Creating an Inviting Classroom Environment Essay

In this fastback, the authors make two major contentions in their introduction to this pamphlet. The first is that how a school looks does affect how everyone who goes there feels about it- and what goes on inside it. Furthermore, the authors assert that, while circumstances usually prohibit teachers from changing the entire school, they can and should make a difference in their own classrooms. In this review I will be addressing these two major premises (Jones 8). I totally agree with the authors that the way a school looks affects people’s perception of the school as well as what goes on in it. Blackford High School is a perfect example to support this theory. BHS is and always has been well maintained and groomed. When I first interviewed for employment here ten years ago, I asked the principal if the school was relatively new I was shocked when he told me that the school was in fact 21 years old. I feel that when people drive by our school they get a good impression of it. Additionally, I am very proud of our facility when I have personal or professional guests at school. (Brown 69). I also agree with the authors that this precept also hold true for individual classrooms Harrison and Bullock gave examples of two contrasting classes to prove that an inviting environment and housekeeping are critical to student achievement/performance. One classroom was cluttered, outdated, and impersonal- an uninviting dump. The other classroom was neat, orderly, yet warm, inviting, comfortable, and user-friendly. I agree with the authors that the second classroom was the ideal and the one that is more conducive to student learning. Furthermore I agree with the reasons to focus on environment that they have identified (psychologically positive, quality lighting, noise, etc. ) However I strongly disagree with them when they contend facility size and age are not factors when creating an environment pleasant classroom. After surveying students, teachers, and parents as to what they thought was important to a classroom environment (furniture, aesthetics, comfort, instructional items, and professional items. ) Finally they made recommendations as how best to use these categorical items to create the ideal classroom. It is these suggestions and the implication that I can incorporate them that I have a problem with. Size IS a factor. My room is crammed with the â€Å"essentials† of school operation. In my room you will find a teacher desk, 33 student desks, one teacher computer station, one small book case which holds my personal professional books as well as paperbacks for students, a raised platform and podium for speech performances, a radio soundboard cart and an additional small table with a boom box for radio classes and one small teacher work table. I don’t have any room. I can stand at the front edge of my desk and touch the first row of student desks (I don’t even have to reach). The students in the back row can turn around and touch the back wall of the room. Much to my dismay, I am not going to be afforded additional space in which to conduct speech and radio classes. Furthermore, I am not going to be given individual classroom temperature controls or a phone. It is a fact that I come to accept. I would LOVE to have, as suggested, tables and desks, a comfort space for reading, student storage space, and any number of the other items they suggested. However, it will not happen at Blackford High School.

A Man For All Seasons

The change from night to day (81 ) Is conveyed using a simple change of lighting. Light conveys the notion of change. Many scene changes are followed by the subsequent change in lighting. Like the setting of the sun indicating the change into night. Bolt's use of light gives the viewers an ability to feel the mood of the next scene and foreshadow the outcomes. The candle is used many times throughout the play and is a source of focused light. It Is small and casts a dim light, bringing the feeling of darkness and conspiracy. When taken away or blown out, it represents a change; the end of something.Wolves exits the stage, † taking most of the light from the stage as he does so† (13) giving the scene a dark and sinister feeling. It foreshadows the change of Lord Chancellor to Thomas More, and how this new position is going to be troublesome and fatal. Cromwell â€Å"[seizes] Rich by the wrist [and] he holds his hand in the candle flame† (46) frightening Rich and Int roducing the feelings of cruelty and horror Into the atmosphere. Cromwell frightening action reflects what has happened In that scene; how Rich has now switched sides, ending his relationship with More.Their friendship smoldering away eke a slow burn. Silences are as Important as dialogue in a play?discuss the most significant silent moments In the play and their Importance. There are many silences In the play, such as those of the common Man, who chose to maintain silence Instead of revealing the plotting against More. More had also kept silent as Rich took the silver cup which signifies corruption instead of the teaching Job, a way to benefit society. In Act II, More remains silent about Norfolk until he is sure that the friendship should be ended.When Norfolk states that More should take the oath, More ends his silence s well as the friendship. The biggest silence Is Mere's, which had kept him alive through the ordeal of King Henrys divorce until the very end. This silence, accor ding to the bible, cannot be seen as dissent towards the king. He wittily uses this silence to his advantage in order to protect himself and his family against the law, as well as to prevent perjuring his beliefs. However, Cromwell argument that silence can signify affirmation with the example of the silent murder witnesses cost More his life.More also protects his family from the law by refusing to answer them. The silence e maintains about his opinions with the Act of Supremacy Is foreshadowed by the takes offence, by staying silent in front of them, they are able to truthfully answer in a court of law that they do not know his opinions. Stage directions convey a great deal: how do the stage directions for the Common Man convey the plays ideas? The Common Man is used by Robert Bolt to change the setting of the stage in the play. Many times in the play, he changes the setting while in character.He also addresses the audience and comments on the action as a character within the play . Robert Bolt uses the Common Man as a narrator through he stage directions to help the play to flow as a story rather than a play. Due to the Common Man's stage directions, he is meant to draw the audience into the play rather than alienate them. He begins the first act by saying, â€Å"It is perverse! To start a play made up of kinds and Cardinals in speaking costumes and intellectuals with embroidered mouths, with me. (1) The Common Man is to represent the common type of people and through his actions and different characters throughout the play, the Common Man is relatable for the audience members and his reliability is conveyed through his stage directions. The Common Man is also used to highlight the traits of the other characters. As the boatman, he is used to demonstrate mere's generosity. (15) The Common Man is also used to connect the two acts. At the beginning of Act II, the Common Man is used by Bolt to describe the change of time and setting, he sets up the scene by gi ving the audience some background.The foreign water is emphasized by the Common Man's speech at the beginning of Act II, â€Å"a lot of waters flowed under the bridge† (47). The Common Man is used as a tool to help bring the play together and to help develop the other characters within the lay. Thematic Questions: On page 1 5-16–More has a conversation with the boatman. Explore the ethical implications of ;their discussion. How does the imagery of the boat and water reflect those ideas? In the preface to the play, Robert Bolt addresses his usage of water â€Å"as a figure for the superhuman context. The sea is unpredictable, unknown and alien giving it a sense of supernaturalism. He states that his main metaphors are the sea and water; that the â€Å"references to ships, rivers, currents, tides, navigation† (xvi) are all used to create a poetic image with philosophical depth. He compares society by contrast figures as dry land. Although Thomas More grasps onto the safety of the law and land, his faith takes him out into the chaos of the sea. Within the play, the symbolism of Mere's faith in God as water and his belief in the law as the land is explored.Since Bolt intended the land to be considered to be a safe and known concept within the play, it can be compared to Mere's knowledge in law. More is educated in law and he constantly uses the law to back his arguments. Due to mere's knowledge of the law, he knows that he cannot be accused of high treason. â€Å"The law s a causeway upon which so long as he keeps to it a citizen may walk safely. † (92) More is comparing the law to a citizen's walkway, if the law is kept, the citizens should â€Å"When a man takes an oath, he's holding his own self in his own hands.Like water and if he opens his fingers then- he needn't hope to find himself again. â€Å"(83) Since More refuses to take the oath towards King Henrys divorce, he is avoiding the law. He is choosing his faith and religion over the law; water over land. By not taking the oath, More doesn't open his fingers and he doesn't lose himself. He stays rooted in his faith. Only God is love right through, Howard; and that's my self. â€Å"(71) In the end, More explores the extent of his faith and he learns to walk on water, by putting all his trust in God and putting God above the law.Character Questions: Compare and contrast Thomas More and William Roper. Thomas More and William Roper were both upright men who had a strong sense of morality and goodness. More and Roper differ in terms of religion. While More is unwavering in his Catholicism, Roper has swayed towards the Lutheran Church before turning back to Catholicism. More is modest in his dress, refusing to change even when the king visited. However, Roper is bold in clothing, changing into a magnificent black robe and cross after his conversion back to Catholicism. Bolt calls More â€Å"a hero of selfless. (xiv), referring to how he keeps his morals int act even when his life is threatened. Both men were well educated in law and put in service of the crown, with More as the lord chancellor and Roper â€Å"[being] called to the bar. † (16) Thomas More is a conservative, sensible man with a solid foundation on his morals and beliefs. He is not outspoken about his ideas, and he tries to guide people in the eight direction by posing questions and choices instead of being direct. William Roper, however, is more liberal, and energetic. More is older and more experienced with life, careful with his speech and loyal to his conscience.Roper speaks his mind, thinking little of the effects of his words. He is constantly voicing his opinions at every opportunity, leading to Mere's warning to protect his family. He also stands very firm on his beliefs and what he feels is right. Roper is one to take quick action, doing what he wants to do. However, More is thoughtful about his actions, staying out of harms ay and hiding behind his knowle dge of the law and having faith in it. Through Roper's actions within the play, Roper is Mere's foil and emphasizes Mere's strong belief in God and the Church in contrast to his passion for whichever church he was in at the time.Compare and contrast Cardinal Wolves and Thomas Cromwell. Cardinal Wolves and Thomas Cromwell were both key figures in this play, as influential members of government. They were both practical, politically aware men that played important roles in the affair of the kings divorce, and recognized the importance of having an heir to the throne. There are many physical differences between Wolves and Cromwell. Wolves is â€Å"Old. A big decayed body in scarlet† (xx), whereas Cromwell is in his late thirties, and dressed in black.Beyond the physical, the name of effective action† (xx), while Wolves is ambitious and intelligent, although his character is not well-developed before his death early in the play due to pulmonary pneumonia. His death serves a s a warning for anyone else that did not follow the wishes of the king, and foreshadows the eventual death of Thomas More. Both Cromwell and Wolves try their best to complete what the King wants. â€Å"When the inning wants something done, [Cromwell] does it. † (21). Cromwell doesn't stop to question the kings desires, nor does he try to compromise with those who are against the King.He wished to gain power through the affairs of the king despite the immoral consequences. Wolves tries to find alternate paths to the same outcome for the king, he looks at all aspects of the situation before drawing a conclusion. His wisdom is shown when he tells More that â€Å"Letting [King Henry] without an heir and we'll have them back again. Let him die without an heir and this ‘peace' you think so much of will go out like that! (12) Wolves takes other's opinions into account whereas Cromwell only cares for the result that will make himself look best.Wolves failed to obtain the Pope' s dispersion, and therefore did not succeed in fulfilling the Kings wishes for divorce, while Cromwell devised many plans that led to the achievement of the divorce through force. Compare and contrast Lady Alice and Lady Margaret. Alice and Margaret are the ones closest to Thomas More. Both women are intelligent and righteous. This is shown when they agree that Rich was to be arrested when it became apparent that he had betrayed More. Alice is Mere's wife, an understanding and caring woman that trusts in More beyond simple reasoning.She understands that he values morality over his life,and she feels that â€Å"[More] the best man that [she] ever met. † (86) Alice is sad to see her loved one go, but accepts his final resolution and painfully comes to terms with his decision. Unlike her stepmother, Margaret does not understand his reasons for sacrificing his life. â€Å"Meg [is] under oath to persuade [More]† (83) to choose life over morality. Alice is an impressive woma n in her forties with an incredible ability to understand and worship her husband† (xx) as well as society, leading to trouble and defiance towards both.Margaret is a beautiful girl in her twenties with a naivety that is fostered by the care of her father. Both Alice and Margaret possess a unconditional love and care for Thomas More that they act upon in many occasions in the play. For instance, they repeatedly asked him about his conversations with Cardinal Wolves. Also, they prepared a feast for the King's visit on his behalf. Although More is evasive and silent on his affairs, they think nothing but good of him, and support him to the end.

