My Papas Waltz Essays - Alcohol Abuse, Drinking Culture,

My Papa's Waltz In "My Papa's Waltz", Roethke discusses a very heartbreaking and distressful situation. He talks about alcoholism in the family and how it affects the members of the family. Growing up in a family full of alcoholism and abuse, I can relate to the point of view that this poem is written in. Although it is very sad, all of these things the poet describes are true of a family cursed with alcoholism. Whiskey breath had always been a familiar smell to me until I moved to Baton Rouge. The people in my household would drink all day long, starting with the morning cup of coffee and ending whenever their bodies just passed out from drunkenness. Whenever drunks come home from the bars, parties, etc. they cause havack throughout the house. Arguing and making lots of noise are two qualities all too familiar to me. People who drink will argue with anyone who tries to talk to them reasonably and will even get violent and destructive at times. As for being a spouse of a drunk, I have never been married but have experienced a scenario similar to that of being married. During high school, I dated a guy that was quite older than I and he was of legal age to drink already. Whenever he would go out to the clubs with his friends drinking he would always come home to his apartment and if I was there and everything was not clean and perfectly in order he would burst into fits of anger. He would yell, scream and throw things at me and even sometimes he would physically abuse me. In the morning, after there was time to sleep off the effects of the alcohol he would always apologize saying that he was going to slack off and try to quit drinking, but as we know that never happens. Finally in March of 1995, he went to get help and before we could find out if the long ordeal of the past four years was over God decided it was time for him to go to a better place where all of the problems would dissappear. Because of the horrible ways alcohol has affected me in the past 21 years it makes me not like drinking or going out to bars because it usually leads to bad things.

Catagorical Imperative Essays - Kantianism, Deontological Ethics

Catagorical Imperative Essays - Kantianism, Deontological Ethics Catagorical Imperative The only acceptable motive for a moral action is that it should be done as a sense of moral duty. Is this a justifiable claim? Before it is possible to analyse whether the statement, The only acceptable motive for a moral action is that it should be done as a sense of moral duty, is a justifiable claim we must consider what ones moral duty is and if is it dependant or independent on the consequence of its action? For example we could state ones moral duty is never to lie. It is popularly believed that to lie is detrimental to ones own reputation and often causes emotional and social damage. But what if this principal causes damage itself. Truth telling for a negative means can be just as harmful. Imagine you are told by a person fleeing from a murderer that he is going home to hide. Successively you are approached by the murderer demanding to know where that man went. Your moral duty would then oblige you to inform the murderer despite the possible fatal consequence. When studying the diverse issue of duty it is necessary to look at the view of the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) who stated, Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing wonder and awe the starry heaven above me and the moral law within me. Kant understood the word ought to be generally used in non-moral way. For example, if you want to be better at school, you ought to study hard. The inclination of the ought implies that studying would be the correct moral path to take. However Kant stated that this is only relevant to the individuals desire to be better at school. Those who do not wish to do well at school need not study hard. Therefore it is a Hypothetical Imperative and the use of the word ought makes moral actions not universal. A hypothetical good act depends on the desire for a result teleogically rather than something good in itself. From Kants perspective, morality had little to do with fulfilling ones desire for happiness, but was more to do with duty. He believed that to do ones duty was to follow a set of universal moral laws. As in the case of the murderer, it was ones duty to inform him where the victim was hiding. Kants views are referred to as The Categorical Imperative. This was an injunction, to be ob eyed as a moral duty, regardless of an individuals impulse and self-interest. However what if an individuals impulse was to give to charity, would Kant condemn them because it wasnt out of a sense of duty? This would be an unfair judgement as the person was doing good. In fact according to Kant their act would be immoral independent of the consequence. But perhaps if they also had the sense of duty and would give to charity even if they were unwilling they would be morally coherent. The rules by which the Categorical Imperative is constructed upon could be considered as Gods unconditional commands. They dont appeal to theological or even teleological considerations but adhere with a deontological argument from reason and rationality. The moral duties are followed because they are ends in themselves rather than some other ends. Kant did appreciate the fact that humans have desires as they are not wholly rational. However the ability to reason can make them strive to follow their duty rather than impulse. However this doesnt mean ones inclination is necessarily wrong, only that it cannot determine their moral duty. In the Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant argued that to be moral one must follow absolute rules. In this there can be no exceptions despite the consequence, as he stated that the only thing that is good without qualification is good will. Therefore one must act as if the maxim of their action was to become a universal law. This is known as the Formula of Universal Law. Basically it is saying whatever moral decision you make you should be able to consider if it would be possible for everyone else to do the same, would it make rational sense? For if an act of good is

