Abstract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 27

Abstract - Essay Example The initial construction involved changes of building materials. The other change involved the introduction of new architecture as a depiction of various victories and accomplishments. There was also addition of more rooms to cater for entertainments. The other part of the paper focuses on the structure of the palace. The structure is shown based on Victorian era. This part also offers a comparison analysis of the building and how it could have been different if it was built in the current societies. The last part of the paper carries the concluding remarks. Buckingham Palace is located in the City of Westminster and is the residence and office of the British monarch for over four centuries. The place is owned by the British government and is extended for the public and private use of the ruling monarch, which has to be given up when the King or Queen leaves their position. Buckingham Palace, originally known as Buckingham House, has housed generations of British monarch beginning from Queen Victoria and later including prominent rulers such as Edward VII, Queen Elizabeth and George VI. John Nash and Edward Blore mainly designed the Palace but later structural and other changes were incorporated in the original design to accommodate the changing needs and tastes of the ruling monarch. This paper will attempt to shed light on the history, structure and use of one of the most important houses in Britain- the Buckingham Palace. The site that is considered the Buckingham Paalace today was in the beginning three sites: Buckingham Gardens, Goring House and Arlington House. As the need for more space was required according to the lifestyle of the Dukes and rulers, the surrounding sites were added to the original Buckingham Gardens. Buckingham Palace began as Buckingham House when John Sheffield, the first Duke of Buckingham built the house in 1702. The Palace as one sees it today

Petroleum water injection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Petroleum water injection - Essay Example For the formation of this petroleum reservoir worth producing various geological elements are required. These elements include; porous reservoir rock which stores the petroleum, organic rocks which are the source of generating the gas or oil and lastly some kind of traps to prevent leaking away of the oil and gas (Souza at el). Usually these traps are found in predictable areas like next to faults, top of anticlines and under sandstone beds. The traps are of three types; structural, hydrodynamic and stratigraphic traps. Hydrodynamic traps are not common types of trap. They usually caused by water pressure differences that are as a result of water flow which creates a tilt of hydrocarbon water contact. Structural traps are bents and deformed areas beneath the surface that hold oil and gas. Mostly the traps are simple domes or more complicated faults. A fluid, which is water, oil or gas, fills the pores. Gas move to the top as it is the lightest, followed by oil then water stays down. Stratigraphic traps are depositional in nature as they are formed frequently by porous sandstone body or limestone getting enclosed in shale. The oil and gas are kept from getting away by the shale. Petroleum reservoirs are generally located beneath the surface at 1000 to 30000 feet. They vary in size, type and age. They often extend over hundreds of kilometers, plus include a number of oil wells spread out across a big area. Petroleum reservoir formation can be divided into; planktons, algae and protein rich life buried beneath sand layers and mud at source rock this involves sand accumulation, lastly buried reside transfer into liquid hydrocarbons. Topographical characteristics play an important role in the petroleum reservoirs formation. Petroleum reservoirs were discovered in the 19th century when Edwin Laurentine discovered that rock oil produces a distilled product for lanterns he then did the first well drill in 1859.The success of this drill which was close to an oil seep mo tivated further drilling in the same area, which soon led to same explorations in other places. The growing need for petroleum products led to petroleum reservoirs drilling in several states and countries. Petroleum reservoirs can be accidentally discovered, this mostly happens when oil seeps to the surface or it seeps into water supply thereby exposing its presence in that area. In some instances, it is necessary to deliberately explore different regions by the application f geographical and scientific knowledge with the intention of discovering locations A petroleum reservoir may be discovered by accident, as has happened when the oil seeps to the surface or when the oil seeps into water supply, consequently revealing its presence in that location. Other times, it is often necessary to intentionally explore different regions through the application of scientific and geographic knowledge with the view of discovering other places that may contain petroleum reservoir. Petroleum explo ration and production which is the way to get gas and oil is performed by geologists, engineers and geophysicists. Geologists examine areas of the earth where sediments gather together. They then analyze the areas of interest closely to find out whether or not reservoir rocks and source rocks are present in the area. Examination of the rocks is done at the earth surface and drilled wells in the area. Geologists also use satellite images

