Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story Chapter 26

Chapter 26 At the End of the Night†¦ The Emperor worked a wooden match around the end of a Cuban cigar, drawing and checking until the tip glowed like revolution. â€Å"I don't agree with their ideology,† said the Emperor, â€Å"but we must give the Marxists their due – they roll a fine cigar.† Bummer snorted and growled at the cigar, then shook himself violently, spraying the Emperor and Lazarus with a fine wet mist. The Emperor scratched the Boston terrier behind the ears. â€Å"Settle down, little one, you needed a bath. If we vanquish our enemy, it will be through gallantry and courage, not the stench of our persons.† Shortly after sunset a member of the yacht club had given the Emperor the cigar and had invited him to use the club showers. Much to the chagrin of the club custodian, the Emperor shared his shower with Bummer and Lazarus, who left the drain hopelessly clogged with the fluff, stuff, and filth such as heroes are made of. Now they were passing the evening on the same dock on which they had slept, the Emperor savoring his cigar while the troops stood watch. â€Å"Where do we go from here? Must we wait for the fiend to kill again before we pick up the trail?† Bummer considered the questions, working the words over in his doggy brain looking for a  «food » word. Not finding it, he began to lick his balls to remove the annoying odor of deodorant soap. Once he achieved the desired balance (of both his ends smelling roughly the same), he padded around the dock marking the mooring posts against seabound invaders. With the borders of the realm firmly established, he went in search of something dead to roll in to remove the last evidence of the shower. The right smell was near, but it was coming in off the water. Bummer went toward the smell until he stood at the end of the dock. He saw a small white cloud bubbling out over the gunwale of a yacht moored a hundred yards away. Bummer barked to let the cloud know to stay away. â€Å"Settle down, little one,† said the Emperor. Lazarus shook some water out of his ears and joined Bummer at the end of the dock. The cloud was halfway between the yacht and the dock, pulsating and bubbling as it moved across the water toward them. Lazarus lowered his head and growled. Bummer added a high whine to the harmony. â€Å"What is it, men?† the Emperor asked. He put his cigar out on the sole of his shoe and secured the remains in his breast pocket before limping, stiff from sitting, to the end of the dock. The cloud was almost to the dock. Lazarus bared his teeth and snarled at it. Bummer backed away from the edge of the dock, not sure whether to bolt or stand his ground. The Emperor looked out over the water and saw the cloud. It was not wispy at the edges, but sharply defined, more like a solid mass of gel than water vapor. â€Å"It's just a bit of fog, men, don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He spotted a face forming in the cloud that changed as he watched to the shape of a giant hand, then bubbled into the head of a dog. â€Å"Although weather is not my specialty, I would venture to guess that that is no ordinary fog bank.† The cloud undulated into the shape of a huge viper that reared up, twenty feet over the water, as if preparing to strike. Bummer and Lazarus let go with a fusillade of barking. â€Å"Gents, let us away to the showers. I've left my sword by the sink.† The Emperor turned and ran down the dock, Bummer and Lazarus close at his heels. When he reached the clubhouse he turned to see the cloud creeping over the lip of the dock. He stood, watching transfixed, as the cloud began to condense into the solid form of a tall, dark man. The Animals began drifting into the store around midnight, and to Tommy's delight they all seemed at least as hung over as he was. Drew, tall, gaunt, and deadly earnest, had them sit on the register counters and wait for his medical diagnosis. He walked from man to man, looking at their tongues and the whites of their eyes. Then he walked toward the office and seemed to lose himself in concentration. After a moment he went into the office and came back with the truck manifest. Drew noted the number of cases, then nodded to himself and removed a bottle of pills from his shirt pocket and handed it to Tommy. â€Å"Take one and pass it down. Who drank the tequila?† Simon, who had pulled his black Stetson over his eyes, raised his hand with a slight moan. â€Å"You take two, Simon. They're Valium number fives.† â€Å"Housewife heroin,† said Simon. Drew announced, â€Å"Everyone drink a quart of Gatorade, a slug of Pepto, three aspirin, some B vitamins, and two Vivarin.† Barry, the balding scuba diver, said, â€Å"I don't trust that over-the-counter stuff.† â€Å"I'm not finished,† Drew said. From his shirt pocket he pulled an aluminum cigar tube, unscrewed the cap, and tipped it into his hand. A long, yellow paper cone slid out. He held it out to Tommy. It smelled like a cross between a skunk and a eucalyptus cough drop. Tommy raised an eyebrow to Drew. â€Å"What is it?† â€Å"Don't worry about it. It's recommended by the Jamaican Medical Association. Anybody got a light?† Simon pitched his Zippo to Drew, who handed it to Tommy. Tommy hesitated before lighting the joint and looked at Drew. â€Å"This is just pot, right? This isn't some weird designer kill-the-family-with-a-chain-saw-and-choke-to-death-on-your-own-vomit drug, right?† â€Å"Not if used as directed,† Drew said. â€Å"Oh. Okay.† Tommy sparked the Zippo, lit the joint, and took a deep hit. Holding in the smoke – his eyes watering, his face scrunched in gargoyle determination, his limbs contorted as if he had contracted a case of the instant creeping geeks – he offered the joint to Lash, the black business major. There was a thump on the front door, followed by an urgent pounding that rattled the windows. Tommy dropped the joint and coughed, expelling a blast of smoke and spittle in Lash's face. The Animals shouted and turned, not so much startled by the noise, but tortured by the assault on their collective hangover. Outside the double automatic doors the Emperor pounded on the frame with his wooden sword. The dogs jumped around his feet barking and leaping as if they had treed a raccoon on the roof of the store. Tommy, still gasping for breath, dug into his pocket for the store keys and made his way to the door. â€Å"It's okay. I know him.† â€Å"Everybody knows him,† Simon said. â€Å"Crazy old fuck.† Tommy turned the key and pulled the doors open. The Emperor fell into the store. Bummer and Lazarus leaped over their master and disappeared down an aisle. The Emperor thrashed around on the floor and Tommy had to step back to keep from having his shins whacked by the wooden sword. â€Å"Calm down,† Tommy said. â€Å"You're okay.† The Emperor climbed to his feet and grabbed Tommy by the shoulders. â€Å"We have to marshal our forces. The monster is at hand. Quickly now!† Tommy looked back at the Animals and grinned. â€Å"He's okay, really.† Then, to the Emperor, â€Å"Just slow down, okay. Can I get you something to eat?† â€Å"There's no time for that. We must take the battle to him.† Simon called, â€Å"Maybe Drew has something to mellow him out.† Drew had recovered the joint and was in the process of relighting it. Tommy closed and locked the door, then took the Emperor by the arm and led him toward the office. â€Å"See, Your Majesty, you're inside now. You're safe. Now let's go sit down and see if we can sort this out.† â€Å"Locked doors won't stop him. He can take the form of mist and pass through the smallest crack.† The Emperor addressed the Animals. â€Å"Arm yourself, while there is still time.† â€Å"Who?† Asked Lash. â€Å"Who's he talking about?† Tommy cleared his throat. â€Å"The Emperor thinks that there's a vampire stalking the City.† â€Å"You're shittin' me,† Barry said. â€Å"I've just seen him,† the Emperor said, â€Å"at the marina. He changed from a cloud of vapor to human form as I watched. He's not far behind me, either.† Tommy patted the old man's arm. â€Å"Don't be silly, Your Highness. Even if there were vampires, they can't turn into vapor.† â€Å"But I saw it.† â€Å"Look!† Tommy said. â€Å"You saw something else. I know for a fact that vampires can't change into vapor.† â€Å"You know that for a fact?† Simon drawled. Tommy looked at Simon, expecting to see the usual grin, but Simon was waiting for an answer. Tommy shook his head. â€Å"I'm trying to get things under control here, Simon. You want to give me a break?† â€Å"How do you know?† Simon insisted. â€Å"It was in a book I was reading. You remember, Simon, you read that one too.† Simon looked as if he had just been threatened, which he had. â€Å"Yeah, right,† he said, pushing his Stetson back down over his eyes and leaning back on the register. â€Å"Well, you ought to just call the loony-bin boys for your friend there.† â€Å"I'll take care of him,† Tommy said. â€Å"You guys get started on the truck.† He opened the office door and nudged the Emperor toward it. â€Å"What about the men?† asked the Emperor. â€Å"They're safe. Come on in and tell me about it.† â€Å"But the monster?† â€Å"If he wanted to kill me, I'd be dead already.† Tommy shut the office door behind them. Big hair, Jody thought. Big hair is the way to go with this outfit. After all these years of trying to tame my hair, all I had to do was dress like an upscale hooker and I would have been fine. She was walking up Geary Street, her fake Gucci bag of free cosmetics still in hand. There was a new club down here somewhere and she needed to dance, or at least show off a little. A panhandler wearing a cardboard sign that read, â€Å"I am Unemployed and Illiterate (a friend wrote this for me),† stopped her and tried to sell her a free weekly newspaper. Jody said, â€Å"I can pick that up anywhere. It's free.† â€Å"It is?† â€Å"Yes. They give it away in every store and cafe in town.† â€Å"I wondered why they were laying out there for the taking.† Jody was angry with herself for being pulled into this exchange. â€Å"It says ‘free' right there on the cover.† The bum pointed to the sign hanging around his neck and tried to look tragic. â€Å"Maybe you could give me quarter for it anyway.† Jody started to walk away. The bum followed along beside her. â€Å"There's a great article on recovery groups on page ten.† She looked at him. â€Å"Someone told me,† he said. Jody stopped. â€Å"I'll give you this if you'll leave me alone.† She held out the cosmetics bag. The bum acted as if he had to think about it. He looked her up and down, pausing at her cleavage before looking her in the eye. â€Å"Maybe we could work something out. You must be cold in that dress. I could warm you up.