Wednesday, October 30, 2019
International Marketing (Emaad) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
International Marketing (Emaad) - Essay Example McDonald’s has realigned its worldwide operations around its global strategy ‘Plan to Win.’ The retailer strives to continuously improve its business operations and thereby improve customer experience. McDonald’s realises that it exists because of its customers. It if for this reason that the foodservice chain’s aim is to provide quality, service, cleanliness and value (QSC&V) to every customer, every time. McDonald’s also ensures that it caters to the needs of all the stakeholders including the shareholders. McDonald’s, a publicly traded company, is a profitable business and provides superior returns to its owners. Its â€Å"three-legged stool† business model ensures that McDonald’s balances the interests of its operators, suppliers and employees. McDonald’s conducts its business in an ethical and responsible manner. The QSR also discharges its corporate social responsibility to make the world a better place to live in. The restaurant is well known for its hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, French fries, milkshakes, and desserts. In response to the changing times, McDonald’s has also included various salads, wraps, smoothies and fruit items in its menu. The Big Mac, Quarter Pounder and Chicken McNuggets are some of its immensely popular products. The company attempts to create a standardised set of items that taste the same across all its business locations. In some cases, the taste and ingredients are deliberately altered to suit local tastes. McDonald’s has adopted a multi-domestic strategy while pursuing its strategy of Internationalisation. 2.0 Rationale behind Internationalisation McDonald’s grew by leaps and bounds in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States. The company had thus made inroads in its home market and was looking at greener pastures oversees. The rationale behind internationalisation was to become a dominant worldwide player and increase its revenue. In 1967, McDonald’s opened its first oversees restaurants in Canada and Puerto Rico. As things stand today, McDoanld’s has business operations in 119 countries around the world (McDonald’s, 2013). The food chain has set three growth priorities; optimization of menu, modernisation of customer experience and increased accessibility to the brand. The last of these three growth priorities acts as a propeller for International expansion (DeTar, 2012). In 2012, the company added 1439 restaurants in its established markets like United States, France and Germany as well as its emerging markets like India, China and Russia. The ensuing discussion is on McDonald’s foray and expansion in India which is one of the most promising markets for McDonald’s. 3.0 Mode of Entry McDonald’s has been able to grow rapidly throughout the world due to its astute use of franchising. The importance of franchising in McDonald’s growth can b e gauged from the fact that more than 80 percent of its restaurants are franchisees. McDonald’s has extremely standardised procedures which makes it easier to train franchisees. Standardisation in business operations enables McDoanld’s to provide the same product, the same taste all over the world. McDonald's set foot on Indian soil by forging a 50-50 joint venture partnership between McDonald's Corporation (United States) and two Indian companies; Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd., and Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. It is noteworthy to mention that McDonald’
Monday, October 28, 2019
Private Security Essay Example for Free
Private Security Essay It seems that the criteria to be eligible for a private security officer post seems to be extensive that need several details of the applicant. Though the basic application requirements appear to be similar in both the book ‘Principles of Security and Crime Prevention’ and the Florida state instruction manual, the amount of information differs in relation to certain key points. Florida State’s requirements seem to be elaborative than that of the book.            Coming to the details, while the minimum age to be eligible for applying is 18 years in both the sources, it is further described as 18 for unarmed and 21 for armed private security officer (Collins, Ricks Meter, 2000, p. 104). Also, submission of address details is mentioned in the requirements of both the sources and it is further clarified in Florida’s manual as residence details of five years (Bronson, 2007). Moreover, the manual indicates that applicant should also furnish details of aliases, if any (Bronson, 2007). Employment details of 5years should be mentioned as per Florida State’s requirements, whereas it is 7 years in the book (Collins et al., 2000, p. 104).            The requirements regarding details of criminal history are almost similar in both the sources, which state that any kind of bad criminal record in the past 7-10 years may jeopardize the chances of the applicant (Bronson, 2007; Collins et al., 2000, p. 104). Moreover, Florida State’s requirements clearly mention a case of denial and a chance of denial of the application (Bronson, 2007). Criminal history related to disrespect towards country, government officials and/or involvement in dealings of controlled substances may result in rejection of the application. Also, Florida State requirements clearly state the need for applicants to submit all related documents in case of a previous conviction and that the verification of the applicant’s criminal record may take 1-3 months duration (Bronson, 2007).            The guidelines related to applicant’s mental fitness are explained more clearly in the Florida requirements. In Collins et al. book, the only point stated is the ineligibility of a person who is declared by the court as incompetent due to some mental disease (2000, p. 105). However, the state’s manual describes various points regarding the furnishing of details related to mental fitness by a candidate who has previously been diagnosed and/or treated for any mental illness and/or addiction (Bronson, 2007). The state manual requires the candidate to submit letters of reference if the candidate has alcohol or drug abuse and rehabilitation history; whereas Collin’s book simply states that the candidates have to undergo a pre-employment drug screen (Bronson, 2007; Collins et al., 2000, p. 104).            The Florida state’s criteria are very clear about training of the individual, making it mandatory to complete 40 hours of authorized training (Bronson, 2007). It has given the list of personalities who can be exempted from taking the training. Also, in the Collis et al. book, it is mentioned that a potential candidate for armed post should successfully complete a psychological fitness test (Collins et al., 2000, p. 105). While the state manual highlights the point of citizenship with related details, Collins book mentions about minimal desired education for the applicant (Bronson, 2007; Collins et al., 2000, p. 105). In this way, apart from common points, both the sources have mentioned various requirements and useful points. Florida’s manual even describes about conditions that permit exemptions from certain mandatory procedures. All in all, the Florida State’s manual is a comprehensive source with all instructions for an applicant and the Collins’ book is a useful aid to know basic requirements. References Bronson, C. H. (2007). Application Instructions for Class â€Å"D†Security Officer License and                                   Chapter 493, Florida Statutes. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services            Division of Licensing. Retrieved 15 Jan. 2008 from http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/            application_instructions/Security_D_ApplicationInstructions.pdf. Collins, P. A., Ricks, T. A., Van Meter C. W. (2000). Principles of Security and Crime            Prevention (Edi. 4, pp. 1045). Ohio: Anderson.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Rock :: essays research papers
Rock Later styles of heavy rock music in the 1990s, such as grunge (the typical example being Seattle's Nirvana), show influences of heavy metal but are typically not labelled sub-genres of heavy metal, as opposed to thrash metal and hair metal. The general absence of virtuosic guitar solos is perhaps one reason grunge bands haven't been considered heavy metal bands. Another key artist during this time was Megadeth, which combined the relentless, speedy thrash metal riffs with the fancy guitar soloing of speed metal ala Judas Priest. Norwegian Black Metal Since the late '80s, the Norwegian scene has been characterized by paganism, violence, and some of the best heavy metal ever recorded. The scene was largely influenced by a trio of non-Norwegian bands in the 80s - Venom, Celtic Frost, and Bathory. England's Venom is widely considered to be the first black metal band, and their campy satanic posturing was a huge influence on Europe's extreme metal scenes. Their second album, "Black Metal", gave the new genre its name. the band that had the most direct influence on Norway's extreme metal scene was a one-man studio project from Sweden called Bathory. Bathory's album "Under the Sign: The Sign of the Black Mark" pretty much defines the typical black metal sound - loud, fast, and poorly recorded. However, the Viking Trilogy, consisting of the albums "Blood, Fire, Death", "Hammerheart", and "The Twilight of the Gods", is what really kicked off the explosion of Scandinavian metal. The early 90s saw the Norwegian metal scene rise in prominence on the world stage as bands constantly tried to "out-evil" one another. Three main bands emerged - Mayhem, Burzum, and Emperor. (Especially Emperor, IMHO) Mayhem became the musical leader of the scene, while Varg Vikernes of Burzum became the centerpoint of the Black Metal "movement", for lack of a better word. Emperor, meanwhile, garnered the most critical acclaim. Varg (aka "Count Grishnakh") was responsible for starting a wave of church-burnings and grave desecrations and eventually murdered Mayhem guitarist Euronymous. Emperor has probably had the most lasting influence on the scene, as the sound that they created has been the blueprint for many bands such as Norwegian metal superstars Dimmu Borgir, as well as a large number of non-Norwegian bands. DIMMU BORGIR Dimmu Borgir is a melodic black metal band hailing from Norway. Shagrath, Silenoz and Tjodalv initiated the band in 1993. Shortly after, Brynjard Tristan joined to play bass, and Stian Aarstad joined for keyboard duties. Dimmu Borgir was born. They are a band which success is measured with such bands as Emperor, Kreator and Cradle of Filth.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
American poet Jack Kerouac Essay
American poet Jack Kerouac has been classified as the originator of the Beat Generation. He is known for his spontaneous confessional style, as well as his connection to Buddhism, Allen Ginsberg, and American self actualization. His rejection of mainstream 1950’s society is his trademark, and the core ideal behind the beat-nick culture he helped spawn. Jack Kerouac was born Jean-Louis Lebris de Kerouac, to French-Canadian parents, in Lowell, Massachusetts. Kerouac was raised fluent in French, and didn’t start learning English until he was six years old. While attending Boston College and Columbia University, he demonstrated extraordinary athletic ability in the game of football, until he broke his leg. After losing his football scholarship, Keroauc moved to New York. There he met the makeup of the group that would later be known as The Beat Generation poets. This group consisted of: John Clellon Holmes, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady, William S. Burroughs and Herbert Huncke. He left the company of these men to join the United States Navy in 1943, from which he was discharged during WWII, for the psychiatric measure of having an indifferent disposition. This is suspected by many to be the spark that inspired him to write his first work The Town and City, as well as On The Road. Many of Kerouac’s works were often rejected upon first submission to publishers. He was often overlooked, due to his experimental style, and socially conscious views. Not to forget, his excessive tendency towards drinking. This obsession with alcoholism is eventually the cause of his death in 1969, when he dies of internal hemorrhaging due to cirrhosis. Jack Kerouac has a very distinct and original style. Upon first evaluation of his style, his work might be deemed as cliche, or showy self loathing libation; but it must be remembered that, Kerouac was one of the first to adopt his free flowing form of poetry. He is also noted for connecting his poetry to the beat-nick poets. Kerouac is most commonly referred to as the King of the Beats and the Father of the Hippies. This is largely due with the fact that his poetry is most immediately inspired by Jazz music, specifically bebop by Thelonius Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charlie Parker. He compiled this Jazz influence with a love of Buddhist studies, specifically Gary Snyder. The name he dubbed his new found form is Spontaneous Prose. It is often compared to the literary technique known as stream of consciousness, which is often deemed as a literary mirror of a writer’s thought process. While writing, Kerouac took the first thought or line that came to his mind and went with it. This technique is most recognizable in his novels Visions of Cody, Big Sur, Visions of Gerard, On the Road, and The Subterraneans. The core concept this method revolved around is a breathing technique very similar to that of Jazz, or Buddhist meditation. It is most evidently represented by a dash mark in place of a period. The practice of improvising words based on implied or inherently inferred meanings was another aspect of Spontaneous Prose. . The core concept this method revolved around is a breathing technique very similar to that of Jazz, or Buddhist meditation. In his statement on Belief & Technique For Modern Prose, in his top five pieces of advice Kerouac says, 1. Scribble secret notebooks, and wild typewritten pages, for yr own joy 2. Submissive to everything, open, listening 3. Try never get drunk outside yr own house 4. Be in love with yr life 5. Something that you feel will find its own form (Kerouac) This is more the literary technique of an experimental thinker than actual literary scholar, or poet, during this era. Despite this, his style later becomes the format taught to most contemporary writers aspiring to be professional. Kerouac never really edited his poetry. In fact, the majority of his work was edited by fellow Beat Generation pioneer Donald Merriam Allen, who also served as an editor for Ginsberg. Acclaimed photographer Robert Frank made a short film personifying many Beat ideals called Pull My Daisy, in which Kerouac is scene reading his work in the films opening. The film itself is also based a play written by Kerouac. The Beat Generation is an uprising that formed mostly on some of America’s