The Host Chapter 16: Assigned

The ledge of the rock exit was worn down, but it scraped my palms and shins as I scrambled through it. It hurt, stiff as I was, to wrench myself erect, and my breath caught. My head swam as the blood flowed downward. I looked for only one thing-where Jared was, so that I could put myself between him and his attackers. They all stood frozen in place, staring at me. Jared had his back to the wall, his hands balled into fists and held low. In front of him, Kyle was hunched over, clutching his stomach. Ian and a stranger flanked him a few feet back, their mouths open with shock. I took advantage of their surprise. In two long, shaky strides, I moved between Kyle and Jared. Kyle was the first to react. I was less than a foot from him, and his primary instinct was to shove me away. His hand struck my shoulder and heaved me toward the floor. Before I could fall, something caught my wrist and yanked me back to my feet. As soon as he realized what he'd done, Jared dropped my wrist like my skin was oozing acid. â€Å"Get back in there,† he roared at me. He shoved my shoulder, too, but it wasn't as hard as Kyle's push. It sent me staggering two feet back toward the hole in the wall. The hole was a black circle in the narrow hallway. Outside the small prison, the bigger cave looked just the same, only longer and taller, a tube rather than a bubble. A small lamp-powered by what, I couldn't guess-lit the hallway dimly from the ground. It cast strange shadows on the features of the men, turning them into scowling monster faces. I took a step toward them again, turning my back to Jared. â€Å"I'm what you want,† I said directly to Kyle. â€Å"Leave him alone.† No one said anything for a long second. â€Å"Tricky bugger,† Ian finally muttered, eyes wide with horror. â€Å"I said get back in there,† Jared hissed behind me. I turned halfway, not wanting Kyle out of my sight. â€Å"It's not your duty to protect me at your own expense.† Jared grimaced, one hand rising to push me back toward the cell again. I skipped out of the way; the motion moved me toward the ones who wanted to kill me. Ian grabbed my arms and pinned them behind me. I struggled instinctively, but he was very strong. He bent my joints too far back and I gasped. â€Å"Get your hands off her!† Jared shouted, charging. Kyle caught him and spun him around into a wrestling hold, forcing his neck forward. The other man grabbed one of Jared's thrashing arms. â€Å"Don't hurt him!† I screeched. I strained against the hands that imprisoned me. Jared's free elbow rammed into Kyle's stomach. Kyle gasped and lost his grip. Jared twisted away from his attackers and then lunged back, his fist connecting with Kyle's nose. Dark red blood spattered the wall and the lamp. â€Å"Finish it, Ian!† Kyle yelled. He put his head down and hurtled into Jared, throwing him into the other man. â€Å"No!† Jared and I cried at the same moment. Ian dropped my arms, and his hands wrapped around my throat, choking off my air. I clawed at his hands with my useless, stubby nails. He gripped me tighter, dragging my feet off the floor. It hurt-the strangling hands, the sudden panic of my lungs. It was agony. I writhed, more trying to escape the pain than the murdering hands. Click, click. I'd only heard the sound once before, but I recognized it. So did everyone else. They all froze, Ian with his hands locked hard on my neck. â€Å"Kyle, Ian, Brandt-back off!† Jeb barked. No one moved-just my hands, still clawing, and my feet, twitching in the air. Jared suddenly darted under Kyle's motionless arm and sprang at me. I saw his fist flying toward my face, and closed my eyes. A loud thwack sounded inches behind my head. Ian howled, and I dropped to the floor. I crumpled there at his feet, gasping. Jared retreated after an angry glance in my direction and went to stand at Jeb's elbow. â€Å"You're guests here, boys, and don't forget it,† Jeb growled. â€Å"I told you not to go looking for the girl. She's my guest, too, for the moment, and I don't take kindly to any of my guests killing any of the others.† â€Å"Jeb,† Ian moaned above me, his voice muffled by the hand held to his mouth. â€Å"Jeb. This is insane.† â€Å"What's your plan?† Kyle demanded. His face was smeared with blood, a violent, macabre sight. But there was no evidence of pain in his voice, only controlled and simmering anger. â€Å"We have a right to know. We have to decide whether this place is safe or if it's time to move on. So†¦ how long will you keep this thing as your pet? What will you do with it when you're finished playing God? All of us deserve to know the answers to these questions.† Kyle's extraordinary words echoed behind the pulse thudding in my head. Keep me as a pet? Jeb had called me his guest†¦ Was that another word for prisoner? Was it possible that two humans existed that did not demand either my death or my torture-wrung confession? If so, it was nothing less than a miracle. â€Å"Don't have your answers, Kyle,† Jeb said. â€Å"It's not up to me.† I doubted any other response Jeb could have given would have confused them more. All four men, Kyle, Ian, the one I didn't know, and even Jared, stared at him with shock. I still crouched gasping at Ian's feet, wishing there was some way I could climb back into my hole unnoticed. â€Å"Not up to you?† Kyle finally echoed, still disbelieving. â€Å"Who, then? If you're thinking of putting it to a vote, that's already been done. Ian, Brandt, and I are the duly designated appointees of the result.† Jeb shook his head-a tight movement that never took his eyes off the man in front of him. â€Å"It's not up for a vote. This is still my house.† â€Å"Who, then?† Kyle shouted. Jeb's eyes finally flickered-to another face and then back to Kyle. â€Å"It's Jared's decision.† Everyone, me included, shifted their eyes to stare at Jared. He gaped at Jeb, just as astonished as the rest, and then his teeth ground together with an audible sound. He threw a glare of pure hate in my direction. â€Å"Jared?† Kyle asked, facing Jeb again. â€Å"That makes no sense!† He was not in control of himself now, almost spluttering in rage. â€Å"He's more biased than anyone else! Why? How can he be rational about this?† â€Å"Jeb, I don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jared muttered. â€Å"She's your responsibility, Jared,† Jeb said in a firm voice. â€Å"I'll help you out, of course, if there's any more trouble like this, and with keeping track of her and all that. But when it comes to making decisions, that's all yours.† He raised one hand when Kyle tried to protest again. â€Å"Look at it this way, Kyle. If somebody found your Jodi on a raid and brought her back here, would you want me or Doc or a vote deciding what we did with her?† â€Å"Jodi is dead,† Kyle hissed, blood spraying off his lips. He glared at me with much the same expression Jared had just used. â€Å"Well, if her body wandered in here, it would still be up to you. Would you want it any other way?† â€Å"The majority -â€Å" â€Å"My house, my rules,† Jeb interrupted harshly. â€Å"No more discussion on this. No more votes. No more execution attempts. You three spread the word-this is how it works from now on. New rule.† â€Å"Another one?† Ian muttered under his breath. Jeb ignored him. â€Å"If, unlikely as it may be, somehow this ever happens again, whoever the body belongs to makes the call.† Jeb poked the barrel of the gun toward Kyle, then jerked it a few inches toward the hall behind him. â€Å"Get out of here. I don't want to see you anywhere around this place again. You let everyone know that this corridor is off-limits. No one's got any reason for being here except Jared, and if I catch someone skulking around, I'm asking questions second. You got that? Move. Now.† He jabbed the gun at Kyle again. I was amazed that the three assassins immediately stalked back up the hallway, not even pausing to give me or Jeb a parting grimace. I deeply wanted to believe that the gun in Jeb's hands was a bluff. From the first time I'd seen him, Jeb had shown every outward appearance of kindness. He had not touched me once in violence; he had not even looked at me with recognizable hostility. Now it seemed that he was one of only two people here who meant me no harm. Jared might have fought to keep me alive, but it was plain that he was intensely conflicted about that decision. I sensed that he could change his mind at any time. From his expression, it was clear that part of him wanted this over with-especially now that Jeb had put the decision on his shoulders. While I made this analysis, Jared glowered at me with disgust in every line of his expression. However, as much as I wanted to believe that Jeb was bluffing, while I watched the three men disappear into the darkness away from me, it was obvious there was no way he could be. Under the front he presented, Jeb must have been just as deadly and cruel as the rest of them. If he hadn't used that gun in the past-used it to kill, not just to threaten-no one would have obeyed him this way. Desperate times, Melanie whispered. We can't afford to be kind in the world you've created. We're fugitives, an endangered species. Every choice is life-or-death. Shh. I don't have time for a debate. I need to focus. Jared was facing Jeb now, one hand held out in front of him, palm up, fingers curled limply. Now that the others were gone, their bodies slumped into a looser stance. Jeb was even grinning under his thick beard, as though he'd enjoyed the standoff at gunpoint. Strange human. â€Å"Please don't put this on me, Jeb,† Jared said. â€Å"Kyle is right about one thing-I can't make a rational decision.† â€Å"No one said you had to decide this second. She's not going anywhere.† Jeb glanced down at me, still grinning. The eye closest to me-the one Jared couldn't see-closed quickly and opened again. A wink. â€Å"Not after all the trouble she took to get here. You've got plenty of time to think it through.† â€Å"There's nothing to think through. Melanie is dead. But I can't-I can't-Jeb, I can't just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jared couldn't seem to finish the sentence. Tell him. I'm not ready to die right this second. â€Å"Don't think about it, then,† Jeb told him. â€Å"Maybe you'll figure something out later. Give it some time.† â€Å"What are we going to do with it? We can't keep watch on it round the clock.† Jeb shook his head. â€Å"That's exactly what we're going to have to do for a while. Things will calm down. Even Kyle can't preserve a murderous rage for more than a few weeks.† â€Å"A few weeks? We can't afford to play guard down here for a few weeks. We have other things -â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know.† Jeb sighed. â€Å"I'll figure something out.† â€Å"And that's only half the problem.† Jared looked at me again; a vein in his forehead pulsed. â€Å"Where do we keep it? It's not like we have a cell block.† Jeb smiled down at me. â€Å"You're not going to give us any trouble, now, are you?† I stared at him mutely. â€Å"Jeb,† Jared muttered, upset. â€Å"Oh, don't worry about her. First of all, we'll keep an eye on her. Secondly, she'd never be able to find her way out of here-she'd wander around lost until she ran into somebody. Which leads us to number three: she's not that stupid.† He raised one thick white eyebrow at me. â€Å"You're not going to go looking for Kyle or the rest of them, are you? I don't think any of them are very fond of you.† I just stared, wary of his easy, chatty tone. â€Å"I wish you wouldn't talk to it like that,† Jared muttered. â€Å"I was raised in a politer time, kid. I can't help myself.† Jeb put one hand on Jared's arm, patting lightly. â€Å"Look, you've had a full night. Let me take the next watch here. Get some sleep.† Jared seemed about to object, but then he looked at me again and his expression hardened. â€Å"Whatever you want, Jeb. And†¦ I don't-I won't accept responsibility for this thing. Kill it if you think that's best.† I flinched. Jared scowled at my reaction, then turned his back abruptly and walked the same way the others had gone. Jeb watched him go. While he was distracted, I crept back into my hole. I heard Jeb settle slowly to the ground beside the opening. He sighed and stretched, popping a few joints. After a few minutes, he started whistling quietly. It was a cheery tune. I curled myself around my bent knees, pressing my back into the farthest recess of the little cell. Tremors started at the small of my back and ran up and down my spine. My hands shook, and my teeth chattered softly together, despite the soggy heat. â€Å"Might as well lie down and get some sleep,† Jeb said, whether to me or to himself, I wasn't sure. â€Å"Tomorrow's bound to be a tough one.