Childhood Obesity Essay Introduction Essay

Introduction Obesity is a serious and major health complication contributing to 112,000 deaths annually most of which are preventable. Obesity is to a condition where excess fat has collected in the body has to the level of adversely affecting one’s health. There is no general agreement on the lowest explanations of obesity in adolescents and children. Therefore, most professionals accept the guidelines published on body mass index (BMI) to measure cases of overweight in children and adolescents. The increase of obesity among children in 2008 increased from 5 percent to 17 percent in the same year. This paper will focus to explore the causes of obesity in children and give methods on how it can be prevented. One is considered as obese or overweight when his or her body mass index BMI exceeds 30 kg/m2) (Flegal, 2000). Body mass index is obtained by measuring an individual’s weight in kilograms relative to his or her height in meters. Presently obesity is the widest spread medical problem affecting children and teenagers in developed countries like the United States. Other measure of obesity include: a) Weight-to-height tables- These tables define being overweight and give ranges for a healthy weight based on the height of a teenager or child. b) Body fat percentage- Fat a percentage of body weight, is a strong indicator of obesity. Boys are regarded obese when their body fat is above 25 percent and girls over 32 percent. Obesity has profound effects on the life of a patient by increasing the possibility of contracting variety of diseases. The following are health consequences of obesity according to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cancers (breast, endometrial and colon) Coronary heart disease Hypertension Stroke Type 2 diabetes Dyslipidemia Osteoarthritis Gallbladder and liver and disease Gynecological problems (infertility, abnormal menses) In addition to the health consequences above, obesity can also create social, as well as, emotional problems to an individual or patient due to the stigma associated with one being overweight. Causes of obesity Physical exercise and dieting are among the best ways for treating obesity. One can improve his or her diet quality by reducing the intake foods rich in energy, e.g. those high in sugars and fat and increasing the consumption of dietary fiber. Drugs such as anti- obesity medication drugs may be taken to lower appetite or inhibit the absorption of fat. A gastric balloon may enable one lose weight if exercise, medication and diet are not effective. Surgery may also be performed to lower stomach volume and or bowel length. This leads to earlier satiation and reduced ability to absorb nutrients from food. Below are some of the major causes of obesity (Ferry, 2011). Physical inactivity- The increased use of computers, video games and televisions have largely contributed to an inactive lifestyle for many teenagers and children in developed countries like the U.S. On average, teenagers and children in the United States of America spend three hours daily watching television. This form of recreation not only uses little energy but also encourages eating of snacks. Only one-third of children in the United States have daily physical exercise education in school. Dietary habits- The eating habits of teenagers and children have shifted away from healthy foods such as vegetables and whole grains to enormous reliance on fast foods, sugary drinks and eating processed snacks. These foods tend to contain high levels of fat or calories but low in essential nutrients. Unhealthy eating habits include eating when not hungry, watching television while eating or eating while doing homework e.t.c. Genetic factors- Some families tend to have obesity. Parents who are obese tend to have obese children. It is very  crucial to note that obesity does not occur through genetics alone, but when one eats more calories than he or she uses. Socioeconomic status-Non working parents or families with low incomes are more likely to consume excess calories for a given level of activity. Specific medical conditions can cause obesity but are rare. This includes inherited disorders of metabolism, hormone or chemical imbalances. Certain medications can alter how the body stores fat or processes food, thus resulting to weight gain. There is limited evidence to support the fact that some people who are overweight eat little yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism. Obese people require more energy expenditure than people who are thin due to the energy required to maintain their massive body mass. Conclusion Obesity is considered a major cause of deaths worldwide with increasing prevalence in children, teenagers and adults. The American Heart Association has guidelines for healthy children and families. It recommends that one should eat adequate calories and eat a wide variety of foods to obtain adequate nutrition. It also recommends that the total cholesterol taken per day should be less than 300mg. These guidelines are only applicable to children above two years of age. It is necessary for everyone in the family to apply these guidelines and not just those who are obese. Schools should introduce anti bullying campaign to assist overweight children. The biggest responsibility falls on parents to ensure their children observe healthy eating tips. References American Heart Association. â€Å"Dietary Recommendations for Healthy Children.† Apr. 19, 2012. . Ferry Jr., R.J., ed. Nutrition and Health: Management of Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, 2011: 416. United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. â€Å"Childhood Overweight and Obesity.† Apr. 27, 2012. .

It 210 Week 4 Check Point 1

1 Declare CountAge As Integer 2 Declare SumAge As Float 3 Declare Age As Float 4 Declare ParticipantAverage As Float 5 Set CountAge – 0 6 Set SumAge – 0 7 Write â€Å"Enter one age. Enter 0 when done. † 8 Input Age 9 While Age > 0 10 Set CountAge = CountAge + 1 11 Set SumAge = SumAge + Age 12 Write â€Å"Enter an participant age. Enter 0 when done. † 13 Input Age 14 End While 15 Set ParticipantAverage = SumAge / CountAge 16 Write â€Å"Your age average is â€Å" + AgeAverage * Lines 1–6 declare and initialize the variables. Line 7 asks for the first age and also explains that when you are finished entering the age for a particular set, you can end by entering 0. * The first Age is input on line 8. * Lines 9–14 are the loop. It sums the age entered and it keeps count of how many ages were entered. * In Line 10 keeps track of how many ages are entered. For each pass through the loop, CountAge is incremented by 1. If you enter three ages befor e you end the program by entering 0, the loop will execute three times and CountAge will be equal to 3.If you enter 5 ages, the loop will execute 5 times and CountAge will be equal to 5. * Line 11 keeps a sum of all the participant ages. To compute your participant average age, you must divide the sum of all your participants ages by the number of participants, so lines 10 and 11 keep track of the information we need to compute the average at the end. * Lines 12 and 13 ask the user for the next participants age and gets the next input. Here, if you’re done, you can enter a 0. * Line 14 ends the loop when the user enters a zero. * Line 15 computes the average and line 16 displays that average.

Realism vs. Romanticism

Realism and romanticism have been writing styles that have been going on for centuries. Realism sprouted from romanticism around the late 1800s when people grew tired relating to the romanticisms â€Å"fairy tale† nature. People wanted a fake character going through many things they did on a daily basis. Edna and Hester represent each of these. Hester represents romanticism while Edna represents realism. Both of the characters are women in later times that go through the hardships close to their era. The Scarlet Letter is a romanticism novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester is a young lady in the seventeenth century that is constantly surrounded by her sin of adultery. Throughout the novel, Hester becomes more of her own person as she cares for her daughter Pearl on the edge of the woods. The format of the novel is written in a romanticists way; formal and fitting for the setting. The writer also expresses splashes of color in the story to retain a positive outlook or effect as the novel goes on. Symbols in the novel are naturalistic, such as roses; the symbol of hope for change. Pearl is also a symbol; a symbol of transgression and Hester’s reason for living. The setting of the novel is slightly depressing, but grows into this mystical-like town as the novel goes on. Hester redeems herself for her sin, the letter â€Å"A† in her bosom’s meaning turns into â€Å"Able†. The story reveals more secret, though each one brings Hester closer and closer to closure on her sin. There is an antagonist as there usually always is for romanticism novel, though it is usually never the actual main character that is the true antagonist. Chillingworth bogs down on Dimmesdale, mentally tearing Dimmesdale apart to find out the father until helped by Hester. The Awakening is written by Kate Chopin. In the novel Edna is realistically trapped in her own world of self doubt and sense of unknowing. The novel is written in a modern setting, though the setting is much different. The explanation of the islands makes them seem bland and unlikeable. There is expressed color in the novel, but seems dulled out by the unhappiness of the ladies that inhabit the islands. There are many symbols, most of them consisting of the ocean; which represents freedom. Another, the parrot; is said to represent Edna; trapped. Edna is represented going through many ordinary circumstances of her time, being stressed with the concern to be the perfect house wife. Her life spirals downwards as she loses herself and eventually leaves her children in care of her mother. She is given time after time to redeem herself but only degrades herself by giving in to her own selfish human characteristics. Edna herself is the antagonist as she fights with her spiritual and physiological being for a better life, but eventually looses. Edna eventually gives up and swims as far out into the ocean, drowning herself; Thus, ending the novel. Both realism and romanticism reflect on life lessons and inspire many readers. This American literature is sure to be passed down from generation to look back and reflect on the possibilities in life. Both genres drastically changed the literature, and art movements.

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

International Business - Essay Example The company ranks 46th among the 500 companies listed in the fortune 500 list of global companies in terms of the highest market capitalization (Financial times, â€Å"FT Global 500 2013†). Its operations are spread over 99 cities across 39 major countries all around the world. This suggests the company’s significant global presence. With the onset of globalization, expanding operations in a foreign country has become a primary strategy followed by companies in order to explore foreign country markets and consequently gain competitive advantage. GSK is no exception as they follow the same strategy in order to lay a solid foundation for the company to make business via expanding into foreign markets. Formulation or rather implementation of such strategies, alongside accruing benefits for the company, sometimes raises concerns for the company as well. One such problem that will be described in this particular essay is the ethical issue that has proven to be a cause of con cern for GlaxoSmithKline while operating in the foreign market. Recently the company has been associated with certain ethical lapses while it was operating in China. The company was accused of carrying out unethical practices in order to beat the competition in the market and maximize value for the company. The following sections will involve a thorough analysis of the scenario that prevails in the host country and the ethical issues were faced by the company while it was carrying out its international operations. Following that, three alternative strategies to eliminate such practices will be explained and based upon that a recommendation will be suggested regarding the best strategy to be adopted by the company. Business environment in China China, being an emerging economy, offers a lot of market opportunities for investment to foreign companies. The country offers access to a large market thereby providing considerable savings in labor costs. This highlights the country’s huge potential for economic growth. However, having said that, precautionary measures must be taken as a huge difference in the political and cultural environment prevails in China that might prove to be risky thereby posing uncertainties for foreign investors (Fogel, â€Å"Business environment in china: Economic, political, and cultural factors†). Economic environment China has been known to be the most favorable destination for foreign direct investment in the recent past. The country has shown a very stable economic growth which has lured top companies from all over world into investing in China. 450 out of the Worlds fortune 500 companies invest in China. Foreign direct investment accounts for 4.1% of national tax revenue, 58% of foreign trade and 27% of the value assed production. China has a huge deposit of foreign exchange reserve which helps it conduct trade related to import and export smoothly. The country joined the World trade organization in 2001 which resulted in a rapid growth in the country’s imports and exports thereby witnessing foreign direct investment of $60 billion annually in 2006. The foreign exchange reserve of China exceeded $1 trillion for the first time in the year 2006 and thereafter in 2008 the foreign exchange reserve of China totaled to $1.9 trillion (China Foreign Exchange Reserves, â€Å"US State Administration†). China is mainly engaged in the industrial exports of manufactured goods, garments, electronics and textiles. As far as China’s infrastructure is concerned, it has suffered from

