Uncle Sam Real Person or Myth

Sophocles Oedipus The King - 1387 Words

As I stated in a previous essay, Oedipus The King is a play by Sophocles which belongs to the genre of tragedy and focuses on a man named Oedipus, king of a place called Thebes, and his efforts to put an end to a plague that has devastated the city. He believes that in order to put an end to the plague, he must find the man that murdered the previous king of Thebes; a man by the name of Laius (Sophocles pg.8-10). Prophecy plays an important role in this play and as Oedipus’ investigation progresses, he ends up finding out a lot of things about himself and his origins resulting in conflict between the characters and Oedipus himself. In the play there is a reference to an old prophecy that, according to Oedipus, stated: â€Å"I was fated to have†¦show more content†¦It generally refers to the idea that we are â€Å"powerless to do anything other than what we actually do†. (The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) This also includes the belief that a man has no p ower to influence his own future. Fatalism also refers to an attitude of resignation in the face of some future event or events which are thought to be inevitable. (The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) Fatalism and Determinism share common ground but they do have slight differences. Determinists believe that a persons actions affect the future but that their action is itself determined by a causal series of previous events. Their view does not mention a resignation to fate or destiny, compared to fatalists who chose to accept the future of events as an inevitability. Determinists believe the future is fixed specifically due to the phenomena of causality; fatalists believe that some or all aspects of the future are set in stone and cannot be changed, not necessarily due to causality, but due to the existence of a someone or something that has already predetermined the outcome of events. (The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) In his book, The Moral Landscape, neuroscientist Sam Harris argues against free will. He offers one thought experiment where a scientist uses a machine to control all the desires and behavior of a person. In these conditions, it is safe to say the victim has no free. Harris establishes that if the machine controls desires at random then nothing changesShow MoreRelatedOedipus The King By Sophocles848 Words   |  4 PagesOedipus the King, written by Sophocles, follows the tragic story of a king named Oedipus who goes from an all-powerful ruler to a hopeless blind peasant. Oedipus the King was written as a play and performed in front of an audience. Sophocles shows in Oedipus the King that one cannot escape the fate of the gods. Throughout the play Oedipus struggles to find a solution and change all the troubles in his life. The play observes the story of Oedipus who defies the gods and through the journey experiencesRead MoreSophocles Oedipus The King884 Words   |  4 PagesKing of Thebes, owner of a family tree that identically r esembles Medusa on a bad hair day, and the inspiration for a psychologically-riveting complex, Oedipus, tragic hero of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, exposes troubling truths about the human condition and, acting as an exemplary precaution for the entirety of humanity, demonstrates how a self-destructive struggle between love, anger, and fate, conveyed through an unorthodox love affair between mother and son (Who gets custody in a divorce?),Read MoreSophocles Oedipus The King1714 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"ideal tragedy† is the play â€Å"Oedipus the King† written by Sophocles. In this play, Sophocles utilizes the concept of tragedy as well the theory of the importance of scenes of recognition and reversal to create a setting, tone, and mood throughout the play. Oedipus, the mythical king of Thebes, goes through a horrendous tragedy which includes moments of recognition and reversal. These moments are key to the fame and appreciation for the play, â€Å"Oedipus the King†. Sophocles’ use of Aristotle’s conceptsRead MoreOedipus The King By Sophocles950 Words   |  4 PagesThe people throughout Oedipus’ life trues very hard to allow him to escape his fate of killing his father and then marrying his mother. In the epic poem Oedipus the King, Sophocles tells the story of the tragic downfall of Oedipus. Although many people see the role of free will that brought upon Oedipus’ doom, no matter what choices were made throughout his life, his ultimate fate would always return. The choices made at the beginning of Oedipus’ life set him up to fulfill his prophecy. His parentsRead MoreSophocles Oedipus The King992 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout tragedies in Greek literature, the hero always has one tragic flaw. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Oedipus’ main flaw is his overactive hubris, which in turn clouds his overall judgment. This is evident in the Chorus’ first ode to the city of Thebes as they try to ask the Gods for the banishment of the plague. Their answer does not come from a deity, but from Oedipus himself as he enters the palace and says, â€Å"You have prayed; and you prayers shall be answered with help and release ifRead MoreOedipus the King by Sophocles1393 Words   |  6 Pages Sophocles’ play, Oedipus the King, has risen many questions concerning the main character and whether or not he acts on free will or if his future is predestined by the gods. I am going to test the theory that although Oedipus believes he is acting on his own free will, he is in fact a victim of the gods. I will analyze several different sources that discuss fate and human agency in Oedipus the King and then proceed to build my original argument on the archaic debate. There has been a great dealRead MoreOedipus The King By Sophocles904 Words   |  4 Pages In Sophocles play â€Å"Oedipus the King† a deadly plague has descended upon the kingdom of Thebes, and because of this plague a dark and iniquitous secret begins to unravel itself only to reveal a web of events connecting Oedipus and others as the culprits behind all the havoc ensued. No one is the sole source responsible for the unfortunate events that befall Thebes, as well as the royal family; In fact, those who unknowingly paved the path of destruction were themselves trying to prevent it fromRead MoreSophocles Oedipus The King Essay1960 Words   |  8 Pages This would have been excellent advice for the main character in Sophocles drama, Oedipus the King. However, the drama was written as a result of Sophocles life and the influence of the humanistic culture in which he lived. Throughout Sophocles life, he gained military knowledge as the son of a wealthy armor manufacturer and received an excellent Greek education with emphasis on Homeric poetry (textbook). Furthe rmore, Sophocles was very involved in politics and served as a treasurer, a generalRead MoreSophocles Oedipus The King871 Words   |  4 PagesThe plays written by Sophocles, â€Å"Oedipus the King â€Å"and â€Å"Antigone† are bodies of work displayed the meaning of what Aristotle defined as a tragedy. â€Å"Oedipus the King† is a story of a king trying to avoid the fate of his life that has been prophesized before his birth. In â€Å"Antigone† is story of a girl who devoted to her family, and regardless of the orders made the king Creon. In these stories the archetypes and hamartia of Antigone and Oedipus play a major role in the story. In â€Å"Antigone† the characterRead MoreOedipus The King, By Sophocles1407 Words   |  6 PagesWhen we think about a tragic play or protagonist, most people would think Shakespeare for his common theme of his plays to end with a tragedy. In Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, tells the tale of the protagonist Oedipus. Throughout the play, Oedipus searched for his past to discover the reason why his kingdom is plagued with wilting crops and illnesses. In the end, he becomes a tragic protagonist after discovering his past was related to the previous king’s death. While the search progressed

Justice For All Essay Example For Students

Justice For All? Essay Over the last thirty years, minorities have been given a better chance to succeed in America by way of Affirmative Action. Recently, there has been a surge of non-minority Americans claiming reverse racism. Affirmative Action is now being called preferential treatment. In the beginning, it was designed to help minorities have a more equal opportunity in the world. A group of non-minority Americans in California claimed that they were being denied admittance to universities in the admitting process. This led to Ward Connerly, a member of University of California Regents, promoting the anti Affirmative Action message (NLSPAC, 1). Proposition 209 bans both discrimination and preferential treatment to various minorities on the basis of race, creed, sex, or place of origin (NLSPAC, 1). Connerly does not clearly structure his mode of thought. His understanding of reality is not real pertaining to minorities. The social context of Affirmative Action is its origin in the Civil Rights Movement. It was designed to give minorities and women special consideration for contracts, employment, and education (Froomkin, 2). Connerly is not a woman and he does not acknowledge the fact that he is African American, a minority. Connerly owns a consulting firm and only divulges his race when necessary, I felt that it could be damaging to my business to be identified as a minority firm, he says (Pooley, 4). Connerly does not understand or cannot relate to other minorities about the struggles that minoritys face getting into corporate America. Since Connerly has already received his degree, owns his own business, and does not reveal his race for contracts, he does not understand what minorities who do not have these things go through. Therefore, his mode of thought is completely obscu red and distorted. I consider Connerlys group to be minorities. However, he cannot relate to his group because he does not speak the same language as his group. By language, I mean social attitude. Most minorities try to accept all of the help they can get. For instance, the government will defer a companys capital gains taxes indefinitely if that company sells a cable system to a partnership controlled by a minority (Birnbaum, 1). There have been other programs like this one where minorities benefited. This too will end if Affirmative Action is ended. Connerly does not understand that minorities still need special privileges to be as successful as non-minorities. He does not realize how much minorities stand to lose.. The meanings or opinions of a situation depend on which group you belong to in society. There are two different opinions to the same situation. One is held by minorities and the other by non-minorities. Connerly associates himself with the non-minorities. Connerlys inherited situation changed twice during his childhood. When he was four, his mother died and he was taken in by his middle class uncle and aunt (Pooley, 3). At age twelve, he went to live with his grandmother who was in the lower class bracket. It was during this time that Connerlys work ethic and also hate of his race began (Pooley, 3). He worked to help his grandmother and resented the fact he went to a lower income household. Connerly could not further his ways of knowing in his inherited situation because he disassociated himself from others in his race. This is due to struggles that he faced. Connerlys struggle with nature is one of his biggest problems. It is a natural fact that he was born a black male in the late 1930s in a lower class family. Civil Rights had not been established and he was considered an inferior citizen. Connerly wishes he could live in a colorblind society. Therefore, he could not be classified by something he wishes he were not. .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 , .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .postImageUrl , .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 , .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4:hover , .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4:visited , .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4:active { border:0!important; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4:active , .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4 .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u2766c60bd0dc4d631fd4e8277225b2a4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Enternal nutrition in icu EssayThe struggle of an individual with another individual happens on a daily basis. Minorities and non-minorities compete for contracts, educational, and employment opportunities on a daily basis. This causes major conflict between people. Critics of Affirmative Action claim that schools rely too heavily on racial double standards (Gwynne, 2). Now that Affirmative Action is helping minorities, non-minorities are feeling the same effects of not getting jobs and contracts that they had been getting previously. The playing field is more equal and non-minorities