† â€Å"Normally,† Jody said, â€Å"if I met a guy who was unemployed and illiterate who hadn't bathed in a couple of weeks, I'd be standing in a puddle with excitement, but I'm sort of in a bad mood tonight, so take this bag and give me the fucking paper before I pop your little head like a zit.† She pushed the bag into his chest, knocking him back against the window of a closed camera store. The bum offered her the paper tentatively and she snatched it from his hand. He said, â€Å"You're a lesbian, aren't you?† Jody screamed at him: a high, explosive, unintelligible expulsion of pure inhuman frustration – a Hendrix high note sampled and sung by a billion suffering souls in Hell's own choir. The window of the camera shop shattered and fell in shards to the sidewalk. The store alarm wailed, paltry in comparison to Jody's scream. The bum covered his ears and ran away. â€Å"Cool,† Jody said, more than a bit satisfied with herself. She opened the paper and read as she walked up the street to the club. Outside the club Jody got in line with a crowd of well-dressed wannabees and resumed reading her paper, enjoying the stares of the men on line in her peripheral vision. The club was called 753. It seemed to Jody that all of the new, trendy clubs had eschewed names for numbers. Kurt and his broker buddies had been big fans of the number-named clubs, which made for Monday-morning recount conversations that sounded more like equations: â€Å"We went to Fourteen Ninety-Two and Ten Sixty-Six, then Jimmy drank ten Seven-Sevens at Nineteen Seventeen, went fifty-one fifty and got eighty-sixed.† Normally, that many numbers in succession would have had Kurt diving for his PC to establish trend lines and resistance levels. Jody glazed over at the mention of numbers, which would have made living with the broker a bit of an ordeal even if he hadn't been an asshole. She thought, I wonder if Kurt will be here. I hope so. I hope he's here with the little well-bred, breastless wonder. Oh, she won't care, but he'll die a thousand jealous deaths. Then she heard the alarm sounding down the street and thought, Maybe I should learn to channel some of this hostility. â€Å"You, in the LED!† said the doorman. Jody looked up from her paper. â€Å"Go on in,† the doorman said. As she walked past the other people on line she was careful to avoid eye contact. One single guy reached out and grabbed her arm. â€Å"Say I'm your date,† he begged. â€Å"I've been waiting for two hours.† â€Å"Hi, Kurt,† Jody said. â€Å"I didn't see you.† Kurt stepped back. â€Å"Oh. Oh my God. Jody?† She smiled. â€Å"How's your head?† He was trying to catch his breath. â€Å"Fine. It's fine. You look†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Thanks, Kurt. Good to see you again. I'd better get inside.† He clawed the air after her. â€Å"Could you say I'm your date?† She turned and looked at him as if she had found him in the back of the refrigerator with green growing on him. â€Å"I have been chosen, Kurt. You, on the other hand, are an untouchable. I don't think you'd be appropriate for the image I'm trying to project.† As she walked into the club she heard Kurt say to the next guy in line, â€Å"She's a lesbian, you know.† Jody thought, Yep, I've got to work on controlling my hostility. The theme of 753 was Old San Francisco; actually, Old San Francisco burning down, which is largely what Old San Francisco used to do. There was an antique hand-pump fire engine in the middle of the dance floor. Cellophane flames leaped from pseudowindows driven by turbine fans. Nozzles in the ceiling drizzled dry-ice smoke over a crowd of young professionals ar-rhythmically sweating in layers of casual cotton and wool. A flannel-clad grunge rocker here; a tie-dyed and dreadlocked Rastafarian there; some neo-hippies; a sprinkling of black-eyed, white-faced New Wave holdovers – looking alienated – contemplating the next body part to have pierced; a few harmless suburban homeboys – here to bust a move, def and phat, in three-hundred-dollar giant gel-filled, glow-in-the-dark, pneumatic, NBA-endorsed sneakers. The doorman had tried to make a mix, but with fashionable micro-brewery beer going for seven bucks a bottle, the crowd was bound to overbalance to the sid e of privilege and form a thick yuppie scum. Cocktail waitresses in fireman helmets served reservoirs of imported water and thanked people for not smoking. Jody slinked onto a barstool and opened her paper to avoid eye contact with a droopy-eyed drunk on the next stool. It didn't work. † ‘Scuse me, I couldn't help noticing that you were sitting down. I'm sitting down too. Small world, huh?† Jody looked up briefly and smiled. Mistake. â€Å"Can I buy you a drink?† the drunk asked. â€Å"Thanks, I don't drink,† she said, thinking, Why did I come here? What did I hope to accomplish? â€Å"It's my hair, isn't it?† Jody looked at the guy. He was about her age and balding, not quite finished with what looked like a bad hair-transplant job. His scalp looked as if it had been strafed with a machine gun full of plugs. She felt bad for him. â€Å"No, I really don't drink.† â€Å"How about a mineral water?† â€Å"Thanks. I don't drink anything.† From the stool behind her a man's voice. â€Å"She'll drink this.† She turned to see a glass filled with a thick, red-black liquid being pushed in front of her by a bone-white hand. The index and middle finger seemed a little too short. â€Å"They're still growing back,† the vampire said. Jody recoiled from him so hard she nearly went over backward on her barstool. The vampire caught her arm and steadied her. â€Å"Hey, buddy,† said Hair Plugs, â€Å"hands off.† The vampire let go of Jody's arm, reached across to put his hand on Hair Plugs's shoulder, and held him fast to his seat. The drunk's eyes went wide. The vampire smiled. â€Å"She'll rip out your throat and drink your blood as you die. Is that what you want?† Hair Plugs shook his head violently. â€Å"No, I already have an ex-wife.† The vampire released him. â€Å"Go away.† Hair Plugs slid off the stool and ran off into the crowd on the dance floor. Jody leaped to her feet and started to follow him. The vampire caught her arm and wheeled her around. â€Å"Don't,† he said. Jody caught his wrist and began to squeeze. A human arm would have been reduced to mush. The vampire grinned. Jody locked eyes with him. â€Å"Let go.† â€Å"Sit,† he said. â€Å"Murderer.† The vampire threw his head back and laughed. The bartender, a burly jock type, looked up, then looked away. Just another loud drunk. â€Å"I can take you,† Jody said, not really believing it. She wanted to break loose and run. The vampire, still smiling, said, â€Å"It would make an interesting news story, wouldn't it? ‘Pale Couple Destroys Club in Domestic Disagreement. Shall we?† Jody let go of his wrist but stayed locked on his eyes. They were black, showing no iris. â€Å"What do you want?† The vampire broke the stare and shook his head. â€Å"Little fledgling, I want your company, of course. Now sit.† Jody climbed back onto the stool and stared into the glass before her. â€Å"That's better. It's almost over, you know. I didn't think you would last this long, but alas, it must come to an end. The game has become a bit too public. You have to break from the cattle now. They don't understand you. You are not one of them anymore. You are their enemy. You know it, don't you? You've known it since your first kill. Even your little pet knows it.† Jody started to shake. â€Å"How did you get into the loft to get Tommy's book?† The vampire grinned again. â€Å"One develops certain talents over time. You're still young, you wouldn't understand.† Part of Jody wanted to slam her fist into his face and run, yet another part wanted answers to all the questions that had been running through her mind since the night she was changed. â€Å"Why me? Why did you do this to me?† The vampire stood up and patted her on the shoulder. â€Å"It's almost over. The sadness of having a pet is that they always die on you. At the end of the night, you are alone. You'll know that feeling very soon. Drink up.† He turned and walked away. Jody watched him leave, relieved that he was gone, but at the same time disappointed. There were so many questions. She picked up the glass, smelled the liquid, and nearly gagged. The bartender snickered. â€Å"I never had an order for a double of straight grenadine before. Can I get you something else?† â€Å"No, I've got to go catch him.† She picked up her paper, got up, ran up the steps and out of the club. She found that if she stayed on the balls of her feet, she could actually run in the high-heeled pumps. Chalk one up for vampire strength, she thought. She grabbed the doorman by the shoulder and swung him around. â€Å"Did you see a thin, pale guy in black just leave?† â€Å"That way.† The doorman pointed east on Geary. â€Å"He was walking.† â€Å"Thanks,† Jody tossed over her shoulder as she took to the sidewalk, waiting to break into a run until she was out of sight from the club. She ran a block before taking off the pumps and carrying them. The street was empty; only the buzz of wires and the soft padding of her feet on the sidewalk broke the silence. She'd run ten blocks when she spotted him, a block away, leaning against a lamppost. He turned and looked at her as she pulled up. â€Å"So, fledgling, what are you going to do when you catch me?† he asked in a soft voice, knowing she would hear. â€Å"Kill me? Break off a signpost and drive it though my heart? Rip my head from my shoulders and play puppet with it while my body flops around on the sidewalk?† The vampire pantomimed flopping, rolled his eyes, and grinned. Jody said nothing. She didn't know what she was going to do. She hadn't thought about it. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"How can I stop you from killing Tommy?† â€Å"They always betray you, you know. It's in their nature.† â€Å"What if I leave? Don't tell him where I'm going?† â€Å"He knows we exist. We have to hide, fledgling. Always. Completely.† Jody felt strangely calm. Perhaps it was hearing the â€Å"we.† Maybe it was talking in a normal voice to someone a block away. Whatever it was, she wasn't afraid, not for herself, anyway. She said, â€Å"If we have to hide, why all the killings?† The vampire laughed again. â€Å"Did you ever have a cat bring you a bird it had killed?† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Presents, fledgling. Now if you are going to kill me, please do. If not, go play with your pet while you can.† He turned and walked away. â€Å"Wait!† Jody called. â€Å"Did you pull me through the basement window?† â€Å"No,† the vampire said without looking back. â€Å"I am not interested in saving you. And if you follow me, you will find out exactly how a vampire can be killed.† Gotcha, asshole, Jody thought. He had saved her.

