Marketing communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing communication - Essay Example Higher GDP, high disposable income of people and technological advancement will help to motivate the company to do product diversification. The authentic luxury watches will provide the positive contribution by the innovative creation and identification of target audience. The luxury watches have the strength to influence customer ambition and purchasing behavior due to attractive product design, effective marketing and distribution strategy. Singapore is known for the high consumption rate country of luxury products. Supportive competitive market and implementation of supreme product positioning strategy will help the company to meet with the future objectives. These factors will motivate Azimuth Watch Company to enter in the luxury watch industry. Therefore, Azimuth has the opportunities and the required responsibility to introduce luxury watches in order to encourage sustainable consumption. External Environmental Scan The external environment scan will help to analyze the impact of external environmental factors on luxury watch industry. In order to do the analysis PEST analysis can be formulated. PEST Analysis The PEST analysis used to analyze the macro environmental forces that impact the strategic planning of Azimuth. This analysis will identify the business environment in Singapore for Azimuth. In order to maximize the business opportunities and reduce the external threats, PEST analysis is implemented in this study. The PEST analysis consists of four factors such as political, economical, sociological and technological factors. Political Factors `Singapore is known for his leading high-quality governance globally. The country is considered as the political stable and consistent policy-making country. The political risk regarding investing in luxury watch industry in Singapore is very low. Singapore is also considered as the third least corrupt countries in Asia, due to the country’s efficient government. The legislative power of Singapore lies j ointly with the government and parliament. Therefore it is feasible that the political stability of country should influence Azimuth Watch Company to enter in the luxury watch industry. Economical Factors Singapore is one of the strongest economies in world. The GDP of Singapore is 239.7 billion US $ and the GNI per capita is 42,930 US $. The GDP value of Singapore indicates that the economic output and the disposable income of people are much higher than other economies (Worldbank, 2013). The global economic crisis had a negative impact on economy. After 2008 Singapore’s economy again contracted. Now-a-days Singapore is one of the global economical giant. The high disposable income, higher GDP and low risk will influence Azimuth to do business practices. Sociological Factors Singapore has the population of 5067700 and the major concern is that; population growth has increased in last 10 years. More than 90% of total population has high income distribution in Singapore. The p eople of Singapore tend to consume the luxury products than any other countries. There is a huge potential customer base for luxury watch company and the culture of country supports people to buy luxury products in order to show-off their self-esteem and high personalities. Technological Factors Singapore is a highly technological developed country. The contribution of technology in country’s GDP is outstanding. Government of Singapore is focusing on R&D for more IT investment. Singapore government has a goal named

Book Report Six Pages Total Double Spaced and The Name Of The Book Is Term Paper

Book Report Six Pages Total Double Spaced and The Name Of The Book Is (So Much Reform) and the aurthor is Charles M. Payne - Term Paper Example The book focuses on the disconnection existent between educational policy and the said realities of urban schools. Payne seeks to define failure and looks into the causes; he refers to them as hardly surprising. In reference to this, the book proves just how much information Payne has accumulated on the said failures about which he writes (Payne, 2008). As regards the causes of failure, Payne indicates that it is due to reformers, policy-makers and school communities that urban schools fail to meet their goals. This is because they focus more on reforms but not what the reforms can do to aid their performance and achievements of the schools they represent. What he considers surprising is the fact that reformers, school communities and policy-makers never seem to learn from the mistakes they make. This is in relation to the knowledge that they accumulate in the process of improving the public school system and lack of implementation of the experiences they acquire. The failure of adults to learn lies in the basis of social issues ranging from racism and poverty to privatization of public interests. Payne shows the relationship between social failures and those that affect public school systems. The dysfunctional social systems result in overall failure of implementation of relevant social and educational understandings (Payne, 2008) . As a result, the thesis of the book revolves around failures of various stakeholders in the education sector and the entire book keeps referring to the point of failure. In addition, according to the thesis, this situation remains repetitive based on mutual demoralization of schools as organizations and manifestation of the irrationality of actions taken by schools. In addition to the thesis statement, Payne intertwines various other concepts of failure in the book to demonstrate his point and air his view openly for open interpretation by members

Post-War Changes to British Society

Post-War Changes to British Society Life is more uncertain now than it was in the early 1950s. Discuss this claim. Introduction The welfare state, which was a feature of 1950s Britain was predicated on an optimistic view of the world, and one which anticipated that British social institutions such as the family would remain the same. However, increased technological change, post-war immigration policy and a fluctuating world market brought such certainties into question. Britain rapidly became a more liberal and culturally diverse society and this had implications in almost every area of social life. This paper will examine the view that life is more uncertain now than it was in the early 1950s. In doing so it will examine knowledge, particularly religious knowledge, the concept of the family, and the processes of globalization. The Family In the 1950s the institution of the family was seen as one of the best ways of ordering our lives. It was the primary instrument of socialization where children learned the norms and values of the society in which they lived. The transformation of family life and of family forms has been unprecedented in the last thirty years the traditional nuclear family of father, mother and children, has been challenged and in some cases abandoned in favour of other ways of living.[1]Some of these changes have come about as the result of the feminist challenge to patriarchal power and the patriarchal nature of the traditional family. Prior to the Second World War men were the family breadwinners and women stayed at home to look after the children and to tend to the husband’s needs. From the mid-nineteen fifties onwards women started to re-enter the workplace in increasing numbers. This gave women more choices about how they would live their lives, such choices were not available in the ear ly nineteen fifties but the late twentieth century and twenty first centuries are characterized by a diversity of family forms. The nuclear family no longer dominates, now we have step families, lone parent families and cohabiting same sex couples, all existing alongside the nuclear family. Statistics on these different family forms have been used by Conservative Governments to claim that there is a breakdown of the traditional family and this has led to a much wider moral decay in society.[2] There has also been concern over men’s power and role in family life and the implications this may have for social order (Phillips, 1997).[3] Phillips argues that the decline in the family may lead to the death of fatherhood and could have implications for men’s health and their son’s development. It refers not only to changes in the family but to the fact that these changes could also bring about the destruction of the things which hold society together. Feminists on the other hand welcome the change in family forms because they have challenged the patriarchal nature of the nuclear family in the same way as they have challenged the patriarchal nature of religion. Religious Knowledge Prior to the Enlightenment religious knowledge was regarded as authoritative. Religious knowledge is knowledge that is based on revealed truths rather than empirical data or scientific experimentation. Although sometimes science and religion are interested in the same questions such as the history of the world and the nature of humnity[4] The rise in scientific knowledge called the claims of religion into question and the late twentieth century has seen this questioning in the form of a massive decline in Church attendance.[5] In spite of this Armstrong (1999)[6] has said that since the 1970s religion has been high on the agenda in the forms of the Christian Right in America and the tensions between Jews and Muslims in the Middle East. Marx, Durkheim and Weber, the acknowledged fathers of the social sciences, predicted that increased industrialization and new technologies would bring massive social change and that this would result in secularization.[7] Certainly on the surface this appears to be occurring, Church attendance has declined since the 1950s and education and welfare, which were once functions performed by the Church, have been taken over by the state. In addition to this, other forms of knowledge, such as science, appear to have more credibility than religious knowledge.[8] It might be said that religious knowledge remains to the extent that it provides some kind of answers to questions that science has so far failed to answer, such as where we go when we die. Social scientists have defined religion in two ways, the substantive definitions say what religion is while functionalist definitions say what religion does. Emile Durkheim (1912/1965) for example described religion as a sort of social glue which held society together. Durkheim believed that although religion would remain, it would, over time, change its form[9] Thus, because religion served a social function, traditional religious services might be replaced by other traditional gatherings su ch as Thanksgiving in America (Bellah, 1970).[10] Max Weber (1904/1930) on the other hand said that religion gave meaning to people’s actions eg. the Protestant work ethic Weber[11] Weber believed that when people became disenchanted with the supernatural content of religion then religion would die out. Peter Berger (1967) has said of religion that: †¦religion is the audacious attempt to conceive of the entire universe as being humanly significant (Berger, 1967:28).[12] The search for significance spreads across cultures. In the 1950s Britain was still seen as a largely Christian country and the Church of England was the established Church, the official religion. Mass immigration from 1948 onwards has meant that Britain is now a multi-cultural and multi-faith society. At the same time feminists have challenged the masculine bias contained within traditional religious knowledge and say that women’s experiences of religion have been ignored. The secularization thesis holds that religion is dying out but the situation with religious knowledge is not as simple as that, rather the situation is changing, and so traditional beliefs are called into question. This questioning tends to make people more uncertain of the beliefs they hold than might previously have been the case. Such changes are not confined to Britain but appear to be taking place on a global scale. Globalisation Since the 1950s the world has witnessed vast changes in transportation, in technology, communications and agriculture. Increased trade flow between different countries and the spread of capitalism has meant that the borders between nations are not as fixed as they once were and diverse societies are moving closer together.[13] There are differing views on globalization and these can be broadly defined in the following ways. Globalists, argue that we are witnessing changes that are being felt across the world and that increasingly nation states are becoming less autonomous. Internationalists on the other hand do not hold this view, they believe that the global movements we are seeing are not a new phenomenon. Although international activity may appear to have intensified in recent years they argue that in some areas this has strengthened state powers.[14] The third view is that of the transformationalists who say that globalization has created new circumstances which are transforming state powers. Transformationalists say that although the outcome may be uncertain politics can no longer be the preserve of individual nation states. This is because the social and political contexts are changing and this has implications for the way states operate.[15] The information age as personified by the internet, satellite television and mobile phones means that people can communicate across the globe in almost an instant. Global economic changes can affect many different societies, some benefit from this and some end up worse than they were before. This has led Giddens (1999) to say that we are living in a runaway world that is propelled by forces that are beyond our understanding.[16] Held (1995) has argued that nation states are defined by their borders and the forces of globalization are breaching those borders and threatening the autonomy of individual states. Large corporations such as Microsoft control global markets hold considerable power, such power could end up in the hands of a few individuals and would thus become domination (Allen, 2004). Technology has the power to influence the way we see people and places, for example we may no longer have to visit a bank to pay our bills but can do it online. In this way the physical distances between people become unimportant.[17] Globalisation means that wherever we live our lives may be determined by forces that are outside our control. Theorists who take this position see globalization as a threat to different social and cultural histories and to collective and individual action.[18] Globalists argue that attempts to resist the forces of globalization are doomed to failure, rather we should welcome changes such as new technologies which may help to reduce pollution in the world. Internationalists are skeptical about these changes and argue against the idea that there has been a fundamental shift in social relations. They believe that nation states still have the power to order their own economies and determine their own welfare regimes. They do however point to the inequalities that women and unskilled workers may face due to the forces of big business and global capitalism. Transformationalists agree that to some extent nation states have remained autonomous but they also say that the effects of globalization cannot be dismissed. The effects of globalization are uncertain and uneven, they have produced changes in the way we live and these changes need to be studied. They argue that the forms of globalization are not necessarily irreversible but may call for new structures and forms of governance. Conclusion The late twentieth and early twenty first centuries have brought with them vast changes to life in Britain. In the early nineteen fifties people’s futures seemed secure and this security was bolstered by Government claims that the introduction of the welfare state meant that people would be looked after from the cradle to the grave. History shows that this was an over optimistic claim and the notion of full employment on which the welfare state was based has not been realized. In the last thirty years advances in many different areas have drastically changed life for a large percentage of the population. Religion is no longer so authoritative as it once was, and many children are not growing up in traditional families. In addition to these things Britain is now part of the European Union and contact with people of other nations is becoming a normal part of life. The notion of security that existed in the years following the war were based on idealistic visions of the future an d this may be why we now view life as more uncertain. Bibliography Book 3 v2 Book 4 v.2 Book 5 v.2 Armstrong, K 1999 â€Å"Where has God gone† Newsweek 12th July pp 56-7 Bellah, R 1970 Beyond Belief New York, Harper and Row Berger, P. 1967 The Sacred Canopy New York, Doubleday Giddens, A 1999 Runaway World, The BBC Reith Lectures London, BBC Radio 4, BBC Education Phillips, M.. 1997 â€Å"Death of the Dad† The Observer 2nd November 1997 1 Footnotes [1] Book 3 v.2 [2] Book 3 v2 page 68 [3] Phillips, M.. 1997 â€Å"Death of the Dad† The Observer 2nd November 1997 [4] Book 5 vs p.53 [5] Book 5 v.2 [6] Armstrong, K 1999 â€Å"Where has God gone† Newsweek 12th July pp 56-7 [7] The removal of the public functions of religion to the private sphere [8] Book 5 v2 p.52 [9] Ibid p, 57 [10] Bellah, R 1970 Beyond Belief New York, Harper and Row [11]ibid [12] Berger, P. 1967 The Sacred Canopy New York, Doubleday [13] Book 4 v.2 see page 9 [14] Ibid see page 11 [15] ibid [16] Giddens, A 1999 Runaway World, The BBC Reith Lectures London, BBC Radio 4, BBC Education [17] Ibid page 18 [18] Ibid page 21

societhf Values of Society :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

