The environmental management

Natural Management is an extremely of import constituent of feasible life. The interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature of Environmental Management empowers it to work out the complex ecological occupations ( contamination, dissolving, implosion treatment, deforestation, desertification, just to call yet a couple ) that essentially qualify our scene at the nearby provincial and planetary graduated table. To all the more likely comprehend these employments, the subject draws on an abundance of expertness in the two builds and assaults from the common or physical and cultural logical controls to build up this interdisciplinary. This article tries to investigate the idea of ecological heading and in impossible to miss, going to is drawn on the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinarity of natural course. The ecological employments we face today are numerous and changed. From contamination, disintegrating, implosion treatment, deforestation, desertification, to environmental change-all current themselves in extremely functional footings and as such ecological heading is a greater amount of import than ever previously. Be that as it may, the field has been the subject of wide troublesome judgment. For case Bryant and Wilson ( 1998 ) reprimanded the field as an outcome of the limitations in the dread of main drivers political, financial or social issues. There is no all around satisfactory meaning of the able ecological bearing. This is in part because of its ‘ wide range and in bit of the decent variety of specialism ( Barrow, 1999 ) . In any case, endeavors have been made by a few scholars to indicate ecological course. For delineation, Riordan ( 1995 ) ; Barrow ( 1999 ) ; Wilson and Bryant ( 1997 ) ; Bryant and Geoff ( 2009 ) , have all made huge endeavor to determine Environmental Management. Ecological bearing has been characterized as both a system and a field of overview ( Wilson and Bryant 1997 ) . In his book, Barrow ( 1999 p. 5 ) introduced a review of certain meanings of Environmental Management. Like Environmental Management, definitions and readings of interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity have large amounts of writing. For case, Klein, 2004 ; Tress and Tress, 2001 ; Tress et al. , 2005 ; Jones and Macdonald, 2007 ; Evans and Randalls, 2008 ; and Wesselink, 2009. In its most straightforward sense interdiscipl inarity is an integrative exploration assault that transects numerous disciplinary limits with a typical end and the motivation behind creation of new comprehension and hypothesis ( Tress et al. , 2005 ) . As a strategy, Environmental Management, orchestrating to ( Wilson and Bryant, 1997 p.7 ) can be characterized ‘ â€Å"as a multi-layered strategy related with the connection of area and non-state ecological executives with the earth and with one another. Natural Directors are those whose help is primarily reliant on the utilization of achievement in the dynamic and self witting, immediate or backhanded, utilization of the earth to increase consistency in a setting of cultural and ecological uncertainness†¦ . † While the term ‘state ‘ will incorporate region functionaries, for example, Department of the Environment, DoE, and Department of Environment Food and Rural Agriculture, DEFRA, simply to call a couple, ‘non-state ‘ , on the different manus incorporates ecological NGOs, husbandmans, global organizations ( TNCs ) , tracker finders. In this noticeable radiation, ecological bearing is a technique non sole simply to huge national and worldwide natural histrions however comprehensive to an extent of dominantly nearby degree natural histrions ( Wilson and Bryant, 1997 ) . On the different manus, Environmental course, as a field of study, developed with the turning worry about ecological corruption in the late sixtiess and mid 1970 ( Bryant and Geoff, 2009 ; Wilson and Bryant, 1997 ) after station industrialisation. Orchestrating to Barrow ( 2006: 24-26 ) Environmental Management as a field can be partitioned into the supporters: â€Å"sustainable advancement issues ; ecological evaluation, designing, expectation and hindcasting ; corporate natural course ; contamination affirmation and control ; natural financial sciences ; natural implementation and resolution law ; condition and improvement foundations and moralss ; natural heading frameworks and quality issues ; natural arranging and bearing ; examination of partners associated with ecological course ; ecological perceptual encounters and guidance ; network commitment for natural administration/maintainability ; foundation structure for ecological administration/economical improvement ; biodiversity safeguarding ; regular assets course ; natural recovery/reclamation ; natural political relations ; ecological help and foundation building† . While the rundown is non intensive, somewhat in light of the fact that Environmental Management is relatively an incipient subject ( Barrow, 2006 ) is as yet developing, its wide range is promptly refreshing at a brief look, as it keeps an eye on techno-driven occupation work trip assault rather than receptive assault. Table 1 high spots some isolating attributes of conventional natural heading figuratively speaking during its initial turn of events and at present. Referencing to interdisciplinarity, the interdisciplinary idea of natural course is more than just incorporating. It is fundamentally a cutting edge way of accepting that includes assignment, definition each piece great as perusing of surveies with the situation of proffering functional arranged answers for ecological employments ( O'Riordan, 1995 ) . Once more, Transdisciplinary surveies orchestrating to Tress et Al. ( 2005 ) includes the incorporating of both scholastic and non-scholarly member ( partners ) to investigate a typical end with the imaginative movement of new comprehension and hypothesis. It is communicated from the definitions over that interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity are both integrative, in that new perception and hypothesis is made. In any case, a distinctive segment is that ‘transdisciplinary research joins interdisciplinarity with a participatory assault ( Tress et al. , 2005 ) Conventional Environmental Management Modern Environmental ManagementLargely ‘top-down assault ‘ ‘Bottom-up ‘ attackManagement was totalitarian participatory and considerably more integrativeShort term program Long term program and thus sustainableExploitational in assault Emphasizes stewardship rather than development.Tends to be receptive Tends to be proactive and participatoryDisciplinary, best case scenario multidisciplinary Interdisciplinary, or even all encompassing in attackState driven Non region factors engaged with the methodology of EMInfluence of characteristic logical control subject Shift from the normal logical order to cultural logical disciplineBraid and Tress ( 2001 ) presented a transdisciplinary scene build. The transdisciplinary scene develop, blending to Tress and Tress ( 2001 ) depends on five measurements: the spacial substance, the psychological element, the transient measurement, the connection of nature and progress, and the fundamen tal belongingss of scene. The essentialness of coaction in interdisciplinary and trandisciplinary research in the worry of human-condition communication can non be overemphasized. Albeit ecological bearing takes its root from the characteristic logical control, by the by at that spot is by all accounts a removal from the normal logical order to cultural logical order ( Bryant and Wilson, 1998 ) . Figure 1 as appeared in the index delineates the significant impact from the cultural logical controls and again, in the expressions of Wilsons and Bryant ( 1997, p 17 ) ‘Environmental Management works at the crossing point of an extent of subjects and subdisciplines ‘ . From the prior, It is clear that Environmental Management is logically going interdisciplinary and utilizing an incredible exchange of transdisciplinarity assaults. For delineation, Wesselink ( 2008 ) and Potschin and Haines-Young ( 2005 ) have underscored the significance of utilizing transdisciplinarity in their surveies of land utilization arranging and scene biology individually.. While the natural occupations we face today are numerous and changed both in range and multifaceted nature, nobody subject can viably flexibly the insight sufficient bounty to the full comprehend nor work out them ( Tress and Tress, 2001 ) . Current assaults of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinarity in Environmental Management can be a Panacea of all neighborhood to planetary natural diseases. This in any case, progressively incredible and hearty instruments are required for covering with the occupations of scaling and uncertainness which are significant in the human-condition collaboration at all graduated table. It is the spot of this paper, subsequently, that while the chase for a solid and hearty instruments proceeds so as to mitigate, control and forestall natural employments, dynamic crowd and coaction with neighborhood networks is a vital element for supportable solution.MentionsBarrow, C. J 1999. Ecological Management: Principles and Practice. Routledge, London.Barrow, C. J. 2006. Natural Management for Sustainable Development. second release. Routledge, London.Bryant R.L and Wilson G.A 1998. Reconsidering Environmental Management. Progression in Human Geography 22 ( 3 ) pp 321-343Evans, J. what's more, Randalls, S. 2008 Geography and Paratactical Interdisciplinarity: Positions from the ESRC-NERC PhD studentship program. Geoforum 39 pp 581-592Jones, P. what's more, Macdonald, N. 2007. Geting it inaccurate first clasp: building on interdisciplinary exploration relationship. Region 39 ( 4 ) pp 490-498.O'Riordan, T. erectile brokenness 1995 Environmental Science for Environmental Management Longman Scientific and A ; Technical, England.Potschin, M and Haines-Young, R. 2006. †Rio+10 † , S

Tesco Financial Analysis free essay sample

As there are numerous varieties of proportions accessible to gauge pretty much a similar part of execution, I have short-recorded, in the accompanying table, the key proportions that will be used in the investigation: Performance Aspect Growth and Profitability Measure or Ratio General Growth Profit Margin (%) ROCE (%) ROSF (%) Current Ratio Sh. holders Liq. proportion Solvency proportion (%) Gearing proportion (%) Stock Turnover Collection Period Credit Period P/E Ratio Share Price pattern Measure or Ratio Definition Time development of Revenue, Operating Profits Profit (misfortune) before charge/Total Revenue Profit (misfortune) before tax*/(SH funds+Non mutt. liab. ) Profit (misfortune) before charge/Shareholders subsidizes Current Assets/Current Liabilities Shareholders reserves/long haul Liabilities Shareholder reserves/Total resources (Longterm Liabilities + Loans)*/investor finances Total income/Stocks Accounts payable/Total income x 360 (in days) Accounts recv’bles/Total income x 360 (in days) Share Price/Unit share profit Historical pattern Liquidity, Solvency and Gearing Likewise, the proportion investigation will be done in explicit setting and related to other reciprocal examination. We will compose a custom article test on Tesco Financial Analysis or then again any comparable theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Deliberate examination will be done in following successive advances: Step-1: Definition of Peer gathering and choice of organizations for correlation Step-2: Review of bookkeeping strategies and correlation with companions to guarantee a likefor-like examination Step-3: Review of auditor’s sentiment to guarantee that any review capabilities are noted during examination Step-4: Check of any sporadic/extraordinary things in the budget summaries Step-5: Financial proportions/measures investigation (according to Table 1 above) At long last, a synopsis of company’s money related qualities and shortcomings will be introduced and a suggestion will be made with respect to the possibilities of interest in the organization stocks.