Is it5 a good argument critical thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is it5 a good argument critical thinking - Essay Example Analyzing a shorter argument involves numbering their premises and the conclusion and lastly representing their relationship with arrows. On the other hand, an arrow is used to represent a statement that gives logical support for another statement. However, if there are multiple statements, which give relationship for one another, the relationship is represented by a plus and an arrow. Therefore, there are two types of support, the independent and dependent support. Independent support does not depend on another statement while dependent support depends on another statement. When it comes to longer arguments, there is a need to summarize than to diagram them. Diagramming longer arguments is tiresome than summarizing them. Diagramming an argument has several factors connected. In diagramming, a conclusion is first identified, and then attention is paid to the premise and the conclusion. Sentences are neither broken up nor numbered since sentences don’t represent a single statement (Barnet, 1999). Another aspect of critical thinking is evaluation of arguments and truth claims. When evaluating an argument, there are two questions to be asked. Is the argument a good argument? And secondly, are the premises acceptable? For an argument to be rated as a good argument, it must have several characteristics. For example, the argument must be precise and clear. This means that somebody must understand the argument for it to be a good argument. Additionally, the premises must be relevant with the topic. The argument must be consistency and additionally, it must be fair. On the general knowledge, a good argument highlights out all bodies that surrounds critical thinking (Ruggiero, 2004). It is obvious that arguments have premises and conclusions. But when is it necessary to accept premises. There is the use of the principle of rational acceptance. This means that a claim is accepted if the claim does not occur in a conflicting side with the personal

Competitive and Strategic Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Competitive and Strategic Analysis - Essay Example Answer 1(b) Home Depot is known for developing strategies based on the strategic management techniques and principles. Some of the important polices of Home Depot based on strategic management techniques are as follows: The product policies of the company are facilitated by merchandising transformation and development of portfolio strategy. These are triggered by innovation, value and assortment. The company has laid emphasis on interconnected retail strategy which provided seamless shopping opportunity to the customers. The sustainability integration system of Home Depot is a forum which reports measuring of the output produced and also highlights the wide range of sustainability options available for Home Depot (â€Å"Employee Self-Service  (ESS)  Welcome†). Answer 1(c) The mission of Home Depot is to provide excellent customer service by offering a diversified range of environment friendly innovative products and also advices customers on how to use the product to deriv e maximum advantages. Some of the important short and long term goals and objectives of Home Depot would be as follows: To bring an increase in the sales of the CFL light bulbs and the recharge batteries as they are easily recyclable. The company plans to increase the sales of the CFL bulbs from 1.6 to 3.0 million. The management of Home Depot plans to increase the sales growth by 2.0 to 2.5 percent in each store of each region. The major objective of this plan would be to increase the gross and operating margin expansion in each and every store. To increase the number of store layout by 2 percent in regions of Canada, America, Mexico and China and generate earnings more than 2.6 billion in each region during the tenure 2013 to 2014. Answer 2(a) The traditional roles of board of directors would be as follows: Active involvement and participation of the directors in decision making To check whether the accounting practices are being adhered according to the standards lay down by the accounting boards like International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) and International Accounting Standard Board (IASB). To ensure that the financial activities do comply with the Sarbanes Oxley act and other legal requirements. To be consulted in decision making related to matters like appointment of personnel, developing compensation system and also checking the work of the internal and external auditors (Fielding 110). Selecting the new personnel for board of directors (Fielding 200). Answer 2(b) Dealing with corporate governance issue requires the cooperation from the stakeholders, shareholders and the management. Corporate governance in Home Depot often deals with the frequent conflicts that arise in the meetings among the boards of directors and the management. The annual meetings often witness frequent conflicts that arise out of differences in opinion concerning managerial decision making. Presently, the management of Home Depot is trying to incorporate theories like sta keholder theory and Agency theory which focuses on the improvement in the relationship between boards of directors and the management. Home Depot is engaged in several community development activities which benefit the community, society and also increase the goodwill of the company. One of the most recent activities meant for the betterment for the entire

Photosynthesis In Plants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Photosynthesis In Plants - Essay Example Three leaves of the bouquet were covered by aluminum foil ensuring that the foil was blocking light from the leaves. The foil was removed from one leaf every week, photographed and observed for the three-week period.ResultsIn Figure 1, the leaves were green and healthy. Figure 2 shows leaves that had turned to light green and almost white in color. Vascular bundles were clearly visible in addition to the green spots on the leaf. The color at the center of the leaf was lighter than the periphery. Figure 3 shows leaves that are brown and dried out.DiscussionThe findings indicate that light is necessary for photosynthesis. The leaf in Figure 1 was green and healthy despite being covered by the aluminum foil because the energy in the chloroplast could still sustain photosynthesis. The leaf in Figure 2, was turning light green to indicate minimum photosynthesis was taking place. The leaf in Figure 3 had been covered for a longer period of time and the energy needed for photosynthesis was depleted. Moreover, there was no more light energy that could be absorbed for photosynthesis. This experiment shows that a low light intensity leads to a low rate of photosynthesis. This would deduce that an increased light intensity would lead to a high rate of photosynthesis at an optimum level.ConclusionIn summary, photosynthesis is essential for plants. Therefore water, temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide should be made available to ensure the survival of plants.

Case Study 3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

3 - Case Study Example Many of these airfreight firms are turning to specialization, i.e. transporting heavy and oversize cargo. The pioneer and leader of specialized air freight operations are Volga-Dnepr, a Russian airfreight company (Europeanbusinessreview.com, 2012). One of the strategies that the company has employed to lead in this field is a thorough marketing campaign on the international market. They have also come up with a system of transporting different goods, and this has given the market a unique market product. Some of the unique products include; eighty-one ton coca-cola bottling equipment, heavy chemical reactors, oil and gas equipment and concert equipment for music artists. The unique opportunity enabled the company to obtain many international clients who provide Volga-Dnepr with ninety percent of its income (Europeanbusinessreview.com, 2012). The specialization strategy is the primary factor that has led the company to grow. Volga-Dnepr saw a problem and they came up with strategies to solve it. They have also embraced technology with the acquisition of new aircrafts and adding more to their freight. These are commendable policies and it is clear that Volga-Dnepr will continue to grow. Europeanbusinessreview.com,. (2012).  Innovative Technologies in Aviation Logistics | the European Business Review | Empowering communications globally. Retrieved 20 April 2015, from

Organozational behavior Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Organozational behavior - Assignment Example The line managers are usually promoted within the organization and usually do not possess any formal education. The immediate responsibilities of front line include day to day management of employees, managing the operational responsibilities, providing technical expertise, monitoring the organizational process, checking the quality of the work (CIPD, 2013). Some of the major responsibilities of the line managers include planning the objectives, prioritizing the work and communicating these work responsibilities to the employees, scheduling the work of the employees and detailing the work of the employees on monthly or weekly basis, managing the financial resources by monitoring the budget (ACAS, 2009). The line managers manage the employees by treating the employees equally and by creating a congenial work atmosphere (ACAS, 2009). They also set well defined performance standards; ensure that the employees meet the objectives and the performance standards and conduct review meetings which help in facilitating communication. The way line managers present themselves has a significant impact on the performance of the employees. Every organization goes through transformational changes which can have positive or negative impacts on the performance of the employees. To survive and be successful an organization needs to embrace the technological, cultural, behavioural changes with open arms. Creative innovation ensures the long term growth and survival of the organization (Rahimi, Damirchi and Seyyedi, 2011). The line managers play a pivotal role in the creation and facilitation of the innovative, cultural and technological environment of the organization (Rahimi, Damirchi and Seyyedi, 2011). Organizational Culture & Line Management Organizational culture is defined as shared values and understandings that guide the actions of those in organizations (Patti, Fok and Hartman, 1999, p.218). Effective organizational culture provides a work environment which helps the empl oyees to align their personal interest with the organizational objectives (ACAS, 2009). Organizational culture is modified by certain management practices through employee selection, rewards, recognition, strategic direction and innovation (Rahimi, Damirchi and Seyyedi, 2011). Although there are various organizational and environmental factors which affect the organizational performance but the management behaviour and organizational culture plays a key role in the in the employee performance. The organizational environment helps in shaping the management behaviour. However, line managers need to behave and apply leadership oriented style of management to help increase employee performance, innovation and behaviour (Rahimi, Damirchi and Seyyedi, 2011). Firstly, line managers and the top level managers need to identify the leadership style required to increase the organizational effectiveness. Secondly, the leadership style adopted by the line managers currently should be modified as per the organizational culture and employee behaviour. The line manager has to keep one thing in mind that employee behaviour, expectation and performance may vary with different national cultures. The difference in the national culture reflects the difference in the organizational structure and management (Lok and Crawford, 2004). For example

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summary - Essay Example As such, America has a right to torture terrorist suspects but under exceptional circumstances (Hickey, 2012). Crucial is the fact that terrorism does not take an isolated approach. This is to say that terrorism does not restrict to breaking of a law. Acts of terrorism inflict harm on third parties most of whom are innocent law abiding citizens. Terrorism is a crime against humanity because it causes harm to individuals and undermines the sanctity of freedoms such as the right to life. Moher (2004), advocates for the use of torture using the argument â€Å"a lesser of the two evils†. In the event that one person stands in the way of saving millions from harm by with holding information, then extreme measures are likely to suffice. However, sanctified the rights of an individual, the government is likely to protect the masses rather than one person (Hickey, 2012). While describing the phrase â€Å"a lesser of the two evils†, utilitarianism is in play. This is the idea th at a policy is as relevant as the extent to which it protects, to a greater advantage, the masses, as opposed to an isolated few. Nonetheless, there is a need to establish under what situation torture is valid and what form this torture will take. Currently, America utilizes the policy of torture under the Radar screen. This technique encompasses underground torture methods such as rendition. This is where the suspect is subject to interrogation in a nation that has less restrictive rules on torture by using torture lite methods. Moher (2004) holds that it is more appropriate to accept that torture exists and find a way to regulate it using the justice system. As such, he proposes utilizing a judicially sanctioned torture system. Under this judicial guise, torture will procure information from suspects with more advantages than disadvantages. First off, Moher (2004) reports on Professor Alan Dershowitz’s theory who suggests that torture be medically supervised to ensure that the process only causes pain and discomfort but not permanent body damage. Secondly, there will be some form of due process. This is because the suspect’s guilt is subject to the scrutiny of a neutral magistrate. Proofing beyond all reasonable doubt that a suspect has information is part of judicially sanctioned torture. Finally, in case of a fatality, the judicial system has the power to demand an explanation and, therefore, reducing the chances of extreme brutality on the suspects (Hickey, 2012). Moher (2004) argues that judicially sanctioned torture is, therefore, more humane than the current underground system. Moreover, it is imperative to note that his stand on torture is in regard to the ticking bomb scenario. That is the suspect is holding information needed sooner rather than later, and the lack of this information could result in greater damage than torturing would cause. In summary, these arguments call for the use of logic rather than the inclination towards moral ity and its related emotional entanglements. Utilitarianism in this case is a logical approach (Hickey, 2012). Though most torture methods do not have a scientific basis, their success in obtaining information has proven adequate for the most part (Clarke, 2007). Expert interrogators claim that humans tend to avoid pain and discomfor