The Importance of the English Language Essay Example

The Importance of the English Language Essay Brazer Bozlak 03113623 2011-07-20 LA 202 – OL8 The importance of the English language The English language is finally accepted as the universal language of the world and stands today as the common means of communication among members of different countries, cultures and communities. Moreover, English is also the international language of diplomacy, business, science, technology, banking, computing, medicines, engineering, tourism etc. It is understood and spoken almost everywhere in the world and it has become the key instrument of globalization. The English language is the common global language and it is very clear in many cultures that English has become more dominant around the world, a dominance that is growing for each passing day. As a result, English is widely taught around the world as a second language today, the amount of native English speakers might not be large when compared to Spanish or Chinese, but it is the common communication language spoken around the world and almost every single university in the world are conducting scientific studies trough English medium. Although, there is a lot of people around the world today that won’t admit how important English for the world I’m one of those many that understands the importance of the English language. Most people in the world agrees with what Alexander v. Sandoval claims in his essay â€Å"The importance of English† on www. eagleforum. com , â€Å"English is becoming the worlds language of the 21st century † he says and gets supported â€Å"Most of the worlds population, about 70% speak English or know him. And more than 80% of all stored information in the world is written in English or translated into it. We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of the English Language specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of the English Language specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of the English Language specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Foreign language skills, and in particular the English are a good tool in work, school, on vacation, when building a career or promote your own business. The man who speaks fluent in English, will not get lost anywhere in the world where there are people. † (billionmindsfoundation). There are facts about English which would encourage people to learn English, †There are more people in China learning English than speaking it in North America over 200 million. English is the official language of a third of the worlds population and a working language for half the worlds population. Of the worlds four most numerous languages, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic and English, the latter owes its position uniquely to its use as a second language. A part of this pattern is the increasing reach of English in continental Europe where 91% of all secondary schools teach English and 65% of young continental Europeans claim to speak English reasonably well. † (English, The working language of the global village) English used to be a relatively unimportant language around 450 AD, when a set of Germanic tribes (mostly the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) moved from their homelands in what is now northern Germany to what is now England. Old English was widely spoken on the island in the centuries that followed, lost status when the French-speaking Normans conquered England, and slowly regained status in the late Middle English period. At this point, still, English was just one of many languages. It was generally less respected than Latin or french among scientists and theologians, for example. It was not until the period of Early Modern English, a period also known as the Age of Discovery that English really began  to gain status. The new country England began to establish colonies around the world and exported its language and governing systems so that it could import what it wanted, e. g. spices and rare woods and also for a while, slaves. The Early Modern English period witnessed the first time that English was spoken around the world, but still it was not nearly as widely spoken as it is today. Englands and Americas triumph in the World War 2 tok the globalization of English one step further and the languages importance for the world has grown for each passing day since then. Being the second language choice for non English speaking people today all around the world is a evidence of how important it is for people to learn English. It is the language people speaks when they don’t know the language of the country they are in and even countries such Frenca and Germany have given up. Alexander v. Sandoval says in his essay â€Å"The importance of English† published on Eagleforum. com â€Å"In multilingual continental Europe, a fierce battle over language popularity appers to be ending with English as the standard for the 21st century. and â€Å"The Germans have given up trying to persuade more Brits to learn their language and, instead, are now promoting English as the language of the 21st century, with lessons for children as young as six. Germanys leading newspaper produces an eight-page English edition and declares that English is going to be the lingua franca of the next century. †. Even though it does not and will probably never hav e an official status, English is the accepted universal language on the Internet. English is typically the language of the latest-version applications and programs. Even though progresses has been made in language translation online it is very difficult if not almost impossible to properly translate each and every webpage or program into a specific language. Even manuals, installation guides and products sheets of electronic and entertainment devices are usually first available in English. With this information in mind along with that Internet is becoming very important in our daily life’s, in commerce and also in education makes the English language bounded to grow. Thus the importance of the English language is underlined. English is today the standard language for businesses and industry, knowing English can be the key that unlocks enormous amounts of job opportunities. Many companies aim to become as successful as possible in their industry, which leads them to start working internationally and this makes the employers require superb English communication skills of the employees in order to deal with suppliers or contacts all across the world. Knowing English is not a guarantee to have a well paying position in the future but it is definitely a really good help on the way. The growth of English has been huge since the World War 2 and it might not take long time before English will be a single language of the world like the single currency and the union of various nations. It is, after all, spoken by more than 300 million natives speakers, between 600 and 800 million foreign speakers. It is the common language of air transportation and shipping, science, technology, computers, and commerce, and a major language in education and publishing. For these reasons, good English communication skills is important in order get on board on the 21st centuries train. Works Cited: v. Sandoval, Alexander. The importance of our English Language Eagleforum. 1 May 2001. Web 20 July 2011. (http://www. eagleforum. org/psr/2001/may01/psrmay01. shtml) General. English: Universal Language Billion Minds Foundation. 12 July 2001. Web 20 July 2011. (http://www. billionmindsfoundation. org/english-universal-language/) Watson, Alan. English: The working language of the global village? Lord Alan Watson. 2010. Web 20 July 2011. (http://www. lordalanwatson. com/english2. htm)

Executive Summary Essays - Economy, Economic History Of Japan

Executive Summary Introduction Product Country Scope of report Methodology used Limitations of the report Japans economic status Abenomics Gdp, Unemployment and Inflation comparison Fiscal policy Japans political status Type of government International relations Political risk associated with the country Level of corruption Japans legal status Country's laws Monetary laws Trade relation laws Japans cultural status Key Traditions and Religion Hofstede's dimensions Japan's Trade and Investment Environment History Trading Countries Trade Agreements Government rules on FDI's Japan's Finance Status Banking rules Profit regulations Interest rates Taxation rules Product choice and country appropriation relation Need of the product Market chosen- Why? Relationship between two Recommendations and conclusions 3. Japan's Economic Status What is Abenomics? Japan, having battled 'deflation' for over two decades, has more than once sought after government intercessions in the expectation of booming its economy. Entering the fifth year of his most recent hand over office, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe keeps on following a suite of strategies aimed for jarring Japan's stagnating economy out of its deflationary state. Abe's three-dimension approach, named "Abenomics," consolidates financial development; money related facilitating, and basic reform. Its main objective is to support local request and total national output (GDP) development while raising expansion to 2 percent. Abe's auxiliary arrangements mean to enhance the nation's prospects by expanding competition, changing work markets, and growing trade organizations. Abenomics refers to a forceful arrangement of money related and financial approaches, joined with auxiliary changes, intended for hauling Japan out of its decades-long deflationary droop. These are the arrangement's "three bolts." Financial boost started in 2013 with monetary recuperation measures totaling 20.2 trillion yen ($210 billion), of which 10.3 trillion ($116 billion) was immediate government spending. The second bolt, money related strategyparticularly the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) extraordinary resource buy programis at the core of Abenomics. The size of the buys is unmatched anyplace on the planet: the estimation of the advantages held by the BOJ has surpassed 70 percent of GDP, while the U.S. Central bank's and European Central Bank's benefits, by differentiate, both remain underneath 25 percent of their particular GDPs. The BOJ's negative rates, and also its benefit buys, have proceeded into 2017, making a few financial specialists caution that these low rates harm the managing an account framework and can prompt theoretical air pockets. At long last, a since quite a while ago postponed program of basic changeincluding slicing business directions, changing the work showcase and horticultural area, cutting corporate expenses, and expanding workforce assorted varietymeans to restore Japan's competitiveness. GDP, Unemployment and Inflation- A comparative study. Fig 1: Japan's GDP Figure 1 clearly indicates that, the Japanese economy extended at a weaker rate than beforehand detailed in 1st quarter (Q1), as private utilization development was slower than in the underlying appraisal and inventories recorded a sizeable drop. Gross domestic product rose 1.0% in Q1 over the past quarter in regularly balanced annualized terms, which was beneath the 2.2% expansion revealed in the principal discharge. The downwardly balanced figure mirrored a sharp decrease in the commitment of private inventories to development, with private inventories subtracting 0.6 rate focuses from general yield in Q1. Utilization is being pushed up by bit by bit enhancing wage development and record-low joblessness. Regardless of the descending modification, solid venture development and sound progression in the outside area are relied upon to help the economy this year. Fig 2: Japan's Unemployment rate Figure 2 shows the unemployment rate in the country. The unemployment rate in Japan tumbled to 2.8 percent in June of 2017, down from 3.1 percent in the earlier month. In the interim, the employments to-candidates proportion was 1.51, up from 1.49 in the past period and beating desires of 1.50 to check the largest amount since February 1974. A year before, unemployment was higher at 3.1 percent. Fig 3: Japan's Inflation Rate Figure 3 shows us that, purchaser prices in Japan rose 0.4 percent year-on-year in June of 2017, the same as in the earlier two months and coordinating business sector consensus. Food expansion was relentless while cost of transport and lodging declined. Core shopper costs, which do not include food, went up 0.4 percent on the year, unaltered from the previous month's perusing and in accordance with advertise gauges. The figure stayed at its most abnormal amount since March of 2015. Fiscal Policy While the economy keeps on cruising along, a few mists have begun to rise as of late. Wage increment stays restricted, compelling a maintained recuperation in household

