was routine; without him, life was unbearable.† On People I think theres just one kind of folks. Folks.

3 Ways You Can Make an Impact at Your Internship

3 Ways You Can Make an Impact at Your Internship In many areas of the world- especially the United States- job title and status  are an incredibly important factor to  the way society perceives you. It’s not uncommon for your  job title to hold more influence and status than your actual job description.  As an intern myself, I can vouch for that.  I have had first-hand experience in having my hand held  and being treated as if I’m significantly less competent  by  people who have been out of college  for a mere 3 years. But here’s the thing: success is  all about perspective, goals, and influence. Making an impact has very little to do with title and a lot to do with influence. I can choose to be offended by the way people treat me because of my intern status, or I can shift my perspective, set goals for myself, and grow my influence.All you need to do is ask yourself how you can make an impact in your company as an intern. What is your goal at the end of your  internship? It could be as s imple as getting a full-time position or finding out if  you’re in  the field you truly want to be in. As long as you have a goal in mind, you can set sail and proceed in the right direction.There is no one-size-fits-all method to get there, of course, but here are 3 ways you can make an impact at your internship and begin growing your influence and professional career.1.  Visualize the results you wantvia [giphy.com]Think of it this way- if you’re going shopping and walk into a store with no list, you might spend an entire day searching for just a few things. If you walk into the store with a list, it might take half the time to get the same task  done.The same concept can applied to an internship. Once you have a list of things you want to accomplish, you can work at a more efficient pace. Sit down with a supervisor, manager, or even a coworker who has more experience and go over your responsibilities and how they relate to the goals of the company.At my inte rnship,  I am responsible with managing two blogs for our company, so I block out time in my calendar to meet with two different people in my marketing team in order to go over my progress, current goals, future goals, and responsibilities. I do this twice a week and it helps me align what I’m trying to accomplish for myself with what the company wants to  do.2.  Show you’re hungry and ready to learnvia [giphy.com]At my internship, I’m always brainstorming ideas- not because I have an agenda, but because I’m genuinely involved and I enjoy marketing. I try to make the best of my 8 hours.  In order to begin making an impact, it’s important to take a similar approach. Even so, you also have to do your best to be a team player and help those around you. When a miscellaneous assignment comes my way, even if I have a million things on my plate, I do my best to find some time to tackle it.Being a team player is important, and showing you can help serve the needs of others and the company are characteristics of an effective leader- which also ties into growing your influence.Don’t be insulted when you get bombarded with menial tasks. I used to feel the same way. Instead, think of it as an opportunity to showcase how responsible you are. It’s an opportunity for you to show your team you can be trusted. With trust comes more responsibility. It’s okay to have a little voice in the back of your head saying â€Å"you’re better than this† because that’s entirely true, but the people around you don’t know that yet, so show them!3.   Know the essence of your charactervia [giphy.com]Having strong work ethic is important. You need to attend meetings, complete projects, meet deadlines, and contribute to the company- but one thing that truly stands the test of time is the content of your character.  Are you honest? Are you trustworthy? Do you have empathy for your fellow man? These cha racteristics are important building blocks to authentically building your influence.Most people these days are tired of the stereotypical  bad guy CEO. Things are changing and the corporate world isn’t as cutthroat as it used to be.  People prefer working with someone who is a good person and doesn’t just look out for themselves.Disclaimervia [giphy.com]There is an important caveat  that you should take away from all of this- professional change isn’t something that will happen overnight. It  will take time. At first, it may not feel natural,  but over time it will become habitual. Focus on growing yourself professionally and becoming a better person.Remember, it’s about more than just the workplace. You have to focus on yourself outside of work as well. Take the time to become a better version of you.  Titles are reactive. Influence is proactive.

Representing (Repressed) Homosexuality in the Pre-Stonewall Hollywood Essay

Representing (Repressed) Homosexuality in the Pre-Stonewall Hollywood Homo-Military Film - Essay Example It was thus easy to detect homosexually behavior among the officers. Theories have been put forward trying to explain this phenomenon. Some believed that people who had homosexual tendencies joined the army so that they could repress these feelings however, with the many intimate contacts with the young men they find themselves succumbing to temptations. Others engage in this act out of curiosity and need to experiment new things. There are several films that have been produced that show the existence of homosexuality in the 1950s and 1960s without violating the censorship act. Among them is the gay deceiver, Damn the Defiant, Billy Buddy and the Strange Ones. All these moves contain scenes that imply homosexual actions without actually talking about homosexuality (Sconce, 73). This article analyzes the production history, reception and the social context of these films. The social context Looking back in the social context of the 1960s would help us understand the reception of the g ay related movies. In this age, people perceived homosexuality in a very different light than they do today. There were no gay hubs as the ones that exist in Ney York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Most homosexuals practiced this lifestyle in secret with the fear of being marked by the society. Homosexuality as a sex identity was seen to be a mental illness and any acts of homosexuality were labeled as crime. Before the passing of the 1967 Sex offense Bill, homosexuality was illegal. Lesbianism was however not considered illegal but people who practiced it were looked down upon by the society. Although the cities would be seen as the refuge of minorities, it was not supportive of the gay community. The often found refuge in gay bar but these ones would also be raided by police patron. The police would also alert the media in case there was such a raid such that people who were caught ended up featuring in the news (Butt, 238). The Stone Wall bar owned by the mafia exploited gay peo ple making money from them. The rural areas were not a better hub for the gay people either. People living here were expected to get married and have children. Many homosexuals were thus pressured into getting married with these marriages having unhappy endings and in some cases leading these men to commit suicide. The issue of homosexuality became a contentious one when Bill Clinton tried to amalgamate the forces. It became evident that the issue of homosexuality had existed for centuries. People were also concerned on the reasons that would make gay men join the military. . It was viewed that the military was a refuge that tried to still the chaos they were going through inside due to repressing their homosexual desires. They would also escape from the pressure of the society that expected them to have heterosexual relationships. The manner in which the military was organized with strict discipline would create a new identity for them as soldiers replacing their old confused ident ity. Psychologist actually said that the gay men joined the force hoping that this experience would cure them considering that homosexuality was then believed to be a mental illness. Intercourse of queer men in the military was a common thing during the World War 2 and even after. Some psychologists were of the view that the prevalence of gays in the military was as a result of the antigay policies. This is because human

Worldview Beliefs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Worldview Beliefs - Essay Example This essay demonstrates and shows that what a person looks like at the present does not matter because as we age, our looks also change so that although we may have once been physically beautiful, with time, this beauty is eroded by age and what is left behind is a shadow of what we once were. However, I believe that inner beauty lasts forever because our character and our actions tend not to change as fast as our physical beauty does. An example of this is the way people care for others and one of these is my best friend who has influenced my worldview on this matter. She is a kind, loving, and helpful person and she has the ability to make others feel better, which makes her a treasured friend to have. In conclusion, I believe that the world would be a better place if only all of us could treat each other with respect and tolerance. We should seek to understand and appreciate that people have diverse opinions due to their backgrounds and experiences in life before passing any judgm ent, as this would stop many of the prejudices which some of us have against others. In addition, I am of the opinion that for people to experience greater success in life they have to develop the virtue of perseverance considering that every undertaking has its challenges. In addition, inner beauty, as opposed to the physical outer beauty, is very important since it outlasts the later. Moreover, inner beauty concerns inherent good characters other than the outward impression, which is often deceiving.... Doing so has also helped me to develop very close friendships with people who I would otherwise have not have had any time for and this has ensured that I have developed friendships which have filled my life. It has enabled me to develop the necessary social skills to interact confidently with people from different backgrounds on an equal basis without any feeling of superiority on my part. Many people consider the ability not to give up or perseverance a virtue and in fact, the majority of the world religions encourage it in their followers. Perseverance, from ancient times, has been one of the keys to success and it is very difficult to achieve any level of success without it. I believe that it involves the ability to be committed to a task that one has set for him or herself, to be able to work hard towards it, and to have the patience and endurance to make sure that this task is fulfilled satisfactorily. Never giving up also involves the ability to be able to bear the difficultie s that one is facing calmly and without any complaint because these tend to explain why many fail to succeed in whatever they are doing. A good example of perseverance is the one that the Wright Brothers had when they were attempting to make a flying machine. Many people had no faith that they would be able to make it and in fact, some even tried to discourage their attempts. Despite all this, the Wright brothers became even more determined to achieve their goal, it is this ability of never giving up that made them create the first airplane, and that is why we are able to travel by air today. There are many definitions of beauty but one of the most of these definitions tends to be based on the physical