best-known college campuses in the mid to late 50’s. It influenced students in the early 60’s to seek hard hitting answers to some of the complex questions posed to their generation. Addressing ideas like the coexistence of wealth and poverty, along side with racial prejudice resulted in the beat-nicks forming what would be considered the American New Left. An example of this is the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS); which founded at the University of Michigan in 1960, it became one of the key organizations formed in reaction to Beat ideals. The core belief of this student body was that Americans should practice direct democracy as apposed to representative democracy. This stemmed largely from the strict nature of Universities during that time in which students felt they were just numbers in a system dictating their existence. These students were also known for being supporters of the Black Power movement. These groups are also historic for being the most visible resource for developing protests against the Vietnam War. This New Left was the child that the Beat Generation gave birth to, and its influence on American culture can be credited for many of the sociological changes in our society today. Jack Kerouac, along with the rest of the beat-nick poets, can be credited as well. They were the flame that sparked this generational chain reaction. In sum, when I read Kerouac’s work, I can’t help but notice that many ways his style has been adopted by American culture. The ideal of the creative minded young artist bathing in libation and pondering death and social inadequacies is the main image adopted by the majority of Rock n Roll groups today. The majority of these bands probably don’t even know of Jack Kerouac. I’m not saying he was the first poet, or artist, to get drunk and create; but, I do acknowledge the ability of his free will to inspire so many others around him to create the cause to social change. He is pioneer and a leader, because he is fallowed beyond the grave. Work Cited Anderson, James C. â€Å"Robert Frank. †Microsoft Encarta 2006 [CD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2005. â€Å"Jack Kerouac. †Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 30 Jan 2007, 22:03 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 2 Feb 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jack_Kerouac&oldid=104426491
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Sociological Concepts Helping Understand Obesity Health And Social Care Essay
This essay will look at sociological constructs and concerns that can assist in understanding why fleshiness is a public wellness job. I will get down by giving a definition of fleshiness, and so turn to the public wellness concerns of fleshiness in relation to sociological constructs such as socioeconomic position, ethnicity and stigma. I will do mention to fleshiness wellness inequalities throughout this essay. Relevant modern-day literature and policies will be used to back up my statements.BackgroundFleshiness is defined as inordinate fat accretion that may impair wellness universe Health Organisation ( WHO ) . Body mass index ( BMI ) is a step of weight-for-height that is normally used in sorting fleshiness in persons. It is defined as the weight in kgs divided by the square of the tallness in metres ( kg/m2 ) . BMI provides the most utile population-level step of fleshiness as it is the same for both sexes and for all ages of grownups ( Doak et al 2002 ) . In existent figures t he World Health Organization ( WHO ) defines â€Å" fleshy †as a BMI equal to or more than 25, and â€Å" fleshiness †as a BMI equal to or more than 30. These cut-off points supply a benchmark for single appraisal, but there is grounds that hazard of chronic disease in the populations ‘ additions increasingly from a BMI of 21. Ellaway et Al ( 2005 ) argues nevertheless that ( BMI ) should be considered as a unsmooth usher because it may non match to the same grade in different persons. In 2004, the mean organic structure mass index ( BMI ) of work forces and adult females in the United Kingdom was 27kg/mA? , which is outside the World Health Organisation recommended healthy scope of 18.5-25kg/m2 ( Lobstein & A ; Jackson-Leach 2007 ) . A greater proportion of work forces than adult females ( 42 % compared with 32 % ) in England were classified as corpulence in 2008 ( BMI 25 to less than 30kg/m2 ) . Thirty-nine per cent of grownups had a raised waist perimeter in 2008 compared to 23 % in 1993. Womans were more likely than work forces ( 44 % and 34 % severally ) to hold a raised waist perimeter ( over 88cm for adult females and over 102 centimeters for work forces ) ( Department of Health, 2008 ) . Several authorities paperss have emphasised the fact that fleshiness is a major public wellness job due to its association with serious chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure high degrees of fats in the blood that can take to contracting and obstructions of blood vass, which are all major hazard factors for cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular related mortality in England and Wales ( National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence ( NICE ) , 2006 ) . Over weight persons suffer from a figure of jobs, such as an increased wear and rupture on articulations and the psychological and societal troubles caused by altered organic structure image and stigma such as depression which in bend increases the wellness load of the National Health Service ( NHS ) Graham ( 2004 ) . The addition in Numberss of corpulent people means that the population is at a higher hazard of enduring from co-morbidities as a consequence of their weight addition. Many authors have made a nexus between people with high BMI and wellness for case, people with high BMI are likely to endure from high blood pressure and twice every bit likely to endure from type- two diabetes and fleshiness compared to people without high blood pressure, and half are insulin-resistant ( Lobstein & A ; Jackson-Leach 2007 ) . One can therefore infer that fleshiness is linked with increased mortality and contributes to a broad scope of conditions, including ischemic bosom disease, high blood pressure, shot, certain malignant neoplastic diseases, and gall vesica diseases. Hazard of disease grows with increasing BMI and is peculiarly marked at high BMI ( Ellaway et al 1997 ) . Consequently this is a public wellness concern because in economic footings, a lowering of the rates of CVD, malignant neoplastic disease and shots would ensue in important decreases in the sum spent on drugs and societal attention required to pull off these diseases and their effects ( Ellaway et al 1997 ) .Socioeconomic Status and ObesitySocioeconomic inequality in fleshiness is defined as differences in the prevalence of fleshiness between people of higher and lower socioeconomic position ( Mackenbach and Kunst 1994 ) . A big organic structure of grounds suggests that socioeconomic differences in fleshiness exist throughout the universe Sobal and Stunkard ( 1989 ) . These findings suggest that the addition in inequality in income late observed in many states including Bulgaria, Poland, Romania and the Russia may be associated with an addition in the load of fleshiness. Midtown Manhattan Study was one of the first to foreground socioeconomic differences in fleshiness ; it found that fleshiness was six times more prevailing among adult females of lower socioeconomic position than those of higher socioeconomic position ( Mackenbach and Kunst 1994 ) . James et Al ( 1997 ) found that people in high socioeconomic position in the United Kingdom, have a reduced hazard of fleshiness compared to those with low socioeconomic position. Socioeconomic position and fleshiness is a public wellness concern because among kids and grownups in high-income states such as the United Kingdom, lower instruction degree and socioeconomic position have been associated with different markers of hapless diet potentially associated with fleshiness, including lower ingestion of fresh fruit and veggies and higher consumption of sugar, fat and meat ( Northstone and Emmett 2005 ) . Mulvihill ( 2003 ) asserts that population groups ‘ dietetic picks of are frequently related to socioeconomic considerations. McKee and Raine ( 2005 ) suggest that major factors act uponing nutrient picks include affordability, handiness, handiness, attraction, rightness and practicality. This makes sense to me in that people of low socioeconomic position are likely to be corpulent because for them they can non ever afford to purchase fresh fruits veggies have gym rank as this is expensive. Some advocates have gone every bit far as stating that the hapl ess do non eat what they want, or what they know they should eat, but what they can afford ( Wardle and Griffith 2001 ) . One could deduce that the cost of nutrient is one barrier to following healthier diets, particularly among low-income families. Surveies have suggested that high energy nutrient which are normally nutritionally hapless because of high sums of added sugar and fat are comparatively cheaper cost than thin meat, fish, fresh veggies and fruit ( Doak et al 2002 ) . On the other side of the coin theoretically one can reason that it non merely diet and wellness and affordability of nutrient that makes people corpulent, for case for argument interest one could non afford to purchase healthy nutrient but can exert take up a activity to maintain themselves fit. The world nevertheless is that people low socioeconomic position are likely to be in low income employment where they are likely to work long hours in overtime and hold small clip with their households or for leisure activities ( Scambler 2008 ) This is consistent with McKee and Raine ( 2005 ) happening that persons from low socioeconomic position make personal other picks over diet, physical activity and other wellness advancing action, in pattern all actions happen in context disadvantaged persons face structural, societal, organizational, fiscal and other restraints in doing healthy picks. In add-on McLaren and Godley ( 2008 ) observed that work forces in sedentary occupations although one would presume that nature of these occupations that drives the larger mean organic structure size ( due to miss of occupation-based physical activity ) bing literature would bespeak that they are still more likely than their lower position opposite numbers to prosecute in physical activity in their leisure clip. Other sociological concerns sing socioeconomic position is whether they are any fluctuations in how persons with different socioeconomic position perceive fleshiness or corpulence. For case, analyses from the Office of National Statistics ( ONS ) ( 1999 ) study showed that many respondents with lower socioeconomic position tended to hold lower degrees of sensed corpulence, therefore persons monitor their weight less closely, were less likely to be seeking to lose weight and less often used restrictive dietetic patterns than those with higher socioeconomic position, after seting for sex, age and BMI. Wardle and Griffith ( 2001 ) found that, adult females populating in extremely flush vicinities were more likely to be dissatisfied with their weight than adult females from deprived vicinities. Womans, peculiarly those in deprived state of affairss, face structural, societal, organizational, fiscal and other restraints in doing healthy picks. Second poorer vicinities provide fewer chance constructions for wellness promoting activities than more flush countries ( Ellaway et al 1997 ) . These findings make it really hard for professional to make up one's mind how to aim wellness publicity activities. Ellaway et Al ( 1997 ) argues that people who low socioeconomic position focal point on the basic issues of endurance, whether these be fiscal including buying nutrient at all, allow entirely healthy beginnings or societal including combating the stigma of poorness and/or corpulence and all that is related to it. In my position this suggests that it may be plausible to reason that where person lives what socioeconomic position they have and how much they earn can act upon his or her chances to set about wellness promoting activities which in bend may act upon organic structure size and form. Public wellness policies which aim to cut down the proportion of fleshy people in the population should be targeted in disadvantaged local countries, and their installations and comf ortss, every bit good as at persons ( Ellaway et al 1997 ) .Fleshiness and ethnicityA great trade of confusion surrounds the significance of ethnicity and in some instances this term is still being Inter-changeable with race ( Scambler 2007 ) . Ethnicity nevertheless embodies one or more of the undermentioned, shared beginnings or societal background ; shared civilization and traditions that are typical, maintained between coevalss, and lead to a sense of individuality and group ; and a common linguistic communication or spiritual tradition ( Bhopal 2009 ) . There is besides repeated grounds of societal disparities in the prevalence of fleshiness and corpulence. Datas from national studies paint a consistent image where adult females, persons of lower socio-economic place and minority racial/ethnic groups have the highest rates of fleshiness and corpulence ( Bhopal 1998 ) . Linkss have been made why disparities exist in the prevalence of fleshiness particularly among deprived cultural minority groups. Henderson and Kelly ( 2005 ) suggest that these disparities exists because of inequalities in the society they argue that people with more cognition, money, power, prestigiousness and good societal connexions are better able to command weight addition, either through the ability to do healthy nutrient picks ( by holding greater consciousness of, entree to, and resources to buy healthy nutrients ) , or through greater chances for exercising, and safe drama. I agree with this, in my position there is legion grounds to demo that cultural group s are disadvantaged in term of income, socioeconomic position and employment, the point above suggest to me that cultural minorities are less likely to hold money prestigiousness and societal connects that ( Henderson and Kelly 2005 ) suggest will take down the hazard of fleshiness. This position is supported by Sniderman et Al ( 2007 ) who found no disparities in prevalence of fleshiness among cultural groups when he factored in accommodations of socioeconomic position and income. Black cultural groups have a significantly higher hazard of fleshiness than those in Mixed, Asian, Other and White cultural groups ( Ellaway et al 1997 ) . Children life in disadvantaged countries have a higher hazard of fleshiness than those populating in less disadvantaged countries. However, the increased hazard associated with want is greatest for White kids, whereas it seems to hold much less of an consequence for black kids. For Asiatic, Other, and Mixed cultural kids want increases the hazard of fleshiness, but non every bit much as for White kids ( Ellaway et al 1997 ) . In my sentiment nevertheless the measurement of BMI to find and compare fleshiness