The eNotes Blog The Western Flyer Steinbecks Boat Flying ThroughTime

The Western Flyer Steinbecks Boat Flying ThroughTime The compass simply represents the ideal, present but unachievable, and sight-steering a compromise with perfection which allows your boat to exist at all. - The Log from the Sea of Cortez In Port Townsend- a charming, coastal town nestled in  the northeastern end of the Olympic Peninsula- a piece of literary and biological history is being remastered and preserved. The Western Flyer, a 77-foot fishing boat built in 1937, sits docked at  Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op as it undergoes  restoration. In 1940, author John Steinbeck  set sail on The Western Flyer for a six-week trip on the Sea of Cortez with,  friend and famous marine biologist, Ed Ricketts. Steinbeck had just finished writing  The Grapes of Wrath and (presumably needing to blow off some dusty melancholy) departed with Ricketts, a small number of crewmen, and his wife, Carol, for a leisurely voyage. This trip resulted in Steinbecks acclaimed book  The Log from the Sea of Cortez, a combination of their shared expeditions journals and Ricketts species catalog.  Because of this voyage,  The Western Flyer is referred to as the most famous fishing vessel ever to have sailed. The Log  is also regarded as one of Steinbecks  most important non-fiction works due to Ricketts influence.  Ricketts helped shape  Steinbecks thinking, providing  a prototype for many of Steinbecks  pivotal literary characters and, thus, some  of the most important characters in American literature. The Flyer is now embarking on a three-year restoration project overseen by the Port Townsend Co-op. Its commissioned by  John Gregg, a scientist  from Southern California, whose life was changed when he picked up Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research (the predecessor of The Log)  in a bookmobile at age ten. Gregg hopes to restore The Flyer to its original glory- complete with modern updates and a high-tech learning environment for students. With our Seattle HQ located just 2.5 hours from Port Townsend, I was lucky enough to set up a tour of the boat (on the eve of Steinbecks birthday, no less!) to  learn more about the project. I met with  Chris Chase, overseer of  the restoration, and, after our chat, it became apparent that the boat represents not just a famous fishing or sailing voyage, but a voyage through time itself. The boat has become a victim of our changing world, Chris said as he explained  the ongoing  struggle of obtaining proper materials for restoration.  Finding lumber has been the hardest aspect of  the project: because of the U.S.s astronomical prices and scarce supply, theyre forced to import wood from France for the appropriate fit (and right price). Back in 1937, when The Flyer was first built, all of the boats components were acquired  locally thanks to the Pacific Northwests abundance of the necessary raw materials. Chris and his team of  experts  are still able to economically source  what they need, but he admits,  everything that made this boat its hard to replicate now. Its now an art, not a skill. Its been lost. Resources and specialty craftsmanship arent the only things The Flyer has seen come and go. Since its birth 80 years ago, the boat has witnessed firsthand the depletion of marine life and clean-water sources. And though the world that The Flyer lives in now may seem a bit bleaker than that of its youth, it remains steadfastly resilient. The Flyer has a spirit that lives on, Chris said, smiling. He then told me  about how itd sunk four(!) times- three of them reaching the bottom of the sea. Shes just kind of shrugged it off, he said. As they work to restore The Flyer, theyre careful to do her justice and pay homage to her tangible spirit. This  spirit was  indeed  captured by Steinbeck; he had a kinship with  boats  and wrote of The Flyer  as  an actual character in his writings. His affinity for boats  extended into his other works, shown in this excerpt from The Pearl:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"This was an evil beyond thinking. The killing of a man was not so evil as the killing of a boat. For a boat does not have sons, and a boat cannot protect itself, and a wounded boat does not heal.† As with  a character  in a novel,  we observe The Flyers  character arc- an arc of  resiliency, survival, and renewal. While the initial restorations goal will be  to re-tread  the path of the Sea of Cortez,  The Flyers ultimate destination will then be a sort of floating classroom:  a place for marine biology and ecology students with, what are  planned to be, impressive learning tools.  Students and scientists alike will be able to get up close and personal with the marine life of the Pacific Northwest aboard this historic vessel. Perhaps the very answers we seek to the environmental obstacles we face will be solved right in The Western Flyers belly. In the meantime, well await the next few  years as Chris and his team works vigorously on this exciting adventure. Its a pretty amazing project, Chris told me at the end of my tour. I agree, and I think Ricketts and Steinbeck would, too. Follow The Western Flyers progress at the Western Flyer Foundations website.

Captain John C. Holleran Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Captain John C. Holleran - Coursework Example He is the team leader, a coach, motivator, change agent and should provide a serene environment for effective service delivery. He should protect the assets of the firm through evaluation and control for instance utilizing budgets to bring the cost under control. When, the department reports anomalies, he is solely responsible. In the above case, retrenchment is imminent as the organization is large and this is what is driving costs higher than budgeted for. The paper will therefore respond to the above questions. The most vulnerable category of stakeholder will be the community or the society in general. This is because it will be deprived of the service rendered by the police officers retrenched. The community will also be exposed to indirect intangible cost of increased insecurity and increased crimes in the region. The living standards of the people will decrease due to decline in their income. Furthermore, captain is also likely to be affected through demotions redeployment or even redundancy. The employees will, lose their jobs, a decrease in purchasing power and some might suffer from psychological frustration due to stress. The department may have inadequate staff leading to poor quality service, straining of the small staff that could lead to fatigue. The creativity will drop significantly as the remaining vacant positions will not be filled with the right skill. It may spur up tension and mistrust among staff which in the long run will act negatively on the firm’s image, lowe r productivity. Lastly, society will be deprived of the vital service thus decreasing the social benefit enjoyed by the citizens. The society may be exposed to increase in crime rates which may destabilize it.(Pettinger,2002) According to Storey (1992), some of the resistance to effective change can either be behavioral or operational .These resistances include resisting to be redeployed, may resist the ‘new way’ and processes of

Marketing Plan Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Plan - Research Paper Example Bearing in mind that there are other strategic competitors in this market such as Ring Central, MaxEmail has to adopt strategies that would give it a competitive advantage over its rivals. To accomplish this, Brumfitt, Barnes, Norris and Jones (2001) propose finding effective ways of addressing the competitive marketplace and supporting everyday operations. Customer targets According to Armstrong and Kotler (2003), only a fraction of the entire population in an area would buy the products from a firm. The task would therefore be to identify who these people are and then targeting the marketing efforts of the business towards them. This ensures that a business only deals with the target market that would be profitable. In the case of MaxEmail, the target market includes the 3 million users drawn from the government and business enterprises with whom it enters into contracts to provide communication. All marketing efforts would therefore be directed towards this target market. The limi ted marketing budget should be a reason for such a company to market to the 3 million users as it would be more efficient than generally marketing to the whole market. Customer segments In customer segmentation, an organization would identify different groups in the market based on their traits. There is more benefit in focusing marketing efforts on a group with similar characteristics, wants and needs that would be with a group comprising of undifferentiated people (Brumfitt et al., 2001). Customers could be segmented in various ways such as according to their demography, psychograph, geography and use. Focusing marketing efforts on a segment reduces expenses and increases revenue in an organization. There are a number of services and goods on offer at MaxEmail including fax machines and services such as fax on demand, fax broadcasting and spam checker (MaxEmail, 2012). It also provides internet services like photocopying. It would be necessary for the company to identify the vario us needs by the government, business enterprises and individuals then categorize its products in a similar fashion. This would see the firm serve each of these segments differently according to their needs and capabilities. Product position MaxEmail rides on the strength of its easy to use interface and voicemail services. The company has diversified its production to not only cover a range of fax machines but also various services that go hand in hand with this. This has been furthered by desirable customer service that gives it an edge over its rivals. Serving the government market gives it a competitive edge over its rival Ring Central which depends on individual buyers and businesses enterprises. Its lean stock makes management easy for the company. Nonetheless, the company’s products are perceived to be expensive as compared to what its rivals offer. Similarly, the products lack electronic signs which its rival Ring Central offers. The company thus faces threat from Ring Central especially now that its products are considered to be less expensive and largely diversified. Closely related to segmentation is product positioning. Product positioning entails the creation of a consistent, unique and recognized perception of customers on the general image of the organization and its products. The products or services provided by a company would be positioned based on the accompanying benefits, users, price, class, application and quality level (Armstrong &