Pros and cons of marriage versus singlehood as contrasting lifestyles Assignment

Pros and cons of marriage versus singlehood as contrasting lifestyles - Assignment Example In addition, the single life allows for full planning on definite grounds where there are no dependents in the society to bring in discombobulating events (Jones 14). The married life on the other hand provides security of its own in relation to retirement, where social security in America plans for early retirement in considering early retirement. As such, it offers early retirement benefits for the aging or those close to retirement age because it allows one spouse to have the benefits while the other works. However, the cons of marriage are not as rosy as the benefits due to the lack of independence as seen in the criteria used by society to determine how the said social security benefits are received. This is because it is dependent on a third person such as the wife, or the state of being a dependent for a child under the age of 16 years (Rose 51). TV shows and different cultures/ ethnicities The first show â€Å"everybody hates Chris† portrays the a African American fami ly, that has both parents, which contradicts the text in that despite stating that many children are raised by single parent. However, Chris’ school friend is raised by a single parent who is his father, but the family of this friend is native white American. The work ethic of the black family, which belongs to Chris is portrayed strongly as his father works three jobs and two at the least. However, his mother fails this work ethic concept in that she only works when she desperately needs money, and then quits citing that her husband works three jobs to support her and her children. In spite of this, there is no mention of self-help groups, except a neighbourhood watch and no other although there is mention of kinship, where the black community is close knit. Another show portraying how Latino Americans is Weeds, where there is a close knit society of marijuana dealers who know one another and mostly engage in crime on a familial basis. The bilingual aspect is highlighted mul tiple instances, where they choose between English and Spanish to communicate based on the level of understanding required and secrecy intended. To back the text, the population in the crime families keeps rising with new arrivals to take over certain aspects of drug and security businesses run by their families. The third show is NCIS, which has a portrayal of middle eastern families, especially Israel and Iran, where gender roles are the way of life with females sticking to their expectations as seen with Ziva David. The contradiction in the gender roles is that Ziva is respected more than other male members of her family as she is obedient, and that her family only has herself and her father. Online dating Online dating websites require users to provide different forms of information, most of which is personal, and POF is no different as the information required starts from one’s name and gender, and ends with ethnicity and nationality (POF). The website guarantees that th e entire registration and use of their services is free, which means that there is no need to pay any money to use their service. The appeal of the website lies mainly in its ability to appeal to all that do not feel sufficiently endowed in finances. This way there is a larger variety of people and a diversity since one can even choose from different ethnicities and cultures. The reputation of websites for

Global Warming and Drought in The Southwestern U.S. Essay Example for Free

Global Warming and Drought in The Southwestern U.S. Essay Pumphrey (2008) rightly observed that until fairly recently, no one would bought the idea that the worlds climate was changing, let alone that it was been influenced by human activities. The first insight into what is today known as global warming was first conceived by the Swedish scientist Arrhenius, who, late in the 19th century, suggested that the activities of the rapidly developing industries could cause the planet to warm up. Such ideas were often ignored, but over the course of the 20th century, opinions about climate change, â€Å"even rapid climate change† were becoming more apparent (Pumphrey, 2008, p. 1). As things stand now, there appears to be a growing pile of irrefutable evidences that point to the fact that human activities are affecting the heat/energy exchange between the earth, the atmosphere and space (Justus and Susan, 2006). The primary cause of global climate change has been attributed to the accumulation of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants in the earths atmosphere. These green house gases, as they are now known, form a blanket over the earth atmosphere, thus trapping the suns heat inside the planet and causing it to warm up (National Resources Defense Council, 2007). A substantial population of the worlds scientist have agreed that human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, have increased atmospheric â€Å"concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 36% from pre-industrial levels of 280 parts per million (ppm) to 380 ppm over the past 150 years, leading to an increase in global average temperature of 0. 9oF over the past 100 years†. Consequently, there has been considerable increase in global average temperature and sea levels, decreases of sea ice in the Artic and melting of the planets continental ice sheets and mountain glaciers (Justus and Susan, 2006). More frightening, however, is the assertion by scientists that if green house gases continue to accumulate at the present rates, more rapid and devastating consequences could result within a short period of time. While scientists largely agree on the evidences pointing to a warming planet, the severity and ramifications of its consequences is often a subject of controversy, doubts and heated debates. The drought in the Southwestern U. S presents one such example of the controversies and uncertainties surrounding the consequences of global warming. In the history of the Southwestern U. S. , drought has been a relatively periodic occurrence, due to climate variability that characterizes this region. For example, after reviewing the history of climate changes in the region, Thompson and Anderson (2005) concluded that over the long term, the climate of the region is constantly changing and that in the 18,000 years since the last glacial maximum the southwestern United States has experienced conditions that ranged from much colder to somewhat warmer than today. Moisture conditions have also varied, both through time and across the region (Thompson and Anderson, 2005). However, despite these assertions, scientists through several studies have pointed out that the present multi-year drought in the region is not another result of climate variability but a consequence of climate change. They assert that the present climate situation might be the new climate of the region and that drier and more sever droughts lies ahead if urgent measures are not taken. The proposed study intends to support and add weight to the contention that climate changes is already impacting the region and that increasing global warming will increase the severity of drought in the Southwestern U. S. Purpose Statement McNab and Karl (2003) observe that drought is a complex phenomenon that can be very difficult to define. They contend that the problem with defining drought derives partially from the fact that the term could be approached from different perspectives. That, notwithstanding, the central theme that underlie any definition of drought is the absent or deficiency of water. However, they point out that to completely define drought, the â€Å"component(s) of the hydrologic cycle affected by the water deficit and the time period associated with the deficit, must be specified†. The Southwestern U. S is a region vulnerable to droughts due to its variable climatology that derives from its peculiar topography. The entire Southwestern states of the United States fall into a climatic region generally known as the subtropics. These regions are known to be dry and susceptible to drought because the atmosphere moves water out of those regions into higher planes (Thompson, 2007). It is argued that the evaporation is higher in subtropics and the moist air from here is transported to temperate regions at higher latitudes. This climatic condition sometimes causes excessive dryness (drought) in these regions. The infamous dust bowl conditions of the 1930s and the severe droughts of the 1950s are typical examples. Pointing out the vulnerability of the region, Davis (2007) observe that in some years, exceptional drought has engulfed the entire Plains from Canada to Mexico; in other years, crimson conflagrations on weather maps have crept down the Gulf Coast to Louisiana or crossed the Rockies to the interior Northwest (Davies, 2007). Based on this argument, it is convenient to describe the present drought in the region as a result of such climatic variability. Unfortunately, recent data on global warming indicate otherwise. Scientists have shown that this time, the drought in the region is not just a passing phase in climatic conditions, it is a reality that has come to stay. It is evident that this time, it is the base climate that is changing and dire consequences looms ahead. Supporting the argument that the aridity in the Southwestern U. S is different this time, Davis (2007), point out that Lake Powell had fallen by nearly eighty feet in three years, and crucial reservoirs along the Rio Grande were barely more than mud puddles. The Southwestern winter of 2005-06, meanwhile, was one of the driest on record, and Phoenix went 143 days without a single drop of rain. Noting that some scientists have regarded the present situations as the worst drought in 500 years and with the several scientific evidences showing the link between global warming and severe drought, Davis concluded that the present climate condition is not simply episodic drought but the regions new normal weather' (Davies, 2007). Statement of the Problem Both global warming and droughts portend grave dangers for both the region and the world at large. Despite the sometimes dissenting voices in the science world, there is unanimous certainty that the planet is warming up. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its 2007 report stated that it is unequivocal that the planet is heating up and that, with utmost certainty, the warming is caused by human activities. It is clearly understood that increased global temperatures will facilitate the propagation of certain deadly bacteria and the spread of diseases. For example, Kolivras and Andrew (2004) carried out a study that revealed that the presence and spread of four diseases; hantavirus, plague, dengue and coccidioidomycosis in the Southwestern U. S could be attributed to the increased in temperature in this region. Again, it is clear that higher global temperatures will lead to increase in the incidence and severity of droughts which will affect agricultural production, causing global food crisis. Also, the melting of continental and Artic ice, due to global warming, will cause flooding and other devastating problems that will affect millions of people globally. Persistent drought, on the other hand, also severely impacts a society. Besides the shortage of food and water that characterizes drought conditions, Davis (2007) also point out that drought rapidly destabilizes the natural ecosystem. Buttressing this fact, he observed that, without sufficient moisture to produce protective sap, millions of acres of pinyon and ponderosa pine have been ravaged by plagues of bark beetles; these dead forests, in turn, have helped to kindle the firestorms that have burst into the suburbs of Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Denver, as well as destroyed part of Los Alamos (Davies, 2007). However, despite the frightening consequences of droughts and/or global warming, the real issue here is the misunderstanding of the problem at hand. A clear understanding of the real cause and nature of the drought in the Southwestern United States will greatly help in containing the problem before it get out of hand. In a study for the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Richard Seager and other scientists point out that all the models used for the third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicated a general decrease in rainfall in the subtropics during the 21st century and gradual drying up of the region with increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (Seager et al, 2007). The present drought in the region is therefore, evidently a consequence of a much bigger problem, the realization of this fact is important in shaping public attitudes and opinions required for finding a lasting solution to the problem. Theoretical Framework The states of the Southwestern United States fall in a climatic region known as the subtropics. The climate in these regions is characteristically dry because the atmosphere moves water out of these regions. Moist air from these regions is often transported to temperate regions at higher latitudes. This phenomenon is referred to as the Hadley cell (Thompson, 2007). This flow of moist air away from subtropics induces rising air over the equator and descending air over the subtropics. The descending air over the subtropics suppresses precipitation, which further increase dryness of the regions. With global warming, the blanket of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere heat up the air over the subtropics enabling it to carry and transport more moisture away from the region. Furthermore, with increasing global temperatures, Hadley cell (the flow of air out of the subtropics) expands pole ward, bringing the United States Southwestern region under the increasing influence of descending air, further compromising precipitation and further worsening drought. The link between reduced precipitation and drought was established by McNab and Karl (2003) who asserted that precipitation can be considered to be the carrier of the drought signal and stream flow and ground-water levels can be considered to be the last indicators of the occurrence of a drought (McNab and Karl, 2003). It has been argued that whilst past droughts in the region was because La Nina brought cooler ocean temperatures to the equatorial Pacific, which resulted in drier conditions over North America, the present drought is caused by changing climatic conditions characterized by increasing global temperatures that enable more moisture to be transported out of the region and suppressed precipitation.