Blood Promise Chapter TwentyFour

I’d never seen it coming. Hell, no one had. Avery had made a good show of being an air user. Each Moroi had a very low level of control in each element. She’d just barely done enough with air to make it seem like that was her specialization. No one had questioned her further because honestly, who would have ever expected another spirit user around? And since she was out of school, she had no reason to be tested anymore or forced to demonstrate her ability. No one was there to call her on it. The more I thought about it, the more the little signs were there. The charming personality, the way she could talk people into anything. How many of her interactions were spirit controlled? And was it possible†¦ was it possible that Adrian’s attraction had been compulsion on her part? I had no reason to feel happy about that, but†¦ well, I did. More to the point, what did Avery want with Lissa? Avery compelling Adrian into liking her wasn’t too out there. He was good-looking and came from an important family. He was the queen’s great-nephew, and although family members of the current monarch could never inherit the throne immediately afterward, he’d have a good future, one that would always keep him in the highest circles of society. But Lissa? What was Avery’s game there? What did she have to gain? Lissa’s behavior all made sense now-the uncharacteristic partying, weird moods, jealousy, fights with Christian†¦ Avery was pushing Lissa over the edge, causing her to make horrible choices. Avery was using some sort of compulsion to spin Lissa out of control, alienating her and putting her life in danger. Why? What did Avery want? It didn’t matter. The why wasn’t important. The how was, as in how I was going to get out of here and back to my best friend. I looked down at myself, at the delicate silk dress I wore. Suddenly, I hated it. It was a sign of how I’d been, weak and useless. I hastily took it off and ransacked my closet. They’d taken away my jeans and T-shirt, but I’d at least been allowed to keep my hoodie. I put on the green sweater dress, seeing as it was the sturdiest thing I had, feeling moderately more capable. I slipped the hoodie on over it. It hardly made me feel like a badass warrior, but I did feel more competent. Sufficiently dressed for action, I returned to the living room and started that pacing that tended to help me think better-not that I had any reason to believe I was going to come up with new ideas. I’d been trying to for days and days with no luck. Nothing was going to change. â€Å"Damn it!† I yelled, feeling better with the outburst. Angry, I flounced into the desk chair, amazed that I hadn’t simply thrown it against the wall in my frustration. The chair wobbled, ever so slightly. Frowning, I stood up and looked at it. Everything else in this place was state-of-the-art. Odd that I’d have a faulty chair. I knelt down and examined it more closely. There, on one of the legs, was a crack near where the leg joined with the seat. I stared. All of the furniture here was industrial strength, with no obvious joints. I should know, seeing how long I’d beat this chair against the wall when I first arrived. I hadn’t even dented it. Where had this crack come from? Slamming it over and over had done nothing. But I hadn’t been the only one to hit it. That very first day, I’d fought with Dimitri and come after him with the chair. He’d taken it from me and thrown it against the wall. I’d never paid attention to it again, having given up on breaking it. When I’d later tried cracking the window, I’d used an end table because it was heavier. My strength hadn’t been able to damage the chair-but his had. I picked up the chair and immediately slammed it into that diamond-hard window, half-hoping I might kill two birds with one stone. Nope. Both remained intact. So I did it again. And again. I lost track of how many times I slammed that chair into the glass. My hands hurt, and I knew despite my recovery, I still wasn’t at full strength. It was infuriating. Finally, on what felt like my gazillionth try, I looked at the chair and saw the crack had grown bigger. The progress renewed my will and strength. I hit and hit, ignoring the pain as the wood bit into my hands. At long last, I heard a crack, and the leg broke off. I picked it up and stared in amazement. The break hadn’t been clean. It was splintered and sharp. Sharp enough to be a stake? I wasn’t sure. But I knew for a fact that wood was hard, and if I used enough force, I might be able to hit a Strigoi’s heart. It wouldn’t kill one, but the blow would stun. I didn’t know if it’d be enough to get me out of here, but it was all I had now. And it was a hell of a lot more than I’d had one hour ago. I sat back on the bed, recovering from my battle with the chair and tossing the makeshift stake back and forth. Okay. I had a weapon now. But what could I do with it? Dimitri’s face flashed in my mind’s eye. Damn it. There was no question about it. He was the obvious target, the one I’d have to deal with first. The door suddenly clicked open, and I looked up with alarm. Quickly, I shoved the chair into a dark corner as panic raced through me. No, no. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t fully convinced myself to stake him. It was Inna. She carried a tray but didn’t wear her usual subservient expression. The brief look she gave me was filled with hate. I didn’t know what she had to be pissed off about. It wasn’t like I’d caused her any damage. Yet. I strode over like I was going to examine the tray. Lifting the lid, I saw a ham sandwich and french fries. It looked good-I hadn’t eaten in a while -but the adrenaline running through me had shoved any appetite I might have to the background. I glanced back up at her, smiling sweetly. She shot me daggers. Don’t hesitate, Dimitri had always said. I didn’t. I jumped at Inna, throwing her so hard against the floor that her head slammed back. She looked dazed, but quickly recovered and tried to fight back. I wasn’t drugged up this time-well, not much-and my years of training and natural strength finally showed themselves again. I pressed my body against her, keeping her firmly in place. Then, I produced the stake I’d had concealed and pressed those sharp points against her neck. It was like being back in the days of pinning Strigoi in alleys. She couldn’t see that my weapon was a chair leg, but the sharp points got her attention as I dug them into her throat. â€Å"The code,† I said. â€Å"What is the code?† Her only response was a string of obscenities in Russian. Okay, not a surprise, considering she probably didn’t understand me. I flipped through the meager Russian-English dictionary in my head. I’d been in the country long enough to pick up some vocabulary. Admittedly, it was equivalent to a two-year-old’s, but even they could communicate. â€Å"Numbers,† I said in Russian. â€Å"Door.† At least, that’s what I hoped I said. She said more impolite things to me, her expression defiant. It really was the Strigoi interrogation all over. My stake bit harder, drawing blood, and I forcibly restrained myself. I might question whether I had the strength to pierce a Strigoi heart with this, but severing a human’s vein? Cake. She faltered a little, apparently realizing the same thing. Again, I attempted my broken Russian. â€Å"Kill you. No Nathan. Never†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What was the word? The church service came back to me, and I hoped I had it right. â€Å"Never eternal life.† It got her attention. Nathan and eternal life. The things most important to her. She bit her lip, still angry, but her tirade had stopped. â€Å"Numbers. Door,† I repeated. I pushed the stake in harder, and she cried out in pain. At last she spoke, rattling off a series of digits. Russian numbers were something I had memorized pretty solidly, at least. They were essential for addresses and phone numbers. She cited seven numbers. â€Å"Again,† I said. I made her say it three times and hoped I had it. But there was more. I was pretty sure the outer door had a different code. â€Å"Numbers. Door. Two.† I felt like a caveman. Inna stared, not quite getting it. â€Å"Door. Two.† Understanding glinted in her eyes, and she looked mad. I think she’d hoped I wouldn’t realize the other door had its own code. More cutting with the stake made her scream seven more numbers. Again, I made her repeat them, realizing I had no way to know if she was telling me the truth at least until I tried the numbers. For that reason, I decided to keep her around. I felt guilty about what I did next, but these were desperate times. In guardian training, I’d been taught both to kill and to incapacitate. I did the latter this time, slamming her head back against the floor and rendering her unconscious. Her expression went slack, her eyelids drooping. Damn. I was reduced to hurting teenage humans. Standing up, I moved to the door and punched in the first set of numbers, hoping I had them right. To my complete and utter astonishment, I did. The electronic lock clicked, but before I could open the door, I just barely made out another click. Someone had unlocked the outer door. â€Å"Shit,† I muttered. I pulled away from the door immediately, picked up Inna’s unconscious body, and hurried to the bathroom. I set her in the tub as gently as possible and had just shut the bathroom door when I heard the main door open. I felt the telltale nausea that signaled a Strigoi was nearby. I knew one of the Strigoi could smell a human, and I hoped shutting her away would be enough to mute Inna’s scent. I emerged from the hall and found Dimitri in the living room. I grinned at him and ran into his arms. â€Å"You’re back,† I said happily. He held me briefly and then stepped back. â€Å"Yes.† He seemed slightly pleased at the greeting, but soon his face was all business. â€Å"Have you made your decision?† No hello. No how are you feeling? My heart sank. This wasn’t Dimitri. â€Å"I have more questions.† I went over to the bed and lay down in a casual way, just like we always did. He followed a few moments later and sat on the edge, looking down at me. â€Å"How long will it take?† I asked. â€Å"When you awaken me? Is it instantaneous?† Once more, I launched into an interrogation session. Honestly, I was running out of questions, and at this point, I didn’t really want to know the intricacies of becoming Strigoi. I was becoming more and more agitated with each passing moment. I had to act. I had to make use of my fleeting opportunity here. And yet†¦ before I could act, I had to reassure myself that this really wasn’t Dimitri. It was stupid. I should know by now. I could see the physical changes. I’d seen his coldness, the brutality. I’d seen him come fresh from a kill. This wasn’t the man I’d loved. And yet†¦ for that one fleeting moment earlier†¦ With a sigh, Dimitri stretched out beside me. â€Å"Rose,† he interrupted, â€Å"if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were stalling for time.† Yeah, even as a Strigoi, Dimitri knew how I thought and schemed. I realized if I was going to be convincing, I had to stop playing dumb and remember to be Rose Hathaway. I put on a look of outrage. â€Å"Of course I am! This is a big deal. I came here to kill you, and now you’re asking me to join you. You think this is easy for me to do?† â€Å"Do you think it’s been easy for me to wait this long?† he asked. â€Å"The only ones who get choices are Moroi who willingly kill, like the Ozeras. No one else gets a choice. I didn’t get a choice.† â€Å"And don’t you regret that?† â€Å"No, not now. Now that I’m who I was meant to be.† He frowned. â€Å"The only thing hurt is my pride-that Nathan forced me and that he acts as though I’m indebted to him. Which is why I’m being kind enough to give you the choice now, for the sake of your pride.† Kind, huh? I looked at him and felt my heart breaking all over again. It was like hearing the news of his death once more. I suddenly grew afraid I might cry. No. No tears. Dimitri always talked about prey and predators. I had to be the predator. â€Å"You’re sweating,† he said suddenly. â€Å"Why?† Damn, damn, damn. Of course I was sweating. I was contemplating staking the man I loved-or thought I’d loved. And along with sweat, I was sure I was giving off pheromones of my agitation. Strigoi could smell all of those things, too. â€Å"Because I’m scared,† I whispered. I propped myself up and stroked the edge of his face, trying to memorize all of his features. The eyes. The hair. The shape of his cheekbones. In my imagination, I overlaid the things I remembered. Dark eyes. Tanned skin. Sweet smile. â€Å"I†¦ I think I’m ready, but it’s†¦ I don’t know. It’s such a big thing.† â€Å"It’ll be the best decision of your life, Roza.† My breathing was growing rapid, and I prayed he’d think it was because of my fear of being turned. â€Å"Tell me again. One more time. Why do you want to awaken me so badly?† A slightly weary look crossed his face. â€Å"Because I want you. I’ve always wanted you.