Experiences of Breast Cancer Patients with Radiotherapy

Experiences of Breast Cancer Patients with Radiotherapy Introduction and background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and leading cause of cancer related deaths of this gender (World Health Organization, 2014). Previously it was most common in developed countries but now it became commonest cancer both in developed and developing regions (Ferlay et al., 2010). Moreover, in USA, breast cancer has the highest incidence rate among all types of cancers involving one in every ten women (Njeh, Saunders, Langton, 2012). However, in Pakistan the incidence is more alarming as 1 in every 9 women is at the risk of developing breast cancer (Siddiqui, n.d.).This data indicates that Pakistan has highest incidence rates of breast cancer in Asian countries (Aziz, Sana, Akram, Saeed, 2004; Bhurgri, et al., 2000; Naeem, 2008). Furthermore, Hussain, Ahmad, Muhammad, Kakakhail and Matiullah (2008) identified the incidence of breast cancer 96.49 % among women registered in Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Peshawar, which are more frightening figures. There are certain treatment modalities for breast cancer among them radiation therapy (RT) is an important treatment choice, performed before and after the surgery which also have various side effects. During the course of treatment, about two-thirds of patients undergo radiation therapy, before and after surgery (Guo et al., 2013). In addition, more than 90% of the all breast cancer patients receive adjuvant radiotherapy to prevent the recurrence of the disease (Potthoff et al., 2013). Despite its wide use and significant role in cancer treatment, few studies addressed the experiences of its recipients. According to Welle (1998) radiotherapy patients are perceived as self-caring and their needs are not taken care of. The international literature indicates that breast cancer patient receiving RT not only suffers from disease process but also from the side effect of this treatment. The nature of disease, its prognosis and treatment related problems have devastating effects on physical , psychological and socio-economic wellbeing of the patient (Farooqi Chaudhry, 2012; Kirchheiner et al, 2013). However, these studies have been conducted in western context on different population which has stark difference in our culture. In addition, within the Pakistani context, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa is considered more conservative province. Therefore, it is important to explore experiences and problems of the local population to remedy their problems. Furthermore, data from Pakistan revealed that breast cancer was found mostly in younger age group ranging from 30-50 years as compare to west where it tend to occur in women above 60 years of age (Aziz, Sana, Akram, Saeed, 2004; Mamoon, Sharif, Mushtaq, Khadim, Jamal, 2009; Naeem, et al., 2008; Tfayli, Temraz, Abou Mrad, Shamseddine, 2010). Importantly, this age group is more productive and may have different responsibilities pertinent to their age group towards their family and society which may vary from western population in t erm of their concerns, needs and issues. However, in Pakistan, research in this area is not conducted to explore the experiences of breast cancer patient receiving radiotherapy therefore; research is a required to address the issues of this population. In addition, this is the first study of its nature in Pakistani context especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the field of nursing which will increase the awareness regarding radiotherapy related problems of patients among nurses and other health care providers. Significance This study is significant to generate information for nurses to care for patient undergoing RT in Pakistani context. It will help nurses to understand the feelings and experiences of the patients undergoing RT to design nursing care plan by addressing their needs. Moreover, findings of this study can help to identify recommendation for health care staff working in the radiotherapy units to facilitate their patients undergoing radiotherapy in a better way. It will also help health care professionals maintain a sense of the importance of the experience of the RT patient who are coming to them for treatment and want their care pertinent to their needs. Purpose The aim of this study is to explore the experiences of the female breast cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy. Study Questions What are the experiences of the of breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan? Data sources The review of literature was conducted through data bases CINAHL PubMed, Mosbys Nursing Consult, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Search for published research articles relevant to this paper was done. The combination of the following key terms was used to retrieve relevant literature â€Å"physical/psychological problems, breast cancer, problems with radiation therapy, quality of life, experiences of breast cancer patients. Search generated 283articles, 52 duplicate results excluded. Through a selection process title and abstract screened, among those 30 were found to be relevant to the topic. Literature review Radiotherapy is one of the essential components of the cancer treatment. It minimizes risk of recurrence, improve survival rate (Bese, et al., 2006). This is done by using high-energy x-rays or gamma rays targeted at the tumor to shrink the tumors or kill cancer cells (Radvansky, Pace, Siddiqui, 2013). During the course of treatment, about two-thirds of patients will undergo radiation therapy, before and after surgery (Guo et al., 2013). Beside this adjuvant radiotherapy is advised after breast conserving surgery as well as after mastectomy to minimize the chances of reoccurrence of the disease. As Darby et al. (2011) found in their meta-analysis study that RT reduced 15-years of risk of breast cancer related death rate after breast conserving surgery. Beside its effectiveness, it exerts multiple physical, psychological and socio-economical problems on patients. Physical problems related to RT Radiation therapy affects cancer as well as normal body cells within the treated area, result in injury of the cells which lead to many side effects. The RT induced side effects include skin and mucous membrane toxicities, sleeplessness, pain, swelling, dyspnea, cough and nausea. (Adams, 2009; Currie Wheat 2006; Darby et al, 201; Gordils-Perez, Duell, 2003; Rose, 2011). In addition, skin problems are the most frequent side effect of RT which affects nearly 85% to 95% of patients and also cause skin damage (Bergstrom, 2011). Additionally, there are many long term side effects of breast irradiation like cosmetic changes hyperpigmentation, fibrosis, lymphedema, and damage to underlying normal structures (Gordils-Perez, Duell, 2003). Moreover, fatigue, soreness and dryness of throat, headache, and desquamation were also common symptom reported by patients receiving RT (Sherminie Cottrel, 2014). Among them fatigue is reported by 80% of the patients receiving RT which affects the role functioning of breast cancer female in their daily life (Poirier, 2011; Potthoff et al., 2013). The RT patent also endure sleep disturbance as Dhruva et al. (2012) reported that approximately 50% breast cancer patients have sleep disturbance at the initiation of radiation therapy. In this connection, a study conducted by Graydon (1994) highlighted that sleep disturbance and fatigues were the main areas of the life of women affected by RT. It influence the physical, cognitive and emotional aspects of the 80% of breast cancer patients underwent RT (Alcantara-Silva, Freitas-Junior, Freitas, Machado, 2013; Stone, Richards, Hern Hardy, 2001). As Currie and Wheat (2006) suggested that it is very important to address and remedy the evident side effect of RT because these are capable of limiting the patient’s ability to tolerate the planned treatment. Psychological problems Breast cancer remarkably affects women’s psychological well-being. One out of two patients with cancer experience psychological disorder (Reyes-Gibby, Anderson, Morrow, Shete Hassan, 2012; Spoletini, et al., 2008). Beside the disease process its treatment modalities also contribute in the psychological problems of the patient. As, Reyes-Gibby et al. (2012) proved that depression among women have positive associated with symptoms of disease and treatment of the breast cancer. In addition, RT is usually prescribed before and after surgery which tend to have its psychological effects on patient. A qualitative study conducted in Sri Lanka to explore the experiences of breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, concluded that women feel fear of treatment, machines used in treatment and blackening of the skin. The study also reported patients feel uncomfortable and stressed in the presence of male staff members and waiting for long time in RT department (Sherminie Cottrel , 2014). In addition, Halkett, Kristjanson, and Lobb (2008) highlighted in their qualitative study, that the patients with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy, experience many kinds of fears like getting burnt, damage to internal body parts, and anticipating tiredness. These kinds of fears may have negative impact on compliance with the treatment regimen. Rose (2011) highlighted that patient feel high level of stress at the start RT because of unfamiliar technology, fear of potential side effects and being in an environment with other cancer patients. A literature review carried out by Lim, Devi, and Ang (2011) concluded that anxiety is predominant psychological issue of the all treatment modalities of the breast cancer across the globe and continue beyond the acute stage of treatment. In relevance to RT it is experienced by10 to 20% of the patients (Stielgelis et al., 2004). Moreover, the fatigue and pain related to RT may affect the sexuality of the patient by decreasing the desi re and arousal and skin changes result in burns affecting body image and self-esteem (Mercadante, Vitrano Catania, 2010). Therefore, the diagnosis and treatment can have a profound influence on a woman’s overall psychological well-being thus compromising the quality of life of the patient. Socio-economical Problems Breast cancer patients face multiple socio-economical problems because the cancer treatment is very expensive which may not be affordable for many of the patients particularly who belong to low income families. A well-established literature signifies that breast cancer patient treated with surgery also receives RT which may be additional financial burden for them especially in the limited resourced countries like Pakistan. Most of the developed countries of the world, large part of expenditure of the cancer treatment are paid by the government, but in Pakistan, the costs of the therapy are borne by the patient and their families (Zaidi, Ansari, Khan, 2012). Many breast cancer patients in Pakistan experience finical difficulties and use their savings to pay for treatment (Banning, Hassan, Faisal, Hafeez, 2010). Moreover, statistics also highlights that the incidence of breast cancer is increasing in countries with inadequate resources thus limiting the access to radiotherapy (Bese, 2006). Due to finical barriers, Pakistani female breast cancer patients face different challenges throughout the course of the disease (Ahmed, Shaikh, Hasan, 1997). Apart from economical issue woman with breast cancer faces many social and cultural problems in Pakistan. A qualitative study by Banning, Hassan, Faisal, and Hafeez (2010) reported that in Pakistani culture breast is considered a hidden organ that should not be exposed, discussed or touched by others. They also highlighted that most of their participants reported stigma attached to a diagnosis and likelihood surgery therefore they hide their diagnosis from family and local community. Furthermore, in conservative culture of developing countries female are less empowered and given low priority and their health issues are least bothered by the society (Tfayli, Temraz, AbouMrad, Shamseddine, 2010). In this regard, female with breast cancer may experience unbearable problems which may not be experienced by women of differen t cultural and social class (Aziz, Sana, Akram, Saeed, 2004). Knowledge of Treatment The above mentioned literature suggests that patients receiving RT face significant challenges and require appropriate information regarding their treatments, side effects of treatment and coping strategies allows them to feel more control over disease and its related problems. Such as, Halkett et al. (2012) emphasized that undergoing RT is difficult experience for patients which needs appropriate and specific information to have the better outcomes of the therapy. Though, the RT is an important treatment but their patients are found to be poorly informed (Halkett, Kristjanson, Lobb, 2008; Sherminie Cottrell, 2014). This may contribute in their fear, anxiety, stress, and compliance with treatment. Thus the appropriate information and guidance help the patient to make better choices of treatment modalities (Barnett et al., 2004). In addition, findings of a quantitative study by Zeguers et al. (2012) showed that RT patients want comprehensive information about their disease, treatmen t, and procedures, side effects, and prognosis with the mean scores between 4.1 and 4.4 on a scale from 1 to 5. In contrast, Barnett et al. (2004) emphasized that information needs vary among different individual therefore, a patient-centered approach must involve according to the tolerance and need of the patient. A randomized trial study conducted by Christman and Cain (2004) also concluded that patients receiving concrete objective information reported maintaining higher levels of usual function than those not receiving. Furthermore, giving information about symptom experiences helped them to mentally tackle uncertainty about their symptom experiences. Gap analysis The incidence of the breast cancer continues to rise worldwide. Multiple treatment modalities have positive impacts on prognosis of the cancer. Radiotherapy is one of the commonly used treatment modalities having its side effect as well. Moreover, available literature suggest that a series of problems faced by patients receiving RT. But, there is a profound need to develop clear understanding of the phenomenon that what patients experience when they undergo RT. Moreover, nursing literature needs to address the needs of these patients and recommend evidence based interventions to help them. Furthermore, in the context of Pakistani conservative culture women with breast cancer may be experiencing different problems than western women. Therefore, this study question needs a qualitative study to arrive at the desired outcome of better understanding of the situation.

Dream Deferred in A Raisin in the Sun Essay -- Lorraine Hansberry

"What Happens to a Dream Deferred?" Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore– And then run?" (Langston Hughes). It is important to never lose sight of one’s dream. Dreams are what keep people moving in life, but if they are ignored, they may morph and lose their prevailing form. This is evident in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", as Walter’s, Beneatha’s, and Mama’s dreams become delayed, distorted, and blurred. Walter has long dreamed of making his family’s condition better, of giving them wealth that his low-paying job is unable to do. Nature appears to be against Walter and his family, for they are living in a poorly maintained tenement apartment while surrounded with racism. Walter understands this situation, so he decides to use the $10,000 check for an investment in order to exceed his primitive state. In mid-morning, he excitedly asks his family about the check’s arrival, â€Å"Check coming today?† (Hansberry I.i.868). The check is one of the few reasons that forces Walter to get up each morning, so he will eventually be able to obtain success and self pride. Walter views the check as the only solution to all of his problems, so once Mama receives it, Walter confronts her and begs for her â€Å"financial† support. Walter exemplifies his sudden, new-found confidence to Travis when Mama unexpectedly entrusts him with the remaining $6,500, â€Å"†¦your d addy’s gonna make a transaction . . . a business transaction that’s going to change our lives† (II.ii.885). Walter is finally ready to realize his dream, and he has all the possible confidence he can acquire. He foresees the significant change that awaits his family when the money is invested. Unfortunately, nature has different plans for the Youngers. Whe... ...ccomplish this if they all understand what is important in life. All of Mama’s dreams are eventually recognized, although they certainly appear hazy throughout the play. The question about whether or not they should keep the house forms inside Mama’s head near the end of the play, but she quickly changes her mind. Mama never lost sight of her goals, no matter how hard nature attacked them. The dreams of Walter, Beneatha, and Mama in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", may take longer than expected, change form, or fade. Even if dreams seem to never get closer, one should never give up. Without something to work towards, society would just dry up, like a grape in the sun. Works Cited Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X. Day, and Robert Funk. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2002. Dream Deferred in A Raisin in the Sun Essay -- Lorraine Hansberry "What Happens to a Dream Deferred?" Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore– And then run?" (Langston Hughes). It is important to never lose sight of one’s dream. Dreams are what keep people moving in life, but if they are ignored, they may morph and lose their prevailing form. This is evident in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", as Walter’s, Beneatha’s, and Mama’s dreams become delayed, distorted, and blurred. Walter has long dreamed of making his family’s condition better, of giving them wealth that his low-paying job is unable to do. Nature appears to be against Walter and his family, for they are living in a poorly maintained tenement apartment while surrounded with racism. Walter understands this situation, so he decides to use the $10,000 check for an investment in order to exceed his primitive state. In mid-morning, he excitedly asks his family about the check’s arrival, â€Å"Check coming today?† (Hansberry I.i.868). The check is one of the few reasons that forces Walter to get up each morning, so he will eventually be able to obtain success and self pride. Walter views the check as the only solution to all of his problems, so once Mama receives it, Walter confronts her and begs for her â€Å"financial† support. Walter exemplifies his sudden, new-found confidence to Travis when Mama unexpectedly entrusts him with the remaining $6,500, â€Å"†¦your d addy’s gonna make a transaction . . . a business transaction that’s going to change our lives† (II.ii.885). Walter is finally ready to realize his dream, and he has all the possible confidence he can acquire. He foresees the significant change that awaits his family when the money is invested. Unfortunately, nature has different plans for the Youngers. Whe... ...ccomplish this if they all understand what is important in life. All of Mama’s dreams are eventually recognized, although they certainly appear hazy throughout the play. The question about whether or not they should keep the house forms inside Mama’s head near the end of the play, but she quickly changes her mind. Mama never lost sight of her goals, no matter how hard nature attacked them. The dreams of Walter, Beneatha, and Mama in Lorraine Hansberry’s "A Raisin in the Sun", may take longer than expected, change form, or fade. Even if dreams seem to never get closer, one should never give up. Without something to work towards, society would just dry up, like a grape in the sun. Works Cited Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Literature and the Writing Process. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X. Day, and Robert Funk. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice, 2002.

