Coordinating public secondary and post-secondary education with Essay

Coordinating public secondary and post-secondary education with projected economic demands - Essay Example o raised, may buy learning materials for the students, build more learning institutions, given to the needy students to aid them pay their fees among other uses. Co-curricular activities may also get funding from the externally raised money (Dennison, 2011). This leads to improved standards of the education system and the number of those joining the learning institutions increases tremendously. Tutors get better pay, which serves as a catalyst to their motivation in work and thus leading to maximum input in their job, hence maximum output is achieved (Garrod & Macfarlane, 2009). However, due to the stiff competition from the various stakeholders, the government faces many challenges in trying to level the opinions of different stakeholders. This interferes with the key matters and prevents the search for viable solutions to the problem. Higher education institutions- They are supposed to maintain accountability and transparency in the system as well as contenting the people’s interest in its fairing. They coordinate all the matters pertaining to higher education and formulate a plan of action in case of any uncertainties. The decisions passed to all public and post secondary education system pertaining the education sector comes from the higher education institutions. They are the key formulators and implementers of the policies in the education system (Saunders, 2011). Fair implementation and execution of the policies leads to effective, equitable, and fair education system that fit the needs of the stakeholders. The institutions have a responsibility to ensure satisfaction is achieved by all the associate parties and in the best way. Students and graduates- These are key stakeholders directly affected by the education system in any country. This is because of the...This paper presents the thorough comparison and analysis of the systems of public secondary and post secondary education, and also outlines the challenges experienced in coordinating these s ystems with needs of an economy. There are various stakeholders in public and post secondary education system and each has a responsibility. Stakeholders, who include policy setters and governing board members and all those persons who have invested in higher education and the beneficiaries of higher education, have a role to play. Their inclusion and contribution to the education system cannot go unnoticed and their reward comes from their effort and sacrifice. The public and post secondary education has become a public issue rather than a private one because of its influence on the economy. The economy of any country has to grow through the contribution of the education. The level of expertise in the market comes as a result of the level of education the individuals employed in different sectors have. The education sector has to produce quality and reliable graduates to work in the market and improve the production. The other major reason why the education sector has become public is the politics. The influence of politics on the economy has contributed to worldwide concern on the issue The campaign for the need of education must tighten up to encourage and increase the number of graduates. This will help improve the skills of the labor available in the market and thus high production a guarantee.

Social Inequality Essay Example for Free

Social Inequality Essay Learning targets: †¢Functionalists have a consensus view of society. They believe that people in society work together for the common good of all, this is known as the organic analogy. †¢All societies are unequal. Inequality of whole groups in the social structure is known as stratification. †¢Functionalists believe stratification is good for society. †¢Functionalists say that the best people get the best jobs because they are more talented and work harder. Poor people are poor because they do not work hard enough for the best positions. Key questions (AO1) What is the functionalist view of society? (AO1) What causes inequality according to functionalists? (AO2) What are the strengths of the functionalist view? (AO2) What are the weaknesses of the functionalist view of inequality? Summary of Key Points What is the functionalist view of society? Many early writers and philosophers viewed society as being like an animal or human body. They shared the view that all the separate parts of the body worked together to create something whole. They claimed that everybody works together for the common good of us all, as do body parts for the organism. This shared view is known as consensus theory because it is based on social agreement. Durkheim argued strongly for the organic analogy because he said we share values and norms. He said that different people in different jobs equate in social terms to the differing organisms of the body. Society itself is more than the sum of the people who go to make up that society. The supporting evidence is that things which happen to society will affect you regardless of your actions or opinions (e.g. war). Society lives on when individuals within it die. Durkheim’s ideas became the basis of functionalism. Functionalists say that society is based on shared norms and values. They say that the job of the sociologist is to look at how parts of society work together for the good of the whole society. Social cohesion (sticking together like glue) is maintained through shared rituals and activities, for example state events such as Coronations and funerals, shared consciousness such as reading the same newspapers and watching the same TV programmes and major events such as sporting occasions which make people feel united with each other. How do functionalists explain inequality? The term social inequality describes a condition in which members of a society have different amounts of wealth, prestige, or power. Some degree of social inequality is found in every society. When a system of social inequality is based on a hierarchy of groups, sociologists refer to it as stratification: a structured ranking of entire groups of people that perpetuates unequal economic rewards and power in a society. Ascribed status is a social position assigned to a person without regard for that persons characteristics, for example, being a Queen is an ascribed status, as is being a female. By contrast, achieved status is a social position attained by a person largely through his or her own effort. This can be positive or negative so a person can be an ex-prisoner or a judge. These are achieved statuses. Functionalists claim that inequality and stratification is functional for society and a source of social order. Davis and Moore proposed this theory in 1945. It was heavily criticised, particularly in the 1970s for being an extremely conservative theory by Tumin, who remains their foremost critic. For Davis and Moore Stratification is a system of status positions and jobs. The key point of the theory is that Stratification is universal and necessary. This is argued because all society is stratified. They argue that society is therefore a functional necessity. The theory focuses on the following: †¢How do people get to their proper positions? †¢How do we motivate people to fill these positions? †¢Once in position, how do you get people to do what is required? Davis and Moore went on to claim that society needs to fill the most important and difficult jobs with the most talented and hardworking people. If people were all paid the same regardless of their work, they would take the easiest jobs and do as little training as possible. There would be no incentive to work hard and do difficult educational courses. Society ensures that the most pay and the best working conditions go to those who are prepared to put the time and effort into working hard for them. The high rewards act as motivation for the years of work and preparation required for the difficult and responsible careers that some people choose. There have been many critics of the viewpoint, for example Kendall et al. point out that the functionalist approach generally ignores questions of structural inequality because it does not consider the social factors such as racial discrimination, lack of job opportunities, and the inadequate funding of many schools that may contribute to the persistence of inequality in society. Nevertheless, this theoretical perspective is very powerful. It emphasises the view that the jobs of power and importance are given to those with the most talent. It is clear that this type of theory is very attractive to those who have positions of power and wealth in society. It suggests those who are poor and powerless lack effort, talent and determination. How has functionalism influenced politics? Many belief systems suggest that poor people brought their difficult situations upon themselves. This type of theory has a long history in Britain, for example the famous philosopher Herbert Spencer argued that poverty was good for society as it encouraged people to work in order to avoid being poor. He said that the poor themselves deserved to suffer poverty because of their lack of morality. Those living on benefits today are often seen as being lazy, and the term dole scrounger was frequently employed by the press to describe people dependent on benefits in the 1970s and 1980s. Even today, young single mothers are often demonised as becoming pregnant to gain housing, despite there being very little research evidence to support this claim. This type of popular thinking resulted in the election of Margaret Thatcher in 1979, and led to the subsequent dominance of the thinkers of the New Right. The political and philosophical perspective known as the New Right is associated with the politicians Margaret Thatcher in the UK, and Ronald Reagan in the USA. The principles of the New Right are based on the theoretical viewpoints that are very close to functionalism. The New Right believe that inequality is inevitable in society. They go further and argue that we should have economic freedom. We should buy and sell as we wish this is known as market liberalism. It assumes that all people are customers who are rational and make good choices. As a result, there is a philosophy of choice so that parents are encouraged to choose schools for their children or hospitals if they become ill. The subtext is that people also choose to be poor. In Britain, the New Right became associated with underclass theory, which is supported by writers such as Charles Murray and David Saunders. These writers both claim that in the UK, benefit systems mean that people make a rational choice to stay poor, because it is easier to stay at home on the dole than go to work. They claim that some people go on to develop a culture that is state dependent, against traditional values, criminal, irresponsible and destructive. They suggest that people are often lazy and selfish so they must be encouraged to work by making welfare payments low enough to make life uncomfortable. People who live in areas where few people have work will develop a culture that encourages laziness. People get used to relying on others if life is made easy for them and all their self will and self-reliance is lost. They must be encouraged to take control of their own lives and by punitive methods such as having their benefits cut, if necessary. Criticisms include the way that it ignores the way that some people have more access to wealth, status and power than others, so effectively it ignores social structure. It does not take inequalities of class, gender, ethnicity, age and ability into account. There are dual standards, rich people are expected to be rewarded for their work by the incentive of high pay, but poor people should be expected to work to avoid poverty. Businesses should have the freedom to sell what they like, but families should follow strict rules of behaviour. It ignores bad behaviour among the rich, poor people are controlled, but not the wealthy. In addition, it makes odd assumptions about people, for instance, that they are naturally selfish, and that they do things for rational rather than cultural reasons. From a sociological point of view one of the most damning criticisms is that there is very little research evidence to back up what is claimed by the New Right. What is trickle-down theory? Trickle-down theory is sometimes used in an insulting way to describe a theory that has been popular among politicians of the New Right and who have functionalist views of society. The basic belief is that by cutting taxes to the rich and to businesses, then the whole population will benefit as the rich people spend their money and boost the economy. This type of thinking formed the basis of economic policy in the USA under President Reagan and in the UK under Margaret Thatcher. There is support for this kind of thinking in the writing of the influential economist, Keynes who said that tax cuts for the rich promote investment. There are still regular and frequent calls by political parties to cut taxes in order that people can spend more of their money. The most recent and widely reported call for tax cuts came from David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party in May 2008. In the 1980s, taxes were cut in Britain in a way that benefitted the rich in the hopes that it would boost the economy. Many taxes were abolished, such as capital gains tax which applies only to the wealthier people in society. At the same time, some taxes that affected everyone and possibly the poor more than others increased. In 1981, Value Added Tax (VAT) rose from 8% to 15% to pay for the tax cuts to the rich. In 1991 it was raised again to 17.5% by the Conservative government of John Major government to pay for cuts in the poll tax. In practical terms, the very rich are often low tax payers in view of what they earn. The TUC suggests that tax avoidance by the super-rich costs the British taxpayer  £13bn a year. They point out that this is enough money to increase old-age pensions by 20 per cent. Tax planning loopholes mean that the super-rich put money into the names of their families or live abroad for large portions of the year to avoid tax. The government has policies which support the super-rich so capital gains tax at is set at 18% when the top rate of income tax is 40%. There is still debate as to the effectiveness of the tax cuts in supporting the economy. It is certain that the rate of inequality in British society has been growing so that a reduction in the growth of inequality is now seen as a government achievement! Trickle down theories are not supported by economic evidence but still hold considerable influence over public policy making. What is the Functionalist Perspective on class? Functionalists have a positive view about inequality, since it is seen to motivate the less well off to aspire to the income and status enjoyed by the rich and wealthy. Therefore, they applaud the existence of the class structure seeing it as promoting effort, motivation and success. Functionalists believe strongly in the existence of a meritocracy whereby there is equality of opportunity enabling the talented to rise up from any social class to occupy societys most important and demanding roles. Functionalists believe it is appropriate and right to highly reward those in the higher social classes since they believe they are there through merit. Rewarding those at the top only serves to motivate those at the bottom more, they argue. Inequality is therefore beneficial to society and the existence of a class structure becomes functional in providing that inequality. Functionalists like the competitive values that the class structure provides and genuinely believe society is open to social mobility thereby allowing the most talented to rise to the top of society. A fluid and flexible class structure rewards individual achievement by granting the glittering prize of income and status to those who work hard. Despite class inequalities of the class structure a meritocracy offers the opportunity for anyone to get to the top. The ideas of functionalism are probably best expressed through the culture of the USA where the American Dream is the widespread goal of almost every citizen. The argument that those at the bottom are held back by structural constraints such as poor housing, poor education and general poverty is dismissed my functionalists with the argument that they are simply not trying hard enough. The view that the lower classes are held back by their cultural values of laziness and fecklessness, rather than genuine structural disadvantages, is a functionalist theme adopted subsequently by the New Right. For example, the work of US New Right theorist Charles Murray portrays those at the bottom of society, whom he refers to as an underclass, as outside the cultural values of the rest of society. He sees them embracing an alternative subculture of deviant values centred around being workshy, living off welfare and having fatalistic attitudes, for example, taking life as it comes. Whilst influential, Murrays work has come in for sustained criticism for its refusal to recognise the significance of structural factors and his dogmatic obsession of scapegoating lone mother families for societys problems. In Britain, Murrays New Right contemporary, Peter Saunders shares a similar contemptuous view of those at the bottom of the class structure. However, adopting a view similar to postmodernism he sees society as divided less along lines of class and more in terms of consumption. He calls this consumption cleavage. He argues a process of social restratification has taken place, dividing those seeking to satisfy their consumption needs through private ownership of cars, housing, private education and health care, in contrast to those reliant upon social housing, public transport, state education and health care. Saunders argues that divisions of consumption and lifestyle cut across old class lines, with consumption now influencing and shaping identity and social attitudes to a far greater extent. However, Rosemary Crompton criticizes Saunders for claiming class is dead on the one hand; yet continuing to point to occupational class as a powerful influence on income, consumption and political attitudes on the other.