Literary Lessons in Love Essay

If William Shakespeare’s work can be considered a foundation of literary achievement and theatrical excellence, the theme of love must be one of its fundamental cornerstones. In many Shakespearean plays, love is an effective theme that is carefully sculpted to yield the desired audience reaction or the required moral lesson, and can enhance both comedic and tragic works. Most significantly, the portrayal of love as a theme on stage is able to establish deep roots of meaning within the lives of the audience, drawing parallels between imaginary characters and the striking reality of human emotion. In the Olivier film version of Shakespeare’s King Lear, the director makes careful decisions about character portrayal, camera angles, and lighting to accentuate particularly significant examples of self-love, materialistic love, and parental love in drawing the conclusion that love, as exhibited by many characters in the opening act of his play, is thoroughly flawed. One of the most prominent situations supporting the director’s choice to demonstrate the imperfect pursuit of love in King Lear occurs when the ageing King, overwhelmed by his desire for flattery, decides to divide his expansive kingdom among his three daughters with the pursuit of self-love at heart. Lear asks his daughters, â€Å"Which of you shall we say doth love us most?† (1.1.46), and plans to give the greater portion of his kingdom to the daughter who showers him lovingly with the most bountiful praise. Loving himself so highly that he blinds himself from seeing the right way to make a decision, Lear exposes the fact that making unwise choices based on flattery and self-absorption is foolish. For example, the director of the film demonstrates the idea of Lear’s love for himself by portraying the daughters as Lear, himself, would view them following their differing declarations of love. Using costumes and makeup, the director depicts both Gonerill and Regan as elegant, mature women in colourful gowns, corresponding to their overly flattering claims of love for their father. However, Cordelia is dressed simply in white, and plainly shows her nervous emotions, corresponding to her honest and straightforward answer to Lear’s question. As a result of Lear’s uncontrollable love for his own reputation, he disowns his favourite daughter, Cordelia, stating harshly, â€Å"Better thou/ Hadst not been born than not t’have pleased me better.† (1.1.229-230) Lear’s other daughters, Gonerill and Regan, begin to believe that he is growing insane, and undermine their father by limiting the number of loyal knights that he will be allowed to keep at the castle. Clearly, Lear’s preoccupation with flawed self-love leads him to irreparable damage in his most meaningful relationships. In addition to Lear’s love of himself, Edmond’s love of material possessions contributes to the theme of defective love in this film of King Lear. Edmond, the illegitimate son of Gloucester, desires so strongly to become his father’s heir to gain material possessions that he resorts to lies and trickery. Edmond visits his father with a false letter, allegedly from his brother, Edgar, describing Edgar’s supposed plan to kill Gloucester in order to gain early access to his father’s assets. According to the letter, Edgar believes that, â€Å"this policy and reverence of age makes the/world bitter to the best of our times, keeps our fortunes from us/till our oldness cannot relish them.† (1.2.45-47) Edmond’s acquisitive desire likely originated from his shame as an illegitimate son, and demonstrates the imprudence of devising such cruel schemes as a result of loving material possessions. As a result of Edmond’s submission to a deep love of money, he sends his brother away out of mock fear for their father’s supposed rage, thus breaking the bonds of trust and love within the family. Edmond’s selfish plan rooted in materialistic love also causes Gloucester to turn against his own legitimate son, calling Edgar an â€Å"unnatural, detested, brutish villain.† (1.2.69) The director of the film chooses to portray Edmond’s disastrous pursuit of acquisitive love using a camera angle centred on Edmond throughout the soliloquy in which he details his selfish scheme. This camera shot represents Edmond’s egocentric mind frame, with his sights set only on his own financial satisfaction, and alludes to the fact that Edmond’s attention to love is terribly off-course. Finally, the exploration of familial love in the film illustrates Gloucester’s flawed ability to understand genuine parental love. It is evident that Gloucester’s love of his two sons, Edmond and Edgar, is both inconsiderate and distrustful. For example, in spite of the expectation that parents keep their children’s sensitive emotions and best interests at heart, Gloucester thoughtlessly discusses Edmond’s accidental conception in Edmond’s very presence. Avoiding the thought of his son’s possible embarrassment, Gloucester’s shameful claim of having, â€Å"so/often blushed to acknowledge [Edmond]† (1.1.8-9) proves him to be a bold and insensitive father. As a result of Edmond’s frustration and feeling of inferiority towards his legitimate brother, he devises the deceitful scheme that tears apart the family’s trust. Furthermore, Gloucester’s instant acceptance of his son Edgar as the author of Edmond’s false, vindictive letter further demonstrates his imperfect fatherly love, and proves him to be a gullible and distrustful parent. For example, Gloucester states spontaneously, as he skims the letter, â€Å"I’ll apprehend [Edgar]. /Abominable villain, where is he?† (1.2.70-71), jumping to conclusions and affirming that the letter must be Edgar’s, even before he even has a chance to confirm the situation with his accused son. The director of the film depicts Gloucester’s flawed familial love using a dark and shadowed lighting arrangement as the play begins, representing the dim, imperfect relationships within the family. This lighting arrangement also foreshadows the gloomy fragmentation of the family as a result of Gloucester’s flawed fatherly love and his tactlessness for Edmond’s feelings about his illegitimate conception. In conclusion, the theme of love as illustrated by Lear, Edmond, and Gloucester in the film portrays the message that human love is often selfish, insensitive, or otherwise flawed. This theme speaks to the very root of human behaviour, as much stress in daily life stems from the frustrations associated with fragile relationships of love. As is evident from the subsequent effects of each character’s defective love in this play, blindly misusing one’s power to love can easily harm other individuals, and may put one’s own happiness at stake. Not only are Shakespeare’s plays valuable as entertainment; they are vessels of moral education. By learning from these characters’ misunderstandings about love, humans have a chance to recognize faults and improve their own relationships. It may take little more than some basic literary lessons in love to raise human tolerance, to learn to appreciate one another, and to begin to make a difference in our world by l oving genuinely and selflessly.

Journal Article Review Homeless Veterans Essay

At the time of this article, Dr. Brenda B. Benda, author of this article, was a Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Current bibliography information could not be located. Objective of Article: This article examined gender differences in predictors of readmission to inpatient drug treatment among homeless veterans because Veteran Affairs (V. A. ) medical centers currently do not have services that are designed specifically for women and that there is limited sensitivity about or understanding of women’s needs at the V. A. edical centers (p. 60). At the time of this study, Selgado’s study (as cited in Benda, 2005) shows women only comprised 5 percent of veterans with access to health care services in the V. A. , or approximately 1. 4 million of a total of 25. 5 million veterans. The lack of specialized services seems the primary reason that most women seek medical services outside the V. A. , often at their own expense. Therefore, a study of factors associated with substance abuse relapse among homeless veterans will provide useful information for designing specialized services at the V. A. for women in drug treatment (p. 60). Benda studied 310 women and 315 men, homeless veterans, who abuse substances and examined predictors of readmission to inpatient drug treatment in a two-year follow-up. This study appears to be the first study of gender differences in predictors of readmission among homeless veterans, and it examines the possibilities of various social support systems mediate or moderates the relationships between different traumatic experience over the life span and readmission (p. 59). Purpose of Article: The purpose of this article is to examine and answer the following research questions: (1) what gender differences, if any, exist, in predictors of readmission to inpatient care for drug abuse among homeless veterans, (2) are abuses at different stages of the life span, combat exposure, and recent traumatic events commensurate predictors, and do employment, housing, family or friend relationships, and spirituality (3) mediate or (4) moderate the relationships between traumata and relapse (p. 63). However, Benda limited this study to the analysis of employment, housing, social support, and spirituality. This study also offers preliminary information for designing and prioritizing specialized services at the V. A (p. 63). Methodology and Procedures: The institutional human subjects review board at the V. A. approved the study. A convenience sample of all homeless female veterans that entered an inpatient V. A. domiciliary program for substance abuse was selected over a three-year period. Only 13 women, or 4 percent, that entered this program declined to participate in the study, leaving 310 women who responded to the survey. A systematic random sample of homeless men that entered the same program over the same three-year period was selected to have an equivalent number of men (p. 64). Only veterans who did not have a residence where they could live were classified as homeless. Veterans were considered homeless if they had spent at least a week in the 30 days preceding the admission to the V. A. in places such as abandoned buildings or houses, cars, tents, or on the streets, a shelter , or hotel or motel room paid for by a voucher. A written consent to participate in the study was obtained from all veterans before four staff social workers conducted two intake interviews which were conducted within the first two weeks of admission (p. 66). A third interview was conducted at discharge from the inpatient domiciliary program to aftercare services-this interview provided client evaluations of the inpatient program and an assessment of emotions and thoughts that are often problematic to survival in the community. The final interview (aftercare interview) was conducted two months after release from the inpatient domiciliary program to find out what extend traumatic life events and various social supports predict tenure in the community (p. 66-67). The outcome analyzed was the proportion of time in the community without readmission to an inpatient program for substance abuse and other psychiatric disorders during the two-year follow-up study (p. 67). This outcome was selected because the primary goals of domiciliary programs are to lengthen the period of sobriety and independent living among homeless veterans. Individual follow-ups were used, so everyone was followed for a full two years, or until they were re-hospitalized for substance abuse or psychiatric disorders (p. 68). Findings: The findings show that sexual and physical abuses in childhood, during active duty in the military, and in the past two years are more potent predictors of readmission for women than for men. Women’s readmission to inpatient care for drug abuse also is heightened more by increases in depression, suicidal thoughts, and traumatic events, whereas it is lessened with greater family, friend, church, and other support (p. 75). The findings also showed men’s return to inpatient treatment increases in likelihood with greater substance abuse, aggression, and cognitive impairments, while it decreases with more employment stability and job satisfaction (p. 75). Conclusion:  This study found some statistical interactions that are important for further investigation in research and practice which show that stable housing and employment, spiritual well-being, and family and church support are more positively related to tenure in the community for women who have experienced less childhood abuse and recent traumatic events. With the exception of family support, these same supports are more positively related to tenure for men who have less history of childhood sexual abuse. Numerous questions also arise from the findings such as: (1) why social supports reduce the effects of traumata more for persons who have experienced lower level of trauma, (2) how social support assuages traumatic events, and (3) what combinations of social supports of traumata are optimal (p. 78). Opinion: The writer’s personal experience of working with Homeless veterans who suffers from indicators such as substance abuse, personal traumata, and combat exposure is clearly discussed and evaluated in this article. The writer also applauds this journal article for the in-debt analysis which provided guidance for the V.  A. in implementing the current Homeless Veterans Initiative of 2011 which provides a range of services to homeless veterans, including health care, housing, job training, and education (Department of Veteran Affairs, 2012). In addition, the writer also believes that treatment of substance abuse, mental illness, and personal traumata should be at the forefront of the implementation of these programs for homeless veterans. Without evaluation and treatment of these conditions, recurrence of homelessness will be evident.