Blog Archive How to Minimize Careless Errors While Taking the GMAT

Blog Archive How to Minimize Careless Errors While Taking the GMAT With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything.  Manhattan Prep’s  Stacey Koprince  teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense. Remember those times when you were  sure  you got the answer right, only to find out that you got it wrong? For a moment, you even think that the answer key must have a mistake in it. Then, you take another look at the problem, check your work, and say, “I can’t believe I did that!” By definition, a careless mistake occurs when we did actually know all of the necessary info and we did actually possess all of the necessary skills, but we committed an error anyway. We all make careless mistakes; our goal is to learn how to  minimize  these mistakes as much as possible. A lot of times, careless errors are due to one of two things: (1) some bad habit that actually increases the chances that we will make a mistake or (2) our own natural weaknesses. Here is an example of the former: they ask me to find how long Car B takes to go a certain distance, and I do everything perfectly, but I solve for Car A instead. So, what is my bad habit here? Often, I did not write down “Car B = ?” I also noticed that I was more likely to make this mistake when I set up the problem such that I was solving for Car A first; sometimes, I would forget to finish the problem and just pick Car A’s time. So I developed several different good habits to put in the place of my various bad habits. First, I set up a reminder for myself: I skipped several blank lines on my scrap paper and then wrote “B time = ______?” I also built the habit of solving directly for what I wanted. Now, while I am setting up the problem, I always look first to see whether I can set it up to solve directly for Car B, not Car A. So, what did I do here? First, I figured out what specific mistake I was making and  why  I was making it. Then, I instituted three new habits that would minimize my chances of making the same mistake in the future. Incidentally, one of those habits (solving directly for what is asked) also saves me time! Happy studying, and go start figuring out how to minimize those careless mistakes! Share ThisTweet GMAT Blog Archive How to Minimize Careless Errors While Taking the GMAT With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything. Manhattan Prep’s  Stacey Koprince  teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense. Remember those times when you were  sure  you got the answer right, only to find out that you got it wrong? For a moment, you even think that the answer key must have a mistake in it. Then, you take another look at the problem, check your work, and say, “I can’t believe I did that!” By definition, a careless mistake occurs when we did actually know all of the necessary info and we did actually possess all of the necessary skills, but we committed an error anyway. We all make careless mistakes; our goal is to learn how to  minimize  these mistakes as much as possible. A lot of times, careless errors are due to one of two things: (1) some bad habit that actually increases the chances that we will make a mistake or (2) our own natural weaknesses. Here is an example of the former: they ask me to find how long Car B takes to go a certain distance, and I do everything perfectly, but I solve for Car A instead. So, what is my bad habit here? Often, I did not write down “Car B = ?” I also noticed that I was more likely to make this mistake when I set up the problem such that I was solving for Car A first; sometimes, I would forget to finish the problem and just pick Car A’s time. So I developed several different good habits to put in the place of my various bad habits. First, I set up a reminder for myself: I skipped several blank lines on my scrap paper and then wrote “B time = ______?” I also built the habit of solving directly for what I wanted. Now, while I am setting up the problem, I always look first to see whether I can set it up to solve directly for Car B, not Car A. So, what did I do here? First, I figured out what specific mistake I was making and  why  I was making it. Then, I instituted three new habits that would minimize my chances of making the same mistake in the future. Incidentally, one of those habits (solving directly for what is asked) also saves me time! Happy studying, and go start figuring out how to minimize those careless mistakes! Share ThisTweet GMAT Blog Archive How to Minimize Careless Errors While Taking the GMAT With regard to the GMAT, raw intellectual horsepower helps, but it is not everything.  Manhattan Prep’s  Stacey Koprince  teaches you how to perform at your best on test day by using some common sense. Remember those times when you were  sure  you got the answer right, only to find out that you got it wrong? For a moment, you even think that the answer key must have a mistake in it. Then, you take another look at the problem, check your work, and say, “I can’t believe I did that!” By definition, a careless mistake occurs when we did actually know all of the necessary info and we did actually possess all of the necessary skills, but we committed an error anyway. We all make careless mistakes; our goal is to learn how to  minimize  these mistakes as much as possible. A lot of times, careless errors are due to one of two things: (1) some bad habit that actually increases the chances that we will make a mistake or (2) our own natural weaknesses. Here is an example of the former: they ask me to find how long Car B takes to go a certain distance, and I do everything perfectly, but I solve for Car A instead. So, what is my bad habit here? Often, I did not write down “Car B = ?” I also noticed that I was more likely to make this mistake when I set up the problem such that I was solving for Car A first; sometimes, I would forget to finish the problem and just pick Car A’s time. So I developed several different good habits to put in the place of my various bad habits. First, I set up a reminder for myself: I skipped several blank lines on my scrap paper and then wrote “B time = ______?” I also built the habit of solving directly for what I wanted. Now, while I am setting up the problem, I always look first to see whether I can set it up to solve directly for Car B, not Car A. So, what did I do here? First, I figured out what specific mistake I was making and  why  I was making it. Then, I instituted three new habits that would minimize my chances of making the same mistake in the future. Incidentally, one of those habits (solving directly for what is asked) also saves me time! Happy studying, and go start figuring out how to minimize those careless mistakes! Share ThisTweet GMAT

Identity Impacts Medical Ethics and Genocide - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1438 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2019/02/20 Category Medicine Essay Level High school Tags: Medical Ethics Essay Did you like this example? In The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, he depicts the idea of slavery and racism through the creation of Cora’s journey to freedom. Whitehead expresses the importance of ones’ identity with the use of imagery in order to describe the impact an identity can have. Ones character and physical traits uniqueness can be a determining factor of how an individual is treated by the majority. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Identity Impacts Medical Ethics and Genocide" essay for you Create order Whitehead is able to utilize his skill of imagery to create scenes in the reader’s mind to describe the hardships a slave has to go through. To show the struggles of a slave, in this case the point of view of Cora, Whitehead takes the audience on an adventure using The Underground Railroad as a metaphor to make it seem as a literal form of transportation showing Cora’s gradual progress towards freedom. Each state represents a new chapter filled with oppressing obstacles that she has to overcome. Some of the many discriminating barriers Whitehead describes are the experiences of medical unfairness and genocide due to the uncontrollable identity Cora has as a black woman. Although the Underground Railroad’s concept itself was real, the physical train was nonexistent. The idea behind secret codes, rendezvous, and private organizations was used in the process of helping the slaves, as a unique twist, Colson Whitehead decided to have a different take on the aid of the escapees and implement the additional representation of an operating train. Respectively, the horizontal journey Cora chose between train routes allowed her to get to her goal and pave her pathway to where Cora finally arrives, freedom. The Underground Railroad was successful and helped approximately 100,000 slaves escape, â€Å"The tunnel, the tracks, the desperate souls who found salvation in the coordination of its stations and timetables this was a marvel to be proud of.† (Whitehead, 68). The slaves would not have been able to escape if it wasn’t for the help of the morally good people who stood up for what they believed in and participated in the operation of the Underground Railroad. People who aided the slaves were also heavily at risk with punishment identical to what slaves would have received if caught, which includes torture and death. This was because â€Å"The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 also outlawed the abetting of fugitive slaves.† (Eastern Illinois University). If a slave were able to escape to a different state, but was eventually caught, slave catchers would have the right to be able to bring them back to their master’s plantation, backtracking and halting a complete stop to their getaway. The uncertain destiny of the slaves taking each train route represented the risk the slaves took being dependant on a line that was unsure of their outcomes. In South Carolina, Whitehead is able to express a homey feeling and sense of settling for Cora that she may have found her forever home. â€Å"they had gained a few pounds, earned wages, and begun to forget the daily sting of the plantation.† (Whitehead 104). The image of her having a daily monotonous life of going to work and having a home to go back to gives us a sense that Cora has warmed up to and found comfort in South Carolina. Whitehead proceeds to illustrate the continuous separation between whites and blacks, but specifically in the medical aspect of society. With the daily medical checkups Cora receives, she proceeds cautiously and questions some of the doctor’s recommendations. Later, Whitehead reveals the real intentions of the doctor’s, which is to gain research and knowledge to use against black people; â€Å"What if we tempered those bloodlines carefully overtime? The data collected on the colored pilgrims†¦ will prove one of the boldest scie ntific enterprises in history†¦ the perfection of new surgical techniques on the socially unfit.† (Whitehead, 122.) It shows that the whites can never wholeheartedly trust the blacks and feels the need to keep an eye on them, let alone change and mold them into something they aren’t. Whitehead’s concept of medical ethics such as beneficence is out the window when it’s regarding black people, the whites intend to use the blacks as a practice subject for their own malicious reasons. In addition to whites wanting to change blacks, they wanted to ensure that the black population stops growing. Cora is specifically targeted for â€Å"strategic sterilization† (Whitehead, 122.) because she is a woman minority, capable of reproducing and adding to the continuous â€Å"overflowing† of blacks. Whitehead illustrates the strength doctors have over patients because of the ethical trust placed upon them. The Tuskegee syphilis experiment is a prime example of how past doctors had an ulterior motive and selectively choose who they wanted to help, â€Å"The subjects were not informed about their disease and were denied treatment even though proven cure in the form of penicillin was available by the 1950s.† (Thiele). Although whites were treated, low-income African Americans were denied in order to be monitored and used as â€Å"human experimental subjects† by the doctors reasoning to â€Å"to observe the ‘natural’ course of the disease.† (Thiele). People tend to believe that doctors have a high standard to live up to and to have professionalism when doing their jobs which is why they seek guidance, but instead, the reliability upon doctors can actually backfire as they take advantage of the opportunities that the uninformed patients give them in order to be in control and do what is beneficial for themselves. The ending of each chapter has a cliffhanger that keeps you on your toes wondering what will happen next. The buildup Whitehead produces gives the audience a suspenseful reading, he again creates a thriving environment, but this time on the Valentine farm in Tennessee. Instead of the medical aspect of society, this chapter focuses more on the revenge and hatred of blacks that leads to genocide. Uniting as one, blacks can become extremely powerful, and when they do work together, they can overpower the slave catchers. Escaping the threshold of Ridgeway, a notorious slave catcher, through the help of fellow escapees, Cora retries to build a life on the farm. Overtime, she becomes more hopeful towards the Valentine community, â€Å"She’d been adamant about staying ever since the talk of resettling started.† (Whitehead, 281). As she lowers her guard, she can actually see herself living a life there. Just when Cora is slowly able to ease in, Whitehead inserts the plot twist downfall of it all, the annihilation of the farm community. The slave catchers sought revenge and barged into the farm shooting and killing everyone on sight, â€Å"No one knew where best to run, and no reasonable voice could be heard above the clamor. Each person on their own, as they ever had been.† (Whitehead, 288). The rescued slaves grew comfortable on the farm and had their guards down, allowing the slave catchers to seize this moment and kill anyone they got their hands on. Genocide occurs when perpetrators go to an extreme extent to get rid of their problems, in this case the conflict between the slave catchers and escapees. Slaves offered an economic system for their masters and when they did not provide or hindered the product of money, they were punished; â€Å" the â€Å"inferior† races were associated with unwaged labor, while the â€Å"superior† race, and indeed whiteness itself, was linked with wage as well as with institutional power within colonial administration.† (Nemser, 6). The use of blacks as labor to work for whites shows the impact of ones identity, inferior groups are categorized because of the differences from the main population. The conflicting beliefs or morals contribute to hierarchy and positioning in society; it is due to the identity of a pers on, in those times, focused on race as the determining factor. Colson Whitehead’s characterization of Cora allowed the train to come through as a a progressing adventure of her goal to freedom. Often times, he builds a pleasant community by the use of imagery in order to get his point across that not everything is what it seems on the surface. This was proven in both South Carolina and Tennessee showing Cora’s struggles regarding medical ethics and genocide. Cora is experiencing these barriers due to her identity as a black woman. The majority, white people, focuses on the discrimination of people who are different. It gives them a sense of superiority to put down minorities and gives them an opportunity to selfishly do what is beneficial for them. Overall, Whitehead’s take on the Underground Railroad allows the audience to get a sense of troubles such as medical and social discrimination a woman slave had to go through.