† And that’s when I knew. I finally realized the problem. He’d given that same answer over and over, and each time, something about it had bothered me. I’d never been able to pinpoint it, though. Now I could. He wanted me. Wanted me in the way people wanted possessions or collectibles. The Dimitri I’d known†¦ the one I’d fallen for and slept with†¦ that Dimitri would have said he wanted us to be together because he loved me. There was no love here. I smiled at him. Leaning down, I kissed him gently. He probably thought I was doing it for the reasons I always did, out of attraction and desire. In truth, it was a goodbye kiss. His mouth answered mine, his lips warm and eager. I held out the kiss a little longer, both to fight back the tears leaking out of my eyes and to lull him into an unsuspecting state. My hand closed around the chair leg, which I’d hidden in my hoodie pocket. I would never forget Dimitri, not for the rest of my life. And this time, I wouldn’t forget his lessons. With a speed he wasn’t ready for, I struck out and plunged the stake through his chest. My strength was there-sliding the stake past the ribs and straight into his heart. And as I did it, it was like piercing my own heart at the same time. Blood Promise Chapter TwentyFour I’d never seen it coming. Hell, no one had. Avery had made a good show of being an air user. Each Moroi had a very low level of control in each element. She’d just barely done enough with air to make it seem like that was her specialization. No one had questioned her further because honestly, who would have ever expected another spirit user around? And since she was out of school, she had no reason to be tested anymore or forced to demonstrate her ability. No one was there to call her on it. The more I thought about it, the more the little signs were there. The charming personality, the way she could talk people into anything. How many of her interactions were spirit controlled? And was it possible†¦ was it possible that Adrian’s attraction had been compulsion on her part? I had no reason to feel happy about that, but†¦ well, I did. More to the point, what did Avery want with Lissa? Avery compelling Adrian into liking her wasn’t too out there. He was good-looking and came from an important family. He was the queen’s great-nephew, and although family members of the current monarch could never inherit the throne immediately afterward, he’d have a good future, one that would always keep him in the highest circles of society. But Lissa? What was Avery’s game there? What did she have to gain? Lissa’s behavior all made sense now-the uncharacteristic partying, weird moods, jealousy, fights with Christian†¦ Avery was pushing Lissa over the edge, causing her to make horrible choices. Avery was using some sort of compulsion to spin Lissa out of control, alienating her and putting her life in danger. Why? What did Avery want? It didn’t matter. The why wasn’t important. The how was, as in how I was going to get out of here and back to my best friend. I looked down at myself, at the delicate silk dress I wore. Suddenly, I hated it. It was a sign of how I’d been, weak and useless. I hastily took it off and ransacked my closet. They’d taken away my jeans and T-shirt, but I’d at least been allowed to keep my hoodie. I put on the green sweater dress, seeing as it was the sturdiest thing I had, feeling moderately more capable. I slipped the hoodie on over it. It hardly made me feel like a badass warrior, but I did feel more competent. Sufficiently dressed for action, I returned to the living room and started that pacing that tended to help me think better-not that I had any reason to believe I was going to come up with new ideas. I’d been trying to for days and days with no luck. Nothing was going to change. â€Å"Damn it!† I yelled, feeling better with the outburst. Angry, I flounced into the desk chair, amazed that I hadn’t simply thrown it against the wall in my frustration. The chair wobbled, ever so slightly. Frowning, I stood up and looked at it. Everything else in this place was state-of-the-art. Odd that I’d have a faulty chair. I knelt down and examined it more closely. There, on one of the legs, was a crack near where the leg joined with the seat. I stared. All of the furniture here was industrial strength, with no obvious joints. I should know, seeing how long I’d beat this chair against the wall when I first arrived. I hadn’t even dented it. Where had this crack come from? Slamming it over and over had done nothing. But I hadn’t been the only one to hit it. That very first day, I’d fought with Dimitri and come after him with the chair. He’d taken it from me and thrown it against the wall. I’d never paid attention to it again, having given up on breaking it. When I’d later tried cracking the window, I’d used an end table because it was heavier. My strength hadn’t been able to damage the chair-but his had. I picked up the chair and immediately slammed it into that diamond-hard window, half-hoping I might kill two birds with one stone. Nope. Both remained intact. So I did it again. And again. I lost track of how many times I slammed that chair into the glass. My hands hurt, and I knew despite my recovery, I still wasn’t at full strength. It was infuriating. Finally, on what felt like my gazillionth try, I looked at the chair and saw the crack had grown bigger. The progress renewed my will and strength. I hit and hit, ignoring the pain as the wood bit into my hands. At long last, I heard a crack, and the leg broke off. I picked it up and stared in amazement. The break hadn’t been clean. It was splintered and sharp. Sharp enough to be a stake? I wasn’t sure. But I knew for a fact that wood was hard, and if I used enough force, I might be able to hit a Strigoi’s heart. It wouldn’t kill one, but the blow would stun. I didn’t know if it’d be enough to get me out of here, but it was all I had now. And it was a hell of a lot more than I’d had one hour ago. I sat back on the bed, recovering from my battle with the chair and tossing the makeshift stake back and forth. Okay. I had a weapon now. But what could I do with it? Dimitri’s face flashed in my mind’s eye. Damn it. There was no question about it. He was the obvious target, the one I’d have to deal with first. The door suddenly clicked open, and I looked up with alarm. Quickly, I shoved the chair into a dark corner as panic raced through me. No, no. I wasn’t ready. I hadn’t fully convinced myself to stake him. It was Inna. She carried a tray but didn’t wear her usual subservient expression. The brief look she gave me was filled with hate. I didn’t know what she had to be pissed off about. It wasn’t like I’d caused her any damage. Yet. I strode over like I was going to examine the tray. Lifting the lid, I saw a ham sandwich and french fries. It looked good-I hadn’t eaten in a while -but the adrenaline running through me had shoved any appetite I might have to the background. I glanced back up at her, smiling sweetly. She shot me daggers. Don’t hesitate, Dimitri had always said. I didn’t. I jumped at Inna, throwing her so hard against the floor that her head slammed back. She looked dazed, but quickly recovered and tried to fight back. I wasn’t drugged up this time-well, not much-and my years of training and natural strength finally showed themselves again. I pressed my body against her, keeping her firmly in place. Then, I produced the stake I’d had concealed and pressed those sharp points against her neck. It was like being back in the days of pinning Strigoi in alleys. She couldn’t see that my weapon was a chair leg, but the sharp points got her attention as I dug them into her throat. â€Å"The code,† I said. â€Å"What is the code?† Her only response was a string of obscenities in Russian. Okay, not a surprise, considering she probably didn’t understand me. I flipped through the meager Russian-English dictionary in my head. I’d been in the country long enough to pick up some vocabulary. Admittedly, it was equivalent to a two-year-old’s, but even they could communicate. â€Å"Numbers,† I said in Russian. â€Å"Door.† At least, that’s what I hoped I said. She said more impolite things to me, her expression defiant. It really was the Strigoi interrogation all over. My stake bit harder, drawing blood, and I forcibly restrained myself. I might question whether I had the strength to pierce a Strigoi heart with this, but severing a human’s vein? Cake. She faltered a little, apparently realizing the same thing. Again, I attempted my broken Russian. â€Å"Kill you. No Nathan. Never†¦Ã¢â‚¬  What was the word? The church service came back to me, and I hoped I had it right. â€Å"Never eternal life.† It got her attention. Nathan and eternal life. The things most important to her. She bit her lip, still angry, but her tirade had stopped. â€Å"Numbers. Door,† I repeated. I pushed the stake in harder, and she cried out in pain. At last she spoke, rattling off a series of digits. Russian numbers were something I had memorized pretty solidly, at least. They were essential for addresses and phone numbers. She cited seven numbers. â€Å"Again,† I said. I made her say it three times and hoped I had it. But there was more. I was pretty sure the outer door had a different code. â€Å"Numbers. Door. Two.† I felt like a caveman. Inna stared, not quite getting it. â€Å"Door. Two.† Understanding glinted in her eyes, and she looked mad. I think she’d hoped I wouldn’t realize the other door had its own code. More cutting with the stake made her scream seven more numbers. Again, I made her repeat them, realizing I had no way to know if she was telling me the truth at least until I tried the numbers. For that reason, I decided to keep her around. I felt guilty about what I did next, but these were desperate times. In guardian training, I’d been taught both to kill and to incapacitate. I did the latter this time, slamming her head back against the floor and rendering her unconscious. Her expression went slack, her eyelids drooping. Damn. I was reduced to hurting teenage humans. Standing up, I moved to the door and punched in the first set of numbers, hoping I had them right. To my complete and utter astonishment, I did. The electronic lock clicked, but before I could open the door, I just barely made out another click. Someone had unlocked the outer door. â€Å"Shit,† I muttered. I pulled away from the door immediately, picked up Inna’s unconscious body, and hurried to the bathroom. I set her in the tub as gently as possible and had just shut the bathroom door when I heard the main door open. I felt the telltale nausea that signaled a Strigoi was nearby. I knew one of the Strigoi could smell a human, and I hoped shutting her away would be enough to mute Inna’s scent. I emerged from the hall and found Dimitri in the living room. I grinned at him and ran into his arms. â€Å"You’re back,† I said happily. He held me briefly and then stepped back. â€Å"Yes.† He seemed slightly pleased at the greeting, but soon his face was all business. â€Å"Have you made your decision?† No hello. No how are you feeling? My heart sank. This wasn’t Dimitri. â€Å"I have more questions.† I went over to the bed and lay down in a casual way, just like we always did. He followed a few moments later and sat on the edge, looking down at me. â€Å"How long will it take?† I asked. â€Å"When you awaken me? Is it instantaneous?† Once more, I launched into an interrogation session. Honestly, I was running out of questions, and at this point, I didn’t really want to know the intricacies of becoming Strigoi. I was becoming more and more agitated with each passing moment. I had to act. I had to make use of my fleeting opportunity here. And yet†¦ before I could act, I had to reassure myself that this really wasn’t Dimitri. It was stupid. I should know by now. I could see the physical changes. I’d seen his coldness, the brutality. I’d seen him come fresh from a kill. This wasn’t the man I’d loved. And yet†¦ for that one fleeting moment earlier†¦ With a sigh, Dimitri stretched out beside me. â€Å"Rose,† he interrupted, â€Å"if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were stalling for time.† Yeah, even as a Strigoi, Dimitri knew how I thought and schemed. I realized if I was going to be convincing, I had to stop playing dumb and remember to be Rose Hathaway. I put on a look of outrage. â€Å"Of course I am! This is a big deal. I came here to kill you, and now you’re asking me to join you. You think this is easy for me to do?† â€Å"Do you think it’s been easy for me to wait this long?† he asked. â€Å"The only ones who get choices are Moroi who willingly kill, like the Ozeras. No one else gets a choice. I didn’t get a choice.† â€Å"And don’t you regret that?† â€Å"No, not now. Now that I’m who I was meant to be.† He frowned. â€Å"The only thing hurt is my pride-that Nathan forced me and that he acts as though I’m indebted to him. Which is why I’m being kind enough to give you the choice now, for the sake of your pride.† Kind, huh? I looked at him and felt my heart breaking all over again. It was like hearing the news of his death once more. I suddenly grew afraid I might cry. No. No tears. Dimitri always talked about prey and predators. I had to be the predator. â€Å"You’re sweating,† he said suddenly. â€Å"Why?† Damn, damn, damn. Of course I was sweating. I was contemplating staking the man I loved-or thought I’d loved. And along with sweat, I was sure I was giving off pheromones of my agitation. Strigoi could smell all of those things, too. â€Å"Because I’m scared,† I whispered. I propped myself up and stroked the edge of his face, trying to memorize all of his features. The eyes. The hair. The shape of his cheekbones. In my imagination, I overlaid the things I remembered. Dark eyes. Tanned skin. Sweet smile. â€Å"I†¦ I think I’m ready, but it’s†¦ I don’t know. It’s such a big thing.† â€Å"It’ll be the best decision of your life, Roza.† My breathing was growing rapid, and I prayed he’d think it was because of my fear of being turned. â€Å"Tell me again. One more time. Why do you want to awaken me so badly?† A slightly weary look crossed his face. â€Å"Because I want you. I’ve always wanted you.† And that’s when I knew. I finally realized the problem. He’d given that same answer over and over, and each time, something about it had bothered me. I’d never been able to pinpoint it, though. Now I could. He wanted me. Wanted me in the way people wanted possessions or collectibles. The Dimitri I’d known†¦ the one I’d fallen for and slept with†¦ that Dimitri would have said he wanted us to be together because he loved me. There was no love here. I smiled at him. Leaning down, I kissed him gently. He probably thought I was doing it for the reasons I always did, out of attraction and desire. In truth, it was a goodbye kiss. His mouth answered mine, his lips warm and eager. I held out the kiss a little longer, both to fight back the tears leaking out of my eyes and to lull him into an unsuspecting state. My hand closed around the chair leg, which I’d hidden in my hoodie pocket. I would never forget Dimitri, not for the rest of my life. And this time, I wouldn’t forget his lessons. With a speed he wasn’t ready for, I struck out and plunged the stake through his chest. My strength was there-sliding the stake past the ribs and straight into his heart. And as I did it, it was like piercing my own heart at the same time.

