Slaters Investigation

Aim. The aim of this investigation is to find out how Slaters react to an increase or decrease of the temperature in its surroundings. Hypothesis The speed of the Slaters will increase when the temperature of its environment is increased or decreased from its preferred range, so it ensures that they spend less time in unfavorable conditions to avoid desiccation. Method 1. This experiment is done using a water bath to change and control the temperature being trialed.The water bath will have a lid on it in order to keep the light intensity and humidity as constant as possible. 2. Ice and warm water would be used to the temperatures being trialed in this experiment. The temperature range that I am going to be using is 10Â °C,15Â °C,20Â °C,25Â °C,30Â °C. The temperature will be controlled between each Slater test by measuring the temperature of the water with a thermometer and adjusting the temperature to ensure that each Slater test is accurate and fair.The light intensity and humi dity of the environment would be monitored throughout the experiment. 3. A beaker with a piece of paper stuck to the bottom of it will be placed into the water bath once the water bath have adjusted to the temperature being trialed. In order for the test to be accurate, I would give the beaker and paper 2 minutes to adjust to the temperature that I am trialing before putting the slater in it. 4.Starting with the temperature at 10Â °C, I would draw a dot at the center of the paper in the beaker as a starting point. Each Slater will have 60 seconds and I will start once the slater have touched the dot on the paper. In order to measure the distance that the Slater have travelled in that 60 seconds, I will mark the position of the Slater every time it turns direction of movement in each test, at the end of each Slater test the markings would then be joined together to show the complete trail of the Slater

Assignment: Human Rights Essay

Answers for 10 marks questions should be written within 350 – 450 words. Answers for 8 marks questions should be written within 250– 350 words. Answers for 5 mark questions should be writtenwithin 150 – 200 words. Answers for 2 mark questions should be answered as per the requirement. ___________________________________________________________________ Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions. 1. What are the three parts of the concept of equality? Discuss on Gender Equality. (2 + 8 = 10 marks) 2. Describe biodiversity and cultural diversity. (5 + 5 = 10 marks) 3. Explain Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (10 marks) 4. Discuss derogable and non-derogable rights. (10 marks) 5. Discuss Salmond’s views on duties and rights. (10 marks) 6. Explain Multilateral Treaties. (10 marks) 1. What are the three parts of the concept of equality? Discuss on Gender Equality. (2 + 8 = 10 marks) Three Parts of concept of equality are as under. 1 Gender Equality 2. Economic Equality 3. Social Equality Gender Equality Gender equality has been defined by the various world bodies in terms of human rights, specially the right woman and economic development. Gender equality has been defined by UNCEF as â€Å"Leaving the playing fields for girls and woman by ensuring that all children have equal opportunity to develop their talent†. It has been declared by the United Nation Population Fund that woman has right to equality. â€Å" Gender equity† is one of the goals of the United Nations millennium project the project claims , â€Å"Every single goal is directly related to woman’s right, and societies where woman are not afforded equal rights as men never achieved development in sustainable manner.† In late 19th centuries the suffragette movement started in western countries who achieved gender equality major focus on property rights in marriage, gender liberation and feminism that resulted in changes made in to the laws. Now movement continued to focus on change in attitude of society on specific issues. That has led to make another changes in lawa related to anti sex discrimination. It was also seen a cultural shift in the attitude to equality in education opportunity for both boys and girls and also resulted in changes to social view regarding equal pay for equal work for both men and woman. Now it can be seen in so many countries that woman are working in the areas that were primarily considered to be man’s work like woman are working in Army, police, aviation and fire fighters. It has also been seen that men are also associated to the work that was meant for woman only. Another change has been seen that in most countries woman have stopped taking the surname of her husband. Though these changes are more common in western countries but lot has to be done in nonwestern countries as far as change in attitude of society towards gender equality. I believe that continuous movement will definitely help to change the attitude of society towards gender equality 2. Describe biodiver sity and cultural diversity. (5 + 5 = 10 marks) Biodiversity It defines as a degree of variation of life forms within a society or ecosystem. Biodiversity is necessary for existence of healthy ecosystem.In modern world lot of changes in ecosystem is being made by human that is directly affecting in negative to the ecosystem that is resulting in to unbalancing the ecosystem that subsequently lead to extinction of some to many species in longer period of time. It has been seen that some species are not existing or extinct from the planet and it can be thought that it was never discovered. Lots of changes are being made in terms of cutting the trees, urbanization leads to destroy of forest leading to unbalanced ecosystem. Efforts are also being made in terms of lots of movement like eco-feminism, social ecology and concept of unity in diversity. Unity in diversity is basic attribute of healthy eco – communities. Cultural diversity There are so many cultures in planet with different traditions that basically creates cultural diversity. People are generally understands and learn different cultures and traditions when they meet each other. Lots of multicultural events are organized intra and inter countries manner that leads to helping people to understand different cultures and traditions. Sometime it is being seen that people don’t believe in the multicultural activities because they are afraid of losing their identity in form of their culture. Here conflict arise that if diversity is considered as threat to the preservation of one’s own tradition. To overcome this issue it is important to study these tradition and reexamine the cultural practice to avoide such conflicts this might help in clearing various misconceptions and offer resolution to contemporary conflicts. These studies will help to understand that why cultures and traditions are important for the human existence Every individual or human being should try to understand the cultural diversities in his own society then to region and countries .A person should be beware of adopting any maladaptive institution which is distractive for human psyche itself. 3. Explain Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (10 marks) Convention of the rights of child was adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by general assembly resolution 44/25 of 20th nov. 1989 and enterd in to force on 2nd sept 1990 in accordance with article 45. Overview of the article is as under 1. Children shall have the right to such protection and care as is necessary for their well-being. They may express their views freely. Such views shall be taken into consideration on matters which concern them in accordance with their age and maturity. 2. In all actions relating to children, whether taken by public authorities or private institutions, the child’s best interests must be a primary consideration. 3. Every child shall have the right to maintain on a regular basis a personal relationship and direct Contact with both his and her parents, unless that is contrary to his or her interests. Article 24 of the convention on the rights of the rights of the child can be explained as given below. 1 State parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.State parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services. 2. State parties shall persue full implementation of this right and shall take appropriate measures – A. To diminish child and infant mortality B . To ensure the provision of necessary medical assistance and health care to all children with emphasis on the development of primary healthcare C. To combat diseases and malnutrition, including within the framework of primary healthcare D To ensure appropriate prenatal and post natal healthcare for mothers. E To develop preventive healthcare, guidance for parents, and family planning education and services. 3. State parties shall tke all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolish traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children. 4. State parties undertake to promote and encourage international cooperation with a view to achieving progressively the full realization right recognized in present article. In this regard, particular account shall be taken of the needs of the developing countries 4. Discuss derogable and non-derogable rights. (10 marks) When rights are discussed we considered them as absolute and non derogable because of their importance and also because they are so basic in constituting the human worth of the individual. The term ‘non-derogable’ is generally used in a legal context to stipulate those rights specified in a treaty that states cannot violate under any circumstances. These differ from derogable rights. However, there are certain rights that are considered to be ‘non-derogable,’ meaning that states have no legal basis, even in a state of emergency, to refuse to honour these rights. The right to life and rights protecting against torture generally fall within this category in most international human rights treaties and as part of customary international law, although others can be included depending on the treaty in question. There are some rights which are considered to be very sacred and indispensable and thus no derogation from the is permitted – Right to life Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life. —Article 6.1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Freedom from torture Torture is prohibited under international law and the domestic laws of most countries in the 21st century. It is considered to be a violation of human rights, and is declared to be unacceptable by Article 5 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Freedom from slavery Freedom from slavery is an internationally recognized human right. Article 4 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Right to a fair trial Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him. * the right to be heard by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal * the right to a public hearing * the right to be heard within a reasonable time * the right to counsel * the right to interpretation Freedom of speech Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly subject to limitations, such as on libel, slander, obscenity, incitement to commit a crime, etc. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion Freedom of religion Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. —Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 5. Discuss Salmond’s views on duties and rights. (10 marks) According to Salmond view ‘A duty is an obligatory act, which is to say, it is opposite of which would be a wrong. Every duty has a corresponding right. As example: A purchaser has right to buy the products from seller and seller has a duty to give the products to purchaser. According to Austin, Some duties are absolute. Those do not have a corresponding right. Such as, Not to commit a suicide or duty towards god etc. However, this view is criticizes by Gray, Pollock and Salmond. According to a Salmond, â€Å"There can be no duty without a right any more than there can be a husband without wife or a parent without a child† Types of Duty: Legal duty: A legal duty is an act which is opposite of legal wrong & which recognized by the law as duty is called Duty. Violation of this duty can bring up punishment on violator. Moral Duty: A moral duty is created by nature which is opposite of moral wrong. Sometimes a duty can be both legal & moral. Not to steal is moral & legal duty. At last, we can say that Right have a duty & if the duty cannot be maintain then it will be a Wrong. Rights By analyzing this view we can say that what is the rule right. The term ‘rule of right’ means that rule of those act which act is not harmful or conflict to people opinion. like wrongs and duties, are either moral & legal. Moral right is recognized by the rule of morality & violation of this would be a moral wrong and legal right is recognized by the rule of law & violation of this would be a legal wrong. CONCEPT OF MORAL RIGHT Moral rights are rights, which are not contingent upon the laws, customs, or beliefs of a particular society or polity. That means the right which are not recognized by law is called ‘Moral right’. As example obeying parents & teacher is moral right but not legal. If someone violate the moral right then there have no punishment or damage for it. The right, which has corresponding moral duty, is also called a moral right. As example, to get respect from the juniors in age is a moral right of the seniors, which is recognized by the society. On the other hand, the senior has a moral duty to adore the juniors, which is also a moral right of the juniors. According to Salmond on Legal right â€Å"Right is an interest recognized and protected by rule of right. It is any interest, respect for which is a duty, and the disregard of which is wrong†. 6. Explain Multilateral Treaties. (10 marks) A multilateral treaty is a written agreement between three or more sovereign states establishing the rights and obligations between the parties. They often result in international conference or gathering of nations done under the auspices of international organizations. Bilateral treaties, by contrast are negotiated between a limited number of states, most commonly only two, establishing legal rights and obligations between those two states only. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Geneva Conventions are the examples of multilateral treaties. Multilateral treaties lay down general norms of international laws or to deal in a general manner with matters of general concern to other state as well as to the parties to the treaties. Generally multilateral treaties are signed between groups of countries. Major objective to sign treaty is to ensure smooth exchange of the goods between the group countries that will lead them to develop their economy that in turn will help to increase quality of life of the people. There are more than 500 treaties have been signed between 193 members of United Nations. These treaties can draw a law framework also on the international platform that will help other non-member and member nations to do trade between them. Generally multilateral treaties are described sometimes as law making treaties but cannot be enforced as a strict rule for future agreements or for creating some international institution. Multilateral treaties neither can nor bound non signed member to abide by rules unless it creates the customary rule on international law. In this context we can say multilateral treaties can be used for law making but can not be true in every time as it does not bound nonsigned member to go by the treaty law but if treaty has been done between large group and rules made in the treaty are as per the regime of law then it can be used or described as law making treaties but this character in not with every multilateral treaty, example of law making treaty was General Treaty for Renunciation of war of August 27 1928. It is to be noted that multilateral treaty accepted an enforced by a limited number of states cannot create a general norm of international law. The codification process of international law admits of a widespread agreement upon norms and if this requirement is not fulfilled it is difficult to call that a particular multilateral treaty has created a general norm of international law.