personal narrative Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growing up as an only child I made out pretty well. You almost can’t help but be spoiled by your parents in some way. And I must admit that I enjoyed it; my own room, T.V., computer, stereo, all the material possessions that I had. But there was one event in my life that would change the way that I looked at these things and realized that you can’t take these things for granted and that’s not what life is about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I was seventeen years old and going into my senior year of high school I was given the opportunity to go on a trip to Spain with my school. It was a two week trip during the summer, visiting different cities and historical sites throughout the country. While we where there we went to see a Flamenco dance show in Seville which is about an hour and a half outside of Madrid, the city where we were staying. It was a Wednesday around one o’clock when we left and the ride up there was really beautiful. We were driving through the country side passing some small villages on the side of the road. We arrived there around 3:30 and sat down for the show. It was really cool they had all the ladies with their bright dresses and fruit in their hair dance around while we ate lunch. And the show ended around five and we started to head home. On the way home we were driving through the countryside along side a small village when all of a sudden we heard a loud bang and the bus started slowing down. After a couple of ...

Level2 Equality Diversity

NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity Unit 4: Living in Diverse Communities Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Name: Lisa Roe 1.Describe a range of appropriate investigative methods that can be used to explore diversity in a community. You can observe the community using several methods one being you could use observation sheets ,go in the internet use the local library, contact people with expert knowledge. You can use neighbourhood statistic websites that can give you a range of statistics in your local area. 2. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the extent of diversity that exists within your community. You should illustrate your work with some actual data such as statistics or desktop research.Spoken languages ,There are currently 73 languages spoken in the Wigan Borough, according to English as an Additional Language statistics within schools. (Wigan Council Census, January 2010). The top languages currently being used by schools is Polish, Chinese, Arabic, Punjabi, French, Malayalam, Urdu, Slovak and Norwegian. 38 languages were requested Interpretation services within GP practices in 2008/09. The top languages currently being used by patients within GP practices are Kurdish, Slovak, Farsi, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, French and Polish.There are currently 68 languages used in Wigan and Leigh College. Top languages spoken are Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi, Slovak, French, Urdu, Malayan, Russian, and Lithuanian most recent dat a we have on religion is from the 2001 Census, so very out-of- date. Wigan is a predominantly Christian borough with 87% classed as such. The next largest group is those describing themselves as having no religion, at 7%. There are less that 1% of people in the borough who describe themselves as either Muslim (0. 33%), Hindu (0. 17%), Buddhist (0. 09%), Jewish (0. 3%) or Sikh (0. 02%). However, the growing ethnic diversity that has been experienced in the borough over the last ten years is likely to have had an effect on the religious make-up also 3. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the range of services and agencies that exist within your local community to support diversity. www. wlct. org Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is committed to equality and diversity and in an ongoing process continues to develop and improve services to everyone in the community www. wigan. ov. uk for help with everything from housing to help looking for a job. Patie nt advice and liaison services Advice on the availability of, and access to, local health services www. walh. co. ukequality and diversity in employment 4. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, provide a wide range of examples (at least 20) of physical signs that show there is diversity within your community. Include examples relating to: Religion Ethnicity Age Disability Gender 5. Describe the types of inequality that could exist within a community.Report on your findings. 1,Political this may occur when certain groups are prevented from taking part in a process. 2, Inequality of outcome this is when people have variations in wealth and income 3 inequality of treatment this is were we have to treat people without bias, prejudice or special conditions applying to them 6. Describe the threats that exist to equality and diversity within the community, using examples of intolerance and extremism. when people are intolerant they tend to stereotype and label the groups / categories they do not like.They may behave in antisocial ways that undermine the quality of life of the people they do not like. This can worsen to the point where there is extremism. One of the main problems that results from intolerant behaviour is that it can cause the social groups being subjected to it to behave differently. They often respond in one of two ways: The people affected may withdraw and become more insular. They tend to stay with ‘their own social group’ and avoid outsiders. However, this withdrawal can be perceived by outsiders as being anti-social and this can have a negative effect on the way the minority group is labelled. hey stereotype people outside their group as being a threat against them. They may themselves become intolerant of the ‘outsiders’. This breaks down the healthy relationships that the social group has with others. These responses are understandable. If a person feels threatened it makes sense to keep close to people you feel safe with and keep away from potential threats. Unfortunately the result is that the behaviour of an intolerant minority can influence and negatively impact a whole community. the extremist is obviously an intolerant person who takes things to extremes.They go from disliking and being intolerant of a particular social group (on the grounds of things such as race, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual preference) to taking actions that may cause those people harm. 7. Research the range of support services and networks that exist within the local community to support diversity and explain the specific roles they carry out and the users they support. This task should be completed for each of the following: Public sector organisations Wigan, Leigh & District Society for the Blind to help the blind people find out information and get help if needed. www. thebrick. org. kthey help homeless people www. embracewiganand leigh. org they are a Wigan based charity who help people with disabilities and their families that need support, advice and information. Charitable and voluntary organisations oxfam cancer research save the children Self-help groups AATo help people with drinking problems Alzheimers society-to help family to cope with loved ones who are suffering with alzhelmers. Lesbian and gay foundation providers of direct support and resources to lesbian gay and bisexual people Once you have completed this Assessment, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your work to your tutor for marking. Level2 Equality Diversity NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Equality and Diversity Unit 4: Living in Diverse Communities Assessment You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Name: Lisa Roe 1.Describe a range of appropriate investigative methods that can be used to explore diversity in a community. You can observe the community using several methods one being you could use observation sheets ,go in the internet use the local library, contact people with expert knowledge. You can use neighbourhood statistic websites that can give you a range of statistics in your local area. 2. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the extent of diversity that exists within your community. You should illustrate your work with some actual data such as statistics or desktop research.Spoken languages ,There are currently 73 languages spoken in the Wigan Borough, according to English as an Additional Language statistics within schools. (Wigan Council Census, January 2010). The top languages currently being used by schools is Polish, Chinese, Arabic, Punjabi, French, Malayalam, Urdu, Slovak and Norwegian. 38 languages were requested Interpretation services within GP practices in 2008/09. The top languages currently being used by patients within GP practices are Kurdish, Slovak, Farsi, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, French and Polish.There are currently 68 languages used in Wigan and Leigh College. Top languages spoken are Polish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi, Slovak, French, Urdu, Malayan, Russian, and Lithuanian most recent dat a we have on religion is from the 2001 Census, so very out-of- date. Wigan is a predominantly Christian borough with 87% classed as such. The next largest group is those describing themselves as having no religion, at 7%. There are less that 1% of people in the borough who describe themselves as either Muslim (0. 33%), Hindu (0. 17%), Buddhist (0. 09%), Jewish (0. 3%) or Sikh (0. 02%). However, the growing ethnic diversity that has been experienced in the borough over the last ten years is likely to have had an effect on the religious make-up also 3. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, describe the range of services and agencies that exist within your local community to support diversity. www. wlct. org Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is committed to equality and diversity and in an ongoing process continues to develop and improve services to everyone in the community www. wigan. ov. uk for help with everything from housing to help looking for a job. Patie nt advice and liaison services Advice on the availability of, and access to, local health services www. walh. co. ukequality and diversity in employment 4. Using one (or more) of the methods you outlined in Question 1, provide a wide range of examples (at least 20) of physical signs that show there is diversity within your community. Include examples relating to: Religion Ethnicity Age Disability Gender 5. Describe the types of inequality that could exist within a community.Report on your findings. 1,Political this may occur when certain groups are prevented from taking part in a process. 2, Inequality of outcome this is when people have variations in wealth and income 3 inequality of treatment this is were we have to treat people without bias, prejudice or special conditions applying to them 6. Describe the threats that exist to equality and diversity within the community, using examples of intolerance and extremism. when people are intolerant they tend to stereotype and label the groups / categories they do not like.They may behave in antisocial ways that undermine the quality of life of the people they do not like. This can worsen to the point where there is extremism. One of the main problems that results from intolerant behaviour is that it can cause the social groups being subjected to it to behave differently. They often respond in one of two ways: The people affected may withdraw and become more insular. They tend to stay with ‘their own social group’ and avoid outsiders. However, this withdrawal can be perceived by outsiders as being anti-social and this can have a negative effect on the way the minority group is labelled. hey stereotype people outside their group as being a threat against them. They may themselves become intolerant of the ‘outsiders’. This breaks down the healthy relationships that the social group has with others. These responses are understandable. If a person feels threatened it makes sense to keep close to people you feel safe with and keep away from potential threats. Unfortunately the result is that the behaviour of an intolerant minority can influence and negatively impact a whole community. the extremist is obviously an intolerant person who takes things to extremes.They go from disliking and being intolerant of a particular social group (on the grounds of things such as race, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual preference) to taking actions that may cause those people harm. 7. Research the range of support services and networks that exist within the local community to support diversity and explain the specific roles they carry out and the users they support. This task should be completed for each of the following: Public sector organisations Wigan, Leigh & District Society for the Blind to help the blind people find out information and get help if needed. www. thebrick. org. kthey help homeless people www. embracewiganand leigh. org they are a Wigan based charity who help people with disabilities and their families that need support, advice and information. Charitable and voluntary organisations oxfam cancer research save the children Self-help groups AATo help people with drinking problems Alzheimers society-to help family to cope with loved ones who are suffering with alzhelmers. Lesbian and gay foundation providers of direct support and resources to lesbian gay and bisexual people Once you have completed this Assessment, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your work to your tutor for marking.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 23