Manu’s Soccer Team

Q. Evaluate Owen’s different options for growing MANU’s customer equity. A. The case study gave us four options that Owen is considering for ways to grow his customer equity. Option 1: Increase retention among kids over 14 years old. This option is tough because once kids get started in high school and get involved with school activities, it is hard to entice them to keep playing soccer in a non-school league. Many times, they school coaches/teachers will â€Å"ding† the students for missing games or events at school so kids will choose to miss a non-school related game vs. issing a school-related event because it affects their grades. Option 2: Encourage customers to buy more. I feel that Owen has offered a lot of variety in his academy offerings. I’m not sure what else he could add to get enough ROI on other products. Option 3: Grow the business by entering new markets and acquiring new customers. This option might be possible if Owen is able to hire mor e people to help him manage the programs at the different locations. He can’t be everywhere at once.Option 4: Serve more kids in surrounding markets such as Loveland, Longmont and Greeley. Owen will need to figure out how best to serve these kids. Build a program within their market, or have them commute to Fort Collins? Q. Develop a set of marketing strategy ideas for each of the options. Option 1: Marketing strategies for increasing retention among kids over 14 years old. I believe this option will be difficult, but Owen could try to start some programs for high school kids that involve refining their skills in order to prepare them for possible soccer scholarships.I might be able to develop a program around the idea of preparing the kids for college soccer, helping them understand soccer scholarships, helping them understand how to be successful in making a college team, etc. This strategy might attract the parents so that they keep their kids in the academy programs with the hopes that they will get an inside scoop on paying for college, getting into certain colleges of preference, and just helping their kids make the college teams. Option 2: Marketing strategies for encouraging customers to buy more.Although I think Owen has a lot of products in his product line already, he might consider looking at his branding. He already has a great word-of-mouth reputation in Fort Collins. Maybe he could come up with a logo and brand name for his academy that people will recognize. If he uses this brand on all of his advertisements, paperwork, and signage, then more people will begin to recognize his product. This will not only bring potential customers to his door, but it might also help to spread the word about his academy to other nearby markets.He might also think about giving away/selling shirts for his academy with this brand and logo on it. If parents and kids are wearing them, they are spreading the word for free to many people. Option 3: Marketing stra tegies for entering new markets. Branding is the key to moving to new markets, I think. I think Owen must get a brand in place in Fort Collins and then begin to feel out the new markets for recognition and interest in his product line. Option 4: Marketing strategies for serving more kids in the surrounding areas.These markets might be easier to break into than the markets further from Fort Collins. However, I still think branding is very important to this strategy as well. I think that Owen needs to get his brand in place and then entice some of the kids in nearby markets to his program. He should keep track of how many kids from these nearby areas are attending. Once he gets to a designated number of participants from each area, then he can think about opening a satellite program in those areas to promote more customer satisfaction among those families.Q. What could Owen do for market research to better assess his options? A. Owen needs to do a SWOT analysis in order to figure out his product’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for each of these new options. He needs to find some way to research these options with his current customers and potential customers in the markets that he is thinking about working in. He might conduct surveys via email with a targeted set of potential customers.He might speak at parent meetings held at schools in the new markets he is trying to develop to see what level of interest might be available. Owen might also offer program samples in the new markets where he wants to grow his business. In other words, he might offer an off-season 2 day camp, or 1-day camp program for kids in his target market. At the end of these programs, he can survey the families on future interest and he can assess the success of the sample programs by the number in attendance and the attitude of the kids and families during and at the end of the programs.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 1