How did the experiences of African American soldiers during World War Research Paper

How did the experiences of African American soldiers during World War 2, and new (American) legislations lead to the Civil Right - Research Paper Example It was in 1955 that the African American Civil Right Movement took place in the United States to remove the barriers which stopped the African Americans from doing things. In other words it was fought to retain the rights of these blacks so that they could integrate into the American society. The problems which led to Civil Rights Movement of 1955 rooted from the experiences of the African American soldiers during the World War II. These problems quickly began to rise and led to the formation of groups in the society. Thus the society became segregated to give way to a civil rights movement launched by the blacks. This essay would further revolve around the problems that gave way to the civil rights movement in America.1 2 World War II In 1941 America entered the World War II to join the Allied forces against Japan and Germany. It was in these times that blacks did not even have the right to vote for the processes of election. The black children were not allowed into the schools of w hites and they were particularly segregated from the society into schools which were under funded by the government. The blacks also were segregated in every term of life including trains and buses. Courtesy was never used to address the blacks living in the society as it is for the whites. This type of discrimination was not only prevalent in the Southern America but was also prevalent in the north. The blacks were not able to rent out or buy places which they liked and even the trade unions did not accept the membership of the blacks. This was not only prevalent in the precinct of the city but it was also prevalent on the battle zone. It was seen that the armed forces had a segregated unit for the blacks where they had to operate by themselves. These blacks were not even allowed in major segments of Navy and this brought discontent amongst the soldiers. All these conditions led to the worsening of conditions of the blacks and they served in the army only to attain their rights in the country. The blacks believed that if they fought for their country they would be able to gain the right of equal citizenship. They also believed that they would get rights to work for employers who previously did not hire them because of the policies of segregation3 4 5. The blacks compared their condition to the condition of the Germans who faced racism at the hands of the Nazis during the war. The blacks believed that it was World War II which would help them retain their lost rights. Racial discrimination during the war was never considered to be a big problem by the whites. The blacks were considered to be unfit for the forces and were not allowed to enroll in the armed forces. Mostly these blacks were given duties in which they would support the forces rather than play an active role in the war. However after the World War II started the government was forced to engage the black individuals into combat and formed special units for them. But here again the segregation polici es were not left out and the blacks were given specific units through which they had to operate. No black was integrated into the forces of whites as they were considered to be superior. Harry Truman in 1948 passed an act to integrate the blacks with the whites but this was still not successful until 1953 when the Korean War started. Furthermore the blacks were not allowed at authoritative positions in the military up till the 1960s after which they

Illegal employment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Illegal employment - Essay Example Hence, this research will focus mainly on evaluating whether the rights of illegal migrant workers are given protection. It will also be analyzed whether the EU policies and laws on these workers veer towards a more liberal and humanitarian approach as embodied in the EU Constitution. These aims can be achieved through careful scrutiny of policies and laws under which illegal migrant workers can assert protection of rights or bring to action their claims and grievances. International cooperation must also be examined as to the impact it has on migration in a region such as the EU. Through analyzing and evaluating the rights of illegal migrant workers through means of thorough study of the existing policies and laws concerning these workers, it will be found out whether or not the migrant workers are given equal protection under the law. The influx of migrant workers, both legal and illegal in status has been considered a major concern for the governments of Western European countries. Questions with regards to their legality and their impact on the host countries’ economy have caused controversy and heated debates (Layton-Henry, 1990). OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) member countries have also stepped up their efforts to fight illegal entry and employment of migrant workers, yet, illegal entry of migrant workers into the EU member states has continued to increase. As a result, the OECD most recently augmented cooperation at both EU community level and the national level. The OECD (2000) has also affirmed its policies to curb and prevent illegal employment of foreigners. Due to the influx of migrant workers throughout Europe, the OECD has shown that they indeed fight for migrant workers rights and are not lax in this area on both the community and national level. A major concern on the part of European nations in regards to immigrants in general is the hardships that the nation

Em Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Em - Essay Example This essay seeks to explore this concept of emotional labour with specific reference to the studies of Arlie Hochschild and Sara Jaffe. Following discussion will also scrutinize some important ways by which emotional labour affects workers and the relevance of this concept in the present business environment. Controlling personal issues to display the right emotions for customers forms the bedrock of emotional labour. This concept was first introduced by Hochschild in her book â€Å"The Managed Heart.† As the name of her book implies, emotional labour is about managing heart and not permitting personal emotions to burst at the seams in front of a customer. Inhibiting inner feelings and conforming to an external ideal to project a better image about organization is emotional labour. Some service industries require employees to treat customers nicely regardless of however rude or unreasonable the customer is being. In this case especially when an employee is already not feeling well but still attempting to be nice, rude customers can readily make things worse. Research suggests that being forced to manage emotions in such drastic situations can culminate in work stress. Such workers can get very detached from their real self and may also experience burnout as a result. Hochschild he rself addresses this worrisome issue by claiming that â€Å"the worker can become estranged or alienated from an aspect of self† (Hochschild 7). Jaffe is her article also points out that emotional labour makes female employees disadvantaged in a workplace. Instead of benefiting them significantly, the kindness or caring provided by women in care fields is taken for weakness. This kind of trend adds to exploitation of caring female employees (Harvey cited in Jaffe). Women are universally expected to display greater level of care for others and behave more kindly. They are expected to be submissive and disregard their personal issues.

Introducing students to the theory of multiple intelligences Research Paper

Introducing students to the theory of multiple intelligences - Research Paper Example This test just touched upon the verbal, logical-mathematical and spatial intelligence. Gardner believes that the capacities are woven into the brain and neuronal network (2006). He feels that there is depth to intelligence and plenty of observation is necessary to gauge the intelligence levels. The intelligences are classified as linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic (Gardner, 2006). These intelligences have to be elicited by the teacher and parents. The capacities are flexible and can change through various enriching experiences. Education works upon these flexibilities. The genius however is decided by the genetic constitution just as the person of low intelligence. The spatial and musical intelligences are rather vague in nature and it is not definite whether these are genetic in constitution. Gardner’s experiences as a psychologist, who has examined patients recovering from traumatic brain inju ry, have brought forward the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983). MI helps schoolchildren in many ways. Teachers get an idea of the children’s strengths and can develop a curriculum which suits their capacities. Teamwork among the teachers is encouraged by the technique. Education is promoted as art forms and games which the children identify with. Schools plan various educational experiences for children from different backgrounds. Observation of the child in class and how he misbehaves is the first method of assessing intelligence and which of them is more developed in the child (Armstrong, 2009). The linguistically inclined child will be talking frequently. The spatial child will be a daydreamer. The child with more of the interpersonal intelligence tends to socialize and has more friends. The bodily kinesthetic child is always fidgeting. The naturalistic child may bring a pet to class without necessarily taking permission (Armstrong, 2009). The next observation should be when it is leisure time. The linguistic child will read books while the spatial child will be drawing (Armstrong, 2009). The socializer will be playing impromptu games with a group of friends. The bodily kinesthetic child will be involved in building activities. The naturalistic child may be looking at the fish in the aquarium or standing in front of an animal cage. The musical child may be singing. A checklist for multiple intelligences for schoolchildren may be completed for each child by the teacher. This contains easy-to-note behaviors for each pattern of intelligence Records are kept of behavior in class and in the playfield. School records of performances in class are also maintained (Armstrong, 2009). The theory of multiple intelligences is first explained to the children. A sample question would be â€Å"How many of you are intelligent, raise your hands† (Armstrong, 2009). The younger children would raise more hands as they are innocent and believe in their intell igence. The teacher calling them word smart or logic smart or music smart or picture smart, each child can feel he is smart. This encourages the children to cooperate and participate in the assessment of their own intelligence. Various activities may be planned for holding the interest of the children and developing their intelligences: â€Å"career day, field trips, biographies, lesson plans, experiential activities, wall displays, readings, board games, stories and