Government Should Provide Free Public Education to Children of Illegal Research Paper

Government Should Provide Free Public Education to Children of Illegal Immigrants - Research Paper Example It’s good for them and the nation as well. In addition, school administrators do not have the time, resources or inclination to fill the role of immigration authorities or law enforcement. The U.S. Department of Education recently made the right decision when it instructed all school districts to offer an education to all students within their jurisdiction regardless of their immigration status or prevailing public opinion. Educating young persons living in the country should not be subject ideological battles or political agendas. People who work or attend school in the U.S. without proper authorization cannot be compared with drug or weapon smugglers. The vast majority people living in the U.S. illegally do not commit crimes. Immigrant families are much like any other family and their children are innocent bystanders. However, if those children are not allowed to go to school they will not likely become productive citizens and become a burden on society in the form of welfar e recipients or criminals which costs the public more than educating them would. â€Å"If the children of illegal immigrants are not educated, they are more likely to end up as adults mired in despair and crime. If they continue to live in this country - and many will - their problems will become ours and affect taxpayers in other  ways.† (â€Å"Should,† 2011). ... Until that happens all public schools should welcome all children who walk into a classroom. The evidence and common sense dictates that all children should receive an education but ardent ideologues insist the kids of illegal immigrants not receive publically funded schooling. They believe it encourages illegal immigration, an added incentive to come and stay illegally in the U.S. indefinitely. The financial burden on schools is already stretching available funds to the limit. Adding non-citizens simply adds to the problem. â€Å"Most public schools are struggling to educate the students who are enrolled legally. The open-door policy promoted by the U.S. Department of Education places a greater burden on taxpayers at the expense of their own  children.† (â€Å"Should,† 2011) For example, the cost to educate children in the State of California totals $11,649 per student annually. Nearly one million students are children of illegal immigrants. Therefore, these students take more than $11 billion from a state education budget that totals $72 billion. (Izumi, 2010) The thinking of those opposed to education children of illegal immigrants is they would be more willing to go back to their respective places of origin if their kids could not be educated in the U.S. â€Å"The battle against illegal immigration must be fought on many fronts. When we wall off important ways to reduce it, we undercut other  efforts.† (â€Å"Should,† 2011). Americans are divided about down the middle on the issue. Support for allowing these children to receive public education stands at 47 percent while 49 percent oppose it. These numbers vary slightly by region. People in the Midwest are evenly split 50-50. Those on the Northeast favor it 52-48 percent while

Business Presention IP3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Business Presention IP3 - Essay Example Hence, there is a dire need for a distance education system that would allow these types of people to ease up the troubles of learning, while having more time for work and the family. After a brief backgrounder, I plan educate the audience of the objectives of the presentation and how ABC Corporation could benefit in investing in our company. The objectives of my presentation are the following: a) to briefly introduce Creative Learning Center; b) to emphasize the essence of a distance education system in today’s society; and c) how Creative Learning Center and ABC Corporation could bridge the education gap. Through these objectives, I hope that I could make an indelible impression on my audience about the need for a learning education system, the difference of Creative Learning Center among other distance education systems, and the importance and role of Creative Learning Center and ABC Corporation in the field of distance education system. Aside from doing all these through a PowerPoint presentation, I hope I could also use a video presentation interview, if time and opportunities permit, of those people who have benefited and look as e-learning as a very helpful tool in attaining one’s goals and objectives in life. The video presentation would also serve as first hand information and testament, proving the importance of this type of business venture in today’s restless modern society. During the presentation, I plan not to be too aggressive with my presentation. Instead, I would play the role, not of a businessman, but that of an individual, a father, a mother, a husband, and a wife, who sees the potential of this opportunity as a viable option in preparation for the future. With this image, I hope to relay to the CEOs and other executives of ABC Corporation of the need for such an educational system,

Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assessment - Essay Example A closed book exam, for example, requires the person being examined to rely on memory to answer the questions. Examinations are also formal or informal. Formal tests normally result in test scores or grades. A standardized test is a type of exam that is usually consistently administered and scored for legal defensibility (Thissen and Wainer, 2001). This type of exam is used in professional certification, education, psychology, military as well as many other fields. On the other hand, non-standardized tests are flexible in format and scope and also variable in significance and scope, as they depend on the person who has set the exam. Why this Assessment Instrument was Chosen This assessment instrument was chosen because it is a universal tool that is applied in many parts of the world. Moreover, it is approved and recognized by many countries, professional and academic bodies. Examination is also the best instrument of assessment because it is very valid and reliable. Almost every per son must undergo through an examination in many areas of life and hence, it is well known and appreciated by people of all races, ages, gender or social backgrounds. Importance of Examination Examination, as an assessment mode started in china and later spread to other parts of the world. Though it was historically used to select people who would serve in the government, it was later applied in education to determine the skills, knowledge and other qualifications of the candidates. ... grades from standardized tests are very useful because they determine if an individual qualifies for a certain job, professional or academic program (Phelps, 2005). In some countries, additionally, standardized tests are used to manage their institution’s quality. For instance, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) applies (PISA), Program for International Student Assessment, to evaluate certain knowledge and skills of students who may be participating from many countries. Furthermore, Phelps, (2005) states that specific governing bodies use standardized exams to determine if the participant has the permission to practice a certain profession, use a certain job title, or claim competency in certain set skills. For instance, a candidate who wishes to be a lawyer is normally required to successfully pass a bar tests by governing bodies like governmental bar licensing agency. Exams are also used to regulate immigration in certain countries. In Australi a, for example, standardized tests are used to award citizenship to immigrants after passing the citizenship test. Competition is another importance of exams. Tests are used to select participants who have success potentials in a competition like school contests. Finally, examinations are used by social or other groups to select individuals who would join their groups. Mensa International, for instance, is a society with high IQ and requires individuals to at least score 98th percentile supervised IQ test to become members (Thissen, and Wainer, 2001). Validity and Reliability Examination is very reliable as an assessment tool especially in education and other professional qualifications. Thissen and Wainer, (2001) believes that standardized exams in education should be continued because it is

How did the French & Indian War shape the American Revolution Essay

How did the French & Indian War shape the American Revolution - Essay Example This action by George Washington sparks the war between the French and the Indians1. The impact of fighting both the Indians and the French is too enormous for the British government. To recover the enormous debts incurred, the British under King George introduces ridiculous taxes on the Native Americans. The move by the British to impose heavy taxes on the Native Americans elicits anger amongst the Americans, who come up with their reactionary tactics. To show their anger, the Americans start to boycott the British commodities that were highly taxed. Protest groups break off and start protesting against the brutal imposition of taxation on the American soil2. Sam Adams, an outspoken leader, leads protests in parts of Boston. Most officials from the American counties join sooth and demand for justice and fair representation. More reactionary actions from the Americans start slowly and become a very strong movement of revolution against the

The United States Constitution and the debates over the merits of the Research Paper

The United States Constitution and the debates over the merits of the constitution - Research Paper Example So these individuals had to come up with a government that not only stood for the sovereignty of the nation but which listened and acted on people’s worries and grievances. This was no simple role to accomplish and the best minds had to evaluate the main systems around the world to get that which would serve the country. Unfortunately, none represented the actual model that would govern the now vast American nation. 2The government model available to follow was the British one which obviously most readily understood the Britons themselves having introduced aspects of their systems in America. This however presented what these individuals feared would be inequitable distribution of power. However at the time, one thing was obvious; the system chosen for the people had to be representative of the people and had to be a choice of the people. This had been the wave at the time especially after the defeat of the monarchy system in Britain at the beginning of the century through the Glorious revolution which had prompted a parliamentary system in governance of countries. This mystery led to the establishment of a system that besides representing the people at the grassroots there would also be a national system that the people identified the state with. This led to the introduction of the federal system which sought to have overlapping governments, overlapping in the sense that the people at the lowest level would choose their respective leaders who would in turn participate in electing leaders of a higher level. This would translate to the national level; the national level is what was to be referred to as the federal government. Was a strong proponent of the federalist system which among other things sought to establish a central government? This central government would in turn oversee the implementation of the American constitution which was to guide the activities as well as participation and association of people and

Exodus and the hardening of Pharaoh's Heart Essay

Exodus and the hardening of Pharaoh's Heart - Essay Example As such they are without blemish and without any partisan attitude. Bible does not distinguish between Israelites and non-Israelites. Spiritual revelations are not bound by or confined to geographical boundaries. All arguments and counter-arguments originate below the mind level, and once an individual transcends the mind, one practically understands what divinity is! It is beyond words as such it cannot be expressed through speech. â€Å"All human beings are created in the image of God† (Magid) and at the same time God has blessed them with his free-will. They have the ability to act as per their volition and possess the capability to atone for their sins. Free will is the fundamental aspect of divine play. â€Å"Therefore, God’s removing the possibility of repentance (hardening Pharaoh’s heart) fairly raises the question of ethical reciprocity and just desserts.†(Magid) If this is agreed, the next question is God hardening anyone’s heart that â₠¬Å"challenges God’s relationship to humanity in Scripture† (Magid). This is the root cause of the â€Å"philosophical problem.† If Bible is taken for granted as a scripture of literature limited to the cultural and historical aspects, then the problem of hardening Pharaoh’s heart turns out to be the secular problem, and not of the Bible. Another way to sidestep the â€Å"problem† of Pharaoh’s hardened heart is to view Pharaoh as one who will not repent because he cannot repent. In Exodus 3:20 God ordains that He will bring plagues (wonders) upon Egypt as a rejoinder to Pharaoh’s disinclination to free Israel. In Exodus 4:2, God will â€Å"stiffen Pharaoh’s heart† to enable Him to engulf Egypt with plagues. In the first verse plagues are mentioned as an essential ploy for accomplishing the desired objective, i.e., liberation of Israel. In the second verse, the plagues are a crucial portion of the Exodus. God desires Pharaoh to uninterruptedly