Model of Educational Innovative System in Ecuador

Model of Educational Innovative System in Ecuador Successful model of educational innovative system according to the socioeconomic context of Ecuador based on the success of South Korean educative model Eddy Ricardo Andrade Chamorro L5-001 Suneeta Williams November 22th , 2016 Abstract Education is a fundamental basis for a society consequently it must be the priority for countries and even more important to these countries in development. There are studies that demonstrate the relationship between quality education and economic growth of a country. That is why it is of the utmost importance to reconstruct the model of educational system of Ecuador. Currently this country has a very inefficient productive matrix and generate very low income. As a result Ecuador is a country underdevelopment and lagging technologically. In order to solve it the priority of Ecuador is to improve their industry by improving its educational system. A correct model of educational system according to socioeconomics condition, like South Korea model, led the country from poverty to be one of the most important economies of the world. Ecuador needs to educative system model strict and quality focused to the current needs of the industry to eventually improving it by technology and innovati on and as a result develop the country and changing the productive matrix of Ecuador. Educative model, productive matrix, South Korean success, innovation, socioeconomic condition. Which is the best model of an educational system to Ecuador considering the socioeconomic context of the country? Since its foundation Ecuador has been considered an exporter of raw material to the international market. The constant and unexpected changes on international prize of raw materials, as well as also the increasing difference front to the price of products of higher value added and high technology have placed to the Ecuadorian economy in an unequal exchange under changes in the international market. According to SENPLADES (2012), the way in which a society organize itself to produce certain goods and services is not limited only to strictly technical or economic process. It is related with the whole set of interactions between different social actors that uses resources that have to their disposal to carry out productive activities. This whole set including products, productive process, and social relations resulting of these process is called productive matrix. The current productive matrix has been one of the mainly limiting factor to economy and society of Ecuador. Overcome its structure and currently configuration must be therefore one of the priority objective of Ecuadorian society. Ecuador is a small country and does not have a huge quantity of natural resources. In consequence eventually the natural resources of Ecuador will run off. Therefore in order to survive Ecuador must change its productive matrix. From extractivist economic model to a model based on human resources, education, science, and technology. One of the most important axis of the productive matrix to be achieved is education. Ecuadorian educational system must change the traditional model to an innovative and creative model, focused on providing solutions to the current problems of the Ecuadorian economy and community. According to International Monetary Fund (2012) nowadays Ecuador has a volume of exports of goods and services of 2.17 and a value of oil exports of 11.36 billions of dollars instead South Korea, a country with one of the best educational systems and with an industry of knowledge, science, and technology, has a volume of export of goods and services of 10.455 and a value of oil exports of 0. Ecuador is currently a country with an economy strongly based on export of raw material mainly oil and its gross national income is 97,059.21 dollars. In contrast South Korea is a country with an economy based on knowledge, science, and technology has a gross national income of 1,388,988.42. South Korea percentage income from exportation of goods and services is equal to Ecuador percentage of incomes from export of oil. The most part of GNI of South Korea comes from manufacturing and services in contrast the most part of GNI of Ecuador comes from export raw material. As a result of the development of an innovative and technologic industry the economy of South Korea is nowadays one of higher growth in the world. In contrast Ecuadorian economy does not show significant growth and even exist decrease in periods. As a result of an economy extractivist Ecuador is not growing and in order to improve its economy the country must change their productive matrix from educative system. Ecuador must stablish an educative system comparable with educative system of South Korea in order to develop the only one an industry and economy successful to tiny nations and without natural resources. Industry, economy, and society of Ecuador must have a model of educational system according to their needs. According to The Economist Intelligence Unit (2014) the best educative system comes from countries with less natural resources than Ecuador: South Korea, Japan, Singapore and others. The success of education of these countries is the importance given by their society. According to Clark and Park (2009) the success of Korean education is mainly attributed to significant parental investment in after-school classes and other forms of private or additional tuition outside of the public school system. Education in South Korea is a very important topic in its culture. This country is an excellent country to compare and contrast with Ecuador because fifty years ago South Korea was a very poor country mainly agricultural and without science and technology. With correct government politics and with a very strong nationalism and culture of preparation and overcome. South Korea nowadays is between largest high-income economies. South Korea has an enormous investment in education leading the cou ntry from mass illiteracy to a major international technological nation. According to International Monetary Fund this country had one of the world ´s fastest growing. Ecuadorian economy is weak and strongly dependent on natural resources and on exploitation of them. This added to lack of interest of study has created a society poorly academically prepared. Therefore Ecuador has a poor industry. There is no a high prepared human talent capable to develop an industry of science and technology. The economy of Ecuador is the result of a set of causes mainly related with an inexistent culture of preparation, education, and investigation. Ecuador must transform the patron of specialization of economy in order to create new ways of generation, distribution, and redistribution of richness. Therefore decreasing the vulnerability of Ecuadorian economy and creating an industry of high technology. Currently educational model of Ecuador is not providing the required human talent to develop an industry of high added value, goods, and services. Education in Ecuador is lack of quality as a result of the low interest among people to prepare themselves. New model e ducational system of Ecuador must supply the needs of industry increasing the quality of education focused to issues that are critical to the country development. Equally important creating a culture of nationalism, preparation and improvement of each one and the whole country. In order to develop the country and change the productive matrix. Education must be innovative. According to Aguion et al. (2001) the innovation makes intensive use of highly educated workers while imitation relies more on combining physical capital with less educated labor. Ecuador in order to develop an innovative industry eventually will need highly educated workers. Presently Ecuador does not have the human resources to stablish an innovative industry in consequence the country must resort to imitation. Ecuador has physical capital sufficient and a less educated labor. Ecuador must currently follow a patron of imitation of successful models of the world and eventually the country will have the needed human capital to begin to develop its industry and innovate. In conclusion education is the fundamental basis for a society and must be accord it. Ecuador educative system must be reconstructed in order to improve the economy, society, and industry. There are models of successful educative system that were establish in other countries with a socio-economic context similar to currently one of Ecuador. These educational systems were establish with correct government politics creating an attractive and quality model to students. As a result the interest among people on education has increased. As a result of a success educative model, countries like South Korea nowadays have important economies and present high growth rates. Ecuador is strongly dependent on its natural resources but eventually the country will run off of natural resources and if until these time the productive matrix has not been changed the country will be impoverished and country economy will suffer a very important decrease. The country needs an educational system according to its socioeconomic conditions, considering currently failures and giving creative and innovative solutions in order to improve the society. References: Aghion, Boustan, Hoxby, Vandenbussche. (2009, March). The Causal Impact of Education on Economic Growth: Evidence from U.S. Clark, N., Park, H. (2013, June 1). Education in South Korea. World Education News Reviews. Hanushek, E. A., Wà ¶ÃƒÅ¸mann, L. (2007). Education Quality and Economic Growth. International Monetary Fund. (2012, April). World Economic Outlook Database SENPLADES. (2012). Transformacià ³n de la Matriz Productiva

Ryanair Internal and External Analysis

Ryanair Internal and External Analysis 1.0 Introduction Organisations need to establish clear corporate strategies in order to gain full competitive advantages. This objective report is to carry out an in-depth analysis of the both the internal and external environments of Ryanair by using the strategic models. Ryanair is a low cost passenger airline that operates short haul between Ireland, UK and Continental Europe (Gill, 2005). The analyses are important in order for the company to improve its competitive strategies and also achieve its organisational objectives. This will fulfill Porter (1996) theory that organisations need to continually evaluate their strategies in order to improve their business operations (Richard Lynch, 2000) 2.0 The analysis of low-cost airline environment and industry There are many strategic models that can be used to analyse an organisations internal and external environments (Richard Lynch, 2000). This includes PEST, SWOT, Value Chain, Porters five forces, Porters generic model etc. For the purpose of this report, the appropriate tools would be used in order to identify the problems and issues that are confronting Ryanair and find lasting solutions through the development of appropriate strategies. 2.1 Environment analysis of Ryanair using PESTLE model (P)olitical factors affecting Ryanairs operations Political situation in the Middle East is causing a hike in fuel prices and high maintenance costs which is affecting Ryanairs low price strategy (Penelope Butcher et al, 2005). Other political factors including terrorists activities have prompted Ryanair to increase its security measures thereby increasing high costs. This has adverse effects and impact on its low price objective. The changes in government policies such as the enforcement of climate change charges on airlines is affecting Ryanair business strategies (Penelope Butcher et al, 2005). The European Union (EU) abolished the duty free sales which affected the numbers of tourist passengers (Scholes et al, 2005). In February 2004, the EU ruled that Ryanair has been receiving state subsidies for its base airport at Charleroi Airport and this led to the repayment between à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.5 million to 7million to the regional government (Scholes et al, 2005). The EU also devised new rules to cover overbooking of flights and automatic compensation for cancelled flights (Scholes et al, 2005). (E)conomic factors that affects Ryanair operations and strategies Fuel price increases: The continuous increase in the price of fuels has made it difficult to meet it low cost objective (Penelope Butcher et al, 2005). The increase in air-flights price has made passengers to seek alternative cheaper means of transport such as rail thereby leading to loss of earnings. Fluctuating currencies: The instability in the price of US dollars, Euro and the British Pound is affecting the business operations of Ryanair because Ryanair engages in Fuel hedging and this could lead to high business risks. Potential economic recession and downturn: economic recession has had adverse effect on the airline industry due to a reduction in the number of travelers. (S)ocial/cultural factors effecting Ryanair business environments Aging populations: Aging populations travel less and also factors such as cocooning effect have prevented passengers from travelling i.e. terrorist activities countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan etc (Penelope Butcher et al, 2005) Low cost strategy/wider demography: Lower cost of fares provided by Ryanair means that they attract wider demography of consumer The expansion of EU: The EU has increased the number of passengers travelling across Europe and been also been increase in business trips will lead to more customers base. (T)echnological factors affecting Ryanair business environments. Wireless technology expansion: The development of internet has increase online sales of air ticket and it is now used for online checking in Information and communication development: technological developments such as video conferencing, instant messaging, and mobile communications has led to less travelling for business travelers. Other developments: such as high-speed trains i.e. Euro star will lead to a decrease in air passengers and it will affect air passengers (L)egal factors Many new EU laws and regulations have affected the operations of Ryanair air. Other new EU laws which have legal rulings that are affecting the operations of Ryanair include overbooked passenger compensation, cancelled flight compensation and other laws. (E)nvironmental factors The promotion of environmental sustainability by the regulatory, governmental and non-governmental organisation has led to the introduction of other charges on the airline. These include carbon emission charges, climate change protection charges etc. The environmental factor has also lead to the introduction of voluntary carbon-offset charge from the airlines to the passengers. 2.2 Environmental analysis of Ryanair using Michael Porters five forces The first forces is applied to Ryan air and Porter (1996) identified five forces namely; threat of new entrants, the power of buyers, the power of suppliers, the threat of substitutes, and competitive rivalry. Threats of new entrants: New entrants protection by EU regulation- Many new competitors such as BMI, Easy Jet and other European airlines are being protected by the EU laws and price regulations according to European Union101 article 86 regarding competition and fair trade. There are barriers to entry that are faced by Ryanair in the past but some of these barriers have been reduced due to the increase in regional and secondary airports that are very lucrative for Ryanair business operations because the airports are less congested. Bargaining power of suppliers In the airline industry, the aircraft suppliers are two major players Boeing of the US and Airbus (European Consortium). There has been great competition between Boeing and Airbus which has averted price fixing and thus creates advantages for the airlines. In 2002, Ryanair set up a Dutch auction between Boeing and Airbus, and Boeing won the auction based on the fact that it gives better discounts to Ryanair (Stanley, 2005). The power of buyers The customers are more associated with lower costs and the internet has been used to exploit this. The strong desire for customer loyalty because of low switching costs is affecting Ryanair negatively. Threat of substitutes Alternative systems of transportation The alternative systems of transportation affect the market of airlines operations such as Ryanair. These include: Bus services such as Euro lines that have a European network of road transportation (Penelope Butcher et al, 2005) Rail services including Euro Star is creating a stiffer competitive environment for Ryanair. Videoconferencing: Technologies such as video-conferencing, web-mail, etc. have reduced the need for face-to-face meetings. This has greatly affected the turnout of business travellers. Rivalry among existing firms Ryan Air has many rivals including BMI baby, MytravelLite, Easy Jet, and Buzz. This competition has affected Ryanairs markets (Penelope Butcher et al, 2005) The analysis of the fives forces of porter and the PESTLE analysis indicate that Ryanair business environment is dominated by stiff competition which are affecting its operations. This has led to the development of new competitive strategies by the CEO. The strategies are entirely customer focused, based on providing low and competitive prices, excellent quality services and less operational charges on passengers as will be discussed below. 3.0 The analysis of the strategic capability of Ryanair and the identification of the key strengths and weaknesses (S)trengths of Ryanair Low cost due to its no-frills approach High financial capability- Ryanair has good financial capability that has a great impact on its finances and its ability to withstand increasing legislations and unfavourable economic conditions such as fuel price increase, unstable foreign exchange markets etc. (Ryanair corporate report, 2010) Good Customer Service- Ryanairs strategy is to deliver the best customer service performance among its competitors. Based on Association of European Airlines reports and its own published statistics, Ryanair has achieved highest punctuality, fewer lost luggage and fewer cancellations because it operates from low congested airports. Good technological base By utilising the power of Information technology such as internet, in January 2000, Ryanair converted its host reservation system from the BABS (British Airways Booking System) to a new system called Flightspeed, which it operates under a 10 year hosting agreement with Accenture Open Skies (Open Skies). High publicity: due to its chief executive Michael O Learys controversial issues High financial capability: see Appendix 1 (W)eaknesses of Ryanair Legislative issues with authorities Ryanair has been engaged in legislative issues with the Airline regulators and the EU commission. Secondary and provincial airports The use of secondary and regional airports by Ryanair has adverse effects on the passengers who spend more money to get to the cities. Over time customers may find this as big inconvenience. Prone to bad press Ryanair is perceived as arrogant and the slightest incident gets a lot of press coverage. Niche market Restricted expansion possibility 3.3 Ryanair strategic capabilities: value chain and core competences Low fares: The provision of low fare air tickets by Ryanair is the strategy in order to gain full market leadership. The low fares stimulate demand and the targets are business and leisure travellers. Ryanairs frequent Point-to-Point Flights on Short-Haul Routes. Ryanair provides frequent point-to-point service on short-haul routes to secondary and regional airports in and around major population centres and travel destinations has a major impact on the passengers who are keen to take short flights to their destination Low Operating Costs: Ryanair achieves its low operating costs by operating in secondary and regional airports where there are low congestion and less airport charges (Gill, 2005) Maximising and Utilising and the use of the Internet and other technologies: Ryanair has been utilising the internet technologies to improve its sales through online sales and the renting of its own servers for operations (Gill, 2005). This has led to an increase in its sales figures as shown in the account of the company. Improvement of operations by offering ancillary services: Ryanair provides ancillary services such as hotels, car rentals, in-flight sale of beverages, hostel rentals, internet services and holiday bookings in order to increase its sales and customer base. These services have increased the competitive positioning of the company over its main rivals such as BMI baby, easy Jet etc. Contracting out of services. Ryanair only maintained its own staff and services at Dublin Airport, aircraft handling, ticketing, baggage handling and other functions had been contracted out to third parties (Gill, 2005). 4.0 Conclusion Ryanair is a reputable European airline that has gained competitive advantages over its competitors through the implementation of appropriate corporate, business, marketing strategies. The application of low operational costs discussed such as use of regional and secondary airports, customer satisfaction and low price strategies have all made Ryanair a highly competitive airline that will continue to dominate the market. While its external environment has proved to be highly competitive and not very conducive to business, it appears that Ryanair strategic capabilities have helped to build and maintain its success.