â€Å"Where've you been?† asked Roman. I hadn't landed in Seattle until later the next day. Turns out getting flights from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest can take a little longer than immortal teleportation, particularly on short notice. â€Å"To the edge of the known world and back,† I said, falling onto the couch. Both cats came to me, which I took with some smugness, seeing as they usually fawned all over Roman. â€Å"So, what, South Dakota?† I made a face and covered my eyes with one arm. My trip to locate Seth had only taken twenty-four hours, but really, that was a lot to endure in so short a time. â€Å"I found Seth.† â€Å"Oh.† Roman's enthusiasm dimmed considerably. â€Å"I guess his disappearance wasn't as milk carton?Cworthy as Maddie made it sound.† â€Å"Well, I had to – literally – call in a demonic favor to hunt him down.† â€Å"And? Are you guys running into the sunset together now that he's free?† The mention of sunset made me flinch, recalling how Seth and I had held each other on the beach. â€Å"Not quite. I†¦left him.† â€Å"What's that mean exactly?† I tried to explain all that had gone down with Seth, but it wasn't easy. It was almost too much for my brain to wade through, let alone articulate to someone else. When I finished, I felt even more exhausted than before. â€Å"So that's it? You're never going to see each other again?† Roman's voice was skeptical. â€Å"He said he's not coming back, and I didn't stick around. So, yeah.† â€Å"I have a hard time believing that. Is he just going to live at that hotel permanently? Even he can't make that much money.† â€Å"No, he mentioned at dinner that he'd be settling down somewhere else. He just hasn't decided where.† All was quiet between us for a minute or so. The only sounds were the traffic outside and Aubrey purring near my ear. At last, Roman asked, â€Å"Are you okay?† I glanced over at him in surprise. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Exactly what I said. This can't be easy on you. I mean, you haven't even had any downtime since the Oneroi.† I don't know why his words caught me by surprise. I guess it was because amidst all the woes that were always going on in my life, few people ever asked if I was okay. Maybe they'd given up asking because depressing things were so commonplace for me. How weird, I thought, that Roman had swung from sociopathic to compassionate while Seth had fallen down a darker path. Of course, I had no hard evidence that Roman wasn't actually a compassionate sociopath. Still, I gave him a smile of gratitude. â€Å"I am okay – or will be eventually. Thanks.† There must have been something in my smile that gave him hope or just made him feel inspired because his own smile grew radiant. I'd forgotten just how beautiful it was, the way it could light up his face. We left dangerous topics alone after that but spent the rest of the night hanging out together. I wasn't totally okay by any means, but it was nice to simply be ordinary for a while and free of drama. I wondered if that's what my life would be like now – and what role Roman would play. Still, adjusting to a world without Seth wasn't easy over the next few days. Even when he'd been with Maddie, even when the sight of him had caused me pain, he'd still been there. And I'd known he was there. Now, the knowledge that he was gone and that he wasn't coming back left a strange emptiness in my heart, even as the rest of my life began to stabilize. I returned to work, a good thing for the store because Maddie had taken some much-needed time off. I checked on her via Doug and offered to go to her if needed, despite knowing I wouldn't enjoy listening to her mourn for Seth. Of course, since I was doing the same thing, maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to turn down commiseration. â€Å"She just wants to be alone right now,† Doug said, leaning in my doorway. He had no joke today, none of his usual wackiness. â€Å"Still upset – but she's a trouper. I'll let you know when she's ready to see anyone.† â€Å"Okay.† My heart went out to her. â€Å"Keep me posted.† It was nearing closing time, and I went out to the store's main part to help with some of the evening tasks. A few of the staff members were already going home. One of them was Gabrielle. And she was leaving with Cody. â€Å"What's going on?† I whispered to him while she went to get her purse. He wasn't even wearing black. â€Å"We've gone out a couple times since†¦well, while you've been distracted.† He sounded apologetic for his happiness. â€Å"That's fantastic,† I said. Love was managing to survive somewhere in this world. â€Å"What changed her mind? The concert?† â€Å"A little. I think that opened the door. She's really excited that I'll only hang out at night. And that I can show her real vampires.† â€Å"What? You managed to convince her Peter was a vampire?† To the average human, that would be even less likely than Cody being a vampire. â€Å"No, of course not.† His lovesick expression hardened a little. â€Å"But Milton – you know that vampire from Eugene? – he's been in town this week. Claims he's visiting friends.† Vampires were very territorial about their hunting grounds, even ones like Peter and Cody who rarely took victims and didn't kill when they did. â€Å"He hasn't caused any trouble, but I don't buy that vacation thing. It's as ridiculous as Simone just visiting.† â€Å"She is gone, right?† That had been the rumor, and seeing as there'd been no wacky mishaps with two Georginas, I had to believe it was true. I'd never know what her motivation had been. â€Å"Yup, as far as I know. Anyway. Milton. He sure does look like a vampire. Have you seen him? He's like a modern-day Nosferatu. I took Gabrielle when I went to spy on him at a dance club, and she got really excited. She thinks I have some special knack for finding vampires – at least wannabe ones.† â€Å"Huh,† I said. â€Å"That's somehow bizarre, funny, and cute all at the same time. Maybe a little disturbing.† He grinned at that, showing his fangs. â€Å"What's she think of the teeth? You can't hide those if you're up close and personal all the time.† â€Å"Told her I had them cosmetically done.† He looked very pleased. â€Å"She thinks it's hot.† His new romance left me in a good mood when I finally took off. I stepped outside into the chilly night, surprised I didn't mind it so much. Something about the clean, brisk air seemed refreshing to me, and for the first time in a while, I regretted moving out of Queen Anne. It would have been nice to walk home on this early winter evening, instead of climbing into the plastic and metal of my car. There was nothing to be done for it, though. I turned the ignition and checked my cell phone before heading out of the parking lot. I often left the ringer off while working, and three calls had come in for me. I had a voice mail for each. The first was from a few hours ago, from Erik. He spoke in his usual genteel tones, but I could hear some urgency underneath. He told me he'd come up with some theories about my contract and wanted to talk to me soon. The next message was from Roman, from about an hour ago. He knew my work schedule perfectly and was calling to see what kind of takeout I wanted. If I called as I was leaving, he said, he'd probably have food by the time I walked in. I felt my lips turn into a smile at that – one that promptly dropped when I heard the last message. It had come in five minutes ago and was from Erik again. â€Å"Georgina – â€Å" That was it. Just my name, tense and strangled. After that came static, what sounded like the phone dropping, and then the voice mail ended. I stared at my phone as though it were a totally foreign object. I had never, ever heard Erik call me by my first name. My car was already headed toward his store when I dialed him back. It was too late for the store to be open, but that was the number my cell phone had logged. No answer came. I tried his home number, just to be safe, and received no answer there either. My fear increased, as did my speed. Easy traffic moved me along, but I still felt like his store might as well be hundreds of miles away. I made it there in fifteen minutes, which was actually pretty remarkable. The store's lights were on, though everything else in the strip mall and its lot was dark. I parked right in front, in a handicapped spot, and tore out of my car, nearly coming to a halt at what I found. The glass of the door and window were smashed, with glittering shards covering the sidewalk. Even if the door had been locked, I could have reached right in to open it. I pushed through, stepping inside to find more destruction. Fountains still tinkled, music still played, but everything else was in shambles. Bookshelves knocked over. Statuary in pieces. Jewelry cases broken – and empty. â€Å"Erik?† I called, hurrying through the store. There was no answer. I passed the register, saw the drawer hanging open, and suspected I'd find it as empty as the cases. I was heading for the store's back room when I heard a small noise. Turning, I peered around wildly and caught a glimpse of a hand, behind the checkout counter. There, I found Erik sprawled on the floor, pale despite his dusky skin. A hand lay over his stomach, which was a pool of dark blood. His eyes were glassy, and for a moment, I thought he was dead. Then the lids twitched, and his eyes focused on me. â€Å"Miss Kincaid†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I dialed 911 while simultaneously trying to rip my coat off. I screamed at them to send an ambulance and pressed the light fabric of the trench coat into his stomach. The effort was futile. A red strain promptly began spreading through the cloth. â€Å"Don't say anything,† I pleaded when I saw his lips move. They were blue-tinged. â€Å"Someone's coming. You'll be okay.† I wanted to ask a hundred questions: what had happened, who had done this. None mattered. Only saving him did – and besides, the scenario seemed painfully clear. A break-in, one in which he must have interfered. Two bullet holes on the wall revealed what had happened to his stomach. The third shot had hit. â€Å"Miss Kincaid†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice was so small, barely a croak. â€Å"Shh. We'll talk later, after the paramedics come. Save your strength.† â€Å"There won't be a later,† he gasped. I swear, he tried to smile. â€Å"Not†¦for†¦me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"They'll be here in, like, five minutes,† I countered. â€Å"Doesn't matter. Too weak. Too much blood.† â€Å"No,† I said desperately. â€Å"No.† Even as I begged, my hysteria growing, I knew he was right. He had lost too much blood. He was only alive now because this was a slow-killing wound. Even if paramedics walked in right now, they wouldn't get him away in time to save him. With his age and recent illness, he wouldn't come back from this. Still, I denied it. â€Å"You'll be okay. Listen – â€Å" â€Å"You listen.† There was no real force behind the command, but I shut up. One of his hands clung to me. â€Å"It's not†¦your contract.† I was confused, my mind still on his condition and the store. Then, I caught the context. â€Å"Let the contract go. We'll worry about it later.† His grip tightened. â€Å"There must be another. Two contracts.† â€Å"There†¦what? No. That's not how it works. I know that for sure. One contract per soul. I signed one. Now, please. Don't say anything else.† â€Å"Find it,† he coughed. There was blood on his lips. â€Å"Find†¦it.† â€Å"I will, I will.† I would have agreed to anything, though what he was saying made no sense. My words must have comforted him because he relaxed ever so slightly. There was still no question that he must be in agonizing pain, though. I glanced up at the front of the store, willing myself to hear sirens. â€Å"They'll be here,† I said. â€Å"Too†¦late. You†¦you can stop the pain.