Good Samaritan Laws Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Good Samaritan Laws - Personal Statement Example Moreover, the paper will also look at the impact of these issues on the patients. The paper will also list the ways to promote health and reduce the risk in ethical and legal situations. One of the legal issues that relate to the current healthcare setting includes vaccination of the healthcare workforce. This legal issue rests on the notion that healthcare workers who have direct contact with patients should be vaccinated since they can suffer from infectious diseases in healthcare centres. In a study conducted by Stewart and Rosenbaum in 2010, it was concluded that direct contact can lead to the contracting of infections such as influenza. Such infections can be transmitted through sharing space with infected patients or through handling equipment, which the patients come into contact with during treatment. Whereas vaccination of healthcare workers can be regarded as crucial in the prevention of infections, making vaccination of healthcare workers mandatory can be termed as controv ersial due to the legality of such an issue (Stewart and Rosenbaum 615). Based on the law, healthcare workers should have the freewill to choose whether they should accept a vaccination or not. Therefore, it is not appropriate to force them to undergo vaccination when they do not want to do so (Babcock et al. 459). In my own analysis, there are certain personal and professional issues relating to the vaccination of healthcare workers. Personally, I think it is necessary to undergo mandatory vaccination in order not to put the health of the patients at stake. On the same note, I suppose that it is professionally wrong to force an employee to undergo some tests or vaccination, which they do not want. This issue affects the patient in that it may comprise his or her health. For example, if a healthcare worker contracts a disease from a patient, they may pass the same disease to another patient. The other legal issue that relates to current healthcare setting encompasses the use of soci al media in the healthcare setting. This issue revolves around the use of platforms such the internet to post information about clients or an experience in a healthcare setting (Saleh et al. 294). Some healthcare workers may post information about the experiences of patients, and this can be termed as illegal since such issues should not happen. For example, a legal battle may ensue when a healthcare worker posts some information about a patient suffering from trauma. A study conducted by Lambert and others in 2012 revealed that doctors may be reprimanded by the board when they post sensitive information about patients (Lambert et al. 41). Personally and professionally, I do not think it is acceptable to post some information online about patients. The experiences of doctors other healthcare workers, when dealing with clients, should not be exposed to the public. Such an issue may cause stigma to the patient and affect is interactions with other people. Core values such as upholding ethical standards should be followed in order to address such an issue. The other legal issue in the current healthcare encompasses language access in healthcare settings. This issue revolves around the increase in the number of persons who do not speak English. This diversity has forced healthcare settings to adhere to new legal requirements, which require that non-native speakers of the English language should be treated equally with