The Invention and History of Bubble Gum

The Invention and History of Bubble Gum Chewing gum has a history that spans as far back as the ancient Greeks, who chewed the resin from mastic trees. But it wasnt until 1928 that Walter Diemer happened upon just the right gum recipe to make the very first bubble gum, a special type of chewing gum that allows the chewer to blow big pink bubbles. Earlier Attempts Diemer might have invented bubble gum, but he wasnt the first person who wanted to make gum bubbles. There were earlier attempts at making bubble gum in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but these bubble gums did not sell well because they were considered too wet and usually broke before a good bubble was formed. Diemers Bubble Gum Diemer gets the credit for inventing the first successful type of bubble gum. At the time, 23-year-old Diemer was an accountant for Fleer Chewing Gum Company, and he experimented with new gum recipes in his spare time. Diemer thought it was an accident when he hit upon a formula that was less sticky and more flexible than other types of chewing gum, characteristics that allowed a chewer to make bubbles (even if this discovery took him a year of failed attempts.) Then Diemer actually did have an accident: He lost the recipe the day after his discovery and it took him four months to figure it out again. Why Pink? Diemer used a pink dye for his new gum because pink was the only color available at the Fleer Chewing Gum Company. Pink remains the industry standard for bubble gum. Dubble Bubble To test his new recipe, Diemer took 100 samples of the new gum to a nearby store, selling it for a penny apiece. It sold out in a single day. Realizing they had a new, popular type of gum, the owners of Fleer marketed Diemers new gum as Dubble Bubble. To help sell the new bubble gum, Diemer himself taught salespeople how to blow bubbles so that they, in turn, could teach potential customers. Sales broke $1.5 million in the first year. In 1930, packages including a Fleer Funnies color comic featuring characters Dub and Bub were introduced. In 1950, Dub and Bub were dropped for Pud and his pals. Production of Dubble Bubble was halted during World War II because of a shortage of latex and sugar needed for manufacturing. Dubble Bubble remained the only bubble gum on the market in the United States until Bazooka bubble gum appeared after World War II, with the competing comic Bazooka Joe. Evolution of Bubble Gum You can now buy bubble gum in the original sugary pink form, as a small piece wrapped in paper, or as gumballs. And it now comes in a variety of flavors. Besides the original, you can get bubble gum in grape, apple, and watermelon. Gumballs come in original flavor plus blue raspberry, cotton candy, cinnamon apple, green apple, cinnamon, fancy  fruit, and watermelon. Plus you can get gumballs that look like baseballs or smiley faces.

Management of stress incontinence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Management of stress incontinence - Essay Example Stress incontinence can therefore be seen to be unrelated with psychological stress, though it remains the commonest form of urinary incontinence. Thus, the definition of stress incontinence as leakage of urine as a result of straining, coughing, sneezing, or sudden voluntary movement due to incompetence of the sphyncteric mechanisms can be lent credence. According to Chapple and Cardozo (2006, 16), women have been found to be more prone to stress incontinence, compared to men. Statistical provisions from reputable researchers point out that the preponderance of stress incontinence among women increases with age, so that 1 in 5 women who are over 40 suffer from some degree of stress incontinence. Becker (2005, 11) is poignant that those who experience stress incontinence are always subject to embarrassment, isolation, underperformance at the workplace, and a receding social life, especially when leisure activities and exercise form part of this social life. This makes management of s tress incontinence a crucial undertaking which has been much celebrated. Management of Stress Incontinence There are several approaches to managing stress incontinence. Many medical practitioners heavily rely on physiotherapy. This involves, subjecting the patient to (prescribed) exercises, as a way of strengthening pelvic floor muscles. Since the target is mainly strengthening pelvic floor muscles, pelvic floor exercises form the main part of this prescription. The applicability of using exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles is based on the fact that kidneys constantly make urine. Because of this, trickles of urine constantly pass to the bladder, before going down to the ureters. The urters are tubes that connect the kidney to the bladder. The amount of urine a person makes depends on how much an individual drinks, eats and sweats (Collier and Longmore, 2003, 61). The crux of the matter herein is that the bladder comprises muscles, and also stores urine. That the bladder is elastic is underscored by it expanding like a balloon as it gets filled with urine. The urethra as the outlet for urine remains closed. It is the pelvic floor muscles that regulate the opening and closing of the urethra. As a certain amount of urine fills the bladder, one becomes aware of having a full bladder. On going to the lavatory to pass urine, the muscles of the bladder contract and squeeze the urethra. The pelvic floor muscles then get to relax. Complex nerve messages are relayed to the brain as the central nervous system, the bladder and then the pelvic floor muscles. It is these messages that prompt a person, informing him that his bladder is full and also prompt the right muscles to either relax or contract at the right time. Thus, the foregoing clearly shows that prescribing pelvic floor exercises for the stress incontinent will help tighten the muscles of the urethra and the bladder, and thereby helping stop unintended flow of urine. According to Bo, (2007, 34 a) and Ga rtley (2012, 75), kegel exercises have also been recommended as the best way of retraining and strengthening sphincter and pelvic floor muscles, as a way of reducing stress leakage. Kegel exercises have mostly proven most beneficial to those below 60 years. To this effect, it is a standard observation that the patient should do at least do 24 contractions daily, for at least 42 days (6 weeks). The physiotherapist