† He was so hard to hear now, I had to lean close. Even then, I didn't fully parse his words until a few moments later. â€Å"I'm trying.† I shifted the coat a little, which was proving totally ineffectual. â€Å"A kiss†¦one kiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My eyes went wide. â€Å"No. No. It'll kill you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Even as I said the words, I realized how stupid they were. This gunshot was already going to kill him. He was going to die. One kiss. He wanted a kiss to speed his dying, just as I'd given Luc. I'd never performed that deed again, nor had I wanted to. Maybe it had been mercy, but I'd felt like a killer. And yet, just like I had then, I knew it would ease the passing†¦. I shook my head. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Nyx†¦showed me. Showed me my death: you.† He coughed again and could speak no more. Still, he clung to life, with pain on his face and pleading in his eyes. Nyx? Nyx had shown him his death†¦. In the far reaches of my mind, I remembered finding him one day, right after Nyx had visited him and shown him a vision. He'd recoiled from me at first and then later shrugged it off, laughing it away as the remnants of a nightmare. But I understood now. He'd seen his death – seen me causing it. He'd been afraid of me in those moments. My man in the dream had been a lie, but all the other visions she'd shown had been true. My role in Erik's death had been destined†¦just not in any malicious way. That was how her dreams often worked. Never quite what you expected. And so, for the second time, I became an angel of mercy†¦an angel of death†¦whatever. I hunched down and kissed him, ignoring the blood on his mouth. Just like with Luc, there was only a breath of life left. Five more minutes, and Erik would have been gone without me. That tiny bit of life was as pure and good as I'd known it would be. Erik would be rewarded in the afterlife. As I lifted my head and watched peace settle over his features, faint feelings flitted through me, as sometimes happened when I took energy. There was affection for me. It wasn't romantic love. More like fatherly love. Friendship. Fondness. And underneath it was a warning, a warning for me he never got to convey. I was so caught up in those last bursts of life, that I was only distantly aware when the lights and sirens came. Someone lifted me away, and I saw people huddling around him – too late. I stared at the commotion that followed – paramedics, police. I saw it without seeing it, answered questions without even knowing what I said. A policeman with kind eyes took it all down and spoke to me gently, often repeating himself. I don't know how long it all took. Maybe an hour, maybe more. I only remember assuring them over and over that I was okay, that I was going home, and that I would answer any other questions that came up. But when I drove away, still in shock, still barely grasping what had happened, I didn't go to West Seattle. I went to Pioneer Square, parking in a lucky street spot and then winding my way through the partying crowds. A few people gave me curious looks when I walked into the Cellar, looks I gave no heed to as I honed in on Jerome's table. He drank alone tonight, his dark eyes watching me intently as I approached. â€Å"Georgie,† he said when I came to a stop in front of him, â€Å"what's the point of shape-shifting if you're going to walk around with blood on you?† I looked down, only then registering the stains on my shirt. I turned back to him, ignoring the shape-shifting suggestion. â€Å"Erik's dead,† I told him, my voice flat. Jerome's face displayed no reaction. â€Å"How?† â€Å"A break-in. Somebody shot him.† Jerome sipped his bourbon and remained silent. â€Å"Well? Don't you have anything to say?† He scowled. â€Å"What do you expect me to say? Should I cry? Put on sackcloth and ashes? Humans die all the time, Georgie. You're the one who mourns them – not me. I have no sentiment for any of them. You know that. And certainly not for him.† I did know that. When Duane – one of Jerome's former employees – had been killed, the demon's only reaction had been annoyance. â€Å"What's weird†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I paused, putting to words what had been coalescing in the back of my mind this whole time. â€Å"What's weird is that someone would break into a New Age store at all. It's not a good place for a robbery.† â€Å"If it has money, it's a good place for a robbery. If it's in a deserted strip mall, with only an old man there, it's even a better place for a robbery. Were the valuables gone?† â€Å"Yes,† I admitted. â€Å"Then why are you here wasting my time?† â€Å"The glass.† â€Å"The glass?† â€Å"The glass was broken from the inside,† I said. â€Å"The pieces were scattered on the sidewalk. Whoever did it didn't break the glass to get in. It just looked that way.† Jerome sighed irritably. â€Å"After everything you've seen, can you honestly question the behaviors of humans?† â€Å"It just seems strange that someone like Erik – someone who deals in the supernatural and who had – † I hesitated, about to say that he'd been pondering my contract. Instead, I said, â€Å"Who had just been involved with a big immortal blowout would be the victim of this by coincidence.† â€Å"Coincidences happen.† â€Å"I don't believe in coincidences anymore.† â€Å"Then replay your own words. Your ‘big immortal blowout' is the answer. They might not live in our world, but do you think dream creatures don't have connections here?† I frowned. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"That I thought it was too convenient for the Oneroi's overlord to walk away. He knew he couldn't touch me or any other immortal. But a human? One who had been actively involved with thwarting him?† Jerome shrugged. â€Å"It's revenge. He could arrange for that. We can't prove it – and we can't do anything. Make sure you understand that. I'm not going to avenge your friend, if that's what you're asking for.† I hadn't expected him to. In fact, I really wasn't sure what I'd expected of him at all. Why had I come here? Because I was in shock. Because what had happened to Erik didn't make sense. Because Jerome often had answers for me. This time, he did too†¦but I wasn't sure that I believed them. The old adage came back: How do you know if a demon is lying? His lips are moving. â€Å"Okay,† I said with a small nod. His eyes narrowed a little. I think he was surprised I'd given in so quickly. Glancing down, I shape-shifted the blood away. â€Å"I'm going to go home and†¦I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do.† My confusion wasn't faked, and I hoped it would be enough to clear any suspicion. And really, what did he have to be suspicious of? I didn't even know. Two contracts. Jerome didn't try to stop me. I drove home with almost no realization of what I was doing until I pulled into the parking lot under my building. As soon as I opened my condo's door, I caught the faint smell of Chinese food. It smelled delicious, yet at the same time, it had that slight twinge of food that had been sitting around for a while. Roman sprawled on the couch, staring at nothing as far as I could tell. The TV was off. The cats remained unpetted. â€Å"I'm sorry I didn't call,† I said. â€Å"You won't believe what – â€Å" â€Å"I've got something for you,† he said. â€Å"Two somethings, actually.† The odd tone of his voice was about the only thing that could have stopped me from gushing about what had gone down at Erik's tonight. Even now, the events in the store were so surreal that it hardly seemed like something that had happened to me. Surely it was something I'd seen in a movie. I sat down in the armchair near Roman, the queasy feeling in my stomach growing as I wondered what else could possibly happen tonight. â€Å"What is it?† He handed me a piece of paper. â€Å"This was under the door when I got back with the food. I didn't mean to read it, but†¦well, it wasn't in an envelope or anything.† I took it wordlessly, immediately recognizing the scrawled writing. Seth's. To a lot of people it would be undecipherable, but I'd had a lot of practice in decoding his sloppy penmanship. Georgina, When I woke up without you in Mazatln, I was so angry. I felt betrayed and abandoned and wondered if you'd been playing me the entire time. Then, the more I thought about your words, the more my life began to come into focus. I still don't want to deal with the mess here in Seattle. I don't want to face Maddie. I don't want to face myself. But, I realized, I do want you to be proud of me. Maybe â€Å"proud† isn't the right word. Respect? Like? Love? I'm not sure, but the events at Erik's have still left an impression. Really, lying in your arms has left an impression. I meant what I said: I'd rather be alone than not be with you. Even apart, though, I can't stand the thought of you being disappointed in me. To regain your good opinion, I would risk almost anything. I'd even come back here to face my demons. And I have come back here, despite how much I wish I could run away. Disappearing won't erase the bad things around me, however. Maybe you're a messenger of some sort, some agent of destiny. If not for you, I almost certainly wouldn't have returned, but it turns out I needed to. Terry and Andrea received their results yesterday. She only has months to live, something that I'd almost swear was the doctor's joke. Only a few weeks ago, she seemed perfectly fine. I don't want to face that, any more than I want to face everything else. But they need me more than ever now, and I love them. I love them so much that I realize my own life and wants don't matter. As soon as I finish this book, I'm putting everything else – even the new series – on hold. None of it matters. Only they do. They'll need me in the next few months. They'll need me more in the months after that. I don't know when we'll see each other again – though you'll notice I say â€Å"when† and not â€Å"if.† Like I mentioned in Mexico, I know better than to think the universe will keep us apart. Regardless, I want you to be happy wherever your life takes you – and I hope someday I can be worthy of your respect again. I also want you to know that in returning, I don't expect anything from you. I just wanted to make sure you understood what I did†¦and how you've affected me. – Seth I looked up at Roman, who had been studying me while I read. I didn't know what astonished me more: Seth returning – because of me – or the god-awful news about Andrea. Both were monumental in their own ways. One was a tragedy of epic proportions. I swallowed, afraid if I fully processed it all, I'd start crying. â€Å"I'm not sure how much more I can handle tonight,† I said in a small voice. Roman's face was a mixture of sympathy and cynicism. â€Å"Well, you've got one more thing.† He handed me a magazine. It was a trashy celebrity gossip one that was a popular source of mockery over at the bookstore. I couldn't imagine why he was giving something so trivial to me, in light of everything else that had gone on. One page was marked with a Post-it, and I flipped to it. It was a spread of assorted celebrity shots, the kind of candids that paparazzi delighted in: actors out with their children, pop stars spotted in Las Vegas nightclubs. I skimmed over the two pages, feeling a frown grow on my face as I tried to figure out why on earth I'd care about this right now. Then, I found it. It was a small picture, shoved off to the side between much more interesting and larger ones of badly dressed actors. The caption read: Best-selling author Seth Mortensen enjoys some natural beauty in Mazatln. And it showed Seth and me kissing on the beach.