Teenage Pregnancy A Serious Problem - 1690 Words

Teenage pregnancy is widely viewed in our society as a serious problem. According to Pregnant Teen Help, over 750,000 teenagers will get pregnant each year. This is a statistic that has lowered in numbers since the 1990’s mainly due to more teen pregnancy prevention programs in schools and contraceptive availability(). The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate than any other industrialized country in the world. About a third of these teens abort their pregnancies, 14 percent suffer a miscarriage, and 52 percent take their pregnancy to a full term, 72 percent of these teenagers are out of wedlock (). Many of these teenage girls that become pregnant end up with disastrous results they either leave school altogether or miss an entire year due to the pregnancy, thus graduating a year later. They receive low grades or fail due to excessive absences related to health issues. Once the child is born some teenage mothers do not have time to complete homework assignments bec ause they are too tired after seeing to their child’s needs. Teenage pregnancy is an important social issue because becoming a mother at such a young age, the risk of social and economic disadvantage tends to be greater. The majority of teenage mothers come from very low income families and in the communities in which they live in they are surrounded with weak public school systems and dangerous environments such as drugs, delinquency and gang members. Already coming from a weak background and to thatShow MoreRelatedTeen Pregnancy Causes Serious Physical And Emotional Problems1369 Words   |  6 Pages Teen pregnancy causes serious physical and emotional problems for adolescent mothers, therefore there should be steps taken to prevent such things from happening. I have a close friend who got pregnant at the age of fifteen. It was a mega crisis for her and her baby. It caused a heartbreaking feud between my friend and her parents, as well as her schooling, leading her to drop out of high school. The emotional stress she gained was harming her body. The baby’s father wanted nothing to do with theRead MoreTeen Pregnancy Essay1121 Words   |  5 Pages11/20/2017 Teen Pregnancy The fearless of all parents who have teenagers is pregnancy. Nowadays, teen pregnancy is a serious problem. Teenage have a lack of skills to handle a pregnancy. So that impact strongly on the future of a young woman. Teen pregnancy is associated with negative consequences for adolescents for three reasons: lack of education, medical complication, uncertainty about the future, and financial difficulties. First, the main causes of teenage pregnancy are the lack of educationRead MoreEssay on The Impact of Teen Pregnancy on the American People832 Words   |  4 PagesThe Impact of Teen Pregnancy on the American People Although the rate of teenage pregnancy in the United States has been on an overall decline, it remains the highest in the entire world. Teenage pregnancy is obviously still a problem in todays American society with roughly 97 per 1000 women aged 15-19, which rounds up to be roughly one million teenagers, becoming pregnant each year. Interestingly enough, 78% of these pregnancies are unintended. The births of these children are not onlyRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy in City of Los Angeles644 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Teenage Pregnancy 2 Running head: Teenage Pregnancy 1 Teenage Pregnancy in City of Los Angeles Teenage Pregnancy in City of Los Angeles This paper casts light upon the health issues related to teenage pregnancy in the city of Los Angeles. Teenage pregnancy is an important issue as it affects multiple aspects of population growth, women health and economic conditions. Los Angeles is situated in the south of state of California, USA. It enjoys significant portion of eminence when rated inRead MoreThe Responses That Briggs Et Al1743 Words   |  7 Pageset al. (2013) showed that 5% of women said that influences from family or friends was a reason to seek an abortion. This included thinking that a baby would have a negative impact on their family or friends, not wanting others to know about the pregnancy and judge them, and/or peer pressure from friends and family. Briggs et al. (2013) also found women reported not wanting to have to put the baby up for adoption and/or not wanting the baby as a reason for seeking abortion, which was 4% of responsesRead MoreTeen Pregnancy Essay1660 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world, the United States has the highest incidence of teen pregnancy. Although there has been a decline in the number of pregnancies among adolescents, teen pregnancy is still a serious health concern that needs continued intervention. It is wid ely agreed upon that becoming pregnant at a young age has negative effects on both mother and baby in many different aspects. What are the reasons for the increased rate of teen pregnancies in the United States despite the health risks, and how can we lowerRead MoreCause and Effect of Teen Pregnancy1043 Words   |  4 Pagesof teen pregnancy Teenagers suffering health problems is high Many teenagers will try to hide the pregnancy from their parents and teachers, in doing this they do not get the initial medical attention required during the first months of pregnancy. It is estimated that 33% of teenage pregnancy fail to receive necessary prenatal care. The lack of prenatal care leads to increased risk of anemia, miscarriage, and high blood pressure to the teenager. Many teenagers will hide their pregnancy becauseRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy Essay760 Words   |  4 PagesTeenage pregnancy is a huge problem that the United States faces today. Amongst other countries the United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy (Ayadi, Kuo, Adams Gavin, 2010; Minnick Shandler, 2011). In the year 2015 the Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) reported that the birth rate was twenty two point three per thousand for young women ages 15-19 (2015). It also stated that of births to single women were to teenage mothers in 2009 (Ayadi et al., 2010). 14 million babiesRead MoreBirth Control Access to Teens1463 Words   |  6 PagesFormal Outline Topic: Birth control access to teenage girls Thesis statement: Although teenage girls are prohibited from purchasing birth control, laws should be implemented to allow access to birth control as a means of managing safer sex, preventing the health risks and guarding them from the cycle of poverty. 1. Reasons for not allowing birth control to be given to teenagers A. It encourages sexual activity (Sex with many partners -promiscuity) B. Abstinence should be promoted Read MoreTeen Pregnancy, Do We Really Know The Facts?1169 Words   |  5 PagesTeen pregnancy, do we really know the facts? Do we even know the common early signs of early pregnancy? Teenagers tend to close themselves off when they find out they are pregnant. Teenagers can not predict what life will be like with a new baby. They will go through several different emotions, exhaustion, and peer pressure-related stress. Teenage mothers are more likely to have lower school achievement and often drop out of school and develop health problems and also face unemployment as young