Reflection and Critical Evaluation of Performance, Progress and Essay

Reflection and Critical Evaluation of Performance, Progress and Learning - Essay Example â€Å"Work experience can be of real value to individuals and to employers. However, in itself, such experience is not enough. It is the recognition of skills and awareness of the work context that is important† (Work Experience Module n.d., p. 6). The workers who successfully complete this module will: Set attainable goals for work experience Understand how the work is planned and organized at different stages Develop skills and capabilities to face challenges in the work Discover future employment opportunities Maintain a work place diary which describes and analyses experiences at workplace. Recognize equality problem connected to the workplace e.g. age, gender, sexual orientation, etc Competition for work experience placements has constantly been severe. The best probable possibility of securing work lies in the quality of the people who approach the job. This requires a short introductory email or letter, and CV to catch the attention of employers. This work based learnin g experience will help the employees to perform their job better, able to identify and evaluate where they went wrong, how to achieve the set standards, and what actions need to be taken to improve the performance. Performance appraisal system will help evaluate the employee’s performance. Interpersonal Skills: Through work based learning, the employees can develop their interpersonal skills. â€Å"The most common form of learning from other people takes the form of consultation and collaboration within the immediate working group: this may include teamwork, ongoing mutual consultation and support or observation of others in action. Beyond the immediate work environment, people sought information and advice, from other people in their organization, from customers or suppliers or from wider professional networks† (Eraut n.d., Interpersonal skills include: Increased cooperative working relationships Working with others to efficiently solve conflicts Methods of Assessing Interpersonal Skills Include: Personality inventories (e.g. MBTI), Interviews, 360 degree feedback, Assessment centers, peer evaluations of class projects. Assessment of interpersonal skill signifies an exchange between organizational problem and behavioral evaluation. When evaluating the different methods to determine interpersonal skills, it is significant to take into account the costs that have to be met by the organization. These expenses may comprise the idea to expand or acquire, organize and manage the evaluation process. The progress of an interview is a simple job, but organizing individual interviews need time. Other forms of evaluation (360-degree feedback and evaluation centers), on the other hand, can frequently be troublesome, and they necessitate time to expand and manage. Therefore it is classified as high on administrative costs. The team-working skills provide the capability to work in teams, and to make use of suitable interpersonal skills to make relationships w ith team members, colleagues and external stakeholders. â€Å"Good teamwork releases group synergy so that the combined effect of individual contributions far exceeds the sum of their individual effects. There is mutual accountability and togetherness amongst members of a well-knit team. The basic premise here is that individual contributions cannot be as good as all of us working together in a team† (Leadership and Teamwork n.d.). Networking is an important part of any job search. It is the method of creating contacts for

Effective Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Effective Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Introduction In primary care, as in other fields of medical practice, it is essential that doctors are able to apply the findings of scientific research to the circumstances of individual patients as part of their clinical decision-making process. This is known as evidence based medicine. In this review I have taken an illness which often presents in primary care, namely Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and by researching possible treatments have developed the skills necessary to search various databases for relevant articles and the ability to assess the validity of the evidence found. In this review I focus specifically on Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as a potential treatment for GAD. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by chronic, uncontrollable worry associated with a wide range of physical symptoms including fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, sweating, nausea and shortness of breath. A diagnosis of GAD is made when a person worries excessively about a variety of every day problems for at least 6 months. The disorder is common in later life, with a prevalence of 11.2% in primary care where older adults most often seek treatment and overall is more prevalent than either severe cognitive impairment or depression in the over 65s. Despite this, anxiety disorders in the ageing population have received relatively little research attention. Anxiety in later life has been linked to increased risk of physical disability, memory difficulties, decreased quality of life and inappropriate use of medical services . There are currently several treatment options available for GAD including drugs such as Benzodiazepines, Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Azapirones, Barbituates and Pregablins. There are also alternative treatment options such as herbal remedies and psychotherapy such as Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy which targets problematic emotions and behaviours via a range of approaches and can be used alongside medication or as an alternative to it. When used to treat anxiety disorders the principle methods include education and awareness, motivational interviewing, relaxation training, cognitive restructuring, exposure, problem-solving skills training and behavioural sleep management. Unlike anxiolytics, CBT has no known side effects or risk of physical dependence. Anxiolytics are currently the most common treatment for late-life anxiety and surveys suggest that up to 20% of non-instituti onalized elderly persons may be using benzodiazepines. However, the use of these medications as a long term treatment for anxiety disorders is associated with potential risks for elderly patients such as cognitive impairment, falls and hip fractures, drug interactions and toxicity. Also an over-reliance on medication may neglect potentially important psychosocial factors such as social support, coping skills and interpersonal relationships. In light of this it is important that the effectiveness of CBT is assessed as it could prove a useful alternative to long term medication particularly in the ageing population. Method I conducted initial research using textbooks and the internet and then used different databases to search for relevant papers and articles. Searches were primarily conducted using MedLine (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System) as it contains information from a wide range of fields including Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Biology and Biochemistry and contains over 18 million records from approximately 5,000 publications. Web of Knowledge was also used as it encompasses not only MedLine but also other databases such as the Social Sciences Citation Index. I also conducted searches using Scopus and the Cochrane Library but often found that the Cochrane Library yielded few or no results so these searches have been omitted. By beginning with broad search terms it was possible to refine these to yield fewer, more relevant results. An initial search of the terms cognitive-behavioral therapy and generalized anxiety disorder yielded the following results. The search was also limited to include articles which had both these terms in the title and in the abstract. Various spellings and abbreviations such as CBT and GAD were used when searching for cognitive-behavioural therapy and generalized anxiety disorder in order to achieve a high number of results and to ensure articles werent overlooked. After searching through the results, reading abstracts and dismissing articles which werent relevant to this topic or freely available, 4 articles were chosen to be included in this review. I chose to specifically focus on RCTs as this is the strongest study design for testing cause and effect relationships. When critically appraising the papers included in this review, a series of questions primarily derived from the CASP (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme), but also incorporating other sources, were used and articles were judged on how much information they provide and the quality of the evidence. Examples of these questions are as follows. Did the trial have a clear objective? Is an RCT an appropriate study design to answer this question? How were the participants randomized? What was the average age of the participants? What were the exclusion criteria for participants? Were the subjects in each of the groups similar on demographic and baseline clinical variants? How did the trial adjust for attrition? When/how often was data collected from participants during follow up? How were outcomes measured? Were details of effect sizes and statistical significance given? Did the study have enough participants? Does the paper present a clear result? Results Discussion The first study looked at was an RCT published in 1996 entitled Treatments of Generalized Anxiety in Older Adults: A Preliminary Comparison of Cognitive-Behavioural and Supportive Approaches. This trial compared CBT with non directive Supportive Psychotherapy (SP), a form of therapy which involves education, guidance, listening to the patient and encouraging expression of emotions. Results showed significant improvement in all measured outcomes for both interventions and generally large effect sizes. However, no significant differences were found between the the two groups. The authors gave an extensive list of exclusion criteria, including current involvement in psychotherapy and low MMSE scores, which limits confounding factors and therefore the likelihood of type 1 errors. A major limitation of this study however is the high level of attrition. This study design could possibly be improved if it were to include another control group, which receives no treatment, with which to compa re the two interventions with. In this respect the more recent trial Treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in older adults, which is discussed later, improves on this trial and has a significantly lower attrition rate. However, the authors of this trial argue that by failing to include a waiting-list control group they alleviated the need to withhold treatment from any patients, which could be deemed ethically questionable. This trial had a follow-up assessment period of 6 months which is relatively short compared to the other studies in this review, one of which has a follow-up period of 15 months. It is arguable that this will limit conclusions made in this study regarding the long-term durability of treatment. Unlike other studies this study did not measure the effect of either intervention on the participants quality of life which is an important factor to consider as GAD has such a profound effect on the sufferers quality of life. An RCT published February 2003 entitled Treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in older adults, compared CBT with a discussion group (DG) and patients receiving no treatment on a waiting list period (WL). The discussion group was organized around worry provoking topics and was designed to be structurally comparable to CBT. DG consisted of a series of 12 discussions focused on topics known to be worry-provoking for older adults, including memory problems, health concerns, loss of independence and death of friends and family. Both the CBT and DG groups consisted of 4-6 participants and a group leader, one of four advanced doctoral students in clinical psychology. These leaders were spread across the two interventions and each leader chaired at least one CBT group and one DG in order to avoid confounding the effectiveness of the therapist with the effectiveness of the therapeutic model. Participants in both CBT and DG were asked to spend approximately 30 minutes a day on homework exe rcises. The study gave full details of exclusion criteria including commencement of psychotropic medication within the past 2 months. Patients who had started medication more than 2 months ago were included but were asked not to change their dose or type of medication for the duration of the trial. However, in light of this it is possible to argue that including participants on any form of anxiolytic medication restricts conclusions about the impact of CBT without concomitant pharmacological treatment. The authors included a table detailing demographic information about their study sample in order to support the generalisability of their findings. The table showed that participants came from a range of races, had differing marital and work statuses and suffered from a range of different medical conditions, the most common being osteoarthritis (36%) and hypertension (32%). Compared to the first study, participants not only scored themselves but were also assessed by trained research assistants who were unaware of which group the patient had been assigned to. This adds an element of blinding which is not present in the first study. This was the only study in which patients rated their impression of the treatment after the first session. The participants rated the credibility of the intervention, their enjoyment, perceived effectiveness, likelihood of recommending the intervention to a friend, likelihood of participating again in the future and perceived improvement. This is a useful addition to the trial as a patients satisfaction with a treatment method has a big impact on adherence and possibly symptom improvement. The results showed that participants in both CBT and DG improved compared to the waiting period but there was no significant difference between the two interventions. However, when effect sizes were calculated showed large effects whereas DG showed medium sized effects. Essentially this study shows that CBT is better than no treatment but gives no s ignificant evidence to suggest that it is better than other forms of intervention such as group discussion. This is an interesting point which mirrors the findings of the first trial which compared CBT to SP. An RCT published in April 2003 entitled Cognitive- Behavioral Treatment of late-life generalized anxiety disorder (M A Stanley et al. 2002) evaluated the efficacy of CBT compared to minimal contact control (MCC). The results showed a significant improvement in worry, anxiety, depression and quality of life following CBT compared to MCC. 45% of patients were classed as responding to treatment compared with 8% who received MCC. Importantly these gains were maintained or enhanced over a 1 year follow-up. However, as in the other RCTs in this review, patients did not report a complete return to normal functioning or a complete removal of symptoms. When recruiting participants for this trial the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-IV was used as a diagnostic tool. Patients underwent two separate diagnostic interviews conducted by two different evaluators over a period of at least two weeks. These evaluators were unaware of any previous diagnoses made. This shows that all participants in the study had symptoms which were consistent and were not prone to varying over time, which means that any change during follow up assessment was more likely to be due to the intervention than to fluctuations in the severity of their GAD. The study commented on potential variance in results due to gender and explained how they had adjusted for this. Similarly to the last study, this study used not only self-reported scores but also independent clinician rated scores. Unlike previous studies this trial did not include any participants currently receiving medication for their GAD or associated symptoms in order to assess the effectiveness of CBT alone and not in conjunction with medication. A Randomised Control Trial, conducted by M A Stanley et al. entitled Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Among Older Adults in Primary Care (2009) compared group CBT conducted in primary care clinics over 3 months with a control of enhanced usual care (EUC). The authors chose to use group CBT rather than individual, one-on-one CBT as they believed that the loss of social support often experienced as a consequence of ageing indicated the potential benefits of group treatment. The results of this trial showed that CBT significantly improved worry severity, depressive symptoms and general mental health but there was no difference in GAD severity between the two groups. The authors clearly set out their objective and gave detailed information on where the study was set, where participants were chosen from, details of the intervention and main outcome measures at the start of the paper. The fact that the patients were recruited exclusively from a primary care sett ing and that the intervention was delivered in primary care makes this evidence particularly useful for this review. During recruitment all potential participants were screened using two questions from the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders, as well as undergoing the Mini-Mental State Examination and a Structured Diagnostic Interview, in order to ensure that all had the same diagnosis and similar GAD severity. Race and ethnicity of participants were identified and the data used to facilitate conclusions about the generalizability of the data. The authors commented on effect sizes and stated that the effect sizes for symptom improvement were comparable to or greater than those in recent primary care studies of younger adults with GAD and older adults with depression. The authors also commented that participants in this trial scored slightly lower mean change in worry severity over time scores in comparison with Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder in older adults that was conducted several years earlier. One possible limitation of both this study and the previous study is that patients in the control group received minimal contact with health professionals compared to the intervention group. This may leave patients feeling neglected and as they are aware that theyre not receiving any form of treatment, they may not expect to get better and subsequently score themselves lower on assessment than otherwise. In this respect the first two studies are somewhat better designed, as they compare CBT to interventions which involve a similar contact. The second study in particular deals with this issue well by comparing CBT with a discussion group, which requires the patient to be involved with the intervention, and a waiting list period in which the patient is very much aware that they are receiving no treatment. Several studies of anxiety in older adults have been conducted using community or senior centre volunteers with self-diagnosed, subjective anxiety symptoms and therefore the findings from these studies may not be applicable to a clinical population. In contrast the four RCTs included in this review were all conducted on patients with diagnosed GAD and CBT and was delivered in a primary care setting. All the studies gave detailed information on how the participants were randomized and how drop-outs were dealt with and had a follow-up period of at least 6 months. Conclusion In conclusion, all four studies showed that CBT improves levels of anxiety, as well as other associated symptoms of GAD, when compared to both baseline measures and no treatment. However these studies also showed that when CBT is compared to other forms of therapy, namely Supportive Psychotherapy and discussion groups, there are no significant differences between the two interventions. Although CBT does lead to significant alleviation of symptoms, this evidence does not indicate that CBT is a long lasting cure for GAD and it does not prove CBT to be a better treatment option than other forms of psychotherapy. Therefore it is important to question whether or not the benefits felt by participants receiving CBT, SP or DG are due to a placebo effect compared to participants who are left on a waiting list who may feel they are being neglected and do not expect any improvement in symptoms. This raises the issue of blinding which is a limitation of most conceivable trials including CBT as i t is not possible to make the participant unaware of what intervention they are receiving when when they have to actively participate in treatment. The dearth of clinical trials, particularly RCT trials, investigating CBT as a treatment for GAD needs to be addressed if an acceptable amount of evidence in favour of CBT is to be established. Suggestions for future trials include RCTs comparing the effectiveness of group CBT compared with individual CBT for older adults and trials comparing CBT with anxiolytic medications such as benzodiazepines. This is a particularly pertinent issue considering the side effects associated with anxiolytics and old age, as previously mentioned. Future trials should aim to recruit a larger number of participants than seen in most of the studies discussed. In theory this should not be difficult if the prevalence of GAD in the elderly population is as alarmingly high as some statistics indicate.