† The shivers passed after a time-maybe half an hour. When they were gone, I felt exhausted. I decided to take Jeb's advice. Though the floor felt even more uncomfortable than before, I was unconscious in seconds. The smell of food woke me. This time I was groggy and disoriented when I opened my eyes. An instinctive sense of panic had my hands trembling again before I was fully conscious. The same tray sat on the ground beside me, identical offerings on it. I could both see and hear Jeb. He sat in front of the cave in profile, looking straight ahead down the long round corridor and whistling softly. Driven by my fierce thirst, I sat up and grabbed the open bottle of water. â€Å"Morning,† Jeb said, nodding in my direction. I froze, my hand on the bottle, until he turned his head and started whistling again. Only now, not quite so desperately thirsty as before, did I notice the odd, unpleasant aftertaste to the water. It matched the acrid taste of the air, but it was slightly stronger. The tang lingered in my mouth, inescapable. I ate quickly, this time saving the soup for last. My stomach reacted more happily today, accepting the food with better grace. It barely gurgled. My body had other needs, though, now that the loudest ones had been sated. I looked around my dark, cramped hole. There weren't a lot of options visible. But I could barely contain my fear at the thought of speaking up and making a request, even of the bizarre but friendly Jeb. I rocked back and forth, debating. My hips ached from curving to the bowled shape of the cave. â€Å"Ahem,† Jeb said. He was looking at me again, his face a deeper color under the white hair than usual. â€Å"You've been stuck in here for a while,† he said. â€Å"You need to†¦ get out?† I nodded. â€Å"Don't mind a walk myself.† His voice was cheerful. He sprang to his feet with surprising agility. I crawled to the edge of my hole, staring out at him cautiously. â€Å"I'll show you our little washroom,† he continued. â€Å"Now, you should know that we're going to have to go through†¦ kind of the main plaza, so to speak. Don't worry. I think everyone will have gotten the message by now.† Unconsciously, he stroked the length of his gun. I tried to swallow. My bladder was so full it was a constant pain, impossible to ignore. But to parade right through the middle of the hive of angry killers? Couldn't he just bring me a bucket? He measured the panic in my eyes-watched the way I automatically shrank back farther into the hole-and his lips pursed in speculation. Then he turned and started walking down the dark hall. â€Å"Follow me,† he called back, not looking to see if I obeyed. I had one vivid flash of Kyle finding me here alone, and was after Jeb before a second passed, scrambling awkwardly through the opening and then hobbling along on my stiff legs as fast as I could to catch up. It felt both horrible and wonderful to stand straight again-the pain was sharp, but the relief was greater. I was close behind him when we reached the end of the hall; darkness loomed through the tall broken oval of the exit. I hesitated, looking back at the small lamp he'd left on the floor. It was the only light in the dark cave. Was I supposed to bring it? He heard me stop and turned to peer at me over his shoulder. I nodded toward the light, then looked back at him. â€Å"Leave it. I know my way.† He held out his free hand to me. â€Å"I'll guide you.† I stared at the hand for a long moment, and then, feeling the urgency in my bladder, I slowly put my hand on his palm, barely touching it-the way I would have touched a snake if for some reason I was ever forced to. Jeb led me through the blackness with sure, quick steps. The long tunnel was followed by a series of bewildering twists in opposing directions. As we rounded yet another sharp V in the path, I knew I was hopelessly turned around. I was sure this was on purpose, and the reason Jeb had left the lamp behind. He wouldn't want me knowing too much about how to find my way out of this labyrinth. I was curious as to how this place had come to be, how Jeb had found it, and how the others had wound up here. But I forced my lips tightly together. It seemed to me that keeping silent was my best bet now. What I was hoping for, I wasn't sure. A few more days of life? Just a cessation of pain? Was there anything else left? All I knew was that I wasn't ready to die, as I'd told Melanie before; my survival instinct was every bit as developed as the average human's. We turned another corner, and the first light reached us. Ahead, a tall, narrow crevice glowed with light from another room. This light was not artificial like the little lamp by my cave. It was too white, too pure. We couldn't move through the narrow fracture in the rock side by side. Jeb went first, towing me close behind. Once through-and able to see again-I pulled my hand out of Jeb's light grip. He didn't react in any way except to put his newly freed hand back on the gun. We were in a short tunnel, and a brighter light shone through a rough arched doorway. The walls were the same holey purple rock. I could hear voices now. They were low, less urgent than the last time I'd heard the babble of a human crowd. No one was expecting us today. I could only imagine what the response would be to my appearance with Jeb. My palms were cold and wet; my breath came in shallow gasps. I leaned as close as I could to Jeb without actually touching him. â€Å"Easy,† he murmured, not turning. â€Å"They're more afraid of you than you are of them.† I doubted that. And even if there were any way that it could be true, fear turned into hatred and violence in the human heart. â€Å"I won't let anybody hurt you,† Jeb mumbled as he reached the archway. â€Å"Anyway, might as well get used to this.† I wanted to ask what that meant, but he stepped through into the next room. I crept in after him, half a step behind, keeping myself hidden by his body as much as possible. The only thing harder than moving myself forward into that room was the thought of falling behind Jeb and being caught alone here. Sudden silence greeted our entrance. We were in the gigantic, bright cavern again, the one they'd first brought me to. How long ago was that? I had no idea. The ceiling was still too bright for me to make out exactly how it was lit. I hadn't noticed before, but the walls were not unbroken-dozens of irregular gaps opened to adjoining tunnels. Some of the openings were huge, others barely large enough for a man to fit through stooped over; some were natural crevices, others were, if not man-made, at least enhanced by someone's hands. Several people stared at us from the recesses of those crevices, frozen in the act of coming or going. More people were out in the open, their bodies caught in the middle of whatever movement our entrance had interrupted. One woman was bent in half, reaching for her shoelaces. A man's motionless arms hung in the air, raised to illustrate some point he'd been making to his companions. Another man wobbled, caught off balance in a sudden stop. His foot came down hard as he struggled to keep steady; the thud of its fall was the only sound in the vast space. It echoed through the room. It was fundamentally wrong for me to feel grateful to that hideous weapon in Jeb's hands†¦ but I did. I knew that without it we would probably have been attacked. These humans would not stop themselves from hurting Jeb if it meant they could get to me. Though we might be attacked despite the gun. Jeb could only shoot one of them at a time. The picture in my head had turned so grisly that I couldn't bear it. I tried to focus on my immediate surroundings, which were bad enough. Jeb paused for a moment, the gun held at his waist, pointing outward. He stared all around the room, seeming to lock his gaze one by one with each person in it. There were fewer than twenty here; it did not take long. When he was satisfied with his study, he headed for the left wall of the cavern. Blood thudding in my ears, I followed in his shadow. He did not walk directly across the cavern, instead keeping close to the curve of the wall. I wondered at his path until I noticed a large square of darker ground that took up the center of the floor-a very large space. No one stood on this darker ground. I was too frightened to do more than notice the anomaly; I didn't even guess at a reason. There were small movements as we circled the silent room. The bending woman straightened, twisting at the waist to watch us go. The gesturing man folded his arms across his chest. All eyes narrowed, and all faces tightened into expressions of rage. However, no one moved toward us, and no one spoke. Whatever Kyle and the others had told these people about their confrontation with Jeb, it seemed to have had the effect Jeb was hoping for. As we passed through the grove of human statues, I recognized Sharon and Maggie eyeing us from the wide mouth of one opening. Their expressions were blank, their eyes cold. They did not look at me, only Jeb. He ignored them. It felt like years later when we finally reached the far side of the cavern. Jeb headed for a medium-sized exit, black against the brightness of this room. The eyes on my back made my scalp tingle, but I didn't dare to look behind me. The humans were still silent, but I worried that they might follow. It was a relief to slip into the darkness of the new passageway. Jeb's hand touched my elbow to guide me, and I did not shrink away from it. The babble of voices didn't pick up again behind us. â€Å"That went better than I expected,† Jeb muttered as he steered me through the cave. His words surprised me, and I was glad I didn't know what he'd thought would happen. The ground sloped downward under my feet. Ahead, a dim light kept me from total blindness. â€Å"Bet you've never seen anything like my place here.† Jeb's voice was louder now, back to the chatty tone he'd used before. â€Å"It's really something, isn't it?† He paused briefly in case I might respond, and then went on. â€Å"Found this place back in the seventies. Well, it found me. I fell through the roof of the big room-probably shoulda died from the fall, but I'm too tough for my own good. Took me a while to find a way out. I was hungry enough to eat rock by the time I managed it. â€Å"I was the only one left on the ranch by then, so I didn't have anyone to show it to. I explored every nook and cranny, and I could see the possibilities. I decided this might be a good card to keep up my sleeve, just in case. That's how we Stryders are-we like to be prepared.† We passed the dim light-it came from a fist-sized hole in the ceiling, making a small circle of brightness on the floor. When it was behind us, I could see another spot of illumination far ahead. â€Å"You're probably curious as to how this all got here.† Another pause, shorter than the last. â€Å"I know I was. I did a little research. These are lava tubes-can you beat that? This used to be a volcano. Well, still is a volcano, I expect. Not quite dead, as you'll see in a bit. All these caves and holes are bubbles of air that got caught in the cooling lava. I've put quite a bit of work into it over the last few decades. Some of it was easy-connecting the tubes just took a little elbow grease. Other parts took more imagination. Did you see the ceiling in the big room? That took me years to get right.† I wanted to ask him how, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. Silence was safest. The floor began to slant downward at a steeper angle. The terrain was broken into rough steps, but they seemed secure enough. Jeb led me down them confidently. As we dropped lower and lower into the ground, the heat and humidity increased. I stiffened when I heard a babble of voices again, this time from ahead. Jeb patted my hand kindly. â€Å"You'll like this part-it's always everyone's favorite,† he promised. A wide, open arch shimmered with moving light. It was the same color as the light in the big room, pure and white, but it flickered at a strange dancing pace. Like everything else that I couldn't understand in this cavern, the light frightened me. â€Å"Here we are,† Jeb said enthusiastically, pulling me through the archway. â€Å"What do you think?†