Bachelor of Business - Paper on Leadership Issues Research

Bachelor of Business - on Leadership Issues - Research Paper Example However, to be an effective leader, it is important that leaders know the boundaries of their authority. Likewise, as leaders, it is important to be able to set good examples because people tend to emulate the things that are being done by the people who are over them on the corporate ladder. Hence, the ethics of leaders come into play crucially. However, there are many interpretations of what ethics is about. Some would say that ethics is about right and wrong or about religious beliefs. Interestingly, some would say that it is about being a law abiding citizen while some would say that it is doing what is generally accepted. However, confining ethics to each of the foregoing examples may be impossible such as religion which has a very high moral standard. It may also be a problem to equate it with laws or to what is generally accepted since these may likewise deviate from what is truly ethical. Basically, ethics are about having a high standard about what is right and wrong that st ates what people ought to do. Likewise, it is also the learning process as well as the development of one’s standards of being ethical (Velasquez et al 2010). Nowadays, ethical issues pervade companies especially when there are issues divulged by employees who are unable to take in things that are going badly for the company. As such, when certain anomalies are divulged by employees or former anomalies, these become cases of whistle-blowing. It is thus important to make this distinction because it is in these cases that leaders’ ethical issues come into play since these are the things that they can directly influence. All other disclosures that are not made by employees or former employees are not cases of whistle-blowing (Sollars 2001). It is very important for leaders to ensure that issues pertaining to whistle-blowing are handle with utmost professionalism as these may easily expose the ethical standards that they posses. Hence, these will be the focus of the case i n point. What recommendations for action would you make to the senior management? Basically, the case presented a company that went from bad to worse after the initial incident of whistle-blowing that exposed major anomalies resulting to unpleasant things such as investigations and even arrests. It was an unfortunate turn that instead of having an improvement in operations, the company’s output further dropped not to mention the morale of the employees. Hence, it is important for the top management to first recognize that the business environment of today has evolved to a level that has provided a more conducive environment for whistle-blowing. The major advances in technology have tremendously improved the capability of communications enabling new channels and ways of providing and getting information in ways unimagined just a decade and a half ago. Likewise, companies must be made aware that these technological improvements have brought in a new era for businesses known as the information age effectively phasing out the industrial stage. Thus, with this new age comes a new breed of manpower known as knowledge workers. In fact, many such employees are making their way deep into the corporate world (Serrat, 2008). This only means that people nowadays know better and can communicate easier which has made disclosures of anomalies easier. Thus, it is important that the senior manage

Personal Healthy Living Plan Essay Example for Free

Personal Healthy Living Plan Essay

Rosa Parks :: essays research papers

Rosa Parks On December l, 1955, Rosa Parks got on the bus because she was feeling tired after a long day at work. She was sitting in the middle of the bus, which she wasn’t allowed to do. After a while a white man got on the bus and told her that her and some other people to get up because the white part of the bus was full. All the Black people except for her moved to the back of the bus but her, she refused to get up. When this happened the white bus driver threatened to call the police unless she gave up her seat, but she said no and "Go ahead and call them". When the police got there, the driver was very mad and then the police asked the driver if he wanted Mrs. Parks to be arrested or let go with a warning, he said he wanted her to be arrested arrest. Many Black had been arrested for this crime but Mrs. Park was well known in her community because she was once a secretary for the president of the NAACP (National Association of the Advancement of Colored People). She was al lowed to make one phone call. She called a NAACP lawyer, The lawyer got her release through bail. Just because of this one time that a black woman stood up to society she started the civil rights movement, which got the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which made sure that â€Å"All black Americans must be given equal treatment with whites under the law.† It was an "established rule" in the American south (at that time) that African-American riders had to sit at the back of the bus. African-American riders were also expected to surrender their seat to a white bus rider if it was needed. (Levenglick, p1) Mrs. Parks had been called as "the mother of the civil rights movement". Since the boycott had been started she was getting threats, which caused her husband to have a nervous breakdown, and in 1957 they both moved to Detroit, where one of Mrs. Parks's brother lived. The bus boycott When people heard that Mrs. Parks had been arrested the Women's Political Council d ecided to protest her treatment by organizing a boycott of the buses.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 10