The Church and Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues :: Argumentative Persuasive Essay Examples

Free Essays - The Church and Gays, Lesbians The Catholic Church loves LGBT people with a profound love, just like it loves all of its other children. Various organizations within the church have as their main purpose the delivery of the Gospel to LGBT's. All of us are sacred creations of God, and therefore deserve respect on the basis of our human nature. This essay treats an outreach effort of the church in this area. In the rite of baptism, the liturgy joyfully proclaims, "you are God's work of art, created in Christ Jesus." Today, lesbian and gay Catholics are reminding the Church that they, too, have been baptized. Many are beginning to reclaim their membership in the body of Christ and the Church. As baptized persons, lesbian and gay Catholics share the rights of all the baptized: "to receive the sacraments, to be nourished with the Word of God and to be sustained by the other spiritual helps of the Church" (Catechism) Increasing numbers of lesbian and gay people are taking another look at the Catholic Church, which they thought had previously rejected them totally and definitively. Many are discovering in the Church a new spirit of understanding: "[I]t seems appropriate to understand sexual orientation (heterosexual or homosexual) as a deep-seated dimension of one's personality and to recognize its relative stability in a person. Generally, homosexual orientation is experienced as a given, not as something freely chosen. By itself, therefore, a homosexual orientation cannot be considered sinful, for morality presumes the freedom to choose. The teachings of the Church make it clear that the fundamental human rights of homosexual persons must be defended and that all of us must strive to eliminate any forms of injustice, oppression, or violence against them"(Pastoral). "It is not sufficient only to avoid unjust discrimination. Homosexual persons 'must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity'"(Catechism par.2358, Always 6,9) The U.S. bishops expressed their welcome of lesbian and gay people in 1976, and repeated it in 1991: "Homosexual [persons], like everyone else, should not suffer from prejudice against their basic human rights. They have a right to respect, friendship, and justice. They should have an active role in the Christian community.(To Live) Today, many dioceses and parishes are inviting lesbian and gay Catholics to assume active roles in the Christian community. Ministries of outreach and pastoral services welcome lesbian and gay Catholics to share their gifts with the entire Church.

Admission essay formph

I strongly believe in the convincing statement of Albert Einstein, which states that â€Å"the important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.†Ã‚   Relating it in my own terms, my intention to study MPH is in effect the furtherance of my own understanding of medicine, research, and the pharmaceutical industry and a way of contemplation of the wonders of drugs juxtaposed with research and statistics.The importance of the interdisciplinary approach in understanding health and my few years of working as a medical doctor are the two main foundations why I am interested to apply for the Master of Public Health with Biostatistics as the field of concentration.Through the years, I have learned a lot about the substance of doing research vis-à  -vis the development of state of the art medical interventions as well as in t he discovery of new drugs that would cure long lasting illnesses. I also realized that health and medicine as a social institution is not solely for the biomedical scientists but also for social scientists and managers. Thus, taking the MPH will surely give me a taste of the other schools of thought that would enhance my managerial and social skills.It is in my consciousness that health issues are correlated with economic, social, political, cultural, and behavioral aspects. Thus, medical doctors nowadays should equip themselves with the theories and practices of the social sciences and management to be able to solve health predicaments in a holistic fashion. Thus, this has prompted me to seek admission to the MPH program.In the future, I would also like to involve myself in the pharmaceutical industry. Hence, I see the need to equip myself with the theories and technologies of biostatistics that would be helpful in my chosen career. In the pharmaceutical industry, biostatistics is of great use particularly in carrying out laboratory tests and clinical trials for new drugs and medical interventions.My entry to the program will not only improve myself but will surely help in making the pharmaceutical industry within the bounds of empiricism. By learning the tools and techniques of biostatistics, I will be able to know the other fields of medicine such as epidemiology which is also vital amongst the pharmaceutical personnel.Taking Biostatistics would help me come up with good work decisions through the use of hard evidence. Statistics and data will also enhance my management skills through evidence based problem solving. My previous background in medicine and the learning I will gain from the program will also surely help me ensure good medical practice, hence promote bioethics.My good mathematical ability and my work experience as a medical practitioner are good guarantees that I will be able to finish the degree. Coupled with these cognitive assets, my passion for the course will also help me to be able to finish the course with flying colors.Given my life experiences that brought me up to this point of my career, I am cognitively and physically prepared enough for me to make a good graduate student. I am looking forward to my future career in my chosen field with great keenness.

Lord of the Rings Evaluation essays

Lord of the Rings Evaluation essays Peter Jackson (director/writer/producer) has delivered viewers his triumphant midterm middle earth epic, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Jackson wastes no time thrusting audiences into the book's action. The film begins with what appears to be a recap of Gandalf's encounter with Balrog only to reveal itself as a dream of sorts. While the joy and discovery has faded that can never again meet the vivid characters for the first time The Two Towers continues the tales fundamental good versus evil themes, as Frodo (Elijah Wood) continues to feel the burden of carrying the ring. The films singular revelation of Gollum (voiced by Andy Serkis) adds layers of moral complexity to this central conflict, as Frodo must decide what to do with this decadent and twisted creature that can guide hobbits to the black gates of Mordor, but can never bee completely trusted. With its medieval setting, chivalric and heroic idols, Jacksons imagery could not be clearer in this installment, where the t rees are sentient beings. The film goes far beyond the simplicity of being a bridge between the other books. It elevates the tension and accomplishment that was The Fellowship of the Ring, turning it into the magnificent tale that J.R.R. Tolkien aimed for. The visual aspects of this film were incredible, without much effort it is easy for the audience to be transported from their seat into the misty depths of middle earth. The outlook of the New Zealand shooting locations the vast grassy hills and the awesome snow-capped mountains are seen by a camera that loves swooping around them, making viewers feel socked in the gut and a little short of breath. The birds eye views in the beginning of the movie when Gimli, Aragon, and Legolas are en route to find the two hobbits; Mary and Pippin, transport the audience to the grassy plateaus on top of the mountains, and also near the end of the battle and Helms Deep when the rally of horses with ...