The Dead Kitty in Ode on the Death of a Favorite Cat (Favourite) :: Ode to the Death of a Favorite Cat Essays

The Dead Kitty in Ode on the Death of a Favorite Cat (Favourite) Gray's "Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes" is a story of a curious cat that ends up in Purrgitory (ha ha). Gray uses not only formalistic literary devices, but he also uses dialog. As Gray speaks to the reader, he uses word choice and allusions to convey the correlation between women and cats. Word choice plays a major roll in this poem, due to the fact that it helps set up allusion and other literary devices. Word choice also helps bring out the theme of relating women to cats with such phrases as "The hapless nymph with wonder saw:"(Gray 19) Nymphs are demigods, that are associated with nature and beauty. There is a second reference to nymphs, "No Dolphin came, no Nereid stirr'd:.."(Gray 34) Nereid is a sea nymph. One of the best parts in the poem is when Gray is describing the cat. "Her conscious tail her joy declar'd; The fair round face, the snowy beard, The velvet paws, Her coats, that with the tortoise vies, Her ears of jet, and emerald eyes,"(Gray 7- 11) This is great example of word choice and description. Gray also uses the word choice to create the atmosphere of grandeur. Gray shows this form of word choice when he is describing the flowers in the first stanza, "The azure flowers,†¦"(Gray 3) He could have simply said the blue flowers, but by using this first form he is alluding to something greater. In the second stanza when he is describing the cat, he seems to also be describing women. Gray at this point is talking about how the cat move, especially it's tail. One of the main things that draws people's attention to a women is how they move, cats have the same attribute. Another allusion in the story is dealing with gold objects. "What female's heart can gold despise? What Cat's averse to fish?" (Gray 23-24) This refers to the desire that women have for jewelry and other expensive things. Compared to the desire of the cat for the gold fish. "Their scaly armour's Tyrian hue throughout richest purple to the view betray'd a golden gleam."(Gray 16-18) Gray is making a reference to the city of Tyre, which is famous for making purple dye, which Kings used for their royal colors.

Dehumanization and Freedom in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Dougla

Dehumanization and Freedom in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass    The issue of slavery in antebellum America was not black and white. Generally people in the North opposed slavery, while inhabitants of the South promoted it. However, many people were indifferent. Citizens in the North may have seen slavery as neither good nor bad, but just a fact of Southern life. Frederick Douglass, knowing the North was home to many abolitionists, wrote his narrative in order to persuade these indifferent Northern residents to see slavery as a degrading practice. Douglass focuses on dehumanization and freedom in order to get his point across. Frederick Douglass emphasizes the dehumanization aspect of slavery throughout his narrative. As is the general custom in slavery, Douglass is separated from his mother early in infancy and put under the care of his grandmother. He recalls having met his mother several times, but only during the night. She would make the trip from her farm twelve miles away just to spend a little time with her child. She dies when Douglass is about seven years old. He is withheld from seeing her in her illness, death, and burial. Having limited contact with her, the news of her death, at the time, is like a death of a stranger. Douglass also never really knew the identity of his father and conveys a feeling of emptiness and disgust when he writes, "the whisper that my master was my father, may or may not be true; and, true or false, it is of but little consequence to my purpose" (Douglass, 40). Douglass points out that many slave children have their masters as their father. In these times, frequently the master would take advantage of female slaves and the children born to the slave w... ... the abolitionist movement is fueled by reading The Liberator, a newspaper that stirs his soul in fighting for the anti-slavery cause. While attending an anti-slavery convention at Nantucket on August 11, 1841, Douglass, with encouragement from Mr. William C. Coffin, speaks for the first time to a white audience about slavery. In conclusion, Frederick Douglass starts his life as a slave determined to get his freedom. At the end of his life, he is one of the foremost figures of the abolitionist movement. Douglass' narrative takes advantage of the literal advantage in order to abolish slavery. Through depictions of dehumanization and freedom, Frederick Douglass' narrative is instrumental in swaying the views of the indifferent Northern residents. Work Cited: Douglas, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas. New York: Signet, 1968.

The SDLC

Several different projects may be required during the life of a system, first to develop the original system and then upgrade it later. The primary concern is with getting the system developed and deployed the very first time. One of the key, fundamental concepts in information system development is the Systems Development Life Cycle. The Systems Development Life Cycle is an entire process of building, deploying, using, and updating an information system Satzinger, J. W. , Jackson, R. B. , & Burd, S. D. (2009).Systems development includes four project managers, six system analysts, 10 programmer analysts, and a couple of clerical support employees. This paper has two objectives. The first is to explain the components of a formal SDLC process. The second is to identify types of employees involved in the SDLC process and their roles Although it is difficult to find a single, comprehensive classification system that encompasses all of the approaches, one useful technique is to categoriz e SDLC approaches according to whether they are more predictive or adaptive.In predictive the requirements are well understood and well defined. There is low technical risk. On the other hand in adaptive, the requirements and needs are uncertain. There is high technical risk. The SDLC consist of four groups of activities: planning, analysis, design, and implementation. These activities are sometimes referred to as phases, and they are the elements that provide the framework for managing the project. Throughout the SDLC, the analyst’s role as a project manager is being responsible for initiating, planning, executing, and closing down the systems development project Satzinger, J.  W. , Jackson, R. B. , & Burd, S. D. (2009).Project management is arguably the most important aspect of an information systems development project. Effective project management helps ensure that systems development projects meet customer expectations and are delivered within budget and time constrain ts. A project manager will periodically review the status of all ongoing project task activities to assess whether the activities will be completed early, on time, or late.Moreover, project scheduling and management require that time, costs, and resources be controlled. The roles and responsibilities of developers are large in number. The primary responsibilities are: to write code or documentation patches or contribute positively to the project in other ways. A developer’s contribution is always recognized. The software developer has to evaluate, assess and recommend software and hardware solutions. Develop software, architecture, specifications and technical interfaces.Design, initiate and handle technical designs and complex application features. Initiate and drive major changes in programs, procedures and methodology. And Coordinate with other developers and software professionals. Once system developers have accumulated the user requirements for the new system, analysts proceed to the system design stage. A system analyst researches problem, plans solutions, recommends software and systems, at least at the functional level, and coordinates development to meet business or other requirements Hughes, A.  (2013).A system analyst may identify, understand and plan for organizational and human impacts of planned systems, and ensure that new technical requirements are properly integrated with existing processes and skill sets. The analyst should also plan a system flow form the ground up, perform system testing, deploy the completed system, document requirements or contribute to user manuals, and help programmers during system development. Whenever programmers need help the system analyst provides use cases, flowcharts or even database design.The most difficult task in system analysis is to identify the specific requirements that the system must satisfy. System development projects are organized around the systems development life cycle (SDLC), and phase s the SDLC include activities that must be completed for any system development project. These phases are project planning, analysis, design, implementation, and support. Any organization can develop an information system in lots of ways. . System development includes four project managers, six system analysts, 10 programmer analysts, and a couple of clerical support employees.The role of a project manager is organizing and directing other people to achieve a planned result within a predetermined schedule and budget. The project manager can be defined as the processes used to plan the project and then monitor and control it. The other systems analysts assigned to the team are experienced developers with strong analytical skills, as well as experience in managing and controlling projects Hughes, A. (2013). Some developers think of a model as documentation produced after the analysis and design work is done.