Dante promptly passed out after sex later that night, but I stayed awake for a while. Rolling over at last, I turned my back to him and stared at my bedside table. I'd set Seth's book there, and now its spine stared out at me, like we were having a showdown to see who would look away first. Seth had given it to me as a gift, possibly a peace offering, yet I was afraid of it, afraid of how I might feel if I opened it. After ten minutes of staring, I finally reached for the book and scooted closer to the bed's edge so that I could get more light from my tiny reading lamp. Curling onto my side, I took a deep breath and opened up All Fools Night . First came the title page, then the dedication: For my niece Brandy, who dreams of great things and will achieve greater ones still . It was embarrassing, but I had almost for a moment speculated whether he might have dedicated the book to me. He'd finished it right around the time we first started dating, but he'd been editing and making small changes right up until the time we broke up. It was vanity, I supposed, to think there might be some sign of my time with Seth in the book. Yet, when I turned the page, I wondered. Before the first chapter, Seth always had a quote, something from a speech or possibly a verse from a poem that was relevant to the book. This was from a song: And if I only could I'd make a deal with God And I'd get Him to swap our places – â€Å"Running Up That Hill,† by Kate Bush I read the lyrics a couple of times, wondering if there was more to them or if I just wanted there to be more to them. I'd heard the song a long time ago, and it had had that poppy synth feel so common to music in the 1980s. I didn't recall this particular part. Finally, dragging my eyes away, I moved onto the heart of the book. Before meeting Seth, I'd rationed myself while reading his novels. I would only read five pages a day because I'd wanted to prolong the sweetness of that first reading. When something was really good, it was easy to dive into it, and before you knew it, the moment was gone. You'd burned through it. I experienced that too frequently in my long existence, and a strict reading schedule was a weak attempt to slow things down. When I settled into this book, though, I didn't really have a plan, and before long, I knew stopping at five pages was impossible. It was exquisite. While he had a few self-standing novels, this series-Cady and O'Neill-was his flagship one. At its basic level, this was just a mystery book, yet there was a wonderful, lyrical quality to Seth's writing that elevated him above the genre ghetto. Sure, there was action and a trail of clues, but his characters were also evolving, always growing in ways both wonderful and heartbreaking. Seth had a way of describing their feelings and their reactions in a style that was so real, it resonated with my own life and left an ache in my chest. Whether that was for his art or for the man himself, I couldn't say. It was only when Dante rolled over that I'd realized I'd been sniffling. â€Å"Are you crying, succubus?† â€Å"It's this book,† I said. I had just read a section where Cady and O'Neill were having a profound talk about life, and O'Neill had commented that all people were seeking both damnation and forgiveness, needing each to make sense of their existence. I was crying because it was true and because Seth had known it was true. â€Å"There are a lot of things to cry about in this world,† Dante said through a yawn. â€Å"Not sure a book should be one of them.† The clock read 4 a.m. by that point, and my eyes were bleary from tears and a need to sleep. I put down Seth's book-which I was now more than half-way through-and turned off the light. Dante shifted and threw an arm around me, resting his chin on my shoulder. His breathing grew heavy and regular, and before long, I joined him in sleep. The phone woke me up at an ungodly hour later in the morning. Dante was gone already. I found that surprising, but seeing as he hadn't gotten three hours of sleep, it might not have been that much of a leap. â€Å"Hello?† Finding the phone had been feat enough, let alone checking the caller ID. A frantic voice answered me. â€Å"Georgina? This is Blake.† â€Å"Blake?† I didn't think I knew any Blake. â€Å"Don't tell me you forgot about us?† He pronounced â€Å"about† as â€Å"aboot,† and it came back to me through my sleep-addled brain. â€Å"Oh, God. I'm sorry. Blake. From the Army.† Him calling me couldn't be a good sign. I sat up straighter in bed. â€Å"What's going on?† â€Å"They're doing something today†¦I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but I'm worried. I don't know much, except that it's big.† I was up and moving now, clothes and hair shape-shifting as I walked. â€Å"Do you have anything else? A time or place?† â€Å"Not yet. Evan's being really secretive about what he's telling us. He says the Angel wants it to be a need-to-know-thing and that we won't find out the details until the absolute last minute.† â€Å"Fuck.† I suspected the Angel was also trying to limit my knowledge as well. Flattering, but frustrating. â€Å"Okay, well, listen, I'm in Seattle, but I'm getting on the road right now. I should be there in two hours.† â€Å"You can't get up here in two hours,† he said incredulously. â€Å"I can if I don't drive the speed limit.† There was a bit of congestion within the city itself, but once I got a little north of it, the traffic cleared up. It was the morning commute; everyone wanted to get into Seattle. Once I had clear highway ahead of me, I dialed Cedric. I knew he wasn't going to like my lack of information, but considering how angry he'd been after last time, I had to at least make the attempt here to keep myself out of trouble. It was Kristin who answered. â€Å"He's having breakfast right now,† she told me. â€Å"It's kind of a special time for him. He doesn't like to be disturbed.† There was an anxious tone to her voice, and I could almost picture her arranging a breakfast tray just-so for him. â€Å"Yeah, well, he might be disturbed whether he likes it or not.† I told her what Blake had said, and her response was similar to mine. â€Å"That's all you've got?† â€Å"Their Angel's working on a need-to-know basis now,† I said bitterly. â€Å"I'll let you know more when I learn more. I just figured Cedric should know.† She sighed. â€Å"You're right. Thanks. Man, this is going to piss him off. He'll have no appetite at all.† I made the drive in the two hours I'd quoted Blake and miraculously didn't get pulled over. I hadn't heard from him the entire time, so I dialed him once I was over the border and buying coffee. I'd found a Starbucks and took a secret thrill in defying the Tim Hortons domination. Except†¦once I had the coffee in hand, I decided a donut would be really good with it, so I walked over and got one from the Tim's across the street. Blake didn't answer, so I tried Evan next and also got no answer. Frustrated, I drove over to Evan's house and knocked on the door for a while. I was nearly on the verge of climbing in through a back window when my phone rang again-and ironically, it was Evan himself. â€Å"Georgina!† he exclaimed, sounding ecstatic. â€Å"Where are you? We need you here.† â€Å"Where are you ?† I demanded. â€Å"On the observation deck,† he said. â€Å"Observation deck of what?† â€Å"The Space Needle. You live close by, don't you?† I nearly dropped the phone. â€Å"You're in Seattle ?† â€Å"Yeah!