Proteins and Vegetarians, Fats and Heart Disease Essay

Proteins and Vegetarians, Fats and Heart Disease - Essay Example Proteins are broken down into energy during some exercises or during starvation. Proteins maintain some of the processes in the body through substances made from proteins. Enzymes made from proteins facilitate the process of digestion. Breast feed milk used to feed children is made from proteins consumed by man. Vegetarians should ensure that they protein rich from breakfast to super time. Such foods include legumes, grains, nuts vegetables, and fats. The vegetarians should ensure that they consume adequate amounts of proteins in each serving. Other foods should also be served in the diet to ensure a balanced diet (Christophe Blecker, et al 225). Fats and Heart Disease The body stores energy through fat reservoirs in the body. These fats are used when the body needs energy. This fat is at least 10percent of an individual’s weight. Fats are used to transporting soluble nutrients around the body. Such nutrients include vitamin A, D, E and K. Fats located under the skin help insulate the body from temperature change. Fats form structural components of the cell such as the cell wall that regulates the movement of substances in the cell. Fats are used in the production of hormones that regulate body operations. Fats are used to producing milk used to feed newborns after pregnancy. Saturated fats are bad for health as they increase cholesterol levels. Increase in cholesterol clog vessels in a process called atherosclerosis. Cholesterol in heart vessels caused heart attacks (Vercambre, Grodstein, and Kang 1136).

To what extent is the incorporation of state owned commercial banks Essay

To what extent is the incorporation of state owned commercial banks improved the efficiency of the Chinese banking system - Essay Example Since China gets more structured with the globe, because of these measures banking system of China now has turn out to be high-ranking in the global financial markets, corroborated by the rapid development of economy of China. The banking system of China is viewed as successful during the situation of financial crisis in 2008. Now, 3 drifted banks of China namely Bank of China (BOC), Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and China Construction Bank (CCB) are the biggest banks in terms of market value following the financial crisis which ruined many European and American banks. During 1990, many experimental and theoretical studies have analysed the chances and challenges that banking sector of China face (Chapman & Marshall, 2012). An important study regarding the Chinese Banking industry in the broader perspective of agreement of China with World Trade Organization (WTO) and economic transformation is extremely important (Chapman & Marshall, 2012). Discussion In 1980s, vari ous banks of Latin American countries face crises. Lots of nations carry out a many steps to restructuring their misfunctioned banking industry, including fiscal relaxation and strengthened dictatorial regimes. Mostly these transformations were productive in strengthening banking industry and avoiding banking crisis. Transparent and imprudent authoritarian and administrative models played a significant role in the successful states (Wang, 2009). In 1978, in Chinese banking system the process of reformation was began with the establishment of the BOC and CCB. During last 3 decades, different measures of restructuring have been beginning piecemeal in order to strengthen the competitiveness and effectiveness of the domestic banks in China, particularly the state-owned commercial banks. Even so, the steps that have been carried out don’t give the required results. In 2004, official figures shows that the ratio of non-performing loans in the Chinese big four state-owned commercial banks that remained at 2.5 trillion Yuan (equal to three trillion US dollars at recent rate of exchange), was fifteen percent of the entire bank loans (Wang, 2009). This official estimation is viewed as to be undervaluing due to the oblique system of rating system. The ineffective operational mechanism, distribution system, and personnel management system result in failure of several significant restructuring steps. Therefore Chinese banking system requires a complete shakeup. Size and Structure of the Chinese Banking System During the last decade, the banking sector of China is greater in size comparative to the economy of China and has expanded drastically. Entire assets of Chinese banking system (as well as assets that are present in the international subsidiaries and branches of Chinese banks) were approximately equal to two hundred and forty percent of GDP at the end of 2011 which increase from two hundred percent that were in early period of 2000, however, from GDP domestic c redit is estimated to be equal to one hundred and forty five percent (Chapman & Marshall, 2012). This ratio of credit-to- GDP is high comparative to states in which the per capita income is at equal levels. Intermediated credits are much developed

How the Mongol Empire Conquered Topography Essay

How the Mongol Empire Conquered Topography - Essay Example That is to say, the people living within this landlocked area have historically been bestowed with a choice of inhabiting three biomes: Desert, Mountains, or cold Taga. As these are similarly difficult to settle in and survive, the Mongols led nomadic patterns along the steppe - those mid-areas at the cusp of Mountain plateaus, off the lines of parched expanses. This steppe of the Gobi desert can be characterized as rocky lands covered in layers of sand. The Mongol civilization developed as one of the world's first nomadic groups, cradled between mountain and desert. But here is where also developed one of Asia's most powerful empires. The contradiction is intriguing. What would nomadic tribes endlessly wandering undulating terrain have to do with the powerful Mongol Empire, which under the rule of Genghis Khan, moved armies across huge expanses of terrain, despite difficult topography, to conquer adjacent civilizations to the east and west Many maintain that was precisely the work of Genghis Khan and his closest successors, including Kublai Khan. Indeed, the height of the Mongols really only lasted from the 13th to the 14th century. Other factors pertaining to how the Mongols dealt with their geography come into play, for example, the methods they used for centuries to move across terrain, climate patterns, and population density. For centuries Mongols were known as pastoralists and nomads. Mongol tribes appeared around 500 BC, already carrying their proportion of horses.1 They wandered, while in nearby lands of China, people were beginning their Imperial Era as early as 220 BC.2 On the steppe, the Mongols herded cattle along Gobi oases, seldom traveling in clans larger than one or two families.3 In comparison to the frozen Mongol development, civilization boomed quite effortlessly south of the steppe. Within the fertile river basins of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, China's multiple units successfully accommodated a mixed economy of commerce, farming, handicrafts and pastoralism. Internal competition also allowed science and technology as well as literature and art to thrive on the East Asian Mainland. This was known as "a hundred flowers blossoming" (baijia zhengming, literally "a grand song contest with one hundred contenders").4 But meanwhile in nomadic ambling across a rocky desert, trudging through shifting sands, the Mongols carried out their civilization, seemingly without a trace. For hundreds of years, up to 600-800 A.D., the Mongols had still left little evidence of their cultural existence, in terms of pottery or cultivation, and settled in not a single village.5 It has been said that Genghis Khan made the Moguls a strong empire by first unifying the Mongolian tribes. Previously known as Tem Jin, then "Granted the title Genghis Khan, he reorganized the Mongolian military and established the civil laws of his empire. His reforms included breaking tribal armies, implementing a meritocracy, developing a cavalry and a code of written laws".6 The interesting aspect of this quotation is in the explication of tribal activities. By converting many tribes into a single unified people, and then extinguishing individual clan ties, Genghis Khan ensured that the Mongols would become an empire by removing all