Organisational Change and Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organisational Change and Development - Essay Example Organisational theory has compared and contrasted many ways of fostering the types of effective change deemed necessary to improve the production and distribution of goods and services. In addition, a variety of strategic change recommendations have been advanced based on organisational structures, relations with the public, and objectives oriented change to optimally enhance operations. This literature has given concerned stakeholders tremendous insight into the diverse methods available for enhancing the likelihood for successful transformation, all the while minimising risks for productivity, goals and objectives, as well as human resources. Given the turbulent financial environment that managers currently find themselves in, it is unlikely that any element of classic theoretical frameworks approaching problem identification and solution on a start and stop basis will provide the instruments or mechanisms necessary to continuously create the responsive flexibility and adaptability needed to survive in the current environment. Before describing the planned change factors and related resilience and fortitude now needed by contemporary organisations to address perpetual problem solving, it may be useful to describe relevant theoretical frameworks that can help managers understand and guide complex organisations through these turbulent waters of today, through the development of cohesive and responsive change strategies needed to survive and thrive under these challenging environmental conditions. RELEVANT LITERATURE The theoretical justification for organisational change has been reconciled in many ways. Classic organizational specialists argue that organisations should imitate the activities, structures, and operational patterns of those thriving in a given industry. Paradigms that advance these tendencies for organisational imitation are known as isomorphism, believed to be highly beneficial for performance and cultures (Zucker, 1977). In contrast, other frameworks suggest that flexibility and adaptation to fluctuating environments is much more likely to facilitate success (Robertson & Seneviratne, 1995). Still others examine organisational problem-based operations in light of resource mobilization or by the accumulation and maintenance of power structures (Pfeffer, 1977). Change management theorists take the position that change will be needed at certain critical points throughout an organizational lifespan, and that when necessary, constructive transformations might optimally be implemented through rational and judicious decision-making. Throughout the period of critical events when change might be indicated, managers should not necessarily exploit their power or opportunistically capitalize on their authority to impose unnecessary levels of uncertainty. According to Jackson and Carter (2007, p. 6), this could be highly detrimental to process and action oriented objectives. Our belief is that the proper purpose of the study of organisational behaviour is to provide an understanding of it, not to prescribe its uncontrolled manipulation. Such an understanding cannot be achieved independently of consideration of the purposes, practices, and ethical issues surrounding organisational

The Rise of Mao Zedong within the Communist Party in China, Essay

The Rise of Mao Zedong within the Communist Party in China, Culminating in the Proclamation of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949 - Essay Example He started his career as a teacher. In 1918 he left for Beijing and worked as assistant librarian at the Beijing University. There he became member of Marxist study group. In 1919, he returned to Changsha and became more attracted to the message of Russian revolution and Leninist version of Marxism. Mao was one of the thirteen delegates who attended the Chinese communist party's founding congress which was secretly convened in Shanghai in July 1921 (Mao, 2011). Mao was more attracted to countryside and peasants than cities and proletariats. He spent more time on studying the rural socio economic conditions and focused on organising the peasants. In fact, he discovered the great revolutionary potential of peasants. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has merged with the nationalist party of Kuomintang in 1923. However, this partnership did not last long. By 1927, it became clear that Mao and Chiang had different perceptions on Soviet interests in China. Mao supported Soviet Union while Chiang opposed it. As a result, the CCP- Kuomintang alliance broke. Both the leaders competed for domination of China. While Mao focused on rural areas, Chiang focused on urban areas. In 1927, Mao published the Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan. It contained the important ideas of Mao. He believed in the power of the peasants and described it as a tornado. In his opinion it is "so extraordinarily swift and violent that no power, however great, will be able to suppress it." (2011). He believed in the revolutionary creativity of peasants which Marxist-Leninists reserved for the Communist Party. According to Mao, it is not the party which has to determine the revolutionary capabilities of the peasants, but the peasants who has to judge the capability of the party for revolution. From April, 1927 onwards, Chiang Kai-shek focused on destroying communists and their organisational base in urban areas. Rise of Mao Mao had great admiration for sun Tzu and gave prior ity to maintaining an army. So he formed the Red Army. He knew that war against the powerful state will take years to win. He worked for gaining support for the red army among the peasants. He followed the tactic of sun Tzu, attack when stronger and retreat when weak (Seize the Night, 2010). Mao applied this strategy four times when confronted with the strong forces of Chiang. In 1930, a notable incident called the Futien incident occurred. That is, Mao suspected that a red army unit in Jiangxi is not supporting him and so ordered execution of 3000 officers and men. This shows Mao’s strict nature. Between December 1930 and September 1931, there were three guerrilla campaigns under the leadership of Mao, but failed. The fourth guerrilla campaign in 1932-33 was also a failure. But, the fifth one succeeded. In 1934, after series of defeats, the communists and three red armies were pinned down in the mountains of Jiangxi Province in southern China. The communist army became exhau sted as a result of harassment form the Kuomintang. As a result of the nationalist offensive, the communists and the red armies decided to flee their southern bases and retreat to meet Communist forces in Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia in northern China (Hays, 2011). This retreat is known as the long march. It was a six thousand mile march. The long march began in Jiangxi on October 16, 1934 and crossed 24 rivers, 18 mountain ranges (5 covered with snow) and 11 provinces before it ended after 368 days at the caves of Yenan on the edge of the Gobi desert in northern China (Hays, 2011). On January 8, 1935, they met in Zunyi in Guizhou province. There, they discussed the future leadership of the communist party. The old leadership and generals of the red army supported Mao. He was made the

Government vs. Private Sector Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Government vs. Private Sector - Coursework Example This set of practices, including double-entry accounting formula, is used in ensuring that uniformity and financial accuracy is achieved. According to Gauthier (2010), these methods can also be used in the public sector, but there is room for deviation to other methods in some cases such as during budgeting (Gauthier, 2010). The application of accrual and cash accounting and budgeting basis is a great divide between the private and the public sector, with the private sector employing accrual accounting, while the public sector employing cash accounting and budgeting (Finkler, 2010). However, there is a constant development of bridging between the two approaches by most governments, with the view of attaining better financial information. The context of public and private sector finance and accounting management also differs in such a way that the private sector has more autonomy to make any financial and accounting decisions in order to achieve what ought to be achieved (Finkler, 2010). On the other hand, the public sector financial and accounting is limited to rules and regulations that limit their reach in terms of incorporating practice to have ends meet. For instance, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement No. 20 restricts state and local governments to using private sector standards that were only issued prior to November 30, 1989, consistent with GASB guidance (Gauthier,

LEED Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

LEED - Assignment Example the nature of LEED certified constructions, is that the renovation and maintenance cost is substantially lower than those which are not LLED certified. The tendency for the useful lives of LEED certified building is presumed to be increased. 4. One of the subjective claims that is raised regarding LEED certified buildings and properties is that the workers who perform their duties, feel a very healthy environment because of reduced toxic emissions which lead to more productivity and efficiency among those workers. This claim is quite hard to verify because other factors also contribute in a great deal towards increasing productivity and efficiency of the workers. 1. The biggest disadvantage of LEED certification is the heavy initial cost in addition to the normal construction cost. LEED certified buildings require commissioning, administrative, documentation, modeling and designing costs to meet the requirements of LEEF certification which increase the overall cost of the buildings from 2% to 7% on average basis. 2. Another disadvantage of LEED certification is the rigid requirements of the standards designed by USGBC. These requirements are hard to meet on consistent basis. When scrutinized and if any non-compliance is found, the rating of a particular building is decreased as a result. LEED certification involves a process based on menu system. The building commissioner has a right to pick different items from an exhaustive list which includes items such as â€Å"installing on-site renewable energy facilities†, â€Å"improving insulation† etc. The building construction and renovation have the implementation of those items which are mentioned in the list of commissioners. Points are then awarded to the buildings on the basis of those items. Every item has one point with maximum 69 points in accumulation. Some technical exceptions to this point system also exist, but in the end the level of points causes various certification degrees. 1. Sustainable sites (14

The article written by John Hardwig Essay Example for Free

The article written by John Hardwig Essay In the article written by John Hardwig (1997) entitled â€Å"Is there a duty to die? † the discussion with regard to the duty of people to die is argued. The author does not recognize the need to present theoretical bases for his arguments as he intends to provide persuasive thoughts for his audience. His arguments can be considered as his own perspective and thought. In light of this, there are four arguments that the article has not answered in its discussions. This are to be answered using the perspectives of Hardwig. First, does this have to come with the free will of people and can be seen as a part of the rights of the people? In answering this, it can be said that indeed, it is within the free will of people to determine the circumstances to which they must exercise their duty to die. It is the personal choice of people to place their death as among the list of their duties because it is only the self who can determine when it needs rest. However, it can not be seen as a right because in this manner, it would be subject to abuse by the people. Second, what happens to the duty to die if people can not make decisions? For example, this problem occurs for illnesses where the person has slipped into comatose. In this regard, the person can not express the duty that is seen as appropriate for this instance, according to the beliefs of Hardwig. However, the people considered to be of close affinity or consanguinity should consider the implicit need for this duty to be given to the person to relieve the suffering and pain. Third, the assertion of the duty to die is against the goal of the society for a better quality of life for all. However, it is seen that alleviating people from being a burden or causing more harm to the self and to others is seen as a better means of achieving a better life for the society. Lastly, the family, being a part of the social institutions, can be seen as among the providers of care for people and should not consider its members to be a burden. However, as can be discerned from the two previous arguments, the duty to die gives the person the chance to have a greater chance of relieving the self from harm, as well as other people. Preventing him/her from doing it means more pain and agony for the people who are involved. References Hardwig, J. (1997). Is there a duty to die? The Hastings Center Report, 27(42), 34-42.