Themes Identified and Character Analysis in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein essays

Themes Identified and Character Analysis in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein essays Knowledge, social responsibility, society's view of beauty, and secrecy are major themes that occur in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein. Shelley is able to identity some of the most hideous of human characteristics in her characters, focusing on how easily an obsession can become a blinding, dangerous force. Frankenstein and his monster represent the good and the bad that can come from the reckless pursuit of knowledge. Frankenstein's inability to accept his responsibility leads to endless suffering. This paper will examine how Shelley develops her characters throughout the novel and will also explore the important themes Shelley focuses on to make her We can clearly see how the theme of knowledge is intrinsically connected with scientific exploration in this story. This is significant because during the nineteenth century, many new scientific endeavors included the ability to "create artificial men and automations" (Johnson xiii). Additionally, favorite topics of the time included alchemy and galvanism. It is also important to note that Shelley adopted her father's belief that society was a corrupting force. (xiii) According to Martin Garrett, author of Mary Shelley, many conversations revolved around "the nature and the principle of life, and whether there was any probability of its ever being discovered or communicated . . . perhaps a corpse would be reanimated with the aid of electricity, or perhaps the components of parts of a creature might be manufactured, brought together, and endued with vital warmth" (Garrett 33). In addition to being a part of such lively conversations, Shelley had also read Sir Humphrey Davy's Discourse on Chemistry prior to penning her novel. Davy's notes conclude that chemistry grants man " powers . . . which have enabled him to modify and change the beings surrounding him, and by his experiments to interrogate nature with power, not simp...

Discuss 'residential satisfaction' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Discuss 'residential satisfaction' - Essay Example With this backdrop, people seek to stay in houses which give them complete residential satisfaction by way of good neighbourly relations, peaceful surroundings, serene environment, suitable facilities and good administration of residential complexes. Depending on individual tastes and preferences, aspirations and satisfaction levels change but most house owners or tenants prefer to seek better houses in order to get full residential satisfaction in all respects whenever their aspirations are not met with in their existing homes. As everyone commonly understands, satisfaction is a state of happiness derived through fulfilment of an objective. It can be more clearly described as a sort of contentment one gains by fulfilling a desire, need or hope. Residential satisfaction is therefore a certain state of happiness gained by a person in all respects in relation to his / her residence, own or rented. Going by common knowledge, people would generally tend to continue to reside in houses where full satisfaction is sustained in relation to their neighbours, environment, facilities available and maintenance of the premises. When one runs out of residential satisfaction with regard to any of these issues, he or she may opt to move out of it in search of better residential satisfaction. In such a case, either the house is sold off or vacated by the occupant. Golledge and Stimson (1996: 473) quite appropriately describe ‘residential satisfaction’ as the meeting point of the residential achievement with the residential aspiration. Aspirations are not similar and most of the times, they differ depending on the different tastes of people. This is especially so with regard to a dwelling unit. Because of the different perceptions of different people on how to achieve residential satisfaction, all house owners would not display the same level of satisfaction from a single residential environment (Galster, 1987: 93). One therefore has to understand

Local Politician Event in Ireland Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Local Politician Event in Ireland - Assignment Example In here, the work starts in planning, staffing, delegating, handling of resources and finances, monitoring the flow of the plan, execution of plan, implementation and post production endeavors. In other words, in handling a certain event one has to understand the 3 P's of it- The Pre Production, Production and the post production. There are several varieties of even and production with different purposes. In dealing with such things, one has to understand the nature of the event and intended outcome. This paper will deal on handling even wherein there is a fundraising event for a local politician running for election. This paper will delve on things and key aspects with regards in realizing the success of an event in this kind of nature and how areas of concern are addressed in order to fulfill the objective of the event. In order to determine the necessary steps in handling events, the aid of relevant literature is crucial in determining the needed tasks and process in order to fulfill the requisites needed by a certain event. Special events magazine have described and defined common problems encircling issues with regards to event handling. "OFTEN, EVENT planners have a fairly consistent set of questions on their mind: I have a limited budget, yet I need AV - how do I set priorities in my budget If I want lighting, sound, video, staging and decor, should I just give each part of the production a smaller piece to make sure I get some of everything (Poulos 2005)" Dealing with events and production requires knowledge, expertise and views of critics explaining the tasks and essence of handling events and productions. Also, locolobo events (2007) further stated that "Event planning can come from anywhere; parties you've attended, magazines and library resources or more conveniently, the internet. Before you initiate the research process, create a task list. Do this by visualizing your definition of a flawless event, then note all the intricate details you need to create that winning outcome. Your list should contain all the elements needed for seamless event production. Venue selection, catering, tent or flatware rentals, entertainment, invitations and favors are just a snippet of the planning and preparation that goes into event production. The responsibility can be overwhelming for many people, especially for those trying to juggle event production with their every day responsibilities. With the right event planning tips, throwing a soiree do esn't have to be taxing." Local politician event in Ireland (Chinese National Day Ball Dublin) 3 Proposal to the client Before entering a discussion to the client regarding budget and related concerns with regards to event that is to be handled, one has to find and research possible information regarding the client and the event that he wanted to realize. Upon knowing this information, the client would know that you are interested in doing business with him and this thing would further strengthen the chance in obtaining the deal with him. In relation to this, the event organizer must also know if the client is new in encountering the event or has previous experiences which would be a basis in giving your proposal to him. The proposal must contain the

How top managements vision can be translated into operational goals Essay

How top managements vision can be translated into operational goals and why this is important - Essay Example The paper tells that in order to benefit from the vision of their top managements, organizations should translate this vision into operational goals. This can be achieved by applying a lot of management practices that are very specific. One tool for ensuring this is done is a scorecard. According to Kaplan and Norton, a scorecard helps managers of a company to clarify their vision for the firm and translate it into measurable objectives and actions that can be understood by employees. This also includes objectives that will enable the organization to balance and respond to the concerns of its stakeholders. The conversion of the vision of top management into operational goals is important because if articulated with effective strategies that are properly executed, it can provide one important way through which an organization can control its destiny. From the developed objectives, the management will be able to develop specific, workable strategies to support these objectives. These s trategies will touch both on primary and secondary management practices, deal with strategy paradox and guide on responsible restructuring. The translation of this vision into specific objectives that are unambiguous to the employees means the employees of the organizations will be in position to align their actions and efforts toward the achievement of core objectives/business of the organization. Generally, it provides a list of operational measures that act as powerful drivers, good for future financial performance. References Kaplan, R. and Norton, D. (1996). The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action. (1st Ed). Havard. Harvard Business Review Press. An organization that has experienced a virtuous spiral and how it compares with the concepts presented in "Treat People Right" An example of an organization that has experienced a virtuous growth is Southwest Airlines and an examination of its situation shows a high correlation to the concepts presented in "Treat Peopl e Right". In this book, Lawler explains how individuals and organizations are interdependent in that they can propel each other into a virtuous spiral of success. He explains that organizations that value and reward their employees motivate them to perform better and this in turn pushes the organization to attain greater levels of accomplishments in agreement with Helge (2006). There is an adequate implementation of the 7 principles outlined in Treating People Right in Southwest Airlines and the company has achieved impressive results because of this. Lawler (2004) explains that the company is a people focused organization that always seeks quality relationship with its employees and identifies its people as its competitive advantage. The Airline has placed an emphasis on careful selection of employees, developing a work environment that is employee-friendly, giving employees the autonomy to control their work and jobs, stock ownership and profit sharing for all employees, and provi ding them with opportunities for growth, development and advancement within the organization. The outcome of this has been excellent customer service which is important for airlines because it influences the attitude of customers toward the company. It has also led to the elimination of the hostile labor relationship common in all other major airlines. Despite being highly unionized, the Airline has never had a strike and this has improved its image in the market. It is mentioned both by employees and customers as one of the best workplaces. References Helge, D. (2006). â€Å"Employee Motivation, Engagement & Retention - Use Corporate Culture to Overcome Negativity.†

The Enlightenment of Handsome Lake Essay Example for Free

The Enlightenment of Handsome Lake Essay During the mid eighteen century a change in thinking accumulated. This new way of thinking is called Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a time of insightfulness, finding a meaning and way to understand the universe. There were many Enlightenment speakers who wanted to share bright new ideas to the people. Such as Handsome Lake whom in â€Å"How America Was Discovered† had a vision regarding a change for his people. Handsome Lake enlightenment was a new approach for the traditional religion of his people. According to Handsome Lake his people way of life was perishing. The family togetherness had become a distant memory. The willingness to help a fellowman was null and void at this time. Due to the white man’s many gifts including poison (alcohol), and also the witches was corrupting them. Several new teachings were needed for the Iroquois people. First they had to know how the evil came about in order to correct it and move forward. Secondly, they had to understand how they were living was not of God (religion tradition). Third they had to realize life that they once new were no more; they had to adapt to the evolving universe. He enlightens with a story of a young minister seeking the face of God. In his wavering the young man found the devil according to Handsome Lake. The devil tells the man of a place where it was plentiful. Where he would become a rich man and have position of power. This proposal was very enticing for a young man wanting to do God’s will.. After the corruption had taken over, Handsome had a vision come to him with direction and defined the sin that his people had to repent of. ) Their previous way of life was virtuous, no evil habits or appetites for evil. At this point Handsome Lake visions and teaching included the talk of witchcraft, in love magic, in abortion and in drunkenness. These sinful acts gave concern for the people of Iroquois salvation. () Handsome knew the world was moving fast and leaving his people to destruction. The new teaching was called Gai’wiio and is believed to be practice today. The attempt to open the people mind to allow them to understand what was happening to them as a people.