Huckleberry Finn – Values of Society Often in satire, writers will use the internal conflict of a character to symbolically criticize the values and morality of society. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses the main character of Huckleberry Finn and the conflict between his personality and social conscience to criticize society. In this clash between his deformed conscience and sound heart, his heart is victorious. This conflict reflects the major themes within this work of slavery, racism, and "civilized" society. With a thorough examination of this conflict and insight into these facets of Huck these facts become apparent to the reader. It is clear that throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is a character bearing a deformed conscious. Huck's distorted sense of morals is a direct result of his dysfunctional upbringing. To better understand this let us first examine the background of Huck that Twain gives the reader. "The Widow Douglas she took me for her son" (1). An insightful reader can see from this that Huck is not receiving a mainstream childhood. Huck's father is a drunk, his mother is dead, and he is forced to live with a widowed woman and her self-righteous sister. Given such conditions it easy to see why Huck rejects the morals of a society that has rejected him in the sense that he is not protected from his father. Huck's distorted sense of morals is also a product of selectively accepting precepts that have been instilled into him based on his own intelligence. In a humorous passage Huck describes his feelings towards religion. "Then she [Miss Watson] told me all about the bad pla ce [hell], and I said I wished I was there...all I wanted was a change" (2). Clearly Huck misunderstands the tenants of Christianity yet his motives were not malicious. Huck was merely expressing his desire to free himself of his current situation. He sees beyond the values of a hypocritical society and chooses to follow his own path. These misunderstandings of, and weak feelings of responsibility toward his faith have a distorted impact on his conscience. In variance to the religious beliefs of Miss Watson are the morals of his father.

Physical Education Management Plan

Upon arrival to class students will be greeted with enthusiasm and eagerness to begin class. Students Students will engage in a warm-up review activity that includes questions and problems from previous lessons and assignments. Instruction Format Instruction will be given in a whole-to-parts format. I will demonstrate the new activity, present someone who can demonstrate it, or provide a video of each activity I introduce as a whole. Then I will break the activity into â€Å"pieces† and teach it section by section with several opportunities to recite all learned parts of the activity. This will continue until all the learned parts can be recited fluently as a whole. Behavior Management To ensure minimal undesired behavior I will navigate around the gymnasium constantly in no predictable pattern. With my back to the wall at all possible times my eyes will consistently scan the room for proper technique and opportunities to assistant with improving a student’s technique. My classroom will be managed in a manner that promotes discussion and the sharing of ideas between all members. Students will respect and empathize with fellow classmates and their physical differences. It will be arranged so that I can observe and monitor everyone’s behavior. Also, class activities will be arranged with an ease of transition from one station or skill to the next. My relationship with my students will be open and honest, and non-threatening to learning and mistakes during the learning process. I will make a conscious effort from day to day to treat my students the way I would like for them to treat one another. My class will also have a voice in the selection of activities so that they feel a part of something special and that their opinions and thoughts matter. Students that display undesired behavior will be given a set time to refrain from the activity with the rest of the class. With each repeated offense the time will be multiplied by the number of offenses. Student Engagement It is important to keep students engaged while in class. So, students will be provided with ample physical and thought-provoking activities during each lesson that are well prepared and presented by me. Each activity will be presented thoroughly and clearly so as to give the students a clear picture of what is being asked of them. In addition, the curriculum promotes the use of elaborate physically enriched activities that students work on individually or as a small group once they have received proper instruction. As the teacher I will make frequent eye contact with the students to communicate a genuine interest in their learning. Assessment An effective teacher is in constant motion mentally and physically in the classroom. This attentiveness allows for a constant informal assessment of student learning and behavior. I will maintain anecdotal notes of student performance. Peer performance checklist will also be used for some activities. This form of assessment gives the students an opportunity to evaluate each other as well as give themselves a better idea of what is expected of them.

Aboriginal stolen generation Essay

Given the ongoing and intergenerational effects of being taken away, is it useful to think of the Stolen Generations as something that happened in the past, or as a contemporary issue affecting Indigenous peoples? What implications are there for all Australians in recognizing the need for national healing? The Stolen Generation was a time of grief, sorrow and sadness for many indigenous people. To say that it is something of the past would be distorting the seriousness of the issue, the Stolen Generation was and always will be a contemporary issue affecting indigenous people. Although race relations in Australia have been signified for many decades there still remains a historic distinction between ‘black’ and ‘white’ people and this is why Australians are faced with the implications of recognizing the need for national healing. The immediate impacts of the Stolen Generation left many children feeling incomplete, lost and alone. The Stolen Generation continues to impact upon contemporary Indigenous spiritualties as the removal of a complete generation of children from their families has had a negative effect on the ability of these children to maintain their cultural identities, spirituality and their own sense of belonging to the world. The implications left for Australians in recognizing the need for national healing are extensive, Australians can be seen as the ones who need to continually fix the wrongs of the past, and although the nation strive towards coherence between Indigenous people and contemporary society it will never change what has already happened. The initial impacts of those victims of the stolen generation began with the direct disconnection from family members and the harsh reality that they were now separated from loved ones, which in some cases was forever. This factor in particular is one of the leading reasons that indigenous people are affected by the Stolen Generation as a contemporary issue in today’s society. Family is what provides a sense of closure and connection in an individual’s life. To have been stripped of that at such a young age leads to many complications and developmental issues that still haunt many indigenous people today. Many indigenous people are now suffering and hurting because of what occurred, and what they were faced with. As evidenced in one of many testimonies from victims of the stolen generation Frank Byrne is just one of many who are hurting, as he says that, â€Å"It’s very important to tell people our stories because we are hurting. It hurts. We lost our family and we didn’t bring that on. It was the Government. Why? We don’t know why. We’re just as human as everybody and we’re hurting†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The contemporary issue being represented is evident that the Stolen Generation is not something that can ever be put in the past, Frank was born in 1937 and taken away a short time after, if he is still hurting almost 70 years later then that should be enough to prove that the issue of removing children from their families at such a young age is a very serious one. Whilst indigenous people have suffered ongoing pain, there have been developments in addressing their desire for closure, and their need for an apology was finally addressed. However, the negative implications left for Australians in helping them heal can be seen as what really impacts upon the way in which Australians are able to help in the healing process. It can be seen as unfortunate that today’s societies are the ones who pay for the mistakes of the past and for some Australians it may be a burden thrust upon them that’s existence might not ever cease. It is assumed by many that no matter how much is done, Australia will always pay for the occurrence of the Stolen Generation and in a way that can be deemed true. It is more than obvious that suffering did not start and finish for members of the indigenous communities, suffering started many years ago and will remain, the brutality and seriousness of the issue does not simply heal with time or become a memory it is immovable from the world, and most importantly from those who suffered. In saying this however, there are others willing to help in achieving a positive connection with the members of the indigenous community, in particular those affected by the Stolen Generation. This can be seen through various orgainisation who thrive for a better society and aim at helping those in need of healing to heal and be given the closure they deserve. For example, ‘The healing foundation’ is a government run orgainisation with a main goal and belief that ‘We can close the Gap by supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to build stronger communities, heal the trauma, and preserve and celebrate our culture and our people’. Various healing programs are run through this orgainisation and they all aim to target different aspects that need to be addressed, eg; holding healing camps on country- This could ultimately help restore the connection to land that was once lost when removed from it, being in a place where you feel most comfortable would in due course enable indigenous people to strengthen that connection to the land, and in affect from that help their pain. The pain of the past, and the impact it has on the present is left with individuals from the Stolen Generation. It is safe to say that up until this present day Indigenous people are frowned upon by many, and are discriminated based on their race and opinions on what kind of people they really are. This in turn leads to the exclusion of individuals from society, and then the feeling of being rejected and neglected. This feeling has then impacted many to resort to violence &crime, alcohol abuse, drug abuse and in extreme cases suicide. However, whilst some resort to these negative responses, most are the victims of abuse and crime. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the crime rate for indigenous people on average, are considerably higher crime victimisation rates. In 2008, around one-quarter (23%) of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over reported being a victim of physical or threatened violence in the last 12 months, and one in seven (15%) had experienced at least one episode of physical violence in the previous year (ABS 2010c). In 2009 in the Northern Territory, police recorded 5,985 Indigenous people per 100,000 Indigenous populations as victims of assault in 2009 compared to 1,150 non-Indigenous people per 100,000 non-Indigenous populations. The figures speak for themselves, being a part of the Stolen Generation may not only be the reason that indigenous people are secluded and victimized, but it does account for the distinction between them and the rest of the community. Being victimized becomes a very serious contemporary issue as it now creates the start of an ongoing chapter, where Indigenous people are targeted based on their race and who they are believed to be. It creates a polluted society where negative connotations are what define people, when it should at no time come down to that. Australians need to recognize the need for national healing, and address such issues like violence so that it sooner or later becomes non-existent. The implications for this that Australians are left with are to help those who are victims of abuse, and support the people of the Stolen Generation who need supporting. As outlined in the ‘Bringing them home report’ many homes that children were placed in were extremely cruel, and most suffered from sexual and physical abuse. It was evident that most in power abused their positions and as a result the Indigenous people were the ones who underwent the constant exploitation. In recognizing the need for healing all Australians are faced with the realization that because of this most indigenous people are sensitive to change, do not adapt well with strangers and as a result are separated from society. In helping break that barrier and minimize these effects it is important to enable space for change and recognition of the rights and needs of the indigenous communities, especially the ones directly impacted by the after math of the Stolen Generation. When they were taken away Indigenous people were not only stripped of their families, homes and belongings but they were stripped of their identity’s. Did not matter what their name was, who they were, or where they came from. Losing your identity and being forced to change so rapidly and harshly carried so many negative consequences for those who fell victim to the change. It is because of this that today, in our society many people are still impacted and lost in finding out who they really are or where their family could be now. Being forced to assimilate into a ‘white’ Australian fell under the ‘White Australia Policy, 1901’ The policy broke important cultural, spiritual and family ties which crippled not only individuals, but whole families and even whole communities. This as a result outlines the need for society today to be understanding and acknowledge the sensitive situation that most people may still be in. There is no greater struggle in life than finding out who you are and to have been broken from any connection which could ever lead you back home will most definitely leave Indigenous people broken for many generations to come. The impact this brings to Australian society is that the issue of social justice arises and again the division between indigenous people and Australians is made evident. The suffering of being separated from family is something that was stowed upon indigenous peoples by the white Australians at the time. The constant questioning of ‘why us?’ is probably such a question left un answered by many, this leads to the implications that some Australians may feel as though it is not their role, nor fault to be the ones to acknowledge and say sorry for what has happened in the past. Although this may cause a stir for some, it is the current nation and generations to come job to ensure that the feeling of displacement and lost identities are retrieved. The separation from family not only meant a lost identity for most, but also a disconnection to their land which thus impacted their spirituality and involvement in practicing their beliefs. The issue of land rights, and the way in which indigenous people present themselves to this day is still an issue in society. Indigenous people are prone to, and enjoy being outdoors to practice their faith, for some this may be seen as intimidating, wrong, or strange but in order for healing to be achieved the Australians of this contemporary society need to acknowledge these needs of practicing their faith, and enjoying their outdoor surroundings. Indigenous people all over the world are suffering with the emotional and physical trauma of being part of the Stolen Generation. It is not something that will fade away with time, nor will it ever be forgotten about, the Stolen Generation was a horrific time for everyone who was involved and it’s the job of Australia today and in the future to right the wrongs of the past and enable the healing process to take place effectively. Bibliography ABS (September 2013). Measures of Australian progress. Retrieved September, 2013, from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1370.0~2010~Chapter~Aboriginal%20and%20Torres%20Strait%20Islander%20peoples%20(4.4.6.2 Press, R. W. (Septemeber 2013). Stolen Generations Fact Sheet. Retrieved September, 2013, from http://reconciliaction.org.au/nsw/education-kit/stolen-generations/#impact Australian Human Rights Commission (September,2013). Australian Human Rights . Retrieved September, 2013, from http://www.humanrights.gov.au/ Byrne, F. (September, 2013). Testimonies . Retrieved September, 2013, from http://stolengenerationstestimonies.com/index.php/testimonies/1020.htm Australia, H. P. (September, 2013). Healing. Retrieved September, 2013, from http://healingfoundation.org.au/healing-programs/