Water Scarcity in Egypt

Water Scarcity in Egypt Student Name: Gill Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to find the question about fresh water and analyze the fresh water data. In this text, first I will introduce the situation of fresh water in Egypt, and second is to tell you the methodology. The third and forth steps are Findings and Discussion to discuss the water issues in Egypt. Then I will to sum up all above information to write the conclusion. To discuss the problems and solutions of water resources in country Egypt. And analyze the data of the rainfall in every year in Egypt. 1.0 Introduction The purpose of this research is to find out the problem of fresh water scarcity and analyze the information about fresh water scarcity in Egypt. Fresh water is importance for Egypt because this country is located on desertification region and perennial drought. And about 98% of population lives in the most prosperous place, and they need a large number of fresh water to keep their life. China is also a country with severe water. In China, the ranking of freshwater resources is fourth in the world. However China has lots of population, resulting in the per capita water resources is only a quarter of the world average. And I think the water chemistry that may influence water scarcity is the industrial water. Almost all of the aquatic ecosystems in China are good and have fine environment. And now Chinese are improving the aquatic ecosystems be better. In my opinion, the reasons of lack of water in Egypt are the annual rainfall is less and the local population is more. Resulting in the per capita water consumption is less. 2.0 Methodology The plan for achieving research purpose is to evidence my hypothesis of fresh water in Egypt. The data that I got usually researched from Internet and some of them were got from news. The best is some of them have the example charts and detailed explanation that I can reference to my essay. I researched them by the key words fresh water in Egypt. And those articles needed to have writers, and I could do the detailed notes. Usually news articles are truth and valuable and usable, so they are of good quality for use in an academic report, and make my essay with authenticity. 3.0 Findings The two key fresh water issues in Egypt are annual precipitation is low and the per capita water resources are less. And every Egyptian cannot excessive use of water. Because these two issues involve the natural weather causes and the population causes. The potential solution of fresh water cannot choose the best one, but I think the solution is local government positive to improve the management of water resource and the family planning program. And Egypt government can try their best to control the number of population. In Egypt, people have different kinds of water for agriculture, such as Nile water, groundwater, precipitation and agricultural wastewater. Nile water is the mail water resources for Egypt country. Egypt government can get about 55.5 billion meters of water, and about 86% of this water be used to agricultural irrigation. On the groundwater, every year the Egypt government extraction of groundwater about 4.6 billion meters of water. On the precipitation, every year t he rainfall is about 1.5 billion water, however people cannot use the freshwater over than 50%. Egyptian recycling the agricultural wastewater and through purification the wastewater try to use the water again. But this way is in the test and small area application stage. Table: 4.0 Discussion In paragraph introduction my hypothesis are annual rainfall is less and the local population is more to make freshwater to be less in Egypt. Based on the findings text, I will discuss the water resources management by Egypt government. On the management way, Egypt government did a good demonstration. They implement the unified management on water resources. On the price of water for residential use, different live place has different price of water. For example the price of water in high-income residential area is higher than the price of water in low-income residential area. To try they best to save the water resources and reduce losses. However the price of water on the agricultural irrigation is free. Almost all of the agricultural wastewater that be recycled is used to the agricultural irrigation, and usually the groundwater is used to the drink and agriculture. Integrated all of the information, my argument is scientifically logical. Because my argument is based on the many arti cles, all of them think the reasons have the relationship with population and environment issues. After all, these reasons are not artificial, so that they are hardly solved. 5.0 Conclusion and Recommendation Those evidences that I researched can demonstrate my hypothesis. For example the news data, the data shows Egypt is belong to which climate, and to example why Egypt shortage of water resources. From above text, I got the main reasons for the freshwater shortage in Egypt is population and natural environment. On the solution for fresh water, Egypt government expects recovery the agricultural wastewater and clean is to try to use it again. And they also have another policy for water management. Researchers will detect the quality of the water resources in the fixed time. Resulting in they make the best plan for rational use of water resources. In addition, those scientists are going to expand study on save agricultural irrigation water technology. Thought check the local ecosystem, those scientists try to find the most suitable crop that can live in this harsh environment. Reference List 2014,Egypt:water resources from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia [Online] Available from: http://globserver.cn/node/37005 [Accessed 28 December 2016] Amir Dakkak (2016), Egypts Water Crisis Recipe for Disaster [Online] Available from: http://www.ecomena.org/egypt-water/[Accessed 28 December 2016] Water resources management and policies for Egypt [Online] Available from: http://www.bvsde.paho.org/bvsacd/cd29/policies.pdf [Accessed 28 December 2016] Â   Â   Â  

The Rice Subsidy Programme in Malaysia

The Rice Subsidy Programme in Malaysia Rice is an important security crop which acts as a staple food in Malaysia. During the last 30 years, rice cultivation in Malaysia was converted from a subsistence farming crop, to a commercial crop which is highly controlled and subsidized by the Malaysian government. As rice is a major staple food in the country, a large range of protective policies has been introduced by the government to protect rice farmers’ incomes and to ensure the existence of sufficient rice supply in the nation due to the country’s interest in food security. Local rice farmers produce approximately 60-70% of the domestic rice supply in the nation, while imports fill up the remaining 30-40% of the rice supply. Another interesting aspect of the Malaysian rice market is that rice firm Malaysias Padiberas Nasional Bhd (BERNAS) acts as the sole importer for foreign rice. On top of that, BERNAS is also responsible for the distribution of paddy price subsidies to local rice farmers and acts as a last resort buyer at Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP), fixed at RM550 per metric tonne. According to the Finance Ministry of Malaysia, the government allocated RM528 million as subsidy for approximately 700,000 metric tonne of rice as of 2013, under the nation’s Rice Subsidy Programme. The cheapest type of rice which is subsidized by the Malaysian government is the Super Tempatan 15%, priced at RM1.80 per kg. The Malaysian government aims to protect the interest of local farmers as well as low income earners via its Rice Subsidy Programme. One of the main reasons as to why the nation’s government should continue subsidizing rice is to increase the self-sufficiency level of the local rice market. According to BERNAS, the firm imports around 30% to 40% of Malaysias domestic rice demand to fulfil the nation’s rice requirement. This shows that the local rice market’s sufficiency level is only around 60% to 70%. Therefore, in order for Malaysia to achieve a 100% sufficiency level, rice production in the country must increase.   Ã‚   Diagram 1: Subsidy graph Referring to Diagram 1, S0 refers to the supply of rice that the local rice farmers can produce without subsidy. With the introduction of subsidy by the government, local rice farmers collect RM248.10 for every tonne of paddy that they harvested. This indirectly lowers the cost of paddy production for the farmers, which allows them to expand their production from S0 to S1. If the subsidy provided by the local government continues, it is possible to further increase the production rate of paddy in Malaysia and thus increasing the self-sufficiency level of the rice market. Furthermore, Malaysia will be less dependent on foreign rice to meet the nation’s rice requirement, and a self-sufficiency rice market will prepare the nation to face any food crisis similar to the rice crisis in 2008, which might occur in future. According to Christopher Teh Boon Sung who is a senior lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia, the nation would need to increase the rice yield per capita to a minimu m of 106 kg in order for Malaysia’s rice market to be 100% self-sufficient by 2015. Rice production in Malaysia is largely restricted by the fact that most local farmers do not have enough modal or funds to further expand their supply. Therefore, the nation’s Rice Subsidy Programme will provide the necessary benefits to assist the rice farmers to increase the nation’s rice supply. Besides being beneficial to the producers, the continuation of the Rice Subsidy Programme by the government of Malaysia will also help lower the cost of living for the low income earners. While the subsidies provided by the government are distributed to the rice producers only, it has a direct effect on consumers as well. Diagram 2: As shown in Diagram 2, the subsidy given to the producers shifts the supply curve to the right from S0 to S1, thus lowering the equilibrium price of rice from P2 to P1. This will benefit the low income earners as the reduction in price equilibrium of rice allows them to consume more rice at a lower price. Furthermore, producers will not suffer any loss from selling rice at a price lower than equilibrium as the amount subsidized by the government (P3-P1) covers the full market price. In other words, with the existence of the Rice Subsidy Programme, it assists both local rice farmers and low income earners to ease the burden of rising costs of living due to other developments in the nation. On top of that, the reduced prices of rice due to subsidy will also protect local rice companies against competition from imported foreign rice. Consumers will be more attracted by the cheaper prices of local rice, which will result in local rice being the preferred choice over the others. One of the main reasons why the Malaysian government should discontinue subsidizing essential goods such as rice is due to the fact that subsidies require massive amount of funding for it to be financed. While giving out subsidies to rice farmers has been a norm in the country for many years, the government of Malaysia should also consider the fact that it is very costly for the nation to continue funding them. According to the Finance Ministry of Malaysia, the government allocated a staggering RM528 million to fund subsidies for 700,000 metric tonne in 2013. Moreover, the rice subsidy provided by the government inevitably comes with an opportunity cost. As a large portion of government’s funds being allocated for the rice subsidy, the government is unable to increase the budget of other essential sectors in the nation such as education and infrastructure development. By discontinuing the subsidy for rice in the country, the government will obtain additional funds to increase its expenditure in other sectors which could reduce the burden of citizens even further. With that, the government is able to execute other essential policies such as free education. Besides that, the government should also take into account that the continuation of rice subsidy will lead to long-term environmental issues. As the government aims to protect local rice farmers and encouraging them to increase rice production in the nation via its subsidy programme, it might also encourage the rice farmers to use intensive farming methods in order to gain faster yields. Those intensive farming methods might be a huge threat to the sustainability of the country’s ecological resources. If that happens, concerned non-governmental organizations or angry citizens will possibly stage mass rallies and protests which could tarnish the nation’s image in the eyes of global investors. Moreover, With so much taxpayer’s money being allocated as subsidy for rice by the Malaysian government, there are surely questions on who benefits more from the subsidy. A suitable policy which could possibly satisfy all parties is that the government removes all trade barriers for the rice market in Malaysia. This policy has a slight similarity to the one executed by Thailands military government which dismissed all rice price-support scheme imposed by the former civilian government. In order to run free market policy for the rice industry, the policy will require BERNAS to be removed as a sole importer for rice, and the abolishment of the Rice Subsidy Programme in Malaysia. The objective of this policy is to allow the prices of rice to be set by the forces of supply and demand without government intervention. As a direct result of this policy, rice supply in the country is expected to decrease due to the fact that local rice farmers no longer have the aid to increase their production capacity. However, this will not be a major problem as the gap between production and consumption can now be filled up by rice vendors importing rice from foreign coun tries. As BERNAS no longer holds the rice import monopoly, rice imports are expected to increase as vendors face competition among one another. More importantly, the government will no longer have to fund over RM500 million each year and can allocate the extra funds to other sectors. One of the disadvantages of this policy is that the prices of rice are expected to rise slightly following the removal of subsidy. However, that will only affect consumers for a short term, as competition in the market will set a lower equilibrium price sooner or later. Also, removal of subsidy might cause dissatisfaction among farmers and low income earners who no longer have additional aids to bear the high costs of living. In conclusion, the Rice Subsidy Programme in Malaysia has its advantages and disadvantages.