Should the NHS treat patients with smoking related cancers Essay

Should the NHS treat patients with smoking related cancers - Essay Example By the late 1980s when the idea was first come under consideration, the NHS was suffering from a severe lack of resources. This was the result of three factors. Firstly, because of the policies of the government, which was cutting back on public expenditure. Secondly, because of the increasing numbers of elderly with their demands on the health services and thirdly, the increasing demand for higher standards of health. The situation was so bad that districts were not paying their bills, and operations were being cancelled. Waiting lists were increasing rapidly. As a result, a review of the NHS was announced. The Government Review produced a list of the strengths and weaknesses of the NHS, and suggested that one of the main problems lay in the lack of incentives for employees of the NHS to make savings and be more efficient. The government was strongly influenced by an economist, Enthoven, who argued that by introducing an internal market to the NHS, managers would be encouraged to become more efficient and without extra spending many of the NHS could be solved. He claimed, " there is nothing like a competitive market to motivate quality and economy of service "(Carrier, 1998, p.145). What Enthoven meant by the internal market, was that each hospital or community care unit would compete against others to win contracts to care for specified numbers of patients. This is similar to the situation faced by companies in the private sector of the economy, which compete against each other to win commercial contracts. For the treatment of smoking related cancers patients the idea of competition between hospitals and community care units was the basis for the NHS and Community Care Act of 1990. The NHS reforms, which came into effect in 1991, aimed to give patients, wherever they lived in Britain, better health care and greater choice of service. (Collee 1996, 1-7)Therefore the concept of the internal market was introduced, according to which, the 'providers' of healthcare were to be separated from the ' purchasers ' of healthcare. The idea was that by giving the purchasers the freedom to choose where to buy the best care, including the private sector, the system would place competitive pressure on the providers to offer greater quality, efficiency and value for money. Fundamental changes had to be made to the traditional relationship between the various parts of the NHS to make the new system work. Health authorities ceased to run the service directly and become purchasers of healthcare from a range of providers (hospitals, community services, ambulance services) who, in turn, were given the opportunity of becoming NHS Trusts. They were to be self- governing bodies with the freedom to decide things like staff numbers, rates of pay and what to charge for their services. Though independent of local health authority control, trusts remained part of the NHS. They had to provide a range of care accident and emergency services, but can choose which other services to concentrated on. A central role in the new system was reserved for family doctors who, for the first time, were offered budgets to buy a range of services for their own patients, such as non- emergency surgery,

Advertisement Campaign for an Expensive Chocolate Essay

Advertisement Campaign for an Expensive Chocolate - Essay Example But, over the years, because of growing competition and increased number of identical products in the market, it has become a necessity rather than a luxury. Today, no product enter the market before a formal and well planned product launching and advertisement campaign. Regardless of the media or method selected, the main aim of advertisement is to convince the target audience that they have a need for the product. Through advertisement, the suppliers are trying to create an image about the product with the help of linguistic and artistic elements. The present research paper looks on how an advertisement campaign for an expensive chocolate be planned and implemented effectively through television channels to reach its target audience. The paper takes a narrative approach for explaining the various aspects of advertisement campaign and its effectiveness to the business.Planning gives a detailed blue print of what and how it is done at various stages of campaign. The present campaign is planned to be conducted during the period from November 08 and Easter period in Mar 09. This is based on the logic that the target audience is expected to spend more during this period for purchasing chocolates.The company is a chocolate manufacturing firm in the U.K. which has been in existence for some time in the market doing similar business. The new product is an addition to company's product lines, all of which have a sound customer support and brand equity. The new product which focuses on the customers, who are in the age group of 24 to 65, uses an innovative imported technology and it is going to capture the market in the next six months. The product and Brand name The product is chocolate, which has exceptional features than that available in the market. The company claims that the content of chocolate is highly recommended for the health of 24 to 65 age group. The brand name decided for the product is Igma. The brand name 'Igma' is registered and trade mark for the same has already been sanctioned by the authority concerned. The word 'Igma' is written using special letters, which the company developed in consultation with the advertisement agency. Objectives of Advertisement Campaign The objectives of advertisement campaign cannot be separated from the marketing strategy of the firm, which in turn is associated with the overall objectives of the firm. However, the present advertisement campaign has the following specific objectives: 1. To disseminate knowledge about the company, its values to the customers and to the general public. 2. To pass message about the brand, price, other promotions and distributions (Setting the advertising objective, p.2) 3. To create awareness about chocolates in general and Igma in particular 4. To create a distinct brand image apart from other similar brands 5. To stimulate the customers to purchase the product Target Audience The company has already fixed the target audience for Igma. They belong to the age group of 24 to 65 men and women. Normally, this group does not take chocolates as a habit. But, in certain occasions like birth day celebrations, at new year party, and festivals such as Christmas, they prefer chocolates to other traditional snacks for consumption as well as for offering gifts. Setting the Advertisement Budget The budget deals with finance part of campaign. It is more important in the sense that finance is

M&s clothing business report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

M&s clothing business report - Essay Example The implication here is that if Marks and Spencer were not attempting to reach out to the more fashion-conscious consumer, its primary competitors would be BHS and Evans. The fact is, however, that the company is trying to reach beyond that particular market as evidenced in the fact that it has hired new designers and has development new fashion lines which target the younger generation of male and female adult fashion consumers (Marks and Spencer, 2007). Within the context of the above stated, Marks and Spencer's primary competitors are Next, Topshop and Gap. These three command the lion's share of the fashion-conscious, working adult clothing market for two reasons. They provide quality clothing at reasonable prices and are perceived of as trendy and fashionable (Marks and Spencer, 2007). Marks and Spencer may be recognised for the first but definitely not for the second. The implication here is that it stands in a weak position vis--vis its primary competitors, largely because of market perceptions. As indicated in the above, Marks and Spencer faces two types of competitors. The first type, related to the older generation fashion market, is comprised of Evans and BHS.

Quantitative Analysis of Business Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Quantitative Analysis of Business - Coursework Example Determine the equations for each of the three constraints that are plotted on the attached â€Å"graph 1†, showing all work necessary to arrive at the equations.  Determine the equations for each of the three constraints that are plotted on the attached â€Å"graph 1†, showing all work necessary to arrive at the equations.  Identify each constraint as a minimum or maximum constraint.   The objective function is Z= 30X+72Y+90Subject to   7.5X + 7.5Y ≠¤ 30 (equation for Nutrient C)    6X + 12Y       ≠¤ 72 15X + 6Y ≠¤ 90          X ≠¥ 0, Y ≠¥ 0 Since the feasible region is below the constraints the constraints are minimum constraints. Determine the total contribution to profit, if the company produces a combination of cases of brand X and brand Y that lies on the purple objective function (profit line) as it is plotted on the attached â€Å"graph 1†.If the company chooses to produce a combination of brand X and Y as given in graph then the different combinations would be (0, 8), (1, 6.6), (2, 5.4), (3, 4), (4, 2.6), (5, 1.3), (6, 0). The contribution to profit at various combinations can be obtained using the objective function where profit= 30X+72Y+90 and substituting the value of X and Y for each set in this function we get profit for each combination.When the company produces 8 units of Brand Y and no Brand X the profit function is maximized (666). But this combination is outside the feasible region. So, the combination that gives maximum profit (468) to the producer within the optimal region is 3 units of X and 4 units of Y. The Total Contribution of Profit: The total contribution to profit which can be obtained by producing 3 units of brand X and 4 units of brand Y is 468 which is obtained by putting the values of X and Y in the profit

Religious Skepticism in the Poetry of Thomas Hardy Essay

Religious Skepticism in the Poetry of Thomas Hardy - Essay Example The two poems previously mentioned prove to be excellent examples for this discussion. The point of views used in both of these poems are carefully crafted to induce a sense of proximity in the reader. The choice of first person in "Hap" immediately forces the reader to identify with the narrator. Moreover, the only other personalities listed are "some vengeful god" (1) or "Doomsters" (13), either of which is decidedly adverse characters, thereby strengthening the reader's empathy with the narrator's sense of torment. "The Convergence of the Twain," however, instead uses a limited third person point of view, thus describing all of the imagery from a distant detached perspective. Above water, this would be described as a bird's eye point of view; beneath the water, it must be viewed from the eye of a fish. Not only its depth below the waterline then distances the scene, but also the alien logic of the animal mind. Considering the religious overtones involved, there are also allusions to the miracle of fish multiplying of the masses to eat: yet here the people are lost, the fish is never caught, and perhaps, by inference, there is no Savior present. For the point of view is only a method by which Hardy discusses his themes of religious skepticism. H... sorrow would be easier to accept were it known to be directly stemming from divine displeasure, "that a Powerfuller than I / Had willed and meted me the tears I shed." (7-8). But the turn of thought, or "volta", in the poem declares it not so. Faith has been tainted by Reason and Logic. The process of scientific observation demands causality, a means of cause and effect, and the only credible source is what can be observed and repeated. If such is the case, then the narrator realizes he is just as likely to experience happiness as sorrow; if only the "Doomsters" (13), who are partially blind to the possibility of happiness, would stop drawing his attention to the pain in Life. The distance provided in "The Convergence of the Twain" implies a more questioning approach to the wreck of the Titanic. The "Pride of Life" (3) lies now at the bottom of the ocean, its riches covered in sea-worms and darkness. An iceberg designed by an "Immanent Will" (18) sank this ship, a symbol of mankind's industriousness and intelligence. On the surface, this would seem to imply a begrudging admission of faith from Hardy. But given his history of religious skepticism, other interpretations prove more applicable. For the ship and iceberg represent Science and Religion, the result of their crashing together can only be the sinking of mankind's faith. This loss is what truly "jars two hemispheres." (33) being both the Earthly and the Heavenly spheres. For Hardy rarely intends the reader to take his words at face value, but rather to impart some comment through the symbolic archetypes available through psychoanalysis. Because Hardy instills every aspect of his poems with multiple levels, even his form of writing must be examined. For whether Hardy concedes the pattern of a Great