† I could perfectly picture that eager, zealous look of his. â€Å"Cool, huh? The Angel wanted us to expand our message. So, we're all up here with these banners that we're going to unfurl at the same time, and then we've got a few more surprises to-â€Å" â€Å"Evan,† I begged, sprinting toward my car. â€Å"Don't do it. You're stirring up more trouble than you realize.† â€Å"That's the point!† he chuckled. â€Å"How long until you can be here?† Once I told him I wasn't in the city, he lost interest, and my pleas became meaningless. As soon as we disconnected, I dialed Cedric, expecting to get Kristin. Instead, I got his voice mail. Somehow, that made me angry. â€Å"Cedric, this is Georgina. The Army isn't doing their thing here-they're down in Seattle right now. I hope you finally believe I didn't have anything to do with their stupid plans now! When Jerome finds out, it's going to be my ass on the line, and knowing my luck, he'll think you and I are working together.† Yes, this was one of those situations in which there was no way I could win. I was going to get in trouble no matter what I did, but again, I had to attempt damage control. Jerome had a cell phone that he never answered and didn't even have voice mail for. Hugh was the best way to get a hold of him-but he didn't pick up either. â€Å"Damn it!† I cried into his phone. â€Å"Doesn't anyone answer their fucking phones anymore?† I gave him a hasty recap of what was happening and told him to let Jerome or one of the demonesses know about the cult's plans, or else Jerome was going to get the same scrutiny from the higher-ups that Cedric had been getting. After that, there was nothing left for me to do except hit the road to Seattle again-something I was not happy about. Fortunately, I was fully outside the commuting times now and again could enjoy easy driving as I zipped down I-5 at 75. Pretty Hate Machine blared on my speakers and was oddly soothing to my agitated mood. I eventually fell into that trance-like state drivers often get, with one part of my brain watching the road and the other frantically wondering if my warning had reached any of the Seattle demons in time to intercept the Army. I had just cleared Everett, about a half-hour outside of Seattle, when it hit me. A jolt of electricity shot through my body, making the world spin and my vision blur. I felt hot all over. My hands slipped on the wheel, nearly causing me to swerve into the neighboring lane. I had just enough bearings to slam on my hazard lights and pull off on the shoulder before I hit someone. A wave of nausea rolled through my stomach, then settled down, then swept through me again. Shifting the car into park, I put my head down on the steering wheel, hoping for some clarity. There was a buzzing in my ears, and my whole body shook. What the hell? I didn't get sick. Ever. The only thing that could really affect me like this was drinking too much or indulging in other substances. I'd had food poisoning a couple of times, but it had been short-lived, and somehow I doubted that donut I'd had was doing this to me. I lifted my head up a little, but the world kept rocking. Closing my eyes, I rested my cheek against the steering wheel and took a few deep breaths, hoping I wouldn't throw up. I had no idea what was going on here, but it would pass. It had to pass. And it did-a little. I don't know how long I sat like that, maybe about fifteen minutes, but the next time I dared a peek up, the dizziness had lessened. The nausea was still there, but it too had dropped to a lower level. Deciding to risk it, I turned back onto I-5, anxious to finish my drive to the city and figure out what was wrong with me. I made it back to town without causing an accident and nearly fell over trying to make it up my building's stairs. I didn't even bother with my suitcase and simply left it in the car. Once in my apartment, I headed straight for my room and crashed on the bed. Aubrey joined me and peered curiously at my face. I gave her a few pets, then let my hand slip down as I fell asleep, too weak to hold it up any longer. I woke up almost two hours later, shaken out of sleep by knocking at my door. I sat up, relieved to find my stomach had settled. The light-headedness had also gone away. Maybe the donut had been defective after all†¦and yet, I had this weird feeling-this tiny, nagging suspicion-that something wasn't right. Only, I had no clue or evidence as to what it was. Ignoring it for now, I stumbled out to the living room and opened my door, not even bothering to look out the peephole. Cody and Peter stood there, both of them grinning from ear to ear. â€Å"What do you want?† I asked, stepping aside for them when the door opened. â€Å"I was sleeping.† â€Å"I can tell by your hair,† said Peter, flouncing on my couch. â€Å"And what are you doing asleep? It's the middle of the day.† Still groggy, I squinted at my clock. It was a little after three. â€Å"Yeah, I know. I didn't feel good. It's weird. I just suddenly felt wiped out and dizzy.† That smile had never left Cody's face. He sat beside Peter. â€Å"How do you feel now?† I shrugged and settled onto my loveseat. â€Å"Fine, I guess. A little tired, but the worst is over.† That nondescript something isn't right here feeling was still with me, though. â€Å"You shouldn't be cooped up inside,† said Peter. â€Å"It's a great day.† â€Å"Look at all the sun,† agreed Cody. â€Å"It's like summer came early.† I followed his gaze to the window. Warm golden light spilled in onto my floor, much to Aubrey's delight, and beyond the neighboring building, I could see blue sky. Still, I wasn't impressed. â€Å"We're barely into spring. This is a fluke. It'll probably be cold tomorrow.† Peter shook his head. â€Å"You sure are grumpy when you wake up.† They both seemed so absurdly pleased with themselves, and I couldn't figure out why. â€Å"Maybe you should get outside,† said Cody, exchanging smirks with Peter. â€Å"We were going to go for a walk after this. It might cheer you up.† â€Å"Yup. Nothing like a bright, sunny afternoon to perk up the old spirits.† Peter's grin grew even bigger. I leaned my head back against the loveseat. â€Å"Okay, okay. What's the joke I'm missing here?† â€Å"No joke,† said Peter. â€Å"We just think it's a great day.† â€Å"A beautiful, sunny day,† Cody concurred. â€Å"Will you two stop already? I get it. It's a nice day. The sun is out the, the birds are singing-â€Å" I stopped. I felt my eyes go wide. I looked at the smirking vampires, then looked at the sun-filled world outside, and then looked back at them. I swallowed. â€Å"How,† I asked quietly, â€Å"are you guys out in the middle of the day?† Their pent-up mirth exploded, and they both dissolved into laughter. I felt wide awake now. â€Å"I'm serious! What's going on? You can't be out in daylight, and how-wait. I didn't sense you guys at the door. I still can't sense you.† â€Å"I know,† said Cody. â€Å"Isn't it crazy?† â€Å"No! Well, I mean, yes. But it's not†¦it's not supposed to happen,† I argued. I didn't understand how they could find this so entertaining. Something was wrong. Very wrong. All the drama with the Army was gone from my mind. That niggling worry that I'd woken up with turned into a hard knot of fear. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I'd gone cold all over. â€Å"How is this possible? The sun should fry you.