Herr Samsa Is Content Essay

In ‘Metamorphosis’ by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa, the main character turns into an insect. Although many would argue that this transformation is literal, I would argue that Kafka uses it as a metaphor or some other form of symbol. If my theory is right, this metaphor is used as a means of portraying the dehumanisation and hence insanity of Gregor Samsa caused by the intense stress and demands of his daily job that he worries about so much. I also believe that Kafka uses the particular case of Gregor to represent a whole generation of workers that all fear the same fate. Herr Samsa, Gregor’s father, in particular fears this and having seen what he fears most in his son, he becomes violent and aggressive towards him; eventually delivering him a slow, gradual death. To support this argument, we find out that, even before the actual transformation, Gregor behaves strangely with regards to his work; studying train timetables for example. It is for this reason that I have decided to carry on with this idea. With Gregor dying at the end of the novella, I decided to use this metaphor of dehumanisation again and apply it to another one of the workers of the same generation as Gregor’s – his sister’s boyfriend that she has found since the Samsa family left their home to start a new life. In order for my adaptation of Kafka’s extended metaphor to be successful, I have had to adopt his style of writing, something that is very particular to Kafka. Kafka uses long sentences yet keeps the novella moving at quite a fast pace. This is because he pays great attention to detail and turns each detail into something significant. Despite this, he is not particularly descriptive concerning the settings that he has chosen in Metamorphosis. This has the particular effect of rendering the scenes of ‘Metamorphosis’ full of action and gripping for the reader. This is what I have tried to apply in my extension of Kafka’s fantastic tale. Grete watched her father open the door, pull his feet across the mat, throw his overcoat off his shoulders and drop it on the banister. He took both his daughter’s shoulders, smiled at her for a moment with an expression that could only be associated with pride and then gently kissed her forehead. He then moved on to the kitchen, Grete in his footsteps. Once there, he placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder, squeezed it, asked her what was for supper and, in turn, kissed her. Herr Samsa presently moved to the living room and with a pleasant sigh of relief he settled into an armchair and watched in amusement as Grete gazed fixedly at the clock on the wall counting down the seconds. At precisely five, the doorbell rang and Grete let out a little squeal of delight before glancing sheepishly at her father and rushing off to answer it. The same routine had not changed one bit for the last two months yet Herr Samsa could not complain. He knew that five was the time when he could afford himself the pleasure of watching his daughter’s face light up, making her even more beautiful; reminding him of the attractive and successful woman she was turning into. He had never been happier. Simple and polite but pleasant conversation came from the kitchen – a mixture of questions, exclamations and quiet laughter. Following this, Grete entered with Franz who greeted Herr Samsa with a gentle inclination of his head. â€Å"Ah! Franz my son! How are you? And how are things at work?† asked Herr Samsa. â€Å"Well, as you know sir, not too well I’m afraid. We all have a ridiculous amount of work to get through and I, for one, can hardly cope. The only thing that keeps a smile on my face is the prospect of coming to visit your daughter each evening.† Grete looked up at him adoringly and smiled before turning to her father with a face that begged no more talk of work matters. Accepting this, Herr Samsa looked at them both. â€Å"Very well. Off you go.† â€Å"Thank you, sir† replied Franz and he eagerly scuttled behind the beautiful young woman who led him to the parlour. Herr Samsa got up and poured himself a small glass of schnapps and settled back down into the warmth of his armchair. As he let his eyes close, he reflected upon how much better life was now. Even going back to work didn’t bother him in the least. He felt healthier and fitter than he had been in a long time and he was now always able to join in with the family walks on Sundays. Franz also came with them. The four of them would walk with their arms linked, talking and laughing with a spring in their step. Thus half an hour passed very happily for Herr Samsa before he was called to join the rest of his family at the dinner table. Grete was rather sullen right throughout the meal. Her usual manner of vigorously attacking her food was not there. Eventually, whilst Grete’s mother was in the kitchen, clearing the table, he asked her what the matter was. She dismissed the question with another intense stare at the table so her father thought it best to leave the matter alone. The next evening, the atmosphere at the dinner table was tense once again. Grete insisted on glaring sullenly at her plate. Again, Herr Samsa asked her what the matter was whilst his wife was busy in the kitchen. Once more, she tried to ignore him but this time, her father insisted and she lifted her face, covered in tears, before answering. â€Å"He’s exhausted†¦I can’t stand it anymore†¦he puts on a brave face†¦but with me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She desperately tried to control herself but burst into tears. Frau Samsa, who had come back into the room, put her arm round her and encouraged her to go on. Grete’s parents watched, bemused and shocked, for this was the first time they had seen her cry since they’d decided to restart their lives. Seeing the discomfort in her parents’ faces, Grete took a deep breath and started again. â€Å"He doesn’t complain about it but when we’re alone, he talks about nothing but work, almost as if he doesn’t know how to talk about anything else. Just last night, instead of talking to me, he spent two whole hours studying a train timetable! And he’s developed a regular twitch†¦spasms every now and then. He’s not really†¦my Franz†¦anymore.† The following evening, nothing changed. As always, Herr Samsa was met in the hallway by his daughter whom he embraced before making his way to the kitchen, in order to greet his wife. As Grete waited for the clock to approach five, she had the same anxious look on her face. But it faded and was replaced with a frown because as the hands hit five she heard a far-off cry. She glanced at her father but he obviously hadn’t heard it and so she continued waiting. She was silently surprised that Franz hadn’t turned up yet, despite the fact that it wasn’t even a minute past yet. As she continued waiting, now perched on the arm of one of the sofas, she heard another cry, closer this time and it resembled more a scream. Yet again, Herr Samsa had not noticed but he was watching Grete with amusement as she visibly became more and more nervous as the minutes went by. Once again, a scream came from up the road. This time, it was accompanied by the smashing of a window. Grete rushed to the living room window and pressed herself up against the window to see what was going on. The last cry had even managed to reach her father and he too had jumped out of the comfort of his chair to see what was going on. Both wore anxious looks upon their faces and as more shouts of terror approached their house, Frau Samsa joined them from the kitchen, wiping the backs of her hands in her apron as she walked. â€Å"Where’s Franz?† she asked immediately. A look of horror crossed Grete’s face as it occurred to her that the angry manifestation outside and Franz’s lateness could be linked. She tried desperately to see what was going on through the living room window but the angle wasn’t wide enough. A couple of flying stones and an apple came into her field of vision and with that she rushed to the front door with both her parents close behind her. It was as she grabbed the cold brass handle to pull the door open that she realised what this was. She remembered the conversation last night at the table and, sure enough, as she hastily poked her head through the door and looked down the street, she clasped her heart. Franz was there sure enough, scuttling desperately down the street, followed by an angry mob yelling at him in disgust and flinging stones of hatred at him. Before her parents were able to see anything, she ran back in, bolted the door and sunk to the floor. Bibliography à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka, translated by Malcolm Pasley, Penguin, 2000