between assorted cultural groups remains really â€Å" sketchy †. For illustration Sniderman et Al ( 2007 ) asserts that in assorted subdivisions of the population, the BMI categorization is non by and large applicable. For case in when looking at kids, the aged and when comparing cultural groups. Seidell and Visscher ( 2000 ) found that there were some systematic fluctuations in normal BMI across cultural groups in some Asiatic populations a peculiar BMI equates to a higher per centum of organic structure fat than for the same BMI in a white European population. In these Asiatic populations, the hazards of type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease addition at a BMI below the standard cut-off value of 25 kg/m2. In other populations, such as black populations, the opposite is true and a peculiar BMI corresponds to a lower per centum of organic structure fat and accordingly lower hazards of morbidity and mortality than in a white European population. When comparing fleshiness in different cultural groups. Seidell and Visscher ( 2000 ) suggest that utilizing a more different definition such as waist to hip ratio instead than standard BMI.Fleshiness and StigmaPhysical aberrance has been conceptualised as a â€Å" stigma †by Goffman ( 1963 ) defines as any property that i s profoundly discrediting to an person. In add-on to what he calls the abominations of the organic structure or the physical malformations, he lists the â€Å" tribal stigmas of race, faith, and societal category, and what he calls the defects of single character, such as mental unwellness, dependence, alcohol addiction, and homosexualism ( DeJong, 1980 ) . Goffman ( 1963 ) argues that persons who possess a spoilt individuality as a consequence of their stigma, the effects can be terrible, irrespective of the peculiar nature of the stigma. Although a spot utmost people with stigmatised conditions are viewed as non rather human and are capable to favoritism and straight-out rejection or turning away ( DeJong, 1980 ) . As a consequence, the stigmatised learn to continually supervise their self-presentation and to consciously invent schemes of interaction. In malice of those attempts, nevertheless, a stigma can go on to irrupt itself into the interaction, and its owners may come to ex perience that their individuality is purely defined in footings of it ( DeJong, 1980 ) . On the other manus all the above authors fail to name fleshiness among the physical stigmata. There is a certain sarcasm in that fact, for some have argued that the corpulent are capable to a peculiarly terrible grade of ridicule, humiliation, and favoritism. I would reason that possibly Goffman ( 1963 ) and ( DeJong, 1980 ) did non include fleshiness as in that clip being corpulent held different stature in the society than it does now, for illustration wealth and physical nowadayss. Second I would deduce that research into the links of fleshiness and wellness were non widely publicised as they do now. Some Scambler ( 2008 ) takes a functionalists view that those who possess certain damaged conditions that result in stigma have acquired their pervert position through the committee of aberrant Acts of the Apostless. In this twenty-four hours and age fleshiness is seen by some as a damaged status, this usually consequences in thoughts that corpulent people are responsible for their status, in other words they have put themselves in that status. DeJong ( 1980 ) agrees with this impression that people that possess stigmatising conditions are about ever seen as holding duty for geting and commanding their pervert position. Wright ( 1960 ) contrasts this by emphasizing that persons with a physical stigma are non normally held personally responsible for their status. However in footings of fleshiness this works both ways the familial constituent that the stigmatised person has no control or duty no affair how much dieting and exercising he or she does, and the ego inflicted person who is seen to stuff themselves with fatty nutrients. Wright ( 1960 ) suggests that most physical properties of the organic structure are viewed as determined by familial and environmental forces beyond an person ‘s personal control. Quintessentially in the instance of fleshiness observations have often been noted to be highly negative toward the corpulent, this seems to originate from the belief that fleshiness is caused by ego indulgence, gluttony, or indolence. In short, the corpulent do look to be held personally responsible for their physical status ( DeJong, 1980 ) . Corpulent persons are normally blamed for their extra weight, are socially disliked, and are the marks of permeant negative stereotypes such as holding a deficiency of self-denial ( Puhl and Brownell 2001 ) . Corpulent people are extremely stigmatised and face different signifiers of favoritism and bias because of their weight ( Brownell et al 2005 ) . Stigma and fleshiness is a public wellness concern as Puhl and Brownell ( 2001 ) found that health-care professionals ( doctors, nurses, psychologists, and medical pupils ) possess negative attitudes toward corpulent people. They suggest that corpulent people are non merely stigmatised by the society but by the wellness professional that are meant to present aid to them. A survey of British health care professionals found that suppliers perceived fleshy people to hold reduced self-esteem, sexual attraction, and wellness. Healthcare professionals believed that physical inaction, gorging, nutrient dependence, and personality features were the most of import causes of corpulence ( Puhl and Brownell 2001 ) . Attitudes corpulent people amongst healthcare professionals is a major public wellness concern in that it sometimes influences how this group excess wellness given the fact that they are a high hazard population in footings of more prevalence to a figure of physical wellness issues. Puhl and Heuer ( 2009 ) found that corpulent patients who experience stigma in health-care scenes may detain or waive indispensable preventative attention. Mitchell et Al ( 2008 ) discovered in their survey that corpulent persons are less likely to undergo showings for chest, cervical, and colorectal malignant neoplastic disease for adult females with a BMI greater than 55 kg/m2, 68 % reported that they delayed seeking wellness attention because of their weight, and 83 % reported that their weight was a barrier to acquiring appropriate wellness attention. When asked about specific grounds for detaining attention, adult females reported disrespectful intervention and negative attitudes from wellness profes sionals, embarrassment about being weighed, having unasked advice to lose weight, and gowns, exam tabular arraies, and other equipment being excessively little to be functional. Removing the stigma-related barriers to having showings may assist to decrease the relationship between extra organic structure weight and mortalities ( Mitchell et al 2008 ) . Puhl and Heuer ( 2009 ) argues that and I am convinced by their position that disapproval by the society leaves fleshy and corpulent persons vulnerable to societal unfairness, unjust intervention, and impaired quality of life as a consequence of significant disadvantages and stigma. Crawley ( 2004 ) found in his survey that among females, a negative correlativity between organic structure weight and rewards. He argues the account is that fleshiness lowers rewards ; for illustration, by take downing productiveness or because of work placed favoritism, secondly is that low rewards cause fleshiness.DecisionWhere person lives what socioeconomic position they have and how much they earn can act upon the picks they make about their wellness. Cultural disparities in the prevalence of fleshiness still exist in the United Kingdom. Sociological constructs can help us in understanding how to cover with fleshiness given known nexus between hapless diets during gestation is a hazard factor for lo w birth weight, which in bend has been associated with abdominal fleshiness in maturity Crawley ( 2004 ) .
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Good-Bye Mr. Chips Essays
Good-Bye Mr. Chips Essays Good-Bye Mr. Chips Paper Good-Bye Mr. Chips Paper Title: Good-bye Mr. Chips Author: James Hilton Point of View: 1st person Setting in time and place: At Mrs. Wickett’s house across the street from the school Main Characters: Mr. Chips- Mr. Chips is the main character of the book. He has devoted his life to teaching children at Brookfield until he died. Katherine Bridges- A younger woman Mr. Chips meets while on vacation. She later marry’s Mr. Chips and soon dies afterwards. Plot Summary: This book is about a man named Mr. Chips. It opens up with him talking about how when â€Å"you are getting on in years†you start to get very sleepy. Mr. Chips is a school teacher. He has been teaching at the Brookfield school for many years. He has even taught generations of children and their families. He lives at Mrs. Wikett’s house just across the street from the school. His dream was to get a headship or senior mastership in a really first class school. But he then realized he didn’t have the qualifications for it. Mr. Chips always liked to have the boys from his school come over his house and have tea while getting to know them better. In the spring of 1896 he was forty-eight and went on vacation with his friend Rowden. : While on their vacation Rowden was suddenly called away on family business, so Mr. Chips was then left there alone. While climbing on Great Gable he saw a woman waving from a cliff that looked quite dangerous so he thought she was in trouble and attempted to go help her but instead he accidentally hurt himself. The woman wasn’t in danger she was just being friendly, so now she went to go help Mr. Chips instead. They began to know each other a bit better. Her name was Katherine Bridges; she was twenty-five, young enough to be Chips daughter. At first she thought of him as old quiet and serious. Then after a while her mind changed, and they both soon started to like each other and got married in London. She made him into a whole new person! He became more adventurous, popular, and gained sureness. Then on April fools, of 1898 Katherine died! Later on in the book we meet a guy named Ralston, he is the new head of the school. Ralston really doesn’t like Chips and keeps forcing him to resign. Chips does not want to resign and nobody else wants him to either so he stays. In 1911 Ralston left to better himself. During the year of 1913 Chips had bronchitis and was forced to resign since he already had missed almost the whole year of school. He has been there for forty-two years! Then a few years later, they want him back so he starts teaching there again! On November 11, 1918 Chips was in bed with bronchitis, as a result of this he had to resign again for the second time. Even though he never had any children, he felt as if all his students were his own. Over fifteen years later Chips died; â€Å"Brookfield will never forget his lovableness. †Conflict: The conflict of this story is about Mr. Chips and how he gets older and older throughout the book.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Free Essays on The Catcher In The Rye- Analysis
So what is Catcher in the Rye really about This book has been always in argument since it was banned in America after it's first publication. â€Å"John Lennon's killer, Mark Chapman, asked the former Beatle singer to sign a copy of the book earlier in the morning of the day that he killed John. Police found the book in his possession upon capturing the psychologically disturbed Chapman.†However, the book itself contains nothing that could lead Chapman to act as he did. I could have been any book that he was reading the day he decided to kill John Lennon, and as a result of the fact that it was The Catcher in the Rye, a book describing a nervous breakdown, media discussed widely about the possible connection between the two. This led the book to become more notorious than it has. So what is The Catcher in the Rye actually about? From all the views possible, the story of a young man's kicking out from another school ( he has been kicked out from other schools), The Catcher in the Rye is in fact a sensitive study of one individual's understanding of his human condition. Holden Caulfield, a teenager growing up in 1945s in New York, has been expelled school for poor achievement and losing school property on a train. In an attempt to deal with this and â€Å"run away from it all†he leaves school a few days before to the end of term, and goes to New York to â€Å"take a vacation†before returning to his parents' inevitable wrath. Told as a monologue, the book describes Holden's thoughts and activities over these few days, during which he describes a developing nervous breakdown, caused by his bouts of unexplained and sudden depression, impulsive spending and generally odd, erratic behavior, just before it happened. However, during his mental battle, life continues on around Holden as it always had, with the majority of people ignoring the craziness that is happening to him. Progressively through the novel we are challenged to... Free Essays on The Catcher In The Rye- Analysis Free Essays on The Catcher In The Rye- Analysis So what is Catcher in the Rye really about This book has been always in argument since it was banned in America after it's first publication. â€Å"John Lennon's killer, Mark Chapman, asked the former Beatle singer to sign a copy of the book earlier in the morning of the day that he killed John. Police found the book in his possession upon capturing the psychologically disturbed Chapman.†However, the book itself contains nothing that could lead Chapman to act as he did. I could have been any book that he was reading the day he decided to kill John Lennon, and as a result of the fact that it was The Catcher in the Rye, a book describing a nervous breakdown, media discussed widely about the possible connection between the two. This led the book to become more notorious than it has. So what is The Catcher in the Rye actually about? From all the views possible, the story of a young man's kicking out from another school ( he has been kicked out from other schools), The Catcher in the Rye is in fact a sensitive study of one individual's understanding of his human condition. Holden Caulfield, a teenager growing up in 1945s in New York, has been expelled school for poor achievement and losing school property on a train. In an attempt to deal with this and â€Å"run away from it all†he leaves school a few days before to the end of term, and goes to New York to â€Å"take a vacation†before returning to his parents' inevitable wrath. Told as a monologue, the book describes Holden's thoughts and activities over these few days, during which he describes a developing nervous breakdown, caused by his bouts of unexplained and sudden depression, impulsive spending and generally odd, erratic behavior, just before it happened. However, during his mental battle, life continues on around Holden as it always had, with the majority of people ignoring the craziness that is happening to him. Progressively through the novel we are challenged to...