Redemption in the Kite Runner Essay Example for Free

Redemption in the Kite Runner Essay Throughout â€Å"The Kite Runner† Amir is portrayed as a boy who is always trying to make up or redeem himself for the mistakes he couldn’t control, or made. By Amir winning the tournament he tries to redeem himself since he believes he caused his mother’s death, but by redeeming himself for that he witnessed the mistake for not standing up for Hassan. After winning the tournament with the help of Hassan he redeems himself for his father. Amir is weak in Baba’s eyes, and thinks everything his son does is incorrect. Amir wants to be Baba’s favourite and for Baba to give him all of his attention, due to their expectations in one another. Baba is redeemed to his son after he wins and beats the record in the kite tournament. Amir risked his life by going back to Afghanistan. After leaving Afghanistan at the age of eighteen. Escaping inside the tank of a gas trunk, after the attack of Russians on Afghanistan. Amir had no reason to go back, until one day when Rahim Khan tells him about Hassan’s death. However the most shocking part of the letter concerns Hassan’s real father, which is Baba. Amir stands up for Sohrab by fighting Assef for him. When Amir returns to Afghanistan to find Sohrab proves to be the solution to his quilt towards Hassan, it also is the source of the redemption he so desperately wants to seek. He chose to find Sohrab and tries his hardest to give him a better life even if that does mean sacrificing his own safety. Therefor throughout â€Å"The Kite Runner† Amir is portrayed as a boy who is always trying to make up or redeem himself for the mistakes he made, but does redeem himself towards his father, Sohrab and especially Hassan. As Hassan’s and Amir’s father would say â€Å"a boy who can’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything† but Amir indicates he can stand up for himself.

The Background Of Korean Peninsula Crisis History Essay

The Background Of Korean Peninsula Crisis History Essay CHAPTER 2 2.1 Introduction The Korean Peninsula with the issues of North Koreas nuclear remains one of the worlds main concerns that pose a potential threat to regional security.  [16]  The relationship between the two Koreas has worsened considerably during the recent years due to lack of trust and confidence, as well as the contrasting ideas on reaching a solution on the nuclear issues. After the end of the Cold War, few attempt to change the situation in Korea and to end the confrontation failed, mainly because of mutual distrust and of lack of contacts among its people. A new round of cautious approaches has started after Kim Dae-jung became president of South Korea in 1998. The historical June 2000 summit meeting between the top leaders of the two Koreas has brought hopes for unification and a peace process. Since then, there is increasing official interaction, but still only limited and controlled contacts among the people of the two countries. 2.2 Origin of the Unresolved Conflict After being under the Japanese occupation for the last four decades, there was hope for the Korean people to regain their full sovereignty at the end of the World War II. In August 1945, Japan was forced to surrender after atomic bombs were dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The liberation of the Korean Peninsula started by Soviet troops from the north and later by American troops from the south, with the 38th parallel line became the line of demarcation between the two allies. But instead of becoming a free and sovereign country, the Korean Peninsula was once again put under pressure. This time, it was the upcoming rivalry between the Soviet Union and the U.S, which would shape Koreas history. Thus, Korea came to be divided into two temporary zones of occupation that, as the Cold War deepened, became two separate Korean regimes with opposed principles and sponsors.  [17]   In 1948, the Korean Peninsula was divided into two sovereign states due to political infiltration from the two so-called liberators, that is, Soviet Union and the U.S, and the increasing radicalisation of Korean civil society and its leaders. The two Koreas, notably the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea) or DPRK, started their new life in dependence of their military and political protectors, the U.S, the Soviet Union, China and in an atmosphere of the growing tensions between East and West. When the U.S and Soviet withdrew their troops from Korea in 1949, South Korea wanted to restore the lost land and DPRK wanted to liberate the southern half of the Republic.  [18]  The economically and militarily stronger DPRK decided to solve the problem of non-recognition and of the division by military means. Its leader, Kim Il-sung went to Moscow in April 1950 to convince Stalin, and in May to China to obtain the approval of Mao. In Moscow, he could secure Stalins support in return for political as well as some material gains for DPRK. At the beginning, Stalin was cautious and against the plan, but was convinced by Kim Il-sung that the war could be won quickly without U.S intervention. As the DPRK troops launched a surprise attack against South Korea in the early morning of June 25, 1950, U.S President Henry S Truman responded quickly by sending troops from Japan to Korea and mobilised the UN to undertake its first-ever international military action. Unfortunately for DPRK, the Soviet Union was not present to veto during the UN Security Council session at that time. However, on the same day, the UN Security Council condemned the invasion and called for immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of the troops to the 38th parallel. When DPRK refused to withdraw from South Korea, the U.S decided to intervene in Korea, and on June 27, 1950, the Security Council called for members to support the U.S intervention. 2.3 The Korean War On 7 July 1950, the UN Security Council decided to establish a Unified Command for the UN Forces in Korea and mandated a joint military action to repel DPRK troops and to restore the status quo in Korea. The UN military action in Korea, taken by the U.S Eight Army under General MacArthur, was able to accomplish its mission and the war could have ended by 7 October 1950. However, sensing an opportunity to roll back communist expansion and to unify the country by force, General MacArthur and South Korean President Rhee Syng-man, decided to march further into DPRK. They were confronted by unexpected enemy, the Chinese volunteers who had moved into DPRK in massive numbers. Together with North Korean troops, the Chinese started an offensive and pushed back UN forces to below the 38th parallel and recaptured Saigon in January 1951. The conflict had developed into a limited international war involving the U.S and nineteen other nations on one side and China and North Korea on the other. As the military situation developed unfavourably for the Allied forces, General MacArthur asked Truman to authorize the use of nuclear weapons against China and DPRK. Fortunately, although some U.S military leaders favoured the nuclear option, Truman decided not to use the weapons for a number of reasons.  [19]  He discharged General MacArthur over this issue and redefined American policy by abandoning his objective of military reunification of Korea. His aim was now a return to the status quo, even as the Chinese and North Koreans were advancing southward. Truman was unwilling to engage in an all-out war which could have led to a world war involving the Soviet Union. However, instead of no nuclear weapons were used, the U.S resorted to massive air bombings, including the use of napalm. It is quite obvious that not only its government but also the people of DPRK have no good memories of the U.S. Linking the U.S capability to use nuclear weapons in the Korean War and the present debate on the North Korean nuclear program, Michael J. Mazarr stated that: The U.S thus exposed North Korea, during its infancy as a nation, to the fearsome power and enormous political value of nuclear weapons. The lesson was apparently not lost on North Koreas leaders, and early U.S nuclear threats are one important thread in the tapestry of the Norths motives for a nuclear program.  [20]   The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs showed to the world that conflicts in the 20th century could be decided within seconds.  [21]  This experience and the possibility that those weapons could decide a war again left a deep impression on the DPRK regime and its population. Furthermore, the U.S foreign policy on the Korean Peninsula made it almost unnecessary for Pyongyang to spread the impression of a brutal and arrogant America: the behaviour of the U.S spoke for itself. Until today, the sorrows of the Korean War have a special meaning to the North Korean resentments against the U.S. With the American considerations about the use of nuclear force during the Korean War, the nuclear issue touched ground in this region for the first time. As the war reached a new phase with massive intervention of Chinese volunteers, the UN General Assembly formally proposed a ceasefire in December 1950. The representatives of the UN and communist commands began formal truce negotiations in July 1951, but only in 1953, with the death of Stalin and with Dwight Eisenhower as the U.S President, did the bitter fighting come to an end, with heavy casualties on both sides. An armistice agreement between the UN forces, represented by the U.S, and China and DPRK was drawn up and signed. South Korea, however, wanting to unify the country with the help of the U.S, refused to sign the truce agreement.  [22]  Instead, a mutual defence treaty was signed with the U.S in October 1953 and an arrangement for the continued presence of U.S forces in South Korea. The subsequent Geneva Conference on Korea in April 1954 failed to find a political solution to the two Koreas issue. The failure of the two attempts to unify the peninsula only deepened the division, making any contact with each other impossible. The Korean War began with the aim of reunification by military force, but ended with hundreds of thousands of deaths and a nearly totally devastated peninsula in July 1953. The development on the Korean Peninsula has gone through a lot of critical situations since the war ended. In succeeding years, the Cold War seemed to make it impossible for the two Koreas to start a policy of conciliation and to smooth the way for reunification. 2.4 North Koreas Nuclear Program Toward the end of the Cold War, South Korea became one of the major economic powers in the region while DPRK seemed to become totally isolated with political changes. The decline of the Soviet Union, the collapse of former brother-states in Eastern Europe, and the reform process in China, left deep uncertainty in DPRKs leadership. Since the first indigenous North Korean reactor was detected in the early 1980s by U.S spy satellites, the attention of the world community has focused on the question of whether DPRK is using its nuclear facilities to produce military-grade nuclear material. The loss of important economic partnerships and natural disasters has brought Pyongyang into a position where the government was unable to provide food for its own population, it was quite logical that DPRK used the uncertainty of the world community about the status of its nuclear program to broaden its clearance in gaining economic support without losing political control over the country. Indeed, since 1990 and the withdrawal of Soviet support, DPRKs economy has declined sharply, though according to South Korean reports, 1984 was the last time the country achieved economic self-efficiency.  [23]  A central tool in DPRKs efforts to maintain the communist regime has been the use of weapons development in order to gain concessions, aid and favourable treaty outcomes with its prospective adversaries. At a glance DPRKs behaviour might seem to show that it is making threatening acts for no other reason than to disrupt the process of warming relations with South Korea, the U.S, and its other neighbours. However, re-examination shows a careful policy of developing a threatening system or capability, and using that threat to gain attention, and hopefully concessions from negotiating partners. Figure: 1 North Koreas Nuclear Facilities Source: Interactive Map of DPRK Nuclear Facilities (2002).  [24]   DPRK first employed this policy over its nuclear power and weapons program in the early 1990s. An indigenous nuclear program had been underway since the 1970s, but it was only in 1992 that the UN nuclear monitoring body, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was allowed to inspect all DPRKs nuclear facilities as illustrated at Figures 1. After three inspections, the submitted data showed discrepancies which indicate that DPRK might have been concealing enough plutonium to build one or two nuclear weapons.  [25]  After an abortive declaration of withdrawal from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), DPRK has agreed to give up its nuclear program with the condition that modern light-water reactors were supplied to fulfil its energy needs. After a period of crisis, war was averted when this formula was included in the Agreed Framework of October 1994 between the U.S and DPRK.  [26]   The recent confrontation between the U.S and DPRK flared after the country was named as one of the three countries in the Axis of Evil by President George W. Bush in his annual State of Union speech in January 2002. It seems probable now that this was the by-product of a speech intended to justify a war with Iraq.  [27]  However, when publicly labelled an evil state by the worlds only superpower, tensions apparently heightened within the DPRK regime. In any case, when James Kelly, U.S assistant secretary of state, confronted the North Koreans with evidence of a uranium enrichment program in October 2002, they admitted the existence of the program. DPRK then proceeded to remove seals on the reprocessing plant at Yongbyon, and declared its withdrawal from the NPT on January 10, 2003.  [28]   2.5 Summary As discussed, the two Koreas were divided at the 38th parallel at the end of the Second World War. That line became the line of demarcation between the Soviet troops advancing from the north and the American troops coming from the south. It was the beginning of the rivalry between the two major world superpowers. Thus, Korea came to be divided into two temporary zones of occupation that, as the Cold War deepened, became the sites of two different regimes with different principles and ideologies. The problem worsen with the North Korean invasion of South Korea which sparked the Korean War. The conflict had developed into a limited international war involving the U.S and nineteen other nations on one side and China and North Korea on the other. The war ended with the signing of an armistice between the U.S, representing the UN forces, and China and North Korea. South Korea refused to sign the truce agreement, but instead signed a mutual defence treaty with the U.S. In the early 1990s, with the collapse of the Soviet Union which means the withdrawal of Soviet support and the reform process of China, DPRK felt isolated. At the same time, with collapsing economy and widespread famine it had to survive by bolstering its conventional forces and embarking on nuclear program. This was also because DPRK wants respect and security guarantee. Further, DPRK develops nuclear weapons out of fear and to attain a more positive deal in negotiations. That is the more positive view; alternatively, the North Koreans simply see the nuclear program and the bomb as their right and a necessity.