I was drunk. I wasn't entirely sure when it had happened, but I suspected it had occurred around the time my friend Doug had bet me I couldn't take down three vodka gimlets faster than he could. He'd promised to take my weekend shift at work if I won, and I was going to do his stock duty for a week if he won. When we'd finished, it looked like I wasn't going to be working next weekend. â€Å"How did you out-drink him?† my friend Hugh wanted to know. â€Å"He's twice your size.† Through the crowd of people crammed into my condo, I peered at the closed bathroom door, behind which Doug had disappeared. â€Å"He had stomach flu this week. I'm guessing that doesn't go so well with vodka.† Hugh raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Why the fuck would anyone take a bet like that after having the flu?† I shrugged. â€Å"Because he's Doug.† Hoping Doug would be okay, I scanned the rest of my party with the pleased air of a queen sizing up her kingdom. I'd moved into this place back in July and had been long overdue for a housewarming party. When Halloween had finally rolled around, combining the two events had seemed like a pretty reasonable solution. Consequently, my guests tonight were clad in an array of costumes, everything from elaborate Renaissance fair quality garb to the slackers who'd simply thrown on a witch's hat. Me, I was dressed as Little Bo Peep – well, that is, I was dressed the way Little Bo Peep would if she was a stripper and/or a shameless strumpet. My frilly blue skirt stopped just above the halfway point on my thighs, and my puff-sleeved white blouse was so low-cut that I had to be careful when leaning over. The crowning achievement – literally – was my curly mane of flaxen blond hair, neatly arranged into two pigtails tied with little blue bows. It looked perfect, absolutely indistinguishable from the real thing because†¦well, it was real. Shape-shifting always came in handy as a succubus, but for Halloween, it was golden. I always had the best costumes because I really could turn into anything I wanted. Of course, I had to keep it within reason. Too much of a change would raise the suspicions of the humans around me. But for a hair change? Yeah. Shape-shifting was pretty convenient. Someone touched my elbow. I turned, and my smug enthusiasm dimmed a little when I saw who it was: Roman, my sociopathic roommate. â€Å"I think someone's getting sick in the bathroom,† he told me. Roman was a nephilim, half-angel and half-human, with soft black hair and sea-green eyes. If not for the fact he occasionally went on immortal killing sprees and had me on his hit list, he would have been a pretty good catch. â€Å"Yeah,† I said. â€Å"It's Doug. He lost a vodka challenge.† Roman grimaced. He wore devil horns and a red cape. The irony wasn't lost on me. â€Å"Hope he's got good aim. I don't want to clean that up.† â€Å"What, you don't do housework either?† asked Hugh. He'd recently learned Roman wasn't paying me rent because he was â€Å"between jobs.† â€Å"Seems like you should pull your weight around here somehow.† Roman gave Hugh a warning look. â€Å"Stay out of this, Spiro Agnew.† â€Å"I'm Calvin Coolidge!† exclaimed Hugh, highly offended. â€Å"This is the same suit he wore at his inauguration.† I sighed. â€Å"Hugh, nobody here remembers that.† That was one of the downsides of being immortal. Our memories became obsolete as more time passed. Hugh, an imp who bought souls for Hell, was much younger than Roman and me, but he had a lot more years than any human here. Slipping away from Roman and Hugh's argument, I headed across the room to mingle with my guests. Some of my coworkers from the bookstore Doug and I worked at were huddled around the punch bowl, and I stopped to chat. Immediately, I was bombarded with compliments. â€Å"Your hair is amazing!† â€Å"Did you dye it?† â€Å"It doesn't even look like a wig!† I assured them it was a very good wig and dealt out praise for them in return. One person, however, earned a rueful head-shake from me. â€Å"You have more creativity than all of us put together, and that's the best you could do?† I asked. Best-selling author Seth Mortensen turned to look at me with one of his trademark, slightly scattered smiles. Even when I was dizzy with vodka, that smile never failed to make my heart speed up. Seth and I had dated for a while, plunging me into the depths of a love I'd never imagined possible. Part of being a succubus was an eternity of seducing men and stealing the energy of their souls – a real relationship had seemed out of the question. And in the end, it had been. Seth and I had broken up – twice – and while I usually accepted that he had moved on, I knew that I would love him forever. For me, forever was a serious matter. â€Å"I can't waste it on a costume,† he said. His amber-brown eyes regarded me fondly. I no longer knew if he loved me too; I only knew for sure that he still cared about me as a friend. I kept trying to portray the same image. â€Å"Gotta save it for the next book.† â€Å"Lame excuse,† I said. His shirt depicted Freddy Krueger, which might have been acceptable if not for the fact I suspected he had owned it long before Halloween. Seth shook his head. â€Å"Nobody cares what guys wear at Halloween anyway. It's all about the women. Look around.† I did and saw that he was right. All the elaborate, sexy costumes were on my female guests. With a few exceptions, the men's dulled by comparison. â€Å"Peter's dressed up,† I pointed out. Seth followed my gaze to another of my immortal friends. Peter was a vampire, a very fastidious and obsessive-compulsive one. He was clad in pre-Revolutionary French garb, complete with brocade coat and a powdered wig over what was normally thin brown hair. â€Å"Peter doesn't count,† said Seth. Recalling how Peter had painstakingly stenciled swans around his bathroom's baseboards last week, I couldn't help but agree. â€Å"Fair point.† â€Å"What's Hugh supposed to be? Jimmy Carter?† â€Å"Calvin Coolidge.† â€Å"How can you tell?† I was saved from answering when Seth's fianc? ¦e – and one of my best friends – Maddie Sato appeared. She was dressed as a fairy, complete with wings and a gauzy dress nowhere near as slutty as mine. Fake flowers wreathed black hair that had been pulled into a bun. Her being with Seth was something else I'd more or less come to accept, though I suspected the sting of it would never leave. Maddie didn't know Seth and I had dated and had no clue about the discomfiture I felt over their whole relationship. I expected her to slip her arm around Seth, but it was me she grabbed hold of and jerked away. I stumbled a bit. Five-inch heels weren't normally a problem for me, but the vodka complicated things a bit. â€Å"Georgina,† she exclaimed, once we were far enough away from Seth. â€Å"I need your help.† Reaching into her purse, she pulled out two pages torn from magazines. â€Å"With wha – oh.† My stomach twisted uncomfortably, and I hoped I wouldn't be joining Doug in the bathroom. The pages showed photos of wedding dresses. â€Å"I've almost narrowed it down,† she explained. â€Å"What do you think?† Grudgingly accepting the man I loved was going to marry one of my best friends was one thing. Helping them plan their wedding was an entirely different matter. I swallowed. â€Å"Oh, gee, Maddie. I'm not very good at this stuff.† Her dark eyes widened. â€Å"Are you kidding? You're the one who taught me how to dress right in the first place.† She apparently hadn't taken the lessons to heart. The dresses, while beautiful on the anorexic models wearing them, would look terrible on Maddie. â€Å"I don't know,† I said lamely, dragging my eyes away. The dresses were conjuring mental images of Maddie and Seth walking down the aisle together. â€Å"Come on,† she entreated. â€Å"I know you have an opinion.† I did. A bad one. And honestly, if I were a good servant of Hell, I would have told her they both looked great. Or I would have endorsed the worst one. What she wore was no concern of mine, and maybe if she showed up at her wedding looking subpar, Seth would realize what he'd lost when we broke up. And yet†¦I couldn't. Even after everything that had happened, I just couldn't let Maddie do it. She'd been a good friend, never suspecting what had occurred between Seth and me before and during their relationship. And as much as that petty, selfish part of me wanted it, I couldn't let her go forward in a bad dress. â€Å"Neither are good,† I said at last. â€Å"The full skirt on that one will make you look short. The flowers on top of that one will make you look fat.† She was taken aback. â€Å"Really? I never†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She studied the pictures, face falling. â€Å"Damn. I thought I had this stuff down now.† I can only assume my next words came from the liquor. â€Å"If you want, I'll go with you to some places this week. You can try some stuff on, and I'll tell you what works.† Maddie lit up. She wasn't gorgeous in the popular, magazine sort of way, but when she smiled, she was beautiful. â€Å"Really? Oh, thank you. And you can look for your dress too.† â€Å"My what?† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her smile turned sly. â€Å"You're going to be a bridesmaid, aren't you?† At that moment, I reconsidered my earlier thoughts about nothing being more painful than helping plan her wedding. Being her bridesmaid pretty much blew that out of the water. Those who believed we made our own hells on earth must have had something like this in mind. â€Å"Oh, well, I don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You have to! There's no one else I'd rather have.† â€Å"I'm not really the bridesmaid type.† â€Å"Of course you are.† Maddie's eyes suddenly looked at something beyond me. â€Å"Oh, hey. Doug's back. I'm going to go check on him. We'll talk about this later. You'll give in.† Maddie scurried off to her brother, leaving me numb and speechless. I decided then it was worth risking illness to go get another drink. This party had taken a definite U-turn. Yet, when I turned around, it wasn't toward the bar. It was toward my patio. One of the best features of this condo was its expansive balcony, one that looked out over Puget Sound and the Seattle skyline beyond. As I stood there, though, it wasn't the view that captivated me. It was†¦something else. Something I couldn't explain. But it was warm and wonderful and spoke to all my senses. I imagined I could see colored light on my balcony, kind of like the waves of an aurora. I could also hear a type of music that defied all human words and had nothing to do with the Pink Floyd blasting from my stereo. The party faded into the background as I slowly moved toward the balcony. The door was open to air out the hot room, and my two cats, Aubrey and Godiva, lay near it to look outside. I stepped past them, drawn toward that which had no explanation or description. Warm autumn air engulfed me as I groped for what called me. It was all around me and yet out of my reach. It was summoning me, drawing me toward something right on the balcony's edge. I almost considered climbing on the ledge in my heels and looking over. I had to reach that beauty. â€Å"Hey, Georgina.† Peter's voice jerked me out of the trance. I stared around, startled. There was no music, no color, no beckoning embrace. Only the night and the view and the patio furniture on my balcony. I turned around, meeting his eyes. â€Å"We have a problem,† he said. â€Å"We have a lot of problems,† I said, thinking of Maddie's wedding dress and the fact that I'd nearly walked off my own balcony. I shivered. I definitely was not going back for that next drink. Sick was one thing. Hallucinations were another. â€Å"What's wrong?† Peter led me inside and pointed. â€Å"Cody's in love.† I looked over at our friend Cody, another vampire and Peter's apprentice. Cody was a young immortal, optimistic and endearing. He was dressed as an alien, with green antennae sticking out of his shaggy blond hair. The perfection of his silvery space suit made me think Peter had played a role. Right now, Cody was staring across the room, mouth open as he gazed at someone. He looked like I had felt just moments ago. Her name was Gabrielle, and she'd just started working at the bookstore. She was tiny, almost pixie like, and wore black fishnets and a ripped black dress. Her spiky hair was also black, as was her lipstick. Easy coordination. Cody was staring at her like she was the most beautiful creature on earth. â€Å"Huh,† I said. Hugh dated all the time, but I'd never really thought of the vampires – particularly Peter – having any sort of romantic interactions. â€Å"I think he likes that she's dressed as a vampire,† said Peter. I shook my head. â€Å"Actually, that's how she always dresses.† We walked over to Cody, and it took him several moments to notice us. He seemed excited to see me. â€Å"What's her name?† he breathed. I tried to hide my smile. Cody being smitten was one of the cutest things I'd ever seen and a welcome distraction from the other drama tonight. â€Å"Gabrielle. She works at the store.† â€Å"Is she single?† I looked back at her as she laughed at something Maddie had said. â€Å"I don't know. Want me to find out?† Cody blushed – in as much as a pale vampire could. â€Å"No! I mean†¦unless you think it wouldn't be too obvious? I don't want you to go to any trouble.† â€Å"No trouble for me,† I said, just as Doug walked by. â€Å"Hey.† I caught hold of his sleeve. â€Å"Do me a favor, and I'll take my shift back.† Doug, whose Japanese-American skin was normally golden tan, could have also currently passed for an alien with his green hue. â€Å"I'd rather have my stomach back, Kincaid.† â€Å"Go investigate Gabrielle's romantic status. Cody's interested.† â€Å"Georgina!† exclaimed Cody, mortified. Sick or not, Doug couldn't resist a little intrigue. â€Å"Sure thing.† He headed off across the room and pulled Gabrielle to him, leaning down so she could hear. At one point, he glanced over toward us, and Gabrielle looked as well. Cody nearly died. â€Å"Oh God.† Doug returned five minutes later and shook his head. â€Å"Sorry, kid. She's single, but she doesn't think you're her type. She's into the Goth and vampire scene. You're too mainstream for her.† I was sipping a glass of water and nearly choked on it. â€Å"That,† said Peter, as soon as Doug was gone, â€Å"is what we call irony.† â€Å"How is that possible?† exclaimed Cody. â€Å"I am a vampire. I should be exactly what she wants.† â€Å"Yeah, but you don't look like one,† I said. If Gabrielle had been a Trekkie, he might have had a shot tonight. â€Å"I look exactly like a vampire because I am one! What should I dress up as? Count Chocula?† The party continued in force for another couple hours, and finally, people began trickling out. Roman and I, playing good hosts, smiled and bade each of them farewell. By the time everyone left, I was weary and more than happy for it all to be over. I'd refused to drink after the balcony incident and now had a headache as a pleasant reminder of my indulgences. Roman looked as exhausted as me as he scanned the messy condo. â€Å"Funny, huh? You throw a housewarming party to show the place off, and then people trash it.† â€Å"It'll clean up fast,† I said, studying all the bottles and paper plates with remnants of food. Aubrey was licking frosting off a half-eaten cupcake, and I hastily took it away from her. â€Å"But not tonight. Help me take care of the perishables, and we'll do the rest tomorrow.† â€Å"There's no ‘we' in ‘clean,'† Roman said. â€Å"That doesn't even make sense,† I said, covering up some salsa. â€Å"And Peter's right, you know. You really should do more around here.† â€Å"I provide good company. Besides, how can you get rid of me?† â€Å"I'll get Jerome to,† I warned, referring to his demon father, who also happened to be my boss. â€Å"Sure. Run off and tell on me.† Roman stifled a yawn, demonstrating just how worried he was about his father's wrath. The annoying part was, he had a point. I couldn't get rid of him on my own, and I doubted Jerome would really help. Still, I could hardly believe it when Roman did wander off to bed and leave me alone with the cleanup. I hadn't thought he'd go that far. â€Å"Asshole!† I yelled after him, getting only a slammed door in response. He really wasn't that bad of a roommate, but our troubled past often made him want to annoy me. It worked. Fuming, I finished the necessary tidying and dropped into bed a half-hour later. Aubrey and Godiva followed me, lying side by side at the end of the bed. They were a contrast in colors, like some piece of modern art. Aubrey was white with black specks on her head; Godiva was a riot of orange, brown, and black patches. All three of us drifted off to sleep immediately. Sometime later, I woke to the sound of singing†¦or, well, that was the closest I could come to describing it. It was the same thing I'd felt earlier, an alluring, haunting pull that spoke to every part of me. Warm and bright and beautiful. It was everywhere and everything, and I longed to have more of it, to walk toward the light that shone with indescribable colors. It felt so, so good – like something I could melt into, if only I could reach it. I had the impression of an entrance, a door I simply had to push open and step through and – Rough hands gripped my shoulders and jerked me around. â€Å"Wake up!† Like before, the sensory overload vanished. I was left alone in a quiet, empty world. No more siren song. Roman stood in front of me, hands shaking me as his face stared down at me with worry. I looked around. We were in the kitchen. I had no memory of getting there. â€Å"How – what happened?† I stammered. The face that had taunted me earlier was now filled with concern, something that troubled a small part of me. Why should someone who wanted to kill me be worried about me? â€Å"You tell me,† he said, releasing his grip. I rubbed my eyes, willing myself to recall what had happened. â€Å"I†¦I don't know. I must have sleepwalked†¦.† His face was still drawn and anxious. â€Å"No†¦there was something here†¦.† I shook my head. â€Å"No, it was a dream. Or a hallucination. I had it happen earlier†¦. I just drank too much.† â€Å"Didn't you just hear me?† There it was again, fear for me underneath the anger. â€Å"There was something here, some†¦force. I felt it. It woke me up. Don't you remember anything at all?† I stared off, trying to summon up the light and haunting melody. I couldn't. â€Å"It was†¦it was exquisite. I wanted†¦I wanted to go to it†¦to be part of it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a dreamy, wistful note in my voice. Roman's expression grew dark. As a succubus, I was a lesser immortal, one who had once been human. Greater immortals, like angels and demons, had been created at the universe's beginning. Nephilim were born and fell somewhere in the middle. As such, their powers and senses were greater than mine. Roman could detect things I couldn't. â€Å"Don't,† he said. â€Å"You feel it again, you pull away. Don't let it draw you in. Under no circumstances should you go to it.† I looked back at him with a frown. â€Å"Why? Do you know what it is?† â€Å"No,† he said grimly. â€Å"And that's the problem.†