The Unjust System of New England Puritan Court System Essays

The court system in Puritan New England was an unfair and unjust system, stemming from the general court of Massachusetts. Many of the trials and procedures were ludicrous. General life in the Puritan communities was centered around religion and the judicial system reflected this. Religion crept into laws and the courts until they were practically combined. Puritans valued their religion zealously and it became part of everyday life in the colony. Religion was a huge part of law, the court, and the state in Puritan New England. The Puritan church was mixed with the state and often they seemed to almost combine. Laws were a combination of the state and religion (Yale 9). Referring to church and state, David Yale wrote, â€Å"The distinction†¦show more content†¦One law states, â€Å"If any man or woeman be a witch, (that is hath or consulteth with a familiar spirit). They shall be put to death† (Mass. Body of Lib. 10). Another law states that if a man worships any oth er god, but the lord god, after legal conviction, he would be put to death (Mass. Body of Lib. 10). Even if a man did something as small as damage or ridicule the name of God, he would be put to death (Mass. Body of Lib. 10). Laws were severe and there are plenty of examples of these laws put into practice. Baptists who did not believe in infant baptism would cover their ears and turn around during the process. This could be changed in courts, the person could be banished, or the person could be imprisoned (Yale 9). Also, people who would protest against the General Court or the Puritan rule would be banished (Breen 1). Religion had colossal part to play in the laws and the consequences in Puritan New England. To understand how the Puritans influenced the court system, it is necessary to learn about the structure of the courts. The General Court was the highest body in the Puritan Court System. The General Court of Massachusetts was a legislative, administrative, and judicial body ( Breen 1). An important change came when Puritan leaders shifted the government to New England from London. This caused the locals in New England to start running the government, instead of Men in England (Breen 1). The GeneralShow MoreRelatedSeparation From Britain By Thomas Paine1662 Words   |  7 Pagescolonist felt were being violated. One of the compelling motives why the Americans wanted a government created by them is the American people cannot trust the European monarchy and hereditary succession system. Denoting that anyone born into royal British kinfolk, specifically male children, can become an unjust ruler if check and balances are not put into place at the Monarch powers, which in the eighteenth century, and prior to that time period, Britain parliament did not supervise the Kings controls.Read MoreAmongst The Time Of American History, Liberty Has Been1499 Words   |  6 Pagestook people’s rights away due to the fact that liberty was living by the word of God. Winthrop’s idea of liberty is new to the term liberty that Americans know and believe in, during this time period. Many colonists came overseas because of the problems that were occurring in Britain. This lead to the colonist finding themselves in a difficult situation and dealing with a tyrant in the new land where they have just ar rived. In this essay, you will be able to see James Madison’s and Thomas Jefferson’sRead MoreAnalysis Of Land Of The Free, Because The Brave 1492 Words   |  6 Pagesworking to enact change. Roger Williams embodied rebellion by rejecting unfair principles; he fought against the mistreatment of Native peoples and established values on which the United States would later be founded. Williams, a Puritan minister who left England to escape religious persecution, arrived in Boston, Massachusetts on February 5th, 1631. He would change the course of American history just four years later when he established the colony of Rhode Island. â€Å"Williams founded the colonyRead MoreThe Trial Of The Salem Witch Trials991 Words   |  4 Pagesspecial tribunal was created to address the accusations.† Later on the colony admitted the trials were a mistake and eventually compensated the families of those convicted. The Salem Witch Trials were an event in history that displays how unjust the judicial system can be. In this paper I will highlight the origin in where the Salem Witch Trials began and I will explore the life of John and Elizabeth Proctor, victims of this event. The original belief in witchcraft extends far back into ancient timesRead MoreThe Harsh Environment Of North America Essay1941 Words   |  8 Pagesthe English placed upon the native tribes of North America was a tainted with unnecessary actions, the political movement for English to vacate England and colonize North America was because of overcrowding due to American imports, the social pressures that contributed to English colonization of North America was religion lead, and the separation from England Catholics and Scotland was necessary to practice free religion. The political movement for English to vacate and endure the journey to North AmericaRead More Capital Punishment and Politics Essay examples3782 Words   |  16 Pagesblasphemy (Lecture). England in the seventeen century used capital punishment as a spectacular deterrent. Much debate has ensued over this form of execution’s effectiveness. Some like J.A. Sharpe believe that these public executions were a species of state-sponsored mind-control, while others like Tom Laqueur view the same occurrences as carnivalesque celebrations (Lake 1). The culture we live in today has changed drastically since 17th century England; in fact, England abolished the deathRead MoreMarx, Weber and Religion2182 Words   |  9 PagesReligion, as defined by the High Court of Australia, is ‘a complex of beliefs and practices which point to a set of values and an understanding of the meaning of existence’ (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005) and can be studied either substantively or functionally (Berger 1974:126). Substantive studies of religion fall predominantly in the realm of theology and are more concerned with defining religious beliefs; their historical accuracy; and the existence of supernatural entities (Holmes, HughesRead MoreEssay Utopia4252 Words   |  18 PagesEntitled, ‘DE OPTIMO REIPUBLICATE STATU DEQUE NOVA INSULA UTOPIA, clarissimi disertissimique viri THOMAE MORI inclutae civitatis Londinensis civis et Vicecomitis’, translated into English would read, ‘ON THE BEST STATE OF A COMMONWEAL TH AND ON THE NEW ISLAND OF UTOPIA, by the Most Distinguished and Eloquent Author THOMAS MORE Citizen and Undersheriff of the Famous City of London.’. Utopia (Latin: no-place) is a society of great planning and capability. A community where individuals compromised

Residential Property Market Performance †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Residential Property Market Performance. Answer: Introduction: In the present case, Jenny is recruited as an accountant in Hong Kong. She received an offer from her manager to give business consultancy regarding business entity to several past residents of Hong Kong now residing in Australia. On 25th April 2016, she took entry in Australian frontiers, her first priority was to reside there for 3 months, and in this specified time period she will reside in several motels. After 3 months, her manager said her to stay there for additional nine months. By considering this aspect, she took an administrative apartment on rent nearby she worked. In these nine months, her family visited two times. In this given case, the main concern arises in the light of taxation that if or if not Jenny is an Australian resident or not under the provisions provided by ITAA 1936 and 1997. The ATO that is Australian Taxation Office has issued guidance via online and tools to assist an individual in identifying if or if not they are tax residents of Australia, inclusive of those situations when the individuals have arrived, or are leaving Australia. Usually while determining if or if not an individual is a resident of Australia for the purpose of taxes, there is need to consider the individuals situations and facts in view of statutory tests and general law (Braithwaite, 2017). For instance, an individual who makes the expenditure of more than half of the tax year they will be considered as an resident regarding computation of Australian tax. In order to determine if or if not an individual is a resident of Australia for tax purposes (for instance, due to complex situations) must take a recommendation from their tax advisor or must contact to Australian Taxation Office. An individual is considered as will be said to be an Australia resident for tax purposes if the person lives in Australia, in accordance with the subsection 6(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Burkhauser, Hahn and Wilkins, 2015). The common concept of residency takes into effect an individuals total circumstances in the specified income year, inclusive of: Intention of the persons existence in Australia The extent of a persons employment or family ties in Australia An individuals assets area and maintenance Living arrangements and social associations of an individual Under Taxation Ruling 98/17, Australian Commissioner of Taxation analysis states that usual meaning of resides lies within the meaning provided in subsection 6(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Warren and et.al, 2017). In case an individuals does not meet the criteria of the common law tests, still, he/she would be considered as a tax resident of Australia if one or than three statutory tests are satisfied under subsection 6(1) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936. An individuals home is in Australia (unless and until their permanent domicile place is outside of Australia) (Higgins, 2017). An individual is living in Australia for more than half year in assessment year (unless and until their permanent domicile place is outside of Australia and their purpose is not to take up abode in Australia) An individual is (or is the partner or child is under the age of 16) a paying member of a superannuation fund regarding commonwealth government officers. It can also be achievable for the individual to satisfy the requirement of a specified category of a temporary resident of Australia (Kirsch, 2014). Temporary residents usually have a visa that enables them to enter in Australia for a limited time period (for instance, an international organizations employee whose transfer is done in a brand of Australia for 3 years) and are subjected to explicit consequences related to income tax capital gain and superannuation. Specified provisions applicability in the present case Jenny prior working as an accountant in Hong Kong was transferred to Australia for the purpose of providing business consultancy to several past residents of Hong Kong now residing in Australia. On 25thApril 2016, she arrived in Australia and resided there for twelve months and from time to time her family visited there twice. According to the provisions of law in order to be an Australian tax resident, an individual must meet these criteria: The person is enclosed under usual connotation of resident provided in subsection 6(1) of the ITAA 1936. The person must have a perpetual residence in Australia. The person has resided constantly or in discontinuity for more than half year of income in Australian territorial frontiers The person must be a member of the scheme of superannuation By taking this given situation into account, during Financial Year 2015-16, Jenny did not meet the criteria of the provided statutory tests. She resided there for the tenure of 65 days (4 (April) + 31 (May) + 30 (June) in the specified financial year that will be less than half a year. Moreover, she neither met these three criteria that are no permanent resident in Australia, not enclosed under usual meaning of resident provided in subsection 6(1) of the ICAA 1936 and nor a member of the scheme of superannuation. Thus, she is not considered as an Australian tax resident in the FY 2015-16, however in the financial year 2016-17. However, she resided in the Australian political boundaries for more than half of the FY, so he is eligible to have title of tax resident in 2016-17. Although; in case the tax commissioner of income gives the judgment that permanent residence of Jenny outside of Australia then she will be considered as a non-tax resident. Common law criteria have not been satisfied by Jenny as the main circumstances are not met by her. As per statutory test in the Financial Year 2015-16, Jenny will not be considered as a tax resident of Australia, but she is said to be a tax resident in Financial Year 2016-17 as she has satisfied the statutory tests required to be tax resident, that is she resided in Australia for more than half financial year. However, if the Income Tax Commissioner believed that Jenny has a permanent resident outside of Australia than by his judgment he can keep Jenny out of Bracket of Tax Residency. The case addressed a well-known personality who was paid a lump sum amount of $400,000 for joining the new television network. The addressed person accepted to work with the new network with a monthly remuneration of $100,000 along with the lump sum payment. It is to be determined that whether this two income will form a part of Assessable income as per the tax provisions provided by the Australian Standards. The major problem which arises in the determination of assessable income as per ATP (Australian taxation provisions), is the classification of activities that can be categorized under assessable income. Thus the provisions that can be applied to this case are the provision of ordinary income [Section 6 (5)] of ITAA97. This also includes any other part of capital receipts given under the right to Income. Thus, as per the above-mentioned provisions, assesable income includes all the taxable income; the income under ordinary concept is also included in the same. Although the provision does not provide any description of income under the ordinary concept, however, it is considered to be the income which is earned by people that can be normally recognized as assessable income by the concept of common laws income. In a famous case in this regard- FCT v Woit, it was found that a payment received by a person for signing a contract for not playing football for any other team other than in whi ch the person was currently playing, was not considered as an assessable income. However, as per Woites case, the payment will be considered under capital, if the purpose is to provide the right to earn income (Woellner and et.al. 2011). Ultimately, it seems that the payment was an incentive made to the taxpayer for entering into an agreement. Thus it makes the payment as an ordinary income provided for the purpose of rendering service in exchange of $400000. As per Section 6(5), it is the ordinary income since it is made to them for performing some service and by the agreement, no significant rights were being provided by the taxpayer. Moreover, according to section 15(2) [ITAA 1997], the taxpayers taxable income includes all gratitude, benefit, grants and compensation which is received by them in association with their employment or any services provided by them but it excludes ordinary income. The income which is not to be considered under the assessable income includes the following: Hobby earnings inheritance gifts Prizes and awards received by the taxpayer that are not directly or indirectly related to business (Shields North-Samardzic, 2015). unless the taxpayer operates a business of betting or gambling, the wins form that betting and gambling cannot be included in assessable income. GST (goods and services tax) collected by the taxpayer. Borrowed money Case and their associated laws relevant to the above situation An incentive scheme was purposely initiated by Westpac for their employees for carrying out research and study regarding the operations they conducted in the organization. The research was to be paid by the company after finishing their respective course. Improvement of the qualified expertise staff was the main aim of the scheme (Tran-Nam, 2016). The verdict of the case in this act was that this income would be considered as assessable income under ITAA 1936, Section 26(e) and under the Section 15(2) (Faccio Xu, 2015). The justification of the court in this regard was that this income was not a part of their personal gift and also not ordinary income; moreover, this scheme was designed by the company for improving performance and efficiency of the workers. Hence, this was to be considered as an income from their employment. The salary of $100,000 paid to the taxpayer is clearly to be considered as their assessable income since it can easily be categorized as ordinary income; also there exists an obvious nexus between the receipts and services. However; the receipt of AUD400000 is not clarified; thus when compared to the case of White and Jarrold v Boustead [1]and the Brent vs FCT[2], then it will be considered as ordinary income as the payment can be directly associated with provision of services. As per section 15(2), it will be reliable to not consider the amount of $400,000, as ordinary income and there are an adequate amount of facts of the same. Thus, the payment of $400,000 received by the taxpayer will be considered as statutory income in accordance the above-mentioned section, because they comprise benefits given in regards to services. A recommendation is provided Under Smith v FCT (1987) 19 ATR 274 that the conduct of nexus test will make it easier to meet terms according to section 15(2), as against those mentioned in Section 6(5). The assumption that the payment is an incentive for employment agreement will disclose it as arising out of future services. Income of the taxpayer Assessable Income Section to be considered Justification in this regard $100,000 received as Annual remuneration Yes ITAA 1997, 6-5(1) By the application of provisions which are cited above the annual salary of $100,000 is clearly to be considered assessable as it is simply the ordinary income. $400,000 for joining the new television network Yes Section 15(2) The earnings of $400,000 is statutory income as they comprise benefits given in exchange for services. Conclusion According to Australia taxation provisions, both the income receipts of individual will be considered as assessable income. References Braithwaite, V. ed., (2017).Taxing democracy: Understanding tax avoidance and evasion. Routledge. Burkhauser, R.V., Hahn, M.H. Wilkins, R., (2015). Measuring top incomes using tax record data: A cautionary tale from Australia.The Journal of Economic Inequality,13(2), pp.181-205. Coleman, C. et.al. (2017). Principles of Taxation law. Thomson Reuters. Faccio, M. Xu, J., (2015). Taxes and capital structure. Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 50(3), pp.277-300. Higgins, D.M., (2017). Residential property market performance and extreme risk measures.Pacific Rim Property Research Journal,23(1), pp.1-13. Kirsch, M.S., (2014). Revisiting the Tax treatment of citizens abroad: reconciling principle and pracctice.Fla. Tax Rev.,16, p.117. Shields, J. North-Samardzic, A., (2015). 10 Employee benefits. Managing Employee Performance Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies, p.218. Tran-Nam, B., (2016). Tax Reform and Tax Simplification: Conceptual and Measurement Issues Warren, C.M., Warren, C.M., Elliott, P., Elliott, P., Staines, J. Staines, J., (2017). The impacts of historic districts on residential property land values in Australia.International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis,10(1), pp.66-80. Woellner, R., Barkoczy, S., Murphy, S., Evans, C. Pinto, D., (2011).Australian Taxation Law Select: legislation and commentary. CCH Australia.