Construction Legal Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Construction Legal Studies - Essay Example The government has developed the Joints Contract Tribunal (JCT) forms and representatives RIBA, which covers a wide range of topics in the construction of a building. There are forms that assist all parties involved in determining the price cost, lump sum, agreements between employer and builder, the construction of streets, additional provisions, etc. These forms are very detailed and if followed, will make the project easier, more manageable, and more acceptable to all. This will result in fewer risks of liabilities. If the employer abides by the Standard Form of Contract and follows his/her duties as listed, he/she will find that all will be more efficient. The architect, Clerk of Works, and others are specialists in their specific field and know better how to perform these duties. Therefore, the employer does not have to take on these responsibilities, will not what to do and what not to do, and will also know what his/her rights are in the case that the contractor becomes bankrupt. Finally, the employer will be less liable should a situation arise. The Joints Contract Tribunal (JCT) forms lay out the architect’s instructions and he must abide by the guidelines, which are set forth in Clause 4.1 of the form. To keep each other accountable, determinations by the employer and contractor are listed in complete details on Forms 27 and 28. The building contract should lay out all the roles, responsibilities, and rights of each and every employer and employee. ... If the employer abides by the Standard Form of Contract and follows his/her duties as listed, he/she will find that all will be more efficient. The architect, Clerk of Works, and others are specialists in their specific field and know better how to perform these duties. Therefore, the employer does not have to take on these responsibilities, will not what to do and what not to do, and will also know what his/her rights are in the case that the contractor becomes bankrupt. Finally, the employer will be less liable should a situation arise. The Joints Contract Tribunal (JCT) forms lay out the architect's instructions and he must abide by the guidelines, which are set forth in Clause 4.1 of the form. To keep each other accountable, determinations by the employer and contractor are listed in complete details on Forms 27 and 28. The building contract should lay out all the roles, responsibilities, and rights of each and every employer and employee. The Architect's instructions should follow the guidelines as listed in the JCT. The same applies for Architects 1 and 2 as should also apply for Employers 1, 2, and 3. All has been presented and laid out in JCT and if Construction Legal Studies 3 followed precisely whilst adding specific details pertaining to the specific project and staff. Another avenue to take in order to insure that the on-site construction is managed effectively to avoid problems is be familiar with the occasions that require the issuance of a certificate. Legal Studies (2002) lists the matters that require certificates to be issued: a. Practical Completion of the Works. (17.1) b. On making good defects. (17.4) c. Damage by frost due to injury which took place before the practical

Greatest challenge facing law enforcement agencies in investigating, Essay

Greatest challenge facing law enforcement agencies in investigating, exploitation, cyberstalking, and obscenity - Essay Example These crimes include crimes related to exploitation, cyber-stalking, and obscenity, which have exposed the unpreparedness of law enforcement agencies in handling emerging crimes. In addition, law enforcement agencies face a challenge related to turf wars and jurisdiction when investigating cybercrimes. This expose investigates the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies while investigating exploitation, cyber-stalking, and obscenity. Moreover, the expose goes to the extent of proposing the solutions to the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies. First, cybercrimes have caught the attention of the world with President Obama declaring cyber crimes and threats as the â€Å"most serious economic and national security challenges† faced by America in the 21st century (National Security Council, 2009). Nonetheless, experts identify implementation of policies that eliminated challenges faced by law enforcers as the first step towards eliminating cybercrimes and threats in c yber space. In this regard, experts agree that law enforcers face challenges regarding the investigation of cyber-stalking, exploitation, and obscenity. In line with this, the National Center for Victims of Crime (2004) noted that law enforcers faced challenges while investigating cyber-stalkers since stalking consists of repeated individual conduct that may not constitute a crime. In addition, law enforcers faced a challenge while investigating cyber-stalkers due to the challenging nature of identifying cyber-stalkers who will become violent. In this regard, law enforcers will face a challenge in profiling cyber-stalkers since there lacks a legal definition of cyber-stalkers and profiling them remains a challenge to date. A Congress report of 2001 identified a number of challenges that law enforcement agencies faced when investigating obscenity and exploitation. In this case, the report indicated that law enforcement agencies were ill equipped to deal with crimes of this nature sin ce criminals were sophisticated and they used advanced technology to commit these crimes. Hence, the identification of these criminals was a challenge. Moreover, the report noted that the criminal might be in a different jurisdiction and their identification did not guarantee further investigation by law enforcers. On the other hand, the report identified the challenge faced by law enforcers who investigated obscenity and exploitation by noting that the process of extracting data to investigate and prosecute obscenity and exploitation criminals remained a challenge. States, nations, and different localities draw jurisdictional boundaries between them within which various law enforcement agencies are responsible for administration of justice. Significantly, laws are only effective within the territorial boundaries of a particular jurisdiction, which is a weakness that cyber criminals identified and exploited. In the US, jurisdictional issues challenge the investigation of cyber crime s in two aspects. First, there is an underlying jurisdictional overlap between state laws and federal laws regarding the investigation of cybercrimes. In this case, Brenner and Koops (2004) noted that some state laws might not classify some aspects of a crime as

Motivation, values and involvement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Motivation, values and involvement - Essay Example Motivation is a complex phenomenon. In direct relation to consumer behaviour, it refers to the facts which incite consumers to behave in a certain way, as in, all these being equal, to repeatedly purchase one brand instead of another. Generally speaking, motivation is a response to latent or overt biological or learned need. Indeed, products have the potential to address overt needs, or awaken latent ones and, in so doing, create a sense of want which can only be satisfied through the purchase of the product. In direct relation to the aforementioned, it is important to point out that the assumption that the purchase/use of a certain product will satisfy need/want is the crux of the expectancy theory and, in itself, contributes to the intensification of motivation. Proceeding from the above stated, it is important to clarify that there are different types and categories of need. This phenomenon is referred to as need hierarchy and has been fully explained by Maslow's theory of need. According to the aforementioned, people have different types of needs, some of which, such as the need to shelter, are more pressing than others, such as the need for recognition.

Geography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Geography - Essay Example She even added that since no huge uprisings have taken place, the UN estimated a total death toll of 60,000 by the starting of 2013. The article further cites an event of airstrikes that were conducted on gas station located in the region of Damascus and the article states that Pillay’s estimates of the death toll of 60,000 might be correct. The article further states that the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights have stated that a total of 45,000 deaths have taken place and those who have died are mostly civilians living in Syria, the report provided by UN failed to distinguish whether more civilian lives or more combatants lives have been taken away (UN, 2013). Pillay further adds that if a resolution to the conflict is not figured out, soon there will be more deaths and sufferings. The most intriguing part of the entire article was not that over 60,000 lives have been taken away; the most intriguing part was Pillay’s statement that a resolution is necessary. This led me to figure out what is being done to solve the issue. To find answers I found an article written by Ayman Mohyeldin who is a correspondent with NBC News and she states that $60 million amount has been accepted by the US to give aid to the people of Syria and this aid is not lethal in nature (Mohyeldin, 2013). The article writer asserts that this kind of aid is very necessary but it is not going to be helpful in resolving the issue. The most eye catching element stated in the article is the UN has levied a ban on using arms to support the case of Syria. This is of high concern because several civilian lives have been lost in the battle and still there is no resolution and many more will be taken away until some real help in the shape of arms and ammunition and military support is extended to Syria. This is because even if the people of Syria outnumber the army, still the

My Special Education Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Special Education Philosophy - Essay Example They will be allowed to inform about their problems and needs to their teacher and they will be encouraged by their task performance. Each and every student will be dealt separately for his/her specific needs. Students will be given facilities to learn practically by the help of audio-visual aids. The software installed on the computers will be for the students’ convenience. Along with theoretical knowledge, they will also be facilitated with theoretical knowledge to a smaller extent as to inform them with the information linked to a practical performance. They will be allowed to make use of the things about which, they will be informed also. The students will also be taken to places where they can learn practically such as the zoo, construction places, manufacturing factories and other places for obtainment of knowledge. I will facilitate students with special needs with required practical knowledge and skills that are required for the obtainment of suitable knowledge. My opt ed special educational philosophy is very constructive and I feel that the students with special needs are going to get benefit with it because all the needs of the students are considered in it. With practical knowledge, students will get access to knowledge more easily and will learn in a manner that is also effective for them. Practical learning can be considered as the best form of learning and each and every student should be considered an individual who has special needs that require fulfillment.

Introduction to Law Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Introduction to Law Coursework - Essay Example nt that must be fulfilled for a contract to be valid, we will discuss the law of contract in detail and then compare and contrast between an offer and an invitation to treat. For a contract to be enforceable contract, certain basic requirements must be presented. There must an agreement based upon genuine consent of the parties, supported by a consideration and made for a lawful object between competent parties. This paper will start by discussing what an offer is and later on compare and contrast between an offer and an invitation to treat. (Hussein, 1993) a) An offer may be made to a specific person or to any member of a group or to the world at large, but it cannot form the basis of a contract until it has been accepted by an ascertained person or group of persons. For example if A makes an offer to B, it is a specific offer and B is the only person who can accept it. But in many cases, it is immaterial to whom the offer is made. Offers made by advertisement are the commonest form of offers made to the world at large, and can be accepted by anyone just by acting on them. For example in the following case studied. The defendants offered a reward of  £100 to anyone who contracted influenza after using their smoke ball for a fortnight. The plaintiff, relying on the advertisement, bought the smoke ball and used it as prescribed, but still contracted influenza. She sued for the advertised reward. It was held that the advertisement was a true offer, and not a mere advertising puff, and the defendants were held liable to pay the reward. b) An offer may be made by a word of mouth, in writing or by conduct. The person making this offer is called the offeror, and the person to whom the offer is made is called the offeree. For example an offer made by conduct may be of a bus playing on a certain route. This is usually an offer by the owner of the bus to carry passengers at the published fare for various stages. The offer is accepted by conduct when the passenger

Managerial Accounting Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managerial Accounting Practices - Essay Example financial reports focus on what has happened in the past – whereas what you are looking for is improvement – improvement in all sectors (manufacturing, sales, accounting, customer relations) at present and in future. Inventory is a necessary current asset that represents a significant investment at any given time. Just-In-Time represents a new paradigm of business strategy shifting from traditional inventory management to web-based supply chain management that increases inventory turnover and reduces inventory holding. JIT is an ideal for repetitive manufacturing processes (like Claire’s Antiques) in which the same products and components are produced over and over again.1 profitability†.2 With the objective of producing the right quantity of products in the right place at the right time, JIT perfectly blends the fundamentals of minimizing cost and maximizing profits – these fundamentals, Man (Labor), Material and Machines (Equipment) are often called the 3Ms of manufacturing and inventory operations. JIT (also known as ‘lean production’ or ‘stockless production’)3 produces the following benefits. You will note that most, if not all of them are lacking in Claire’s Antiques organization at this moment. Inventory levels at all levels are reduced, inventory investment is minimized by having only work-in-process (WIP) inventory with no need for safety stocks(2); inventory turnover rate (velocity) is increased. There is a balanced flow of materials throughout the entire production process, as underutilized (excess) capacity is used instead of buffer inventories. This has been a major problem of the present bedroom furniture line of Claire’s Antiques. Product quality is improved by focusing on zero-defect production processes. JIT involves utilization of more productive equipment and disposition of less productive equipment. Faulty production methods that create products requiring subsequent rework are identified and eliminated. The data that

Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) Chip Research Paper

Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) Chip - Research Paper Example It is not merely businesses or trade that utilizes the admirable invention. Healthcare industry and departments like defense or investigation also take advantage of this invention. The impact of RIFD is exciting as it is widely accepted and handled for different purposes. However, there are positive and negative impacts or influences of this modern technology on individuals and society as a whole. Initially, considering certain positive impacts of RFID in business management sector is relevant. Business functions normally encounter problems every now and then since it involves greater complications in information sharing. The RIFD chip is the consolation in times of difficulties associated with handling functions that are beyond human control and capacity. As pointed out by Lin and Teh-Hsing, the greater reliability of such radio frequency identification is that it assists in maintaining clear data and information along with the identification process (13). Moreover, the information collected is more reliable and much more valuable as the operation or system solely depends on the radio wave which is entirely a technical process. Apart from this, in supply chain management also it plays a remarkable role. Being the source and summit of business industry, the technology boosts the system of management in various ways, namely, â€Å"in manufacturing, warehousing/distribution centers, logistics and retailing environments† which are the essential areas of high recognition and importance (as qtd in EPC Global). Furthermore, the department of health and defense are benefited much from this invention when it is applied effectively in respective fields. First of all, for detecting animals and other human features are sought by the informative waves. Attaching such kind of chip eases the difficulty in understanding and analyzing the factors carefully. Similarly, RFID is major equipment used in defense or investigation sector. During the Second World War, radar was used to collect the information and activities of the rivals. As the developed form of radar today, the Radio Frequency Identification contributes significantly toward knowing the subversive activities undertaken by neighboring and rival nations. And, this magical invention is beneficial in tracing many of the cases of theft. It was a common issue prevailing in the business world that when companies experienced huge loss, most of the goods or items had been found stolen. The impact of RFID is so magnificent that it traces any such activities existing in business field. According to Sennewald, and John, it was not merely the money which was stolen but the documents and other important files which resulted in crisis (15-16). On the flip side, the adverse effects of RFID cannot be ignored or neglected. One of the main drawbacks of this waves system is nothing but it prevents privacy. The collected information or the details of other companies and their activities can be easily accesse d or tracked through this wave processing. Therefore, the business organizations find it hard to keep any secrecy related to its different management or operation tactics and techniques. Evidently, this information would assist the governments and higher authority to interfere in the activities of the private firm or organization headed by individuals. Inconsistency is the other matter of concern as the retailers often fail to have such an establishment of

Metaphysics - ontology Essay Example for Free

Metaphysics ontology Essay â€Å"I think therefore I am-Descartes;† â€Å"All noble things are as difficult as they are rare- Spinoza. † Decorates and Spinoza are unique; they are like nothing this class has studied previous. They focus on nature, existence and power as the fundamental building blocks to their unique philosophies. The beauty of these two men’s philosophies is not only in their contrasts but in all the ideas the students can draw from their logically thinking strategies; ultimately creating an individual philosophy and bettering ones own life from it. They both use logic but the use of language is the â€Å"wild card† that allows the real questioning to happen. Spinoza and Decorates are masters at using concrete facts and twisting them in such a way so as to question their existence entirely. Almost like one is pressing the reset button on life and starting fresh. The best example I can give is our day-to-day class discussion. Previously our tangents have been focused and connected. But with Spinoza and Decorates they have been different. They have become sporadic, wide spread, and eye opening. Yes the focus has and will always remain to be on the ideals that these men present; but the beauty in these philosophies are not restricted to just their points. The beauty lies within what the student (since we are all students’ not philosophy kings yet) can question and provide. This paper will discuss all the points crucial to these two men’s philosophies; however, throughout the paper the tangents I will draw will reveal my own conclusions that I have been taking note off from our class discussion in order to shed some light on the impact these philosophies have had to myself and philosophy itself. First thing that this paper will cover, and the biggest topic of debate between the two is the dialectic about the mind and body. Descartes is a substance duelist. He believes substance is divided into two things: mind substance and body substance. They are also independent entities in his eyes. In the second meditation he concludes that doubt is possible about the existence of the body but there can be no doubt as to the existence of the thinking mind; the mind simply cannot doubt the existence of thinking, since even the doubt itself would require thinking to exist (this concept itself is confusing and brilliant at the same time basically embodying who Descartes is in a one thought). Therefore Descartes is able to conclude that since there is doubt about the existence of the body, the mind can think without the use of the body. Thus independence is the only logical result. After all of that, duality in substances is born and realized. On the contrary, Spinoza believes mind and body are the same substance. Mind is dependent of the body and vice versa. The mind is united to the body because the body is the object of the mind (Ethics 2, prop 21). However one does not determine the other: The body cannot determine the mind to think, nor the mind the body to remain in motion or at rest (Ethics 3, 2). † Simply put, it is illogical to believe that one act causes the other act to happen. The mind is in place to insure the survival of the body. He rejects the idea of substances that Descartes suggests. Spinoza believes that there is only infinite substance, and no finite substance; which is a contradiction and a double negative (proving a statement false with false evidence). Each thing, mind and body, is both a thought and an extension. The thought is what is known through ideas and the extension is what exists and is sensed physically. Therefore thought is mental and extension is physical. For Spinoza, the mind and body act as a mirror image of each other; neither has any freedom from the other; dependence is therefore born. Then the role of infinite substance is introduced. Spinoza argues that God is the only infinite substance in nature. There can be only one substance that satisfies the idea difference between the two philosophers and that is that Spinoza views thought and extension as inseparable not having independent extensions. While in Descartes philosophy there are two distinct extensions. The mind substance is further divided into infinite and finite thinking. The infinite is God, the finite is each individual mind and soul. There is only one infinite thinking substance and that is God. Thinking is not a physical action (it is a behavior). It is an individual act that only the individual can control. One doesnt have to think a normal way, Descartes would argue. This connects to his views on education and how it can sometimes â€Å"cloud† individuals from their true passions and loves in life. Thinking with a clear mind is something that goes hand in hand with self-knowledge; learning from experience through one’s own paths and mistakes. Accepting that one cannot control everything (only one’s thoughts and physical actions) and understanding the necessity for an open mind to nature. Only then when this is all applied is it possible to live an active life; living life to the fullest and embracing all it has to offer. This leads into Spinoza’s definition of affect. He defines it as â€Å"the modifications of the body whereby the active power of the said body is increased or diminished, aided or constrained, and also the ideas of such modification (Ethics, prop 130). † Simply put, that which is affected does not exist; meaning the only thing that can possibly exist is God. Everything is dependent on something in order for it to survive; a book, a tree, a person, is dependent on something else for its survival. One could argue (and will now) that the mind has the ability to affect too. The only thing that can affect the mind is the mind itself. But the mind can be deceiving. Overthinking or over analyzing can change our perception of what reality is. Emotions and senses also add to the deception the mind can cause. A smell could lead somebody to not eat a meal; hearing somebody’s voice can be appealing or completely â€Å"turn off† the individual from furthering the conversation. The mind can also cause passive moments. Being passive is a huge part of nonexistence to Spinoza. Although the passive moments in ones life are inevitable, Spinoza suggests that we must attempt to control them in order obtain maximum freedom in life. Freedom is that in which someone lives an active life (living in the moment, embracing all that life can offer). By developing good habits, living actively, one can limit the passive moments and bounce back (not fall too far down the divided line). The goal in life is to live the most active life and experience nature to the fullest. Descartes believes in the exact opposite. He beliefs that mind and body are two separate substances that dont rely on each other. Therefore the mind cannot affect the body and the body cannot affect the mind. Thus all that Spinoza would suggest is a â€Å"waste. † The four cores of life are sadness, joy, weakness and power. Each person will experience one in his or her lifetime (if one does not then their alien [interesting what an alien is or is not]). The key, Spinoza would argue is that one experiences the cores in their own way. The question he would ask is: â€Å"will you live your life or the way others tell you too. † God is the key answer to this question. What does it mean to say that God is substance and that everything else is â€Å"in† God? Spinoza suggests that rocks, tables, chairs, birds, mountains, rivers and human beings are all properties of God. Thus all we are is a creation off God. It’s crazy to think that we are merely just part of an image of some other higher substance. When a person feels pain, sadness and joy; does it follow that all the emotions are ultimately just a property of God, therefore suggesting that God feels it too (chills run down*). This is the gut of Spinoza’s philosophy as he devotes the first 15 proportions to defining God and all that he does. Descartes is similar on his view with God. Gods existence is inferred, simply because of existence. For example, God is not an extended thing but only a thinking thing; God exists in a higher form, and he and only he can cause its existence. The idea of God is the idea of an infinite substance. Since a finite substance is less real than an infinite substance. A finite substance does not have enough reality to be the cause of its own idea. But the idea must have come from something. So that something is God, which must be an infinite substance. Therefore, God exists as the only possible cause of this idea. These comparisons that the two philosophers naturally bring to the table lead the mind to wonder. The possibilities are endless when it comes to questions and conclusions. The beauty lies within these questions. It is up to the individual, as Spinoza would say, to stop living a passive life and â€Å"attack† these philosophers in order to create something beautiful.