John Ashcroft

John Ashcroft, President Bushs nominee for the position of Attorney General, was born on the wonderful spring day of May 9th, 1949. He grew up in the town of Springfield Missouri in an extremely religious family. His father was a Pentecostal preacher and enforced strict house rules, including punishing his children for dancing. Ashcroft attended Yale University, graduated with honors, and went on to the University of Chicago law school. While there, he me his wife, Janet. John fathered three children, and has one grandchild. He has also fathered three books. Two of these were college textbooks co-authored by his wife, and the other one, entitled Lessons from a father to his son, is about the many lessons that Ashcroft learned from his father. Before entering into the political world, John Ashcroft taught business law at Southwest Missouri State University, a school in his hometown. He soon got totally enveloped in the political world, taking on positions such as the Governor of Missouri, Chairman of the National Governors Association, and Missouri Auditor (just to name a few). The one that probably caught the eye of the man he was appointed by was the position that he held as the Missouri Attorney General in 1977. Also, Ashcrofts excellent economics history may have influenced Bush a bit in nominating him for the position as Attorney General. Ashcroft balanced eight consecutive budgets as the Governor of Missouri. Also, during his term as Governor, Missouri had the 49th lowest tax burden in the nation. Ashcroft was credited by Financial World and City and State magazines with making Missouri one of the best financially managed states in the entire country. J. Ashcroft is also the only member of senate to have a ! perfect voting record against wasteful government spending. Two of Ashcrofts biggest focuses are on protecting social security and economic opportunity (or, in other words,...

Ethical Issues in Counseling Essay Example

Ethical Issues in Counseling Essay Example Ethical Issues in Counseling Essay Ethical Issues in Counseling Essay Ethical motiveWhen I sit and think about what the construct of moralss agencies to me. it seems as if there are many thoughts that come to mind. Although they all revert back to one simple significance and that is to believe in what you say and say what you believe. Treat everyone every bit. make non judge one individual from the following and make your occupation as you have been taught. I think that we should utilize moralss in our mundane lives non merely in the work force country. As per our literature the term moralss means. cosmopolitan rules that societies have determined to be right. merely and just and are by and large regarded as the criterions that govern the behavior of a individual. ( Unit 02: Ethical Issues in Counseling ) 1. Following. discourse the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors ( NAADAC’s ) Code of Ethics. Smith and Hodges define moralss as a human reflecting self-consciously on the act of being a moral being. This implies a procedure of self-reflection and consciousness of how to act as a moral being. Some definitions are dictated by jurisprudence. single belief systems. faith or a mixture of all three.NAADAC recognizes that its members and certified counsellors live and work in many diverse communities. NAADAC has established a set of ethical best-practices that apply to universal ethical deliberation. Further. NAADAC recognizes and encourages the impression that personal and professional moralss can non be deal t with as separate spheres. NAADAC members. dependence professionals and/or licensed/certified intervention suppliers ( later referred to as dependence professionals ) recognize that the ability to make good is based on an implicit in concern for the wellbeing of others. This concern emerges from acknowledgment that we are all stakeholders in each other’s lives – the wellbeing of each is closely bound to the wellbeing of all ; that when the felicity of some is purchased by the sadness of others. the phase is set for the wretchedness of all. Addiction professionals must move in such a manner that they would hold no embarrassment if their behaviour became a affair of public cognition and would hold no trouble supporting their actions before any competent authorization.The NAADAC Code of Ethics was written to regulate the behavior of its members and it is the recognized criterion of behavior for dependence professionals certified by the National Certification Commission. The codification of moralss reflects ideals of NAADAC and its members. When an moralss ailment is filed with NAADAC. it is evaluated by confer withing the NAADAC Code of Ethics. The NAADAC Code of Ethics is designed as a statement of the values of the profession and as a usher for doing clinical determinations. This codification is besides utilized by province enfranchisement boards and educational establishments to measure the behaviour of dependence professionals and to steer the enfranchisement procedure. What sort of issues does NAADAC’s Code of Ethics reference?2. Last. choose one constituent of NAADAC’s Code of Ethics. Briefly summarize the constituent and discourse how it will impact your interaction with clients. For illustration. you may take the constituent of the Counseling Relationship or Professional Responsibility within NAADAC’s Code of Ethics. All documents should be written utilizing 12 point Times New Roman font with one inch borders. Be certai n to properly mention all beginnings used within your composing assignment utilizing APA format. For a reappraisal of APA manner and how to mention beginnings. delight see Proper APA Format Citation in the Study Skills schoolroom or see the Research Guides page on the Online Library Resources site.

How to Write a Persuasive Essay Easy Steps to Writing a Winning Paper

How to Write a Persuasive Essay Easy Steps to Writing a Winning Paper In order to write an effective persuasive essay, the student should be well informed on the topic, an effort that can be accomplished through researching and reading rather extensively about that topic. How to Write a Persuasive Essay In a persuasive essay, the student at the college level writes to convince the reader – usually the professor – to believe something. It includes the writer taking a position on an issue, either for or against it, using logic and reason to illustrate the point they are making is indeed legitimate. Their argument is supported by evidence: the stating of facts, the execution of logical reasoning, examples from a text with an analysis of its specific content, and the quoting of experts on the subject being examined. If you are looking for persuasive essay examples, here is a great one below FREE PERSUASIVE ESSAY EXAMPLE In order to write an effective persuasive essay, the student should be well informed on the topic, an effort that can be accomplished through researching and reading rather extensively about that topic. Also, every argument – in this case, the paper’s thesis: basically the argument being put forth in the essay – needs to be debatable; that is, an issue should have two sides, the writer choosing one of them to argue with supporting evidence. Steps to Writing a Persuasive Essay These common steps will help you understand how to write a persuasive essay. STEP 1. The student must choose their position on a subject or topic. If they are unaware of their position on a topic, they can take a subject that interests them and ask themselves: â€Å"Which side of the issue or problem do I want to take and write about? How can I best argue that point – and what evidence can I use to make that argument an effective one?† STEP 2. They must analyze their audience. In the case of the student in college or university level, their professor will most likely be their audience – the reader of their persuasive essay. This means the student should keep in mind that the essay should be written in a confident, informative and assertive tone, as put forth in a professional, academic manner. STEP 3. The student, after choosing their position on a topic, should research to find evidence of the position they’re looking to take. After all, a persuasive essay will be as effective as the evidence supporting its argument. A library is an ideal place to begin research; in most cases, the library at an academic institution will have employed a person or staff whose primary job is keeping the students abreast of the latest research practices and theories. STEP 4. Structure, outline the persuasive essay. In this step, the student is to figure out what they will include, how they will analyze each supporting point, and in what order they will do so as they write the essay. After narrowing the focus of their argument and finding evidence that supports it, they should create an outline that includes first an introduction paragraph declaring their Thesis – their Thesis Statement – followed by briefly listed points that support it. Each body paragraph will focus on one point at a time, the ones listed in the introductory paragraph, which support the original Thesis Statement. Finally, the student must include in their persuasive essay outline a concluding paragraph tying the paper together, solidifying their argument as a whole. STEP 5. Write the essay, edit it, rewrite if needed, revise, then submit to the instructor. It may benefit the student to have a fellow student read their persuasive essay to see if it makes a strong enough argument. Also, many institutions in higher education hire writing tutors, and may even have a writing center for students. TOP 101 BEST PERSUASIVE ESSAY TOPICS Persuasive Essay Outline Here is the basic outline of a persuasive essay: Introduction Hook interesting fact or story to grab the reader’s attention. Background information – provides context around which to build your argument and acquaints the reader with the subject. Thesis – a clear, concise statement of your main argument. Your thesis gives the reader a map or the path your argument will follow. Body Paragraphs (2, 3, or more) Each body paragraph contains the following: One point that backs up your thesis Topic sentence that reflects the main idea of the paragraph Support for the thesis Evidence. Provide information from a reliable source that supports the main idea of the paragraph. Analysis. Show how the evidence you provide builds a case for the argument and construct this argument here. Conclusion Briefly summarize the main point of the essay Establish significance of the topic (Why should the reader be interested?) Give the reader food for thought has completed persuasive essays on various topics. The experience we have accumulated in the process allows us to work on a virtually endless number of topics within all complexity levels. If you want a top notch persuasive essay, youve come to the right place. Place an order, and we will provide you with an excellent persuasive essay written up to the standard. Our writers always stay in touch with customers to make sure their needs are fully met.