The effects of birth control essays

The effects of birth control essays Todays woman has many birth control options that allow her to plan whether or not she has children, when she has children, and the age difference between her children. This paper is designed as an overview of available options about choosing a birth control method that matches the physical, emotional and lifestyle needs. I personally feel that the pill is a excellent, affordable, 99.5% effective method of birth control. According to Contraceptive Technology, combination pills are approximately 99.9 percent effective if used perfectly. What that means is that one in 1,000 women taking the Pill will get pregnant in the period of a year. In real-life use, about 3 percent of users get pregnant in the course of a year Statistics state that this is usually due to missing one or more pills. However, two things that should be remembered. Statistics are not everythingthe best form of birth control is the one you will use correctly and consistently. Oral contraceptives provide no protection from sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. So if that is a concern, you should combine the Pill with condoms for an unbeatable combination! At any stage of life, a woman may find that one method of birth control suits her needs better than others. Periodic review of available birth control options will help ensure in choose a method that best meets your current lifestyle. Some factors to consider that might be important include method effectiveness, permanency, convenience and protection against sexually Some questions that I have are, how safe and effective is the method, will the method affect my sex drive or my partners sex drive, is there an age at which I should stop using hormone-based contraceptives, will the birth control method affect my ability to have children in the future, what are my birth control options if I am breastfeeding, what birth control method would you ...

Confucious essays

Confucious essays Confucius was a large believer that things should be based on virtue, and not on blood. Confucius stated that the ideal person was one of good moral character. The ideal person was also truly reverent in worship and sincerely respected his father and his ruler. He was expected to think for himself, guided by definite rules of conduct. Confucius believed that this type of behavior by rulers had a greater effect on the people than did laws or codes of punishment. So when these types of people were rulers, their moral example would inspire the people to lead good lives. Confucius taught four things: culture, conduct, loyalty, and truthfulness. Confucius taught many topics around these subjects, but the most importance of these is the propriety, ritual and the Way of being a Gentleman. From these to achieve the Jen, if we are to achieve a state of orderliness and peace, we need to return to traditional values of virtue. These values are based entirely on one concept: Jen, which is best, translated as "benevolence." The rules of propriety offered a code of accepted behavior that demonstrated to themselves and others that they were cultured and proper gentlemen. For Confucius, the gentleman knew and behaved according to the rules of propriety. Confucius explained what can happen if conduct is not guided by propriety. Confucius shows wisdom and Jen as essential to ruling, they still must be accomplished with dignity, and according to propriety. His wisdom brings him into power, needs goodness to secure that power, and dignity to approach the common people, if he handles them contrary to the rules of propriety, full ex! cellence is not reached. Confucius believed that official's political action should follow the Way. His actions will vary depending on whether the government is following the Way or not. Confucius gives this advice for the different circumstances. Have sincere faith and love learning. Be ...