† â€Å"Hell if we know,† said Peter. â€Å"We were in our coffins and then just suddenly†¦woke up. We got out, and there we were. Out and about in the middle of the day. You know what else? I don't want blood. No desire whatsoever. Not even a drop.† â€Å"And so what, you guys just decide to go stroll around and enjoy the day? You didn't contact Jerome? You didn't question the fact that something has seriously altered your immortal existence?† A mischievous look crossed Peter's face. â€Å"Not just us, Georgina.† They both watched me expectantly. â€Å"Don't look at me like that,† I told them. â€Å"I've always been able to go out in the sun.† â€Å"You don't have a signature either. We can't sense you,† said Cody. I stared at them for several heavy seconds, trying to parse the meaning here. An uneasy feeling began building in my stomach as I recognized their implication-except what they were implying was impossible. Unthinkable. â€Å"You're wrong,† I said. Slowly, carefully, I touched my face. It was exactly the same as it had been this morning. My build was the same. My height was the same. I was still me. I exhaled with relief. â€Å"I'm the same.† Peter's eyes danced. â€Å"Fix your hair. It's a mess.† Shape-shifting is an instinct for a succubus or incubus, practically subconscious. It's like tightening a muscle or taking a deep breath. You barely think about it, send the message from your brain, and it happens. So, I thought about my hair, willing it to smooth out and tidy itself into a ponytail. There was usually a slight tingle when that happened, resulting from the burn of using up a piece of my stored energy. And of course, there was always the tangible evidence-the actual change of my appearance. This time, there was nothing. No tingle. No hair movement. Peter leaned forward. â€Å"Ooh, it did happen to you! You're the same. None of us are working.† â€Å"No,† I said frantically. â€Å"That's not possible.† I tried again, willing my hair to change-to turn a different color, grow short, restyle itself†¦but there was nothing. I tried to shift my clothes, urging my jeans and Henley to become a slip dress. Or maybe a track suit. I even attempted to make my clothes disappear altogether. Nothing happened. Nothing . In pure desperation, I did the unthinkable: I tried to give up the unconscious hold I always maintained in order to keep a form that wasn't my natural one. I let go of all control, allowing my body to shift back to the one I was born with, the one my essence always wanted to return to-the one I fought very, very hard to hide from the world. Nothing happened. I stayed the same. I couldn't shape-shift. It was like having my arm cut off. Until that moment, I didn't realize how much of my self was tied into shape-shifting. As a mortal, the power had been unimaginable. After having it for a millennium and a half, it had become part of me, and its absence was now unbearable. I didn't have to see my face to know I wore pure panic. Peter and Cody were still laughing. I shot up, incredulous. â€Å"This isn't funny,† I cried. â€Å"We have to talk to Jerome. Now. There's something seriously wrong with us!† â€Å"Or right,† suggested Cody. â€Å"Why do you think this is a joke?† â€Å"We don't,† said Peter calmly. Underneath his mirth, I saw the tiniest bit of concern in his eyes, concern he was clearly trying to ignore for now. â€Å"We just think it's cool. You don't think Jerome already knows about this? Whatever it is, they'll fix it soon enough. Nothing we can change.† The tirade I was about to unleash on them was interrupted by more knocking. Just like with the vampires, I sensed no immortal signature. Anyone could have been at my door. Yet, peering out the peephole, I saw Hugh. I let him in, feeling relieved. Hugh would sort this out. He always knew what was going on since he and Jerome maintained such constant communication. Hugh's confidence and typical know-it-all air would fix everything. Instead, he looked miserable. Dejected. He trudged in and dropped onto where I'd just been sitting. He put his elbows on his knees and rested his chin in his hands. â€Å"Hey, Hugh,† said Cody. â€Å"Isn't it a great day?† I knelt down on the floor in front of Hugh, so I could look straight into his eyes. â€Å"Hugh, what's going on?† He simply stared at me, dark eyes mournful and bleak. I'd seen Hugh angry, elated, and exasperated over the years, but I'd never seen him depressed. It would have bothered me, if not for the fact we had a few other things to worry about than his hurt feelings just now. â€Å"Hugh! We've all lost our†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned, not sure what to call it. Powers? That sounded too Justice League. â€Å"†¦abilities.† â€Å"I know,† he said at last. â€Å"So have I.† â€Å"What powers did you even have?† asked Cody, apparently not minding the superhero comparison. â€Å"Multitasking?† teased Peter. â€Å"The ability to balance books and collate?† I shot him a quick glare over my shoulder and then glanced at Cody to explain. â€Å"Imps see souls-everyone's life energy. They can tell whose soul is good and whose is bad.† â€Å"I know that,† said Cody. â€Å"I just thought there was†¦more.† Hugh sighed. â€Å"You can't imagine it, Georgina. Not having that ability now. It's like losing one of my senses. Or going colorblind.† â€Å"I know exactly what you mean,† I told him. â€Å"Not likely. When you can't see energy and souls around living beings, the world is so†¦empty. It's dull.† â€Å"Why did it happen?† I asked gently, trying my best to squelch my own escalating fear. Internally, I was still reeling. My shape-shifting was gone. My immortal signature was gone. The marks that defined me as Georgina Kincaid, succubus, were gone. â€Å"What's going on?† Hugh's eyes were still sad and unfocused, but finally, he looked at me and studied my face, like he'd just noticed me in front of him. â€Å"We get our various gifts and immortality for selling our souls,† he began slowly. â€Å"Those unique abilities-and their side effects-come from our contract with Hell and are filtered through our archdemons. It's what lets them keep track of us. We're†¦connected†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He frowned, grasping at how to best explain the system through which Hell managed its employees. â€Å"I know what you're talking about,† I said. Cedric would know if I crossed into his territory simply because he could sense me when I was close enough. Jerome, so long as he was my supervisor, knew where I was at all times and if I was hurt. He was always aware of me, always tied to me. â€Å"Our†¦powers†¦are transmitted from Hell, through Jerome, to us.† â€Å"Right,† Hugh said. I waited for more, but that seemed to be all he had to say. â€Å"Right what? Why are our abilities gone?† A bit of the normal Hugh exasperation glinted in his eyes. â€Å"Because Jerome is gone.† â€Å"Jerome's gone all the time,† Peter said. â€Å"We can never get a hold of him. We can't get a hold of him now.† Hugh shook his head. â€Å"You aren't getting it. When I say gone, I don't mean hiding from us at a bar. I mean gone . Vanished. Disappeared. Might as well not exist for all intents and purposes. No one knows where he is. Not our side, not the other side. He. Is. Gone.† Dead silence hung around us for what felt like an eternity. And that was saying something. Peter's voice was hard to hear when he finally spoke. â€Å"And as long as he's gone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦then so are our abilities,† I finished.