Document from the Women's Liberation Movement Essay

Document from the Women's Liberation Movement - Essay Example Rather than fall all over herself to appear charming and attractive to a member of the other sex, a woman will do well to just be herself and cease pretending to be something she is not. And if men feel threatened and turn on the truly liberated woman en masse, such men are simply not worth the ground she walks on. This document is particularly important in a world where women are oppressed under the burgeoning pressures of sexual freedom. This document focuses on Lesbian-feminist politics, as heralding the end of a male- dominated society. It denounces heterosexuality on the grounds that it perpetuates the oppression of women as it is essentially male-centered. According to Bunch, lesbianism is a political choice which entails protecting the rights of women. She emphasizes the need for lesbians to become feminists and vice-versa in order to destroy the fabric of a male-dominated society that is cruel to women in the extreme. Sexism propagated by men drunk with power is an evil that needs to be dealt with an iron fist. Heterosexuality undermines and eventually sunders the bonds of sisterhood; therefore lesbianism is the true threat to male supremacy. This document explores the nuances of lesbianism as it were and as it is.

The importance of Labour education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The importance of Labour education - Essay Example Over nine million workers left their unions in the United States of America between 1990 to this decade and six million workers did the same in the United Kingdom in the same year. Of course it is worse in Asia. With the exception of Japan, Asian countries don’t even have unions. Canada is way better in that respect but still not ideal. Many of the manufacturing jobs have been shipped to Asian countries because in Asian countries, labour is cheap and there are no unions that will fight for their right. As jobs were declining, union membership did too. As jobs were declining, the reputation of unions to fight for the right of workers declined too. Add to this are government policies like high interest rates. From there, the government and the economy changed direction to pursue new ventures including deregulation of certain industries and other policy changes. This changed the way businesses were operating and it changed their labour requirement. It was also the year when globalization started crawling the streets of Canada. It was good and it showed in the performance of our market. The working class started realizing that the internet, telecommunication development, and development of new products for information and communication can provide them the same possibilities afforded only to the rich. The working class is able to tap on foreign economies and to the upper class who understood what was going on, it was probably scary. The working class was becoming aware that it was possible for them to do better and get a better share of the economy. It paid off because for 30 years, Canada experienced growth and more importantly, working class empowerment, hope and belief. The problem was that businesses started demanding for workers whose skills can serve their new international operation. They needed to specializations and long-time union members didn’t have them. That was the most sparking proof that workers cannot aff ord to hope that for the next thirty years, they will have a job at their company. Their skill might easily be rendered redundant when new machines are bought that can do what they do, only better. They don’t get sick and they don’t demand for a wage increase. Where is Labour Education Now We are at doorstep of incredible communication technology growth. I know that some will say we are already in the middle of it but if you look at history, we are barely on its feet. The internet and all the technology that comes with it is barely thirty years old. That is a young industry by any account. And with its growth comes influences that are changing the face and trend of the economy and labour requirements. The large companies continue to dominate the economy and politics. It has been frustrating to the working class. A quick glance at Canada’s GDP and it will be clear that that the labour share is low, a quick glance at the employment rate and you know that we have a problem. Bluntly, the statistics show that the working class is taking less than they should. Through all these, it is the working class that’s making the sacrifices. Unions are being asked to adapt, change, become flexible. Adapting and changing means stepping back a couple of times to allow the big companies the space they want for themselves. Adapt meant making your dreams smaller and pulling your expectations lower while the owners

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Managing Cultural Diversity - Cross Cultural Communication - Research Paper Example Management is about setting goals and achieving them in the decided time. However, different cultures have different approach towards goal setting and setting deadline, depending on their beliefs of free will or ‘will of God’ (Munter, 1993, para 6). These important aspects are covered in the article in detail. So the article not only looks at the word patterns, body language and behavior pattern of people that are shaped by cultural influences, but also dives deep into the roots of the behavior and reveals that actually, the behavior pattern and psychology stem from the religious and spiritual beliefs of people coming from different cultures. Another important aspect discussed in the article is the definition of self in different countries, i.e., if people see themselves as individuals or groups. This is extremely important in communication style as it talks about the comfort level a person from individualistic approach might feel while communicating with person having group approach (Munter, 1993, para 17). Also, the article has described how communication does not mean only the verbal or non-verbal communication that takes place between people, but also means understanding the habits of people in their mundane life. Hence, the author has also discussed the importance of understanding and following the eating habits, as according to the author, food is the major aspect of lifestyle and culture. So food etiquettes also play an important role in communication pattern (Munter, 1993, para 24). Apart from discussing the cross-culture aspects like value, image, credibility psychology and understanding the audience, the author has discussed aspects like

Four books Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Four books - Essay Example As Shakespeare’s most famous novels, Hamlet manifests the various negative natures of man that includes neglect, betrayal, murder, and revenge. A son who witnessed the murder of his father by his own relative is too much a tragedy one could handle. Fury could further constrict the thin line that divides sanity and insanity caused Hamlet to delay his plans of avenging his father’s death. Although criticized for the vulgarity of some languages used, it cannot be denied that every word in the novel speaks of real emotions that every man feels especially when exposed to the same given situation. Another one of Shakespeare’s tragedies, Othello depicts the appalling consequences of jealousy and resentment. The characters in the novel held their own grudge against one another, which led them to develop schemes that destroyed every one of them. Allegiance, marriage, credibility and competencies are ruined when people allow themselves to be consumed by the compelling desire for attention and power. The weak, who easily succumb to such fancy and the manipulation of others, are kept captives that lead them nowhere else but towards failure whilst the strong triumphs over their fall. Similar to the pilgrims in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, people are divided by social classes and religions. Represented by the different characters in the story, who sees the world differently as dictated by their social and religious beliefs, each person has their own prejudices towards each other. However, Chaucer was able to justify in the stories that no matter how huge the differences of every individual in the society are, they have their own story to tell, which are different from what the community assumed of them that are worth listening to for they say who they really

Fiscal Policy and Aggregate Demand in the UK Essay

Fiscal Policy and Aggregate Demand in the UK - Essay Example Simply, the monetary policy of the government is to control the liquidity balance in the economy affecting the movement of the macroeconomic variables by adjusting interest rates. On the other hand, fiscal policy is an attempt of the government for influencing the economic activity by changing the level and rate of taxation and government expenditure. (Grant and Vidler, 2000, pp 165-167). In the UK, Bank of England is responsible for controlling and directing monetary movement in the economy with the monetary policy. The Bank of England has the power to set the rate of interest independently along with requirements. In case of fiscal policy, the government itself has taken important steps in strengthening the fiscal policy framework since taking office. The government directs the fiscal policy decisively and confidently for sustaining medium-term public finances based on the authoritarian rules and regulations. If possible the fiscal policy supports the monetary policy regarding the movements of the economic and financial parameters of the country. This balancing approach of the fiscal policy together with the monetary policy endows with the stage of solidity essential for accomplishing the Governments fundamental economic purpose of providing a high and sustainable growth and employment in the economy.  

Political Science, Human Trafficking and the CAST Organization Essay

Political Science, Human Trafficking and the CAST Organization - Essay Example Below are stories of victims who were exploited through labour with little or no pay at all. A company in Jordan to work in the United States of America promised Kumar Ramjali from Nepal. However, instead of being taken to United States, he was forcefully taken to Iraq to work for the US army. His passport was seized and was not given permission to leave for over four years2. A 30- year old Bosnian lady named Jana was also a victim of job scam. She went to Slovenia for further studies. On reaching there, she got a female friend who organised for her an accounting job. On the interview day, a woman interviewed her then abruptly two men came into the interview room, which ended the interview. The men forcibly removed her out, she was beaten and raped several times by the men, after which she was taken to a secluded place raped repeatedly and drugged with drugs. Jana escaped from the traffickers after four months and now she is advocating against trafficking3. Most of the victims and experts agree that a lot must be done in providing protection and assistance to those affected by human trafficking. Perpetrators of this violation of human rights should be punished and prosecuted. Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) is an organisation in United States of America that provides services to trafficking victims. They have a client- centred approach in its interconnected activities to empower victims of trafficking in realizing their potential. They provide comprehensive services to trafficking victims, through provision of basic human needs, medical health care and legal services. CAST opened its first shelter in United States in 20044. It conducts policies that are aimed at advancing and protecting human rights of trafficking victims. It achieves these through experience and research of its clients both inside and outside the justice system5. It also provides training programmes to NGOs and IGOs that may

Fiscal Policy and Aggregate Demand in the UK Essay

Fiscal Policy and Aggregate Demand in the UK - Essay Example Simply, the monetary policy of the government is to control the liquidity balance in the economy affecting the movement of the macroeconomic variables by adjusting interest rates. On the other hand, fiscal policy is an attempt of the government for influencing the economic activity by changing the level and rate of taxation and government expenditure. (Grant and Vidler, 2000, pp 165-167). In the UK, Bank of England is responsible for controlling and directing monetary movement in the economy with the monetary policy. The Bank of England has the power to set the rate of interest independently along with requirements. In case of fiscal policy, the government itself has taken important steps in strengthening the fiscal policy framework since taking office. The government directs the fiscal policy decisively and confidently for sustaining medium-term public finances based on the authoritarian rules and regulations. If possible the fiscal policy supports the monetary policy regarding the movements of the economic and financial parameters of the country. This balancing approach of the fiscal policy together with the monetary policy endows with the stage of solidity essential for accomplishing the Governments fundamental economic purpose of providing a high and sustainable growth and employment in the economy.  