Blackberry Wine Review Essay Example

Blackberry Wine Review Paper Essay on Blackberry Wine The first sentence of the summary to this book I still alarming: Wine can work wonders and new worlds . Maybe its me so spoiled, but the association is extremely strange. Further annotations author tells about the writer, who had found six old wine bottles, vypivshem them and began to talk with the long-extinct eccentric old-gardener of his past. If you only knew how I was afraid of this description, that the images are born of my violent fantasy! But Joanne Harris apparently much better than me. Her book has left quite a different feel and aftertaste. Im still a little drunk it. In this book, there is a drop of magic. She bewitches. Shes really tasty and fragrant. It is not so fragrant, like Perfume, more like Dandelion Wine Bradbury. If you are expecting from her rapid developments raging passions, it is not for you. She, like a good wine, it should be enjoyed slowly, savoring every word. Smells in this book has everything, including the past. For a moment she thought she heard some kind of smell, strange living aroma of sugar and apples and blackberry jelly and smoke. The smell of nostalgia, and a moment she almost understood why Jay loves this place with its small vineyards, apple and goats that roam the swampy plains. For a moment she again became a little girl and grandmother baking cakes in the kitchen, and the wind from the sea sang in the telephone wires. Somehow, she knew that the smell of this part of it, the smell permeated him like chronic smoke. If you like, you like it, and the whole book. At the same time, it is entertaining. It is about th e search for self, friendship, miracles We will write a custom essay sample on Blackberry Wine Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Blackberry Wine Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Blackberry Wine Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Questions to Ask During Your Medical School Interview

Questions to Ask During Your Medical School Interview Interviews are all about questions- not only for the applicant but for the interviewer as well. Most medical school applicants spend a great deal of time considering what they might be asked and how they will respond. No doubt about it, you will be grilled during your interview for medical school. Although tips for applying to medical school abound, many med school interview candidates dont realize is that the interview is also a time to ask questions. In fact, you will even be judged on the quality of your questions. Asking good questions is important because it shows that you are informed and interested in the program. More importantly, it is only by asking relevant questions that you will gather the information needed to determine if a particular medical school is right for you. The admissions committee is not just interviewing you. You are interviewing them. Too often candidates take the position that they will attend any school that admits them. Remember that you need to choose a program that is a good match for you. It is only by asking questions that you can accurately determine that. What Not To Ask One caveat about asking questions: Remember to do your homework. You should already know a lot about the program. Your questions should never ask about simple information that can be gleaned off of the website. You are expected to be aware of such materials. Instead, your questions should probe and follow up on what you have already learned. Never ask any personal questions of the interviewer either- unless they specifically relate to how that person enjoys the environment, classes or professors of that med school. Steer clear of questions whose answers dont help you understand the program better or that delve too deeply into the person sitting in front of you (though polite questions like how are you? are completely fine in conversation). This is your chance to get to know the school, not the interviewer. That said, it is important to tailor your questions to your interviewer. For example, ask questions about the quality of life  that the interviewer, as a resident of the school, would know the answers to.   Curriculum and Evaluations One of the primary reasons to choose one medical school over another is the courses offered specifically in that program. Therefore it is important to ask if there are any special programs for which this medical school is notably special. Its even better to ask about specific programs youve researched on the school website or course catalog.   Since most medical programs are slightly different with how they handle clinical application years, it is also important to ask the interviewer to describe the curriculum during the pre-clinical and clinical years and if there is any flexibility in the coursework (how many  electives  are offered and the timing of the courses). What makes this program different than another similar program youve discovered at another school? What difference is there in teaching style? Questions like these will help you determine if the medical school youre applying to is the right fit. Evaluation of students can also be drastically different from one institution to another. If the website or course catalog does not specifically cover the topic, you should ask your interviewer how students are academically evaluated and what the course of action is should a student perform poorly. How does the school assist students who do not pass? Clinical evaluations, similarly, can be carried out differently from school to school, so you should also ask about their process for such.   The future of students attending this particular med school can also help you determine whether or not you can achieve your goals as a student by attending. Asking how do students from this  medical school  perform on the National Board Examinations (percentage-wise) and which residency programs the recent graduates were accepted to can shed some light on the likelihood an education at this program will improve your chances of getting into the residence of your choice. If you have a narrower idea of where youd like to attend medical school, perhaps asking what clinical sites are available (rural, urban or private) and if students are permitted to do rotations at other institutions will provide more insight into the programs offerings.   Resources and Faculty-Student Interactions Speaking of resources, it is important that at the end of the interview you understand exactly what tools the program has to help you along in your college career. Ask about the library and electronic journal database access- is it, in the interviewers opinion, adequate for all the current medical information you will need. Further, what computer and technology resources are available to students? It is critically important, especially in modern times, that the program offers adequate resources, so dont hesitate to ask for clarification on any of their availability.   Also, finding out what kind of academic, personal, financial and career counseling services are available can help you better understand how well the program cares for the individual needs of its students. If you are a minority or special interest group, you may want to know the diversity of the student body and any support services or organizations for ethnic minorities and women the school may offer. If you are married, asking if there are services available for spouses and dependents will alleviate some of your concerns with family issues.   In terms of faculty-student interactions, you may want to know how each advisor is assigned and what the working relationship with students is throughout the program. This typically includes work on faculty research, so you may want to ask how that gets assigned and if students are given the opportunity to design, conduct and publish their own research.   Financial Aid Medical school can be expensive- very expensive- so asking about what kinds of  financial aid are offered could be imperative to the pursuit of your medical school degree. You should ask the interview how common it is for students to have unmet needs in their financial aid package  and how these students come up with the extra funds. Perhaps someone is available to assist  students with financial aid, budgeting, and financial planning?   In any case, it is important that before you finish the interview you have a bit more comfort in how you will manage to pay for your tuition and degree. Asking a variety of questions surrounding financial aid, including clarifying exactly what the expected cost of tuition will be, can help give you this piece of mind.   Student Involvement Its important to remember that you are paying for your education and you alone are responsible for making the most of your education. One of the best ways to ensure this (other than choosing professors and courses suited best to you) is to get involved on campus and in the program itself. Ask your interviewer what medical school committees have student representation and what opportunities exist for students to provide program feedback and participate in  curriculum planning. This will allow you more freedom to influence your program to most benefit your curriculum goals. Similarly, the student council or government involvement may be an important question to ask.   In terms of the valuable on-the-job experiences that will go toward future residence applications, community service also plays a key role in your education. You may consider asking if most students are involved in those activities and which community service opportunities are available to students. It might even be a requirement of completing your degree, so its best to ask the interviewer exactly how the program regards and encourages student involvement.   Campus Policies As a student entering the medical field, you should understand the importance of an institutions response to medical emergencies and virus outbreaks. Consider asking your interviewer what the protocol is for dealing with student exposure to infectious diseases. Are vaccinations provided against Hepatitis B or prophylactic AZT treatment in case of a needle-stick or accident? There are many more campus policy questions you could ask depending on your lifestyle, career goals, and medical needs as a student. For instance, if you are a student living with a disability, you might consider asking if  disability insurance  is provided by the school. If you hope to fast-track your degree, you may ask about the possibility of taking on a heavier course load. Inversely, if you are working full-time and hope to only enroll in night classes, you may ask what the campus policy is for attendance and when courses are offered, specifically. If you anticipate a loved one passing or needing critical care and you are forced to leave school, you may ask what the grievance procedure is for the institution. Location and Quality of Life If youre relocating to the area for school- especially if the interview happens to coincide with your first visit to its location- you may want to ask specific questions about the city and campus standard of living. Asking what the housing facilities are like and if most students live on or off campus is perfectly acceptable as long as the information has not already been provided on the website (do your research first). Even personal lifestyle questions like what the neighborhood is like and what kind of stores and restaurants are around are okay to ask in this vein of questioning. Commuting may become an issue if you choose off-campus housing. You should ask your interviewer if a car is necessary and what public and school transit options are available if you choose to do so.   Questions to Ask Yourself The answers the interviewer gives to all of the above questions should serve to give you a better understanding of what being a student of the medical school will entail. Once youve completed the interview, its time to review your notes and ask yourself a few questions that will help you decide if the program is truly right for you.   Start with the core curriculum and education program offered. Does this school provide training in the type of medicine you want to practice- primary versus specialized care, urban versus rural practice, academic medicine or private practice education? Is the program specific (or broad) enough to meet the needs of your professional goals? Do you like the professors youve researched or heard about in the program? These questions will guide you to the most important facet of choosing a program: is it the right fit for me? If yes- and you have more than one yes program- you should then examine how you feel about the school itself and the neighborhood youll be living to attend classes. Compare the perks and disadvantages of attending each of the programs that suit your educational needs. Will you be happy at the school? In the neighborhood? If youve answered yes to all of these, youve found the program for you!