Approaches to Branding Essay

It is essential for a business to build strong relationship with its customers to be able to stay above all competitors. One tool that a company has is a strong brand. The following are the most common ways of how companies use branding in marketing their products or services. Corporate Branding. This type has been around ever since competition among business started. In corporate branding a company uses its own name as the brand for the company. The company usually promotes its products under that brand name (Crystal 2003). An example of which is Disney, where all products of the company included the name â€Å"Disney†. In this approach the corporation or company is the main selling point (Csaba, Schultz & Yun 2005). If successfully used the company can create brand loyalty where customers look for products under that company or under the brand name. The downside of this approach is that the company will have a tendency to be identified with a single product category (Crystal 2003). Employer Branding. With the rise of newer resources like technology, the fact remains that personnel are still the most important resource of any company. As the competition for first-rate employees becomes tight, companies attract them through Human Resources Marketing or through employer branding (VersantWorks 2008). Employer branding is the impression of the stakeholders – current employees, potential hires, and previous staff – about the company as place of work (Harris 2002). The idea is to instill in the stakeholders mind that the company is â€Å"great place to work†. It immerses the employee into the company, gives the employees a sense of pride and belongingness and most important of all job fulfillment (VersantWorks 2008). A company with a good employer branding is L’Oreal. Voted as one of the Fast Moving Consumer Goods – FMCG – Employer of Choice (Employer Profile 2008). L’Oreal’s career website declares it in black and white. The company’s objective is to provide a sound working environment for its employees. Working for L’Oreal would entail a secure workplace, performance is given credit, a diverse culture, and where privacy and private life are valued (As An Employer 2008). What makes this strategy work for the company is because L’Oreal knows who it wanted to hire and focus the HR endeavor to accomplish the task (Klein 2008). Cause Branding. This is an approach in branding where a company supports a cause to be able to increase profits or to set it apart from competitors (Ivy Cohen Corporate Communications 2007). As examples will be Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, ConAgra Foods’ Feeding Children Better Program, Reebok’s Human Rights Awards and Rockport’s Fitness Walking Program. This initiative is usually interchanged with cause marketing and corporate social responsibility. Cause marketing just like cause branding seems to have the same objective but the difference lies in the duration. Short-lived cause marketing initiatives are usually one-time deals like food drives, collection bins, and auctions for charity. While cause branding is a year-long continuous endeavor. Where the company tries to associate a cause to the brand in the customers’ mentality (Evergreen & Partners 2005). On the other hand CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility is the broader initiative that consumers expect from a company. CSR involves labor practices of the company, community activities and environmental programs. It comprises various causes while cause branding focus only on one cause (Evergreen & Partners 2005).

Black organisations in the USA essays

Black organisations in the USA essays The civil rights movement in the United States of America from 1954 to 1968 is an important element of the nations contemporary history. The event was a turning point in the history of Black Americans as their courage and persistence displayed led to the legislative reform of American society into a more democratic and less prejudiced country. The efforts of these protestors and was co-ordinated by large civil rights organisations, chiefly the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), the Southern Christian Leadership Committee (SCLC) and the Student Non-Violent Co-ordinating Committee (SNCC). These three organisations and their achievements are the focus of this presentation. It has always been acknowledged that Black Americans, through the civil rights movement successfully achieved equality amongst whites. This assumption has found to be relatively unsubstantial, and while success in terms of government legislation was achieved, whether African Amer icans found social justice and equality in everyday life after the movement is another story. This assignment has now reached the final stages of completion and only requires confirmation of the findings and thus the conclusions that will be made through further thorough research in the future. Few problems have been encountered between the last submission and the current presentation. The focus question has been re-worded only for the needs of using a clearer, more concise question and the need to focus research in a more beneficial direction. This slight adjustment has by no means hindered the progress of research. The events of the civil rights movement in the United States were co-ordinated by various organisations, each using different strategies in an attempt to achieve their aims of social justice for African Americans. The three most predominantly recognised organisations of the time were the NAACP, SCLC and SNCC. These three organ...