To what extent is the incorporation of state owned commercial banks Essay

To what extent is the incorporation of state owned commercial banks improved the efficiency of the Chinese banking system - Essay Example Since China gets more structured with the globe, because of these measures banking system of China now has turn out to be high-ranking in the global financial markets, corroborated by the rapid development of economy of China. The banking system of China is viewed as successful during the situation of financial crisis in 2008. Now, 3 drifted banks of China namely Bank of China (BOC), Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and China Construction Bank (CCB) are the biggest banks in terms of market value following the financial crisis which ruined many European and American banks. During 1990, many experimental and theoretical studies have analysed the chances and challenges that banking sector of China face (Chapman & Marshall, 2012). An important study regarding the Chinese Banking industry in the broader perspective of agreement of China with World Trade Organization (WTO) and economic transformation is extremely important (Chapman & Marshall, 2012). Discussion In 1980s, vari ous banks of Latin American countries face crises. Lots of nations carry out a many steps to restructuring their misfunctioned banking industry, including fiscal relaxation and strengthened dictatorial regimes. Mostly these transformations were productive in strengthening banking industry and avoiding banking crisis. Transparent and imprudent authoritarian and administrative models played a significant role in the successful states (Wang, 2009). In 1978, in Chinese banking system the process of reformation was began with the establishment of the BOC and CCB. During last 3 decades, different measures of restructuring have been beginning piecemeal in order to strengthen the competitiveness and effectiveness of the domestic banks in China, particularly the state-owned commercial banks. Even so, the steps that have been carried out don’t give the required results. In 2004, official figures shows that the ratio of non-performing loans in the Chinese big four state-owned commercial banks that remained at 2.5 trillion Yuan (equal to three trillion US dollars at recent rate of exchange), was fifteen percent of the entire bank loans (Wang, 2009). This official estimation is viewed as to be undervaluing due to the oblique system of rating system. The ineffective operational mechanism, distribution system, and personnel management system result in failure of several significant restructuring steps. Therefore Chinese banking system requires a complete shakeup. Size and Structure of the Chinese Banking System During the last decade, the banking sector of China is greater in size comparative to the economy of China and has expanded drastically. Entire assets of Chinese banking system (as well as assets that are present in the international subsidiaries and branches of Chinese banks) were approximately equal to two hundred and forty percent of GDP at the end of 2011 which increase from two hundred percent that were in early period of 2000, however, from GDP domestic c redit is estimated to be equal to one hundred and forty five percent (Chapman & Marshall, 2012). This ratio of credit-to- GDP is high comparative to states in which the per capita income is at equal levels. Intermediated credits are much developed

Financial Regulation & Supervision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Financial Regulation & Supervision - Essay Example These regulations not only protect the firms involved in online transactions but also the cardholders from being exploited by the online frauds. Such compliance requirements have posed new challenges as to how to minimize compliance costs and continuously monitor the security systems to stay ahead of web criminals. Nevertheless, the benefits seem to surpass the costs associated with these regulations. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Facts of the Case 5 Andrews’ Options with Bank 6 Advantages of PCI DSS Compliance Advisor 10 Conclusion 11 References 13 Bibliography 15 Introduction A few years back the fraud in payment cards was conducted by small time criminals who used to take the advantage of opportunities as they came along. However, today it has become a well organized crime where sensitive customer information is stolen and ruthlessly exploited, affecting millions of cardholders and retail businesses. Considering this the PCI DSS we re introduced. PCI refers to ‘Payment Card Industry’ and DSS to ‘Data Security Standard’ (Carpenter, 2010). ... ember 2006 for the management and development of PCI security standards to improve the payment account security in transaction process (PCI Compliance Guide, n.d.). PCI SSC was formed by major credit card brands like VISA, American Express, MasterCard, JCB and Discover (Kim and Solomon, 2010, p.395). These brands and their acquirers are responsible for the enforcement of compliance with the standards. All the merchant companies that process transmit and store the cardholder data should be PCI DSS compliant. There are three steps in adherence to the standards: 1. Assess: This involves identification of cardholder data, inventory of business processes and IT assets along with an analysis of vulnerability in the security system for potential cardholder data exposure. 2. Remediate: No to store cardholder data unless needed and fix the vulnerabilities identified in step 1. 3. Report: Compilation and submission of required validation records and compliance report to the acquiring bank and the payment card company (Hart et al, 2010, p.357). There are four merchant levels: Level 1: The level 1 merchant has aggregate annual online transactions of more than six million and has been subject to cardholder data breach or poses significant risk. They are required to have an onsite audit every year by Qualified Security Assessor and quarterly network security scan by Approved Scanning Vendor (Bradley, 2007, p.209). Level 2: The level 2 merchant has annual aggregate transaction between one million and six million. They should submit PCI DSS self assessment questionnaire on an annual basis and conduct network scans every three months by Approved Scanning Vendor. Level 3: The level 3 merchants have annual aggregate transactions between 20,000 and one million; therefore, they should PCI

Value Engineering Programs Overview Essay Example for Free

Value Engineering Programs Overview Essay The programs objective is to impart knowledge covering core areas of plant design to enhance constructability and improve construction process. Studies, workshops and research focus on this program. The program covers effective cost saving in constructability in order to make maximum use of knowledge and experience in all phases of construction including planning the construction process, designing, procurement, and to conduct field operations to improve construction process. Lean Construction Lean construction covers how to plan and manage the work of construction. It saves time and improves quality of construction process. That is construction can be accomplished in much less time with proper planning and quality output. Nature of Program â€Å"†¦.. Lean is fundamentally empowering all workers to be partners in your continuous improvement efforts. You ask them to make their work easier and more interesting. You challenge them to grow every day on the job. You ask them to cut costs, to improve safety, to improve quality and reduce the time line to deliver superior products and services to their customers. †¦And then leave you the challenge to figure it out for yourself. They rarely ever had a cookbook approach for you. In fact, Ohno would never let anything be written down on how to do lean. He wanted it to be a system that allowed for constant change. Sure, their disciples created the Kaizen Blitz, which became a million dollar product for them. While others have created Six Sigma another million dollar product. Somehow we just resist change until everyone is doing it then we jump on the bandwagon† (Lean construction) Green Construction and Sustainability Nature of Program How are they implemented? Relation to Value Engineering The core content covers the area of green construction and sustainability. Implementation Establishment of New plant has become very mandatory for the proper working and progress of the company. As older plant is causing huge losses and increased labor cost. The older machinery repair and maintenance is costing $5 million annually. This is also increasing labor workforce due to inadequate plant machinery and declining working condition. With implementation of New Technology and new machinery labor force and cost will be reduced dramatically and work will be enhanced. This includes several tasks: ? Factory management ? Plant operations management ? Production management ? Operations management ? Manufacturing ? Assembly automation ? Automated assembly ? Automated manufacturing ? Industrial automation ? Flexible manufacturing ? Robotic work cell ? Robotic assembly ? Assembly process ? Assembly sequence planning ? Continuous flow manufacturing ? High volume, low cost product assembly ? Manufacturing process development ? Production line ? Process engineering ? Production engineering ? Continuous motion assembly ? Operation analysis Company’s plan for financing the construction Target: New Products Creations competitive edge in the market place depends on getting this new component plant built and functioning within the next 48 months. A lot depends upon securing the financing, including your future with the company. Funding for this project will come from a consortium of Venture Capitalists, a bond offering and bank loans. Flexible manufacturing will make new plan respond to the rising market demand by various new models and products model variants. Support will be gained from Banks and Consortium of Venture Capitalist. The Plant may cost $980 million for proper implementation and working References Report on (Design for constructability studies in support of the DOE ALWR (Advanced Light Water Reactor) Program) 1990