The oppression of women in KINDREDand Identity crises Essay

The oppression of women in KINDREDand Identity crises - Essay Example Although Dana is wise, independent and young, yet she is only recognized by her race by other characters in the novel. That is the fundamental reason why her fate leads her to servitude in the plantation. There, she happens to meet Carrie who makes her realize that she can not change her skin’s color by rubbing Dana’s cheek. Dana has to live with it. Kindred is one of the most bloodiest novels in that there are frequent events of rape, whippings, dog attacks, hangings and similar acts of brutalities. It is noteworthy that most of these forms of brutality are offered to the women in the novel. The novel perfectly conveys how the African American women were threatened and oppressed in the 19th century. Decisions of the women characters in the novel and their personalities are fundamentally influenced by the oppression there are offered by the white men. Quite often, there are events of rape. The white males feel that they own a right as well as a duty to inflict physical abuse upon the women. On the other hand, the black women are quite well aware of the fact that their attempts to escape the plantation would be rewarded with whipping on the least.

Minsheng bank Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Minsheng bank - Essay Example The regulation of various industries by the government is intended to influence the manner in which an economy is run. The banking industry in China is highly regulated by the Chinese government, but this does not rule out the coexistence of both public and private sectors in the Chinese economy. Minsheng bank operates alongside state-owned banks which constitute the basis in which Minsheng and other private commercial banks are regulated in China. The effects of government regulation impact differently on different enterprises, companies, or organizations. Government regulation has its benefits and shortcomings. On the positive side, the imposition of regulations by the government does not only protect consumer interests, but also the interests of all players and stakeholders in the industry. The consumer is safeguarded from exploitation by the operating enterprises. On the other hand, government regulation creates cohesion in the industry, making it possible for the markets involved to exhibit fair competition. Such moves treat all players in the industry equally, thereby enhancing economic growth and development in regard to the contribution of all operational firms in the industry. On the other hand, government regulation curtails the full potential of an enterprise. It limits the expansion capacity of a company, in the event that the company’s expansion strategies are not consistent with the government’s provisions at that time. Government regulation also interferes with market autonomy and free market activities, thus limiting the liberalization factor in the global arena. In this respect, the public sector appears to be relatively favored by the government due to the priorities it is accorded within the regulation process. In the light of government regulation, another significant business strategy emerges in the global banking industry; acquisition. The substantial regulation of Chinese markets and

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Essay Example for Free

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Essay The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas presents ideas about World War 2 and the holocaust. The movie shows what fear and Punishment and the innocence of childhood would have been like during WW2 and the holocaust. During World War 2 and the holocaust, fear within the Jewish race was created by the soldiers. Soldiers had the power and right to abuse and attack the Jewish people â€Å"when it pleased them. † Under Hitler, the soldiers had the next amount of ultimate power and used it to their advantage to pressure the Jewish people under the influence that if they misbehave they will be punished. In the movie ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ this fear is seen when Lieutenant Kotler walks into the dining room and sees Schmuel eating a pastry and Bruno talking to him. The Lieutenant is shot from a low camera angle to show his power and strength. Schmuel and Brunos eyes widen and jagged breaths escape from their mouths as the soldier interrogates them with his strong, stern voice about the pastry and the talking that was occurring, Because of the fear with which the lieutenant filled the boys, Bruno lies to Lieutenant Kotler because he is afraid of what will happen. He betrays his only friend and Schmuel is the one who gets the beating for it. Fear is also shown in the film when Bruno’s mother discovers the true information of what it happening a few hundred metres from her home. She confronts her husband and is stricken with fear for what is happening to the Jewish race, she cowers in the corner in a foetal position as her husband come close to support her and explain himself. The camera is above her, which show how small and insignificant she is and how large and fearful her husband can be. The fear created and explored in the movie The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas displays what it would have been like for the Jewish race during World War 2 and the Holocaust. The holocaust and World War 2 was a time of punishment and pain for the Jewish race. The Jewish race was punished for not fitting into Hitler’s idea of a â€Å"perfect race. † Punishment wasn’t just for those who did something wrong. A Jew could be punished for looking at a guard the wrong way or making a small error that would be considered insignificant in any other situation. Punishments could vary from a beating, to a bashing to the death chamber. In the movie ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ punishment on a Jew is seen when Lieutenant Kotler bumps the servant Pavel while he is pouring red wine. It’s not Pavel’s fault but because he is Jewish he is be blamed for the soldier’s mistakes. The Lieutenant drags the servant into the hall way and begins to bash him while the family are in the next room eating in silence, listening to the punishment that Pavel is enduring. Another Example of Punishment in ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ is when Lieutenant Kotler find Schmuel and Bruno talking in the dining room. The Lieutenant see’s Schmuel eating a pastry a questions the boys. When he finds Schmuel ‘guilty’ of stealing food he is taken away. The next day when Bruno goes on his adventure to the camp the audience can see that Schmuel has been punished for his actions. Schmuel is shown to have had a beating and as a result he has a swollen eye with cuts and bruises all over his body. The Punishment that seen throughout â€Å"The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas† displays what it would have been like during the holocaust and World War 2 for the Jewish race. During World War 2 and the Holocaust children were put through a living nightmare, being exposed to killings, torture and punishment for something unknown to their innocent minds. Children were not in the know, being put through a hell of a time and not being able to understand how they are different to their best friends of another race. The Innocence of a childhood is displayed in the ‘Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ when the commandant and his soldiers are in the office watching the propaganda film created to persuade and demonstrate to the rest of the world that they are treating Jews with ‘excellent’ living conditions and an ‘average’ and ‘happy’ lifestyle. When Bruno peeks in on the propaganda film, he is placed under the belief that where his friend Schmuel is living is a happy place with play areas, a cafe with excellent food and time is lost with all the ‘fun and games’ that they provide. When Bruno makes the decision to cross the electric fence and help his friend Schmuel who has lost his father, he discovers that the film he watched was actually a lie and doesn’t understand why everyone is so sad and the area is constantly monitored by armed soldiers. Bruno is unaware of the situation and becomes scared and wishes to go home. In this time he discovers that everything he saw in the movie is a lie, the cafe, the play areas, the giggling children. Within â€Å"The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas† the innocence of a childhood is displayed by the propaganda film which inflicts the belief of a lie onto an innocent child who doesn’t understand the ways of the real world and his surroundings, this demonstrates how a childhood was influenced by lies during the Holocaust and World War 2. The movie â€Å"The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas† displays the previous ideas of how fear, punishment and the innocence of a childhood creates a scene which demonstrate what World War 2 and the Holocaust would have been like for The Jewish race, soldiers, innocent children and the surrounding onlookers to the War that was taking place.