Terrorism: Media Simplistically Portrays War as Good vs. Evil :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Media Simplistically Portrays War as Good vs. Evil    The morning of September 11, 2001, will be a communal memory for many around the world.   On this morning, peace was threatened by terrorism on United States ¹ soil and the U.S. declared war in defense of peace. The majority of television, print, and internet media coverage of these events have focused around a discussion of good vs. evil.   In this paper, I will address ways in which hegemonic and counterhegemonic forms of media have contributed to the discussion of good vs. evil at war.    The depiction of good (us) vs. evil (them) in the media has justified war in the name of peace.   The United States ¹ first visual of good vs. evil came with television broadcast statements from the leaders of this war.   From this, the American public ascertained that the evil guys are led by Osama bin Laden who promised that  ³America will not live in peaceÃ…  1 ² sitting atop a rock outside a cave.   In turn, the good guys are led by President George W. Bush who, from his leather chair in the White House, asserted  ³We are at war with terrorism.2 ²Ã‚   These broadcasts became proof for many that  ³they ² attacked peace therefore  ³we ² were justified in declaring war. President Bush extended this belief by reminding the American public that,  ³If you ¹re not with us, you ¹re against us.3 ²Ã‚   This statement called all of America to war against terrorism; Bush ¹s comment implied that those in opposition are the enemy.   As one of the most access ible forms of news, television has become the most powerful form of social pedagogy.   With few exceptions, television has succeeded in perpetuating and legitimizing a hegemonic good vs. evil mentality where  ³we ² are good and  ³they ² are bad.   One could argue that few have sufficient media literacy skills to deconstruct dominant messages put forth by the majority of television networks.    Conversely, internet and print media have, on more occasions, provided counterhegemonic alternative readings on the September 11 events.   One can still visit mainstream websites such as NBC, ABC, FOX, and CNN to view hegemonic references of good vs. evil.   A series of clicks on one ¹s mouse can take a web surfer from photos of candlelight vigils and Twin Tower donation centers to sites where one can watch Powell and Bush, singing calypso, about the demise of Osama Bin Laden as well as play an interactive torture game on the leader of evil4.