Control The Incidence Of Different Diseases And Conditions Health Essay

Control The Incidence Of Different Diseases And Conditions Health Essay The relevant authorities responsible for maintaining public health such as local authorities, health trusts, government institutions, voluntary organizations etc are required to measure, monitor and control the incidence of different diseases and conditions which occur in a community. In epidemiology, incidence is a measure of a persons likelihood or risk of developing some new disease within a specified time period and is best expressed as a rate or a probability. Incidence is also a mathematical quantity that describes the occurrence of a disease Y in a population. It is the proportion of persons in the population, who newly develop the disease Y within a given time period (t): The measure of incidence is stated below: Incidence in population P  Ã‚  =  Ã‚  Ã‚   # who develop the disease Y in population p in a time t   # in population p The practice of disease monitoring is a complex subject and the method implemented in order to carry out this practice varies slightly according the nature of the disease and the extent of the geographical area in which the disease is to be monitored. Surveillance and monitoring are crucial to provide countries with the information needed about development of policies and programs for non-communicable diseases, and to support the assessment of these initiatives and monitor progress. The capacity to undertake surveillance for these purposes varies greatly around the world and was judged inadequate in many low-income and middle-income countries. Some disease monitoring programs are planned to occur in phases over an approximate period to allow for the collection, processing and assimilation of all of the sample material and its association with other recorded parameters.  Ã‚  Once results have been obtained and analyzed, the findings of the study will be published and will be made av ailable to all of the health and social care authorities and professionals of the area studied. The results of the disease monitoring projects and knowledge gained from the study will be  very helpful  with regards to future treatment protocols, therefore improving the health care in addition to aiding the understanding of the disease  thereby ultimately assisting in its prevention. The reports and findings arrived at while conducting the research is as follows: Preliminary outbreak assessments Qualitative risk assessments A surveillance framework, including a minimum set of indicators covering exposures and outcomes, is essential for policy development and assessment and for monitoring of trends in disease. Data must be collected, analyzed and used in a regular and systematic way. The interval between the episodes of data collection may vary depending on the measurements involved and the infrastructure available to conduct surveys. Surveillance involves commitment to data collection on an ongoing repeated basis, as well as the use of the data for public health policy. Four considerations guide the choice of risk factors for inclusion in surveillance activities: The significance of the risk factor for public health in terms of the nature and severity of the morbidity, disability and mortality of the NCDs associated with these risk factors. The cost of collecting valid data on a repeated basis; The availability and strength of the evidence that intervening on the factor will reduce non communicable diseases in the community. The ability to measure the risk factor burden uniformly in different settings to ensure comparability and to measure changes over time. The next most important aspect in maintaining public health after disease monitoring is conducted (and if a disease appears to be rampant) is the process of disease control. Control of a disease is the reduction in its incidence, prevalence, mortality and morbidity and elimination of a particular disease in a geographical area may be achieved as a result of intervention programs such as individual protection by the use of vaccines etc. Public Health applies a wide variety of tools for the prevention and control of infectious disease and their transmission by following a range of activities including the filtration and disinfection of community drinking water to environmental vector control, immunization programs etc. Another important program implemented by health and social care authorities in an effort to control the spread of disease is by organizing programs to promote self- protection, case findings and effective treatment of infections to stop their spread to other people (eg: HIV, Tuberculosis, malaria etc). Most importantly planning measures need to be in place. Health promotion is one of the most essential instruments of infectious disease control. It promotes community support of preventive measures. Means of controlling communicable diseases is mentioned below: Epidemiological monitoring Immunization Environmental measures Laboratory research and confirmation Immunization programs Epidemiology of Malaria in South Africa Incidence Rates- In 2006,  South Africa  reported 12,098 cases of  malaria  (incidence rate  25.9 per 100000 person-years) including 87 deaths.   Geographical Distribution- South Africa Vulnerable Groups- Young Children Non- Immune Pregnant Women Semi- Immune Pregnant Women People with HIV/AIDS International travelers from non-endemic areas Immigrants from endemic areas and their children Causes- Malaria is caused by  Plasmodium  parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected  Anopheles  mosquitoes, called malaria vectors, which bite mainly between dusk and dawn. The intensity of transmission depends on factors related to the parasite, the vector, the human host, and the environment. Spread- The parasites that cause  malaria  are transmitted by a species of insects which are known as the female Anopheles mosquitoes. These parasites multiply within the red blood cells. Malaria spreads when the amount of this particular type of mosquito multiplies. Controls- Vector control is the primary public health intervention for reducing malaria transmission at the community level. It is the only intervention that can reduce malaria transmission from very high levels to close to zero. In high transmission areas, it can reduce child mortality rates and the prevalence of severe anemia. For individuals personal protection against mosquito bites represents the first line of defense for malaria prevention. Two forms of vector control are as follows: Insecticide treated mosquito nets Indoor spraying with residual insecticides South African Department of Health Malaria case statistics Provincial distribution of notified malaria cases, South Africa, 2000 Notified malaria cases by age group, South Africa, 2000-2002 Epidemiology of Cardio Vascular Disease in South Africa Incidence Rates- 165.3 and 101.2 per 100,000 South Africans of Indian descent and 5.3 per 100,000 among black African people. Geographical Distribution- South Africa Vulnerable Groups- Smokers, drinkers, drug addicts and drug abusers, obese and inactive individuals and individuals with high cholesterol who consume unhealthy food. Causes- Any disease that affects the normal functioning of blood vessels, arteries, veins and the heart are categorized under  cardiovascular diseases. They are also called as  heart diseases. The most common causes are smoking, alcohol and drugs, unhealthy diet and an inactive sedentary lifestyle. Control- Being active and eating the right foods will go a long way in preventing or controlling heat diseases. If you already have coronary heart disease it is never too late to adopt a healthy dietary change and a more balanced lifestyle. The only means of controlling this non communicable disease is by promoting and educating the public on transforming their unhealthy lifestyles into a healthier one. There are different approaches and strategies used in order to control the incidence of disease in a community. These approaches are surveillance, screening, immunization, education, legislation, improving social welfare and environmental controls. All these different approaches serve their purpose of being efficient tools for controlling the onset and spread of disease but they have to be used in combination with one another in order to be effective. For example, in the case of malaria epidemic in South Africa, an effective strategy to control the spread must begin with an immunization program directed at the vulnerable groups in the region. At the same time, environmental controls need to put in place in order to ensure that there is not a place left for the mosquitoes to breed freely. Thereafter disease surveillances and screenings must be carried out in order to track the patterns and identify the trends in order to develop more efficient prevention strategies. Government legisla ture too will help in this regard, if governments decide to grant more aid to local health institutions and authorities, it will be able to offer better facilities to the ill and infected and treat more patients whilst at the time, possessing more resources in order to vaccinate a broader range or people and provide them with the necessary insecticides. The personal health of the health and social care workers plays a paramount role in any community in the world. These professionals work at hospitals, nursing and personal  care  facilities, individual and family services etc and there main area of focus in on treating and caring for the ill. It is due to this reason that they need to be in a strong physical and mental state in order for these individuals to give their best to the people who are ill, as the sick need extra care and a lot of energy is required to fulfill their needs. Sick people have weak immunity systems and because these individuals work with the ill and injured on a day to day basis, it is very important that they too are very healthy so that they wont pass on any diseases to those people who can contract it very easily and make their condition worse. In order for the health professionals to be passionate about health and promoting health, they have to be in their best state of physical and mental health in ord er to make an impact. The collection of epidemiological data is very important as it helps to curb future epidemiological conditions. Epidemiology recognizes and measures the happenings of events in populations. Therefore modern epidemiology is able to become a science of prediction. It works by developing different models of the incidence of events, so when conditions occur that fit the developed models, events can be predicted and prevented. The practicing epidemiologist, therefore, attempts to describe the natural history of disease by determining why the disease originates and how it spreads in populations, therefore the practice of epidemiology is important because the concepts of epidemiology science is concerned with the circumstances under which people get sick and attempts to alter these circumstances so as to protect individuals from future illness. In addition to that, the inclusion of multiple data sources in the decision making process enables decision makers to make strong and valid decision s on matters pertaining to the countries health sector based on the findings presented in the epidemiological date. (Surveillance data along with social, demographic, geographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics must all be included in the decision making process to paint a three dimensional picture of the epidemic). There are many priorities and approaches in the provision of health and social care services in the prevention, treatment, remedial care and palliative care for people with a disease or illness. The priorities of the health and social care professionals in this regard is to fulfill the needs of the patients while in their care and provide them with the necessary treatment required to nurse them back to good health. Disease prevention is the top priority in fighting diseases through immunization, good hygiene and following disease protocols when an epidemic suddenly emerges. The priorities in the treatment of disease are to first identify the illness and then assign the required treatment. The treatment approach will vary depending on the illness or injury but usually involves medicinal drugs and bed rest. If condition is serious, surgical procedures must be performed. However, the required treatment must be identified accurately and a top priority is to ensure the patient is comforta ble while in hospital taking treatment. The current lifestyle choices of the people will affect the future needs of Health and Social Care provision with regards to diet, exercise, substance use, work culture, relaxation etc. This is because in this day and age, many people eat unhealthy and dont exercise regularly. Also food contains lots of chemicals and artificial preservatives which is detrimental to the health. Work culture is also incredibly stressful and all these factors together can be detrimental to ones health in the long run. Therefore, in the future it will become necessary for the relevant authorities to anticipate the increase in non communicable diseases and develop new technologies and strategies in order to tackle them effectively. The responsibilities of the health and social care professionals of a region are numerous in the preservation of public health and wellbeing. Their role is imperative in any community. It is these individuals who are faced with the task of ensuring that the needs of the ill and injured are met. It is not an easy task.   Health care providers who have experience working on the front line are often placed in the unique position of educating, training, and preparing the environment for change in addition to influencing national health care policy. In addition to treating the sick, health care professionals are also faced with the task of educating the general public; training interns, work with key stakeholders on issues of advocacy, capacity development, and implementation of health policies at country level and their work to help achieve the goals of the government. It is important to promote a healthy lifestyle among a community and this could contribute positively to the prevention of many communicable and non- communicable diseases. This is due to the reason that many of the non communicable diseases prevalent today are due to lack of exercise, improper eating and abusing drugs and alcohol. These factors alone, contribute significantly to contracting chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension etc. Therefore, by just making simple changes to ones lifestyle, one can avoid and prevent oneself from developing these diseases. In the case of communicable diseases, these too can be avoided by promoting healthy lifestyles because if one eats right and exercises regularly, one will develop a strong immunity that will protect against contracting various communicable diseases. Prevention is better than cure is a well heard of term. Undoubtedly, with regards to some medical conditions and diseases in our community, prevention is indeed better than cure. This is because in this day and age falling ill is very costly in countries that dont provide its citizens with free healthcare. Falling sick takes a toll on ones finances and can be very time consuming with hospitalization and repeated visits to the doctors. Also, an individual will have to be on continuous medication depending on the illness and this too will be costly and inconvenient. For example, if a person develops diabetes he will have to take insulin injections on a regular basis which will be very inconvenient. Also it may hinder ones ability of going to work and if the primary bread winner of a family falls sick, it can be very detrimental to the entire family. Also, the patient and his family will have to undergo a lot of hardship and it will effect their mental state of wellbeing. By simply eati ng right and exercising regularly, while staying away from intoxicants will enable a person to prevent from developing many chronic diseases. Also, he will feel healthier and happier and his immune system will be strong so his chances of developing communicable illnesses are also low.