Sunday, October 20, 2019
9 Extraordinary Traits of Successful People
9 Extraordinary Traits of Successful People Success can usually mean whatever you want it to mean. So to gain success, in one form or another, isn’t that hard to achieve. It’s being really successful that takes significant talent and gumption. And there’s no one way to get there. There are, however, certain traits of successful people that are more common than other traits. Chances are, if you have any of these 9 qualities, you will most likely be successful in life. 1. You’re generousYou’re not just happy when you succeed; you’re able to find happiness in the success of others, particularly those on your team. You understand about rising tides and how the team that works together and succeeds together has the best chance of making each member an individual success as well. That positive, generous attitude linking your personal success to others’ success is key.2. You’re always looking to learnYou’re easily bored, but instead of sitting around complaining, yo u constantly seek out new and novel experiences. If you can manage to channel this urge constructively and not devolve into reckless excess, then you can foster your curiosity and growth over the course of your whole life and career. If you can add persistence to your sense of adventure, imagine what you can accomplish. Bottom line: your impulses are good, as long as you can keep them in control.3. You don’t get too nerdy about work/life balanceYou’re not constantly trying to figure out how to ease up on work to make time for family. You define yourself by your family, your interests, your business- all of it. So you’re constantly keeping all of it bubbling on your stove. You don’t strive for work/life balance. You just live your life. Your life is your work, and vice versa.4. You’ve got empathySo many innovators and entrepreneurs succeed because they are able to solve a problem. The best problem solvers are those who can put themselves in othersâ €™ shoes. And the most successful people realize that the success of their team and employees is just as important as their personal gain.5. You’re always strivingYou’re not just proving yourself to the world; you’re proving yourself to yourself. And you won’t accept anything but your personal best. This is where your dedication and drive come from, and how you stay motivated to succeed.6. You’re willing to work harderAll over the world, there are people working harder than you are. Longer hours, higher output, you name it. If you really have a hunger to succeed, you’ll put in the time and energy necessary to do so- even if it means working more than the standard 40-hour week.7. You see money differentlyEvery raise and bonus isn’t just another thing you can buy in your eyes, it’s an opportunity (and a responsibility). The more money you make and accumulate, the greater care you take managing your resources. You give it back to your employees, the community, etc.- way before rewarding yourself. And the more you spread what you have around, the more will come back to you.8. You don’t toot your own hornEverybody these days thinks they are a special snowflake. You realize how much help and luck and privilege you’ve had to get you where you are- and what debts of gratitude you owe. You focus on this, rather than crowing about your accomplishments on social media. This humility and openness to asking for help and advice will only take you higher.9. You don’t sacrifice your dignityYour dignity, character, and integrity are more important to you than the success of the moment. After all, success is never guaranteed to last a lifetime, but who you are will. If you’re already certain of what you aren’t willing to sacrifice, you’ll be in good standing in your pursuit of success.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Sociology written assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Sociology written assignment - Essay Example People often said that Josie had a bad reputation. Personally, I found Josie to be a nice person. I was in many of her classes and would often have conversations. I thought she was an interesting and curious person. She never made fun of me and always seemed to generally be respectful. However, other people felt that she had a bad reputation. They didn't know her well, but that was their superficial impression. They heard rumours about her which often were not true. Her reputation, which spread quickly in the school, seemed to precede her wherever she want. She became a character that people would talk about even though they didn't actually know her in person. People who had never had a conversation felt that they knew everything about her. They felt they were in a position to judge her because there was a kind of story being told by everyone about her. In a sense her reputation made her a public commodity. It is clear from the research that bad reputations are created when people de viate from social norms. In Josie's case it was clear that a lot of her behaviour set her apart from the other students in the school. She experimented with alcohol before other students and had friends who were a fair amount older. She also took part in a number of disturbance, further marking her out from the social group.
Friday, October 18, 2019
International Studies 2007 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
International Studies 2007 - Essay Example As an avid practitioner of Zen, I have developed an appreciation for the influence that philosophy has on design. I find that the Eastern culture is the path into my future as I begin to incorporate green eco-design into our interior spaces. Japan is at the forefront of this discipline as they meld bamboo, rocks, and water into a harmonious living area. This offers more than just a chance encounter with nature. It makes the beholder an active participant with their surroundings and offers them the serenity of peace of mind. This seductiveness of the natural is also echoed in Japan's world-renowned gardens. My studies in Japan would give me the opportunity to view these landmarks and create new ways to bring the garden indoors. My interest in Feng Shui would naturally compliment the concept of space as a living environment. The blend of nature, Japanese gardens, and Feng Shui would offer a meditative atmosphere that would indeed be seductive. The lure of the opportunity to study in Japan does not overshadow my obligations to the program. I am infectiously dedicated to design and would bring with me the fresh ideas of New York and the West. I eagerly anticipate interacting and exchanging thoughts with the other participants.
Business Plan. Hotel le Bonheur Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Business Plan. Hotel le Bonheur - Essay Example Despite emerging strong on both economic times, liberality has posed several challenges on its policies. One incidence was in the 60s when the cause of disagreement was based on unmarried couples sharing a room, which was not allowed before the challenge. Another challenge that has been faced by Hotel le Bonheur is on payment issues. The Hotel has had customers failing to pay for accommodation while others literally sneaking out of the hotel in the night. Such challenges affected operation hence making the Hotel to collapse in the 80’s. (Cesim n.d). However, that was not the end of Hotel le Bonheur. In the 90’s, the hotel was given out to Ronald Bump, a successful real estate developer. Ronald’s investment in restoring the hotel was successful though he did not run it for long before the wife took over after divorce. Mrs. Bump, the new owner of the business, does not appreciate unprofessional practices hence the reason why there is need for a business plan. Having a plan will allow the management team to be aware of the hotel objectives hence facilitating a smooth running of the business as they encounter the challenge of expanding the business. The Hotel targets to grow its capacity by 120 percent through establishing new operations abroad to be able to accommodate more clients. The hotel will not only go back to the days when it was called Happiness Hotel but will be able to offer the happiness required by clients to be able to come back for more services. (Cesim n.d). Contents Objectives 4 Mission 4 Keys to Success 4 Hotel summary 4 Products and Services 5 Market Analysis Summary 5 Target Market segment strategy 5 Service business analysis 6 Competition and buying patterns 6 Strategy and Implementation Summary 7 Competitive edge 7 Marketing Strategy 8 Sales Strategy 8 Sales forecast 8 Milestones 9 Management Summary 9 Personnel Plan 9 Financial Plan 10 Projected profit and loss 10 References 11 Objectives Hotel le Bonheur has the following objectives in the first three years of operations: 1. Renovate and upgrade the rooms through installing latest interior designs. 2. Increase the capacity of the facility by 120% by the third year. 3. Get a facility manager as a permanent employee to run the logistics of the revived business. 4. Increase the sales returns by provide quality services that will earn referral business on top of the acquired businesses. 5. Venture into international market through channel sales. Mission Hotel le Bonheur will work to ensure clients satisfaction in the most conducive and friendly most environment. Keys to Success 1. Managing and surpassing customer expectation 2. Considering customer’s preferences despite opinions from experts 3. Running everything professionally for customer satisfaction 4. Protecting the client’s welfare at all times Hotel le Bonheur upholds all the keys and will always uphold them in every service they offer both locally and abroad. Hotel summary Hotel le Bonheur is still a local Hotel serving both leisure and business travelers (Casapart 2013). Established in the 20’s, the hotel has had both its good moments and worst moments. The worst moments of all was majorly due to poor operation procedures that made clients fail to pay for services hence making the Hotel to collapse in the 80s. Mrs. Bump, a former wife to Mr. Ronald Bump, bought it out in the 90 owns the Hotel. The Hotel specializes in accommodation and catering. It has a base of permanently employ ees and the rest are temporary. Hotel le Bonheur shares are traded at a small over the counter market price. The business is planning to venture into the international market as well as increase its market shares through the new management team. Products and Serv
Thursday, October 17, 2019
The guarantee of freedom of (and from) religion in America Assignment
The guarantee of freedom of (and from) religion in America - Assignment Example For example, the government is prohibited from enacting laws that aid any religion or establish an official state religion. All this is in a bid to achieve the separation of the state and church at both the state and national levels of government. In the Everson v. Board Education, the court provided a list of activities that violate the establishment and are prohibited by the First Amendment (National Paralegal College 1. They include: the setting up of a state church; the passing of laws which particularly aid one religion or aid religions generally; the forcing of or influencing of persons to attend or not attend church; the punishing of individuals for ascribing to particular beliefs or disbeliefs or for not attending or attending church; the levying of taxes to support religious activities or institutions and; the participation of government in religious organizations or participation in government by religious organizations. The Free Exercise clause is a provision that guarantees an individual the right to propagate or practice a religion without interference by government. Several activities violate the free exercise clause. First, if the purpose of any government action or state law is singling out religion for adverse treatment or hindering or discriminating against a particular religion, then it amounts to a violation of the free exercise clause. ... In Engel v. Vitale in 1962, the Supreme Court termed as unconstitutional a prayer recommended to be part of the public school curriculum in New York State. The Supreme Court struck the prayer down as unconstitutional. In Lemon v. Kurtzman in 1971, a three-pronged test known as the Lemon test was established to determine if a statute is in violation of the establishment clause. Students in public schools are not allowed to recite prayers. However, the practice of a legislature by the state to open its sessions with a nondenominational prayer that is recited by a chaplain has managed to withstand constitutional challenges. In Marsh v. Chambers in 1983, the Supreme Court made a ruling that such a practice was not in violation of the establishment clause (LII 3). In Edwards v. Aguillard in 1987, the Supreme Court struck down a Creationism Act in Louisiana that prevented the teaching of evolution in public schools. This issue still creates debate even today regarding creationism and evolu tion. Other key rulings include Lynch v. Donnelly, West Virginia State Board of Educatio v. Barnette, Wisconsin v. Yoder, and United States v. Lee. 3. What does Tocqueville observe with relevance to these matters? Tocqueville approaches the issue of religion in a pragmatic manner. Tocqueville observes that the American society has a scarce history of state-church alliance. Also, it has a constitutional guarantee against this alliance. Despite this, the American society is extremely open to religious practice’s favorable influences. In his observations, Tocqueville (1) notes that all Christian groups propound a similar morality which is based on loving God and loving their neighbors. This means that they all agree that man has duty to other men.