Corporate strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Corporate strategy - Essay Example Additionally, the first manmade island, Palm Jumeirah, is one of such tourist destinations that are worth visiting. However, Dubai is inhibited by 1.4 million people, of whom less than 20% are natives of Dubai. This creates a sufficient skilled and un-skilled labor needs that are highly essential to fulfill the needs of development. And this has invited a large number of foreigners. Consequently, to fulfill the dearth of skilled and un-skilled labor, the Government of Dubai have allowed expatriates to serve and help the city of Dubai to become a dream destination of the tourists. Geographically, Dubai is ideally located, connecting the Indian Sub-Continent to Europe, the Far East and Africa. Besides serving a route business point, the tourists from such countries can easily reach Dubai. However, Dubai cannot avoid the threat of political instability in the region and, the criticism raised by the environmentalists over its excessive use of water and power to feed its growth of economy and tourism industry. Some recent reports suggest the ecological and carbon footprint is mostly contributed by Dubai due to its faster consumption of fossil fuels. In the following pages, the PESTEL analysis is followed by the SWOT analysis of Dubai. And in the end, some recommendations with conclusion are suggested in the light of the PESTEL and SWOT analysis. PESTEL analysis PESTEL stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal. The main purpose of PESTEL analysis is to understand and evaluate the impacts of the external environment on an entity or a country or a city. Without any doubt, these factors directly or indirectly influence on the strategic and operational decisions. Consequently, they are taken into account before determining and implementing strategic decisions and policies. Political and Legal Dubai is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (Emirates.org, web). Politically, UAE is run and administrated under the authorit y of federation. The UAE federal government has considerable powers to determine many areas of public interest; however, certain features of governance are assigned to the member emirates to determine and implement them as they wish to do so. Currently, many policies of Dubai towards the tourism industry are considerably aligned with the guidelines of the UAE, and the same line is applicable to the legislative part as well. Economic Dubai is the second wealthiest emirate after Abu Dhabi in the UAE (Dubai. Web). Recently, the global financial crisis of 2007 has severely hit the economy of Dubai, resulting huge job losses and rising unemployment. The recession considerably put on hold the entire economy of the Dubai. However, as the period of recovery is on its way, the city of Dubai has again initiated its journey towards the economic growth and development; in that growth, the tourism industry plays a vital role. Additionally, its projects like the Burj Khalifa skyscraper have attra cted vast amount of foreign investment (news.bbc, web). Technological Dubai cannot remain behind in the field of

Book Report-Confessions of an Economic Hitman Essay Example for Free

Book Report-Confessions of an Economic Hitman Essay An enthusiastic young man on the threshold of launching his career to improve his lot is probably facing the first interview of his life. He is ‘wearing the best mask’ to project himself as a suitable candidate, but he has the genuine fear that the interviewers are clever enough to find out his real inner personality. He is worried about the serious negativities within him, but as the interview progresses, he realizes to his amazement that his dark past is his asset. His misdeeds are his trophies and medals. His rebellious disposition and discourtesy to his parents are his virtues. His possible contacts with the intelligence community relating to an important enemy country carry immense weight. A few weeks after the NSA testing, I (Perkins) was offered a job to start training in the art of spying. †(Chapter 1, p. 8) Perkins must have thought, it was better to receive without deserving than to deserve without receiving! By selecting such dubious recruits for ideal management training to run the affairs of the Nation, how secure is the future of the country? And the future of the world as USA has tremendous influence over many countries. It is in a position to pressurize them on various counts overtly and covertly. Where this country is heading for when the foundation stone of democracy and free-enterprise is in fact its headstone? Human values have vanished from the democratic framework. The values that assure the dignity of the individual and the economic freedom in the real sense of the term, without any deception, are the important pre requisites for the avowed objective of the UN, â€Å"The World is one Family. † Many specialized ‘isms’ have failed to achieve this objective. The history of the past few decades has witnessed the doomed failure of such philosophies. Only noble individuals can build a noble Nation. Only when the thought process of an individual changes, the action process also changes! When the thoughts are changed, the mind is changed; when the mind is changed, the man is changed; when the man is changed, the society is changed; when the society is changed, the nation is changed. Only such changed Nations will be in a position to say, â€Å"The World is one Family. † The pages of human history daubed in bloodshed pose a crying question. How to make this Planet on Earth heaven like? The answer is simple and direct. Eyes full of understanding, heart full of love, and the life that refuses conflicts –these alone are enough! In the paragraph cited above the negative qualities of Perkins are being awarded and the process is not going to build a bureaucracy or any type of force/institution based on truth and for human welfare. Such an agency will be utilized for subversive activities, dubious dealings and cunning machinations. â€Å"From the beginning to end, communism was never a legal action; it was illegitimated. They controlled the freedom of politic, social, culture, and economic. As the economic situation worsened, so did the people’s support for the communism. †(Article: Failure†¦)As for the failure of the ‘ism’s and corrupted versions of the surviving ones, E. F. Schumacher writes, â€Å"What is at stake is not economics but culture; not the standard of living but the equality of life. Economics and the standard of living can just as well be looked after by a capitalist system, moderated by a bit of planning and redistributive taxation. But culture and, generally, the quality of life, can now only are debased by such a system. †(Schumacher, p. 243) The need of the hour is, the administrative machinery and politics needs to be spiritualized. And that is not possible by hiring recruits to the type of training sought to be given to Perkins. â€Å"The main thing is a transformation of the spiritual climate, a new feeling for the difficulty and the nobility of being human, an all-pervasive fundamental disposition shared by everyone, and acknowledged by everyone within himself as the supreme judge. To the genesis and establishment of that disposition poets and artists, imperceptibly working through the depth and breadth of society, can make some contribution. But it is not something that can be taught and created; it must be experienced and suffered. † (Glaysher†¦. ) The problem of the day is squads of hit men are attached to departments, important ministries, defense establishments and it is they who run the administration and take important decisions in all the countries—without exception! And men like Perkins are part of such a system and after retirement they venture to write sensational books, yet again to make millions of dollars! The best alternative would have been to resign before retirement and then expose the administration. Not after enjoying all the benefits and perquisites provided by the administration and then confess the ‘guilt! ’ Perkins claims that he was threatened and bribed in an effort to kill his writing project†¦What is wrong in it? Perkins was engaged in similar exercises before. Where he was hiding his conscience then? A quote from an article, Complexity Digest, â€Å"Different (human) cultures and social groups have developed different levels of tolerance towards lying and cheating. Whereas in some cultures, being caught in a lie implies loosing face and considerable social consequences, in other cultures learning how to lie effectively as a child has a strong correlation with later success in economic and social standing in society. Complications and confusions, as consequences of not telling the truth, are considered funny Honesty, and are a continued source of entertainment in US sitcom TV shows like Seinfeld. (Honesty†¦) How true! Perkins must be recalling the experience of his first interview! References Cited: Perkins, John: Book: Confessions of an Economic Hit man Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Plume (December 27, 2005) Language: English ISBN-10: 0452287081 ISBN-13: 978-0452287082 Schumacher, E. F: Book: Small is beautiful-a study of Economics as if People Mattered. (Part III, Chapter 3, p,243)Indian Edition Publisher: Radha Kishna, 2 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002 Glaysher, Frederick: Article: The Victory of World Governance To meet that objective, the nations of the world will either have a plan or.. UNO, www. fglaysher. com/WorldGov. htm 61k Cached –Retrieved on November 3, 2007. Article: Honesty, its importance for scientific advances. The importance of honesty in science: Regulation by formal bureaucracy will not work when the organizations employing the scientists have vested Complexity Digest dated October 23, 2000. personal. ee. surrey. ac. uk/Personal/D. Jefferies/ttruth. html 23k Cached – Retrieved on November 3, 2007. Article: The Failure of Communism In Eastern Europe essays. www. megaessays. com/viewpaper/86270. html Retrieved on November 3, 2007.

Principles of Management - Microsoft Essay Example for Free

Principles of Management Microsoft Essay Planning involves defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving those goals, and developing plans to integrate and coordinate activities; Organizing involves arranging and structuring work to accomplish the organization’s goals; Leading involves working with and through people to accomplish organizational goals; Controlling involves monitoring, comparing, and correcting work performance. Background of Company Microsoft Corporation, incorporated in 1981, is engaged in developing, licensing and supporting a range of software products and services. The Company also designs and sells hardware, and delivers online advertising to the customers. The Company operates in eight segments: Windows amp; Windows Live Division (Windows Division), Server and Tools Business, Online Services Division (OSD), Microsoft Business Solutions, Microsoft Office Division, Microsoft Phone Division, Skype and Interactive Entertainment Business. The Company’s products include operating systems for personal computers, servers, phones, and other intelligent devices, server applications for distributed computing environments, productivity applications, business solution applications, desktop and server management tools, software development tools, video games, and online advertising. Microsoft Corporation is more than the largest software company in the world: it is a cultural phenomenon. Microsoft is led by Bill Gates, the worlds wealthiest individual and most famous businessman, Microsoft has succeeded in placing at least one of its products on virtually every personal computer in the world, setting industry standards and defining markets in the process. Problem Statement Even the giant software company could be at risk of losing its dominance. Its faces a challenges in search, web browsing, mobile devices, web server software and even the desktop operating system market. Study Objective Microsoft will come out some new products in order to beat their competitors. Â  According to Jon Brodkin, Microsoft’s Online Services Division powered by Bing and MSN is the only one that consistently loses money, including $2. 6 billion lost over the past 2 years. Second is the web browser. Once upon a time, Microsofts Internet Explorer commanded greater than 90% market share, dominating the browser market as much as Windows dominates PCs today. The Microsoft monopoly earned itself antitrust penalties by beating Netscape into submission, but it wasnt until the rise of Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome that the monopoly would be broken. The discrepancy between numbers of users and amount of usage suggests that the webs heaviest users are the ones who replace the default Internet Explorer with Firefox and Chrome. Â  For all its success as the world’s biggest maker of PC operating systems and office programs, Microsoft’s position as the dominant provider of software to consumers is at risk. While Windows still powers the vast majority of desktops and laptops, the emergence of mobile devices and increasing reliance on the Internet have shown consumers and businesses alike that much of what we call personal computing can be done without touching a single Microsoft product. Microsoft is still a giant, with $70 billion (? 43 billion) in annual revenue and an amazing 11 products that earn at least $1 billion a year. First of all, the first challenge is in search engine. Bing loses money over the past 2 years. Microsoft cares about search because of advertising revenue, and also because Google has become synonymous with the Internet in almost the same way Microsoft became synonymous with personal computers. Moreover, Microsofts Internet Explorer used to be a popular browser before Firefox and Chrome were launched to the market. According to the journal above, the issue of Microsoft Corporation facing is some of their software is not competitive enough to confront their competitors. Microsoft might improve or upgrade their software such as Bing and Internet Explorer regularly, always give consumers a fresh or new interface. In addition, they might make their software more function than others so that they are strong enough to beat their competitors. So as to improve the software, Microsoft has to make sure their employees’ skills are up to date. Microsoft should create a spirituality and organizational culture. Workplace spirituality recognizes that people have an inner life that nourishes and is nourished by meaningful work that takes place in the context of community. Benefits of spirituality are to improved employee productivity, increased creativity, stronger organizational performance and increased team performance. Furthermore, Microsoft might provide a proper training to their employees to make sure they can come out a new product for the company. DISCUSSION Employees are an organization’s greatest resource, and creativity is theirs. Creativity is the life force, the energy that leads to profitability. In globally competitive organizations, creativity occurs in every department at every level. Every employees uniqueness is recognized and celebrated. The goal of their leaders is bringing out the best in employees. They know that organizations are only as rich as the quality of their employees ideas.