The History Of Computers :: essays research papers

The History of Computers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Whether you know it or not you depend on computers for almost every thing you do in modern day life. From the second you get up in the morning to the second you go to sleep computer are tied into what you do and use in some way. It is tied in to you life in the most obvious and obscure ways. Take for example you wake up in the morning usually to a digital alarm clock. You start you car it uses computers the second you turn the key (General Motors is the largest buyers of computer components in the world). You pick up the phone it uses computers. No mater how hard you try you can get away from them you can't. It is inevitable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people think of computers as a new invention, and in reality it is very old. It is about 2000 years old .1 The first computer was the abacus. This invention was constructed of wood, two wires, and beads. It was a wooden rack with the two wires strung across it horizontally and the beads were strung across the wires. This was used for normal arithmetic uses. These type of computers are considered analog computers. Another analog computer was the circular slide rule. This was invented in 1621 by William Oughtred who was an English mathematician. This slid ruler was a mechanical device made of two rules, one sliding inside the other, and marked with many number scales. This slide ruler could do such calculations as division, multiplication, roots, and logarithms.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Soon after came some more advanced computers. In 1642 came Blaise Pascal's computer, the Pascaline. It was considered to be the first automatic calculator. It consisted of gears and interlocking cogs. It was so that you entered the numbers with dials. It was originally made for his father, a tax collector.2 Then he went on to build 50 more of these Pascaline's, but clerks would not uses them.3 They did this in fear that they would loose their jobs.4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Soon after there were many similar inventions. There was the Leibniz wheel that was invented by Gottfried Leibniz. It got its name because of the way it was designed with a cylinder with stepped teeth. 5 This did the same functions of the other computers of its time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Computers, such as the Leibniz wheel and the Pascaline, were not used widely until the invention made by Thomas of Colmar (A.K.A Charles Xavier Thomas).6 It was the first successful mechanical calculator that could do all the normal arithmetic functions. This type of calculator was improved by many

The Big Lie(about Theism) :: essays research papers

The Big Lie I have been going to church since I was three years old. I also attended Sunday school since I was three. Since then I have been confirmed as a member of the church and have actively participated in the senior high youth program at my church. All of these years I figured that I would "grow into god", well at least that is what my pastor said. I think of myself now, at seventeen years old, and I still have not "grown into god". I have many reasons why I chose atheism. First I think of church as a bunch of hogwash. When I take a step back to look at the church, here is what I see. I see a god that has not shown any proof for that last 2000 years (if even then), I also see a god that has left no evidence, except for the cross. Lets talk about the cross for a moment. Jesus was supposed to have carried this huge cross only to be nailed to it and hung among thieves. First off, if Jesus was this big threat to a king and supposed to be the Son of God would not one think that he would go out with a bigger ceremony. I do not think that the king would just hand him among thieves. Second, on the third day he was supposed to move this huge stone and "rise". What is rising anyway did he just magically lift into the air without making a sound and no one seeing him. Or was it more of a fade away into nothing, if that was so why did he move the stone? I see many similarities between the church and a cult. What is a cult? A cult as I see it is people who blindly dedicate time and money to a higher power in which they have never seen evidence of, same as the church. The main difference between a church and a cult as I see it is the church has history. Many cults can be self-destructive, hence the church is thought to be stronger. The people of the church also have this book they cling to, the bible. This bible was supposed to be written thousands of years ago and supposed to have actual quotes from Jesus himself. First how could a book last this long? The Big Lie(about Theism) :: essays research papers The Big Lie I have been going to church since I was three years old. I also attended Sunday school since I was three. Since then I have been confirmed as a member of the church and have actively participated in the senior high youth program at my church. All of these years I figured that I would "grow into god", well at least that is what my pastor said. I think of myself now, at seventeen years old, and I still have not "grown into god". I have many reasons why I chose atheism. First I think of church as a bunch of hogwash. When I take a step back to look at the church, here is what I see. I see a god that has not shown any proof for that last 2000 years (if even then), I also see a god that has left no evidence, except for the cross. Lets talk about the cross for a moment. Jesus was supposed to have carried this huge cross only to be nailed to it and hung among thieves. First off, if Jesus was this big threat to a king and supposed to be the Son of God would not one think that he would go out with a bigger ceremony. I do not think that the king would just hand him among thieves. Second, on the third day he was supposed to move this huge stone and "rise". What is rising anyway did he just magically lift into the air without making a sound and no one seeing him. Or was it more of a fade away into nothing, if that was so why did he move the stone? I see many similarities between the church and a cult. What is a cult? A cult as I see it is people who blindly dedicate time and money to a higher power in which they have never seen evidence of, same as the church. The main difference between a church and a cult as I see it is the church has history. Many cults can be self-destructive, hence the church is thought to be stronger. The people of the church also have this book they cling to, the bible. This bible was supposed to be written thousands of years ago and supposed to have actual quotes from Jesus himself. First how could a book last this long?

Florence Nightingale :: Papers

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale was born in 1820. She came from an upper class family that saw her future getting married and raising children. Florence had very different viewpoint, she believed that God wanted her to be a nurse. She fought the OPPOSITION from her parents and studied in Europe from 1849 and in Alexandria in 1850. By 1853, she was the Superintendent at the Institution for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen and she was very interested in the training of nurses. In March 1854 the Crimean War broke out. Telegraphic COMMUNICATIONS were used by war correspondents to broadcast stories back home to encourage people to have opinions on the war and take interest. Many horror stories emerged about the Barrack Hospital in Scutari, where the British wounded were being treated. Sidney Herbert, the Secretary of War and a personal friend of the Nightingale family, made an appeal to Florence to sort out the nursing care in Scutari. Despite the OPPOSITION from the military, Florence took 38 handpicked nurses to work in the hospital. She employed many new standards; privacy curtains, cleaning of sheets, food for patients and she even hired 200 builders to rebuild a ward block. In six months she had managed to reduce the death rate in the hospital from 42% to 2%. After two successful years in the Crimea, Florence returned to Britain with a mission. She appealed to the Queen, sent an 800 page report to the government and wrote a book, "Notes on Nursing" which explained all her methods. This became the standard textbook for generations. By 1860, it was a best seller! Florence had raised  £44,000 and she used this money to set up the Nightingale School of Nursing, in St. Thomas's Hospital, London. Discipline, order and attention to detail were prime factors in her teaching. She also wanted nurses to remain single so that they wouldn't have divided loyalties. She had turned down many offers of marriage. Of the 38 nurses she had taken to the Crimea, 24 were nuns, this was partly due to the fact that there was