The Bomb that Saved Millions essays

The Bomb that Saved Millions essays The atomic bomb and it's use over the two Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is still a source of heated debate even over fifty years later. Many people on both sides -Japan and The United States- hold the belief that Truman's decision to drop the bomb was a mistake and that under no circumstances should such drastic measures be taken in war. What these people do not realize are the far more horrible alternatives than the destruction of just two cities: an invasion of mainland Japan where millions of more deaths would have occurred, Soviet aid resulting in the division of Japan into a communist nation and the destruction of their culture, the deaths of thousands of Allied prisoners of war held in Japan, and the threat of renewed hostilities from Japan not to mention the possibility of several more years of bloody conflict. Throughout the course of this paper all of these examples will be discussed, as well as why Truman's decision was the most humane and rational for all the n ations involved, including Japan. Axis power in Europe was destroyed, Hitler and Mussolini were dead, their armies annihilated, their nation's in ruins, Japan however was not. Though weakened from a near four year long war with the Allies, the Japanese continued fighting, as was their code, to fight to the death, and never surrender. President Harry Truman in the interest of saving both American and Japanese lives from an invasion of mainland Japan, authorized the use atomic bombs against Japan. The first atomic bomb to be used on Japan was composed of uranium. It was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945. The explosion, which had the force of more than 15,000 tons of TNT, instantly and completely devastated 10 square kilometers of the heart of this city of 343,000 inhabitants. Of this number, 66,000 were killed immediately and 69,000 were injured, more than 67 percent of the city's structures were destroyed or damaged. The next atomic bomb ...

Parodies Present in Divorce, Italian Style

Parodies Present in Divorce, Italian Style Alana Sanchez-PrakItalian 46; Lecture 1Fall 2013Discussion 1CParodies Present in Divore, Italian StylePietro Germi, director of Divorce, Italian Style takes Italian customs and parodies them in a comedic light. Three customs parodied are stated in "The Importance of Spectacle" written in 1964. These include facial expressions, gestures, and enthusiasm. Germi parodies them through his characters Fefe and Rosalia. Through these characters he successfully goes over the top in order to make fun of these traditional customs and give the audience a good laugh.The bluntest mannerism parodied in Divorce Italian Style is the Italians' use of facial expressions. As in many Italian films, facial expressions appear to be the most exaggerated. Perhaps in order to make it more clear for the audience what the character is feeling. The perfect example of Germi's parody to this mannerism is Fefe's facial expressions. For instance, during his fantasy of many different deaths of Rosalia, Fefe has the s ame, blank empty stare foreshadowing to another comedic scene.fefe and meThe exaggerations are Germi's way of truly parodying the importance of facial expressions in Italian culture. Another such example includes Fefe's mouth twitch. This twitch appears only when Fefe feels a great satisfaction towards a thought he has or an action that is being performed. This subtle hint not only gives the audience a good laugh but also shows how something so small and minute can be easily recognized as a hint to something else.Another custom that is prominent within Italian culture is the use of gestures. Whether it be of the face or with the hands, Italians are commonly known for their highly expressive gestures that are able to effectively and accurately express their feelings. One gesture that is parodied in the film is the gesture of the cuckold. The...

Definition and Examples of Prolepsis in Rhetoric

Definition and Examples of Prolepsis in Rhetoric (1) In rhetoric, prolepsis is foreseeing and forestalling objections to an argument. Adjective: proleptic. Similar to procatalepsis. Also called anticipation. (2) Similarly, prolepsis is a  figurative device by which a future event is presumed to have already occurred. Etymology:  From the Greek, preconception, anticipation Examples and Observations In the ancient art of rhetoric, prolepsis stood for the anticipation of possible objections to a speech. This anticipation enabled the speaker to provide answers to objections before anyone had the chance to even raise them. In other words, the speaker takes the role/attitude of the listener while preparing or delivering his speech, and he tries to assess in advance what possible objections could be raised.(A. C. Zijderveld, On Clichà ©s: The Supersedure of Meaning by Function in Modernity. Routledge, 1979)In 1963, Nobel Prize-winning economist William Vickrey suggested that [automobile] insurance be included in the purchase of tires. Anticipating the objection that this might lead people to drive on bald tires, Vickrey said drivers should get credit for the remaining tread when they turn in a tire. Andrew Tobias proposed a variation on this scheme in which insurance would be included in the price of gasoline. That would have the added benefit of solving the problem of uninsured mot orists (roughly 28% of California drivers). As Tobias points out, you can drive a car without insurance, but you cant drive it without gasoline.(Ian Ayres and Barry Nalebuff, Would You Buy Car Insurance by the Mile? Forbes, 2005) [P]rolepsis is a form of looking ahead, of assuming something to be the case before it has been encountered, a foreshadowing in some sense. Novelists do this all the time when they hint at things to come, or when they omit information, almost as if they thought the reader already knew it. The result of such prolepsis [is] that the reader (or hearer) creates, rather than passively receives, the information necessary to complete the scene or circumstances that the writer (or speaker) merely hints at.(Leo van Lier, The Ecology and Semiotics of Language Learning: A Sociocultural Perspective. Kluwer, 2004)In the movie The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Luke Skywalker says, Im not afraid, to which Jedi master Yoda responds, You will be. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) contains proleptic scenes of future nuclear devastation envisioned by a woman whose son is the target of a robot sent back in time to kill him.(Ross Murfin and Supryia M. Ray, The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Term s, 2nd ed. Bedford/St. Martins, 2003) Procatalepsis is another relative of the hypophora. While the hypophora can ask any sort of question, the procatalepsis deals specifically with objections, and it usually does so without even asking the question, as in this example: Many other experts want to classify Sanskrit as an extinct language, but I do not. By directly addressing objections, procatalepsis lets the writer further his or her argument and satisfy readers at the same time. Strategically, procatalepsis shows your readers that you have anticipated their concern, and have already thought them through. It is, therefore, especially effective in argumentative essays.(Brendan McGuigan, Rhetorical Devices: A Handbook and Activities for Student Writers. Prestwick House, 2007) Pronunciation: pro-LEP-sis

Inclusive Education and SEN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Inclusive Education and SEN - Essay Example In this essay, l will demonstrate an understanding, of implications of including, children with additional needs in the mainstream school setting. I will consider the different models of disability. I will also demonstrate my ability to collect evidence about a child’s needs from a variety of sources and use the evidence to inform practice. Show my understanding of individual educational Plan (I.E.P), and how it can be developed to support inclusion. I will then evaluate the use of appropriate resources and strategies to support the child. Implications of including children with additional needs in a mainstream setting: The concept of inclusive education is as a result of parents and disabled people putting pressure on successive governments to change the education system, so as to allow all children to have a fair and equal access to education (Tassoni 2003, p.11). Including children with, special needs within the mainstream school has got its own implications. One of these implications will be ensuring, whether the layout and resources are appropriate, and inclusive. The environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children’s development and learning (Early year’s foundation Stage (E.Y.F.S, 2008). For example, having a child, who uses a wheelchair, will not be able to move in and out of the building independently without ramps. Although the issue of inclusive education is a highly debated issue, it has garnered unanimous support internationally, which is apparent from the fact that governments worldwide, have introduced policy initiatives whereby the cause of including st udents with special needs in regular schools has been supported, and treated as a human rights issue (OECD Publishing, 19992). This entails that schools today, are required to have trained staff who is specialized in supporting students with SEN (Special Education Needs) for instance, those diagnosed with autism. This is because, the educational needs of an autistic child is starkly different than those of a regular child, and hence special courses are required to be designed, developed and implemented to meet the special needs of such children. The SEN code of practice makes it the responsibilities of schools and early years setting to be able to identify children’s difficulties in terms of ‘graduate approach’, to the identification, assessment and recording of any difficulties these children may face (Linda, Carrie and Jane, 2005.p.132). The teachers, needs to adapt a positive attitude towards children with special needs, and ensure that there is no barrier of access. They need to ensure that, they are taking into account, views of the child, parents, colleagues and other professionals into consideration to meet the child’s needs, and adapt change to the environment accordingly. The attitudes of all adults who work in the schools, need to be such that, they are working to encourage the participation of all children in both academic and social life of the school (Halliwell 2003, p.20). Within my setting layout of equipment, is at every child’s level, this means, they can choose toys independently to play with, without any hindrance. And will playa vital role towards achieving independence. The school will need to make sure that; there are appropriate policies and procedures in place in conjunction with the ‘code of practice’. These policies will be ensuring that, children with special needs are given, full access to education, as any ordinary child. The

Top Girls by Caryl Churchill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Top Girls by Caryl Churchill - Essay Example Act 1 is set up in a fashionable restaurant in London. Marlene is celebrating with five women her promotion to the position of managing director. This scene is somehow bizarre, as all the five women have existed in varied historical epochs either real or imaginary. Somehow, all of them portray women’s struggle against oppression and patriarchy. For instance, Lady Nijo is married off to the Empire of Japan at age 14 (Churchil, 12). Eventually, she ends up being a Buddhist nun. Throughout act one, all these women save for Marlene, talk of their children, and former lovers; their stories depict a sense of success, loss and destiny. Act 2 is set up at Marlene workplace. She is interviewing Jeanine for a position. Jeanine portrays the character traits of a traditional woman; her needs to marry young, and have children are despised by Marlene. In the second scene of act 2, Angie and Kit are having a discussion in Joyce’s backyard. They speak of going to watch an x-rated film and Angie’s desire to kill Joyce (her mother). Eventually, in Act 3, it is established that Angie’s biological mother is not Joyce but Marlene. The third scene of act 2 is set up at Top Girls employment agency on a Monday morning (Churchil, 13). Two women Win and Nell are discussing their sexual encounters with men. On arrival of Marlene, they congratulate her on accounts that she has managed to secure the position of managing director position over Howard. In act 3, Marlene ends up fighting with her sister Joyce. Joyce feels that Angie’s future is gloom as long as England is run by the likes of Marlene and Margret Thatcher the then Prime Minister. Joyce believes that women like Marlene have misplaced priorities. Eventually, Marlene apologizes but Joyce will have none of that. Top Girl commences in a 1980 London background of an up market restaurant. Props used on the restaurant depict elegance that can only a successful career woman can afford. In its illusory