Complex Sentences in English Grammar

Complex Sentences in English Grammar In traditional grammar, a complex sentence is a sentence that contains an independent clause  (or main clause) and at least one dependent clause. Put another way, a complex sentence is made up of a main clause with one or more dependent clauses joined to it with an appropriate conjunction or pronoun. The complex sentence is conventionally regarded as one of the four basic sentence structures in English. The other structures are the simple sentence, the compound sentence, and the compound-complex sentence. For an alternative definition, see  Holger Diessels remarks in Examples and Observations below.   Examples and Observations [I]n the complex sentence John left when his sister arrived, the clause when his sister arrived is a dependent clause because it is preceded by the word when, which is a subordinating conjunction. Dependent clauses are not complete sentences; they cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. For example, *When his sister arrived cannot stand alone. Dependent clauses must be attached to independent clauses in order to form a complete sentence. In the complex sentence above, John left is the independent clause.- Denise E. Murray and Mary Ann Christison, What English Language Teachers Need to Know. Routledge, 2011Martina laughed when her mother dropped a pie upside down on the floor.Because he was so small, Stuart was often hard to find around the house.- E.B. 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All were, in a technical sense, complex sentences, because they contained subordinate clauses.- James R. Hurford, The Origins of Grammar: Language in the Light of Evolution II. Oxford University Press, 2012 Positioning Clauses in Complex Sentences [D]ependent clauses cannot be sentences on their own. They depend on an independent clause to support them. The independent clause in a complex sentence carries the main meaning, but either clause may come first.- A. Robert Young and Ann O. Strauch, Nitty Gritty Grammar: Sentence Essentials for Writers. Cambridge University Press, 2006 The Need for Complex Sentences Most of the sentences we use in writing or in continuous speech are complex...There is a recurrent need to expound facts or concepts in greater elaboration than the structure of the simple sentence permits.- Walter Nash, English Usage: A Guide to First Principles. Routledge, 1986 Four Features of Complex Sentences Complex sentences are traditionally divided into two basic types: (i) sentences including coordinate clauses, and (ii) sentences including subordinate clauses. The former consist of two (or more) clauses that are functionally equivalent and symmetrical, whereas the latter consist of two (or more) clauses that constitute an asymmetrical relationship: a subordinate clause and a matrix clause do not have equal status and equal function (cf. Foley and Van Valin 1984: 239)...I suggest that prototypical subordinate clauses carry the following features: they are (i) syntactically embedded, (ii) formally marked as a dependent clause, (iii) semantically integrated in a superordinate clause, and (iv) part of the same processing and planning unit as the associated matrix clause.- Holger Diessel, The Acquisition of Complex Sentences. Cambridge University Press, 2004 Complex Sentences and Metaphors Complex sentences can offer dramatic development, extending a metaphor, as Melvilles Captain Ahab reminds us: The path to my fixed purpose is laid on iron rails, on which my soul is grooved to run.- Philip Gerard, Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life. Story Press, 1996

Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Communication in Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Communication in Economics - Essay Example While private investments showed growth of 0.72% and net exports rose by 0.99% in last quarter of 2013, the government spending is a major drag on the economy as it declined by 1.05%. In view of the economic recovery observed in 2013, it was expected that economys momentum will continue; however, bad weather in first quarter and overseas volatility have reduced hopes of further improvement. The third quarter healthy growth of 4.1% in 2013 had generated enthusiasm across the businesses and industries to continue to have rapid job creations, but certain other economic measurements have been found to giving differing signals. Job creation, consumer spending, factory output and the construction industry data are not in line with the expectations. Many attribute this down performance in the first quarter of 2014 to extreme winter in many parts of the country. Jeremy Lawson, an economist at Standard Life, is of the view that the growth rates recorded in the previous quarters were, in fact, over stating what was happening actually. First-quarter consumer-spending is not as per expectations and the mining industry is still passing through a weak market globally. On export front, the US economy registered a 9.4% growth, which was originally anticipated to rise by 11.4%. Business spending showed buoyancy in the second half of 2013 as companies continued to invest in buildings, software, and equipments. Fixed investment grew by 7.3% in the fourth quarter generating hopes for future growth. Public-sector wages are mostly stagnant not showing any hopes of recovery. As usual, the saving rate has been registered only 4.5% in the fourth quarter that is one percentage point less when compared with the average of the previous three years. Consumers are spending but the government is holding back. In the last quarter of 2013, the Federal Government spending was down by 12.8%. The Federal Reserve is

Qualitative Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Qualitative Methods - Assignment Example In this method of qualitative research, the theory developed should be flexible enough to be able to cover a broad variety of varying instances more understandable, in such a way that it makes sense of the whole picture, and not just an aspect of it (Charmaz, 2007). This specific method may have a great impact on the mini-project. One of the capacities of the grounded theory method is that it can analyze and understand current social situations, such as spirituality in nursing, and then predict the changes in the said situations (Schreiber & Stern, 2001). Indeed, the basic steps of grounded theory shaped the steps utilized in the thematic analysis of the mini-project. For example, after the interview, although the questions were not really improved or refined, the coded transcriptions were compared with the results of others, in order to allow the relevant themes to emerge. After the said themes materialized, they were again re-evaluated through their comparison to other literature. By doing so, the mini-project was able to achieve an aim of grounded theory, which involves extracting the common meanings of experiences from individuals undergoing common experiences (Jannetti, 2005). More importantly, at the end of the mini-project, it was also a ble to provide a meaningful course for action (in promoting spirituality in workplace), which is something Birks and Mills (2011) stated that is achieved by grounded theory. Jannetti, A. J. (2005, February 24). Case and Grounded Theory As Qualitative Research Methods. Retrieved from Red Orbit:

Mineral Management Service in the federal Department of the Interior Research Paper

Mineral Management Service in the federal Department of the Interior - Research Paper Example In fact, accusations of drug use and sexual misbehavior linking employees of Mineral Management Services and their industry counterparts expose actions that go beyond what is revealed in the agencies. An eye-opening series of report compiled in 2008 by the inspector general of the Department of the Interior exposed a shocking level of corruption that exist in the Minerals Management service (MMS) coupled with a cozy relationship between its employees and the Industry officials, that involves a high scale of culture of substance abuse and promiscuity within the agency (Abramowitz and Mufson, 2007). MMS is charged with the responsibility of collecting royalties from different companies, for these companies and to give them the right to produce and trade in oil and gas within the federal boundary. For instance, in the year 2007 alone, MMS collected a total of $9 billion from oil and gas royalties, and hence, this made this sector to be one of the chief springs of revenue for the United States. This agency in addition to that, also manages the Royalty-in Kind programs through its Denver office, via which it purchases the oil and gas from these energy firms and then resell it to refinery firms. In this office, based on the report, the inspector deduced that the officials of the MMS Royalty-in Kind program habitually guzzled alcohol at industry functions and even takes cocaine and marijuana. Worse of all, they had sexual relationships with these oil and gas representatives. According to the report, the Inspector general purport that more than a third of Royalty-in Kind officials were involved in taking bribes and gifts in exchange of contracts. This kind of messy arrangement and relationship cost a tax payer over$4 million dollar Literature Review According to the report written by Daniel Carpenter and David Moss, 2011, the disbanding of the Minerals Management Service, depicts how poorly the regulatory industry was functioning. The literature shows how this body was marred by rotten regulatory relationship, accusations in drug use and sexual misbehavior. Consequently, there was a proposal of disbanding of the agency by disintegrating and splitting its planning, revenue collection and regulatory role into three independent bodies of organizations. However, a keen evaluation of this step owing to the external political and social influence that at one time rocked the MMS operations, the reorganizations and reinvention will not automatically advance and develop how the federal or the government is managing the minerals within the federal boundary. Similarly, the memorandum report compiled in May 2010 briefing the outcome of the investigation that was done, probing the Lake Charles district office, one of the five major offices charged with the responsibility of overseeing gas and oil operations along the Gulf of Mexico. This report also revealed the level at which some of the MMS employees in the office collected gifts from offshore operators, ra nging from lunches, admission to sport events to participation in events with some of the senior industry personnel. Besides accepting gifts, some MMS employees in senior posts particularly the inspectors permitted the some energy companies to fill out inspection forms by themselves and lastly, the report records a series of e-mail letters exchanged between the former inspector and a certain employee purportedly an offshore operator assuring him his job security at that company. This is because during this era, the inspector was mandated to