Culture And Society Essay

Languages are sources out from the historical background of each country. The stresses and the tenses of each language actually differ from each other primarily because of the fact that different nationalities around the world have different perceptions with regards life and living. It could be observed that such linguistic assessments had been based upon their realization of how life’s elements should be perceived. Taking the sound of the nature and the environment in use through language had been the main feature of such languages as they are profoundly used around the world. 2. Using the concepts of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism, discuss the impact that a bilingual education might have on understanding other cultures. Having a bilingual education opens an individual to understanding how other nations actually understand nature and how much they give importance to the elements making it up. Likely, the process is more complex than actually expected. With one’s ability of identifying one language from the other, he is also able to identify one culture from another as he tries to evaluate the different elements of language that each culture recognizes through speech. Through this, the person having a bilingual capability shall have a better mirror of the world through spoken tongue. 3. How might ethnocentrism, xenocentrism and temporocentrism affect people’s attitudes toward bilingual education programs? It depends on one’s view of cultural connection in the world that the possibility of learning another language lays. Likely, the idea is to help a person understand different cultures through the existence of different languages. Most often than not, one’s disposition about the said idea of cultural connection actually increases or decreases the capability of one to accept learning other languages from other nationalities, moreover, such disposition would give them either a better or dimmer chance of accepting other nationalities as part of the one whole wide world community of humans trying to cope up with the changes of the world. 4. Describe what is meant by value conflict. Give examples. How are such conflicts resolved? Value conflict usually occurs when a person’s ideas of something or someone does not connect with that of the others. Likely, in terms of language, such situation occurs when one does not understand a language based on the perception of others. If one foreigner does not understand the way English should be understood, comprehension of the conversation becomes impossible. 5. Discuss ways in which existing student norms may not be beneficial or may even be harmful to themselves. Student norms may not be beneficial to students themselves when the said norms actually disregard the cultural values of each individual. As noted earlier, the recognition of such social and personal element in satisfaction is a certain factor that needs to be given attention through careful understanding of the matter. Most likely, such values are related to the cultural perceptions of each student towards their regular activities in school. ** step 2 ** A. List and discuss at least one idea from this chapter 4 such as: Technology and Material Culture (meaning what can we in our social world understand from this) Technology is one particular element in the current human culture that connects every nationality together in the present system of things. The material culture that it opens up to the current human generation actually increases the capability of the people to relate to each other even beyond understanding the cultures and values of each nationality through the existence of language. Likely, the idea is that technology becomes an undeniably fine link between people around the world today especially because of the advancement that it implies on every group of people regardless of their culture and values as members of the human society. ** step 3 ** B. Explain an important concept from chapter 4 and explain why it is significant? ( meaning why are the elements of culture significant) Elements of culture are significant in explaining the differences of people in the different areas of the world. Understandably, such elements make a certain implication on how and who a certain group of people are depending on their perceptions of life, their language and their historical background as well. Likely, such elements of culture are used to identify people regarding their lifestyle and how they are actually able to contribute to the development of the society at present.

Business Model and Strategic Plan Essay

Prior to enhancing a product within a large corporation, the company must have a strategic plan in place to ensure that the change runs smoothly. The strategy plan will focus on the company’s strengths, weaknesses’, opportunities, threats, and trends in terms of the new product, by developing and performing a SWOTT analysis. â€Å"A SWOTT analysis is an acronym for the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of a firm, and the environmental Opportunities and Threats facing that firm. SWOTT analysis is a technique through which managers create a quick overview of a company’s strategic situation (Pearce & Robinson, 2013).† SWOTT Analysis Opportunity is definitely favorable situation in a company’s environment meaning that the company stands to gain from this type of behavior. And the opposite of this is threat. A threat is an action that is not favorable. Strength is an advantage that the firm has against its competitors and the market it is currently serving and expects to serve. Weakness is something that is not beneficial to the company and can hinder the company’s success (Pearce & Robinson, 2013). Internal Forces Internal analysis is defined as an analysis of strengths and weaknesses focusing on internal factors that give an organization certain advantages and disadvantages in meeting the needs of its target market (Ballowe, 2008). Internal factors are important to analyze to better understand how the company aides in its own success or failure. This analysis allows a company to compare past successes with current procedures to aide in the company’s future endeavors. Some internal factors that will be discussed are strategy, structures,  processes & systems, resources, goals, technologies, and leadership. Mazda’s new division will build a strategy that allows for the employees to effectively and efficiently build the new engine with the correct EPA guidelines. Although the new engine type is more expensive to build, Mazda has invested money into this new production line to build the engine and in the long run to be more profitable and environmentally sound. In terms of cost, processes and systems have to be in place to ensure that the new production line is efficiently ran and that employees are trained properly. This new division will look into research and design from other companies who have effectively built hybrid engines to compare ideas and look for innovative creations. The leaders in this division will follow EPA guidelines to ensure that there are no issues when inspections occur. Leadership within this division will set lofty goals that must be reached to attain success in terms of this new engine type. Leadership will continue to follow update technology and make necessary changes. In terms of leadership, organization is a key factor to ensure all members are sending a consistent message to the employees to avoid any undo mistakes. Continuing to build successful process and procedures to share with the employees will only help this division. External Factors The definition of external analysis is â€Å"the examination of opportunities and threats that exist in the environment and both opportunities and threats exist independently of the firm (Ballowe, 2008).† External factors that the new division of Mazda will analyze are legal & regulatory, global, economic, technological, innovation, social, environmental, and competitive analysis. A great advantage that this new division has is that socially and environmentally, many individuals are interested in saving the environment as well as saving money economically. Unfortunately, other manufacturers also have hybrid engines so Mazda will definitely have a good amount of competitors. The more competitors, the less advantage Mazda will have in sales. With the increase in competition, prices will become more competitive meaning that the profit margin will be less. In terms of legal and regulatory, the EPA has high standards in regards to qualifications for hybrid engines which means this division of Mazda will have to ensure high  quality and results. Supply Chain This new division has created a new engine that is more environmentally sound and economical than any other car manufacturer at this time. Because Mazda not only wants to ensure low prices on their vehicles, this new engine’s production line will be very effective and efficient. Mazda understands that the supply chain of this engine has to have very little to no flaws if a profit will be made. Mazda will look to local companies and manufacturers for the parts to create to engine to ensure lowest cost possible to build the engine. Because Mazda has a production center, adding to the center for this engine type was not too costly. Mazda was able to use current employees to move into the production line and leadership team for this new division. Major Issues and Opportunities A major issue or opportunity would be the ability to maintain excellence and a competitive edge against other companies with hybrid engines. The hybrid model can be costly so Mazda will need to continue to look for ways to keep production costs low so the vehicle purchase price is affordable. The first research question is ‘How can Mazda maintain an affordable selling price with a hybrid engine?’ The best way to understand how this can be done is to evaluate the purchasing of the parts for the engine, then ensure effective and efficient processes with the manufacturing site, and determine the best possible selling price. Another issue or opportunity that Mazda faces is keeping up to the high standards of the EPA. Mazda needs to do large amounts of research and make sure the design and building of the engine are on or above standards. The second question is ‘How can Mazda maintain EPA standards on the newly designed engine?’ Mazda can build a small team of employees who are specifically geared to ensuring that the engine is always up to standards and the division is aware of any changes from the EPA. Conclusion In conclusion, this new division of Mazda will continue to look for ways to improve efficiencies and effectiveness to ensure a great product. This division can achieve this by effectively performing a SWOTT analysis and  using the information to build a great product. Gaining knowledge and applying the new knowledge to the current processes will only impact Mazda in a positive manner. References Ballowe, Todd, â€Å"External Analysis,† March 5, 2008, retrieved online from http://onstrategyhq.com/resources/external-analysis/. Ballowe, Todd, â€Å"Internal Analysis,† March 5, 2008, retrieved online from http://onstrategyhq.com/resources/internal-analysis/. Pearce, J. A. II. (2013). Strategic management: Planning for domestic and global competition (13th ed.) New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Essay

The character Margaret is married to Brick, the son of Big Daddy. They live together in Big Daddy’s house, along with his wife, Big Mama. We, as readers learn a lot about her character from the way she speaks, by what is said about her and by the stage directions. We also gain a good insight into her relationships with the people around her. Margaret’s relationship with Brick comes across as quite bizarre. His lack of interest in what she has to say gives the impression that he doesn’t care and also shows a slight lack of respect. For example, when Brick replies to Maggie’s first line in the play, he says â€Å"Wha’d you say, Maggie?†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The stage directions prior to his response read â€Å"A tone of politely feigned interest, masking indifference or worse.† Other stage directions describing his attitude to Maggie’s statements share the same negativity; such as â€Å"Without interest.†, â€Å"Wryly†, â€Å"Absent mindedly†, â€Å"Dreamily†, followed by sarcastic comments. We also get the impression that Brick doesn’t find his wife as attractive as other men do. On page twenty-one, Maggie says â€Å"Way he always drops his eyes down my body when I’m talkin’ to him, drops his eyes to my boobs an’ licks his old chops!† The fact that she’s telling her husband how other men show interest in her comes across as a subtle hint to her husband that perhaps he should appreciate her more. Almost reassuring herself, as well as him that she’s an attractive woman. Brick’s response however doesn’t seem like the reply she was looking for. He describes her â€Å"talk† as disgusting. There’s also a sense of insecurity on Maggie’s front. When she catches Brick staring at her, she asks him continuously what he’s thinking when he stares at her like that. On page twenty-five, Maggie says â€Å"†¦I wish you would lose your looks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is a particular strange request to make of one’s partner. It makes readers assume she doesn’t want to be attracted to Brick any longer. This assumption is soon backed up with further lines on page twenty-eight when the couple talk of the â€Å"conditions† Maggie has to follow in order for Brick to continue living with her. They also refer to their bedroom as a cage, giving the sense of entrapment. Margaret’s relationship with Mae seems strained and false. Maggie’s continuous insulting of Mae’s children gives the impression that they don’t get along particularly well. The topic of children in Maggie and Brick’s relationship also seems awkward. Mae seems to take a patronising tone with Margaret on page twenty-nine when she says â€Å"Maggie, honey, if you had children of your own you’d know how funny that is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It seems that Mae is well aware of Maggie’s envy towards her for having children and likes to bring it up from time to time. Margaret often refers to Big Daddy when she’s attempting to make Brick jealous. When she was talking of the man who was looking her up and down, she was talking of Big Daddy, Brick’s father. She uses him as an example of a man who gives her attention to try and get Brick to do the same. She also talks of Big Daddy not getting along with Gooper, Brick’s brother or Mae. On page twenty, she says â€Å"Big Daddy dotes on you honey. And he can’t stand Brother Man and Brother Man’s wife†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Big Daddy is also supposed to be dying of cancer, therefore there’s a lot of talk of who will be getting the large share of his will. Margaret is obviously very aware of her sexuality. On the first page of the play, a stage direction says â€Å"She steps out of her dress, stands in a slip of ivory satin lace.† She also cares a lot about her appearance and what Brick thinks of her. I feel this because of her asking Brick what he thinks of her when he looks at her and because of stage directions such as â€Å"She adjusts the angle of a magnifying mirror to straighten an eyelash†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her relationship with her husband seems one sided and cruel. It seems as thought she wants children and a happy marriage like her sister in law however it’s made obvious that Brick doesn’t share the same passion. We know from the continuous talk of Big Daddy’s will that she has dreams of being rich. So far, Williams has made Maggie seem like a desperate, hurt character that covers her pain up with her loud personality.