BUS law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

BUS law - Essay Example er who is in a vehicle that is legally stopped for traffic violation, as long as the officer has reason to believe that the passenger is armed and dangerous (Richardson 525). This is the standard that is applied to an officer’s pat down passenger during a traffic stop. The stop starts the moment a vehicle is pulled over by police officers for the purpose of investigation following a traffic violation. During the stop the police officers present may lawfully seize the occupants of the vehicle for the entire duration of the stop (526). There is no search warrant required in conducting a pat down during a traffic stop. The search and pat down can proceed solely on the basis of probable cause provided the police officer reasonably suspects that the passenger may be armed and dangerous (525). If the suspicion is short of probable cause, it would not be sufficient to warrant a search on the driver or passenger because that would be infringing on their personal rights and freedoms which are protected by the constitution (536). Richardson, Mark R. The Vulnerable Passenger: An Analysis of the Constitutionality of Terry Frisking Vehicle Passengers Not Suspected of Criminal Activity in Arizona v. Johnson, 129 S. Ct. 781 (2009), 89 Neb. L. Rev. (2010) Available at:

Role of domestic concerns in us withdrawal from vietnam Essay

Role of domestic concerns in us withdrawal from vietnam - Essay Example After analyzing these questions, we can finally land on our ultimate target that was to investigate the extent to which the domestic concerns played their part in the withdrawal of the United States of America. As rightly quoted by Jose Padilla, war is not really something at the sole discretion of the president, rather it is the public power that should ultimately shape the foreign policy of a nation, or more precisely, the fate and destiny of the nation. This thought truly reflects in the US Vietnam war. This war proved that it's the public, the common man of the nation, who will decide the foreign policy of the nation. The history recorded that the people protesting on the roads of New York or the colleges of Ohio forced the think tanks at Pentagon and Whitehouse to change their policy and finally withdraw from the tiresome and simply lost battle of Vietnam, that proved to be the graveyard for the human and the monetary resources of American nation. Almost all the historians do agree to the fact that domestic concerns forced the US Think Tank to finally decide to withdraw from the battle at Vietnam. However, the perception of the extent to which the internal factors played their role in that historical decision is different for different historians. Furthermore, the recorded evidences also tell that the ratio of favour for the war also differed from time to time, even during the war period and age group to age group as well. 2 The Vietnam War, which lasted in 1975 is also known as Indochina war, the American war in Vietnam and the Vietnam Conflict. Why did the United States of America tried to involve in the Vietnam If looked from a narrow perspective, it seems that this was just a conflict between the communist and the non-communist factions of the Vietnamese nation. However, when we take into account the entire global scenario at that time, especially that of post-world war and cold war, we tend to realize that it was not an ordinary civil war, rather a contest between the two opposing super powers of the time, both the powers claiming to be the super power but propagating entirely different ideologies of economics, religion and state governance. Thus it was a war between the communism and the socialism, the United States of America, along with its capitalist allies and the South Vietnam on one side and the Soviet Union, its allies, the People's Republic of China, and North Vietnam on the other. Thus, withdrawing from war does not only mean the inability to handle some civil war, had it been the case, United States of America would have left the battle far earlier than it did, but this withdra wal would probably have been seen by the United States of America's policy makers as the surrender to the communist alliance. This may well be attributed to the reluctance of the United States' think tank to withdraw at an earlier stage. What approach for the involvement was there in the mind of the military and political leadership of the United States of America Since this was not too long that the Second World War had ended, those American and other nations, who had witnessed the disastrous effects of war were still alive. Any war in any part of the world is thus supposed to get a furious reaction of the public. Specially when it comes to the war in United States of

Marketing Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Managment - Essay Example This step of strategic planning process involves strategic thinking i.e. what the firm needs to do ten to fifteen years from now. The mission is followed by analysis, which involves environmental scan this analysis is important because a business strategy should be congruent with the capabilities of the firm and its external environment. This scan involves industry and competitive analysis, company analysis and identification of competitive strategy. For analysing the industry environment porter’s five forces model is used. The rivalry among firms identifies the extent of competiveness, strength of barriers to entry, buyer power, supplier power and the threat of substitute all are analysed and listed as a part of the industry analysis. In the company analysis the present strategy is assessed based on the performance indicator and financial analysis. A SWOT analysis is conducted identifying the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the firm. Also PEST analysis, in volving the political, environmental, social and technological changes affecting the firm, is also conducted. Lastly identifying competitive advantage involves core competency and benchmarking. Core competence is what a firm does best and benchmarking is comparing ones products and services with that of the customer in order to add any improvement to the existing product and services. After the situation analysis is the step of goals and objectives. The goal setting and objectives formation is a crucial part of the strategic process. Goals are broad target of what is to be achieved which are then translated in to more measurable, workable, achievable and specific targets know as objectives. After this step comes the grand strategy... This paper approves that studying the industry through porter’s five forces model gives a good picture of the automotive industry. The rivalry among firms in this industry is high due to the great diversity of rivals culture, slow market growth, high fixed costs and low switching costs for the customer. The threat of substitute to this industry is low because all other transportation vehicles don’t offer the same utility, convenience and independence. The industry has high barriers to entry due to high capital requirements and the specialized nature of the industry. The power of supplier is less as compared to that of the buyer. The buyer of the automotive industry is very high. This essay makes a conclusion that the goal for Volkswagen is to bring diversity and new models to their product line. The objective is to introduce newer models like the hands free driving and bring technological advancement in their product line. The corporate strategy for this company is a combination of growth and stability. The company plans to use concentration strategy and bring new models to the same customers. Also in order to grow they will maintain their sales and grow slowly out of their declining profits. The product marketing strategy for VW is affordable price car for everyone so as to increase it market share from the existing one. The company has carried out focus group researches to identify the needs of customers and develop a price that adds value to the customer purchase as a part of VW’s value proposition.

Just follow the instruction and pick up one u good at Essay

Just follow the instruction and pick up one u good at - Essay Example Woolf uses this story, among others, to describe why women must have their private space to develop their identities. This space, nevertheless, is not only physical because it is also psychological, political, and economic. Deliberative democracy puts deliberation at the center of democratic processes and outcomes. Citizens must have the freedom to participate in discussions that affect their lives. Political equality is based on equal participation in these deliberations, wherein James Fishkin contends that political equality means â€Å"the institutionalization of a system which grants equal consideration to everyone’s preferences and which grants everyone appropriately equal opportunities to formulate preferences on the issues under consideration† (qtd. in Stein 321-322). Each individual has the right to express his/her own ideas and opinions. Robert E. Stein asserts, furthermore, that substantive equality is needed for deliberative democracy to happen. He defines su bstantive equality: â€Å"Substantive equality arguments claim that along with important procedural safeguards, minimum levels of social and economic equality are also necessary to ensure equality of participation† (322). ... Unless people get fair wages or fair views as human beings, they cannot partake in public discussions (Stein 322). Society, through its web of different sectors and groups, must facilitate substantive equality. Substantive equality provides the necessary foundation of genuine deliberative democracy. Substantive equality has different arguments that must be explored further because they enlighten readers of underlying differences and similarities in the conceptualization and practice of the former. The first approach underlines equal access to resources. Proponents of equal access stress that â€Å"the existing distribution of power and resources does not shape their chances to contribute to deliberation, nor does that distribution play an authoritative role in their deliberation† (Stein 322). People must have minimal access to power and resources to meaningfully contribute to democratic deliberative processes. The second approach highlights capabilities. Even if fair access to resources exists, the absence of capabilities to participate in deliberation renders the former useless (Stein 322). Capabilities supporters assert that the quality of deliberation comes from sufficient deliberation capabilities. Another perspective of substantive equality pertains to reciprocity. Reciprocity does not give up equal access to resources. Gutmann and Thompson assert that reciprocity â€Å"holds that citizens owe one another justifications for the mutually binding laws and public policies they collectively enact† (qtd. in Stein 322). Stein remarks that reciprocity adds a layer of moral perspective to democracy, where substantive equality is right because it respects human dignity (322). People must mutually respect each other’s right to

Marketing Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Managment - Essay Example This step of strategic planning process involves strategic thinking i.e. what the firm needs to do ten to fifteen years from now. The mission is followed by analysis, which involves environmental scan this analysis is important because a business strategy should be congruent with the capabilities of the firm and its external environment. This scan involves industry and competitive analysis, company analysis and identification of competitive strategy. For analysing the industry environment porter’s five forces model is used. The rivalry among firms identifies the extent of competiveness, strength of barriers to entry, buyer power, supplier power and the threat of substitute all are analysed and listed as a part of the industry analysis. In the company analysis the present strategy is assessed based on the performance indicator and financial analysis. A SWOT analysis is conducted identifying the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the firm. Also PEST analysis, in volving the political, environmental, social and technological changes affecting the firm, is also conducted. Lastly identifying competitive advantage involves core competency and benchmarking. Core competence is what a firm does best and benchmarking is comparing ones products and services with that of the customer in order to add any improvement to the existing product and services. After the situation analysis is the step of goals and objectives. The goal setting and objectives formation is a crucial part of the strategic process. Goals are broad target of what is to be achieved which are then translated in to more measurable, workable, achievable and specific targets know as objectives. After this step comes the grand strategy... This paper approves that studying the industry through porter’s five forces model gives a good picture of the automotive industry. The rivalry among firms in this industry is high due to the great diversity of rivals culture, slow market growth, high fixed costs and low switching costs for the customer. The threat of substitute to this industry is low because all other transportation vehicles don’t offer the same utility, convenience and independence. The industry has high barriers to entry due to high capital requirements and the specialized nature of the industry. The power of supplier is less as compared to that of the buyer. The buyer of the automotive industry is very high. This essay makes a conclusion that the goal for Volkswagen is to bring diversity and new models to their product line. The objective is to introduce newer models like the hands free driving and bring technological advancement in their product line. The corporate strategy for this company is a combination of growth and stability. The company plans to use concentration strategy and bring new models to the same customers. Also in order to grow they will maintain their sales and grow slowly out of their declining profits. The product marketing strategy for VW is affordable price car for everyone so as to increase it market share from the existing one. The company has carried out focus group researches to identify the needs of customers and develop a price that adds value to the customer purchase as a part of VW’s value proposition.