Against Legalization Of Marijuana Essay -- marijuana should not be lega

There currently exists a great debate concerning Legalization of marijuana. Many people are against the idea, but there are a number of people who fight for the idea to legalize Marijuana. The people that try to Legalize Marijuana use two major arguments in their effort to have marijuana legalized. First, which is by far the biggest argument is that marijuana has a significant medical use. The second is that marijuana does not cause harm to those that smoke it. Both of these arguments can be easily discounted by the numerous studies that have been done on the effects of marijuana both medicinal and recreational. Many well-intentioned leaders and members of the public have been misled by the well financed and organized pro-drug legalization lobby into believing there is merit to their argument that smoking marijuana is a safe and effective medicine. A review of the scientific research, expert medical testimony, and government agency findings shows this to be erroneous. There is no ju stification for using marijuana as a medicine. The movement to legitimise smoking marijuana as a medicine is not encouraged by doctors and scientists. The studies cited by the marijuana advocates have been found to be unscientific, poorly researched, and involved pharmaceutical THC, not marijuana. An advocate that claimed he was an expert, was in fact a wellness counsellor at a health spa who admitted under oath to using every illegal mind-altering drug he ever studied. Another expert admitted h...

The Character of Scarlet in Gone With the Wind Essay -- Gone With the

The Character of Scarlet in Gone With the Wind  Ã‚     "My Dear, I don't give a damn," (718) Rhett Butler says this infamous quote to Scarlet O'Hara at the end of Gone With the Wind (1934), when the woman has finally poured her soul to him. The novel Gone with the Wind (1934) by Margaret Mitchell is a classic about the hard times suffered during and after the Civil War. Scarlet lives in the Confederacy and everyone there is for fighting for his or her noble Cause. The young southern belle Scarlet O'Hara is forced to do things she never thought a girl of her class and nature would have to do. All throughout the novel, she is faced with serious problems. Scarlet plainly states, I'll not think of that today, I'll think of it tomorrow, for tomorrow is another day, which of course she never does. It is this thought however, that makes her character stay strong, although sometimes living in a daydream. Without telling herself this, Scarlet would have broken down in the very beginning after the war had started. Scarlet lives for the future and not the past. It's this about her that makes her character admirable and noble At first the reader would think Scarlet's character is snobbish and helpless. Through her determination, she forces others to change their opinion of her. In the beginning, she is a young, beautiful sixteen -year old, with a seventeen-inch waist, the smallest in the county. At parties, she never has less than a dozen young men surrounding her, all of whom she never lets know whom she truly loves. The other girls find Scarlet heartless, the way she leads all those boys on, but Scarlet pays no mind to them. She knows they are just bitter with jealousy. She does truly love Ashley Wilkes, but he is to announce his enga... ...d a cause of her own. While many characters in the book fought and died for the great Cause, she cared more about her own. Scarlet had to care for Tara and her family. Although many see her as repulsive, by looking at her acts, she made herself strong with words. The once young and carefree girl was forced to marry for money, not for love, twice. When Scarlet finally let her only true love in life, Rhett Butler, know how she felt about him, she realizes all too late how horrid she's acted, he finally puts Scarlet in her place by stating "My dear, I don't give a damn." At these words, Scarlet still does not break down. After all she has been through she knows what to do. She tells her self that tomorrow is another day, and tomorrow she will get Rhett back.   Works Cited Mitchell, Margaret. Gone With the Wind. NewYork: The Macmillan Company,1994      

Analysis of Paragraph on Page 271-272 of Porter’s Pale Horse, Pale Rider :: Porter’s Pale Horse Pale Rider

Analysis of Paragraph on Page 271-272 of Porter’s Pale Horse, Pale Rider In the opening sentence of this paragraph, two workers at the newspaper office are described. They are not, however, described as people though, they are instead said to be solely â€Å"two pairs of legs† (Porter 271). By describing solely this part of the people, Porter is drawing attention to a part of the body seemingly unrelated to newspaper writing. This gives the reader the impression that these two writers are either unskilled in the area or writing, or unimportant to the speaker. Interestingly, the legs are also described as, â€Å"dangling,† which paints the picture of a lifeless body. This could be perhaps indicating that these people are dead to her; both unimportant and unwanted. Porter then goes on to describe the legs as being â€Å"stuffed thickly into funnels of dark expensive-looking material.† The way in which this is described seems to imply that the fabric itself is strangling these legs that have now become representative of the speakerâ€⠄¢s time at the newspaper. By describing the material as â€Å"dark† and â€Å"expensive looking,† Porter makes the writers at the newspaper appear to be both evil and fake. As Porter continues her description of the two writers, she notes how one of then was â€Å"oldish† and the other â€Å"youngish.† The vagueness in this description goes along with the feeling of universality in the writers that Porter has achieved by having them represented by a mere body part. Also, by having one writer be old, and the other young, the writers are closer to representing every man. As Porter describes the writers as having a â€Å"stale air of borrowed importance which apparently they had got from the same source† she is indicating that the newspaper itself, and thus the media is the source that writers in this wartime community derive their unreal importance. Porter makes the speaker seem almost intimidated by the writers as she euphemistically refers to them as being â€Å"well nourished† rather than fat. This is again referenced when Porter states that Miranda â€Å"pulled out her chair without removing her cap or gloves (†¦) as if she had not a moment to spare.† Miranda’s resentment of the newspaper community is embodied in these two people.

Health and Safety at Work Essay

Legislation that relates to general health and social care setting are the Health and Safety Act, The Management of Health and Safety Work Regulations, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), Manual Handling Operations Regulations, The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (PPE). The main points of the health and safety policies and procedures identify significant risks in relations to the work place and work tasks, control the measures for hazards, the arrangements for reporting accidents or health problems, arrangements for first aid, fire and emergencies, who the key person is for health and safety matters which is usually the manager or the owners, also how health and safety is communicated in the workplace and the arrangement to protect others. The main health and safety responsibilities for a social care worker is to be responsible care from themselves and other peoples health and safety, to report to the employer any potential and actual risks, also to take part in health and safety training and to understand and comply with the health and safety instructions and procedures. The main health and safety points for a manager/employer is to provide a safe place to work, assess any risks and take action to reduce them also provide information, instructions, training and supervision to employees and also provide adequate welfare and first aid facilities. The main health and safety responsibilities of the individual/resident is to understand and comply with health and safety instructions and procedures and take reasonable care for their own and other peoples health and safety. Tasks that should be carried out that requires specialist training include the use of equipment which is usually given within weeks of starting the job and then gone over as a recap, first aid, medication training, assisting and moving, emergency procedures and food handling and preparation. Accessing additional support and information may include appointed person that is responsible for health and safety, the line manager, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environmental Health Department. Hazard is the potential to cause harm or hurt yourself or others. Risk is the likelihood of harm occurring through and exposure to harm. A risk assessment is used to identify hazards, evaluating risks, taking precautions, reviewing risks and reporting and recording the outcomes. Reporting potential risks is done by recording findings on a risk assessment form and then communicating the findings immediately to the manager. You should report this immediately and when existing control measures are inadequate, when additional control measures are required and when there have been changes to the original risk assessment such as changes to working practices. Risk assessments can help by making the individual aware of the risks and the responsibilities employers and employees have and being used as the basis for safe working practices. Different types of accidents could include; * Falls * Burns and scalds * Slips and trips * Swallowing a hazardous substance Sudden illness may include; * Cardiac arrest * Difficulty breathing * Stroke * Hypoglycaemia/hyperglycaemia * Seizures * Loss of consciousness * Food poisoning Procedures to be followed if an accident or sudden illness should occur is recording and reporting of accidents or illness with full details, usually filled in on an accident form that can be found in the main office, registered person submitting the notification to CQC and HSE. It is important for emergency first aid tasks to be carried out by qualified first aiders to comply with health and safety legislation, to preserve life, to minimise the consequences of injury and illness and to treat injuries and illnesses effectively. Routes that infection can get into the body is blood circulation via an open cut or graze, digestive via eating or drinking something, respiratory by inhaling something and body fluids by not taking the correct precautions such as washing your hands. Ways in which our own health and hygiene might pose a risk to an individual or to others at work by causing serious infection, causing illness and fatalities. Majority of these can be caused by not wearing correct equipment such as gloves and aprons but some cannot be helped.