Hotel Rwanda | Film Analysis

Hotel Rwanda | Film Analysis Directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay written by George and Keir Pearson. Based on real life events in Rwanda during the spring of 1994, the film stars Don Cheadle as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina, who attempts to rescue his fellow citizens from the ravages of the Rwandan Genocide. Actors Sophie Okonedo, Joaquin Phoenix, Nick Nolte and Jean Reno also appear in principal roles. The film, which has been called an African Schindlers List, documents Rusesabaginas acts to save the lives of his family and more than a thousand other refugees, by granting them shelter in the besieged Hà ´tel des Mille Collines. Hotel Rwanda explores genocide, political corruption, and the repercussions of violence Hotel Rwanda tackles one of the most horrifically ugly events in recent history, when the Hutu extremists of Rwanda initiated a terrifying campaign of genocide, massacring hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsis (who had been given power by the departed Belgian colonists), while the rest of the world looked on and did nothing. Don Cheadle stars as Paul Rusesabagina, the hotel manager at the fancy Les Milles Collines hotel in Kigali. Paul is a Hutu, and a very successful businessman who smoothly greases the wheels, making powerful connections in all strata of Rwandan life. His wife, Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo of Aeon Flux), is a Tutsi. She urges Paul to use his influence to help local Tutsis, who are being harassed and beaten with increasing frequency, but Paul will only use the political capital hes built up to help his own family, if and when they need it. Soon enough, the violence escalates, and the Hutus begin their genocide of the Tutsis. European guests and staff at the hotel are flown out of the country, and Paul is left in charge. He finds that his conscience wont allow him to watch as the innocent are slaughtered, and before long, the hotel has become a well-appointed refugee camp. Paul is seen as a traitor by some, putting his life in danger, and the predicament of his guests grows more precarious every day, but despite good intentions on the part of a journalist (Joaquin Phoenix) and a UN peacekeeping colonel (Nick Nolte), the rest of the world is not eager to intervene and stop the massacre. Hotel Rwanda was directed by Irish filmmaker Terry George (Some Mothers Son), who co-wrote the script with Keir Pearson. The characters Rusesabagina and Colonel Oliver negotiating through a political impasse. In fact, the films depiction of events in Rwanda in the early 1990s is remarkably free of dramatic license. The narrative on ethnic conflict in Rwanda and the sequence of events is essentially sound (although it does imply that it was Hutu extremists who assassinated President Juvà ©nal Habyarimana, a thesis that remains contested). The early scenes in town and at the hotel re-create the mood, sights, sounds, and social relations of a small African capital as well as any Hollywood movie ever has. One quibble: like too many other accounts of the genocide, the story concludes with the arrival of the Tutsi rebels in Kigali, implying that the killings stopped then. This end makes dramatic sense but conveys a historical inaccuracy, since, alas, the country endured many more months of intense violence, including tens of thousands of reprisal killings. Tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi Peoples lead to a war in Rwanda, where corruption and bribes between politicians are routine. Paul Rusesabagina Don Cheadle, the manager of the Sabena Hà ´tel des Mille Colline is Hutu, but his wife Tatiana Sophie Okonedo, is Tutsi. His marriage is a source of friction with Hutu extremists, most prominently Georges Rutaganda Hakeem Kae-Kazim, a friendly goods supplier to the hotel who is also the local leader of Interahamwe, a brutal anti-Tutsi militia. As the political situation in the country worsens, Paul and his family observe neighbours being killed in ethnic violence. Paul curries favor with people of influence, bribing them with money and alcohol, seeking to maintain sufficient influence to keep his family safe. When civil war erupts and a Rwandan Army officer threatens Paul and his neighbours, Paul barely negotiates their safety, and brings everyone to the hotel. More refugees come to the hotel from the overburdened United Nations camp, the Red Cross, and orphanages. Paul must divert the Hutu soldiers, care for the refugees, be a source of strength to his family, and maintain the appearance of a functioning high-class hotel, as the situation becomes more violent Action Adventure, Art Foreign, Kids Family, Biopic, Politics Religion and Drama Two recurrent themes jump out at me from the movie Hotel Rwanda. The first, that everything has a price. Paul Rusesabagina pays for his families and neighbours freedom and life by bribing an army officer, even negotiating the price for each. He is able to purchase beer and scotch for the hotel from the distributor, as long as he is willing to pay the price demanded. He consistently bribes the army general for protection for the hotels occupants from the armed militia. And when the bribes run out, so does the protection. The second major theme is one of self-reliance, or absence of external help. Throughout the movie it is repeated that the west refuses to help or does not value the Rwandans enough to intervene in the genocide. The Wests refusal to intervene is seen when the UN peacekeeping force has orders to not use their weapons. Its seen in the size of the UN peacekeeping force, reduced to 260 men at the beginning of the genocide and civil war in 1994. In the movie this last reduction proved a false hope for the survivors holed up in the hotel. UN reinforcements arrive, only to evacuate many UN peacekeepers and foreign citizens from Rwanda and the hotel, respectively. There is also an episode where certain Rwandans who have foreign connections are granted visas to leave the country because of the intervention of their friends mostly from African nations. The contrast of this action to the wess non-intervention is stark. who you know becomes a factor in survival. The distributor where Paul purchas es supplies is a member of the Hutu militia. But because he knows him and has had a business relationship with him for years, hes able at a price to still secure supplies for the hotel residents. Emotional; mood: Disturbing, the music is unbearably fitting for the mood of the movie. Hotel Rwanda is a very disturbing film, and yet a very hopeful one as well, vibrant attire, and the smooth, accurate rendering of skin tones. Hotel Rwanda is the most inspirational film, about hope within a troubled society, still at peace, but he gradually shifts it to a dark tone as the movie goes on. Hotel Rwanda is a very disturbing film, and yet a very hopeful one as well, as it shows how amidst horrific brutality, a lone human being can demonstrate how an individuals willingness to make a stand can make a huge difference in the lives of many of his fellows. It is also an extremely powerful film, capable of inducing nightmares in those who watch it, as the horrific events depicted therein actually took place in the African country of Rwanda during the year 1994. Hotel Rwanda uses various rhetorical devices in order to express the difference between the initial happy moods of the movie compared to the gloomy mood the creators demonstrate the conflict begins. Some of the most effective rhetorical devices used are the music in the film as well as the comparison between the atmospheres of two similar settings. The objective of the creators was not only to show the audience what was happening in Rwanda, but to make them sympathize with the characters. With these rhetorical techniques, they are successful in doing so because they influence multiple senses in different ways. The music in Hotel Rwanda is one of the most effective rhetorical tools in any movie because it sets the mood without the need of visuals. In good movies this is necessary because it creates a mood using multi-modal techniques, which are proven to be more effective than if the argument was solely visual. Hotel Rwanda is an important and carefully crafted film well worth seeing. Set in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda, during the genocide of April and May 1994. If you view this film in conjunction with reading holocaust in Rwanda. Hotel Rwanda is an important and carefully crafted film well worth seeing. Set in Kigali. We are here as peacekeepers not peacemakers. The purpose of showing this movie was to warn Thais to rethink the present political conflict here, which is damaging the Kingdom. Tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi Peoples lead to a war in Rwanda, where corruption and bribes between politicians are routine. Paul Rusesabagina and his hotel are the very symbol of hope. Kaila Manuel B00051600