Religion Essays Buddhism in the West

Religion Essays Buddhism in the West There are multitudinous challenges faced by the contemporary Buddhist, not the least of which includes the fact that he is contemporary in the first place. For, the contemporary world is overcome by numerous characteristics, which arealtogether incommensurate with Buddhism. The world of today, insofar as it has been industrialized and further digitized, is one of runaway technology, sound bites, and ubiquitously sought-after shortcuts to everything. The meditative and contemplative nature of Buddhism is rather at odds with the fast-paced West. However, it could not be said that this is the only, nor even the primary, challenge to contemporary Buddhism. There is also a strong sense of its minority nature in the West. TWO UNFORTUNATE OUTCOMES OF THE FAST-PACED WORLD The Anti-Contemplative Nature of the Fast-Paced World Thetraditions of contemplation/meditation in Buddhism are very basic to thereligion itself. When meditation occurs, contemplation seems to go with alongwith it. Meditation is that instrument which allows a Buddhist to withdrawfrom the ceaseless stream of relentless memories, daydreams, fears, andfantasies, (Jeffery Paine, Re-Enchantment, 132). In other words,meditation takes one out of those events and things (such as memories) whichare inextricably bound up in the world of suffering (i.e., of dukkha).But, upon this withdrawal from the world, one is able to engage in a type ofcontemplation, which can be conceived as the ability to perceive things asthey are in themselves. That is, there is a distinction between reality asit is (which an enlightened person can see) and reality as it seems to us(which is how those who are still in the endless cycle of rebirth, known as samsara,see things).It is the very goal of Buddhism to see things as they are. This is precisely inwhat enlightenment of a Buddha consists. The seeing of the whole of realityas it is is the very moment of enlightenment, the very moment of attainingBuddhahood. Therefore, the fast-paced world being not at all amenable to theslow nature of meditation/contemplation shows its inability to mesh withBuddhism. The Necessity of Samsara in a Fast-Paced World In hisconcluding thoughts on Buddhism in the West, religion scholar Roger Corlesstakes note of the intrinsically samsaric nature of a fast-paced world. The industrialized anddigitized world is one of addiction. This is one thing that characterizes itmost truly. People especially in these types of countries are addicted to allmanner of things sought to provide a quick fix a way out of the misery ofsamsara. Whether the addiction is toward greed for money, toward lust, drugs,alcohol, or even to psychotherapy, it makes no fundamental difference. In animportant way, one should see that Buddhism itself teaches that staying insamsara is like being in an addiction. Corless states, For Buddhism, it issamsara itself that is the basic drug, and addiction to samsara is the basicaddiction, (Vision of Buddhism, 81-2). Inasmuch as the contemporaryworld is overrun by various addictions to all manner of things which merelyhelp one cope with the reality of the harshness of samsara, to that extent itr emains at odds with the fundamental goal of Buddhism, which is release fromall addition-release from samsara itself. CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH A MINORITY POSITION IN THE WEST Trying to Advance or Defend Buddhism in the Theistic West Therecould be no used denying or downplaying the overall theistic nature of theWest. Whereas Zoroastrianism is a theistic religion of the East, which seemsnot to have had a very lasting effect (R.C. Zaehner, Encyclopedia of theWorlds Religions, 200), contrariwise, the there have been three greattheistic religions of the West, and they have all thrived. The most basic ofthe three, Judaism, has thrived amidst enormous difficulties (e.g., by being,like Zoroastrianism, in its origin a national religion). It has notthrived in the sense of vast numbers of converts throughout the ages. Rather,it has endured through the ages and its own several dispersions from theland originally inhabited by the people, and today it has tens of millions ofadherents throughout the world. Christianity, especially the ancientChristianity of Catholicism and Orthodoxy, has thrived in all manner of ways,including vast amounts of converts ever since its very modest beginnings. Todayit remains the largest religion of the world and has a strong foothold in bothWest and East. Moreover, a distinctive characteristic of historicChristianityis its own self-understanding as the completion or fulfillment of Judaism. Islam,being the last of the three great theistic religions, has mirrored much ofChristianitys success in terms of size and growth through the centuries, eventhough it has no such self-understanding.Though its Western influence has not been quite as strong as that of theoverall Judeo-Christian underpinnings of many Western European and North/SouthAmerican countries, it nevertheless has become today a religion that gives afurther bolstering effect to the already strong sense of theism in the West. Sincewe are using this term theism so much, it might prove useful to give aworking definition of it. Two American scholars in a general critique of allthings pantheistic (including Zen Buddhism) offer in their glossary thefollowing as a definition of theism: belief in one infinite, eternal, andpersonal God who as Creator is distinct from but rules over creation; distinctfrom atheism, deism, pantheism, and polytheism, (Apologeticsin the New Age, 242). It is true that all three major theistic religions ofthe West would equally assent to this definition as a working one with regardto their respective religions. That is, it is adequate as a definition of Godin Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Buddhism, by stark contrast, could not atall be said to be theistic. In Buddhism, there is no belief in one, infinite,and personal God who exists, with reference to everything outside of himself,as Creator of it all. Buddhism would probably be best described as eitherstrictly atheistic, pantheistic , or perhaps provisionally polytheistic. Finite gods,known as devas and asuras, are said to exist in various branches ofBuddhism (Roger Corless, Vision of Buddhism, 142), hence itsprovisionally polytheistic nature. However, it seems that these days, giventhat the atheism of the West is nearly always linked in with the scientisticmaterialism of it, one could see how in this situation, a Buddhist woulddistance himself from atheism. The New Age Stigma in America AlanWatts, Marilyn Ferguson, and Harvey Cox have each, though in very differentways, been indicating that ever since at least the 1960s the West has beenturning toward the East.However, since many of those who first were the largest advocates of such a recentturning Eastward were of quite varying faiths themselves and/or wereprogressives in their understanding of the development of religion, all the great faiths of theancient East somehow were combined with the contemporary thoughts of thesepopularizers of Eastern thought and what was born was the New Age. Various media advocates ofEastern thought (e.g., George Lucas of Star Wars and George Harrison of theBeatles) also helped to usher in the New Age movement by lending popularsupport to it and a widespread familiarity with it. Theproblem for Buddhism in this cultural climate is to distinguish itself from NewAge as an overarching umbrella under which it goes. Buddhism faces the acutechallenge of distancing itself from that which first brought it recently and enmasse to the West.Buddhism in America, for example, has no intrinsic core, and it is thus relianton falling into one or another foreign tradition of Buddhism in order forBuddhists to find expressions of their practice. This, perhaps, only tends toobscure in the publics mind just what is Buddhism. There are so manyvariations of American Buddhism imported from so many Eastern countries thatthe tendency is to simplify them all and place them under an Eastern or NewAge heading, just to roughly categorize them. Buddhism thus has a dualchallenge in many countries in the West in which it is still relatively new. Ithas to define itself relative to the culture in which it finds itself, and itfurther has to distinguish itself from any generically Eastern religi oussystem. Reincarnation: a Hard Sell to Some Relatedto the Western propensity to simplify things is the doctrine of continuation insamsara, as either reincarnation or rebirth. First, a brief note on the commonWestern view of the soul is in order. Two corollaries of theism (which again,is firmly entrenched in the West) are the ideas that every human person has asubstantial soul and there is a permanent afterlife awaiting everysubstantial soul, whether an afterlife for the good (e.g., Heaven) or one forthe evil (e.g., Hell). Within such a framework, therefore, reincarnation (whichis the re-birth of an individual soul) does not sit well. In fact, likeBuddhisms inherent non-theism, there is an incommensurability here too. Therecan be no resolution between the theistic idea of one life to live and theBuddhistic/Hinduistic idea of everlasting lives to live. As Scheck andGorgens note, It is important for every Western novice to remember thisfundamental difference: The West has always sought eternal life, the BuddhistEast, the end of t he cycle of rebirths, (Buddhism, 183). The Idea that a Person Does Not Have a Substantial Soul Relatedly,to suggest that reincarnation occurs is to have an idea of a substantial soulincarnating over and over. At least, this is the view in Hinduism, whichSiddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) inherits. However, it seems that the Buddhaadvocated a slightly different doctrine, perhaps better phrased as rebirththan reincarnation. In rebirth, it is true that births of the same personsare occurring repeatedly over time. However, whereas reincarnation presupposesthe idea of a substantial soul which is incarnated repeatedly, rebirth does notnecessarily presuppose the idea of a substantial soul. In fact, it is likelytrue that Buddhism sees the idea of a substantial and individual soul a beliefwhich is inherently samsaric.That is, to think myself as a separated individual, apart from the whole andbasic nature of reality, is to believe something which is an illusion. However,the idea that one is truly an individual person is an extremely strongWestern belief, whether the Westerner who holds the belief is committed to onetheistic tradition or not. Concluding Thoughts Buddhismof today is faced by many and daunting challenges, and several have beenexplored in this paper. Its minority status is certainly something thancontributes to the challenges, but it also helps to foster a misperception ofits identity with other religious traditions or umbrellas under which Easternthought goes (e.g., New Age). Its challenges to not only consist it this,however. We have also explored the inherently opposed characteristics of muchof the affluent world, whether Western or not. Those countries that areindustrialized and digitized have many quick fixes for the masses to providethem with all manner of temporary relief from the suffering of samsara. Theirony for the Buddhist to explain is that these various devices thought tobring relief are the very things keeping the ones participating in them withinthe bonds of samsara itself. WorksConsulted Amano, J. Yutaka, and Norman Geisler. TheInfiltration of the New Age. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale HousePublishers, 1989. Anderson, Norman. Christianity and WorldReligions: The Challenge of Pluralism. Downers Grove,IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1984. Armstrong, Karen. Buddha. New York:Viking Penguin, 2001. Clark, David, and Norman Geisler. Apologeticsin the New Age: A Christian Critique of Pantheism. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. Corless, Roger J. The Vision ofBuddhism: The Space Under the Tree. New York: Paragon House, 1989. Lopez, Donald, ed. A Modern BuddhistBible: Essential Readings from East and West. Boston: BeaconPress, 2002. Ouaki, Fabien, Dalai Lama, and Anne Benson.Imagine All the People: A Conversation with theDalai Lama on Money, Politics, and Life as it Could Be. Boston: WisdomPublications,1999. Paine, Jeffery, ed. Adventures with theBuddha: A Personal Buddhism Reader. New York: Norton,2005. Re-Enchantment: TibetanBuddhism Comes to the West. New York: Norton, 2001. Scheck, Frank, and Manfred Gorgens. Buddhism:An Illustrated Historical Overview. New York:Barrons Educational Series, 1999. Zaehner, R. C., ed. Encyclopedia of theWorlds Religions. New York: Barnes Noble Books, 1997.