Benefit of school vs traditional college Essay Example for Free

Benefit of school vs traditional college Essay Technology and specifically ICT has permeated virtually all sectors of life including education. Traditional schooling is being replaced at an unprecedented rate. These days most professionals prefer to take courses online rather than attend school physically. The reasons behind this trend range from convenience, greater options, multitasking, and reduced cost among others. Often, this kind of schooling has been criticized because skeptics argue that the socialization aspect of schooling is cut off from schooling experience. Additionally, this technique has cost many people their jobs and means of livelihood. For instance, the cooks, secretaries, security personnel and such like. What’s more, this technology is still new to many people and naturally, resistance to adopt it is commonplace. However, I feel that despite the negatives associated with e-schooling, the benefits far out ways the costs and hence, my stance on the subject remains that school should be reinforced. To begin with, my community benefits greatly from e-schooling in the sense that, it enable re-schooling among adults who felt ashamed to go back to a traditional college to complete a degree. This is especially the case for people who had dropped out of high school or college. Nowadays, it is possible for them to earn degrees and diplomas while at home. This way they are able to multitask, say, baby sitting and learning In addition, collaboration between teachers and students has never been easier than with e-schooling. A wide range of digital resources, online libraries online tests, emails, videoconference and more are used to facilitate communication among stakeholders in the schooling system. Feedback on one-on-one basis makes school just as effective if not more to traditional college. Schooling to a marginal extent is cheaper than the traditional college. This has increased access to education for the economically challenged people in my community. Notably, the best colleges and universities are located in major cities, say, New York LA and so on meaning that the rural areas are sidelined from access to these colleges. The advantage of e-schooling is that these people now have a chance to get degrees and diplomas from these prestigious colleges without relocating from their home area. The costs of education have also been halved owing to technology of schooling. (Holmes Gardner, 2006) Personally, schooling has had both direct and indirect impacts in my life. Prior to the introduction of e-schooling, I used to find that the schooling duration was too long. I wanted to get my degree as fast as possible. With the introduction of e-schooling, I am able to accelerate my program such that I get a full credit course in one semester. Most people in my community are using similar approach and it has worked well. Moreover, I have more control and independence over my learning skills. The experience of taking a course online can be life changing. I have learnt to be more responsible of my time. Last summer I was able to take up an AP course that was not available in our site and my friend has explored a learning opportunity that was not schooling in our site. Generally, I believe that schooling has enriched not only my life but also the lives of the people in my community. (www. ucet. ac. uk/ ) In the community where I come from, people are athletic and get involved so much with games and sport to an extent that it becomes very difficult to manage an 8-hour school program and sports. E-schooling has curbed this problem by giving the students flexibility and independence to decide how they want to structure learning hours. For some they access learning material in morning hours while others prefer to do that late in the night. At the end of the day, whichever style used, people earn degrees. Alternatively, enrolment to e learning is fast and hassle free. Most people can attest to the pressure experienced during enrolment days in college. With online schooling, this problem has been erased. I would like to share the experience of my cousin who got involved in an accident. Subsequently, her two legs were amputated making it a challenge to move around in clutches. The option of e-schooling has benefited my homebound cousin and in few weeks, she graduates with a diploma from a distant college. Other disabled people from my community have also benefited from schooling. (http://aasd. k12. wi. us/eSchool/whyecourses. htm. ) Other benefits arising from schooling is students with unique cases or reasons for being away from school benefit from e-learning e. g. teenage mother s, terminally sick students participating in foreign exchange programs, resist, and self supporting students who juggle between work responsibilities and learning Briefly, schooling is a great advancement in the education sector. The outstanding features attributed to schooling are the flexibility and affordability of the schooling concept. Reflecting on the benefits that I have witness at a personal level and within my community, I believe traditional colleges will be phased out as more and more people embrace e-schooling for its benefits. A word of caution though, policies and regulations need to be clearly set to ensure that schooling achieves fundamental purpose of schooling. Additionally, students and educators need to e empowered on how to maximize use of digital resources and online technologies in order to reap benefits of schooling.