Burnout in Nursing Profession

Burnout in Nursing Profession The aim of this literature review is to identify the significant factors related to burnout in the nursing profession. Nurses are most susceptible and vulnerable to the development of burnout, mainly because of the nature and emotional demands of their job. Burnout in the nursing profession is a significant concern in nursing, because it has detrimental effects both on individuals and organisations. For the individual nurse, the neuroendocrine response yields physiologic reactions that may ultimately contribute to illness. In the health care organisation, work burnout may contribute to absenteeism and turnover, both of which detract from the quality of care. Burnout is reported to originate from work itself as well as from characteristics of the individual nurse. There are also buffers to mitigate the development of burnout. Background Freudenberger (1974) first coined the term burnout to describe the build-up of feelings that professionals experience when their emotional resources are depleted (Janssen, Schaufeli Houkes 1999). Maslach and Jackson (1981) further refined this term as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment. Their study is a piece of seminal work and their concept on burnout has been widely accepted since. Emotional exhaustion manifests in nurses as a general loss of feeling and concern, trust, interest, and spirit. It also involves feelings of fatigue, being used up, irritability, frustration and wearing out (Maslach et al 1981). Depersonalisation refers to showing a detachment of the nurse from the patient by actively ignoring the qualities that make them unique and engaging people (Maslach et al 1981). The third dimension of the burnout syndrome is the tendency of nurses in evaluating their work negatively. Nurses feel unhappy about themselves and dissatisfied with their accomplishments on the job (Maslach et al 1981). Burnout is measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach et al 1981). The internal consistency of this tool has been widely tested using Cronbachs coefficient alpha (Maslach, Jackson Leiter 1996) and hence could be considered to be a standard measure for burnout (Hannigan, Edwards, Burnard, Coyle Fothergill 2000). This survey tool is a 22 item questionnaire consisting of the three subscales mentioned above of the burnout syndrome. The items are scored in a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 6 (daily). A high degree of burnout is reflected in high scores on the emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalisation (DP) subscales and a low score on the personal accomplishment (PA) which is rated inversely. An average degree of burnout is reflected in average scores on the three subscales and a low degree of burnout is reflected in low scores on the EE and DP subscales and a high score on the PA subscales (Maslach et al 1981). Rationale Burnout is often been reported as a causing factor for attrition of nurses from the nursing profession (Armstrong-Stassen, Al-Maaitah, Cameron Horsburgh 1994). In addition burnout in nursing has been associated with poor patient satisfaction and poor patient outcome (Vahey, Aiken, Sloane, Clarke Vargas 2004, Nayeri, Negarandeh, Vaismoradi, Ahmadi Faghihzadeh 2009). These adverse outcomes of burnout could have significant indelible impact on the Singapore governments aim to establish Singapore as a reputable medical hub in the ASEAN region. Studies and statistics have shown that nurses in Singapore are at risk of developing burnout (Boey, Chan, Ko, Goh Lim 1997, Lim Yuen 1998, EnterpriseOne 2006), however, surprisingly, no research have been done in Singapore to assess the level of burnout and the related factors of burnout in their nurses. Therefore, this literature review is initiated to generate a comprehensive understanding of what is known about burnout in the nursing profes sion. This could have implications for understanding the overall well-being of the nurses in Singapore. Aims and Objectives Aim and objective: To identify the significant factors related to burnout in the nursing profession. Method A literature search was conducted using the keywords nurses and burnout on CINAHL and MEDLINE. The search is supplemented with a manual search in journals published in Singapore for further information regarding related research conducted in the local context and a supplementary follow-up of other cited materials in Google Scholar, where appropriate. Findings Collating the evidence from the literature led to the identification of three main themes for the related factors of burnout for nurses. The themes are stress of the health care professionals, individual variables and leadership as the buffering factor. The proposition that high stress clinical care settings as organisational stressors have been extensively examined. Therefore not surprisingly, studies on burnout done in medical, surgical and high dependency units were most prominent (Nayeri et al 2009, Adali Pirami 2002). Gillespie and Melby (2003) purported that the reason is because the nursing staffs working at these demanding areas are likely to spend considerable time during their working day in intense interactions with people. While Maslach-Pines (2000) suggested that it is because the nature of the work of these departments is often described as physically demanding and nurses are also continually faced with heavy demands for pity, sympathy and compassion. However, while many studies demonstrate a strong correlation between high levels of stress in high stress work environments and increased incidence and degree of burnout among nurses (Schmitz, Neumann Oppermann 2000), others produce evidence showing there is no correlat ion (Buunk, Ybema, Zee, Schaufeli Gibbons 2001). In the study conducted by Buunk et al (2001), it is being demonstrated that nurses working in high stress, specialised environments are less burned out than their counterparts working in those perceived as low stress environments. However, it should be noted that the participants for their research are nurses who have at least 10 years of working experience. They would have been able to handle their stress more efficiently and would have been less prone to burnout. Therefore, it can be argued that this research lost its reliability because the sample represents a group of generally healthy workers (Demerouti, Geurts, Bakker Euwema 2004:997). Moreover, the researchers also conducted a face-to-face interview with the participants. By the interview questions, the participants could infer that the researchers are interested to determine their stress related behaviour. Therefore, the sensitive nature of these questions would have inflict ed a response bias as participants do not want to be stigmatised as not being able to cope (Maslach, Jackson Leiter 1996). In more recent years, among the organisational stressors, workload as a contributing factor to burnout is more commonly reported and associated with the emotional aspect of the burnout syndrome (Greenglass, Burke Moore 2003, Lin, St John McVeigh 2009). Taris, Le Blanc, Schaufeli and Schreurs (2005) suggested that a high score on this single aspect of the burnout syndrome will be sufficient enough to predict burnout. Authors proposed that the 21st century health care reform has further intensified nurses workload. The work intensification studies in and around health care are providing convincing evidence on the extent to which efficiencies achieved by health care organisations are largely due to the increased workloads of nurses as a result of both staff reductions and increasing activity and patient complexity (Green 2004, Aiken, Clarke, Sloane Sochalski 2001). It is argued that increased workload will lead to increased stress and in turn leads to higher chances of burnout (Masla ch Leiter 2008). Therefore, it can be speculated that there should be widespread concomitant increase in reported severity of burnout due to the increased pressure on nurses. Nonetheless, the question remains as to why in the same situational conditions, some nurses burn out, whereas others show no syndrome. The most likely explanation is that causes of burnout are found in both the environment and the individual. Significant relationships between burnout and certain demographic characteristics have been reported but the results are still far from conclusive. The few socio-demographic variables most commonly being investigated are age, gender and marital status. In their study, Maslach, Schaufeli and Leiter (2001) reported that age has most consistently been related to burnout. Burnout has been observed more often among young workers than among those aged over 30 or 40 years and it seems to occur rather early in ones work career. Schaufeli and Greenglass (2001) accounted that regarding gender differences in burnout, results are mixed and may reflect difference in roles or occupations. Maslach et al (2001) found that emotional exhaustion has usually been reported to be more common among women, whereas depersonalisation has been more common among men. Bakker, Demerouti and Schaufeli (2002) conducted a study in which a wide range of different occupations and organisations were recruited and answered through the internet, women reported higher levels of burnout than men did, particularly when they were relatively young or had relatively little work experience. However, the respondents were mostly men and rather young (Bakker et al 2002). Schaufeli and Enzmann (1998) with regard to marital status, those who are unmarried, especially men, appear to be more prone to burnout compared with those who are married. Singles seem to experience even higher burnout levels than those who are divorced. Personality characteristics as the psychological aspects of individual variables were explored as an important variable in the burnout process in a number of investigations (Simoni Paterson 1997, Allen Mellor 2002, Bà ¼hler Land 2003). However, the specific features of personality that affect the perception of burnout remain unclear. Garrosa, Moreno-Jimà ©nez, Liang and Gonzà ¡lez (2008) proposed a model of prediction of burnout in nursing and they reported that their findings give support that personality factors are significant predictors of the three aspects of burnout. But the authors were not clear on which personality characteristics were investigated. Allen et al (2002) and Zellars, Perrewà © and Hochwarter (2000) reported that neuroticism is associated with the emotional exhaustion aspect of burnout and external locus of control also demonstrated positive relationship with burnout. However, Bà ¼hler et al (2003) and Toscano and Ponterdolph (1998) reported that finding s are mixed for hardiness. Interestingly, more recent studies indentified leadership as a factor related to burnout (Kanste, Kyngà ¤s Nikkilà ¤ 2007, Corrigan, Diwan, Campion Rashid 2002). Leadership issues did not appear as a noteworthy factor related to burnout in earlier studies, even though it had been discussed some twenty years ago by Bass (1985). Nonetheless, leadership issues cannot be considered as new, but rather they appear to have increased in relative significance. Weber (2007) articulated that the increasing calls over the last decade for considering leadership as a related factor of burnout is particularly because of the chronic recruitment and retention issues confronting the nursing profession. There is also a rich source of comment on the impact of health care reform on nurses and nursing in the health care sector research literature (Aiken et al 2001). In a study conducted by Laschinger and Leiter (2006), their findings also support the key role of strong nursing leadership in creating c onditions for work engagement and ultimately, safe, high-quality patient care. Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner and Schaufeli (2000), in their proposed model of burnout and life satisfaction amongst nurses, identified that an individuals engagement with their work will predict a degree of low burnout. However, Stordeur, Dhoore and Vandenberghe (2001) warned that if leaders are too tyrannical and control-oriented, their leadership could exacerbate the burnout process. Among the different types of leadership, transformational leadership has been most commonly proposed and viewed as a buffer which moderates the impact of burnout (Stordeur et al 2001). Transformational leaders are visionary, balanced, self-aware and confident of breaking existing professional boundaries (Stordeur et al 2001). Nonetheless, findings from the study by Stordeur et al (2001) have to be viewed with cautious. This is because they only attempted to measure the relationship between leadership and the emotional aspects of the burnout syndrome. The other two dimensions, depersonalisation and lack of personal accomplishment were not measured. Further studies would have to be taken to establish implicit links between leadership and burnout. Ulrich, Buerhaus, Donelan, Norman Dittus (2005) found that effective control over practice resulted in increased status, respect and recognition. Hochwà ¤lder (2008) further emphasised that through a chain reaction, transformational leadersh ip style engenders group cohesion and empowerment in nurses and hence it has been found that transformational leadership is inversely correlated with burnout in nurses. Discussions Past research on burnout in Singapore is generally anecdotal in nature (Tung 2000). Others attempt to investigate the nurses stress level and their association with the psychological well-being and several work-related outcomes such as job satisfaction, organisational commitment, intention to quit and job-induced tension (Boey et al 1997, Lim et al 1998). In a study on stress among nurses in the emergency department in Singapore, Lateef, Ng and Anatharaman (2001) reported that the nurses who are older, have more working experiences and hold higher positional post had lower stress scores as compared to those who are younger, have less working experience and have lower positional post. However, the authors did not proffer insights to explain these observable facts. While such research gives indication that there is a high level of stress in the nurses in Singapore, it cannot be implied that there would be a high degree of burnout in these nurses. While it is clear that stress results i n burnout among some individuals, also apparent, yet not explained by the empirical evidence is the fact that others faced with high levels of stress do not experience burnout. Therefore an implicit relationship of high level of stress and high degree of burnout cannot be deduced because there is evidence of high stress being associated with low burnout (Bunnk et al 2001). Therefore, studies on burnout have to be conducted to investigate the burnout phenomenon among the nurses in Singapore. For the time being, it could only be speculated that nurses in Singapore are at risk of developing burnout. From the findings, it is shown that nursing burnout appears to be the result of not only contextual factors but also individual factors. Results from the studies on the socio-demographic variables and personality characteristics are weak and ambiguous. Only age has been identified as a relatively good correlate to burnout, with younger nurses being more susceptible. It would be reasonable to believe that younger nurses are more at risk to burnout because they have to move from a familiar educational environment into the workforce where there are high expectations of them to rapidly function as a competent nurse (Schaufeli et al 1998). As a result, they experience challenges transitioning from student to practicing professional nurse (Godinez, Schweiger, Gruver Ryan 1999). Transformational leadership could result in low burnout. It is important to note that low degree of burnout represents a positive psychological state and an effective state of well-being (de Rijk, Le Blanc, Schaufeli de Jonge 1998). In the emerging literature, there is a shift from the traditional focus on weaknesses and malfunctioning toward understanding human strength and optimum functioning at work (Gustafsson Strandberg 2009). Conceiving of low burnout as wellness makes a contribution to the literature because it focuses on the positive aspects of work. Positive research has the potential to improve the image of nursing and attract a new generation to the profession. It also have implications for identifying and modifying possible areas of frustration that would result in burnout and thus help relieve the high costs of turnover by improving nurse retention (Teng, Shyu Chang 2007). The major contribution of such an approach is that it enhances the understanding of how the mana gement of the health care organisational can affect nurses well-being. This knowledge is essential for the future development and well-being of all nurses and the profession of nursing. Research implications Current research focuses on examining the burnout phenomenon in acute settings and their findings have presented evidence that the level of burnout might not be influenced by different clinical settings. Therefore, future studies should move beyond the acute care settings to better understand the burnout phenomenon. Except for one, all authors of the research used for this literature review utilised cross-sectional methodology, therefore, casual relationships cannot be made from their results. Their findings also cannot be generalised in another milieu. Longitudinal research is required in order to enhance the understanding of the burnout process. Maslach et al (1981) had pointed out that longitudinal research although presents a large challenge, it is of critical importance for the comprehension of burnout. Future longitudinal examinations should establish a profile of the nurses at the beginning of their employment then follow up over a longer period of time in correlation with burnout status and the related factors influencing the development of the burnout process (Ekstedt Fagerberg 2005). For all of the studies used for this literature review, the data are collected using self-reports from the participants. Many authors warned that self-reported data might be contaminated by common method variance, because both the independent and dependent variables are based upon one source of information which is the participants (Demerouti et al 2000). Therefore, future research should also utilised objective means for collecting the result findings. Conclusion The concept of burnout has sustained the interest of nurses and researchers for several decades. Despite the large amount of studies done in attempt to investigate and predict the related factors of burnout, no conclusive data could be drawn. This is because the health care system is in constant change. The factors that relate to burnout will present different relative significance with the changes. Notwithstanding this, the related factors to burnout could generally be classified as both organisational and personal related. Therefore, to base practice, burnout intervention programmes should be multidimensional consisting of work-related as well as personal directed approaches.