Discuss the Roles of Language and Reason in History Essay

History as the area of knowledge is virtually indivisible from language and reasoning. Language is one of the most potent means of interpreting and reporting historical information that is derived from the sources pertinent to the events and occurrences. The sources themselves, in their turn, are frequently presented by the written documents, recorded anecdotal experiences, and works of art, archeology, anthropology and photography which, yet again, are interpreted through the language in conjunction with the context of a historical event. It appears to be an endless loop, where language is the alpha and omega, the main vehicle of conveying history. However, to arrive to the valid interpretation of a certain historical event or development, historians frequently use reasoning to connect the factual data of the tangible sources since the latter ones often come in the form of fragments, related to a particular aspect of the happening. Ideally, reasoning, applied to the interpretation of historical data, should be impersonal, unaffected by predominant views and opinions and completely untainted by political agenda. Yet, it is hard to imagine that throughout the centuries those who held power would willingly allow the contemporary historians relate to the masses the adequate information on the details of their governing techniques and actions. As Winston Churchill pointed out, â€Å"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.† Therefore, it is up to an individual to interpret the language, deduce information through applying reasoning, incorporate other areas of knowledge such as science, sociology, psychology and arrive to conclusions in attempts to comprehend historical developments in question. It is important to point out that we frequently perceive historical events as they are presented by those who hold some form of authority: the individuals whom we refer to as experts or the mass media and research bodies who are entrusted with the responsibility to convey information to masses. And here comes the essential aspect: the validity of the statements and projections made by the mentioned authorities. In other words, in search for the truthful perspective of a historical event one needs to remember about the language that is used for such interpretations, the language of power. Truth in history is a dubious concept since any event which involves certain outcomes would be interpreted by a number of experts. The outcomes of the events be it revolutions, wars, or reigns of monarchs and are usually appear in form of facts: toppling of governments, changes in ideologies and laws that societies are to adhere to, development or stagnation of the economy in a given country. These are the facts that are presented in the form of explanations, commentaries, and justifications. And here the language of power might play the crucial role in the way this information is to be perceived. To distinguish the motives behind the language that is used for presenting the event, one needs to look for other sources that interpret the same development, but from a different angle. For instance, the attack on the World Trade Center, New York City, in 2001 is vastly believed to be executed by the group of terrorists known as Al-Qaeda, and hence perceived as â€Å"the terrorist attack†. The mass media of the entire world presented the fact that over 2,700 people perished during the atrocious bombing which involved the hijacked airplanes driven into both towers which collapsed within a short period of time. However, the independent sources point at the undeniable facts that the World Trade Center towers were â€Å"designed to take the impact of the Boeing 707 hitting the building at any location† (Les Robertson, WTC Structural Engineer) and â€Å"could sustain multiple impacts of jetliners† (Frank A. Demartini, Manager of WTC Construction) and still survive (Aaron Swirsky, WTC Architect)1. Other sources, such as a scientific research conducted by Dr Steven Johns, Professor of Physics, BYU, state that the way the buildings collapsed precisely follows the scenario of a controlled demolition. Here, historical event calls for the help of reasoning, which can raise further questions to authorities that put the entire responsibility on the Al-Qaeda. The more scientific and factual evidence emerges from the research, the more controversial this event seems to be. But it is for an individual to arrive to a conclusion provided he or she is concerned with the issue. However, the prevailing opinion that was projected into the minds of the public by mass media remains adamant: the terrorist group dealt a tremendous blow to the democracy of the United States and must pay for it. Hence, there is a fully justifiable war with Iraq, the country which has a doubtful connection with Al-Qaeda, apart from the fact that it is run by a dictator and constitutes a predominantly Muslim society. But the non-Muslim world has already been contaminated by the fear of Muslims who seem to be nearly synonymous with â€Å"terrorists†. â€Å"Thus, [†¦] crowds have come,[†¦] to acquire a profound antipathy for the images evoked by certain words†2 and fully accepted the justification for the war in Iraq. Reasoning is an indispensable tool for those who wish to form a personal opinion on historical events which are presented through language. Yet this process entails searching for the information from the alternative sources. Language is used as a powerful vehicle in creating certain views among various groups of societies, and such language is frequently applied by those who are concerned with power. History is abound with examples in which governing bodies used language to impose ideology and ensure that the masses are entirely convinced in the righteousness of such propaganda: the Soviet Union, China and socialism, Germany and Nazism, the United States and democracy. However, upon a simple application of reasoning, a series of questions arise: how a nation that was claimed to be fed by pure ideology could exist for more than 75 years and build one of the most successful, self-sustaining industries and sciences that are still recognized, though grudgingly, throughout the entire capi talistic world? How could a nation develop such a potent economy that is still burgeoning while the other one is desperately trying to recover from the economic meltdown that has affected nearly the entire world? What could make a nation believe a mentally ill person3 and empower it to conquer the entire Europe? It is indubitable that the language of power and the power of language were effectively used by the leaders of those nations. However, it is reasoning that can help an independent researcher or a concerned individual in the quest of constructing a clear picture on what forces were involved in such profound changes on such vast scales. Of course, it is naà ¯ve to presume that reasoning alone might provide clarifications to the historical events under scrutiny. Reasoning in history is a second step in interpreting historical developments after pertinent to them materials were selected and carefully studied. These materials would include evidence from various fields and areas of knowledge, and the greater the scope of those areas, the more comprehensible and significant the features of events would emerge before the eyes of the researcher. Language might play the roles of obscuring the conditions and implications of historical events; yet the same language might be used in explaining the factors that led to the consequences produced by those events. However, it is the effort in applying reasoning and logic that would eventually create an unobstructed perspective on the historical developments and occurrences in question. References and works cited: 1. Joseph, Peter. 2007. Zeitgeist. Online. Accessed: Dec 21, 2010. www.zeitgeistmovie.com. 2. Le Bon, Gustave. 1841-1931. The Crowd: A study of the Popular Mind. 1841-1931. Translation: Psychologie des foules. Cherokee Publishing Company. Atlanta, Georgia. 1982. Pg. 100 3. The International Campaign for Real History. Hitler’s Last Illness. Online. Accessed: Dec 23, 2010. www.fpp.co.uk/Hitler/docs/Parkinsonism/VancouverSun170599.html