Political Documentaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Political Documentaries - Essay Example Both films reveal that media activism is a vital tool in the political world. Burma VJ (2008) is about the Saffron Revolution in Burma, while Tsar to Lenin (1937) shows the Russian revolution. By comparing these two documentaries about the Saffron and Russian revolution; it is evident that the revolutions altered the political dimensions of the affected nations. Additionally, the two documentaries are themed on revolution with authentic footage. However, Burma VJ (2008), attempts to bring about social changes with footage filmed by amateur video journalist while Tsar to Lenin (1937) attempts to work mere compilation of video records. This is an important observation vital in the analysis of the trends of the documentary films because nowadays advanced technology enables us to have accesses to information easily, thus such a video journal documentary as Burma VJ (2008) can force modern audiences to be witnesses to real political events. Tsar to Lenin (1937) presents the extraordinary 1917 revelation of the Russians from a mass uprising which defeated the Tsarist regime to the Bolshevik-led insurrection. This film portrays the Russians under the Tsarist dictatorship of Nicholas II; who believed in autocracy system of governance. Russia experienced industrialization quickly and it led to low paying jobs and high unemployment rates. This film shows the luxurious life of the ones who resided at the Imperial court, while the citizens (peasants and working class) of Russia suffered in ignorance and extreme poverty. Moreover, Russia was losing in the World War I and the populace blamed the Tsar for happenings. The economy of the country grew weak leading to shortages of food; resulting to hunger and death. The reigning Tsar lacked proper management skills with both politics and the military. The Tsarist regime was put under severe compression by the challenges and the difficulties of the world war. Since the war began, in adequacies
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
The guarantee of freedom of (and from) religion in America Assignment
The guarantee of freedom of (and from) religion in America - Assignment Example For example, the government is prohibited from enacting laws that aid any religion or establish an official state religion. All this is in a bid to achieve the separation of the state and church at both the state and national levels of government. In the Everson v. Board Education, the court provided a list of activities that violate the establishment and are prohibited by the First Amendment (National Paralegal College 1. They include: the setting up of a state church; the passing of laws which particularly aid one religion or aid religions generally; the forcing of or influencing of persons to attend or not attend church; the punishing of individuals for ascribing to particular beliefs or disbeliefs or for not attending or attending church; the levying of taxes to support religious activities or institutions and; the participation of government in religious organizations or participation in government by religious organizations. The Free Exercise clause is a provision that guarantees an individual the right to propagate or practice a religion without interference by government. Several activities violate the free exercise clause. First, if the purpose of any government action or state law is singling out religion for adverse treatment or hindering or discriminating against a particular religion, then it amounts to a violation of the free exercise clause. ... In Engel v. Vitale in 1962, the Supreme Court termed as unconstitutional a prayer recommended to be part of the public school curriculum in New York State. The Supreme Court struck the prayer down as unconstitutional. In Lemon v. Kurtzman in 1971, a three-pronged test known as the Lemon test was established to determine if a statute is in violation of the establishment clause. Students in public schools are not allowed to recite prayers. However, the practice of a legislature by the state to open its sessions with a nondenominational prayer that is recited by a chaplain has managed to withstand constitutional challenges. In Marsh v. Chambers in 1983, the Supreme Court made a ruling that such a practice was not in violation of the establishment clause (LII 3). In Edwards v. Aguillard in 1987, the Supreme Court struck down a Creationism Act in Louisiana that prevented the teaching of evolution in public schools. This issue still creates debate even today regarding creationism and evolu tion. Other key rulings include Lynch v. Donnelly, West Virginia State Board of Educatio v. Barnette, Wisconsin v. Yoder, and United States v. Lee. 3. What does Tocqueville observe with relevance to these matters? Tocqueville approaches the issue of religion in a pragmatic manner. Tocqueville observes that the American society has a scarce history of state-church alliance. Also, it has a constitutional guarantee against this alliance. Despite this, the American society is extremely open to religious practice’s favorable influences. In his observations, Tocqueville (1) notes that all Christian groups propound a similar morality which is based on loving God and loving their neighbors. This means that they all agree that man has duty to other men.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Start-up business support Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words
Start-up business support - Essay Example [2] POVERTY REDUCTION: Since poverty is the offspring of unemployment, the issue of poverty in many homes and communities will be dealt with to a reasonable level as to bring relief to such families, individuals and communities. [3] AREA OF PRIORITY: Apart from the individual or group business ideas, there are some important areas and business ideas we must give priority to ahead of others. these are the areas we believe will impact very positively in the lives of the people of this region. Major among these include, but not limited to: [i] AGRICULTURE: For a long time, this region has expected a programme of this nature to come into being to enable us bring up the matter of food production. food security is important in every community. this region is noted for being endowed with fertile lands, good rain full throughout the year. Other facilities that will aid agricultural activities are dams and river basins for irrigation during the off season of rains. The new government policy on agriculture and food security in the next couple of years us a good motivation to the people in this region to embrace mass production of various agricultural produce and agricultural derivatives. People and young graduates want to go into agricultural businesses, but the snag has been how to go about it. Under this sector, SUBS shall consider entrepreneurs whose business ideas correspond with agriculture and agriculture related projects. In view of this, we tend to give priority attention to the following projects if anyone or organization proposes or presents any of them to us for start-up and support: [1] Mass production of cassava and cassava end products [2] Mass production of wheat and wheat end products [3] Mass production of yam tubers and derivatives [4] Mass production of maize and by products [5] Mass production of rice grains and by products [6] Mass production of cowpea and by products [7] Mass production of groundnuts and by-products [8] Mass production of cotton and by-products [9] Mass production of fish [10] Mass production of poultry [11] Mass production of cattle and by-products There will also be consideration for such agriculture related businesses as production of fertilizer, fabrication and procurement of agricultural equipment and implements, cassava chips and starch, maize starch for the Pharmaceutical industry and other end users. From cassava there shall be extraction and production of ethanol for the industries that use them. This will also extend to the production of various types of gums and stickers. There will be corn, cassava and rice flours for the industries that require them for their products. Also production of vegetable oil, garri processing, textile milling, leather products from sheep, goats and cattle, then soap and detergent from palm fruits and kernels, Cocoa butter and palm kernel cake for export and local use. These shall be the priority areas that will be
Electoral College System Essay Example for Free
Electoral College System Essay The Electoral College system is a part of the United States Constitution. It has been present since the creation of the nation. There has never been a United States presidential election not determined by the Electoral College system (Kuroda 127). In the first presidential election of 1789 George Washington was awarded 69 electoral votes to win his first term as the first president of the fledgling nation. The idea of eliminating what is seen as an archaic and unwieldy form of election has been considered for years, but what most politicians have found is that it is never easy to amend the United States Constitution, particularly in favor of an unknown. People believe they have a system, that while cumbersome and antiquated, still functions as the founding fathers intended it to do. With some of the founding fathers of the opinion that the average citizen was not well enough informed to make a logical or wise decision as to who should succeed to the highest office in the land, it was thought to be imminently better for a Congress to elect the president. When that idea was defeated, the proponents settled for having a group of unbound electors be sent to the capital each four years, and there decide for the people. Writing in the Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton said: It was desirable that the sense of the people should operate in the choice of the person to whom so important a trust was to be confided. This end will be answered by committing the right of making it, not to any pre-established body, but to men chosen by the people for the special purpose, and at the particular conjuncture. (par. 2) And still today, while the electors are faithful to the point that an unfaithful elector is an aberration, the fact remains that electors have options and can, if they wish, simply deny the will of the people (Archives. gov 1). Besides the fact that the nation has had presidential winners who did not win a majority of the popular vote, which in essence denies the will of the people, this system is maintained (Abbott and Levine 21). There is a need for, at the very least, a major over-haul of the system, and possibly a totally new approach, allowing for the direct election of the president by the popular vote of the American people. The arguments in favor of the Electoral College are specious today, particularly in regard to the people being informed enough to make a decision, and for that reason, as well as numerous others, the Electoral College should be discarded in favor of a system which better expresses the will of We the People. The present system has its advocates, and they make some good points in favor of not scraping the Electoral College. They rightly point out that such an act would not only be difficult, requiring a Constitutional amendment, necessitating a two-thirds majority of both house of Congress to agree, but also three-fourths of all the states would also have to acquiesce on the matter. They point out that in the past there have only been 27 amendments to this blueprint of government so well written by the nation’s founders. They also point out that some amendments have proven to be national disasters, such as Amendment 18. This system, they argue, has served the nation for over near 220 years and it simply is not wise to exchange a system which works for an unknown, which could result in chaos or even massive civil disturbance. It offers, they argue, both parity and equity to the smaller states, which would have virtually no voice in a direct election system. Then comes the question of what system would be better. There are several ideas being floated occasionally as trial balloons. The Congressional District method has been proposed. It comes with its own problems, however, and fails to address some of the more troubling aspects of the Electoral College system. This system proposes that each Congressional District be given one vote and allotting the two Senatorial votes as a bonus for the winner of the statewide popular vote. Maine and Nebraska currently use this method. First, this system does not correct one of the perceived flaws of the current system, which is the extraordinarily disproportionate weight given the vote of citizens of less populous states. Under the present system Wyoming is given one electoral vote per 165,000 citizens, while Texas is given one electoral vote per 652,000 citizens. This makes the vote of a Wyoming citizen worth four times that of a Texas citizen. Secondly the Congressional District proposal does not take into account the self-serving gerrymandering which tends to carve up American votes as if in a feudal system, making incumbents virtually bullet-proof, so to speak, and guaranteeing a vote for the party in power when the district was drawn. Frequently Joe Six-pack will grumble and insist that the election should be decided in a winner-take-all popular vote. This system, usually put forth as a â€Å"Direct Vote with Plurality Rule†has its good points and its bad. It harkens back to the days of the Greek city-states, when the citizens of Athens would all gather to directly vote for their candidate. Under this system the Electoral College would be eliminated, which would require the above-mentioned amendment to the United States Constitution, which could take years to effect. Simplistically, this system would award the presidency to the candidate with the most popular votes, irrespective of whether he or she garners a majority. This system would not prevent the spoiler-effect from occurring when third-party candidates dilute the vote of one major party candidate, allowing the other to move ahead in the popular vote. And, in theory, a wide field of candidates could dilute the vote to such an extent that a winner could be declared although only winning a small plurality, should the field be large enough. With this concern, and the necessity to amend the Constitution, there are surely better alternatives.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Relationship Between Insomnia And Depression Psychology Essay