To Ill :: essays research papers

"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." Lee says that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird because they only make music for people to enjoy, and they do no damage to anything such as other birds do. Lee is right the mockingbird dose nothing wrong, such as the mockingbirds in the book. They never do anything wrong, but they sometimes are misunderstood and considered bad by other people. Boo is one of the mockingbirds in the book. He only gives to the children. He gives them many different things through the knothole in the tree. Boo also gives the children a game to play during the day, "Boo Radley." Later Boo gives them the most important thing of all, their lives. He is also a mockingbird in another way, when Scout falls out of the tire he gives them his music, laughter. At the end of the book Boo ends up going back into his house never to be seen again by Scout. He did this because he was a mockingbird caged up for a long time and was not ready to be free. The solution for him was to go back to his cage that he knew and was safe. The other mockingbird is Tom Robinson because he does not do anything wrong. He was a very nice man, he would do things for people if they needed something done that they could not do themselves. An example of this is when he helps Mayella and refused to accept the money that she offered him. The difference between him and Boo is that even though he did not do anything wrong he was still found guilty of a crime that he probably did not commit. The reason that Tom was convicted is mainly because he was a back man accused of a crime by a white woman. The common thing that both of these characters share is that they are both somehow connected to Bob Ewell. Boo is connected to him because Boo killed him when he attacked the children. Tom is connected to Bob because Bob is the main reason that Tom was tried and found guilty in the first place. This common connection to Bob connects Boo and Tom because the reason that Bob attacked the children was because he wanted to get back at the rest of the world for what it did to him.

Important Symbols of Taoism

Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the most influential religions in the Eastern culture. It is one of the most unique of all religions. In fact, many Taoists do not even consider it as a religion, and in many ways it is not. They make no claim that Tao exists. Although very different from others, Taoism also has very important unique symbols. Yin yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoist represents the movement of heaven or the Tao. The small dots represent the fact that there is good in the evil, as there is evil in the good. Another important symbol of Taoism is the eight trigrams or pakua.Last but not least the dragon is one of the yang symbols, which represents the power, sage and saint. The Yin Yang sign is an old symbol for the universe that has been combined. It shows the two opposing dimensions that give the world its dynamics. It’s used to describe how seemingly contrary forces are joined and dependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to e ach other in turn. Opposites thus only exist in relation to one another. Male and female, light and dark, hot and cold, are thought as demonstration of Yin Yang. The outer circle represents the universe to which all exists.There is a belief that Yin Yang link to good and evil. Taoism believes that even in the most innocent nice people there is evil within them, and even the devil has good inside of him. The eight trigrams of pakua is a group of symbols that hold profound meaning in Chinese philosophy. These symbols represent movement and change. Each of the trigrams is associated with a season, family member, animal, personality, etc. They are ordered into two different arrangements. Primary heaven and future heaven. The arrangements represent the four basic and four minor directions on the compass. South is first at the top.Whichever symbol is at the top represents South. The primary heaven arrangement is organized based on opposite forces. The primary Heaven arrangement is organiz ed on the cyclic nature of the world. The eight trigrams are Heaven-Sky-Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Lake Valley, and Mountain. Lastly, the Yin Yang dragons combine really powerful ideas. The yang dragons radiate a bright, positive charge. This energy is really physical, and often, brave, and outgoing. The Yin dragon’s energy is totally the opposite. Influenced by the planet Venus, Yin dragons release a negative energy.This darker type of energy is usually in a female nature. No matter what the religion is, symbols play a big role. There is profound meaning into such insignificant objects. The Yin Yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoism, the eight trigrams of pakua that represent movement and change, and the powerful Yin Yang dragons. Citations: . Center of Traditional Taos. . Cdot. org. 26 Nov. 2010. Zhou GuoXin. . Important Symbols of Taoism Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the most influential religions in the Eastern culture. It is one of the most unique of all religions. In fact, many Taoists do not even consider it as a religion, and in many ways it is not. They make no claim that Tao exists. Although very different from others, Taoism also has very important unique symbols. Yin yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoist represents the movement of heaven or the Tao. The small dots represent the fact that there is good in the evil, as there is evil in the good. Another important symbol of Taoism is the eight trigrams or pakua.Last but not least the dragon is one of the yang symbols, which represents the power, sage and saint. The Yin Yang sign is an old symbol for the universe that has been combined. It shows the two opposing dimensions that give the world its dynamics. It’s used to describe how seemingly contrary forces are joined and dependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to e ach other in turn. Opposites thus only exist in relation to one another. Male and female, light and dark, hot and cold, are thought as demonstration of Yin Yang. The outer circle represents the universe to which all exists.There is a belief that Yin Yang link to good and evil. Taoism believes that even in the most innocent nice people there is evil within them, and even the devil has good inside of him. The eight trigrams of pakua is a group of symbols that hold profound meaning in Chinese philosophy. These symbols represent movement and change. Each of the trigrams is associated with a season, family member, animal, personality, etc. They are ordered into two different arrangements. Primary heaven and future heaven. The arrangements represent the four basic and four minor directions on the compass. South is first at the top.Whichever symbol is at the top represents South. The primary heaven arrangement is organized based on opposite forces. The primary Heaven arrangement is organiz ed on the cyclic nature of the world. The eight trigrams are Heaven-Sky-Air, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Thunder, Lake Valley, and Mountain. Lastly, the Yin Yang dragons combine really powerful ideas. The yang dragons radiate a bright, positive charge. This energy is really physical, and often, brave, and outgoing. The Yin dragon’s energy is totally the opposite. Influenced by the planet Venus, Yin dragons release a negative energy.This darker type of energy is usually in a female nature. No matter what the religion is, symbols play a big role. There is profound meaning into such insignificant objects. The Yin Yang diagram, the most important symbol of Taoism, the eight trigrams of pakua that represent movement and change, and the powerful Yin Yang dragons. Citations: . Center of Traditional Taos. . Cdot. org. 26 Nov. 2010. Zhou GuoXin. .