You Suck: A Love Story Chapter 23~24

Chapter Twenty-three Being the Chronicles of Abby Normal: The Hunted Apparently I am the Hunted, which, I want to note here, I am totally not qualified for. Here I sit, perched in the rafters (I think these things are rafters) of the Oakland Bay Bridge like a crippled night bird, waiting for doom to descend on me in the form of an ancient, undead thing, to wrench the very limbs from my delicate body. So that sucks. Fortunately I have some sustenance until my Dark Lord and Lady rise from their diurnal slumber to kick some fucking ass. I know I should be eating bugs and spiders and stuff to facilitate my vampyrism, but as a vegetarian, I haven't developed the hunting skills, so I've started with some Gummi Bears I got at the theater. (Supposedly they are made out of beef pectin or extract of horse hooves or something, so I think they make a good transition to the nosferatu diet. And I like biting off their tiny heads.) Here, high above the City – well, actually, we're about ten feet above some homeless people who live under the bridge – I feel like the guardian of an ancient tomb, willing to face any attacker to protect my master and mistress, who are wrapped in tarps, lying on the next beam or rafter or whatever. OMFG, there are fucking pigeons everywhere! Sorry, one just pooped on my notebook. Never mind. Move along. I'm over it. But ewwww! Jared has gone to his dad's house in the Noe Valley to get the lawn cart and minivan so we can transport my masters to safety. He left me his dagger, which I've only had to brandish once, against a woman who wanted to take the tarp from over my Dark Lord. Then I used it to scrape off my old nail polish, which was totally chipped and stuff from doing minion manual labor. So, my masters like met up with us outside the Museum of Modern Art and they were all, â€Å"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?† And they were being all secretive around Jared, like he didn't know we were vampyres. And I was all, â€Å"Just chill, he's assistant minion.† So they relaxed. Then Flood pulls this bronze hand out of his bag and he's all, â€Å"Abby, do you know what this is?† And I was all, â€Å"Why yes, Lord Flood,† because I speak obvious as a second language. â€Å"It's a bronze hand, correct?† So the Countess took the hand from him. â€Å"Abby, this is what's left of the shell of the vampyre who turned me.† So I'm all, â€Å"Begging your pardon and whatnot, Countess, but that's a statue hand.† And she's all, â€Å"That's what I'm saying.† Which is not what the fuck she was saying at all. So it turns out that the bronze statue that used to be in the loft was actually the vampyre who turned the Countess, and then the Countess turned the vampyre Flood, except he was just Flood then. So the old vampyre, whose name is Elijah, got all PMS and started fucking with the Countess by leaving dead bodies all over town with evidence pointing toward her, and threatening to kill her minion, who was Flood at the time, and it got completely out of hand, with some cops and the geeks from the Safeway blowing up Elijah's yacht and really pissing him off, and then the Countess pretending to save Elijah when in fact she was extracting his ancient vampyry secrets, and Flood bronzing them both, but letting the Countess out because she is the love of his life and whatnot. So Flood, who is not a mysterious and ancient creature of the night at all, but has been a vampyre like a week longer than I have, took the statue down to the waterfront to drop it in the Bay, so it wouldn't remind the Coun tess of her heart being torn asunder by the yearning for two lovers and stuff. But the sun came up and Flood left the statue on the Embarcadero, and when they went back it was gone, and it turns out that Elijah is loose and he was the crusty vampyre in the yellow tracksuit I saw shaking the huge cat guy and he is now stalking me to get back at the Countess for being a duplicitous ho. So Jared was all, â€Å"Fuck. That's awesome.† And I was all, â€Å"You lied to me.† And the Countess was all, â€Å"Yeah, sunshine, that's why I'm telling you this now.† Which was completely unnecessary sarcasm on her part. And Jared was like, â€Å"This is the best Christmas ever.† And I was all, â€Å"Shut up, gay-bait. I've been betrayed.† And the Countess was all, â€Å"You'll get over it. We have to go see if William is okay.† And I see now that she was right, but I brooded as we went back to the loft, just to make a point, because I hate it when people take me for granted. When we got to the Countess's block, there was an ambulance there and cops all over the place, so Flood and the Countess hung back and sent me over to get the 411. I could see that the huge cat guy was on a stretcher and they were strapping oxygen on him. And I was all, â€Å"Let me through, this man is my father.† And the EMTs were all, â€Å"No way.† And I was all, â€Å"Who called you, anyway?† And they were like, â€Å"The guy in the building. A sculptor or something.† And then the cat guy was all, â€Å"Let her through.† So they let me through. So I blew by the EMT to the huge cat guy, and I was all, â€Å"Are you okay?† And he was like, â€Å"Well, my head hurts like hell, and I think my leg is broke.† And I was all, â€Å"Is there anything I can do?† Because I was under orders of the Countess to gain information and offer assistance. And he was like, â€Å"If you could take care of Chet. He's in the stairwell. He'll be hungry.† And I was all, â€Å"You got it.† So then he like pulled the oxygen mask off and had me bend over so he could whisper, and I was all, â€Å"Yes, Dad,† for the EMTs who were watching. And he whispered like, â€Å"Before they take me away, could I see your tits.† So I kicked him in the ribs. And the EMTs went all byzerk and shit, and told me to get away, but they were totally overreacting, because I had on my red Converse All Stars, which will hardly even bruise you. So they loaded him into the ambulance, and just as they were shutting the doors, he reached out his hand, like he was a drowning man reaching for the last spark of his mortality before the inky waves of death swept him away – so I flashed my boobs for him, just a quick lift of my bra and top at the same time, because I don't think we do enough to help the homeless, and I wanted him to die a happy man. And besides, they're small and I don't get that many requests. So I got Chet out of the stairway of the old loft and was carrying him kid-style when I saw the two cops from before – the ones the Countess said helped blow up Elijah – so I went up to the Hispano-cop and I was all, â€Å"So, what's up, cop?† And he was all, â€Å"You need to get home, and you have no business out at this hour, and we should take you to the station and call your parents and blah, blah, blah, threat, threat, disapproval, and fascist dogma all up in your darkly delicious grille.† (I'm paraphrasing. Although I do have a delicious grille as I had to wear braces for three years when I was a kid, and now my teeth are like my most acceptable feature. I hope my fangs come in straight.) And the big gay cop was all, â€Å"What are you doing here?† And I was all, â€Å"I live here, bone-smoker, what are you doing here? Aren't you guys homicide cops?† And he was all, â€Å"Let's see some ID blah, blah, bluster, bluster, Oh My God I am so full of shit.† And I was like, â€Å"I guess you wouldn't have to deal with this shit if you had properly blowed up that old vampyre when you stole his art collection.† So all of a sudden the Hispano-cop and his big gay partner were all, â€Å"Whaaa – ?† And I'm like, â€Å"Just so we know where we stand. How long you bitches going to be here?† And they were like, â€Å"Just a half hour or so longer, miss. We need to interview some witnesses and go clean out our boxers where we have just completely shit ourselves. Do you need a ride somewhere?† (Again paraphrasing.) So I walked off, while they were still stunned, let Chet into the new loft down the street like it was mine, then ran around the block and reported to the Countess and Flood. Jared was just staring at them like he was hypnotized or something. I was like, â€Å"Hey, Boo,† to remind him what a tard he was being and Jared snapped out. (Lily and Jared and I watched the To Kill a Mockingbird DVD like six times together and our favorite part is when Scout sees Boo Radley behind the door and goes, â€Å"Hey, Boo.† It's like thanking the universe for sending you a benevolent retard to help you out, which is how I often feel about Jared.) So I was like, â€Å"Buy me a coffee.† And the Countess and Flood look at each other and shake their heads. No money. So I was like, â€Å"You guys are so fucking lame. You have piles of cash and you roll with no money. You are no longer the Dark Lord and Lady of me.† Which I totally didn't mean, but I was stressed and starting to get a low-on-caffeine headache. But Jared goes, â€Å"Hey, Boo† at me, and he's holding a ten-dollar bill. And I pretended to find a snag in my fishnets so everyone would quit looking at me. The Countess said she knew of a Chinese diner off Freemont Street that was open all night on Christmas and we could hang out there until the cops left. Jared and I had cups of coffee and an order of fries, which FYI, taste a little like shrimp in a Chinese diner. And Flood and the Countess are watching us, looking all sad. So I'm like, â€Å"What? What? What?† And the Countess is all, â€Å"Nothing.† Which I know is totally something, because I say it all the time. And I watch her eyes follow Jared's cup as he sips his coffee and I'm all, â€Å"Oh, fucksocks, Countess, cowboy the fuck up, would you?† Then I slipped Jared's dagger out of his boot, grabbed his hand, and poked him in the thumb. I'd like to say right here that the screaming was totally unnecessary. And whatever the Chinese guy was saying at me from behind the counter was a total overreaction and how does he expect me to understand him when he's talking that fast AND in Chinese? Anyway, after I squeezed Jared's thumb into his cup, then a little into my own and gave it to Flood, everyone calmed down, even the Chinese guy after Jared paid him for two more coffees – and the meeting of the Immortal SOMA Drama Queens officially came to order. It seemed like we waited forever, and the Countess and Flood wouldn't answer any of my questions about the way of the nosferatu. It was like they had no idea what they were doing. Like last year I took Advanced Foods class (which is like cooking for nerds) after lunch, and so I usually took a nap. Which was fine, because I'm not even thrilled about regular foods, so, you know, what do I need with like advanced digital HD wi-fi foods and whatnot – so I took the course pass-fail and slept. But then, at the end of the semester, my mom springs this trap on me, like – â€Å"Oh, Allison, I've bought ingredients and you can prepare dinner for Ronnie and me to show what you learned in your Advanced Foods class. It'll be fun.† You can pretty much bet that anytime Mom uses the phrase â€Å"it'll be fun,† she is about to drive a stake in fun's heart so that it may never rise again. Which is what happened. Artichokes? Who eats something like that? I thought it was a weapon. So anyway, after nine eternities in the diner, we went back to the loft, where the Countess said she had my Christmas present waiting. When we got to the block, the cops and EMTs were gone and it looked like the coast was clear, but when the Countess opened the security door to the loft, there, sitting on the steps, was the old vampyre, naked. Well, the Countess and Flood jumped about eighteen feet in the air and I'm pretty sure I peed a little. Yes, I definitely peed. Jared just started an asthma attack, not the whole attack, just the first gasp. He just stopped breathing after that. So Elijah is all, â€Å"I needed to do some laundry.† Let me say right here, if I haven't made it clear, that I have seen as many pale, naked old-man parts in the last twenty-four hours to bruise my delicate psyche for a lifetime, so don't be surprised if you someday find me wandering the moors at midnight, a crazed look in my eye, babbling about albino Tater Tots nesting in Brillo pads and being pursued by sagging man ass, because that shit can happen when you've been traumatized. Then Flood threw himself against the door and screamed for us to run as he bravely held the door against our ancient vampyre ancestor's assaults. I was beginning to doubt Flood's ability to fulfill his duties as my Dark Lord until he stepped up and saved us – valiant vampyre hero that he is – because I was starting to think he was just a geek with a passing knowledge of poetry. As we ran I could hear Elijah saying, â€Å"He peed on my tracksuit,† as he threw himself against the door, or I guessed he did, because I didn't turn around until we were two blocks away. The Countess was all, â€Å"I've got to go back for him.† But before she even turned around, my Dark Lord came running around the corner. And he was all, â€Å"Go, go, go!† waving at us. And we were all, â€Å"Where? Where? Where?† And then as the Countess threw her arms around Flood and started to squeeze the bejeezus out of him, and Jared was all, â€Å"Gasp, get a room, gasp,† her watch started beeping. Then Flood's watch was beeping, too. And they were all, â€Å"Uh-oh.† So we had like ten minutes to find someplace dark to hide them, and no one had any money for a hotel, even if we had the time to check in and whatnot. So they ran toward a big construction site under the Bay Bridge. And I was thinking, I do not want to bury my masters in the construction site. What if they got paved? It would totally freak them out to get paved. And the Countess was all, â€Å"How did you get away?† And the vampyre Flood was all, â€Å"The dryer buzzer went off.† And she was all, â€Å"He let you live because his laundry was done?† And Flood goes, â€Å"Lucky, huh?† Totally not out of breath, even with the running. So when we got to the construction site, everything was either open or would be when everyone came to work. And the Countess looked up into the rafters or whatever of the bridge and goes, â€Å"There.† So there is where we went. I grabbed some tarps that were covering this generator thing by the construction site and Jared and I climbed up into the rafters with our vampyre sires and helped tuck them in just in time for them to go out. But as it got lighter, and we saw all the homeless people around, Jared and I realized that our masters would not be safe here when all the homeless people who lived under the bridge noticed the tarps and our delicate youth or smelled my Gummi Bears and came after us. So Jared went to get the garden cart, some trash bags and duct tape, and hopefully his stepmom's minivan so we can move our masters to a safer realm. Oh, check it, before the Countess passed into the inky sleep of the undead, I was like, â€Å"So what did you get me for Christmas?† And she was all, â€Å"Ten thousand dollars.† And I was like, â€Å"I didn't get you guys anything.† And she was like, â€Å"That's okay. You are our most special favorite minion and it's all good.