Increasing Taxes on Alcohol and Cigarettes Essay Example for Free

Increasing Taxes on Alcohol and Cigarettes Essay †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sin taxes† on cigarettes and alcohol are designed to boost revenue, not improve public health †¢Minimum alcohol pricing will exacerbate poverty and entrench inequality without discouraging binge drinking †¢Most of the costs of drinking and smoking fall on individual consumers, not the public. There is no economic justification for increasing taxes on smokers and drinkers. In a report released today, The Wages of Sin Taxes (Download PDF) by Christopher Snowdon, the Adam Smith Institute condemns the government’s decision to increase taxes on cigarettes and alcohol this year and to introduce minimum alcohol pricing. The report argues that ‘sin taxes’ (taxes on commodities seen as harmful to health) are ineffective in reducing consumption and are not necessary for recouping lost revenue. The taxes are highly regressive and force the poor to pay for the government’s mishandling of public finances. The taxes don’t work Cigarette taxes are now so high that increases drive smokers to the black market instead of discouraging consumption or raising more revenue. Sin taxes are more likely to deter moderate users than heavy users, whose demand for cigarettes and alcohol is relatively inelastic. A heavy smoker or an alcoholic is unlikely to reduce consumption because of a price rise, making sin taxes an unreliable way of reducing consumption or improving public health. The victims of cigarette and alcohol duty Sin taxes hit moderate and heavy users alike. Research has shown that previous rises in cigarette tax have made only 2.3% of smokers quit, with the other 97.7% just paying more in tax. Taxes on cigarettes and alcohol are regressive and hit the poor hardest. The average smoker spends  £1660 a year on cigarettes – 20% of the bottom 10%’s income. Sin taxes are the most regressive indirect taxes, as they tend to target products that are disproportionately consumed by the poor. Minimum alcohol pricing is also deeply regressive, only affecting the cheaper drinks consumed by the poor. Punishing poor people for enjoying a drink or a cigarette exacerbates poverty and treats the poor like children who need to be controlled by the state. The public cost of smoking and drinking Taxes on cigarettes and alcohol have often been justified by studies that claim to estimate the â€Å"social cost† of these vices. These studies include intangible costs borne by individual consumers, such as â€Å"emotional distress†, lost years of life, and individual expenditures on cigarettes and alcohol. These are personal costs, not social costs. They also fail to include the economic benefits the alcohol and cigarette industry gives to the UK in terms of employment and government revenue. Most of these studies should be relegated to the bin of junk statistics. In fact, smokers and heavy drinkers do not cost the state more. Though smokers may cost more during their working lives, but non-smokers require greater expenditure in pensions, nursing care and welfare payments. Chronic diseases associated with old age are far more expensive than the lethal diseases associated with smoking and alcoholism. Smokers and drinkers are not a burden on the state, and the myth of saints subsidising sinners should not be used to justify tax rises. The appeal of ‘sin taxes’ Despite the fact they hurt the poor and do not change consumer consumption, sin taxes have always been popular with governments as a source of revenue. Sin taxes and minimum alcohol pricing should be recognised for what they really are stealth taxes and paternalism designed to control the poor. Chris Snowdon, author of the report and Adam Smith Institute fellow, says: â€Å"Campaigners for sin taxes and minimum pricing often claim that â€Å"healthy citizens† are forced to bear the cost of other people’s lifestyles. In fact, the evidence shows that smokers take less from the communal pot than the average Briton and the money raised from alcohol duty comfortably pays for any burden drinking places on public services. If the aim of policy is to make individuals pay their way, the government should slash the beer tax and subsidise cigarettes. We are not seriously suggesting the government does this, but if politicians insist on increasing taxes on these products, they sh ould admit that the purpose is to raise revenue. Essentially the government is forcing the people who are least likely to live to extreme old age to pay for the escalating costs of an ageing population.

Cockle Isolates of Vibrio Vulnificus | Research Experiment

Cockle Isolates of Vibrio Vulnificus | Research Experiment Isolation and identification characterization among cockle isolates of Vibrio vulnificus isolated from Selangor, Malaysia Coastal area Mohammed M. Kurdi Al-Dulaimi, Sahilah Abd. Mutalib and Ma`aruf Abd.Ghani Key words: Vibrio vulnificus, cockles, isolation, characterization, Malaysia. ABSTRACT: Vibrio vulnificus infections is worldwide public health problems associated with illnesses resulting from consumption of raw or partially cooked seafood worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and identification of V. vulnificus in cockle collected from local wet (2) and supermarkets (2) from Selangor, Malaysia from July 2013 to February 2014. A total of 78 (n=78) cockle samples were examined for the presence of V. vulnificus and collected from four local supermarkets sites of Selangor hypermarkets, V. vulnificus was present in at about 32% (25/78) of the 78 seafood cockle samples were positive to this bacterium. Colonies morphological observation and biochemical characterization for those isolates showed 60% (15/78) of isolates were classified as biotype 1 and 40% (10/78) belong to biotype 2. INTRODUCTION: Vibrio vulnificus is a motile, asporgenic, halophilic gram-negative bacterium that found worldwide in estuarine and coastal warm waters that frequently contaminates seafood like oysters , cockles , shrimps and other seafood (Horseman and Surani, 2011) infections of V. vulnificus are reported in many different countries ,USA, Europe, Korea, Taiwan , Malaysia and Saudi Arabia(Tamplin et al. 1982; Chuang et al.1992; Dalsgaard et al. 1999; Hlady and Klontz 1996; Elhadi et al.,2004; Elhadi 2012; Paydar and Thong 2013). Three major syndromes of clinical illness caused by pathogenic vibrio: septicemia, gastroenteritis and wound infections. The majority of these infections is foodborne and associated with consumption of raw or undercooked variety of seafood, including shrimp, fish, oysters and clams (Bisharat et al., 1999). Probability of septicemia and necrotizing fasciitis increased in the patients with liver cirrhosis and diabetes mellitus that reduce host resistance to bacterial infections owing to the immunocom-promised status (Ito et al., 2012). V. vulnificus is a bacterial species that is virulent for humans and fish ,In terms of virulence, it has been classified based on phenotypical and serological characteristics(Biosca et al.,1997 ; Tison et al., 1982), therefore V.vulnificus isolates classified into three biotypes, biotypes 1 and 3 are classified as a human isolates and biotype 2 is classified fish and eel isolates , The virulence mechanism of biotype 2 V. vulnificus strains in eels remains unclear, although some virulence factors have been proposed. The extracellular products of biotype 2 strains exhibit hydrolytic/toxic activities and lethality for the eel similar to those produced by the biotype 1 strain (Biosca and Amaro 1996). However, a few human infections caused by biotype 2 isolates have been reported worldwide. This study aims to isolateion and identifiy characterization of the V. vulnificus among cockle from Selangor, Malaysia. MATERIALS AND METHODS Samples collection and preparing For this In the present study, cockle samples (n=78) were purchased from wet markets (2) and hypermarkets (2) in Selangor-Malaysia from July 2013 to February 2014 .The cockles were washed in distilled water and scrubbed free of dirt and shucked with a sterile scalpel and cut to small pieces with sterile scissor, 25 g of muscle and intravalvar fluid were collected homogenized into sterile stomacher bags containing 225 ml of Akaline Salt Peptone Water (ASPW) (Oxoid, England) with 3% (w/v) NaCl. Samples were homogenized with using stomacher (Stomacher Lab-Blender 400) for 2 minutes. enriched in alkaline peptone salt water and The solution was diluted and then spread onto ______(what medium) medium and incubated for 18-24 hours at 37Â ºC. Isolation and morphological characterization All samples were analyzed for potentially pathogenic Vibrios. All samples enriched in APW[DS1] and transferred a loop full of enrichment broth on to Thiosulphate citrate bile salt sucrose agar (TCBS)(Difco Laboratories, USA) and CHROMagar Vibrio (CV)(CHROMagar, France) and incubated for 24 h at 37Â ºC. After incubation colonies suspected to be V. vulnficus were picked up from the TCBS[DS2] agar and CV plates and cultured on Tryptic Soy Agar (TSA) to obtain pure colonies.[DS3] (Elhadi 2012).V. vulnificus produce green colonies on TCBS and blue green (Turquoise) on Chromagar Vibrio, these colonies were picked up to nutrient agar slant and stored at 4Â °C for morphological and biochemical identification. Biochemical characterization The isolates were identified at the species level with the use of biochemical tests that may differentiated among closer species of vibrio that gave similar morphological characteristics on selective media, in this study we use some biochemical tests that distinguish among V. vulnificus and other vibrio species such as V. parahemolyticus. [DS4] Indole Production The ability of bacteria to splitting of tryptophan to indole tested , test tubes contain 9 ml of tryptone water inoculated with loop full of V. vulnificus culture and incubated for 24- 48 h at 37Â ºC, adding 1 ml of Kovac`s indicator(P-dimethyl amnobenzaldehyde in amyl) , positive reaction immediately forming red color ring in the broth. [DS5] Oxidase test :[DS6] Bacterial colonies were transferred with a sterile glass rod to filter paper moistened with oxidase reagent. Appearance of a dark purple color within few seconds was considered a positive reaction. Tolerance to NaCl :[DS7] Tolerance to NaCl was determined by the addition of NaCl to 1 % peptone broth with percentage of 0, 3, 6 and 10 % (w/v) [DS8]and cultures were examined for growth after 2 days at 37oC. RESULTS Isolation of V. vulnificus: [DS9] A total of 78 cockle samples were obtained from four different location of kajang.30, 28, 10 and 10 cockle samples were collected from pasar kajang, gaint bangi , gaint kajang and pasar bangi respectively, from August 2013 until January 2014, 11 sample (36%) of pasar Kajang was positive, 9 samples (32%) of Gaint Bangi was positive, 3 samples (30%) of Gaint Kajang was positive and 2 (20%) of Pasar Bangi was positive for V. vulnificus (table 1), The highest numbers of V. vulnificus were isolated from pasar kajang and gaint bangi , the lowest numbers of V. vunlificus were isolated from gaint kajang (Fig.1).[DS10] Table 1 percentage[DS11] of presence of V. vulnificus in cockle samples. Figure 1 percentage of positive samples. Morphological and biochemical identification: V. vulnificus in this study were identified as biotype I because all the isolates were positive for indole production. CHROMagar Vibrio (CHROMagar; Paris,France) was used in this study in conjunction with TCBS agar because of its ability to isolate and identifyV. vulnificus compared to the TCBS agar. CHROMagar Vibrio uses chromogenic technology to allow for the isolation and detection of V. vulnificus resulting in development dark blue colonies which can be distinguished from other Vibrio species as shown in Fig. 2. V. vulnificus were isolated from 25 of the 78 samples analyzed, and were identified with picked up single colonies on selective media for morphological identification, V.vulnificus isolates appeared as green colonies on TCBS medium and appeared as blue green colonies on Chromagar Vibrio medium Fig 2, green color on TCBS refer to inability of this bacteria to produce acids from sucrose, colonies on ChromagarTM Vibrio medium are accurately (99%) detect V. vulnificus isolates and differentiate it from other vibrio species. Fig 2 V vulnificus isolates on TCBS (A) and Chromagar Vibrio (B). Biochemical characterization: Distinguish between the different vibrios on the basis of colony morphology not always possible, the identification of Vibrio spp. is problematic because of phenotypic similarity of some species, there for we should be do biochemical tests to confirm the results obtained from morphological identification. V. vulnificus is divided into three biotypes according to their different biochemical and biological properties (Linkous and Oliver 1999).Twenty-five strains identified as V. vulnificus were submitted to biochemical tests. All isolates used in this study were positive for oxidase test (100%), all isolates grow on solid selective media (TCBS and CV agar). Salt tolerance show that 100% of isolates grow in 3% NaCl whiles no growth in 0 % of NaCl (table 2) because this bacterium is halophilic and it is abundantly present in estuarine ecosystems throughout the world. Table 2 biochemical tests of V. vulnificus isolates. DISCUSSION Isolation and morphological identification of V. vulnificus: The main objective of this study was to detect the incidence of pathogenic V. vulnificus in cockle samples collected from five sites in Malaysia, 25 of 78 cockle samples were positive for V. vulnificus (table 1), high percentage of cockles positive for V. vulnificus attributed to filter-feeding mollusks such as oysters, clams and mussels have high concentrations of the bacteria in their guts and other tissues (Strom and Paranjpye 2000). A chromogenic medium used for differentiation of V. vulnificus which contains bile salts and high NaCl and pH. This medium selects mainly three vibrio species (V. vulnificus, V. cholera and V. parahemolyticus) easily to differentiate among these species depend upon colony color whereas V. vulnificus isolates gave distinctive blue green color, various biochemical tests were used for more identification (Elhadi 2012). Biochemical identification: On the basis of differences in biochemical property V. vulnificus includes two biotypes (Tison et al. 1982). In this study, V. vulnificus biotype 1 and 2 were isolated. Isolates from human infections and environmental sources were described as indole positive and belong to biotype 1, whereas strains recovered from diseased eels were indole-negative and classified as biotype 2. (Amaro et al., 1992; Biosca et al., 1996; Radu et al., 1998).Ability to produce indole from trypton show 60% of isolates positive classified as biotype 1, and 40% was negative to indole production classified as biotype 2 (table 2), that indole production was the single biochemical trait which distinguished biotype 1 and biotype 2 (Tison et al. 1982). All isolates in this study were positive for oxidase, majority of V. vulnificus have cytochrome c oxidase enzyme, V. vulnificus is a halophilic marine bacterium tolerant for NaCl from 1% to 10% whereas most of V. vulnificus isolates tolerant up to 6% NaCl (table 2) but no growth in 10% NaCl and 0% of NaCl (Dalsgaard et al., 1999; Elhadi, 2012). V. vulnificus grow in wide range of temperature from 13Â °C to 40Â °C, optimal temperature for isolates in this study was 37Â °C that is an optimal temperature for pathogenic bacteria. REFERENCES Horseman, M.A. and Surani, S. (2011). A comprehensive review of Vibrio vulnificus: an important cause of severe sepsis and skin and soft-tissue infection. Int. J. of Infect. Dis., 15(3):157-166. Bisharat, N., Agmon, V., Finkelstein, R., Raz, R., Ben-Dror, G., Lerner, L., et al.(1999) .Clinical, epidemiological, and microbiological features of Vibrio vulnificus biotype 3causing outbreaks of wound infection and bacteraemia in Israel. The Lancet 354(9188):1421–1424. Biosca EG, Amaro C, Larsen JL, Pedersen K (1997) Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Vibrio vulnificus: proposal for the substitution of the subspecific taxon biotype for serovar. Appl Environ Microbiol 63: 1460–1466. Tison, D.L., Nishibuchi, M., Greenwood, J.D., Seidler, R.J.(1982). Vibrio vulnificus biogroup2: new biogroup pathogenic for eels. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 44,640–646. Biosca, E. G., and Amaro C.(1996).Toxic and enzymatic activities of Vibrio vulnificus biotype 2 with respect to host specificity. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62:2331–2337. Paydar M, Thong K.L.(2013). Prevalence and genetic characterization of Vibrio vulnificus in raw seafood and seawater in Malaysia. J Food Prot.76(10):1797-1800. Linkous D.A. and Oliver J.D.( 1999). Pathogenesis of Vibrio vulnificus, FEMS Microbiol. Letters. 174 :207-214. Hlady WG , Klontz KC(1996). The Epidemiology of Vibrio Infections in Florida, 1981-1993, J. of Infec. Dis. 173(5):1176-1183. Elhadi N, Radu S, Chen CH, Nishibuchi M.(2004) Prevalence of potentially pathogenic Vibrio species in the seafood marketed in Malaysia. Journal of Food Protection; 67(7): 1469-75. Chuang, Y.C., Yuan, C.Y., Liu, C.Y., Lan, C.K. Huang, A.H. (1992). Vibrio vulnificus infection in Taiwan: report of 28 cases and review of clinical manifestations and treatment. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 15: 271–276. Elhadi, N. (2012). Antibiotic Resistance and Plasmid Profiling of Clinically Significant Vibrio vulnificus Isolated from Coastal Water in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. British Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 3(2): 93-97. Radu, S., Elhadi, N. Hassan, Z. Rusul, G. Lihan,S. Fifadara, N. Yuherman and E. Purwati, 1998.Characterization of Vibrio vulnificus isolated from cockles (Anadara granosa): Antimicrobial resistance,plasmid profiles and random amplification of polymorphic DNA analysis. FEMS. Microbiol.Lett.,165: 139-143. Ito, H., Shibayama A., Abe M., Antoku S., Nawata H., Isonishi M., Fujita M., Kato S. (2012). Vibrio vulnificus septicemia and necrotizing fasciitis in the patients with liver cirrhosis and diabetes mellitus. J. of Diabetes Mellitus :2(1)122-125. Dalsgaard, I., HÃ ¸i, L., Siebeling, R. J. Dalsgaard, A. (1999). Indole-positive Vibrio vulnificus isolated from disease outbreaks on a Danish eel-farm. Dis Aquat Organ 35, 187–194. Amaro, C., Biosca, E. G., Esteve, C., Fouz, B. Toranzo, A. E. (1992). Comparative study of phenotypic and virulence properties in V. vulnificus biotype 1 and 2 obtained from a European eel farm experiencing mortalities. Dis Aquat Organ 13, 29–35. Tamplin M, Rodrick G.E., Blake N.J., Cuba T.(1982). Isolation and characterization of Vibrio vulnificus from two Florida estuaries. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 44:1466–1470. [DS1]Write in ful, and short capital letter with bracket after that [DS2]Write in full [DS3]Shouldn’t has dot please [DS4]Omit this part [DS5]Not clear please clarify [DS6]remove [DS7]remove [DS8] please add [DS9]remove [DS10]make sure the valu tele with your abstract [DS11]Shouldn write in bold, please write properly and precise. Too simple is not describsable [DS12]write in full [DS13]remove this column