Relationship Between Insomnia And Depression Psychology Essay Nowadays, insomnia is the most widespread sleeping disorder of this century. Being one of the most common sleep disorders, insomnia can be defined as inability to maintain a good sleep hygiene. According to epidemiological studies, atleast one third of the general population suffer from sleep troubles and among this, the incidence rate of insomnia is around 6% to 10% (Daley et al. 2009). Insomnia can be viewed as either being a symptom or a syndrome; the term secondary effect or symptom can be applied in cases set off by psychiatric afflictions, diseases, intake of illicit drugs or excess of alcohol and even an aggregate of all these factors coupled with stress, anxiety or depression (Sivertsen et al. 2009). Insomnia can be evaluated using the Insomnia severity index (ISI) which based on the patients providing an assessment of the intensity of their symptoms (Bastien et al, 2001). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) which makes use of questionnaires is a practical way to assess the sleep quality along with the troubles causing it over a certain period of time (Backhaus 2002). Insomnia is regularly linked to psychiatric disturbances such as depression. Some researches show that depression is the factor that causes insomnia while others disagree by stating that in fact, insomniacs are more prone to develop depression (Isaac Greenwood 2011). Depression can be investigated using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). This literature review will be focused on defining the different types of insomnia and whether or not they are caused by depression. The flow of the bidirectional relationship between insomnia and depression will also be presented to determine which one of these two is a risk factor. Insomnia caused by depression Types of insomnia Primary Insomnia Primary insomnia (PI) is the repetitive inability to commence or uphold sleep and this excludes any natural or psychotic disturbances (Backhaus 2002). This has an impact on the quality of life of the patient causing distress and unfitness both socially and physically. Woods et al. 2008 reports that PI occurs in atleast 3% of the population in the western developed nations. According to a study conducted in the general population by Morin et al. (2006), people complaining of dissatisfaction in their sleep are more like to be developing insomnia symptoms compared to those have an appeasing and pleasant sleep. Some of the symptoms that might qualify a person as being insomniacs are: difficulty to fall asleep, have trouble in upholding sleep, waking up early in the morning or have a non-regenerative sleep; these symptoms can either appear individually or in combination with one another as shown in studies by Leger et al. (2010). PI does not occur due to any other particular health condit ions. It is independent of other factors. Secondary Insomnia As defined by the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), secondary insomnia can be linked to mental disturbances, trouble to sleep owing to a medical state or stimulation by a substance. Secondary insomnia is one which is related to another mental disturbance whereby one of the chief grievances is based on the inability of start or maintains a proper sleep and that the sleep even of it is initiated is not rejuvenating at all and this spans for over a period of atleast one month. It occurs in close collaboration with other psychiatric and medical conditions whereby clinical depression is one of the main concern, this state is considered as a causative agent for insomnia. Transient or Acute Insomnia Insomnia can be classifies as being transient or acute is the delay of sleep disturbance expand over a period of less than a few nights or not more than three to four weeks (Fetveit et al. 2008). This type of insomnia is more likely to occur in people who have no previous history of sleep disorders but who have been exposed to some distinctive cause such as caffeine intake, nicotine or any other medications. Chronic Insomnia Chronic insomnia can be interpreted in two different ways; either as a syndrome as a whole similar to PI or as being the consequence arising from a medical ailment such as secondary insomnia or mental imbalance such as major depression, anxiety or by overdose of drugs and alcohol (de Sainte Hilaire et al. 2005). In relation to Fetveit et al. (2008), primary insomnia caters for around 25% of all the cases of chronic insomnia. 2.2 The Mechanism of how Depression causes Insomnia Depression is a factor that triggers insomnia by causing imbalance or deficiency in terms of serotonin which is monoamine neurotransmitter. These particular serotonergic activies govern the sleep regulation. According to studies conducted in vivo by Joensuu et al. (2007), the availability of the serotonin transporter (SERT) changes at different stages of depression and this can be proved by using a technique known as SPECT (Single proton emission tomography). This decline in terms of SERT which is due to depression is mostly localised in the diencephalon in the mid part of the brain (Joensuu et al. 2007). This decline in terms of serotonin level negatively influences the sleep patterns since the serotonin is key constituent affecting both the sleep phases and mood (Buckley Schatzberg 2010). The hypersecretion of cortisol along with ACTH is an indicator of insomnia. Changes made to the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis along with the mode of action of the hormone that predict s the start of sleep triggers the onset of depression. The hormone melatonin keeps the circadian rhythm of the body constant. Some studies show that depression causes the level of melatonin to drop which in turn causes a domino effect on the serotonin level. In people with major depressive syndromes, the concentration of cortisol is much higher than that of melatonin (Buckley Schatzberg 2010) as shown in the graphs below which highlights the relationship between the level cortisol and melatonin. Fig. 2 shows the phase relationship between cortisol and melatonin for healthy control compared to the one suffering from mental disorder (Buckley Schatzberg 2010). Yet, there are still other numerous neurobiological mechanisms like the deficiency of the monoamine neurotransmitters, excessive activity in the HPA axis, the faulty action of the gene related to plasticity and circadian genes mutation that can give an explanation on the irregularity in terms of sleep patterns in depressive patients (Benca Peterson, 2008). This diagnosis of sleeping troubles using only polysomnography is not reliable and must be supported by functional imaging or EEG activity patterns to define the correlation between the behavioral and experimental observations (Benca Peterson 2008). The bidirectional flow of the relationship between insomnia and depression Depression causes insomnia In those people who suffer from MDD, one of their major grievances is insomnia. In the adult population, around 60% of them that fits the criteria defining MDD whine about insomnia and an average of 10% to 20% of the insomniacs show signs of MDD (Fava et al. 2006). Using multiple variances, the mean values mean response for two particular groups (insomniacs with or without symptoms of depression) responses pertaining t to BDI-II were analyzed. From the total score derived from the BDI-II, it was seen that depressed plus insomniac participants attained much higher grades on the total score scale in contrast to those with solely insomnia. A feature that highlights depression is the shift in the sleep pattern that leading to insomnia and other disturbances. Among 90% of the depressive patients are insomniacs as well according to a study by Fava et al. (2006), this clearly emphasize on the co-existence of depression and insomnia. Insomnia triggers depression Though not the only one, insomnia is regarded as being the main factor that has an impact on depression. Studies conducted by Pigeon et al. (2008), patients with insomnia are more likely to become depressed and remain so. From the cohort study obtained from health surveys of the HUNT-2 by Neckelmann et al. (2007), the relationship between insomnia and depression is simply based on their resemblance to one another. This defines insomnia as a state marker for depression. As established by Taylor et al. (2005) with BDI and sleep diaries to support the research, the probability of insomniacs developing depression was 9.82 times more than people without insomnia as presented by the table 1. Further, this same study states that the depression score for patients with combined insomnia is much higher compared to other studies. Table 1. Prevalence Rates expressed using the Beck Depression Inventory Score to relate insomnia and depression (Taylor et al. 2005). From the direct analysis of figure 3 below that 4 out of the 5 different depression statuses prevail from persistent insomnia while more than 50% of the sample did not remit or have an improvement from the condition (Pigeon et al. 2008). This proves that insomnia (persistent or intermediate) does have a significant impact on the number of people with improved condition. All these facts boil down to the fact that insomnia is certainly a major risk factor for depression. Fig. 3 highlights the relationship of insomnia and how it is a risk factor for depression (Pigeon et al. 2008) Discussion Different types of insomnia react differently when exposed to other factors such as MDD for example it does not in any way cause primary insomnia however in cases of secondary insomnia, it is considered as being the most crucial factors based on studies related to DSM. This study did not really determine whether a correlation exists between insomnia and depression since they have common symptoms, yet the use of BD1-II did perceive the symptoms of depression in insomniacs. The PSQI has a high sensitivity and specificity for insomnia patients in comparison to healthy controls, thus underscoring that it is a good measure for differentiating between good sleepers and patients suffering from sleep disturbances. Our data suggest, however, that the cut-off score should be set to 6 in order to maximize specificity while only modestly reducing sensitivity. In sum, the PSQI proved to be a valuable adjunct to clinical work on insomnia and is a useful first-line, easy-to-handle, and time-efficient questionnaire to evaluate sleep disturbances. Conclusion
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Arguments for the Existence for God Essay -- Argumentative Religion Pe