Henrik Isbens A Dolls House Essay -- A Dolls House Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A doll house by Henrik Ibsen is a modern drama whose characters fail to understand who they really are. The theme of self-discovery can be viewed throughout the entire play. Nora’s character plays an important role in self-discovery. She is a dynamic character who proves at the end of the play that she accept and discovers who the true Nora is.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The play begins with a direct emphasis on Nora and her husband (Torvald) relationship. One can easily assume that their relationship is based on material things and status. It appears that money is the one thing which is keeping their marriage what is considered to be happy. Throughout the first act Torvald immediately begins referring to his wife with childlike names. In the first opening lines he refers to Nora as â€Å"my squirrel.† Throughout the play, Torvald continues to uses nick names such as â€Å"little song bird†, â€Å"skylark†, â€Å"odd little one† and many more belittling names. The usage of the above nicknames shows that Torvald feels superior to Nora. He wants to keep her small and under him. For this reason, he continues to refer to Nora in this manner throughout the play. Torvald and Nora’s relationship can be viewed at first as a happy and pleasant one. At the same time one may view their relationship as that of the ordinary. Torvald does not see Nora as an equal. He fails to realize that she is a woman and not a child. He continues to speak to her in a childish manner because he views her for her appearance and not for who she really is. It is clearly presented that Torvald takes his position as being superior because he feels that Nora is dependent on him. He believes she is narrow minded and ignorant because she is a woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first act it is also indicated that money plays an important role throughout the play. Nora proves to be an insensitive and self-centered woman when she is visited by her old friend Mrs. Linde. Her first ignorant questions were whether Mrs. Linde husband left her any money or children. Mrs. Linde states that she was left penniless and that she has struggled. Nora being the self-centered person that she is begins bragging of her good fortune and forgets to acknowledge Mrs. Linde struggles. The above scene provides a vivid understanding of the type o... ...actions he becomes enraged. He worries about the effect this will have on his reputation and not on the consequences his wife may have to face. Through the unraveling of this secret is that Nora is finally able to understand who she is. Nora realizes that Torvald never loved her for who she was but for the things she did. Torvald loved her because she allowed him to play and control her as if she were real a doll. Nora begins to also understand that the love Torvald shared for her was the same to that of her father. Everything was based on what they felt was entertaining and not on loving Nora for who she is. The end of Act III brings Nora to a complete self- discovery. Nora has come to understand herself and the ones around her life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, A Doll House is a modern drama which is derived on self- discovery and understanding. Nora had to take a stand and do something on her own in order to realize that she is capable of being independent. Through her actions she was able to discovery that there is more to her life than being a passive and untrue person. Nora was finally able to come to terms and let out her true self.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 2