Interpreting the Meaning of Private :: Definition Essays

Interpreting the Meaning of Private Hearing the word private, one could think of infinite meanings and uses. Some people think, for their own safety, certain people should not be private. Others believe it is their human right to have privacy, because it defines oneself. The dictionary-defined term of private has had subtle changes through the past 300 years. In the past three years, the definition of private in the US has changed to very little meaning, granting an even more important reason to find the true definition. The pre-9/11 definitions never limit privacy to certain groups or people, and they never seem to grant more privacy to other people. In 1634, the OED defined private as â€Å"not open to the public; restricted †¦ for †¦ privileged persons†. The focus of this definition is the exclusive rights to view or interact with an object. As time passed, in 1913, the meaning grew to â€Å"personal property† (Webster's). More property everyday became private, as people feared a large government controlling their lives. A current definition includes seclusion â€Å"from sight, presence or intrusion of others† and focuses on a lack of knowledge of under privileged people (AHD, 2000). Lately, the government has been passing radical laws violating many people’s privacy rights. The USA PATRIOT ACT and the USA PATRIOT ACT II critically injure many of the definitions of private. Through the acts, people residing in the United States can have meetings tapped, their personal property searched without knowledge, and followed/harassed within the confines of their own home. To many people, the word private brings forth a view of secrecy or personal belongings. Bathrooms and locker rooms, attorneys and their clients, to name a couple, are hoped to be private by most people. Privacy does not depend on the person, as privacy is a human right everyone should be granted. In Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore shows a peace group who had an undercover agent infiltrate them, violating their privacy. The group was not criminals, and had not been found guilty of anything, yet big brother decided these people’s rights should be limited. With the passing of these laws, privacy is decreasing. People may wonder what would life be without privacy? No walls in the bathroom, shared locker rooms, records of who you talked to and about what, not to mention trying to build a legal defense if charged with a crime. How could one defend him/herself against an accusation if there could be no planning involved?

Weight Loss with the Atkins Advantage Bar :: Health Nutrition Diet Exercise Essays

Weight Loss with the Atkins Advantage Bar   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The low carbohydrate Atkins Diet is the latest craze in the weight loss world. The high fat and protein content of the diet is successful at reducing weight because carbohydrates produce an elevated insulin response which in turn increases hunger and the craving for more carbohydrates. Thus, the level of insulin increase from the intake of an Atkins Advantage Bar is almost equal with the insulin levels after the intake of chicken. Meanwhile, the Zone Diet’s Balance Bar, which contains 40% carbohydrates, causes insulin levels to increase above that of chicken and the Atkins Advantage Bar.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to lose weight in a short amount of time one should snack on the Atkins Advantage Bar. According to a study done by Steven R. Hertzler and Yeonsoo Kim, Ph.D.s of Nutrition, data showed that insulin levels remained at a constant 100 for those who consumed only chicken at a meal. Those who consumed an Atkins Advantage Bar insulin levels peaked at 200 after one half hour then slowly declined back down to a steady rate with the chicken level. If one were to eat chicken all day they would lose weight but it would not be in a very healthy way. Chicken is all protein and one needs some carbohydrates and fat to remain healthy. Variety is a must have in diets and chicken and only chicken is not good. The high in fat and protein Atkins Advantage Bar comes pretty close to this but still remains healthy because they have a few but not many carbohydrates. This bar goes along with the diet in that high fat and protein help one to lose weight at a constant rate with only a sparingly amount of carbohydrates. A slight increase of insulin levels within the first half hour of intake and then a steady decrease makes the Atkins Advantage Bar closest to chicken in insulin levels.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Meanwhile, the Zone Diet's Balance Bar is just as healthy but does not produce the weight loss results as rapidly due to the increase in carbohydrates. Hertzler and Yeonsoo's study of the effects of eating a balance bar as a meal showed that insulin levels rose to about 350 points after one half hour. This number is much higher than the 200 point peak of insulin levels with the intake of the Atkins Advantage Bar. This number soars above the 100 point consistency that chicken