† Which is why I love her and will guard her to the death. Then she like kissed the vampyre Flood and passed out. I'm sure their love will span the ages, if Jared and I don't fuck up and fry them during transport. OMG! I just remembered, we forgot to feed Chet! Chapter Twenty-four The Half-Life of American Cheese The Cheddar Princess of Fond du Lac was toasted. It wasn't just the bursting into flames that had crispied her up more than somewhat physically, it was that Drew's blood tasted like bong water, and she was still a little mentally baked from feeding on him. She'd made the mistake of trying to get the taste out of her mouth with some orange juice and had been rewarded with five minutes of the dry heaves. She brushed at her arms and great black flakes of burned skin came away, revealing fresh, unscarred skin below. Drew's blood was healing her, but it appeared that the process was going to take time and, like life in general, was going to be messy. Maybe a bath. She padded naked into the bathroom, which was done all in slabs of granite and green glass, and ran her bath. While the tub filled, she picked the last few burned tatters of her dress away from her skin and dropped them into the toilet. There was a swath of gray dust across the black tile, the remains of the original owner, and she was tracking him all over the bathroom and bedroom suite, so she stopped to sweep him into the corner with a towel. That had sort of been a surprise (in what was turning out to be a long line of surprises) when her first victim had disintegrated in her arms two nights ago, just as she was getting the hang of blood drinking. â€Å"Oops.† He had been so nice, too. Had picked her up in his Mercedes not two minutes after she'd stumbled out of Lash's apartment building wearing nothing but a leather bustier and thigh-high platform boots. It wasn't the first time she'd been on the street with her ass hanging out – that wasn't what had thrown her. It was waking up feeling like her tits were on fire to see her body rejecting the giant silicone globes she had spent so much money having implanted. Even as she tried to push them back in with her hands, the implants pushed through her skin, opening her up like they were aliens hatching out of her. She screamed as they broke through and rolled to the floor, then lay there, quivering on the carpet. As she watched, her skin mended, her breasts tightened and lifted, the pain had turned to a tingling, but now she felt a squirming in her face – her lips specifically, and she wiped her mouth and came away with two sluglike lines of silicone that had been injected years ag o. It was only then, in looking at the grotesque globs of lip filler on her hand, that Blue realized she wasn't blue at all. Her palms were baby white. Her arms, her legs – she ran to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. An old familiar stranger looked back at her – the Cheddar Princess of Fond du Lac. She hadn't seen this person since high school; the milky-white skin, hair almost white blond, still in the severe cut of the blue call girl, but looking somewhat like a pageboy cut now. Even the tattoos she'd had done in her early days in Vegas were gone. I'm alive, she thought. Then: And I'm going to be alive forever. Then: And I'm going to need some fucking money. She ran to Lash's bedroom to where she'd left her makeup case. It was gone. Her money was gone! She ran out of the apartment and down the steps like she might see a green trail of bills blowing in the wind in the direction her money had escaped, but once on the street, she headed for the only place she knew, toward the Marina Safeway. She got half a block before the Mercedes pulled up and the electric window rolled down. â€Å"Hey, you need a ride? It's a little chilly out here for that outfit.† His name had been David, and he did something that had to do with moving money around. Whatever it was, it must have paid well. He was wearing a two-thousand-dollar suit and his penthouse apartment on Russian Hill looked out on Golden Gate Bridge and the massive dome at the Palace of Fine Arts. He'd given her his coat to wear up in the elevator. It was in the elevator that the hunger had come upon her. Poor David. They hadn't even talked price before she'd had him bent over the green glass vanity in the bathroom, drinking his life away. â€Å"Oops.† The difference, she realized, between what had happened to her and what had happened to David had been the bloody kiss she'd taken from Tommy. But for a kiss, she, too, would be a pile of dust. There should be a song like that, she thought. At least she'd learned before she took her victims. Now she swept the last of David into the corner, then scraped him up with a piece of cardboard from his shirt drawer and dumped him into the wastebasket. Then she slipped into the tub full of bubbles and began to scrub off her charred skin. She wouldn't be able to stay long. David had been married or had a girlfriend. Blue had found a whole closet full of women's clothes – expensive clothes, and the woman would probably be back. Of course, this would make a great base of operations, maybe she could just wait for the wife to return and sweep her into the wastebasket with David. Blue leaned back and closed her eyes, listened to the bubbles popping, the wires humming through the building, the traffic out on the streets, to fishing boats leaving the wharf – then a sudden intake of breath from the living room, then another, deeper gasp as the second one found life, then a long man-scream. The dead Animals she'd collected were coming back to life. â€Å"Sit tight, boys,† Blue said. â€Å"Mama's just going to get cleaned up and put on a new dress, then we'll go get you something to eat and pick up my money.† She ran a sponge over her arm and smiled. She really could be Snow White now. One dwarf at a time, she thought. Elijah Ben Sapir had roamed the planet for eight hundred and seventeen years. In that time he had seen empires rise and fall, miracles and massacres, ages of ignorance and ages of enlightenment: the full spectrum of mankind's cruelty and kindness. He had seen all manner of freakishness, from the perversions of nature to the perversions of mind, twisted, beautiful, terrifying: he thought he had seen it all. But for all of his years, and all the acuity of perception enabled by his vampire senses, he had never seen a huge shaved cat in a red sweater, and sitting there in his newly washed yellow tracksuit, still warm from the dryer and smelling of soap and fabric softener, he smiled. â€Å"Hey, kitty,† the old vampire said. The huge cat eyed him suspiciously from across the loft. The cat could sense that he was a predator, just as Elijah could sense that the cat had been prey to a vampire. Kitty treat. â€Å"I'm not going to eat you, kitty. I've fed quite enough.† It was true. Elijah was feeling a little bloated from trying to keep the body count up. Perhaps he should just kill the next few, not feed. But no, the police wouldn't know it was a vampire then, and there'd be no joy in terrorizing the fledgling. He just wasn't ready to feed yet. There was someone in the stairwell right now, he could hear her breathing and smell patchouli and clove cigarette odor wafting under the door. Soon enough, he thought. â€Å"Perhaps we'll find something for you to eat, hey, kitty?† Elijah vaulted off the bar stool and began opening cupboards. In the third one he found pouches of Tender Vittles. He took a bowl from the cupboard that looked as if it had never been used, dumped in the meatish nuggets, and shook them around. â€Å"Come, kitty.† Chet padded a few steps toward the kitchenette, then stopped. Elijah put the bowl down and stepped away. â€Å"I understand, kitty. I don't like to eat in front of witnesses either. But sometimes – â€Å" The vampire heard a car pull up outside, a car that hadn't been tuned in a while. He cocked his head and listened as the doors opened and slammed. Four got out. He heard their steps on the concrete, a female voice, hissing at the other three. In an instant he was at the window looking down, and in spite of himself, he smiled again. There was no vivid life aura around the four down on the sidewalk. No healthy pink glow, no black shadow of death. The visitors below were not human. Vampires. On one hand, an indication of an enormous problem – one that just might attract attention that he could ill afford – but on the other, exciting in a way that he hadn't felt in a hundred years. â€Å"Four against one. Oh my, kitty, how ever will I prevail?† The old vampire ran his tongue over his fangs. For all the rage, frustration, and discomfort he'd endured since choosing the redhead as his fledgling, he was, for the first time in decades, not bored. He was having the time of his very long life. â€Å"Killing time, kitty,† he said, slipping into a pair of Tommy's Nikes. Jody awoke to the smell of clove cigarettes and the crunching of Cheese Newts. There was music screeching, too – a whiny guy singing about some girl named Ligeia, who apparently he missed a great deal because he was talking about dragging her worm-worn corpse from the earth and caressing her cheek on a cliff above the sea before throwing himself off, with her in his arms. The singer sounded a little down, and like he could have used a throat lozenge. She opened her eyes and was initially blinded until she adjusted to the black light, then she yelped. Jared White Wolf was sitting on the bed about two feet away from her, shoving handfuls of crunchy Cheese Newts into his mouth. There was a brown rat on his shoulder. â€Å"Hi.† Newt crumbs sprayed and fluoresced on the black sheets and clothing. â€Å"Hi,† Jody said, turning her head to avoid the crumbs. â€Å"This is my room. Do you like it?† Jody looked around, for once not really that thrilled with her vampire night-vision abilities. There were disturbing stains glowing on the sheets, and almost everything else in the room was black with a patina of vibrant blacklight-enhanced dust or lint – there was even lint on the rat. â€Å"It's swell,† she said. Interesting, she thought. She was no longer afraid of gang members and street criminals, and would even throw down with an eight-hundred-year-old vampire if need be, but rodents still sort of gave her the willies. The rat's eyes were glowing silver in the black light. â€Å"This is Lucifer Two.† Jared scooped the animal off his shoulder and held him out. Despite an attempt at self-control, Jody climbed backwards halfway up the wall, shredding a Marilyn Manson poster with her nails in the process. â€Å"Lucifer One went on to his dark reward when I tried to dye him black.† â€Å"Sad,† Jody said. â€Å"Yeah.† Jared turned the rat and rubbed noses with him. â€Å"I was hoping we could turn him to nosferatu when you bring Abby and me into the fold.† â€Å"Yeah, sure, that'll happen. Why am I in your room, Jared?† â€Å"It was the only place we could think to bring you. It wasn't safe under the bridge. Abby had to go, so I'm in charge.† â€Å"Good for you. Where's Tommy?† â€Å"Under the bed.† She would have known that – would have heard him breathing if the music wasn't cranked up to coffin-splitting volume. â€Å"Could you turn the music down a little, please?† † ‘Kay,† Jared said. He tucked Lucifer Two in his pocket and spidered across the bed, getting a little tangled in his black duster, then rolled to the floor and across the room in a commando-under-fire move until he got to the stereo, where he twisted the dial, putting the keening Emo singer out of his misery, or at least shutting him the fuck up. â€Å"Where are we?† Tommy's voice from under the bed. â€Å"It smells like gym socks stuffed with ground-up hippies.† â€Å"We're in Jared's room,† Jody said. She let a hand drop off the edge of the bed. Tommy took it and she pulled him out. He was still partially wrapped in duct tape and garbage bags. â€Å"Was I a hostage again?† â€Å"We had to cover you up to keep you from burning in the sun.† â€Å"Well, thanks.† Tommy looked at Jody, who shrugged. â€Å"I was unwrapped when I woke up,† she said. â€Å"That's because Abby says you're the Alpha vamp. Do you guys want to play Xbox or watch a DVD? I have The Crow Special Collector's Edition.† â€Å"Gee,† Jody said, â€Å"that would be great, Jared, but we'd better be going.† Tommy had already picked up the Xbox controller, but set it down with marked disapproval, as if he'd notice a little botulism there on the trigger button. â€Å"Oh, you can't go until the ‘rents go to bed.† Jared giggled, high and girlish. â€Å"The door is right by where they watch TV.† â€Å"We'll go out a window,† Jody said. Jared giggled again, then snorted a little, then started to honk, then took a hit from the inhaler that hung around his neck before he went on. â€Å"There's no window. This basement is totally windowless. Like we've been walled up in here with our own grotesque despair. Isn't it sweet?† â€Å"We could go to mist,† Tommy said. â€Å"Go out under the door.† â€Å"That would be so cool,† Jared said, â€Å"but my dad put rubber gaskets around the door to contain my disgusting Goth stench. That's what he calls it: my ‘disgusting Goth stench. Although I don't think I'm really Goth, more like death punk. He just doesn't like cloves. Or pot. Or patchouli. Or gay people.† â€Å"Philistine,† Tommy said. â€Å"Oh, would you guys like some Cheese Newts?† Jared picked the box up off the floor and held it out. â€Å"I can open a vein on them if you need me to.† He waved the thumb Abby had stabbed to prepare their coffee the night before, now wrapped in a ragged ball of gauze and medical tape the size of a racquetball. â€Å"I'm good,† Tommy said. Jody nodded in agreement; although she would love a cup of coffee, she didn't think she should ask the kid to stab himself quite so soon. She checked her watch. â€Å"What time do your parents go to bed?† â€Å"Oh, around ten. You'll have plenty of time to stalk the night and whatnot. Would you like to wash up or something? There's a bathroom down here. And a washing machine. My room was the wine cellar, then my dad crashed his car and started twelve-stepping, so I got this sweet room for my own. Abby says it's dank and disgusting – and she says it like it's a bad thing! I think it's just her perky side manifesting. I love her, but she really can be perky sometimes – don't tell her I said so.† Jody shook her head, then nudged Tommy, who shook his head in agreement. â€Å"We won't tell.† The kid was sort of giving her the creeps. She thought she might have lost that ability with blood drinking and the sleep of the undead and all, but nope, she was getting completely creeped out. â€Å"Jared, when is Abby coming back?† â€Å"Oh, she should be here any minute. She went to your loft to feed the cat.† â€Å"She went to our loft? The loft where Elijah was?† â€Å"No, it's okay. She went during daylight so he couldn't hurt her.† â€Å"It's not daylight anymore,† Jody said. â€Å"How do you know?† Jared said â€Å"No windows, duh.† Tommy Stooge-smacked his forehead with enough force to render a mortal man unconscious. â€Å"Because we're awake, you fucking moron!† â€Å"Oh yeah, ha,† Jared said. The trilling giggle again. â€Å"That's bad, huh?†