1. The Cosmological Argument for the existence of God is based on the principle of cause and effect. What this basically means is that the universe was the effect of a cause, which was God. One of the oldest and most well known advocates of the Cosmological Argument was Thomas Aquinas who outlines his argument for the existence of God in his article entitled The Five Ways. The first way in his argument is deals with motion. Aquinas says that in order for something to be in motion something had to move it because it is impossible for something to move without the presence of some sort of outside force upon it. Therefore the world around us, nature, and our very existence could not have been put into motion without the influence of the â€Å"unmoved mover†, as it is called in the book, who we know to be God. Aquinas’ second way to prove that God exists is by stating that nothing can be the cause of itself. For example, I am not the cause of myself. I would not be in existence today if it were not for my parents having a baby and naming it Chris. This is true for everything around us: trees, buildings, cars, planes, etc, none of these can be the cause of themselves. They all must be created or manufactured from seeds, humans, and machines in order for them to exist as they do today. The next way comes from possibility and necessity. First is possibility which means that it is possible for everything in the world to at some point in time not exist, thus meaning that there was a time when nothing existed and since something cannot come from nothing it is necessary for something to have always existed. However as Aquinas previously stated this necessary being cannot be the cause of itself plus there cannot be a time at which it did not exist therefore this being must have always existed and be God. In his fourth way Aquinas bases the existence of God on the gradation of things such as things being the greatest or the smallest, the hottest or the coldest. Aquinas says that there must be a cause of this and it is God. The last way that Aquinas proves God comes from the governance of the world. Aquinas says that things in the world lack knowledge and yet they still work their way towards an end, but he says that it is impossible for something to lack knowledge and work its way to an end. Due to this fact Aquinas determines that there must be some intelli... ...that logic to explain God to him he would laugh in his face. Although these arguments may prove their point in a construed way there are some who believe the Ontological Argument to be impossible, one of these being Kant. Kant believes that the argument fails right off the bat by basing everything on the idea that God does exist. Kant believes that it is wrong to assume that God has all of these magnificent characteristics that Anselm believes Him to have. Kant questions how Anselm proves this. My view of these arguments and the Ontological argument as a whole is that it is a weak argument. If I had to choose sides between Anselm or Gaunilo and Kant I think I would choose Gaunilo and Kant because they do a better job of arguing their point. If I were questioning the existence of God and had Anselm’s argument to read and then Kant’s to read I would probably end up ton believing that God existed. One reason being that you cannot understand Anselm’s argument and two he does not prove anything but the fact that God is a supreme being than which no greater can be conceived. It is because of this why I believe the Ontological argument to be a bad way to prove God to anyone.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Blood Promise Chapter Thirteen
The next day was Easter. Everyone was up and around, getting ready to go to church. The whole house smelled delicious, filled with the scents of Olena's baking. My stomach rumbled, and I wondered if I could wait until this afternoon for the huge dinner she'd prepared. Even though I wasn't always sure about God, I'd gone to church a lot in my life. Mostly, it was a courtesy to others, a way of being polite and social. Dimitri had gone because he found peace there, and I wondered if going today might offer me some insight on what I should do. I felt a little shabby accompanying the others. They'd dressed up, but I didn't have anything other than jeans and casual shirts. Viktoria, noticing my dismay, lent me a lacy white blouse that was a little tight but still looked good. Once I was settled with the family into a pew, I looked around, wondering how Dimitri could have taken solace in the Academy's tiny chapel when he'd grown up with this place. It was huge. It could have held four chapels. The ceilings were higher and more elaborate, and gold decorations and icons of saints seemed to cover every surface. It was overwhelming, dazzling to the eye. Sweet incense hung heavy in the air, so much so that I could actually see the smoke. There were a lot of people there, human and dhampir, and I was surprised to even spot some Moroi. Apparently, the Moroi visiting town were pious enough to come to church, despite whatever sordid activities they might be engaging in. And speaking of Moroi†¦ â€Å"Abe isn't here,†I said to Viktoria, glancing around. She was on my left; Olena sat on my right. While he hadn't struck me as the religious type, I'd kind of expected him to follow me here. I hoped that maybe his absence meant he'd left Baia. I was still unnerved by our last encounter. â€Å"Did he leave town?†â€Å"I think he's Muslim,†Viktoria explained. â€Å"But last I knew, he's still around. Karolina saw him this morning.†Damn Zmey. He hadn't left. What was it he'd said? A good friend or a bad enemy. When I said nothing, Viktoria gave me a concerned look. â€Å"He's never really done anything bad when he's around. He usually has meetings and then disappears. I meant it before when I said I didn't think he'd hurt you, but now you're worrying me. Are you in some kind of trouble?†Excellent question. â€Å"I don't know. He just seems interested in me, that's all. I can't figure out why.†Her frown deepened. â€Å"We won't let anything happen to you,†she said fiercely. I smiled, both at her concern and because of her resemblance to Dimitri in that moment. â€Å"Thanks. There are some people back home who might be looking for me, and I think that Abe is just†¦ checking up on me.†That was a nice way of describing someone who was either going to drag me back to the U.S. kicking and screaming-or just make me vanish for good. Viktoria seemed to sense I was softening the truth. â€Å"Well, I mean it. I won't let him hurt you.†The service started, cutting off our conversation. While the priest's chanting was beautiful, it meant even less to me than church services usually did. It was all in Russian, like at the funeral, and no one was going to bother translating it for me today. It didn't matter. Still taking in the beauty of my surroundings, I found my mind wandering. To the left of the altar, a golden-haired angel looked at me from a four-foot-tall icon. An unexpected memory came to me. Dimitri had once gotten permission for me to accompany him on a quick weekend trip to Idaho to meet with some other guardians. Idaho wasn't any place I was keen on going, but I welcomed the time with him, and he'd convinced school officials that it was a â€Å"learning experience.†That had been shortly after Mason's death, and after the shock wave that tragedy had sent through the school, I think they would have allowed me anything, to be honest. Unfortunately, there was little that was leisurely or romantic about the trip. Dimitri had a job to do, and he had to do it quickly. So we made the best time we could, stopping only when absolutely necessary. Considering our last road trip had involved us stumbling onto a Moroi massacre, this one being uneventful was probably for the best. As usual, he wouldn't let me drive, despite my claims that I could get us there in half the time. Or maybe that was why he wouldn't let me drive. We stopped at one point to get gas and scrounge some food from the station's store. We were up in the mountains somewhere, in a tiny town that rivaled St. Vladimir's for remote location. I could see mountains on clear days at school, but it was a totally different experience being in them. They surrounded us and were so close it seemed like you could just jump over and land on one. Dimitri was finishing up with the car. Holding my sub sandwich, I walked around to the back of the gas station to get a better view. Whatever civilization the gas station offered disappeared as soon as I cleared it. Endless snowy pines stretched out before me, and all was still and quiet, save for the distant sound of the highway behind me. My heart ached over what had happened to Mason, and I was still having nightmares about the Strigoi who'd held us captive. That pain was a long way from disappearing, but something about this peaceful setting soothed me for a moment. Looking down at the unbroken, foot-high snow, a crazy thought suddenly came to me. I let myself go, falling back-first to the ground. The thick snow embraced me, and I rested there a moment, taking comfort in lying down. Then I moved my legs and arms back and forth, carving out new hollows in the snow. When I finished, I didn't get up right away. I simply continued lounging, staring up at the blue, blue sky. â€Å"What,†asked Dimitri, â€Å"are you doing? Aside from getting your sandwich cold.†His shadow fell over me, and I looked up at his tall form. In spite of the cold, the sun was out, and its rays backlit his hair. He could have been an angel himself, I thought. â€Å"I'm making a snow angel,†I replied. â€Å"Don't you know what that is?†â€Å"Yes, I know. But why? You must be freezing.†I had on a heavy winter coat, hat, gloves, and all the other requisite cold-weather accessories. He was right about the sandwich. â€Å"Not so much, actually. My face is a little, I guess.†He shook his head and gave me a wry smile. â€Å"You'll be cold when you're in the car and all that snow starts melting.†â€Å"I think you're more worried about the car than about me.†He laughed. â€Å"I'm more worried about you getting hypothermia.†â€Å"In this? This is nothing.†I patted the ground beside me. â€Å"Come on. You make one too, and then we can go.†He continued looking down at me. â€Å"So I can freeze too?†â€Å"So you can have fun. So you can leave your mark on Idaho. Besides, it shouldn't bother you at all, right? Don't you have some sort of super cold resistance from Siberia?†He sighed, a smile still on his lips. It was enough to warm me even in this weather. â€Å"There you go again, convinced Siberia is like Antarctica. I'm from the southern part. The weather's almost the same as here.†â€Å"You're making excuses,†I told him. â€Å"Unless you want to drag me back to the car, you're going to have to make an angel too.†Dimitri studied me for several heavy moments, and I thought he might actually haul me away. His face was still light and open, though, and his expression was filled with a fondness that made my heart race. Then, without warning, he flopped into the snow beside me, lying there quietly. â€Å"Okay,†I said when he did nothing more. â€Å"Now you have to move your arms and legs.†â€Å"I know how to make a snow angel.†â€Å"Then do it! Otherwise, you're more like a chalk outline at a police crime scene.†He laughed again, and the sound was rich and warm in the still air. Finally, after a little more coaxing on my part, he moved his arms and legs too, making an angel of his own. When he finished, I expected him to jump up and demand we get back on the road, but instead, he stayed there too, watching the sky and the mountains. â€Å"Pretty, huh?†I asked. My breath made frosty clouds in the air. â€Å"I guess in some ways, it's not that different from the ski resort's view†¦ but I don't know. I feel different about it all today.†â€Å"Life's like that,†he said. â€Å"As we grow and change, sometimes things we've experienced before take on new meaning. It'll happen for the rest of your life.†I started to tease him about his tendency to always deliver these profound life lessons, but it occurred to me then that he was right. When I'd first begun falling for Dimitri, the feelings had been all-consuming. I'd never felt anything like it before. I'd been convinced there was no possible way I could love him more. But now, after what I'd witnessed with Mason and the Strigoi, things were different. I did love Dimitri more intensely. I loved him in a different way, in a deeper way. Something about seeing how fragile life was made me appreciate him more. It had made me realize how much he meant to me and how sad I'd be if I ever lost him. â€Å"You think it'd be nice to have a cabin up there?†I asked, pointing to a nearby peak. â€Å"Out in the woods where no one could find you?†â€Å"I would think it was nice. I think you'd be bored.†I tried to imagine being stuck in the wilderness with him. Small room, fireplace, bed†¦ I didn't think it'd be that boring. â€Å"It wouldn't be so bad if we had cable. And Internet.†And body heat. â€Å"Oh, Rose.†He didn't laugh, but I could tell he was smiling again. â€Å"I don't think you'd ever be happy someplace quiet. You always need something to do.†â€Å"Are you saying I have a short attention span?†â€Å"Not at all. I'm saying there's a fire in you that drives everything you do, that makes you need to better the world and those you love. To stand up for those you can't. It's one of the wonderful things about you.†â€Å"Only one, huh?†I spoke lightly, but his words had thrilled me. He'd meant what he said about thinking those were wonderful traits, and feeling his pride in me meant more than anything just then. â€Å"One of many,†he said. He sat up and looked down at me. â€Å"So, no peaceful cabin for you. Not until you're an old, old woman.†â€Å"What, like forty?†He shook his head in exasperation and stood up, not gracing my joke with a response. Still, he regarded me with the same affection I'd heard in his voice. There was admiration too, and I thought I could never be unhappy as long as Dimitri thought I was wonderful and beautiful. Leaning down, he extended his hand. â€Å"Time to go.†I took it, letting him help pull me up. Once standing, we held hands for a heartbeat longer than necessary. Then we let go and surveyed our work. Two perfect snow angels-one much, much taller than the other. Careful to step inside each outline, I leaned down and hacked out a horizontal line above each head. â€Å"What's that?†he asked, when I stood beside him again. â€Å"Halos,†I said with a grin. â€Å"For heavenly creatures like us.