Ways

Mtunzini (Mm-tun-zee-nee) is a small coastal town that is situated almost exactly halfway along KwaZulu-Natal's coastline in South Africa approximately 140 km north of Durban. The name is an isiZulu word meaning place in the shade. After the breakup of the Zulu Kingdom after the Anglo-Zulu War, Sir Garnet Wolseley created 13 ‘kinglets' – with two strategically located as buffer zones between Port Natal and Zululand. One of these kinglets was John Dunn who used Mtunzini as his capital.Umlalazi Lagoon at dusk In 1948, 9 square kilometres of dune forests, lakes and lagoon at Mtunzini was proclaimed a nature reserve known as the Umlalazi Nature Reserve. This area falls under the protection of the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (previously known as Natal Parks Board). The Umlalazi Lagoon is a popular tourist attraction for watersports enthusiasts and fisherman alike. Recreational and commercial ski-boat boat fisherman also launch their boats in the lagoon and they then head for the In dianOcean via the mouth of the Umlalazi River. Mtunzini is a bird watchers paradise and is renowned as one of the few places where one of South Africa's rarest birds of prey, the Palm-nut Vulture, is found. These birds feed on the fruit of the Rafla Palm which produces its fruit once every twenty years before dying. Visitors can enjoy a walk through the lush vegetation at the Rafla Palm Monument, which features a raised boardwalk that meanders through to the magnificent palms.Mtunzini Beach Mtunzini boasts, among other attractions, pristine beaches, a 9 hole golf course at the Mtunzini Country Club, AA-Event and Guest House, numerous Bed-and-Breakfast establishments as well as a range of camping, caravanning and other self-contained holiday accommodations. Be warned, the beach is NOT protected by shark nets due to Mtunzini's proximity to a shark breeding ground populated by Zambezi Sharks as well as many others.

PICO Question and research to answer the question Paper

PICO Question and to answer the question - Research Paper Example And based on the National Institute for Mental Health, the symptoms that the child is exhibiting are consistent with a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder or ADHD (2008). An intervention being considered for the child is to not give him any drug at all. Some studies now currently indicate that ADHD is an over-diagnosed illness, and that it is being made as an excuse to suppress normal hyperactivity in children that parents cannot manage (Rowland & Salvatore, 2001). It is possible that the child may outgrow his hyperactivity and in the meantime, other remedies may be considered for his hyperactivity. Encouraging him to engage in physical activities can also provide a more fruitful outlet for the child’s excess energy. Ritalin should not be used as the first and last resort for hyperactive children because the child may just be going through a natural phase in his life. Ritalin use carries dangerous and irreversible risks for the child. It can stunt the child’s growth, can cause nervousness and insomnia, anorexia, nausea, and abdominal pain (Ritalin Side Effects, 2003). Some experts brand it as a mind-altering drug which is being used for children who may just be naturally rambunctious and playful, not mentally unstable. In recent years, demand for Ritalin increased. Many experts are now concerned with this increase and they advocate the belief that Hyperactivity or ADHD is being over-diagnosed and Ritalin over-prescribed (Rowland & Salvatore, 2001). The alternative intervention for this child is the drug Ritalin. The mental health professional that the child’s parents consulted with recommended Ritalin for the child. The child’s parents are still deliberating whether or not drugs would be the best remedy for their child’s condition. Ritalin is the drug of choice for many ADHD sufferers in the United States. Studies reveal that about 85% of Ritalin produced is being used

Negotiation Skills for Managers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Negotiation Skills for Managers - Research Paper Example 2006, p.3). For example, a sales manager and his clients may have contrasting interests. Clients always like to get the job done as cheaply as possible whereas the manager would like to get that job for a price as higher as possible. A compromise is necessary between the manager and his client in order to protect mutual interests as much as possible and for that purpose negotiation is a must. Since sales is a profession in which negotiation takes place quiet frequently, I decided to interview a car salesman of a Toyota dealership in order to get more awareness about various aspects of business negotiations. This paper is written based on the interview I conducted with that Toyota car salesman. My own perspectives of negotiation In my opinion, various types of negotiations occur every day in our life. However, in business world, negotiation occurs between an organization and its clients, organization and its employees, organization and its suppliers, organization and communities in wh ich it operates. However, negotiations between the sellers and buyers are more common in the business world. The seller wants to sell his product for maximum prices whereas the buyer would like to purchase things for minimum prices. Since these two motives are traveling in opposite directions, negotiation is the only way to settle the issues between the sellers and buyers. In short, better deal is the major motive behind every business negotiation. It is not necessary that all negotiation process may end up in victories or failures. In certain cases, both the parties may sacrifice many of their interests to get the work done. Characteristics of business negotiations As per the opinions of the car salesman I interviewed, negotiations can be classified into two different groups; 1) Negotiations that end up in the victory of one party and the failure of the other party 2) Negotiations that end up in victory to both the parties. He has labeled these negotiations as distributive (win-los e) and integrative (win-win). He has pointed out that a win-win or integrative negotiation is always desirable as both the parties may get some benefits out of the negotiation process. Distributive or win-lose negotiations may end up in the victory of only one party at the expense of the other. I asked him about the type of negotiation usually he undertakes and the reasons for that. He has told me that majority of the times he will go for integrative negotiations and only at the unavoidable circumstances; he will go for the distributive type of bargaining. In his opinion, business concepts are changing rapidly. Business management principles in the past and at present are entirely different. Earlier, sales people concentrated more on selling the goods at any cost. They used all positive and negative tactics to sell the product in the past. In other words, the intentions of a salesman in the past were to conduct only distributive negotiations in which the ultimate winner would be the salesman. As a result of such distributive negotiations, many companies lost their customer base as cheated customers or the losing customers started to look for other options. He has mentioned that as per the modern business principles, retaining of the customers is as important as attracting a new customer and therefore

How Do Executed Offenders React To Their Punishments - Death Penalties Essay

How Do Executed Offenders React To Their Punishments - Death Penalties - Essay Example Other inmates hold onto the grudge. They are not sorry, and not affected by the sentences they are given. Others redeem themselves. They accept their crimes. At times they go further and apologize to the affected family. The various ways are explained in depthbelow. A major reaction to this punishment is mental illness. Mental illness is a condition characterized by impairments of one’s cognitive abilities. This impairment may also be behavioral functioning. The impairments are caused by head trauma in our case. An estimate of 5-10% of death row inmates has the problem of mental illness. Research has also shown that nearly all the inmates who are on death row suffer from brain damage. This is as a result of illness or trauma. All creaturesshudder at the thought of destruction. Human are survival animals. When one has no option to his survival, everything breaks down. The fabricant of humanity shuttered. This shutter is mental disorientation. Inmates are diagnosed by doctors an d those who have mental illness isolated. Diagnosis is done but the inmates refuse medication. Those awaiting execution are resolved to their fate. They see no reason for staying alive while you are condemned to die. The thought is ironical on its own. Some are even happy that they are sick. They even go ahead and neglect any dosages. Though there are forced dosages, this is not the solution. Some illnesses take more than medicine to heal. Mental illness is one, will is required. The inmate may be forced to treatment, but the will is important. Resolution to die makes healing difficult. Some inmates go ahead and self-admit their crimes. A good example here is Stanley â€Å"Tookie† Williams. Mr. Williams is a Nobel nominee: An author, Nobel Peace and Literature Prizes nominee. Mr. Williams was a co-founder of Crips. Crips is a Los Angeles-based street gang. The gang is responsible for hundreds of murders. Mr. Williams was convicted of four counts of murder. After a number of y ears of incarceration, Mr. Williams underwent a religious conversion. It was in this time that he authored his books. He went on and became admitted of his own crime and violence. He redeemed himself. He turned his life to uniqueness of unusual good works. Mr. Williams was executed by lethal injection. Though there was circumstantial evidence, Mr. Williams illustrated the other side of the coin. He illustrated how complex morality of the death penalty is. It is widely expected a death row inmate to be hostile. It is socially acceptable if he conforms to hate. Redemption, though expected, is unique. Mr. Williams reacted to the death penalty by redeeming himself. Other inmates become affiliated to the death row syndrome. Psychologists and lawyers argue that death row inmates develop phenomenons as they await execution. This phenomenon is called thedeath row phenomenon. The psychological effect of this phenomenon results to the death row syndrome. The living conditions on the death row have its effects. Some inmates turn to become suicidal. Other inmates become delusional. Others are pushed to insanity. The conditions that inmates face as they await execution are destruction to one’spsychology. The psychological damage is as torture. The more the waiting period, the more the torture. This makes the prisoner depressed. Some inmates are often forced to trying escaping from prison. Those on escape try colloquial ways that would make sure there is no going back. It’