Elena couldn't have been out for more than a few seconds. When she came to, everything was the same – although she wondered how she hadn't lethal y cut her own throat on the knife. She knew that the tray with the dishes and cup had gone flying into the darkness in that first instant when she couldn't help flinging out her arms. But now she recognized the grip, she recognized the scent, and she understood the reason for the knife. And she was glad that she did, because she was about as proud of fainting as Sage would have been of doing it. She wasn't a fainter! Now she wil ed herself to sag in Damon's arms, except for where the knife was. To show him that she was no threat. â€Å"Hel o, princess,†a voice like black velvet said into her ear. Elena felt an inner shiver – but not of fear. No, it was more as if her insides were melting. But he didn't change his grasp on her. â€Å"Damon†¦Ã¢â‚¬ she said huskily, â€Å"I'm here to help you. Please let me. For your sake.† As abruptly as it had come, the iron grip was withdrawn from her waist. The knife stopped pressing into her flesh, although the sharp, stinging feeling at her throat was quite enough to remind her that Damon would have it ready. Substitute fangs. There was a click, and suddenly the room was too bright. Slowly, Elena turned to look at Damon. And even now, even when he was pale and rumpled and haggard from not eating, he was so gorgeous that her heart seemed to plummet into darkness. His black hair, fal ing every which way over his forehead; his perfect, carven features; his arrogant, sensual mouth – right now compressed into a brooding line†¦ â€Å"Where is it, Elena?†he asked briefly. Not what. Where. He knew she wasn't stupid, and, of course, he knew the humans in the boardinghouse were hiding the star bal from him deliberately. â€Å"Is that al you have to say to me?†Elena whispered. She saw the helpless softening in his eyes, and he took one step toward her as if he couldn't help himself, but the next instant he looked grim. â€Å"Tel me, and then maybe I'l have more.† â€Å"I†¦see. Wel , then, we made a system, two days ago,†Elena said quietly. â€Å"Everyone draws lots for it. Then the person who gets the paper with the X takes it from the center of the kitchen table and everyone goes to their rooms and stays there until the person with the star bal hides it. I didn't get the lot today, so I don't know where it is. But you can try to – test me.†Elena could feel her body cringing as she said the last words, feeling soft and helpless and easily hurt. Damon reached over and slowly slipped a hand beneath her hair. He could slam her head against a wal , or throw her across the room. He could simply squeeze her neck between knife and hand until her head fel off. Elena knew that he was in the mood to take out his emotions on a human, but she did nothing. Said nothing. Just stood and looked into her eyes. Slowly, Damon bent toward her and brushed his lips – so softly – against hers. Elena's eyes drifted shut. But the next moment Damon winced and slid the hand back out of her hair. That was when Elena gave another thought as to what must have become of the food she had been bringing to him. Near-scalding coffee seemed to have splashed her hand and arm and soaked her jeans on one thigh. The cup and saucer were laying in pieces on the floor. The tray and the cookies had bounced off behind a chair. The plate of steak tartar, however, had miraculously landed on the couch, right side up. There was miscel aneous cutlery everywhere. Elena felt her head and shoulders droop in fear and pain. That was her immediate universe right now – fear and pain. Overwhelming her. She wasn't usual y a crier, but she couldn't help the tears that fil ed her eyes. Damn! Damon thought. It was her. Elena. He'd been so certain an adversary was spying on him, that one of his many enemies had tracked him down and was setting a trap†¦someone who had discovered that he was as weak as a child now. It hadn't even occurred to him that it might be her, until he was holding her soft body with one arm, and smel ing the perfume of her hair as he held an ice-slick blade to her throat with the other. And then he'd snapped on a light and saw what he had already guessed. Unbelievable! He hadn't recognized her. He had been outside in the garden when he'd seen the door to the storage room standing open and had known that there was an intruder. But with his senses degraded as they were he hadn't been able to tel who was inside. No excuses could cover up the facts. He had hurt and terrified Elena. He had hurt her. And instead of apologizing he had tried to force the truth out of her for his own selfish desires. And now, her throat†¦ His eyes were drawn to the thin line of red droplets on Elena's throat where the knife had cut her when she'd jerked in fear before col apsing right onto it. Had she fainted? She could have died right then, in his arms, if he hadn't been fast enough in whipping the knife away. He kept tel ing himself that he wasn't afraid of her. That he was just holding the knife absentmindedly. He wasn't convinced. â€Å"I was outside. You know how we humans can't see?†he said, knowing he sounded indifferent, unrepentant. â€Å"It's like being wrapped in cotton al the time, Elena: We can't see, can't smel , can't hear. My reflexes are like a tortoise's, and I'm starving.† â€Å"Then why don't you try my blood?†Elena asked, sounding unexpectedly calm. â€Å"I can't,†Damon said, trying not to eye the dainty ruby necklace flowing down Elena's slim white throat. â€Å"I already cut myself,†Elena said, and Damon thought, Cut herself? Ye gods, the girl was priceless. As if she'd had a little kitchen accident. â€Å"So we might as wel see what human blood tastes like to you now,†Elena said. â€Å"No.† â€Å"You know that you're going to. I know you know. But we don't have much time. My blood won't flow forever. Oh, Damon – after everything†¦just last week – â€Å" He was looking at her too long, he knew. Not just at the blood. At the glorious golden beauty of her, as if the child of a sunbeam and a moonbeam had entered his room and was harmlessly bathing him in light. With a hiss, narrowing his eyes, Damon took hold of Elena's arms. He expected an automatic recoil like the one when he'd grabbed her from behind. But there was no movement backward. Instead there was something like the leap of an eager flame in those wide malachite eyes. Elena's lips parted involuntarily. He knew it was involuntarily. He'd had many years to study young women's responses. He knew what it meant when her gaze went first to his lips before lifting to his eyes. I can't kiss her again. I can't. It's a human weakness, the way she affects me. She doesn't realize what it is to be so young and so impossibly beautiful. She's going to learn someday. In fact, I might accidental y teach her now. As if she could hear him, Elena shut her eyes. She let her head fal back and suddenly Damon found himself half-supporting her weight. She was surrendering al thought of herself, showing him that despite everything she stil trusted him, stil †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦stil loved him. Damon himself didn't know what he was going to do as he bent toward her. He was starving. It tore at him like a wolf's claws, the hunger. It made him feel dazed and dizzy and out of control. Half a thousand years had left him believing that the only thing that would relieve the starvation was the crimson fountain of a cut artery. Some dark voice that might have come from the Infernal Court itself whispered that he could do what some vampires did, ripping a throat like a werewolf. Warm flesh might ease the starvation of a human. What would he do, so close to Elena's lips, so close to her bleeding throat? Two tears slipped from under the dark lashes and slid a little way down her face before dropping into golden hair. Damon found himself tasting one before he could think. Stil a maiden. Wel , that was to be expected; Stefan was too weak to stand yet. But on top of the cynical thought came an image, and just a few words: a spirit as pure as driven snow. He suddenly knew a different hunger, a different thirst. The only place to ease this need was close by. Desperately, urgently, he sought and found Elena's lips. And then he found himself losing al control. What he needed most was here, and Elena might tremble, but she didn't push him away. This close, he was bathed in an aura as golden as the hair he was touching gently at the ends. He was pleased himself when she shivered in pleasure, and he realized that he could sense her thoughts. She was a strong projector, and his telepathy was the only Power left to him. He had no idea why he stil had it, but he did. And right now he wanted to tune into Elena. The wench! She wasn't thinking at al ! Elena had been offering her throat, truly surrendering herself, abandoning al thought but that she wanted to aid him, that his wishes were hers. And now she was too deeply enmeshed in the kiss to even make plans – which was extraordinary for her. She's in love with you, the tiny part of him that could stil think said. She's never said so! She's in love with Stefan! something visceral answered. She doesn't have to say it. She's showing it. Don't pretend you haven't seen it before! But Stefan – ! Is she thinking about Stefan in the slightest right now? She opened her arms to the wolf-hunger in you. This is no one-day stand, no quick meal, not even a steady donor. This is Elena herself. Then I've taken advantage of her. If she's in love, she can't protect herself. She's stil a child. I have to do something. The kisses had now gotten to the point that even the tiny voice of reason was fading. Elena had lost her ability to stand. He was either going to have to put her down somewhere, or give her a chance to back out. Elena! Elena! Damn it, I know you can hear me. Answer! Damon? – faintly. Oh, Damon, now do you understand – ? Too well, my princess. I Influenced you, so I should know. You†¦? No, you're lying! Why should I lie? For some reason my telepathy is as strong as ever. I still want what I want. But you might want to think a minute, maiden. I don't need to drink your blood. I'm human and right now I'm ravenous. But not for that mess of bloody hamburger you brought me. Elena broke away from him. Damon let her go. â€Å"I think you're lying,†she said, meeting his eyes directly, her mouth kiss-swol en. Damon locked the sight of her inside the boulder ful of secrets he dragged around with him. He gave her his best opaque ebony stare. â€Å"Why should I lie?†he repeated. â€Å"I just thought you deserved a chance to make your own choice. Or have you already decided to abandon little brother while he's out of commission?† Elena's hand flashed up, but then she dropped it. â€Å"You used Influence on me,†she said bitterly. â€Å"I'm not myself. I would never abandon Stefan – especial y when he needs me.† There it was, the essential fire at her core, and the fiery golden truth. Now he could sit and let bitterness gnaw at him, while this pure spirit fol owed her conscience. He was thinking this, already feeling the loss of her dazzling light receding when he realized he no longer had the knife. An instant later, horror just catching up with his hand, he was snatching it from her throat. His telepathic blast was entirely reflexive: What in Hell are you doing? Killing yourself because of what I said? This blade is like a razor! Elena faltered. â€Å"I was just making a nick – â€Å" â€Å"You almost made a nick that spurted six feet high!†At least he was able to speak again, despite the constriction of his throat. Elena was back on stable ground too. â€Å"I told you I knew you knew you'd have to try blood before you'l try to eat. It feels as if it's flowing down my neck again. This time, let's not waste it.† She was only tel ing the truth. At least she hadn't seriously hurt herself. He could see that fresh blood was flowing from the new cut she'd so recklessly made. To waste it would be idiotic. Utterly dispassionate now, Damon took her again by the shoulders. He tilted up her chin to look at her soft, rounded throat. Several new ruby cuts were flowing freely. Half a mil ennium of instinct told Damon that just there was nectar and ambrosia. Just there was sustenance and rest and euphoria. Just here where his lips were as he bent to her a second time†¦and he had only to taste it – to drink†¦ Damon reared back, trying to force himself to swal ow, determined not to spit. It wasn't†¦it wasn't utterly revolting. He could see how humans, with their degraded senses, could make use of the animal varieties. But this coagulating, mineral-tasting stuff wasn't blood†¦ it had none of the perfumed bouquet, the heady richness, the sweet, velvety, provocative, life-giving, ineffable attributes of blood. It was like some sort of bad joke. He was tempted to bite Elena, just to skim a canine over the common carotid, making a tiny scratch, so he could taste the little burst that would explode onto his palate, to compare, to make sure that the real stuff wasn't in there somehow. In fact he was more than tempted; he was doing it. But no blood was coming. His mind paused in midthought. He'd made a scratch al right a scratch like a scuff. It hadn't even broken the outer layer of Elena's skin. Blunt teeth. Damon found himself pressing on a canine with his tongue, wil ing it to extend, wil ing it with al his cramped and frustrated soul to sharpen. And†¦nothing. Nothing. But then, he'd spent al day doing the same thing. Miserably, he let Elena's head turn back. â€Å"That's it?†she said shakily. She was trying so hard to be brave with him! Poor doomed white soul with her demon lover. â€Å"Damon, you can try again,†she told him. â€Å"You can bite harder.† â€Å"It's no good,†he snapped. â€Å"You're useless – â€Å" Elena almost slid to the floor. He kept her upright while snarling in her ear, â€Å"You know what I meant by that. Or would you prefer to be my dinner rather than my princess?† Elena simply shook her head mutely. She rested in the circle of his arms, her head against his shoulder. Little wonder that she needed rest after al he'd put her through. But as for how she found his shoulder a comfort†¦wel , that was beyond him. Sage! Damon sent the furious thought out on al the frequencies he could access, just as he had been doing al day. If only he could find Sage, al his problems would be solved. Sage, he demanded, where are you? No answer. For al Damon knew, Sage had managed to operate the Gateway to the Dark Dimension that was even now standing, powerless and useless, in Mrs. Flowers's garden. Stranding Damon here. Sage was always that blindingly fast when he took off. And why had he taken off? Imperial Summons? Sometimes Sage got them. From the Fal en One, who lived in the Infernal Court, at the lowest of the Dark Dimensions. And when Sage did get them, he was expected to be in that dimension instantly, in mid-word, in mid-caress, in mid – whatever. So far Sage had always made the deadline, Damon knew that. He knew it because Sage was stil alive. On the afternoon of Damon's catastrophic bouquet investigation Sage had left on the mantel a polite note thanking Mrs. Flowers for her hospitality, and even leaving his gigantic dog, Saber, and his falcon, Talon, for the protection of the household – a note doubtlessly pre-prepared. He had gone the way he always did, as unpredictably as the wind, and without saying good-bye. Undoubtedly he'd thought that Damon would find his way out of the problem easily. There were a number of vampires in Fel ‘s Church. There always were. The ley lines of sheer Power in the ground drew them even in normal times. The problem was that just now al those vampires were infested with malach – parasites control ed by the evil fox-spirits. They couldn't be lower in the vampire hierarchy. And of course Stefan was a complete nonstarter. Even if he hadn't been so weak that trying to change Damon into a vampire would have kil ed him; even if his anger over Damon's â€Å"stealing his humanity†could be assuaged, he would simply never have agreed, out of his feeling that vampirism was a curse. Humans never knew about things like the vampire hierarchy because the subjects didn't concern them – until suddenly, they did, usual y because they had just been changed into a vampire themselves. The hierarchy of vampires was strict, from the useless and ignoble to the fanged aristocracy. Old Ones fit in that category, but so did others who were particularly il ustrious or powerful. What Damon wanted was to be made a vampire by the kind of women Sage knew, and he was determined to have Sage find him a vampire lady of quality, one who was real y worthy of him. Other things tormented Damon, who had spent two entire sleepless days pondering them. Was it possible that the white kitsune who had given Stefan the bouquet had engineered a rose that turned the first person to smel it permanently human? That would have been Stefan's greatest dream. The white fox had listened to days upon days of Stefan's ramblings, hadn't he? He'd seen Elena weeping over Stefan. He'd seen the two lovebirds together, Elena hand-feeding a dying Stefan her blood through razor wire. Fortune only knew what ideas that fox had gotten into his furry white head when he'd prepared the rose that had â€Å"cured†Damon of his â€Å"curse.†If it turned out to be an irreversible â€Å"cure†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ If Sage turned out to be unreachable†¦ It suddenly broke into Damon's thoughts that Elena was cold. It was strange, since the night was warm, but she was shivering violently. She needed his jacket or†¦ She's not cold, the smal voice somewhere deep inside him said. And she's not shivering. She's trembling because of al you've put her through. Elena? You forgot all about me. You were holding me, but you completely forgot my existence†¦ If only, he thought bitterly. You're branded on my soul. Damon was suddenly furious, but it was different from his anger at kitsune and Sage and the world. It was the kind of anger that made his throat close and his chest feel too tight. It was an anger that made him pick up Elena's scalded hand, which was rapidly turning scarlet in patches, and examine it. He knew what he would have done as a vampire: stroked over the burns with a silky cool tongue, generating chemicals to accelerate the healing. And now†¦there was nothing he could do about it. â€Å"It doesn't hurt,†Elena said. She was able to stand now. â€Å"You're lying, princess,†he said. â€Å"The insides of your eyebrows are up. That's pain. And your pulse is jumping – â€Å" â€Å"You can sense that without touching me?† â€Å"I can see it, at your temples. Vampires,†with vicious emphasis on what he stil was, in essence, â€Å"notice things like that. I made you hurt yourself. And I can't do anything to help. Also† – he shrugged – â€Å"you're a beautiful liar. About the star bal , I mean.† â€Å"You can always sense when I'm lying?† â€Å"Angel,†he said wearily, â€Å"it's easy. You are either the lucky holder of the star bal today†¦or you know who is.† Again, Elena's head drooped in consternation. â€Å"Or else,†Damon said lightly, â€Å"the entire story of the drawing of the lots was a lie.† â€Å"Think what you like,†Elena said, with at least some of her usual fire. â€Å"And you can clean up this mess, too.† Just as she turned to leave, Damon had a revelation. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers!†he exclaimed. â€Å"Wrong,†Elena snapped. Elena, I wasn't talking about the star ball. I give you my word on this. You know how hard it is to lie telepathically – Yes, and I know that therefore, if there's one thing in the world you'd†¦practice†¦at†¦ She couldn't finish. She couldn't make the speech. Elena knew how much Damon's word meant to him. I'll never tell you where it is, she sent telepathical y to Damon. And I swear to you that Mrs. Flowers won't either. â€Å"I believe you, but we're stil going to see her.† He picked Elena up easily and stepped over the smashed cup and saucer. Elena automatical y grabbed his neck with both hands to balance herself. â€Å"Darling, what are you doing – ?†Elena cried, then stopped, wide-eyed, two scalded fingers flying to her lips. Standing in the doorway, not two yards away from them, was petite Bonnie McCul ough, a bottle of Black Magic wine, nonalcoholic but mystical y exhilarating, held high in her hand. But as Elena watched, Bonnie's expression changed al in an instant. It had been triumphant joy. But now it was shock. It was disbelief that couldn't hold. Elena knew exactly what she was thinking. The whole house had devoted itself to making Damon comfortable – while Damon stole what rightful y belonged to Stefan: Elena. Plus he'd lied about not being a vampire anymore. And Elena wasn't even fighting him off. She was cal ing him â€Å"darling†! Bonnie dropped the bottle and turned, running.