California, a Place, a People, a Dream

California, A Place, a People, a Dream In â€Å"California, A Place, a People, a Dream,† James J. Rawls gives his version of the California dream, and describes the paradoxes that are associated with that dream. According to Rawls, the California dream is a love affair with an idea, a marriage to a myth, or fantasy. (Rawls 22, 23) Everyone has their own version of the California dream. It might be something, or nothing at all. As I began reading Rawl’s essay, I found it interesting how the world views the environment that you live in, and how different they think your life is from theirs. The California dream is often viewed in the imaginations of Americans and immigrants as the optimal land of opportunity, sunshine, jobs, and Hollywood glamour. â€Å"Founded on expectation and hope, the California Dream promises to fulfill our deepest longings for opportunity and success, warmth, sunshine and beauty, health and long life, freedom, and even a foretaste of the future,† says Rawls. (Rawls 23) For many people, they think of California as their own perfect world. According to Rawls, one paradox for California is a land of great expectations and disappointment. The gold rush experience was forged on this paradox of expectation. (Rawls 26) For many people their expectations of California came from what they heard: California is the land of great opportunity. Another paradox is growth. In 1962, California became the most populous state. Land was being quickly developed into track homes, and twisted freeways. By 1973, cities across the state 1. were passing ordinances to limit growth. The land of dreams and opportunities was quickly turning into a land of nightmares. The paradox of plenty and getting rich is what immigrants and people from other parts of America believed California was all about, and part of the California dream. Many argue that the dream that once was is no longer a reality with all of the social, political, and environmental issues. This morning I read a blurb on the internet that named the ten most expensive cities in the United States to live in were located in California: Palo Alto, San Francisco, Pasadena, and Newport Beach were a few of those named. I have often read about the American dream, but not the California dream. Being a native Californian, perhaps I have taken for granted all that California has to offer, as it just seems part of my every day life. I could never understand why my in-laws would always say how lucky I was to live in California, and so close to the beach. Why did they make such a big deal when they visited? There were beaches in New Jersey where they were from. They always insisted on going to Santa Cruz or Monterey each time they came to visit. They live three hours away from the beach, or shore as they called it. Until I visited the east coast, little did I realize at the time how living on the east coast was very different from living on the west coast. It is hot and humid during the summer, and cold and wet during the winter. At least in the bay area the seasons are not so drastic. I do not believe there is a California dream. I have always felt that people make their own dreams. For some it is the roll of the dice, and luck. For others it is the way things were meant to be. Promise and paradox are at the center of the California dream. † (Rawls 29) â€Å"In spite of the withering analysis of the past, the promises of California remain undiminished, bringing 2. new generations of newcomers from around the world. † (Rawls 29) There are new perceptions and new dreams. Everyone dreams. Whether it is a life in a different place – or where they currently live people have been dreaming since the beginning o f time – and will continue to dream. What one perceives as the California dream, another may perceive it as something entirely different. 3.