How do feminists view the division of labour

How do feminists view the division of labour within the family home? sy Chelb7 How do feminists view the division of labour within the family home? Feminism is a collection of movements and beliefs aimed at defining and defending women's rights within society and politics aiming for all round equality, A big issue that arises within women rights is inequality in the household. The division of labour in the home is how fairly the jobs are shared between the partners in the household.Sociologists named Young and Willmott carried out a study in 1937 in aethnal Green, London. They looked into the roles in families within the home and come to the conclusion that Over time most families have become The symmetrical family. This implies roles are being shared between the man and women Within the home. They called this the march Of progress. Feminists reject this ‘March Of progress' View as they say roles are not equal within the home. In a research there is evidence that men ‘hel p' at home but it is far from symmetry within the roles.Feminists say that men usually claim to be helping by doing the pleasurable jobs rather than the work, herefore research so far suggests feminists view the division of labour within the family home as unequal. Sociologist Ann Oakley disagrees with Young and Willmotts view. Rather than seeing a march of progress tonards symmetry since 19th century Ilke Young and Willmott do, Oakley describes how â€Å"the housewife role has become the dominant role tor married women†. She also argues that Men only ever ‘help' at home rather than work. Another sociologist supporting Oakley's idea Is Mary Boulton (1983b.During research Boulton found that fewer than of husbands had a major ole in childcare. She argues that Young and Willmott exaggerate men's contribution by look'ng at tasks that involve childcare rather than responsibilities. When reviewing the research so far it becomes apparent that women sociologists (particularly f eminists) support the idea that men rarely take on tasks within the home and that male sociologists support that this is in fact improving and we are on a march towards progress, Twisting this biased view are two sociologists named Hilary Silver (1987) and Juliet Schor (1993).They argued that because of ommercialised good and services the housewife role has almost disappeared, They say that items such as freezers. microwave ovens and ready meals reduce the amount of domestic labour to be done, However critics argue that for poorer women this iS not an Option. Feminists argue that even though commercialisation has been reduced the Other chores are still not shared equallyq The impact Of paid work iS a more recent debate in feminists. Logically if both man and women Of the house are in paid full time work feminists say that the housework should be shared equally between the couple.Feminists argue that this is not the case. women are being made to carry a dual burden. This outcome is d etermined in large part by traditional gender roles that have been accepted by society over time. on the other hand to the feminist view some sociologists argue that women working In full time paid jobs lead to a more equal division of labour. Jonathan Gershuny (1994) found 83% of housework and those who worked part time still done 82%. Wives who worked full time did 73% of housework. Gershuny explains this trend towards greater equality in terms of gradual change in values and parental role models.He argues social values are gradually adapting to the fact more women are working full time. Similarly Oriel Sullivan's (2000) analysis of nationally representative data collected in 1975, 1987 and 1997 found a trend towards greater equality as men did more domestic labour. Particularly there was an increase in couples with an equal division with men doing more traditionally women's Jobs. Feminists view this division of labour as inaccurate. Equality and symmetry within housework would me an each partner is doing 50% of housework and chores.Whereas even sociologists who are gainst the feminist view towards domestic labour are showing in their results that well over 50% of housework is done by women. Sociologist Dunne (1999)done a study on 37 cohabiting lesbian couples with dependent children. Dunne found evidence of symmetry in their relationships. In lesbian relationships household tasks are not linked to a particular gender scripts. This allows lesbian couples to have more equal relationships. For example as one of the women said in Dunne's study â€Å"In heterosexual relationships there is always a subconscious belief that women are upposed to do the housework.This supports the radical feminist view that relationships between men and women are inevitably patriarchal and that women can only achieve equality in same sex relationships. Similarly, Jeffery Weeks (1999) argues that same sex relationships offer greater possibilities of equality because the division of l abour is open to negotiation and agreement and not based on a patriarchal tradition. To conclude evidence shows that a women being in paid work leads to more equality in the division of labour, though probably only if she is in full work.Many feminists argue that in reality the effect of this is limited and women still continue to shoulder a dual or triple burden. Feminists argue that the root of the problem is patriarchy. Patriarchy ensures that women earn less at work and therefore have less bargaining in the home. Patriarchal gender scripts shape societys expectations about the domestic roles within the house. In my opinion until the subconscious belief that women should do the domestic work has being changed by society's outlook feminists will always feel that patriarchy is the main reason for the inequality of labour within the home.