Samsung Singapore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Samsung Singapore - Essay Example The strategies, projections, and future scenarios of the company are significantly reliant on the tastes, decisions, views, and preferences of the customers. A close attention to the changes in customers’ preferences and opinions is important for the survival of the business. In order to have a competitive advantage Samsung must invest in continuous research practices and maintain feedback mechanisms through social media. This would help the company to carry out necessary changes in line with the market realities. Companies in the telecommunication industry in Singapore have developed strategies for retaining both high-level and low-level clientele through promotions and improved customer care services. Suppliers In the past Samsung has had to contend with the bargaining power of suppliers. Few suppliers operate on the level of standards that meet Samsung thresholds of value. There have been tendencies of these suppliers to use their privileged positions to make arbitrary chan ges in prices, which affect the operations of Samsung precisely because there are no suitable substitutes for the products. In order to survive such eventualities, Samsung would have to cultivate positive working relations with the suppliers or enter into long-term contracts that have the element of stability. This would impact positively on the growth of the company. Economics and Geography Economic and geographical factors have had some significant impact on the performance of Samsung Singapore in the previous financial periods. The growth of the country’s economy has had significant impacts on Samsung Singapore. For instance, the tourism industry and the information and technology sectors have experienced significant growth in the past decade. One of the...56). However, new market realities have emerged demanding some changes in the way, which companies operate their businesses in. Samsung Singapore will have to carry out strategic changes in its operations in order to kee p up with the pressure of competition from emerging competitors and other macro-economic forces that affect the status of the industry. In the recent past global Samsung has taken advantage of the synergies of globalization and liberalization to spur growth and positive performance (Niewwenhuizen, 2009 p. 58). The need for strategic reorganization is based on the necessity of total quality management policies within the company. Competitors The past two decades have witnessed a consistent growth of stiff competition on the mobile telephone sub-sector in Singapore. Favourable government regulation policies and the policies of liberalization are some of the external factors that contribute to the competitive factor on the market. In order to survive, many companies have engaged in promotions, expensive advertisements, and value addition services that are aimed at increasing their influence in the vast mobile telephone market. Samsung utilizes its strong revenue base and modern market practices to maintain its profile on the competitive market environment (Adekola & Sergi, 2007). Multiple strategies ranging from strategic marketing to price modulations have also ensured the growth of the company. The process of planning cuts across the various levels of the organization.

Transfer to UIUC from a community college for international business Essay

Transfer to UIUC from a community college for international business major - Essay Example I got to meet students from different backgrounds and gained a lot through my interactions with them. At the summer camp, we all got together to club in our strengths and expertise in various fields to develop a marketing plan for a pizza fundraiser. We worked very hard; from designing flyers and posters to creating the hype to bringing in the crowds. We won. That little exercise taught me the rudiments of marketing and communication. I got more and more fascinated with further developing these skills and employing them in pursuing something I KNOW I was born for! I got my taste of leadership during my time as Secretary of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at my community college. Interaction with students from across the globe narrowed my choice further down to International Business, a coming together of cultures and practices for mutual benefit.I would love to share my culture and heritage with others at the same time learning from them. I believe we can take business out of geographical confines, a point that has been proved time and again, hence my application for admission at UIUC. I believe that it’ll help me kick-start my career and equip me with all the necessary tools I need to excel. Now when I look back, I finally understand what years ago my mom told me about business: it is not just about money and trade. It includes the art of communication, diligence, creativity, comprehensive understanding, social networking and generously repaying society.  And what better place to start than

Samsung Singapore Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Samsung Singapore - Essay Example The strategies, projections, and future scenarios of the company are significantly reliant on the tastes, decisions, views, and preferences of the customers. A close attention to the changes in customers’ preferences and opinions is important for the survival of the business. In order to have a competitive advantage Samsung must invest in continuous research practices and maintain feedback mechanisms through social media. This would help the company to carry out necessary changes in line with the market realities. Companies in the telecommunication industry in Singapore have developed strategies for retaining both high-level and low-level clientele through promotions and improved customer care services. Suppliers In the past Samsung has had to contend with the bargaining power of suppliers. Few suppliers operate on the level of standards that meet Samsung thresholds of value. There have been tendencies of these suppliers to use their privileged positions to make arbitrary chan ges in prices, which affect the operations of Samsung precisely because there are no suitable substitutes for the products. In order to survive such eventualities, Samsung would have to cultivate positive working relations with the suppliers or enter into long-term contracts that have the element of stability. This would impact positively on the growth of the company. Economics and Geography Economic and geographical factors have had some significant impact on the performance of Samsung Singapore in the previous financial periods. The growth of the country’s economy has had significant impacts on Samsung Singapore. For instance, the tourism industry and the information and technology sectors have experienced significant growth in the past decade. One of the...56). However, new market realities have emerged demanding some changes in the way, which companies operate their businesses in. Samsung Singapore will have to carry out strategic changes in its operations in order to kee p up with the pressure of competition from emerging competitors and other macro-economic forces that affect the status of the industry. In the recent past global Samsung has taken advantage of the synergies of globalization and liberalization to spur growth and positive performance (Niewwenhuizen, 2009 p. 58). The need for strategic reorganization is based on the necessity of total quality management policies within the company. Competitors The past two decades have witnessed a consistent growth of stiff competition on the mobile telephone sub-sector in Singapore. Favourable government regulation policies and the policies of liberalization are some of the external factors that contribute to the competitive factor on the market. In order to survive, many companies have engaged in promotions, expensive advertisements, and value addition services that are aimed at increasing their influence in the vast mobile telephone market. Samsung utilizes its strong revenue base and modern market practices to maintain its profile on the competitive market environment (Adekola & Sergi, 2007). Multiple strategies ranging from strategic marketing to price modulations have also ensured the growth of the company. The process of planning cuts across the various levels of the organization.

Why Do People Like to Watch Horror Movies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why Do People Like to Watch Horror Movies - Essay Example The experts and scientists have propounded many theories and models to unravel the reasons as to why people find horror movies which obviously are the precursors and harbingers of such seemingly negative emotions, so interesting and riveting. People who do not prefer or like horror movies sometimes do wonder as to what makes people be so receptive to the blood and gore inherent in the horror movies? Some perhaps consider the experience of viewing a horror movie to be positively an excruciating ordeal. No wonder there is something really powerfully inherent in the horror movies that makes people view them. There are a range of valid and plausible reasons that could account for the peoples’ fascination with horror movies, the most salient of them being an avid desire to expose oneself to experiences that go beyond the mundane real life scenarios, a desire to go through and experience the enhanced emotional sensations that a horror movie facilitates and the immense social, person al and psychological relevance that a good horror movie affiliates to. To a large extent horror movies accrue such a fan following going by the adage that â€Å"normal is boring.† In the current modern civilization, human life is increasingly getting regimented and the individuals and groups tend to be involved in tasks and processes that are regular and repetitive, almost on a daily basis. Consequently, over the time the life gets increasingly boring and the human interest and inclinations do yearn for some sort of experience that is an anomaly, beyond the normal and very unlike the day to day social and individual experiences. Herein lays the relevance of extreme experiences like horror movies. Horror movies enable the viewers to satiate their need for intense and raw excitement, fulfill their innate urge to go through a roller coaster ride of emotions that are gripping, intense and scary and the yearning to get oneself exposed to such dramatical forms that are replete with violence and horror and tend to blatantly violate the regular social norms in a way that is seldom seen in the actual or real life (Weaver III & Tamborini 153). In other words, horror movies cater to the human liking for the bizarre and the extraordinary. While watching the horror movies on the one side people do get a chance to vicariously engage in something that is positively antisocial, sometimes obscene and violent, while on the other side allowing them to engage in evincing reactions and emotions that are more in consonance with the more tamed and socially relevant abhorrence for the antisocial and the violent (Weaver III & Tamborini 153). Since times immemorial human civilizations have been searching for the ways to escape from the grip of the ordinary and regular. For the Bacchanalians it was the indulgence in unrestrained narcotic pleasures, for the Romans it was the gladiatorial contests, and in the 21st century the answer to the human panache for extraordinary has found its full scope in the horror movies. Even a cursory perusal of the basic texts of psychology and neural physiology testify to the fact that the human personality has an indelible primitive side associated with it. There is a part of the human brain that is old and animalistic in its essence and that responds to the intense or threatening situations by resorting to the standard fight or flight mechanisms. In contrast the civilized human brain is more rational and is not that capable of experiencing such intense emotional highs. For instance when a person sees a rope lying in the dark, many a times the first human reaction is to mistake the rope for a snake accompanied by an

The trial of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mocking Bird Essay Example for Free