The Destructive Nature of Man Depicted in Keyes Flowers for Algernon E

Imagine how you would feel if you were always being treated as though you were not human, or if people acted as though they created you. Well this is how you would feel if you were the subject of a science experiment. Science experiments should not be performed on humans or animals because of the unknown outcome. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes shows a destructive nature of man through stereotypes, absence of family, and the various IQ levels needed to mature. Scientific experimentation shows a destructive nature of man through stereotypes. Stereotypes are cruel and heartless. â€Å"He makes the same mistakes as the others when they look at a feeble-minded person and laugh because they don’t understand there are human feelings involved. He doesn’t realise I was a person before I came here.† (Keyes, 145) Before the surgery Charlie was looked down upon because of his mental state. However, after the surgery he is treated like he was made by the scientists, as though he was their very own ‘Frankenstein’. This is a destructive nature of man because after the surgery Charlie finds out that his so called friends have been making fun of him his whole life. Stereotypes show a destructive nature of man. â€Å"People with mental illness are depicted as burdens to society and incapable of contributing in positive ways to their communities.† (Edney) Through this book the reader knows this statement is false, b ecause Charlie is able to function fairly well in society, considering he has a job and he is doing very well there. Stereotypes show a destructive nature of man because they belittle people and make them feel worthless. There is a destructive nature of man is shown in Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon through the absence of family. Sci... ...es not necessarily mean just a fully grown up individual it is a combination of age, awareness, intelligence and decision making ability.† (V, Jayram) when you are intelligent you are able to become mature. When Charlie is trying to decide whether or not to tell Donner about Gimpy, this shows he is becoming more mature because of his decision making ability. This proves that there is a destructive nature of man shown through the various IQ levels needed to mature. In the end, Charlie is returned to his previous mental state proving that scientific experimentation leads to a destructive nature of man. In Flowers for Algernon Daniel Keyes shows the reader a destructive nature of man through stereotypes, absence of family, and the various IQ levels needed to mature. Therefore, science experiments should be left for chemicals and labs not humans and animals. The Destructive Nature of Man Depicted in Keyes' Flowers for Algernon E Imagine how you would feel if you were always being treated as though you were not human, or if people acted as though they created you. Well this is how you would feel if you were the subject of a science experiment. Science experiments should not be performed on humans or animals because of the unknown outcome. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes shows a destructive nature of man through stereotypes, absence of family, and the various IQ levels needed to mature. Scientific experimentation shows a destructive nature of man through stereotypes. Stereotypes are cruel and heartless. â€Å"He makes the same mistakes as the others when they look at a feeble-minded person and laugh because they don’t understand there are human feelings involved. He doesn’t realise I was a person before I came here.† (Keyes, 145) Before the surgery Charlie was looked down upon because of his mental state. However, after the surgery he is treated like he was made by the scientists, as though he was their very own ‘Frankenstein’. This is a destructive nature of man because after the surgery Charlie finds out that his so called friends have been making fun of him his whole life. Stereotypes show a destructive nature of man. â€Å"People with mental illness are depicted as burdens to society and incapable of contributing in positive ways to their communities.† (Edney) Through this book the reader knows this statement is false, b ecause Charlie is able to function fairly well in society, considering he has a job and he is doing very well there. Stereotypes show a destructive nature of man because they belittle people and make them feel worthless. There is a destructive nature of man is shown in Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon through the absence of family. Sci... ...es not necessarily mean just a fully grown up individual it is a combination of age, awareness, intelligence and decision making ability.† (V, Jayram) when you are intelligent you are able to become mature. When Charlie is trying to decide whether or not to tell Donner about Gimpy, this shows he is becoming more mature because of his decision making ability. This proves that there is a destructive nature of man shown through the various IQ levels needed to mature. In the end, Charlie is returned to his previous mental state proving that scientific experimentation leads to a destructive nature of man. In Flowers for Algernon Daniel Keyes shows the reader a destructive nature of man through stereotypes, absence of family, and the various IQ levels needed to mature. Therefore, science experiments should be left for chemicals and labs not humans and animals.

Baz Luhrmanns Film Adaptation of Romeo and Juliet Essay -- Papers

Baz Luhrmann's Film Adaptation of Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare's use of language reflects the theatre of his day. There were no elaborate set designs, costumes, lighting or sound effects and there were also only a small number of actors playing many different parts. This could get confusing and therefore the language and imagery had to do all the work for the audience, as the words were the only tools available to help them imagine the scenes vividly. In the prologue of "Romeo and Juliet", line number twelve; "Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage" and the very last words; "our toil shall strive to mend", have significant meaning. These sentences, spoken by the chorus, highlight to the audience the key plot elements to come. It gives the audience an idea of what they are about to watch or read and makes the ensuing action more intelligible. This dramatic convention therefore acts almost like a movie trailer. In Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of the play, the prologue begins with a long shot of a television (within a television), with a reporter speaking to us from inside of it. Behind the reporter's left shoulder are the words "star-crossed lovers" and a symbol of a broken ring. This, in the first minute of the play, already introduces us to the fact that Romeo and Juliet are star-crossed lovers, which is a major theme throughout the entire play. The news reporter then delivers the whole prologue from beginning to end, before the camera zooms further and further in until the point of extreme close up, at which point the prologue changes. This is how Baz Luhrmann achieves a similar effect to Shakespeare's dramatic use of the pr... ...rologue! At the very end of the prologue, the title "Romeo + Juliet" comes up and the 'plus' sign is actually made to suggest a Christian cross. This subtly reminds us of the religious side of the play. This includes the Friar, who is a religious personage, the wedding that Romeo and Juliet have and also the whole theme of destiny and some divinity or higher power looking over and controlling us in life. So in conclusion, this is how Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of the prologue from "Romeo and Juliet" successfully visually highlights Shakespeare's rich language and imagery. We can see how he has gone through the prologue and then fairly systematically translated its deeper meaning, in remarkably creative ways. He effectively translates all the messages of the prologue in a contemporary and entertaining context.

Potential Problems When Healthcare Professionals Accept Gifts from Pati

The role of doctors, nurses and physicians in general is to help out their patients and make them healthy. The patients pay for their treatment, but some may feel that their payment is not enough or may want to give extra. This exchange of money for service is extremely personal since this service is the provider of their continued health, or at least genuine attempts to do so. Since it is so personal, patients may feel that they are still in debt to their healthcare providers even if proper payment was done. These patients may give their healthcare professional a gift to show their thanks. Should the healthcare professional accept or reject these gifts? Currently, it seems that the decision is up to the healthcare professional’s discretion. To begin with, some sort of loose definition must be set for the types of gifts that are being discussed. Gifts that would be deemed as just a thanks between a healthcare professional and a patient are also the most common types of gifts (Spence). These are chocolate and liquors, which have low monetary value and cannot be exchanged easily for their face value; meaning, once the healthcare professional receives these gifts they are most likely stuck with them. This is important, because gifts other than money usually have some thought process behind them and requires more effort to go out and accquire them. This would mean that the patient is thinking about the doctor and that their thanks are most likely genuine. There can still be hidden motives behind these ‘genuine’ gifts, but both sides of the argument have to be laid down before it can be further discussed. If a gift were to be accepted it may taint the rest of the healthcare procedure. As Weijer writes: â€Å"The physician-patient rel... ...el Bible. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. . Lavine, Jay. "The Thirteen Principles of Jewish Medical Ethics." Jewish Medicine. 15 Apr. 2008. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. . Meir, Asher. "Self-Respect or False Pride." Aish. 23 Feb. 2008. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. . Proverbs. King James Bible. Online Parallel Bible. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. . Spence, Sean A. "Patients Bearing Gifts: Are There Strings Attached?" British Medical Journal 331.7531 (2005): 1527-529. BMJ. 24 Dec. 2005. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. . Weijer, Charles. "Should Physicians Accept Gifts from Their Patients? Yes" Western Journal of Medicine 175.2 (2001): 77. PubMed. Web. 14 Apr. 2010. .