The Host Chapter 18: Bored

I spent the rest of the day, with one brief exception, in total silence. That exception occurred when Jeb brought food for both Jared and me several hours later. As he set the tray inside the entrance to my tiny cave, he smiled at me apologetically. â€Å"Thank you,† I whispered. â€Å"You're welcome,† he told me. I heard Jared grunt, irritated by our small exchange. That was the only sound Jared made all day. I was sure he was out there, but there was never so much as an audible breath to confirm that conviction. It was a very long day-very cramped and very dull. I tried every position I could imagine, but I could never quite manage to get all of me stretched out comfortably at once. The small of my back began a steady throbbing. Melanie and I thought a lot about Jamie. Mostly we worried that we had damaged him by coming here, that we were injuring him now. What was a kept promise in comparison with that? Time lost meaning. It could have been sunset, it could have been dawn-I had no references here, buried in the earth. Melanie and I ran out of topics for discussion. We flipped through our joint memories apathetically, like switching TV channels without stopping to watch anything in particular. I napped once but could not fall soundly asleep because I was so uncomfortable. When Jeb finally came back, I could have kissed his leathery face. He leaned into my cell with a grin stretching his cheeks. â€Å"‘Bout time for another walk?† he asked me. I nodded eagerly. â€Å"I'll do it,† Jared growled. â€Å"Give me the gun.† I hesitated, crouched awkwardly in the mouth of my cave, until Jeb nodded at me. â€Å"Go ahead,† he told me. I climbed out, stiff and unsteady, and took Jeb's offered hand to balance myself. Jared made a sound of revulsion and turned his face away. He was holding the gun tightly, his knuckles white over the barrel. I didn't like to see it in his hands. It bothered me more than it did with Jeb. Jared didn't make allowances for me the way Jeb had. He stalked off into the black tunnel without pausing for me to catch up. It was hard-he didn't make much noise and he didn't guide me, so I had to walk with one hand in front of my face and one hand on the wall, trying not to run into the rock. I fell twice on the uneven floor. Though he did not help me, he did wait till he could hear that I was on my feet again to continue. Once, hurrying through a straighter section of the tube, I got too close and my searching hand touched his back, traced across the shape of his shoulders, before I realized that I hadn't reached another wall. He jumped ahead, jerking out from under my fingers with an angry hiss. â€Å"Sorry,† I whispered, feeling my cheeks turn warm in the darkness. He didn't respond, but sped his pace so that following was even more difficult. I was confused when, finally, some light appeared ahead of me. Had we taken a different route? This was not the white brilliance of the biggest cavern. It was muted, pale and silvery. But the narrow crevice we'd had to pass through seemed the same†¦ It wasn't until I was inside the giant, echoing space that I realized what caused the difference. It was nighttime; the light that shone dimly from above mimicked the light of the moon rather than the sun. I used the less-blinding illumination to examine the ceiling, trying to ferret out its secret. High, so very high above me, a hundred tiny moons shone their diluted light toward the dim, distant floor. The little moons were scattered in patternless clusters, some farther away than others. I shook my head. Even though I could look directly at the light now, I still didn't understand it. â€Å"C'mon,† Jared ordered angrily from several paces ahead. I flinched and hurried to follow. I was sorry I'd let my attention wander. I could see how much it irritated him to have to speak to me. I didn't expect the help of a flashlight when we reached the room with the rivers, and I didn't receive it. It was dimly lit now, too, like the big cave, but with only twenty-odd miniature moons here. Jared clenched his jaw and stared at the ceiling while I walked hesitantly into the room with the inky pool. I guessed that if I stumbled into the fierce underground hot spring and disappeared, Jared would probably see it as a kind intervention of fate. I think he would be sad, Melanie disagreed as I edged my way around the black bathing room, hugging the wall. If we fell. I doubt it. He might be reminded of the pain of losing you the first time, but he would be happy if I disappeared. Because he doesn't know you, Melanie whispered, and then faded away as if she were suddenly exhausted. I stood frozen where I was, surprised. I wasn't sure, but it felt as though Melanie had just given me a compliment. â€Å"Move it,† Jared barked from the other room. I hurried as fast as the darkness and my fear would allow. When we returned, Jeb was waiting by the blue lamp; at his feet were two lumpy cylinders and two uneven rectangles. I hadn't noticed them before. Perhaps he'd gone to get them while we were away. â€Å"Are you sleeping here tonight or am I?† Jeb asked Jared in a casual tone. Jared looked at the shapes by Jeb's feet. â€Å"I am,† he answered curtly. â€Å"And I only need one bedroll.† Jeb raised a thick eyebrow. â€Å"It's not one of us, Jeb. You left this on me-so butt out.† â€Å"She's not an animal, either, kid. And you wouldn't treat a dog this way.† Jared didn't answer. His teeth ground together. â€Å"Never figured you for a cruel man,† Jeb said softly. But he picked up one of the cylinders, put his arm through a strap, and slung it over his shoulder, then stuffed one rectangle-a pillow-under his arm. â€Å"Sorry, honey,† he said as he passed me, patting my shoulder. â€Å"Cut that out!† Jared growled. Jeb shrugged and ambled away. Before he was out of sight, I hurried to disappear into my cell; I hid in its darkest reaches, coiling myself into a tight ball that I hoped was too small to see. Instead of lurking silently and invisibly in the outside tunnel, Jared spread his bedroll directly in front of the mouth of my prison. He plumped his pillow a few times, possibly trying to rub it in that he had one. He lay down on the mat and crossed his arms over his chest. That was the piece of him that I could see through the hole-just his crossed arms and half of his stomach. His skin was that same dark gold tan that had haunted my dreams for the last half year. It was very strange to have that piece of my dream in solid reality not five feet from me. Surreal. â€Å"You won't be able to sneak past me,† he warned. His voice was softer than before-sleepy. â€Å"If you try†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He yawned. â€Å"I will kill you.† I didn't respond. The warning struck me as a bit of an insult. Why would I try to sneak past him? Where would I go? Into the hands of the barbarians out there waiting for me, all of them wishing that I would make exactly that kind of stupid attempt? Or, supposing I could somehow sneak past them, back out into the desert that had nearly baked me to death the last time I'd tried to cross it? I wondered what he thought me capable of. What plan did he think I was hatching to overthrow their little world? Did I really seem so powerful? Wasn't it clear how pathetically defenseless I was? I could tell when he was deeply asleep because he started twitching the way Melanie remembered he occasionally did. He only slept so restlessly when he was upset. I watched his fingers clench and unclench, and I wondered if he was dreaming that they were wrapped around my neck. The days that followed-perhaps a week of them, it was impossible to keep track-were very quiet. Jared was like a silent wall between me and everything else in the world, good or bad. There was no sound but that of my own breathing, my own movements; there were no sights but the black cave around me, the circle of dull light, the familiar tray with the same rations, the brief, stolen glimpses of Jared; there were no touches but the pitted rocks against my skin; there were no tastes but the bitter water, the hard bread, the bland soup, the woody roots, over and over again. It was a very strange combination: constant terror, persistent aching physical discomfort, and excruciating monotony. Of the three, the killer boredom was the hardest to take. My prison was a sensory-deprivation chamber. Together, Melanie and I worried that we were going to go mad. We both hear a voice in our head, she pointed out. That's never a good sign. We're going to forget how to speak, I worried. How long has it been since anyone talked to us? Four days ago you thanked Jeb for bringing us food, and he said you were welcome. Well, I think it was four days ago. Four long sleeps ago, at least. She seemed to sigh. Stop chewing your nails-it took me years to break that habit. But the long, scratchy nails bothered me. I don't really think we need to worry about bad habits in the long term. Jared didn't let Jeb bring food again. Instead, someone brought it to the end of the hall and Jared retrieved it. I got the same thing-bread, soup, and vegetables-twice every day. Sometimes there were extra things for Jared, packaged foods with brand names I recognized-Red Vines, Snickers, Pop-Tarts. I tried to imagine how the humans had gotten their hands on these delicacies. I didn't expect him to share-of course not-but I wondered sometimes if he thought I was hoping he would. One of my few entertainments was hearing him eat his treats, because he always did so ostentatiously, perhaps rubbing it in the way he had with the pillow that first night. Once, Jared slowly ripped open a bag of Cheetos-showy about it as usual-and the rich smell of fake powdered cheese rolled through my cave†¦ delicious, irresistible. He ate one slowly, letting me hear each distinct crunch. My stomach growled loudly, and I laughed at myself. I hadn't laughed in so long; I