The trial of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mocking Bird Essay I walked into the court room, and looked at the jury, they were all white, I knew that it would have to be a miracle to get the jury to come back with the verdict that Tom Robinson was innocent. But I had a plan. If the trial goes well, I will appeal against the verdict, and then the court case will go to another place, where the jury wont be so biased against black people. The trial started and the first person who took the stand was the Sheriff, Mr Tate. The oppositions Lawyer, Mr Gilmer, was the first to ask Mr Tate some questions, all Mr Gilmer asked the Sheriff was what had happened on that night, the Sheriff replied by saying that he saw Miss Ewell on the floor beaten up, and that she had told him Tom Robinson had beaten her up and that Tom Robinson had took advantage of her. Things hadnt started well for me and Tom Robinson. I stood up and proceeded to ask Mr Tate some questions, the first question I asked was if he had called a doctor, Mr Tate replied by saying no, I asked him in a different way another two times, to make my point clear that no doctor had been called. I then asked him to describe the girls injuries, he described them and I asked on what side of her face was her black eye, after a couple of tries he finally said it was her right eye, and that it was mainly the right side of her face that was banged up badly. This was good news for me and Tom Robinson as I knew that Tom couldnt use his left hand, and it was obvious that who ever beat her up was using his left hand, I didnt reveal this to the court just yet. I then sat down and Mr Tate left the stand. The next person who was called to the stand was the father of the girl who was beaten up, his name was Robert E. Lee Ewell. Mr Gilmer was the first to question him he asked a couple of questions, and then he asked the important question. He asked Mr Ewell what he saw on that night, Mr Ewell replied with that he saw Tom Robinson having sexual intercourse with his daughter Mayella, he then said that he ran into the house but Tom Robinson had got out of the front door, moments before he had got there, He then said that he didnt chase after Tom Robinson because he was more concerned with his daughter Mayella, he said after making sure she was alright, he ran down to  the Sheriffs and got him to come back to the house. Mr Gilmer then sat down as he had no further questions to ask, Mr Ewell left the stand, but bumped into me as he tried to get back to where he had come from, I told him to go back to the stand as I had a couple of questions to ask him. I asked Mr Ewell a few questions, I then got him to write his name on the envelope, hoping to prove that he was left handed, as the person who beat Mayella up was left handed, Mr Ewell wrote his name and it showed he was left handed. I asked Mr Ewell if he was left handed and he said yes he was. That was my last thing to do with Mr Ewell so I sat down waiting for the next witness. The next person that took the stand was the victim Mayella Ewell. Mr Gilmer asked Mayella to tell everyone what had happened on the night she was beaten up on. Mayella burst into tears about a minute into questioning, and said that she was scared of my questioning techniques. After the Judge calmed down Mayella, she started to tell the jury what had happened on that day. She said that she called him over to bust up a chiffarobe, she said that he came to her and she said to him Ill just go get you a nickel, I went inside to get him a nickel and he ran up behind me, and grabbed me by the neck, he was cussing me and then he started to beat me. Mr Gilmer waited for Mayella to collect herself, when she was ready she said that he forced her to the floor and took advantage of her. I started asking Miss Mayella some questions, trying to build up a picture to the jury of her life at home, I then asked weather her father was good to her, she replied with a firm yes, but then she said except, b ut she stopped, I asked except when, but she replied as if she had never said the word except. I then asked her weather her father had beaten her when he was on the drink, she replied with a firm answer of no. After a few more questions I told Tom to stand up, I then asked Mayella if this was the man who raped her, she replied with a yes. I then started to ask questions trying to get to her heart and make her tell everyone that it was her Dad who had beat her, but she wouldnt answer any of my questions. She then started shouting that if we dont find Tom Robinson guilty then we are all yellow cowards. She then burst into tears again. Mayella was allowed to leave the stand. The court then took a ten minute break. We then called the final witness, Tom Robinson. I started by asking Tom about weather he had been in court before and he had said yes, I used this to show that Tom has nothing to hide. Tom then began to explain that he had done a lot of jobs for Mayella and that he never charged her for it. Tom then started to explain what happen on the night in question and he said he went in because Mayella called him in, but Tom said there was nothing for him to do, but Mayella told him to get a box of the top of the chiffarobe, I did what she said but she grabbed my legs, when I got down she hugged me around the waist, she then kissed me, I ran for the door but Mayella blocked, but then her dad looked through the window and shouted at Mayella, you god damn whore, Ill Kill you. I then just ran out of there. I asked if he had raped Mayella, he replied no sir, I asked if he had harmed her and he said no sir. That was the last of my questioning. Mr Gilmer now started to question Tom. He started sayin g stuff at Tom trying to break him down and trying to make him look like a liar in front of the jury, but Tom had an answer for all of his questions. That was the end of building up the evidence to prove Toms innocence. It was now time to go over all the evidence with the jury in a short summary. I proceeded to say that mostly the beating that was given to Mayella was done by somebody left handed, and we have all seen Mr Ewell write his name with his left hand, and we have all seen Tom Robinson swear on the oath with the only hand that he can use, which is his right hand. I then gave a long passionate speech about all men being equal, all the time trying to reach the jurys hearts because I knew if I couldnt reach their hearts and try to change their feelings about black people then we would loose the case because we live in a racist society where white people think they are superior to black people. That was the end of the trial and it was all down to the jury. I started walking around in the court room waiting for the jury to return with their verdict. Finally the jury the returned, they passed the piece of paper with the verdicts on to the judge, the judge polled the jury: guilty, guilty, guilty, the whole of the jury had returned with the verdict guilty. I walked over to Tom and had a word with him, I then left the court room, I was  saddened by the fact that the jury had let the colour of the mans skin decide that he was guilty, but I knew we could appeal against the ruling and have the trial taken to another place in the country, where Tom would receive a fair trial, and that trial I would win and Tom would be free.

The Place of Humanities in University Studies :: essays research papers

The Place of Humanities in University Studies This is NOT an essay - it is a collection of notes which are the foundation of an 800 word comparison of two articles regarding the place of humanities in university studies, and the roles of mass communication.Part 1 (800 words - 30%)You will be given two short readings by the end of Week 3 of the Semester. Identify the approach or approaches used in each, and with reference to the features and examples of the identified approaches as presented in Subject materials, justify your answer.Andrew Riemer's article, "Cannon or Fodder?" (The Weekend Australian, 16-17 November 1996) can be identified as having both Idealist and Leavisite approaches within the text. This is indicated in several passages of the text:"My colleagues in the Department of English were irresponsible...They were trivialising the discipline...by allowing undergraduates to sidestep the so-called canonical writers...in favour of whatever transient phenom enon or writer of small talent happened to be their latest obsession.""They were reprehensible ... in encouraging their students to impose simple sub-Marxist, sub-feminist templates on complex and mysterious works of literature ... Milton's Eve reduced to a mere victim of the patriarchy.""Alluring though it might be, we cannot recover intellectual integrity by turning back the clock.""Cannon or Fodder?" (The Weekend Australian, 16-17 November 1996)When looking at the approaches as they are presented in the Subject Materials, one is able to identify them as clearly being both Idealistic and Leavisite. Our Subject Book indicates that the Idealistic view of culture has been "conceived in the humanities and in journalism and popular social commentary ... a realm of moral, spiritual and aesthetic values which exist largely independent and above society". Further, this view states Culture was isolated from society - autonomous because it had to be abstracted from one way of life (pre-industrial) and then transmitted and extended to another (allegedly inferior) way of life to 'save' that society.The Leavisite concept of culture is still common and is firmly bound up in the theory of mass society and mass culture.Mass communications are seen to hold a crucial and privileged place in mass society, taking over the role of creating and distributing the values and information common to a society.Mass culture, unlike high culture, is unable to transcend its time and place and offer any kind of lasting truth to its audiences and, at worst, positively damages them.

Is Tax Money Being Properly Spent? Essay -- Education

In 1850, Frederic Bastiat published an essay entitled â€Å"The Law.† Bastiat wrote, â€Å"It is not because men have made laws, that personality, liberty, and property exist. On the contrary, it is because personality, liberty, and property exist beforehand, that men make laws† (2). Humans construct government so that these governments can write laws designed to protect the body, mind, and property of the individual, but as society has developed, these laws have been bent and twisted, ultimately taking away the individual’s rights. In the United States, the Bill of Rights protects our civil freedoms, but it too has been interpreted in favor of an individual’s case since the day it was written. The fourth amendment to the United States Constitution says that â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon prob able cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized† (Bill of Rights). This amendment also applies to the bodily fluids of a person, which should not be seized unless the official requesting them has a warrant that is based upon a factual reason to believe the examination of the person’s fluids would reveal the presence of an illegal substance. In the modern world of athletics, performance enhancers have become increasingly popular, as well as increasingly dangerous. In order to stop the abuse of performance enhancers, a practice parallel to cheating, the bodies regulating collegiate and professional sports have instilled policies that demand that athletes be tested for performance enhancers. Before the 1980... ...esting (Encyclopedia of Everyday Law) - ENotes.com." ENotes – Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans, and More. Web. 06 Feb. 2012. How Long Do Drugs Stay In Your System - Drug Detection Times - Drug Detection Window. Web. 09 Feb. 2012. Frequently Asked Questions About Drug Testing in Schools | National Institute on Drug Abuse." Home | National Institute on Drug Abuse. Web. 09 Feb. 2012. Bastiat, Frà ©dà ©ric. The Law. Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: Foundation for Economic Education, 1950. Print. â€Å"Effectiveness of Student Drug Testing." Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Home Page, a Part of the U.S. Department of Education. Web. 21 Feb. 2012. "Funding Status -- Demonstration Grants for Student Drug Testing." 302 Found. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. "The Athlete." Drug Testing, In Sports. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. "Drug Testing and Ethics." Santa Clara University. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.