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 16-18

16 HOWARD Howard Phillips, the owner of H.P.'s Cafe, had just settled down in the study of his stone cottage when he looked out the window and saw something moving through the trees. Howard had spent most of his adult life trying to prove three theories he had formulated in college: one, that before man had walked the Earth there had been a powerful race of intelligent beings who had achieved a high level of civilization, then for some unknown reason had disappeared; two, that the remnants of their civilization still existed underground or under the ocean, and through extreme cunning and guile had escaped detection by man; and three, that they were planning to return as masters of the planet in a very unfriendly way. What lurked in the woods outside Howard Phillips's cottage was the first physical evidence of his theories that he had ever encountered. He was at once elated and terrified. Like the child who is delighted by the idea of Santa Claus, then cries and cowers behind its mother when confronted with the corpulent red-suited reality of a department-store Santa, Howard Phillips was not fully prepared for a physical manifestation of what he had long believed extant. He was a scholar, not an adventurer. He preferred his experiences to come secondhand, through books. Howard's idea of adventure was trying whole wheat toast with his daily ham and eggs instead of the usual white bread. He stared out the window at the creature moving in the moonlight. It was very much like the creatures he had read about in ancient manuscripts: bipedal like a man, but with long, apelike arms; reptilian. Howard could see scales reflecting in the moonlight. The one inconsistency that bothered him was its size. In the manuscripts, these creatures, who were said to be kept as slaves by the Old Ones, had always been small in stature, no more than a few feet tall. This one was enormous – four, maybe five meters tall. The creature stopped for moment, then turned slowly and looked directly at Howard's window. Howard resisted the urge to dive to the floor and so stood staring straight into the eyes of the nightmare. The creature's eyes were the size of car headlamps and they glowed a faint orange around slotted, feline pupils. Long, pointed scales lay back against its head, giving the impression of ears. They stood there, staring at each other, the creature and the man, neither moving, until Howard could bear it no longer. He grabbed the curtains and pulled them shut, almost ripping them from the rod in the process. Outside he could hear the sound of laughter. When he dared to peak through the gap in the curtains, the creature was gone. Why hadn't he been more scientific in his observation? Why hadn't he run for his camera? For all his work at putting together clues from arcane grimoirs to prove the existence of the Old Ones, people had labeled him a crackpot. One photograph would have convinced them. But he had missed his chance. Or had he? Suddenly it occurred to Howard that the creature had seen him. Why should the Old Ones be so careful not to be discovered for so long, then walk in the moonlight as if out for a Sunday stroll? Perhaps it had not moved on at all but was circling the house to do away with the witness. First he thought of weapons. He had none in the house. Many of the old books in his library had spells for protection, but he had no idea where to start looking. Besides, the verge of panic was not the ideal mental state in which to do research. He might still be able to bolt to his old Jaguar and escape. Then again, he might bolt into the claws of the creature. All these thoughts passed through his mind in a second. The phone. He snatched the phone from his desk and dialed. It seemed forever for the dial to spin, but finally there was a ring and a woman's voice at the other end. â€Å"Nine-one-one, emergency,† she said. â€Å"Yes, I wish to report a lurker in the woods.† â€Å"What is your name, sir?† â€Å"Howard Phillips.† â€Å"And what is the address you are calling from?† â€Å"Five-oh-nine Cambridge Street, in Pine Cove.† â€Å"Are you in any immediate danger?† â€Å"Well, yes, that is why I called.† â€Å"You say you have a prowler. Is he attempting to enter the house?† â€Å"Not yet.† â€Å"You have seen the prowler?† â€Å"Yes, outside my window, in the woods.† â€Å"Can you describe him?† â€Å"He is an abomination of such abysmal hideousness that the mere recollection of this monstrosity perambulating in the dark outside my domicile fills me with the preternatural chill of the charnel house.† â€Å"That would be about how tall?† Howard paused to think. Obviously the law enforcement system was not prepared to deal with perversions from the transcosmic gulfs of the nethermost craters of the underworld. Yet he needed assistance. â€Å"The fiend stands two meters,† he said. â€Å"Could you see what he was wearing?† Again Howard considered the truth and rejected it. â€Å"Jeans, I believe. And a leather jacket.† â€Å"Could you tell if he was armed?† â€Å"Armed? I should say so. The beast is armed with monstrous claws and a toothed maw of the most villainous predator.† â€Å"Calm down, sir. I am dispatching a unit to your home. Make sure the doors are locked. Stay calm, I'll stay on the line until the officers arrive.† â€Å"How long will that be?† â€Å"About twenty minutes.† â€Å"Young woman, in twenty minutes I shall be little more than a shredded memory!† Howard hung up the phone. It had to be escape, then. He took his greatcoat and car keys from the foyer and stood leaning against the front door. Slowly he slipped the lock and grabbed the door handle. â€Å"On three, then,† he said to himself. â€Å"One.† He turned the door handle. â€Å"Two.† He bent, preparing to run. â€Å"Three!† He didn't move. â€Å"All right, then. Steel yourself, Howard.† He started the count again. â€Å"One.† Perhaps the beast was not outside. â€Å"Two.† If it was a slave creature, it wasn't dangerous at all. â€Å"Three!† He did not move. Howard repeated the process of counting, over and over, each time measuring the fear in his heart against the danger that lurked outside. Finally, disgusted with his own cowardliness, he threw the door open, and bolted into the dark. 17 BILLY Billy Winston was on the final stretch of the nightly audit at the Rooms-R-Us Motel. His fingers danced across the calculator like a spastic Fred Astaire. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could log onto the computer and become Roxanne. Only thirty-seven of the motel's one hundred rooms were rented tonight, so he was going to finish early. He couldn't wait. He needed Roxanne's ego boost after being ditched by The Breeze the night before. He hit the total button with a flourish, as if he had just played the final note of a piano concerto, then wrote the figure into the ledger and slammed the book. Billy was alone in the motel. The only sound was the hum of the fluorescent lights. From the windows by his desk he had a 180-degree view of the highway and the parking lot, but there was nothing to see. At that time of night a car or two passed every half hour or so. Just as well. He didn't like distractions while he was being Roxanne. Billy pushed a stool up to the front counter behind the computer. He typed in his access code and logged on. WITKSAS: HOW'S YOUR DOG, SWEETIE? SEND: PNCVCAL The Rooms-R-Us Motel chain maintained a computer network for making reservations at their motels all over the world. From any location a desk clerk could contact any of the two hundred motels in the chain by simply entering a seven-letter code. Billy had just sent a message to the night auditor in Wichita, Kansas. He started at the green phosphorescent screen, waiting for an answer. PNCVCAL: ROXANNE! MY DOG IS LONELY. HELP ME, BABY. WITKSAS Wichita was on line. Billy punched up a reply. WITKSAS: MAYBE HE NEEDS A LITTLE DISCIPLINE. I COULD SMOTHER HIM IF YOU WANT. SEND: PNCVCAL There was a pause while Billy waited. PNCVCAL: YOU WANT TO HOLD HIS POOR FUZZY FACE BETWEEN YOUR MELONS UNTIL HE BEGS? IS THAT IT? WITKSAS Billy thought for a moment. This was why they loved him. He couldn't just throw them an answer they could get from any sleazebeast. Roxanne was a goddess. WITKSAS: YES. AND BEAT HIM SOFTLY ON THE EARS. BAD DOG. BAD DOG. SEND: PNCVCAL Again Billy waited for the response. A message appeared on the screen. WHERE ARE YOU DARLING? I MISS YOU. TULSOKL. It was his lover from Tulsa. Roxanne could handle two or three at once, but she wasn't in the mood for it right now. She was feeling a little crampy. Billy adjusted his crotch, his panties were riding up a bit. He typed two messages. WITKSAS: GO PET YOUR DOGGIE FOR A WHILE. AUNTIE ROXANNE WILL CHECK ON YOU IN A WHILE. SEND: PNCVCAL TULSOKL: TOOK AN EVENING OFF TO SHOP FOR SOMETHING LACY TO WEAR FOR YOU. I HOPE YOU DON'T FIND IT TOO SHOCKING. SEND: PNCVCAL While he was waiting for a response from Oklahoma, Billy dug into his gym bag for his red high heels. He liked to hook the stiletto heels into the rungs of the stool while he talked to his lovers. When he glanced up, he thought he saw something moving out in the parking lot. Probably just a guest getting something from the car. PNCVCAL: YOU SWEET LITTLE THING, YOU COULD NEVER SHOCK ME. TELL ME WHAT YOU BOUGHT. TULSOKL Billy started to type in a modest description of a lace teddy he had seen in a catalog. To the guy in Tulsa, Roxanne was a shy little flower; to Wichita she was a dominatrix. The desk clerk in Seattle saw her as a leather-clad biker chick. The old man in Arizona thought she was a struggling single mother of two, barely making it on a desk clerk's salary. He always wanted to send her money. There were ten of them in all. Roxanne gave them what they needed. They loved her. Billy heard the double doors of the lobby open, but he did not look up. He finished typing his message and pressed the SEND button. â€Å"Can I help you,† he said mechanically, still not looking up. â€Å"You betcha,† a voice said. Two huge reptilian hands clacked down on the counter about four feet on each side of Billy. He looked up into the open mouth of the demon coming at his face. Billy pushed back from the keyboard. His heel caught in the rung of the stool and he went over backward as the giant maw snapped shut above him. Billy let loose a long, sirenlike scream and began scrambling on his hands and knees behind the counter toward the back office. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw the demon crawling over the counter after him. Once in the office, Billy leapt to his feet and slammed the door. As he turned to run out the back door, he heard the door fly open and slam against the wall. The back door of the office led into a long corridor of rooms. Billy pounded on the doors as he passed. No one opened a door, but there were angry shouts from inside the rooms. Billy turned and saw the demon filling the far end of the corridor. It was in a crouch, moving down the corridor on all fours, crawling awkward and batlike in the confined space. Billy dug in his pocket for his pass key, found it, and ran down the hallway and around the corner. Making the corner, he twisted his ankle. White pain shot up his leg, and he cried out. He limped to the closest door. The images of women in horror movies who twisted their ankles and feebly fell into the clutches of the monster raced through his head. Damn high heels. He fumbled the key into the lock while looking back down the hallway. The door opened and Billy fell into the room just as the monster rounded the corner behind him. He kicked the stiletto heel off his good foot, vaulted up and hopped across the empty room to the sliding glass door. The safety bar was set. He fell to his knees and began clawing at it. The only light in the room was coming from the hallway, and suddenly that was eclipsed. The monster was working its way through the doorway. â€Å"What the fuck are you!† Billy screamed. The monster stopped just inside the room. Even crouching over, its shoulders hit the ceiling. Billy cowered by the sliding door, still clawing under the curtains at the safety bar. The monster looked around the room, its huge head turning back and forth like a searchlight. To Billy's amazement, it reached around and turned on the lights. It seemed to be studying the bed. â€Å"Does that have Magic Fingers?† it said. â€Å"What!† Billy said. It came out a scream. â€Å"That bed has Magic Fingers, right?† Billy pulled the safety bar loose and hurled it at the monster. The heavy steel bar hit the monster in the face and rattled to the floor. The monster showed no reaction. Billy reached for the latch on the door and started to pull it open. The monster scuttled forward, reached over Billy's head, and pushed the door shut with one clawed finger. Billy yanked on the door but it was held fast. He collapsed under the monster with a long, agonizing wail. â€Å"Give me a quarter,† the monster said. Billy looked up into the huge lizard face. The monster's grin was nearly two feet wide. â€Å"Give me a quarter!† it repeated. Billy dug into his pocket, came out with a handful of change, and timidly held it up to the monster. Still holding the door shut with one hand, the monster reached down with the other and plucked a quarter from Billy's hand with two claws, using them like chopsticks. â€Å"Thanks,† it said. â€Å"I love Magic Fingers.† The demon let go of the door. â€Å"You can go now,† it said. Before he could think about it, Billy threw the door open and dove through. He was climbing to his feet when something caught him by the leg from behind and dragged him back into the room. â€Å"I was just kidding. You can't go.† The monster held Billy upside down by his leg while it dropped the quarter into the little metal box on the nightstand. Billy flailed in the air, screaming and clawing at the demon, ripping his fingernails against its scales. The monster took Billy into its arms like a teddy bear and lay back on the bed. Its feet hung off the end and nearly touched the dresser on the opposite wall. Billy could not scream; there was no breath for a scream. The monster let go with one arm and placed one long claw at Billy's ear. â€Å"Don't you just love Magic Fingers?† it said. Then it drove the claw though Billy's brain. 