tried to remember the last time and couldn't-just that strange bout of macabre hysteria in the desert, which really didn't count as laughter. Even before I'd come here, there hadn't been much I'd found funny. But this seemed hilarious to me for some reason-my stomach yearning after that one small Cheeto-and I laughed again. A sign of madness, surely. I didn't know how my reaction offended him, but he got up and disappeared. After a long moment, I could hear him eating the Cheetos again, but from farther away. I peeked out of the hole to see that he was sitting in the shadows at the end of the corridor, his back to me. I pulled my head inside, afraid he might turn and catch me watching. From then on, he stayed down at that end of the hall as much as possible. Only at night did he stretch out in front of my prison. Twice a day-or rather twice a night, as he never took me when the others were about-I got to walk to the room with the rivers; it was a highlight, despite the terror, as it was the only time I was not hunched into the unnatural shapes my small cave forced on me. Each time I had to crawl back inside was harder than the last. Three times that week, always during the sleeping hours, someone came to check on us. The first time it was Kyle. Jared's sudden lunge to his feet woke me. â€Å"Get out of here,† he warned, holding the gun ready. â€Å"Just checking,† Kyle said. His voice was far away but loud and rough enough that I was sure it was not his brother. â€Å"Someday you might not be here. Someday you might sleep too soundly.† Jared's only answer was to cock the gun. I heard Kyle's laughter trailing behind him as he left. The other two times I didn't know who it was. Kyle again, or maybe Ian, or maybe someone whose name I hadn't learned. All I knew was that twice more I was woken by Jared jumping to his feet with the gun pointed at the intruder. No more words were spoken. Whoever was just checking didn't bother to make conversation. When they were gone, Jared went back to sleep quickly. It took me longer to quiet my heart. The fourth time was something new. I was not quite asleep when Jared started awake, rolling to his knees in a swift movement. He came up with the gun in his hands and a curse on his lips. â€Å"Easy,† a voice murmured from the distance. â€Å"I come in peace.† â€Å"Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying,† Jared growled. â€Å"I just want to talk.† The voice came closer. â€Å"You're buried down here, missing the important discussions†¦ We miss your take on things.† â€Å"I'm sure,† Jared said sarcastically. â€Å"Oh, put the gun down. If I was planning to fight you, I would have come with four guys this time.† There was a short silence, and when Jared spoke again, his voice carried a hint of dark humor. â€Å"How's your brother these days?† he asked. Jared seemed to enjoy the question. It relaxed him to tease his visitor. He sat down and slouched against the wall halfway in front of my prison, at ease, but with the gun still ready. My neck ached, seeming to comprehend that the hands that had crushed and bruised it were very close by. â€Å"He's still fuming about his nose,† Ian said. â€Å"Oh, well-it's not the first time it's been broken. I'll tell him you said you were sorry.† â€Å"I'm not.† â€Å"I know. No one is ever sorry for hitting Kyle.† They laughed quietly together; there was a sense of camaraderie in their amusement that seemed wildly out of place while Jared held a gun loosely pointed in Ian's direction. But then, the bonds that were forged in this desperate place must have been very strong. Thicker than blood. Ian sat down on the mat next to Jared. I could see his profile in silhouette, a black shape against the blue light. I noticed that his nose was perfect-straight, aquiline, the kind of nose that I'd seen in pictures of famous sculptures. Did that mean that others found him more bearable than the brother whose nose was often broken? Or that he was better at ducking? â€Å"So what do you want, Ian? Not just an apology for Kyle, I imagine.† â€Å"Did Jeb tell you?† â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about.† â€Å"They've given up the search. Even the Seekers.† Jared didn't comment, but I could feel the sudden tension in the air around him. â€Å"We've been keeping a close watch for some change, but they never seemed overly anxious. The search never strayed from the area where we abandoned the car, and for the past few days they were clearly looking for a body rather than a survivor. Then two nights ago we caught a lucky break-the search party left some trash in the open, and a pack of coyotes raided their base camp. One of them was coming back late and surprised the animals. The coyotes attacked and dragged the Seeker a good hundred yards into the desert before the rest of them heard its screams and came to the rescue. The other Seekers were armed, of course. They scared the coyotes off easily, and the victim wasn't seriously hurt, but the event seems to have answered any questions they might have had about what happened to our guest here.† I wondered how they were able to spy on the Seekers who searched for me-to see so much. I felt strangely exposed by the idea. I didn't like the picture in my head: the humans invisible, watching the souls they hated. The thought made the skin on the back of my neck prickle. â€Å"So they packed up and left. The Seekers gave up the search. All the volunteers went home. No one is looking for it.† His profile turned toward me, and I hunched down, hoping it was too dark to see me in here-that, like his face, I would appear as only a black shape. â€Å"I imagine it's been declared officially dead, if they keep track of those things the way we used to. Jeb's been saying I told you so' to anyone who'll stand still long enough to hear it.† Jared grumbled something incoherent; I could only pick out Jeb's name. Then he inhaled a sharp breath, blew it out, and said, â€Å"All right, then. I guess that's the end of it.† â€Å"That's what it looks like.† Ian hesitated for a moment and then added, â€Å"Except†¦ Well, it's probably nothing at all.† Jared tensed again; he didn't like having his intelligence edited. â€Å"Go on.† â€Å"No one but Kyle thinks much of it, and you know how Kyle is.† Jared grunted his assent to that. â€Å"You've got the best instincts for this kind of thing; I wanted your opinion. That's why I'm here, taking my life into my hands to infiltrate the restricted area,† Ian said dryly, and then his voice was utterly serious again. â€Å"You see, there's this one†¦ a Seeker, no doubt about that-it packs a Glock.† It took me a second to understand the word he used. It wasn't a familiar part of Melanie's vocabulary. When I understood that he was talking about a kind of gun, the wistful, envious tone in his voice made me feel slightly ill. â€Å"Kyle was the first to notice how this one stood out. It didn't seem important to the rest-certainly not part of the decision-making process. Oh, it had suggestions enough, from what we could see, but no one seemed to listen to it. Wish we could've heard what it was saying†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My skin prickled anxiously again. â€Å"Anyway,† Ian continued, â€Å"when they called off the search, this one wasn't happy with the decision. You know how the parasites are always so†¦ very pleasant? This was weird-it's the closest I've ever seen them come to an argument. Not a real argument, because none of the others argued back, but the unhappy one sure looked like it was arguing with them. The core group of Seekers disregarded it-they're all gone.† â€Å"But the unhappy one?† Jared asked. â€Å"It got in a car and drove halfway to Phoenix. Then it drove back to Tucson. Then it drove west again.† â€Å"Still searching.† â€Å"Or very confused. It stopped at that convenience store by the peak. Talked to the parasite that worked there, though that one had already been questioned.† â€Å"Huh,† Jared grunted. He was interested now, concentrating on the puzzle. â€Å"Then it went for a hike up the peak-stupid little thing. Had to be burning alive, wearing black from head to toe.† A spasm rocked through my body; I found myself off the floor, cringing against the back wall of my cell. My hands flew up instinctively to protect my face. I heard a hiss echo through the small space, and only after it faded did I realize it was mine. â€Å"What was that?† Ian asked, his voice shocked. I peeked through my fingers to see both of their faces leaning through the hole toward me. Ian's was black, but part of Jared's was lit, his features hard as stone. I wanted to be still, invisible, but tremors I couldn't control were shaking violently down my spine. Jared leaned away and came back with the lamp in his hands. â€Å"Look at its eyes,† Ian muttered. â€Å"It's frightened.† I could see both their expressions now, but I looked only at Jared. His gaze was tightly focused on me, calculating. I guessed he was thinking through what Ian had said, looking for the trigger to my behavior. My body wouldn't stop shaking. She'll never give up, Melanie moaned. I know, I know, I moaned back. When had our distaste turned to fear? My stomach knotted and heaved. Why couldn't she just let me be dead like the rest of them had? When I was dead, would she hunt me still? â€Å"Who is the Seeker in black?† Jared suddenly barked at me. My lips trembled, but I didn't answer. Silence was safest. â€Å"I know you can talk,† Jared growled. â€Å"You talk to Jeb and Jamie. And now you're going to talk to me.† He climbed into the mouth of the cave, huffing with surprise at how tightly he had to fold himself to manage it. The low ceiling forced him to kneel, and that didn't make him happy. I could see he'd rather stand over me. I had nowhere to run. I was already wedged into the deepest corner. The cave barely had room for the two of us. I could feel his breath on my skin. â€Å"Tell me what you know,† he ordered.