The Vampire Diaries: Dark Reunion Chapter Four

Meredith tilted an ironic glance at Matt. â€Å"Hmm,† she said. â€Å"Now, who do you think Elena would call in time of trouble?† Bonnie's grin gave way to a twinge of guilt at Matt's expression. It wasn't fair to tease him about this. â€Å"Elena said that the killer is too strong for us and that's why we need help,† she told Matt. â€Å"And I can think of only one person Elena knows who could fight off a psychic killer.† Slowly, Matt nodded. Bonnie couldn't tell what he was feeling. He and Stefan had been best friends once, even after Elena had chosen Stefan over Matt. But that had been before Matt found out what Stefan was, and what kind of violence he was capable of. In his rage and grief over Elena's death Stefan had nearly killed Tyler Smallwood and five other guys. Could Matt really forget that? Could he even deal with Stefan coming back to Fell's Church? Matt's square-jawed face gave no sign now, and Meredith was talking again. â€Å"So all we need to do is let some blood and cut some hair. You won't miss a curl or two, will you, Bonnie?† Bonnie was so abstracted that she almost missed this. Then she shook her head. â€Å"No, no, no. It isn't our blood and hair we need. We need it from the person we want to summon.† â€Å"What? But that's ridiculous. If we had Stefan's blood and hair we wouldn't need to summon him, would we?† â€Å"I didn't think of that,† Bonnie admitted. â€Å"Usually with a summoning spell you get the stuff beforehand and use it when you want to call a person back. What are we going to do, Meredith? It's impossible.† Meredith's brows were drawn together. â€Å"Why would Elena ask it if it were impossible?† â€Å"Elena asked lots of impossible things,† Bonnie said darkly. â€Å"Don't look like that, Matt; you know she did. She wasn't a saint.† â€Å"Maybe, but this one isn't impossible,† Matt said. â€Å"I can think of one place where Stefan's blood has got to be, and if we're lucky some of his hair, too. In the crypt.† Bonnie flinched, but Meredith simply nodded. â€Å"Of course,† she said. â€Å"While Stefan was tied up there, he must have bled all over the place. And in that kind of fight he might have lost some hair. If only everything down there has been left undisturbed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I don't think anybody's been down there since Elena died,† Matt said. â€Å"The police investigated and then left it. But there's only one way to find out.† I was wrong, Bonnie thought. I was worrying about whether Matt could deal with Stefan coming back, and here he is doing everything he can to help us summon him. â€Å"Matt, I could kiss you!† she said. â€Å"All the girls say that,† he replied calmly at last, with a shrug of mock resignation. It was as close as he'd gotten to lightheartedness all day. Meredith, however, was serious. â€Å"Let's go. We've got a lot to do, and the last thing we want is to get stuck in the crypt after dark.† The crypt was beneath the ruined church that stood on a hill in the cemetery. It's only late afternoon, plenty of light left, Bonnie kept telling herself as they walked up the hill, but goose-flesh broke out on her arms anyway. The modern cemetery on one side was bad enough, but the old graveyard on the other side was downright spooky even in daylight. There were so many crumbling headstones tilting crazily in the overgrown grass, representing so many young men killed in the Civil War. You didn't have to be psychic to feel their presence. â€Å"Unquiet spirits,† she muttered. â€Å"Hmm?† said Meredith as she stepped over the pile of rubble that was one wall of the ruined church. â€Å"Look, the lid of the tomb's still off. That's good news; I don't think we would have been able to lift it.† Bonnie's eyes lingered wistfully on the white marble statues carved on the displaced lid. Hon-oria Fell lay there with her husband, hands folded on her breast, looking as gentle and sad as ever. But Bonnie knew there would be no more help from that quarter. Honoria's duties as protector of the town she'd founded were done. Leaving Elena holding the bag, Bonnie thought grimly, looking down into the rectangular hole that led to the crypt. Iron rungs disappeared into darkness. Even with the help of Meredith's flashlight it was hard to climb down into that underground room. Inside, it was dank and silent, the walls faced with polished stone. Bonnie tried not to shiver. â€Å"Look,† said Meredith quietly. Matt had the flashlight trained on the iron gate that separated the anteroom of the crypt from its main chamber. The stone below was stained black with blood in several places. Looking at the puddles and rivulets of dried gore made Bonnie feel dizzy. â€Å"We know Damon was hurt the worst,† Meredith said, moving forward. She sounded calm, but Bonnie could hear the tight control in her voice. â€Å"So he must have been on this side where there's the most blood. Stefan said Elena was in the center. That means Stefan himself must have been†¦ here.† She bent down. â€Å"I'll do it,† Matt said gruffly. â€Å"You hold the light.† With a plastic picnic knife from Meredith's car he scraped at the encrusted stone. Bonnie swallowed, glad she'd had only tea for lunch. Blood was all right in the abstract, but when you were actually confronted with so much of it-especially when it was the blood of a friend who'd been tortured†¦ And then, thought Bonnie, she faked her own death to get Stefan and Damon to stop fighting over her. But it didn't work. They hated each other more than ever, and she hated both of them for that. She'd gone back to the vampire who made her, and over the years she'd turned as evil as he was. Until at last all she wanted to do was destroy the brothers she had once loved. She'd lured them both to Fell's Church to kill them, and this room was where she'd almost succeeded in doing it. Elena had died stopping her. â€Å"There,† Matt said, and Bonnie blinked and came back to herself. Matt was standing with a paper napkin that now held flakes of Stefan's blood in its folds. â€Å"Now the hair,† he said. They swept the floor with their fingers, finding dust and bits of leaves and fragments of things Bonnie didn't want to identify. Among the detritus were long strands of pale gold hair. Elena's-or Katherine's, Bonnie thought. They had looked much alike. There were also shorter strands of dark hair, crisp with a slight wave. Stefan's. It was slow, finicky work sorting through it all and putting the right hairs in another napkin. Matt did most of it. When they were through, they were all tired and the light sifting down through the rectangular opening in the ceiling was dim blue. But Meredith smiled tigerishly. â€Å"We've got it,† she said. â€Å"Tyler wants Stefan back; well, we'll give him Stefan back.† And Bonnie, who had been only half paying attention to what she was doing, still lost in her own thoughts, froze. She'd been thinking about other things entirely, nothing to do with Tyler, but at the mention of his name something had winked on in her mind. Something she'd realized in the parking lot and then forgotten afterward in the heat of arguing. Meredith's words had triggered it and now it was suddenly all clear again. How had he known! she wondered, heart racing. â€Å"Bonnie? What's the matter?† â€Å"Meredith,† she said softly, â€Å"did you tell the police specifically that we were in the living room when everything was going on upstairs with Sue?† â€Å"No, I think I just said we were downstairs. Why?† â€Å"Bonnie, if you're trying to suggest Tyler was the murderer, it just won't wash. He's not smart enough to organize a killing spree, for one thing,† Meredith said. â€Å"But there's something else. Meredith, last year at the Junior Prom, Tyler touched me on my bare shoulder. I'll never forget it. His hand was big, and meaty, and hot, and damp.† Bonnie shivered at the recollection. â€Å"Just like the hand that grabbed me last night.† But Meredith was shaking her head, and even Matt looked unconvinced. â€Å"Elena's sure wasting her time asking us to bring back Stefan, then,† he said. â€Å"I could take care of Tyler with a couple of right hooks.† â€Å"Think about it, Bonnie,† Meredith added. â€Å"Does Tyler have the psychic power to move a Ouija board or come into your dreams? Does he?† He didn't. Psychically speaking, Tyler was as much a dud as Caroline. Bonnie couldn't deny it. But she couldn't deny her intuition, either. It didn't make sense, but she still felt Tyler had been in the house last night. â€Å"We'd better get moving,† Meredith said. â€Å"It's dark, and your father's going to be furious.† They were all silent on the ride home. Bonnie was still thinking about Tyler. Once at her house they smuggled the napkins upstairs and began looking through Bonnie's books on Druids and Celtic magic. Ever since she'd discovered that she was descended from the ancient race of magic workers, Bonnie had been interested in the Druids. And in one of the books she found a ritual for a summoning spell. â€Å"We need to buy candles,† she said. â€Å"And pure water-better get some bottled,† she said to Meredith. â€Å"And chalk to draw a circle on the floor, and something to make a small fire in. I can find those in the house. There's no hurry; the spell has to be done at midnight.† Midnight was a long time coming. Meredith bought the necessary items at a grocery store and brought them back. They ate dinner with Bonnie's family, though no one had much of an appetite. By eleven o'clock Bonnie had the circle drawn on the hardwood floor of her bedroom and all the other ingredients on a low bench inside the circle. On the stroke of twelve she started. With Matt and Meredith watching, she made a small fire in an earthenware bowl. Three candles were burning behind the bowl; she stuck a pin halfway down the one in the center. Then she unfolded a napkin and carefully stirred the dried flakes of blood into a wineglass of water. It turned rusty pink. She opened the other napkin. Three pinches of dark hair went into the fire, sizzling with a terrible smell. Then three drops of the stained water, hissing. Swift on the heel thou comest, Thrice summoned by my spell, Thrice troubled by my burning. Come to me without delay. She read the words aloud slowly, three times. Then she sat back on her heels. The fire went on burning smokily. The candle flames danced. â€Å"And now what?† Matt said. â€Å"I don't know. It just says wait for the middle candle to burn down to the pin.† â€Å"And what then?† â€Å"I guess we'll find out when it happens.† In Florence, it was dawn. Stefan watched the girl move down the stairway, one hand resting lightly on the banister to keep her balance. Her movements were slow and slightly dreamlike, as if she were floating. Suddenly, she swayed and clutched at the banister more tightly. Stefan moved quickly behind her and put a hand under her elbow. â€Å"Are you all right?† She looked up at him with the same dreaminess. She was very pretty. Her expensive clothes were the latest fashion and her stylishly disarrayed hair was blond. A tourist. He knew she was American before she spoke. â€Å"Yes†¦ I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her brown eyes were unfocused. â€Å"Do you have a way to get home? Where are you staying?† â€Å"On Via dei Conti, near the Medici chapel. I'm with the Gonzaga in Florence program.† Damn! Not a tourist, then; a student. And that meant she'd be carrying this story back with her, telling her classmates about the handsome Italian guy she'd met last night. The one with night-dark eyes. The one who took her back to his exclusive place on Via Tornabuoni and wined her and dined her and then, in the moonlight, maybe, in his room or out in the enclosed courtyard, leaned close to look into her eyes and†¦ Stefan's gaze slid away from the girl's throat with its two reddened puncture wounds. He'd seen marks like that so often-how could they still have the power to disturb him? But they did; they sickened him and set a slow burning in his gut. â€Å"What's your name?† â€Å"Rachael. With an a.† She spelled it. â€Å"All right, Rachael. Look at me. You will go back to your pensione and you won't remember anything about last night. You don't know where you went or who you saw. And you've never seen me before, either. Repeat.† â€Å"Good. Do you have money to get back? Here.† Stefan pulled a fistful of crumpled lire-mostly 50,000 and 100,000 notes-out of his pocket and led her outside. When she was safely in a cab, he went back inside and made straight for Damon's bedroom. Damon was lounging near the window, peeling an orange, not even dressed yet. He looked up, annoyed, as Stefan entered. â€Å"It's customary to knock,† he said. â€Å"Where'd you meet her?† said Stefan. And then, when Damon turned a blank stare on him, he added, â€Å"That girl. Rachael.† â€Å"Was that her name? I don't think I bothered to ask. At Bar Gilli. Or perhaps it was Bar Mario. Why?† Stefan struggled to contain his anger. â€Å"That's not the only thing you didn't bother to do. You didn't bother to influence her to forget you, either. Do you want to get caught, Damon?† Damon's lips curved in a smile and he twisted off a curlicue of orange peel. â€Å"I am never caught, little brother,† he said. â€Å"So what are you going to do when they come after you? When somebody realizes, ‘My God, there's a bloodsucking monster on Via Tornabuoni'? Kill them all? Wait until they break down the front door and then melt away into darkness?† Damon met his gaze directly, challengingly, that faint smile still clinging about his lips. â€Å"Why not?† he said. â€Å"Damn you!† said Stefan. â€Å"Listen to me, Damon. This has got to stop.† â€Å"I'm touched at your concern for my safety.† â€Å"It isn't fair, Damon. To take an unwilling girl like that-â€Å" â€Å"Oh, she was willing, brother. She was very, very willing.† â€Å"Did you tell her what you were going to do? Did you warn her about the consequences of exchanging blood with a vampire? The nightmares, the psychic visions? Was she willing for that?† Damon clearly wasn't going to reply, so he went on. â€Å"You know it's wrong.† â€Å"As a matter of fact, I do.† With that, Damon gave one of his sudden, unnerving smiles, turning it on and off instantly. Damon tossed away the orange. His tone was silky, persuasive. â€Å"Little brother, the world is full of what you call ‘wrong,' † he said. â€Å"Why not relax and join the winning side? It's much more fun, I assure you.† Stefan felt himself go hot with anger. â€Å"How can you even say that?† he flashed back. â€Å"Didn't you learn anything from Katherine? She chose ‘the winning side.' â€Å" â€Å"Katherine died too quickly,† said Damon. He was smiling again, but his eyes were cold. â€Å"And now all you can think about is revenge.† Looking at his brother, Stefan felt a crushing weight settle on his own chest. â€Å"That and your own pleasure,† he said. â€Å"What else is there? Pleasure is the only reality, little brother-pleasure and power. And you're a hunter by nature, just as much as I am,† Damon said. He added, â€Å"I don't remember inviting you to come to Florence with me, anyway. Since you're not enjoying yourself, why don't you just leave?† The weight in Stefan's chest tightened suddenly, unbearably, but his gaze, locked with Damon's, did not waver. â€Å"You know why,† he said quietly. And at last he had the satisfaction of seeing Damon's eyes drop. Stefan himself could hear Elena's words in his mind. She'd been dying then, and her voice had been weak, but he'd heard her clearly. You have to take care of each other. Stefan, will you promise? Promise to take care of each other? And he had promised, and he would keep his word. No matter what. â€Å"You know why I don't leave,† he said again to Damon, who wouldn't look at him. â€Å"You can pretend you don't care. You can fool the whole world. But I know differently.† It would have been kindest at this point to leave Damon alone, but Stefan wasn't in a kind mood. â€Å"You know that girl you picked up, Rachael?† he added. â€Å"The hair was all right, but her eyes were the wrong color. Elena's eyes were blue.† With that he turned, meaning to leave Damon here to think it over-if Damon would do anything so constructive, of course. But he never made it to the door. â€Å"It's there!† said Meredith sharply, her eyes on the candle flame and the pin. Bonnie sucked in her breath. Something was opening in front of her like a silver thread, a silver tunnel of communication. She was rushing along it, with no way to stop herself or check her speed. Oh, God, she thought, when I reach the end and hit – The flash in Stefan's head was soundless, lightless, and powerful as a thunderclap. At the same time he felt a violent, wrenching tug. An urge to follow- something. This was not like Katherine's sly subliminal nudging to go somewhere; this was a psychic shout. A command that could not be disobeyed. Inside the flash he sensed a presence, but he could scarcely believe who it was. this was a psychic shout. A command that could not be disobeyed. Inside the flash he sensed a presence, but he could scarcely believe who it was. Stefan! It's you! It worked! Bonnie, what have you done? Elena told me to. Honestly, Stefan, she did. We're in trouble and we need- And that was it. The communication collapsed, caving in on itself, dwindling to a pinpoint. It was gone, and in its aftermath the room vibrated with Power. Stefan and his brother were left staring at each other. Bonnie let out a long breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and opened her eyes, though she didn't remember closing them. She was lying on her back. Matt and Meredith were crouched over her, looking alarmed. â€Å"What happened? Did it work?† Meredith demanded. â€Å"It worked.† She let them help her up. â€Å"I made contact with Stefan. I talked to him. Now all we can do is wait and see if he's coming or not.† â€Å"Did you mention Elena?† Matt asked. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then he's coming.†