18 RACHEL After Merle died and Rachel observed a respectable period of mourning, which was precisely the same amount of time it took the courts to transfer Merle's property to her, she sold the Cessna and the trailer, bought herself a Volkswagen van, and on the advice of the women at the shelter, headed for Berkeley. In Berkeley, they insisted, she would find a community of women who could help her stay off the wheel of abuse. They were right. The women in Berkeley welcomed Rachel with open arms. They helped her find a place to live, enrolled her in exercise and self-actualization courses, taught her to defend herself, nurture herself, and most important, to respect herself. She lost weight and grew strong. She thrived. Within a year she took the remainder of her inheritance and bought a lease on a small studio adjacent to the University of California campus and began teaching high-intensity aerobics. She soon gained a reputation as a tough, domineering bitch of an instructor. There was a waiting list to get into her classes. The fat little girl had come into her own as a beautiful and powerful woman. Rachel taught six classes a day, putting herself through the rigors of each workout along with her students. After a few months of that regimen, she fell ill, waking one morning to find that she had just enough strength to call the women in her classes to cancel, and no more. One of her students, a statuesque, gray-haired woman in her forties named Bella, appeared at Rachel's door a few hours later. Once through the door Bella began giving orders. â€Å"Take off your clothes and get back in bed. I'll bring you some tea in a moment.† Her voice was deep and strong, yet somehow soothing. Rachel did as she was told. â€Å"I don't know what you think you've done to deserve the punishment you are giving yourself, Rachel,† Bella said, â€Å"but it has to stop.† Bella sat on the edge of Rachel's bed and watched while Rachel drank the tea. â€Å"Now lie on your stomach and relax.† Bella applied fragrant oil to Rachel's back and began rubbing, first with long, slow strokes that spread the oil, then gradually digging her fingers into the muscles until Rachel thought she would cry out in pain. When the message was finished, Rachel felt even more exhausted than before. She fell into a deep sleep. When Rachel awoke, Bella repeated the process, forcing Rachel to drink the bitter tea, then kneading her muscles until they ached. Again, Rachel slept. When Rachel awoke the fourth time, Bella again served her the tea, but this time she had Rachel lie on her back to receive her massage. Bella's hands played gently over her body, lingering between her legs and on her breasts. Through the drugged haze of the tea, Rachel noticed that the older woman was almost naked and had rubbed her own body with the same fragrant oils that she used on Rachel. It didn't occur to Rachel to resist. Since Bella had come through the door, she had been giving orders and Rachel had obeyed. In the dim light of Rachel's little apartment they became lovers. It had been two years since Rachel had been with a man. Trading soft caresses with Bella, she didn't care if she was ever again. When Rachel was back on her feet, Bella introduced her to a group of women who met at Bella's house once a week to perform ceremonies and rituals. Among these women Rachel learned about a new power she carried within herself, the power of the Goddess. Bella tutored her in the machinations of white magic and soon Rachel was leading the coven in rituals, while Bella looked on like a proud mother. â€Å"Modulate your voice,† Bella told her. â€Å"No matter what you are saying it should sound like a chant to the Goddess. The coven should be taken with the chant. That is the meaning of enchantment, my dear.† Rachel gave up her apartment and moved into Bella's restored Victorian house near the U.C. campus. For the first time in her life, she felt truly happy. Of course, it didn't last. One afternoon she came home to find Bella in bed with a bald and bewhiskered professor of music. Rachel was livid. She threatened the professor with a fireplace poker and chased him, half-naked, into the street. He exited clutching his tweed jacket and corduroy slacks in front of him. â€Å"You said you loved me!† Rachel screamed at Bella. â€Å"I do love you, dear.† Bella did not seem the least bit upset. Her voice was deep and modulated like a chant. â€Å"This was about power, not love.† â€Å"If I wasn't filling your needs, you should have said something.† â€Å"You are the most wonderful lover I have known, dear Rachel. But Dr. Mendenhall holds the mortgage on our house. That loan is interest free, in case you hadn't noticed.† â€Å"You whore!† â€Å"Aren't we all, dear?† â€Å"I'm not.† â€Å"You are. I am. The Goddess is. We all have our price. Be it love, or money, or power, Rachel. Why do you think the women in your exercise classes put themselves through so much pain?† â€Å"You're changing the subject.† â€Å"Answer me,† Bella demanded. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"They want a sound body. They want a strong vessel to carry a strong spirit.† â€Å"They don't give a rat's ass about a strong spirit. They want a tight ass so men will want them. They will deny it to the death, but it's true. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you will realize your own power.† â€Å"You're sick. This goes against everything you've ever taught me.† â€Å"This is the most important thing I ever will teach you, so listen! Know your price, Rachel.† â€Å"No.† â€Å"You think I'm some cheap slut, do you? You think you're above selling yourself? How much rent have you ever paid here?† â€Å"I offered. You said it didn't matter. I loved you.† â€Å"That's your price, then.† â€Å"It's not. It's love.† â€Å"Sold!† Bella climbed out of bed and strode across the room, her long gray hair flying behind her. She took her robe from the closet, threw it around herself, and tied the sash. â€Å"Love me for what I am, Rachel. Just as I love you for what you are. Nothing has changed. Dr. Mendenhall will be back, whimpering like a puppy. If it will make you feel better, you can be the one that takes him. Maybe we can do it together.† â€Å"You're sick. How could you even suggest such a thing?† â€Å"Rachel, as long as you see men as human beings, we are going to have a problem. They are inferior beings, incapable of love. How could a few moments of animal friction with a subhuman affect us? What we have between us?† â€Å"You sound like a man caught with his pants down.† Bella sighed. â€Å"I don't want you around the others until you calm down. There's some money in my jewelry box. Why don't you take it and go down to Esalen for a week or so. Think this over. You'll feel better when you get back.† â€Å"What about the others?† Rachel asked. â€Å"How do you think they'll feel when they find out that all the magic, all the spiritualism you preach, is just so much bullshit?† â€Å"Everything is true. They follow me because they admire my power. This is part of that power. I haven't betrayed anyone.† â€Å"You've betrayed me.† â€Å"If you feel that way, then perhaps you'd better leave.† Bella went into the bathroom and began drawing a bath. Rachel followed her. â€Å"Why should I leave? I could just tell them. I know as much as you do now. I could lead them.† â€Å"Dear Rachel.† Bella was adding oils to her bath and not looking up. â€Å"Didn't you learn anything from killing your husband? Destruction is a man's way.† Rachel was stunned. She had told Bella about the accident but not that she had caused it. She had told no one. Bella looked up at her at last. â€Å"You can stay if you wish. I still love you.† â€Å"I'll go.† â€Å"I'm sorry, Rachel. I thought you were more highly evolved.† Bella slipped out of her robe and into her bath. Rachel stood in the doorway staring down at her. â€Å"I love you,† she said. â€Å"I know you do, dear. Now, go pack your things.† Rachel couldn't bear the idea of staying in Berkeley. Everywhere she went she encountered reminders of Bella. She loaded up her van and spent a month driving around California, looking for a place where she might fit in. Then, one morning while reading the paper over breakfast, she spotted a column called â€Å"California Facts.† It was a simple list of figures that informed readers of obscure facts such as which California county produces the most pistachios (Sacramento), where one had the best chance of having one's car stolen (North Hollywood), and tucked amid a mlange of seemingly insignificant demographics, which California town had the highest per capita percentage of divorced women (Pine Cove). Rachel had found her destination. Now, five years later, she was firmly set in the community, respected by the women and feared and lusted after by the men. She had moved slowly, recruiting into her coven only women who sought her out – mostly women who were on the verge of leaving their husbands and who needed something to shore them up during the divorce process. Rachel provided them with the support they required, and in return they gave her their loyalty. Just six months ago she initiated the thirteenth and final member of the coven. At last she was able to perform the rituals that she had worked so hard to learn from Bella. For years they seemed ineffective, and Rachel attributed their failure to not having a full coven. Now she was starting to suspect that the Earth magic they were trying to perform just did not work – that there was no real power to be had. She could lead the coven to attempt anything, and on her command they would do it. That was a power of sorts. She could extract favors from men with no more than a seductive glance and in that, there was a power. But none of it was enough. She wanted the magic to work. She wanted real power. Catch had sensed Rachel's lust for power in the Head of the Slug that afternoon, recognizing in her what he had seen in his ruthless masters before Travis. That night, while Rachel lay in the dark of her cabin, contemplating her own impotence, the demon came to her. She had locked the door that night, more out of habit than need, as there was very little crime in Pine Cove. Around nine she heard someone try the doorknob and she sat upright in bed. â€Å"Who is it?† As if in answer, the door bent slowly inward and the doorjamb cracked, then splintered away. The door opened, but there was no one behind it. Rachel pulled the quilt up around her chin and scooted up into the corner of the bed. â€Å"Who is it?† A voice growled out of the darkness, â€Å"Don't be afraid. I will not hurt you.† The moon was bright. If someone was there, she should have been able to see his silhouette in the doorway, but strain as she might, she saw nothing. â€Å"Who are you? What do you want?† â€Å"No – what do you want?† the voice said. Rachel was truly frightened; the voice was coming from an empty spot not two feet away from her bed. â€Å"I asked you first,† she said. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Ooooooooooo, I am the ghost of Christmas past.† Rachel poked herself in the leg with her thumbnail to make sure she was not dreaming. She wasn't. She found herself speaking to the disembodied voice in spite of herself. â€Å"Christmas is months away.† â€Å"I know. I lied. I'm not the ghost of Christmas past. I saw that in a movie once.† â€Å"Who are you!† Rachel was near hysteria. â€Å"I am all your dreams come true.† Someone must have planted a speaker somewhere in the house. Rachel's fear turned to anger. She leapt from bed to find the offending device. Two steps out of bed she ran into something and fell to the floor. Something that felt like claws wrapped around her waist. She felt herself being lifted and put back on the bed. Panic seized her. She began to scream as her bladder let go. â€Å"Stop it!† The voice drowned her screams and rattled the windows of the cabin. â€Å"I don't have time for this.† Rachel cowered on the bed. She was panting and felt herself getting light-headed. She started to sink back into unconsciousness, but something caught her by the hair and yanked her back. Her mind searched for a touchstone in reality. A ghost – it was a ghost. Did she believe in ghosts? Perhaps it was time to start. Maybe it was him, returned for revenge. â€Å"Merle, is that you?† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"I'm sorry, Merle, I had to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Who is Merle?† â€Å"You're not Merle?† â€Å"Never heard of him.† â€Å"Then, who – what in the hell are you?† â€Å"I am the defeat of your enemies. I am the power you crave. I am, live and direct from hell, the demon Catch! Ta-da!† There was a clicking on the floor like a tap-dancing step. â€Å"You're an Earth spirit?† â€Å"Er, uh, yes, an Earth spirit. That's me, Catch, the Earth spirit.† â€Å"But I didn't think the ritual worked.† â€Å"Ritual?† â€Å"We tried to call you up at the meeting last week, but I didn't think it worked because I didn't draw the circle of power with a virgin blade that had been quenched in blood.† â€Å"What did you use?† â€Å"A nail file.† There was a pause. Had she offended the Earth spirit? Here was the first evidence that her magic could work and she had blown it by compromising the materials called for in the ritual. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she said, â€Å"but it's not easy to find a blade that's been quenched in blood.† â€Å"It's okay.† â€Å"If I had known, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No really, it's okay.† â€Å"Are you offended, Great Spirit?† â€Å"I am about to bestow the greatest power in the world upon a woman who draws circles in the dirt with nail files. I don't know. Give me a minute.† â€Å"Then you will grant harmony to the hearts of the women in the coven?† â€Å"What the fuck are you talking about?† the voice said. â€Å"That is why we summoned you, O Spirit – to bring us harmony.† â€Å"Oh, yeah, harmony. But there is a condition.† â€Å"Tell me what you require of me, O Spirit.† â€Å"I will return to you later, witch. If I find what I am looking for, I will need you to renounce the Creator and perform a ritual. In return you will be given the command of a power that can rule the Earth. Will you do this?† Rachel could not believe what she was hearing. Accepting that her magic worked was a huge step, yet she was speaking to the evidence. But to be offered the power to rule the world? She wasn't sure her career in exercise instruction had prepared her for this. â€Å"Speak, woman! Or would you rather spend your life collecting gobs of hair from shower drains and fingernail parings from ashtrays?† â€Å"How do you know about that?† â€Å"I was destroying pagans when Charlemagne was alive. Now, answer; there is a hunger rising in me and I must go.† â€Å"Destroying pagans? I thought the Earth spirits were benevolent.† â€Å"We have our moments. Now, will you renounce the Creator?† â€Å"Renounce the Goddess, I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Not the Goddess! The Creator!† â€Å"But the Goddess†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Wrong. The Creator, the All-Powerful. Help me out here, babe – I'm not allowed to say his name.† â€Å"You mean the Christian God?† â€Å"Bingo! Will you renounce him?† â€Å"I did that a long time ago.† â€Å"Good. Wait here. I will be back.† Rachel searched for a last word, but nothing came. She heard a rustling in the leaves outside and ran to the door. In the moonlight she could see the shapes of cattle standing in the nearby pasture and something moving among them. Something that was growing larger as it moved away toward town.