American Romanticism

The Literary movement and story I decided to choose was American Romanticism, and â€Å"The Birthmark† by Nathaniel Hawthorne. American Romanticism is a literary period in American Literature that lasted from sass to sass. The movement itself started off as an offshoot of the European Romanticism artistic movement, â€Å"It arose as a reaction to the formal orthodoxy and Neoclassicism of the preceding period. It is marked by a freedom from the authority, forms, and conventions typical in Neoclassical literature.It replaced the neoclassic emphasis on reason with its own emphasis on the imagination and emotions, and the neoclassic emphasis on authority with an emphasis on individuality, which places the individual at the center of all life†(Cooperate). The American Romanticism movement began after the Revolutionary war ended when America wanted to separate themselves from Britain and the European form of Romanticism. American authors wanted to separate themselves from Bri tain and Europe because they wanted to be their own country and not looked at like the â€Å"little brother† country.One quote that shows that America wanted independence from Britain and Europe is, â€Å"It emerged within the United States after the Revolutionary ar when it was connected with the aspiration to forge a distinctive cultural identity correlative with the revolutions unprecedented political and social achievements†(Pease). If it was not for the Romanticism movement in Europe, and Britain, and the Revolutionary war, America would not have had the important American Romanticism literary movement.Many of the early authors who started the American Romanticism movement had close ties to the European form of Romanticism. There was two generation of American Romanticism authors, the first generation of authors were William Bryant, Henry Headwords, Henry Longfellow, James Cooper, and Catherine Sedgwick. The movement itself is about expressing individuality, emoti ons, and creativity which caused Americans to write about the American wilderness, science, and other creative ideas that tapped into their heads.American Romanticism has many major themes, some are highly imaginative and subjective, Emotion intensity, Escapism, common man as the hero, and nature as a refuge or source of knowledge. The second generation of American Romanticism authors were had a few very well known authors that started the movement like Nathaniel Hawthorn, Edgar Allen Poe, Ralph Wald Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller and, and Herman Melville. The authors were to separate themselves from the European movement, â€Å"Their representation of the new nation as basically innocent and purged of old world vices†(Pease).The authors also wrote stories about the conflicts of exploring nature. The second generation of authors wrote short stories, and books about exploring nature, philosophy, and the conflicts of science which made them different than the fir st generation of authors. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 and died in 1864. The famous author as born in Salem Massachusetts into a family whose ancestors were among the earliest of settlers. Hawthorne was born into a Puritan family, which meaner he was raised in a very strict lifestyle.After Hawthorne father died in a boating accident, Hawthorne and his mother then moved to Maine to live and work on a farm, â€Å"Hawthorne was the son of a sea captain when Nathaniel was four years old†(The Columbia Encyclopedia). When Hawthorne was nine years old, he suffered a severe injury leaving him hurt and immobile for three years, and this is when it was made clear that Hawthorne loved to read and write. Since Hawthorne could not move because of his injury, he started to read and write major, and he decided to become an author.Hawthorne attended Bowdon College from 1821, to 1825, and after graduating from Bowdon College Hawthorne decided to follow his dreams to publish an d write short stories, and novels. His first story he published was â€Å"The Collection Twice-Todd Tales†, published in 1837, and was found to be liked by Hawthorne, and only Hawthorne. After failing miserably, and having no confidence, Hawthorne got a Job at the U. S. Custom center house in Boston. Hawthorne only spent two years working at the center house to save money to move to Broke Farm for six months.In 1842 Nathaniel Hawthorne married Sophie Peabody who was familiar with Emerson, Thoreau, and Margaret Fullers writings. The married couple then moved to Concord where Hawthorne wrote â€Å"Mosses From the Old Manse,† then to Salem where he wrote his best known book, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter. † In these books Hawthorne started using his own themes and styles of writing, â€Å"Set in the 17th Century Puritan New England, the novel delves deeply in the human heart, presenting the problems of moral evil and guilt through allegory and symbolism.It is often con sidered the first American psychological novel. â€Å"(The Columbia Encyclopedia) What made Hawthorn's stories beautiful was every character had a different drive to find their destinies than any other stories published in the American Romanticism movement. Many of Hawthorne' short stories showed themes of ironic consequences, and how the desire for perfection can turn out very badly. Hawthorne would start the story of by showing the readers the characters doing something good, but the characters would always end up in bad situations.A short story that shows irony, and how Hawthorn's characters end up in bad situations is called â€Å"The Birthmark. † â€Å"The Birthmark† is about a scientist named Laymen who decided to leave science for spiritual reasons. â€Å"It was not unusual for the love of science to rival the love of a women†(Hawthorne 215). Laymen persuades a beautiful woman, who all the guys chase, to marry him. While he was married to Georgian, Layme n found the most slightest imperfection on her face, a birthmark annoying and ugly. Georgian was perfect except for the birthmark on her face that resembled a hand.The birthmark on Georgians face made Laymen think that she was not perfect, while the est. of the guys thought she was perfect besides the fact she had a birthmark that resembled a hand on her cheek. Laymen wanted to change Georgians imperfection through science because he wanted to â€Å"perfect† his wife. No matter the consequences Laymen wanted to challenge nature with science, and also change the culture. Laymen makes a potion that Georgian drink that makes the birthmark on her face start to disappear, but as the birthmark starts to disappear Georgian passes away.Georgian passes away because the birthmark on her face was the only thing that made her human, and peeping her in the human world because perfection cannot be obtained in a human, and without the birthmark on the cheek she was not human anymore. In Ala meda addiction for perfection, he lost his beautiful wife, and before he could think twice about what he did, Georgian was dead. This was very ironic because Laymen wanted to do something good by taking away the birthmark on her face, but ends up killing her on accident In American Romanticism some themes included culture of some form, nature, science, or the nature of perfecting something.Hawthorn's story â€Å"The Birthmark† wows how a man tries to perfect nature, but does not realize the consequences there was to trying to perfect something that cannot be perfected. Throughout the story Laymen was obsessing over Georgians birthmark, while other men of the story were saying how perfect she was with the birthmark, â€Å"If she were my wife, old never part with that birthmark† (Hawthorne 219). I believe that Hawthorne is trying to say that nothing is made to be perfect, so one should not try to perfect things that should not be perfected.I feel as though Hawthorne fath er dying is the reason behind some of the important deaths in his stories. Hawthorne writes about nature because it is something he has been interested in, and was a theme of American Romanticism. Hawthorne showed some other themes in â€Å"The Birthmark† like nature, science, the pursuit of perfection. Laymen was a scientist that wanted to perfect nature, even when more than half of his experiments have failed, he still tried to take the birthmark off of his beautiful wife's cheek.Laymen strives to get the birthmark off of Georgians cheek so much that he started to have dreams about ripping out her heart because he was obsessing over trying to perfect nature. Throughout the story it wows that Georgian Just wanted to please Laymen even though she thought that her birthmark resembled her, and all the guys loved it. Since Laymen started obsessing over the birthmark and hating it, this made Georgian start to hate the birthmark herself too, even though she knows that other men in the world find her birthmark beautiful.Since Laymen was being selfish and Just thinking about himself and perfecting nature he lost love, and his wife Georgian. In â€Å"The Birthmark† there is a spot in the story where Laymen obsesses over the birthmark on Georgians cheek so much, that he had a dream where he ripped out ere heart, â€Å"Laymen now remembered his dream. He had fancied himself with Indaba, attempting an operation for the removal of the birthmark.But deeper went the knife, the deeper sank the hand, until at length its tiny grasps appeared to have caught a hold of Georgians heart; whence however, her husband was inexorably resolved to cut it or wrench it away'(Hawthorne 217). I feel like this shows that no matter what Laymen did, he needed to take the birthmark off of Georgians face, even if that did mean he would have to take out her heart to do so. What Hawthorne is trying to say in his story is that not one man in the world could perfect tauter, and one sho uld not try because no one knows the consequences of doing so.Nathaniel Hawthorn's story â€Å"The Birthmark† showed themes of American Romanticism by showing how culture and nature are different. Hawthorne shows that Laymen wanted to perfect nature, even when nature did not want to be perfected. â€Å"The Birthmark shows how no one can control, and perfect nature without having dire consequences that could end up killing people. You can see how events in Hawthorn's life effected his writing, and how it influenced his publication in the American Romanticism movement. American Romanticism The American writers tried to figure out what ‘American’ could mean—they were out to find a unique personality, a separate identity to the American literature, and the way of life, that was distinctly American and not British. This struggle fired them and took them to the portals of creativity. Their vision was to outgrow the concepts of guilt, evil, salvation, providential aspects of Puritanism, and search about the fiery rhetoric of equality and freedom. In the glorious years of 1850-1855, emerged writers like Emerson. The materialistic approach unavoidable in the circumstances then prevailing cost America the mind and the spirit.To blend 150 communities into a Nation was not an ordinary job. Writers like Emerson, moved away from the influences of stern dogmas and looked out for new spiritual roots. Materialistic theories for education were resisted. Truth is a matter of intuition and individual experience, and it transcends the borders of reason. Human beings n eed to follow the dynamic spirit, without destructive approach. Good literature must not go by the rules and it should appeal to the heart. To such writers Christ in the heart was more important than the cross on the neck!The ideas of Cultural Revolution became popular, even though many did not understand its exact definition and implications. The ‘clash’ of writes of the time continued; they influenced each other, though each denied such influence to assert their right as romantic individualists. Poe (who died in 1849) wrote about Emerson in his works, Emerson bought his writings to a creative boil etc. The hero of American Romanticism was Emerson, the literary giant, who kindled the creative fires in his time. He touched all the sensitive parts of the American psyche. The sentiments of an individual on the same topic vary from time to time.An authentic quality about thinkers and genuine writers is that they are willing to think; give room to accommodate; willing to ac cept, when necessary and reject outright, when required to do so. Emerson’s ‘Moral Sentiment’ and Poe’s ‘Poetic Sentiment’ often clash. Emerson viewed Poe as a man of dissipation. This is just short of telling that he is an evil-incarnation. He also considered Poe as a man of stern reasons, without heart. Poe was the genius of imaginative literature, but he lacked humanity, so essential for the standard of living and standard of life of the society.The evil influences of Satan in the writings of Poe were seen by many contemporary writers, including Emerson. Soon other writers began to narrow down the margin of difference between the writings of Emerson and Poe. The gap between Poe’s â€Å"poetic sentiment† and Emerson’s â€Å"moral sentiment† was much narrower. Critics created such a controversy and erected artificial barriers without going into the merits of the case. The spirit of the age to which the poets and wr iters live counts a lot and it has profound influence on their writings. The ‘generation gap.’ in the wide sense does the trick. Also, their ideas on relationship between art and morality, were actually of little consequence, once the influence of time-element is deleted from their views and writings. Viewed impartially, Emerson’s â€Å"Moral Sentiment' and Poe's â€Å"Poetic Sentiment† are the alternative beats of the same heart. Both wish to transcend the borders of reason, as they are aware that the bliss of truth is available for experiencing only when the last hurdle of the mind is crossed. Experience divinity through moral sentiment or poetic sentiment—it is one and the same!It is reasonable to assume that once they reach the ‘beyond the mind’ state, the poetic sentiments and the moral sentiments merge, because in essence, they are one and the same. The mind level critics can not understand Emerson or Poe! Their position is like the Surgeon in the allegory! He once questioned a Realized Soul, â€Å"Revered Master, I am a surgeon of international reputation. In the course of my professional duties, I have cut each and every part of the human body. But I haven’t seen your God anywhere! † â€Å"Is it so? † asked the Realized Soul, â€Å"Then you must have at least come across human emotions like love, anger, greed, etc.when you performed those operations! †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The perplexed Surgeon said, â€Å"These are mind-level emotions. How can one see them? † Now it was the turn of the Realized Soul to deliver the clincher. He said, â€Å"You are unable to see the emotions, which belong to the domain of mind. How can you see God, for experiencing whom, you need to transcend the borders of mind and enter the realm of divinity? † In fact, both Poe and Emerson wrote from the level of progression of their minds, and the time-element played an important role, as they tried to give the verbatim report of their intuitive experiences.Even the narrowest differences at the highest level become wide disagreements. It is not correct to conclude that Poe and Emerson always thought on identical lines. Apart from the above two sentiments, there are wide, irreconcilable differences between the two. Art takes the secondary position as far as Emerson is concerned. His main concern is Over-Soul. Art is just means to an end. For Poe, it is the end in itself. While asserting thus, he touches the portals of spiritual realm, but refuses to cross the last barrier of the mind.Perhaps it is this search for eternal truth that kindles the curiosity of Poe to create romantic hero like Auguste Dupin Poe is the undisputed ancestor of a detective genre of stories. The search in a fiction and real search in individual lives invite comparison. The reason for crime-perpetration (evil) is the age-old investigative querry of humanity. His detective story â€Å"The Murder in the Rue Morgueà ¢â‚¬  (1841) is the case in point. In this story Poe describes about the same pairs of opposites that govern and dominate human life, good and evil, which are important biblical subjects.Even today Dupin is the most admired and popular detective character. The most important asset of Dupin is his capacity for observation and ability to draw correct conclusions. His analytical mind was his natural gift which he used intelligently to arrive at decisions. Poe created this unique character when the detective genre of literature did not exist. One can observe similarities between the traits of seeker of truth and the detective Dupin who wishes to get at the truth of complicated issues. The time-element and the historical background have the dominant influence on the writings of an author.Viewed from this angle Emerson belonged to the volatile time of the American History, when the American society was going through convulsions. Such situations fire the mind of a creative author. Emerson has been hailed as the greatest prose writer of this century. There are solid grounds why Emerson’s essays are all-time greats. Such writing is possible for a brilliant mind, one who has the warm-heart and above all, one who has touched, and at times crossed the borders of reason-transcended the mind-barrier to enter the portals of divinity. He has definitely experienced the flashes of divinity within him!The sum and substance of his essays is– life is to be lived in its trials and tribulations its duty and beauty with total respect and surrender for the Over-Soul that looks after the smallest and biggest actions and aspirations of an individual. Don’t seek concession, but make relentless efforts for Self-Realization, argues Emerson. The important themes depicted in Emerson’s ‘Circles’, are too profound for the ordinary mind to comprehend. Theme number one is, there are no fixed points and the second one, that the key to every man is his tho ughts.The import of the first point can be understood not by intellectuals but by the spiritually-oriented. The concept is equivalent to that of Maya (a Sanskrit word, roughly translated-illusion) of the Advaita (Non-dualism) Philosophy of the East, more specifically India! By arguments and counter-arguments, this point can not be proved, and therefore the rationalistic mind would not accept this. For example, when Bertrand Russell said, â€Å"Mental fear creates God,† it actually doesn’t make any difference to God! Russell is speaking from his mental level.Emerson, talking about the essential and real nature of things can be explained through an example: Howsoever powerful and big may be the waves in an ocean, their essential nature is mere water! Mind is nothing but the bundle of thoughts. When the thought process is changed, the action process is also changed. 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. There are inconsistencies in our perception and in our capacities for articulating ideas—this is bound to happen.Everyone speaks from the level of his progression, as cited in the example of Bertrand Russell, above. Such capacity is inborn as well as acquired. When Poe posits the figure of Auguste Dupin, whose perspective appears to supersede all partial perceptions, one needs to understand that he is thinking from the level of his perceptions about life. That can’t be and need not be truth. Poe’s conception of final intelligence is comparable with Emerson’s assertion that such finality is unattainable through the process and methods of intelligence and reason.That is the transcendental experience to be experienced, and no words can describe it for understanding by the masses. It is the level of unspeakable truth. It is the sweetest sound —the silence within! Auguste Dupin is an analytical genius. How come he became the genius? What is the secret behind his extraordinary abilities? Dupin lives in isolation, he is a completely detached individual, and this detachment gives him the extra power of close observation and he comes to correct conclusions. Police are in the middle of everything and are habituated to work in noise pollution (of the mind?) But Dupin works in ‘silence. ’ By depicting this style for working, Poe castigates the various social institutions, which are incapable of providing proper facilities and full justice to the people. Dupin is not attached to anybody and he is working without the motivated desires. =============== References Cited: Emerson, Ralph Waldo: Essays & Poems Emerson (Everyman's Library) Publisher: Orion Publishing Group, Ltd. (March 15, 1995) Poe, Edgar Allan: Thompson G. R. (Editor): The Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe (Norton Critical Editions) Publisher: W. W. Norton; 1st edition (April 2004)