Ap American Dbq

There was a change, not a reformulation regarding political ideas and the ideas of the American Constitution that were part of the decision made by Jackson. Before Jackson the Native Americans were allowed their land but Jackson changed this policy for a racist agenda. The Indian Removal Act Of 1830, which evicted the Native Americans, was a change that had not been in place with the Native Americans before (Docs. A, H). The treaties brought about no benefit. Before Jacksons administration there had been agreements made between the Cherokees and the federal government (Doc. E).Jackson changed the idea of having treaties by saying the treaties with Indians are an absurdity (Doc. H). Instead of compromise Jackson wanted domination, a clear change in policy. The Intercourse Act, a constitutional law, protected the rights of the Indians (Doc. D). In the case of Cherokee Nation V. Georgia the Cherokees lost the case and therefore lost their protection. However, it can be argued that even if the Cherokees had won the case, Jackson still would have removed them from their land. Jackson had no respect for John Marshals decisions and, therefore, showed little respect for the Constitution.The Native Americans were no way a threat to the U. S. , nor were they savages. They were like the Americans in that they owned nice houses (Doc. L), were educated, farmed, many were Christian, and some were slave owners. Their constitutional republic was even modeled after the United States. John C. Calhoun even wrote in a letter to Henry Clay in 1820, he said that the Native tribes appear to be making gradual advances in industry and civilization (Doc. J). From the beginning of the United States, Native Americans were given rights to act as independent nations, and those rights were to be respected by following the Constitution.For example, Henry Knox, the Secretary of War in 1 789, wrote to President George Washington, The Indians, being the prior occupants, possess the right of the soil. It cannot be taken from them unless by their free consent, or by the right of conquest in case of a just war, (Document B). Because of this, the LIST allowed the Natives on American land their independent nations as they were the prior occupants, and their land shouldve never be taken unless they agreed to it or they were to lose it in a war. Although the united States policy sounded fair, for many years, the Natives were intentionally tricked into treaties that gave up huge amount of territory to the whites. Jacksons administrations decision to remove the Cherokee Indians was a change encompassing moral, political, constitutional, and practical changes, disregarding prior administrations concerns for his personal agenda. He passed the Indian Removal Act of 1 830 which evicted the Native Americans from their land, which angered them and could have brought about fighting.The Indians were further irritated when they tried to sue in Federal Court but were denied in Cherokee Nation Vs.. Georgia. They were more satisfied when they won the Worcester vs. . Georgia case. The Native Americans were at peace with the prior Administration and were happy with their land. When Jackson took office, the Native Americans were forced to move out of their homeland to lands west of the Mississippi, which was not something that would have been done in the previous administrations.

Asymmetric Information Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Asymmetric Information - Article Example (investopedia.com) v. Interest Rate Swap - An agreement between two parties (known as counterparties) where one stream of future interest payments is exchanged for another based on a specified principal amount. Interest rate swaps often exchange a fixed payment for a floating payment that is'linked to an interest rate (most often the LIBOR). A company will typically use interest rate swaps to limit or manage exposure to fluctuations in interest rates, or to obtain a marginally lower interest rate than it would have been able to get without the swap. (Investopedia.com) 2. The general law of tradeable goods which says that the good will be sold at the same price regardless of where it is produced is called The Law of One Price. The law of one price says that goods will be sold at the same price whether it is produced in India or in U.S. The difference in their selling price will be reflected by the nominal exchange rate. In this respect, the nominal exchange rate will adjust so as one good can be bought at the same price using different currencies. 3. In mathematics, it will be shows as: 1/P = e/P* where P is the local price, P* is the foreign price and e is the nominal exhange rate. From this we see that equality will be manitaines if e adjusts to whatever the value of P and P*are. 3. Interest Rate Parity - A second principle, Interest Rate Parity, ties the interest rates of two nations with their exchange rates.' According to the Interest Rate Parity principle, the difference in similar nominal or market rates of interest should be equal to the forward premium of the nation with the lower inflation rate.' Otherwise arbitrage will occur, the profitability of which will cease only when interest rate parity once again prevails. (http://byrned.faculty.udmercy.edu/) As seen in the graph, an increase in the foreign interest rate will lessen the demand for domestic assets. Thus the demand curve shifts to the left. The shift of the demand curve to the left, causes a change in the equilibrium point. With the new equilibrium point, the returns from expected asset holdings declines and the exchange rate also declines. This means that the domestic currency weakens. Using the law of demand, we know that as the foreign interest rate (thus returns) increases, more will demand foreign currency instead of domestic currency. Thus it's value declines. 4. There are two problems that arise from asymmetric information: the adverse selction and the moral hazard problem. Adverse Selection - Adverse selection, anti-selection, or negative selection is a term used in economics, insurance, statistics, and risk management. It refers to a market process in which "bad" results occur when buyers and sellers have asymmetric information (i.e. access to different information): the "bad" products or customers are more likely to be selected. A bank that sets one price for all its checking account customers runs the risk of being adversely selected against by its low-balance, high-activity (and hence least profitable) customers. (Wikipedia.com) Moral hazard - Moral hazard is a special case of information asymmetry, a situation in which one party in a transaction has more information