Gloria Naylors Mama Day Essay -- Gloria Naylor Mama Day Essays

Gloria Naylor's Mama Day It is impossible to interpret Gloria Naylor’s 1988 novel, Mama Day, in one way. There are multiple standpoints that a reader can take in explaining various events that occur throughout the book, as well as different ways that the characters in the book interpret these events. The author never fully clarifies many questions that the story generates so as to leave the readers with the opportunity to answer them based on their own personal experiences and beliefs. The multiplicity of perspectives in Gloria Naylor’s Mama Day is embodied in the legend of Sapphira Wade and the dynamics between logic and the supernatural and between George and Cocoa. Sapphira Wade is a character that Naylor uses as a tool to immediately present the theme of multiple perspectives. Sapphira, who was brought to the island of Willow Springs as a slave in 1819, is at the top of the Day family tree. Through time her legacy had transformed to the point that her true identity became more of a matter of opinion than a matter of fact. Even the simple matter of the appearance of her skin becomes so distorted through the time span of a few generations that each member of the Willow Springs community describes her complexion differently. In regards to her supernatural attributes, members of the community portray Sapphira as being able to â€Å"walk through a lightning storm without being touched† and â€Å"use the heat of lightning to start the kindling going under her medicine pot: depending upon which of [them] takes a mind to her† (Naylor 3). It is up to the reader to decide which viewpoints to accept about Sapphira. These varying view s on Sapphira’s identity provide the reader with immediate evidence of the theme of multiple tr... ...it’s not as if [they] were dressing to petition the pope† (Naylor 230). Of course Cocoa’s perception of the situation was quite different: â€Å"I had to be perfect that evening† she says (Naylor 233). Both George and Cocoa feel as if the discrepancy was the fault of the other. Their attitudes regarding the situation that night are completely different. Mama Day is filled with situations in which the theme of multiplicity of perception arises. Various types of readers can interpret these situations in ways they feel are appropriate, just as different characters tend to have different perceptions of things based on their own values and ways of thinking. The important thing is that the reader does not forget that there is, in fact, more than one way to view these situations, and ignoring any one of them can take away from the worth of the book.

Substance Abuse :: Drug Addiction Essays

substance Abuse Substance abuse is just one of the problems facing the United States today. Even though it seems like a big problem, it actually first started in the 1800’s when the first drugs were smuggled. This only began the never ending path of illegal drugs flowing through the U.S. In the 1950’s, a therapeutic drug was introduced called Phencyclidine (PCP), later nicknamed angle dust. Doctors soon found that the drug caused hallucinogenic side effects. It was then pulled. The drug soon reappeared in the sixties and seventies. They were made by amateur chemists for an illegal drug trade. People began to smoke, inhale it, or inject it. Effects included confusion, lack of coordination, slurred speech, and blurred vision. Physical effects include: increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, drooling, fever, and muscle rigidity. An overdose can result in a coma, brain hemorrhage, and heart failure. It has been steadily declining in the U.S. Another type of drug is crack, which is a form of smokeable cocaine. This has become a serious health problem. The problem is that it’s low cost makes it more accessible to people. I is also more damaging both physically and psychologically than cocaine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the result, people were trying to get as many drugs as they could. Many soon progressed to smuggling the drugs in. The number of drugs to be smuggled into the U.S has been increasing. The first known drug smugglers were the Chinese in 1870. They began smuggling opium in merchant ship cargo and baggage. By the 1970’s drug smuggling became more of a problem for the coast guards and seizures were made while engaged in other operations. The coast guards, between 1997 to the present, had seized 540,476 pounds of cocaine, 270,060 pound of marijuana. The major high intensity drug trafficking areas are Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, New York City, and the US/Mexico border. Not only did people smuggle drugs over sea, but they would smuggle it over borders. Many thought of outrageous ways to hide the drugs. Women would sew them in their bras; drugs would be stashed under hats, in shoes, in socks, etc. Anywhere you could possibly think, people thought of it. They wer e addicted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cocaine, Heroin, Methamphetamine, and marijuana all cross into the U.C hidden among eighty-four million cars, two hundred and thirty two million people, and 2.8 million trucks estimated cross the 38 ports of entry spanning 200 miles.

Can Logging Help the Enviorment Essay -- Environment, Saving Forests

The Earths forest hold up to 90% of the terrestrial plants and animal species (Heaton 76). About 13 million hectares of the world’s forests are cut down each year (FAO 2005). Forests also hold 25% of modern medicines (World Rainforest Movement 28), while the United States is the largest wood consumer in the world; Heaton says that the US, per capita, consumes approximately 330 kg in wood based products compared to 233 kg in Germany who holds second place (WRI 2003). WWF has been trying for years to help with the world’s preservation of forests. WWF’s policy toward conservation of forests states â€Å"†¦[to] influence broader, long-term governmental policy - domestically and internationally - that supports our mission to conserve 19 of the world's most important natural places and significantly change global markets to protect the future of nature by 2015.† Being raised in logging community where logging is not just a livelihood for the citizens, but a major and necessary industry, I have been made very aware of the arguments for both sides. However, the media tends to be biased in favor of environmentalism. We have myriads of organizations that are formed just to prevent further damage to our environment and ecosystem. Over the past twenty years, multiple laws have been implemented to try and save forests across America as a result of petitions, protests, and people wanting to do well for the environment. I want to believe that by reducing logging and by expanding our national forests to save the ecosystem and animal habitats, the problem of depletion of forests would be solved, however, these hopes, that are the same hopes of environmentalist organizations, of banning logging are neither ideal nor logical. I would like to know if th... ...ry, and it’s incredibly difficult for the government to put a complete stop to the practice. The human race has used wood since the dawn of man. We are so dependent on this material that we have exhausted or resources to the point of certain plant and animal species are now on the verge of extinction or already nonexistent. But, there is hope for the forests around the world. Organizations, such as WWF, FSC, SFI have shown great results for saving natural resources, and in the cases of FSC and SFI they have reused and recycled many items without further harm to the planet. I think that with further study in biodiversity, we could create a huge impact for future generations to come that would prove to be quite useful. I think that if this research was to commence that there would be a greater understanding of our environment and how to handle and treat it better.

Healthsouth Fraud Essay

An obstacle to Aaron Beam’s moral behavior is when he moved some of the businesses start up costs as expenses and list them as capital investments, which inflates the company profit margins. Beam initially did this because of the pressure from Scrushy to make the company appear more profitable. Then the cycle continues. The way I understand the meaning of the â€Å"loyal agent’s argument† is that you do what you are instructed to do by your employer regardless. However, I do not believe Aaron Bean could or should have used the loyal agent’s argument to defend his actions. The only way possible would have been because his boss, Scrushy pressured him into â€Å"cooking the books† so to speak. Based on our text, Beam knew he was stretching the truth because he continued to believe that the investors had to have some kind of knowledge of what he was doing. According to my understanding of the 3 levels of Kohlberg’s moral development, I would place Beam in Level Two; Stage Three: Interpersonal Concordance Orientation, based on how he conforms to how Scrushy expects him to act. It is important for a person in this stage to feel well liked and I believe Beam needed that validation I found identifying a stage for Scrushy to be more difficult. Based on the information I would pick Level One: Stage Two: Instrumental and Relative Orientation primarily because Scrushy ultimately gets what he wants. He will use the system or manipulate people to fulfill his own needs.