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 5

At the close of breakfast, maids whisked away the Dutch china and jam, and Winfield retreated to his study, leaving me with the Sutherland women in the sunlit parlor. Bridget, Lydia, and Mrs. Sutherland had installed themselves on the brocade couch, while I perched at the edge of a green velvet chaise, pretending to gaze at an oil portrait of the family when in truth I was calculating the best way to make my escape. My last, paltry feeding seemed a distant memory, and the sweet symphony of beating hearts in this grand mansion was becoming difficult to resist. During the meal, I'd tried several times to free myself from the Sutherlands' presence, with the aim of slipping out a window or escaping through the servants' quarters. But as though my intentions were written plainly across my forehead, I was unable to shake my company for even two minutes. When I'd excused myself to the facility, the butler had insisted upon escorting me. When I mentioned I'd enjoy lying down in my room, Mrs. Sutherland had pointed out that the couch in the parlor was the perfect place for a repose. I knew that they were grateful to me for returning Bridget to them, but I couldn't explain their acceptance of me into their home. Especially given the state I was in when I first entered it: dirty, torn clothes, disheveled, and bloody. â€Å"Mr. Stefan,† Margaret said, leaning against the column that separated the parlor from the foyer. â€Å"Are you entirely all right?† â€Å"Fine, fine,† I said. â€Å"Why do you ask?† â€Å"You're shaking your leg so hard you're rattling the chair.† I pressed my hand to my knee to steady my leg. â€Å"I usually start my morning with a walk,† I lied, pushing myself to standing. â€Å"In fact, if I may excuse myself, I think I'll take a stroll around the park.† Margaret raised a perfectly arched brow. â€Å"You certainly seem to spend a lot of time in the park.† â€Å"I consider it my second home,† I said with a wry smile, picturing my cave with its cadre of statues. â€Å"I've always found nature comforting.† â€Å"What a lovely idea!† Mrs. Sutherland said, clasping her hands together. â€Å"Would you mind if we joined you? It's a beautiful day, and we could all use some fresh air.† â€Å"Mama, I think it would be best if I rested instead,† Bridget said, putting a hand to her very healthy-looking brow. â€Å"You mean, stay in and receive visitors all day so you can tell them about your adventures,† Margaret said, shaking her head. â€Å"I'm afraid I shall have to beg off, too, Mother. I've things to attend to at home, now that it appears my sister is fine – and my husband misses me.† â€Å"I can't imagine why,† Bridget muttered uncharitably. Lydia shot her youngest sister a look and lightly slapped her arm. Mrs. Sutherland ignored the sisterly sniping, shaking out a light cloak and wrapping it around her shoulders. â€Å"Come with us, Mr. Salvatore. We shall make a fine party of three.† Resisting the urge to shout in frustration – what would it take to leave this family's clutches? – I forced a smile on my face and held out my arm to Mrs. Sutherland. The second we stepped outside the massive front door, the sun assaulted my eyes. It was a bright, lemony yellow and the sky a perfect blue. For early November up north, it was a remarkably mild day. If not for the sun's low angle in relation to the earth, it would have been easy to mistake it for a brisk spring morning. We headed south, then crossed at Sixty-sixth Street and walked through the wrought iron gates of the park. Despite the events of the night before, neither Lydia nor Mrs. Sutherland showed any hesitation or fear. I suppose they felt safe enough in my presence. I took a deep breath of the morning air, which seemed so clear and pure after the events of the previous night. It was as though, with the rising sun, the entire world had been washed clean. Seed heads bobbed at the ends of long grasses and flowers opened toward the sky, taking in the last bright sun of the year. The droplets of dew had already dispersed from the previous night. We were not the only ones out to enjoy the day. The park was packed with families and strolling couples. I was struck once again with how different the North was. Yankee women wore bright colors, such as we hadn't seen in the South for years – scarlets, brilliant yellows, bold, sky blues in silk and velvet and expensive cloths like European lace, delicate stockings, tiny leather boots. Even nature here was different. Northern trees were round, quaint, elliptical maples where our lush oaks spread out, soaking up the sun to the farthest tips of their branches. The pines were spiky and blue, not the tall, soft, grand ones the soft Southern breeze whispers around. Mrs. Sutherland and Lydia prattled on about the weather, but they had lost my attention, for at that moment a squirrel crossed our path. A sudden darkness overcame me, as if one of the few clouds in the sky had momentarily passed in front of the sun. My predator instincts awoke. There was nothing delectable about its beady eyes or bushy tail, but in a flash I could taste it – the blood of yesterday. It invaded my nostrils and tickled my throat with desire. â€Å"Please excuse me – I – I believe I see someone I know.† I made my trivial excuse as I dashed off, promising to return in a moment, though I had no intention of doing so. I could feel Lydia and Mrs. Sutherland's eyes follow me curiously as I disappeared behind a thicket of bushes. There sat my prey, as innocent as Bridget had likely looked to her attacker last night. It eyed me as I approached, but did not make a move. In a flash I was upon it, and it was over even more quickly. As I felt the blood seep into me – a paltry feeding, but a feeding nonetheless – I leaned against the tree trunk, awash in exhausted relief. It had not been apparent until just now how edgy I had been, every moment afraid of my own hunger. Afraid of the stirrings inside of me, and how they might control me at any instant. My relief was so great that I didn't even hear Lydia approach, ruining my chance of escape. â€Å"Stefan?† she said, looking around, no doubt curious to meet the person I had run off to greet. â€Å"It turns out that I was mistaken after all,† I mumbled, reluctantly rejoining Lydia and her mother on the path. They fell back into polite conversation, while I kicked along silently next to them, berating myself for my slowed reflexes. What was wrong with me? I was a vampire. Removing myself from the Sutherlands' presence should have been no hard task, even in my weakened state. An unpleasant thought rattled at the back of my mind, an alternate explanation, that I was still with this family because I wanted to be. â€Å"Mr. Salvatore, you're awfully quiet,† Mrs. Sutherland observed. I stole a glance at Lydia, who gave me a smile, clearly acknowledging that her mother did not deal in subtlety. â€Å"Forgive me. It's been a while since I've been in the midst of people,† I admitted as we turned on to the bridle path. Mrs. Sutherland squeezed my hand. If she noticed its icy pallor, she must have taken it for a chill. â€Å"Since you lost your father?† she asked gently. I nodded. That explanation was easier than the truth. â€Å"I lost a brother in the battle with Mexico,† Mrs. Sutherland confided, as we passed a little girl and her father walking a long-haired dachshund. â€Å"We were the closest of nine brothers and sisters. Despite our numbers, none of my siblings could ever replace him in my heart.† â€Å"Uncle Isaiah,† Lydia murmured. â€Å"I barely remember him. But he was always kind.† â€Å"I'm sorry to hear that. I did not mean to turn this outing into a sad affair,† I apologized. â€Å"Remembering and mourning needn't always be sad,† Mrs. Sutherland pointed out. â€Å"It is simply . . . what it is. Keeping their lives present in our own.† Her words cast a true light through all the confusing thoughts that had been clouding my mind of late: how to remain in touch with my human side even as I embraced becoming a vampire, how to not lose my soul. Keeping the past present was paramount. Just as my memory of Callie kept me from attacking Bridget, my connection to my family, to the life that had once been mine, would help me keep my humanity. Though she didn't resemble my own mother at all, for one instant, with the sunlight shining down through her cap and illuminating her graying hair, her sharp blue eyes softened with feeling, I suddenly felt she could be my mother. That, were the circumstances different, I could be happy in her home. Oh, how I missed my mother. While my deep grief for her had abated in the years since she had died, there was a dull ache that was never absent from my heart. How much of the tragedy that engulfed our lives could have been avoided if she were still alive? I missed my father, too. Up until the moment I killed him, I respected and loved him. I had wanted to follow in his footsteps, to take on the family estate, to please him as much as possible. My deepest wish had been that he could respect and love me back. I even missed my brother, or rather who he used to be. Though he vowed to get revenge on me for turning him into a vampire, in life he had been my truest companion in the world, my playful competitor and my closest confidant. I wondered where Damon was right now, and what harm he might be doing. I couldn't judge his bad behavior – I'd had my share of bloodlust after I had turned. I only hoped his humanity would return to him as mine had. â€Å"You are a wise woman, Mrs. Sutherland,† I said, returning the squeeze of her hand. She smiled at me. â€Å"You're a remarkable young man,† Mrs. Sutherland noted. â€Å"If I was your mother, I should be very proud of you. Of course, I have no sons, and only one son-in-law. . . .† She sniffed. â€Å"But, Mother, Margaret and I are each very accomplished, in our own way,† Lydia said, ignoring the pointed remark about son-in-laws. â€Å"She does the books for Wally. And I am helping to form that charity for mothers who lack a stable income.† Mrs. Sutherland cast a private smile at me, and in that moment I dared to hope. Perhaps it was possible to stay here, to become part of this family. It would be a dangerous game, but perhaps I could master it. I could keep my hunger under control and take daily walks with Lydia and Mrs. Sutherland, accompanying them home for a cup of tea or a lively debate about the war with Winfield. Lydia continued on, making her case for her own independence, her mother sighing despite her apparent pride. The sun grew warmer as we made our way west, choosing paths at random until we came upon a familiar foot trail in the middle of the park that led straight to Seneca Village. My home. Perhaps it was my sudden distraction that caused Mrs. Sutherland to look at me so closely. â€Å"Mr. Salvatore,† she said, half-concerned, half-afraid. â€Å"You have a . . . spot . . . upon your collar.† Despite the laws of decorum, Lydia reached for it then, brushing a finger gently near my neck. I shuddered in excitement and fear at her closeness. When she withdrew her pointer finger, it wore a speck of blood. I grew ashen. For this was the fact of my life. Despite the pains I took to control myself, the exhaustive efforts at constant secrecy, one speck of blood was all it took to upset the balance. They would see me for who I was: a liar, a murderer, a monster. The tinkling of Lydia's laughter broke the silence. â€Å"Just a bit of jam,† she said lightly, wiping her finger on the low-hanging branch of a passing tree. â€Å"Mr. Salvatore,† she teased, â€Å"I know we have made you feel very much at home, but while you are our guest, perhaps you should be more careful with your table manners.† Mrs. Sutherland began to chide her daughter, but seeing the happy relief upon my own face, she smiled as well. Soon we were all laughing gaily at Stefan Salvatore, the nighttime-hero-turned-careless-houseguest, as we made our way back into the sunlight.