†â€Å"That might be a stretch.†We studied our angels for a few moments more, looking at where we had lain side by side in that sweet, quiet moment. I wished what I'd said was true, that we had truly left our mark on the mountain. But I knew that after the next snowfall, our angels would disappear into the whiteness and be nothing more than a memory. Dimitri touched my arm gently, and without another word, we turned around and headed back to the car. Compared to that memory of him and the way he'd looked at me out there on the mountain, I thought the angel looking back at me in church seemed pale and boring in comparison. No offense to her. The congregation was filing back to their seats after taking bread and wine. I'd stayed seated for that, but I did understand a few of the priest's words. Life. Death. Destroy. Eternal. I knew enough about all this to string together the meaning. I would have bet good money â€Å"resurrection†was in there too. I sighed, wishing it were truly that easy to vanquish death and bring back those we loved. Church ended, and I left with the Belikovs, feeling melancholy. As people passed each other near the entrance, I saw some eggs being exchanged. Viktoria had explained that it was a big tradition around here. A few people I didn't know gave some to me, and I felt a little bad that I had nothing to give in return. I also wondered how I was going to eat them all. They were decorated in various ways. Some were simply colored; others were elaborately designed. Everyone seemed chatty after church, and we all stood around outside it. Friends and family hugged and caught up on gossip. I stood near Viktoria, smiling and trying to follow the conversation that often took place in both English and Russian. â€Å"Viktoria!†We turned and saw Nikolai striding toward us. He gave us-by which I mean, he gave her-a brilliant smile. He'd dressed up for the holiday and looked amazing in a sage shirt and dark green tie. I eyed Viktoria, wondering if it had any effect on her. Nope. Her smile was polite, genuinely happy to see him, but there was nothing romantic there. Again, I wondered about her mystery â€Å"friend.†He had a couple of guys with him whom I'd met before. They greeted me too. Like the Belikovs, they seemed to think I was a permanent fixture around here. â€Å"Are you still going to Marina's party?†asked Nikolai. I'd nearly forgotten. That was the party he'd invited us to the first day I'd met him. Viktoria had accepted then, but to my surprise, she now shook her head. â€Å"We can't. We have family plans.†That was news to me. There was a possibility something had come up that I didn't know about yet, but I doubted it. I had a feeling she was lying, and being a loyal friend, I said nothing to contradict her. It was hard watching Nikolai's face fall, though. â€Å"Really? We're going to miss you.†She shrugged. â€Å"We'll all see each other at school.†He didn't seem pacified by that. â€Å"Yeah, but-â€Å" Nikolai's eyes suddenly lifted from her face and focused on something behind us. He frowned. Viktoria and I both glanced back, and I felt her mood shift too. Three guys were strolling toward my group. They were dhampirs as well. I didn't notice anything unusual about them-smirks aside-but other dhampirs and Moroi gathered outside the church took on expressions similar to those of my companions. Troubled. Worried. Uncomfortable. The three guys came to a stop by us, pushing their way into our circle. â€Å"I thought you might be here, Kolya,†said one. He spoke in perfect English, and it took me a moment to realize he was talking to Nikolai. I would never understand Russian nicknames. â€Å"I didn't know you were back,†replied Nikolai stiffly. Studying the two of them, I could see a distinct resemblance. They had the same bronze hair and lean build. Brothers, apparently. Nikolai's brother's gaze fell on me. He brightened. â€Å"And you must be the unpromised American girl.†It didn't surprise me that he knew who I was. After the memorial, most of the local dhampirs had left telling tales about the American girl who had fought battles against Strigoi but carried neither a promise mark nor a graduation mark. â€Å"I'm Rose,†I said. I didn't know what was up with these guys, but I certainly wasn't going to show any fear in front of them. The guy seemed to appreciate my confidence and shook my hand. â€Å"I'm Denis.†He gestured to his friends. â€Å"Artur and Lev.†â€Å"When did you come to town?†asked Nikolai, still not looking happy about this reunion. â€Å"Just this morning.†Denis turned to Viktoria. â€Å"I heard about your brother. I'm sorry.†Viktoria's expression was hard, but she nodded politely. â€Å"Thank you.†â€Å"Is it true he fell defending Moroi?†I didn't like the sneer in Denis's voice, but it was Karolina who voiced my angry thoughts. I hadn't noticed her approaching our group. She didn't look happy to see Denis at all. â€Å"He fell fighting Strigoi. He died a hero.†Denis shrugged, unaffected by the angry tone of her voice. â€Å"Still makes him dead. I'm sure the Moroi will sing his name for years to come.†â€Å"They will,†I replied. â€Å"He saved a whole group of them. And dhampirs too.†Denis's gaze fell back on me, his eyes thoughtful as he studied my face for a few seconds. â€Å"I heard you were there too. That both of you were sent into an impossible battle.†â€Å"It wasn't impossible. We won.†â€Å"Would Dimitri say that if he were alive?†Karolina crossed her arms over her chest. â€Å"If you're only here to start something, then you should leave. This is a church.†It was funny. Upon meeting her, I'd thought she seemed so gentle and kind, just an ordinary young mother working to support her family. But in this moment, she seemed more like Dimitri than ever. I could see that same strength within her, that fierceness that drove her to protect loved ones and stand up to her enemies. Not that these guys were her enemies, exactly. I honestly didn't yet understand who they were. â€Å"We're just talking,†said Denis. â€Å"I just want to understand what happened to your brother. Believe me, I think his death was a tragedy.†â€Å"He wouldn't have regretted it,†I told them. â€Å"He died fighting for what he believed in.†â€Å"Defending others who took him for granted.†â€Å"That's not true.†â€Å"Oh?†Denis gave me a lopsided smile. â€Å"Then why don't you work for the guardians? You've killed Strigoi but have no promise mark. Not even a graduation mark, I heard. Why aren't you out there throwing yourself in front of Moroi?†â€Å"Denis,†said Nikolai uneasily, â€Å"please just leave.†â€Å"I'm not talking to you, Kolya.†Denis's eyes were still on me. â€Å"I'm just trying to figure Rose out. She kills Strigoi but doesn't work for the guardians. She's clearly not like the rest of you soft people in this town. Maybe she's more like us.†â€Å"She's nothing like you,†Viktoria snapped back. I got it then, and a chill ran down my spine. These were the kind of dhampirs that Mark had been talking about. The true unpromised ones. The vigilantes who sought out Strigoi on their own, the ones who neither settled down nor answered to any guardians. They shouldn't have unnerved me, not really. In some ways, Denis was right. In the simplest terms, I really was like them. And yet†¦ there was an air about these guys that just rubbed me the wrong way. â€Å"Then why are you in Russia?†asked one of Denis's friends. I already couldn't remember his name. â€Å"This is a long trip for you. You wouldn't have come here without a good reason.†Viktoria was picking up her sister's anger. â€Å"She came to tell us about Dimka.†Denis eyed me. â€Å"I think she's here to hunt Strigoi. There are more in Russia to choose from than there are in the States.†â€Å"She wouldn't be in Baia if she was hunting Strigoi, you idiot,†returned Viktoria evenly. â€Å"She'd be in Vladivostok or Novosibirsk or somewhere like that.†Novosibirsk. The name was familiar. But where had I heard it? A moment later, the answer came to me. Sydney had mentioned it. Novosibirsk was the largest city in Siberia. Denis continued. â€Å"Maybe she's just passing through. Maybe she'll want to join us when we go to Novosibirsk tomorrow.†â€Å"For God's sake,†I exclaimed. â€Å"I'm right here. Stop talking about me like I'm not. And why would I want to go with you?†Denis's eyes gleamed with an intense, feverish light. â€Å"Good hunting there. Lots of Strigoi. Come with us, and you can help us go after them.†â€Å"And how many of you will come back from this?†Karolina asked in a hard voice. â€Å"Where's Timosha? Where's Vasiliy? Your hunting party keeps getting smaller each time you return here. Which one of you will be next? Whose family will be the next to mourn?†â€Å"Easy for you to talk,†retorted the friend. Lev, I think his name was. â€Å"You stay here and do nothing while we go out and keep you safe.†Karolina gave him a disgusted look, and I recalled how she was dating a guardian. â€Å"You go out and rush into situations without thinking. If you want to keep us safe, then stay here and defend your families when they need it. If you want to go after Strigoi, go join the guardians and work with those who have some sense.†â€Å"The guardians don't hunt Strigoi!†cried Denis. â€Å"They sit and wait and cower before the Moroi.†The unfortunate part was, he had a point. But not entirely. â€Å"That's changing,†I said. â€Å"There's a movement to start taking the offensive against the Strigoi. There's also talk of the Moroi learning to fight with us. You could help be a part of that.†â€Å"Like you are?†he laughed. â€Å"You still haven't told us why you're here and not with them. You can say what you want to the rest of this group, but I know why you're here. I can see it in you.†The crazy, eerie look he gave me almost made me think that he could. â€Å"You know the only way to rid the world of evil is to do it on our own. To seek out the Strigoi ourselves and kill them, one by one.†â€Å"Without a plan,†finished Karolina. â€Å"Without any thought of the consequences.†â€Å"We're strong and we know how to fight. That's all we need to know when it comes to killing Strigoi.†And that was when I understood. I finally got what Mark had been trying to tell me. Denis was saying exactly what I had been thinking since I left St. Vladimir's. I'd run off without a plan, wanting to throw myself into danger because I felt I had a mission that only I could carry out. Only I could kill Dimitri. Only I could destroy the evil within him. I'd been giving no thought to how I'd pull it off-seeing as Dimitri had beat me more often than not in fights when he was still a dhampir. With a Strigoi's strength and speed now? The odds were definitely against me. Still, I hadn't cared. I'd been obsessed, convinced I had to do this. In my own head, what I had to do made sense, but now†¦ hearing those sentiments from Denis, it sounded crazy. Just as reckless as Mark had warned. Their motives might be good-just as mine were-but they were also suicidal. Without Dimitri, I honestly hadn't cared much about my own life. I'd never been afraid to risk it before, but now I realized there was a big difference between dying uselessly and dying for a reason. If I died trying to kill Dimitri because I had no strategy, then my life would have meant nothing. Just then, the priest walked over and said something to us in Russian. From his tone and expression, I think he was asking if everything was okay. He'd mingled with the rest of the congregation after the service. Being human, he probably didn't know all the dhampir politics afoot, but he could undoubtedly sense trouble. Denis offered him a simpering smile and gave what sounded like a polite explanation. The priest smiled in return, nodded, and wandered off when someone else called to him. â€Å"Enough,†said Karolina harshly, once the priest was out of earshot. â€Å"You need to go. Now.†Denis's body tensed, and mine responded, ready for a fight. I thought he might start something then and there. A few seconds later, he relaxed and turned to me. â€Å"Show them to me first.†â€Å"Show you what?†I asked. â€Å"The marks. Show me how many Strigoi you've killed.†I didn't respond right away, wondering if this was a trick. Everyone's eyes were on me. Turning slightly, I lifted the hair off the back of my neck and showed my tattoos. Little lightning-shaped molnija marks were there, along with the mark I'd gotten for the battle. From the sound of Denis's gasp, I was guessing he'd never seen that many kills before. I let my hair go and met his gaze levelly. â€Å"Anything else?†I asked. â€Å"You're wasting your time,†he said at last, gesturing to the people behind me. â€Å"With them. With this place. You should come with us to Novosibirsk. We'll help make your life worthwhile.†â€Å"I'm the only one who can make anything of my life.†I pointed down the street. â€Å"You were asked to leave. Now go.†I held my breath, still bracing for a fight. After several tense moments, the group retreated. Before turning around, Denis gave me one last piercing look. â€Å"This isn't what you want and you know it. When you change your mind, come find us at 83 Kasakova. We leave at sunrise tomorrow.†â€Å"You'll be leaving without me,†I said. Denis' smile sent another chill down my spine. â€Å"We'll see.â€
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