Character Traits of Superheroes

Character Traits of Superheroes I am lying in bed counting sheep when all of a sudden it hits me. I conceive a character like Samson, Hercules, and all the strong men I have ever heard rolled into one. His intense wave of inspiration perhaps a small parallel of the inordinate abilities possessed by the mythical heroes and strongmen he himself had name checked, he proceeds to feverishly wile away the night producing what would become the very first Superman script. By connecting his creation of this contemporary Super being to both the biblical figure of Samson and the Mythological hero of ancient Greece, Hercules, Siegel shows us that his Superman and the legions of costumed adventurers that his presence will inspire the creation of are to be seen and revered as godly totems. In fact Thor, the Norse god of thunder himself would go on to star in his very own serialized adventures with Marvel Comics. When superheroes are the subject of a discussion, an important point to try and ascertain is just what exactly the definition and nature of a hero is. A hero, in its simplest of definitions is a person who conquers his or her own limitations and fears to achieve or perform an act that under normal circumstances would be considered extraordinary. Regarding the harsh reality most of us inhabit, the soldiers and military personnel who lay their lives on the line for a concept that is bigger than them as individuals, the astronauts who risk their lives to further the reach and imagination of our collective species on missions with a high probability of a lethal outcome and the firemen who take their lives in their hands daily by entering burning buildings and combating deadly blazes. These men and women are regularly and with good reason, the yardstick by which heroism is measured. Furthering that idea, perhaps with less lethal professions, is the doctor who will spend his or her long da ys and nights treating the sickly and infirm, or the schoolteacher who sees to it that our children receive decent educations to put to use further on in their lives ahead. Perhaps even, a different but no less impressive display of bravery, in which a sufferer of a particularly debilitating disease, or trauma, will endure painful and physically draining rehabilitation to regain their strength and good health. A hero is supposed to personify the traits within ourselves that we deem to be the best. Be they morally, socially or lawfully. They are standards that warrant our admiration and aspiration. And while this unwritten rule considers the heroes of the reality that surrounds us it still applies to our fictional heroes, of the page, the stage or the screen. Fictional heroes have been an ever-present institution of modern-day societies and past mythologies and cultures throughout history. Michael Corleone from The Godfather films, the gun slinging Dirty Harry or the Man with No Name as both portrayed by Clint Eastwood, Phillip Marlowe, Rambo and Sherlock Holmes, for example are all indeed human in their emotions, their nuances and their foibles in spite of their inherently fictitious nature. But could we seriously consider those characters as heroes? Or are they, for all the adventures they may endure or the nefarious plots they may foil, simply compelling, but ultimately human protagonists that enthusiasts can relate to? We feel that given the right opportunities, we could become them in some capacity. Casting a glance further back in time, there is also an all-too obvious distinction between the more ancient mythological heroes and the costumed supermen and superwomen of today. Hercules, Thor, Beowulf, Gilgamesh and Moses for example, all display the qualities of nobility, courage and the strengths both mental and physical we have come to associate with that of a hero. But somewhere within the cultural evolution of these fictitious heroes, the genome seemed to split off and create a sub category of its own. One that saw the hybridization of the ancient heros super-human strengths and the pop relevance and accessibility of the more contemporary fictional protagonist. This new strain of heroes were defined by a characteristic fearlessness as opposed to the more human ability to adapt to and ultimately overcome fear, with a set of skills honed to a meta-human standard. Even Batman, who, while not possessing the conventional super-strength or x-ray vision proclivities that his inked brothers and sisters may share, belongs amongst them more so than his more human peers. He proves himself by displaying the fearlessness to patrol the rooftops of Gotham city come nightfall, leaping headlong into violent situations and making use of his inordinate intellect and physical training to foil the designs of his villains (even going as far as to recover from a bro ken back in Knightfall: Part One (Moench, Titan Books, 1993) while never compromising his own morality and ultimately keeping his lifelong vow to restore safety and peace, earning the respect and admiration of the community as he does it. This raises an interesting point. While the origins and talents of superheroes are often incredibly varied on an individual to individual basis; the one constant amongst their equally as varied psychological repertoire is adopting and living by a value system and an unflinching, immovable dedication to enforcing said system. Although, ironically, as Daniel Fingeroth notes in his book Superman on the Couch (Continuum, 2006, page 17) These are also, interestingly, the characteristics of a villain. And, as the saying goes, every decent villain thinks of himself as the hero. Hitler had no doubt that he was the good guy. However, as Richard Reynolds is quoted as saying in his book Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology (University Press of Mississippi, 1994) page 74 Superheroes are by and large not upholders of the letter of the law; they are not law enforcement agents employed by the state. The set of values they traditionally defend is summed up by the Superman tag of Truth, Justice and the American Way. Sometimes the last term has been interpreted in a narrowly nationalistic waybut far more oftenhas stood for the ideals enshrined in the US Constitution. Reynolds claims that the superhero is a symbol that inherently represents, and continues to represent, the ever-changing values of whichever society creates him or her. A trait almost wholly unique to the superhero, with such prominent cycles of revision and reinvention rarely being attributed to those fictional heroes of past eras (For instance, you may be hard pressed to find a 60s-era Moses or a 80s-era Lone Ranger). Reynolds theory is, both visually and thematically, very distinguishable when looking through the back catalogues of a number of todays popular heroes. For example, in the 40s, Superman fought the Nazis, in the 50s, communists, in the 60s and 70s he became more involved against governmental issues like widespread corruption. Compare early, campy Batman to the dark, brooding Batman established in the late 80s and early 90s and literally witness a night and day transformation. But, regardless of such evolutions, whatever the time and place, the hero will always know wha t the morally correct course of action is. But what is it exactly that dwells within people and causes them to harbour such intense craving for these hyperbolic tales of greater valour? Why are we not content with the truer and undoubtedly more realistic tales of human heroism? Take for example, a typical everyman character. Would his encounters with extraordinary situations or extraordinary people be a better example of an inspirational role model, and the very idea of a super being leaving us mere mortals feeling wholly inadequate? Perhaps we as people and congenitally social creatures, find hearing about the man of steel from the distant planet of Krypton easier to digest than say a neighbour who outclasses us physically, socially or hierarchically. Therein may lie the key the whole question. Maybe these heroes tap into our group consciousness and shared doubts about us, as individuals, failing to measure up to our potential or the standards others may expect of us. The notion of a character not quite living by the same so cietal doctrines as the rest of us, allows for an amount of comfortable dissmissiveness regarding our own perceived human failings. Lets focus on who many consider to be the alpha-superhero, Superman. Superman (or more accurately, Kal-El, his given Kryptonian name) is from the planet Krypton. It is rather unlikely that any sane human could ever also make that claim. So feeling inadequate after seeing him stop an earthquake or reverse time by flying around the planet backwards is prevented by a buffer zone of suspended disbelief. Batman, on the other hand, was always a perfectly normal little boy (and, obviously, an earthling) who swears an oath to himself to be better, stronger and smarter over the murdered bodies of his parents. Not only does little Bruce Wayne swear to it, he grows up and accomplishes it. That kind of human dedication could potentially rub a person who had, so far, failed to get where they wanted in life, or were prone to procrastination, the wrong way. But while Batman is more of a human hero than say Superman, hes none the less a larger than life character that displays characteristics that a re absent or unrealistic to expect within ordinary people. Even the pop culture characters more rooted in reality seem to operate in places where certain degrees of magic or pseudo science are possible. Rambo or The Punisher couldnt really dodge so many bullets or use their weapons so casually without incurring significant collateral damages, yet these characters are still believed to be normal within their genre. Whereas if you or I, average people, ever found ourselves in a fist fight, were ever struck or struck someone else in the face, it would be an unforgettable event that we would relay to anyone who wished to hear it whether we knew them all that well or not. Wed seek medical or legal advice, press charges to bring the perpetrator to justice. It would become an important footnote in out lifes story. Yet to the more human of serial fictional heroes, physical altercations are an everyday occurrence, a part of the job. With characters that dont have the disadvantage of needing to be portrayed by real life actors, the number of fights they will undertake is a truly staggering number. How many kicks and jabs has Batman landed over his sixty plus years of existence? It would be an almost incalculable number that would put the body counts of most modern flesh and blood action men to shame. So, the fact must be that, even in our real heroes, people feel the compulsive need to imbue them with qualities, powers and abilities that far exceed the rest of our capabilities. More so even than those amongst us in peak shape and of outstanding performance. Looking back at the idea of the regular person dealing with punching, or having been punched by somebody, any event like that, that can elevate itself above those of the everyday; will change a persons constitution in some way. Be it physically, mentally or socially. And change is invariably the one constant, be it large or small, in our lives. But Superman will never retire. Hell change, certainly. You only have to compare his adventures now to those of the 30s and 40s to see it. But he is still, in essence the same Kryptonian that landed on Earth all those years ago. Comic writers allow their creations something known as the illusion of change, which is true of most serialized characters, and, possibly, a part of their appeal. For, we grow older, witness it in our friends and relations and eventually die. But superheroes are always there. They age remarkably slowly, if at all. We learn from our lifes experiences and grow, existentially as people. Fictional creations do not. An inescapable fact of life is that, as we age, we will acquire some level of wisdom from our experiences. We can find witnessing others go through the same situation inspirational and instructive. As we grow, we learn and as we learn, we change. All we can do is hope we are changing for the better. It can be delayed somewhat, but never be truly avoided. But superheroes change incredibly slowly. Slow enough that any change could barely have been said to have occurred at all. After just over half a century, Superman still hides his identity from Lois Lane and continues to battle Lex Luthor, Batman still hides his identity from the people of Gotham city and continues to battle The Joker, and Spiderman still hides his identity from Mary Jane and Aunt May while continuing to battle Doctor Octopus and still remaining the unattached and troubled teen. Of course, this is in spite of occasional deviations from canon in which they may be seen wedding their respective sweethearts or appear to die, before exploiting some catch in which they can be revived, which are designed to indulge fans who may have since aged and moved on to the next phase of their lives and who may wish for a little more psuedorealism or social politics that speaks to their present situations. But no matter which version you may have seen, be they married, single, perpetually teenage or maturing young adult, the illusion of change still applies. But can a character that doesnt really age ever learn from his or her life and experiences? Or change as a direct result of it? In truth, only superficially, as to truly change as a result of an encounter or life experience would involve a sense of closure and the following transition from the characters previous, unenlightened standpoint to a more knowledgeable or enlightened stance. If this rule was in effect, perhaps Batman would eventually get the need for his own brand of vigilante justice out of his system after a couple of years in real life. Maybe in his participation of his particularly elaborate neuroses hed receive an injury that would prevent him from continuing with his crusade, or inadvertently harm an innocent bystander, accidentally kill one of the criminals he was fighting or even be arrested or incarcerated within a mental asylum himself. The finality of consequence is never the character stopping of their own free will because perhaps, it is too difficult, dangerous or the character has an epiphany that affords him the insight to see the ludicrousness of his own self-imposed mission. Too many people are invested in Batman keeping to his convictions, be they fan or businessman. Whenever we turn the final page of a book we were reading or see the end credits roll for a film we were watching, there is always an acute feeling of disappointment as our time in the company of those characters is well and truly over. With serial fiction or television, that feeling can be prolonged almost indefinitely (though usually to the programs detriment) and by extension the connections we attribute to the characters just as much. However in that case, something is always lost in the process. Namely the dramatic highs and lows, as, we know Superman will never truly die. But with that comes a sense of permanence and continuity (and predictability) that means, to people of an uncertain world such as ours, that through the greatest trait of the superheroes, their immortality, that we, throughout our short, fragile and unpredictable lives, can achieve a percentage of immortality too. Without a doubt, the representation of the modern superhero we have come to recognize today has left such indelible marks upon our culture that maybe you yourself have unknowingly made reference to it at some point in your life, whether you are a fan of the genre or not. Perhaps youve been told youre not exactly Superman, whilst trying to achieve something thought of as difficult or outside of your perceived abilities? Youve told somebody not to hulk out if theyre showing signs of a shift in their temperament, or youve been with someone who has told you their spider-sense is tingling to convey their wariness of a particular person or situation? The superhero is so ingrained on our collective consciousness that our metaphors and minds tend to take for granted just how and why exactly they came to be so. Why does our society view the superhero, both consciously and unconsciously, as such an important cultural element? And why must we take the time, and exert the mental energy to create and develop these fictional saviours? What exactly are they saving us from? After all, outside of the pages of their comics, its not like Superman truly crushed the Third Reich, or Spiderman truly makes it safer to walk around your town or city at night. But, perhaps their very existence, even if it is indeed, only within a few pages of pulp entertainment, plants a mental seed in us during our youth, deep, deep down in the subconscious. A seed that, however subtly, reassures us that there are perhaps such beings out there, putting themselves on the line for the sake of truth, justice and the protection of the innocent. That maybe, if we did walk around our cities in the dead of night, wed be alright, because it feels as though were being watched over. Or, perhaps we slightly imbue ourselves with the tr aits we see in these pulpy heroes to help us press on through an unpleasant place or situation. After all, Batman wouldnt be scared to walk through town at two in the morning, or succumb to nerves when thinking about the PowerPoint presentation he has to give at work the next day. Daniel Fingeroth goes on to pose the question of whether or not our attraction and preoccupation with such heroic yet utterly fictional fantasy beings is necessarily an entirely healthy position to have. Neatly summarising it as the following Do superheroes provide us with super-excuses? For If we adore such characters and partially establish elements of their personal ideologies to our own perceptions of right and wrong or law and order, are we effectively living in a dream world whilst, in some ways, shirking our own responsibilities when faced with the handling of our own problems? Are we dependant on their authority? For after all, the inherent trait of the superhero, to possess the superior judgment to arbitrarily discern what is and is not morally wrong, then use their extraordinary abilities to violently enforce that very idea, is rather a fascist notion. Perhaps holding Superman to that level of authoritarian calibre is in truth not that dissimilar from the myths of the Aryan ÃÅ"bermensch (which translates from German as overman or superman), or The X-Men and the distinct metaphor for racial tolerance (between mutant and non-mutants) their stories embody may very well lull people into believing the struggle for racial harmony has gone as far as it really nee ds to. Or perhaps what these stern, unbending paragons of unwavering morality provide is merely a healthy totem for us to project our darker impulses upon. For dont we, as a society, often gain a certain bloody satisfaction from seeing the villains or other such characters of low moral fiber receive a swiftly violent and richly deserved punishment? Through, say, Wolverines violent actions, our own violence is rendered unnecessary. Further still, the perceived perfection of both a physical and ideological nature one may attribute to a superhero, may well provide solace for a reader who may be becoming jaded with their place in a society that, at its core, is morally corrupt and defines its own rules on what is and is not acceptable regarding the physical appearance, while possibly encouraging that same reader to exit this fantasy word he or she was engrossed in, with an adopted desire to go out and perform good deeds of their own. Its unlikely theyll don a cape, mask and tights whilst leapin g from rooftop to rooftop, but the influence of wanting to do good amongst their community is assimilated without the more fascistic and unattractive authoritative aspects that present themselves when analyzing a superheroes modus operandi. A popular symbol of super heroism and the special brand of masked vigilante justice that accompanies it is the concept of the secret identity. But it seems rather counterintuitive. What is it that could cause a person to hide who they are? If anything, people of today tend to seek out credit and adulation wherever they can. They enjoy that feeling of pride. But in real life, there can be equally valid reasons why a person may want to, or need to conceal their identity. The example that may immediately leap to mind would be a criminal wearing a mask whilst committing his crime so as to evade the attention of the law and escape the threat of incarceration. But the identity can also be hidden for more noble reasons. For instance, someone who is courageously rebelling politically or socially in a place where such action would evoke serious, perhaps deadly, repercussions or an informant, masking their voice while providing important, potentially life-saving information to figures of autho rity. Deviating far from the concept of nobility and courage, consider for a moment, a member of a radical hate group such as the KKK. His identity may well be known by close friends or family members, but his hood would prevent recognition from victims or law enforcement. There is also a psychological element of terror that wearing a mask or a hood produces in others. There are also philanthropists who work anonymously out of a sense of modesty and desire to let their generous acts speak for themselves without adding their own personal sense of glory. There are graffiti artists who express the simple fact that they were there through tagging various architecture whilst still maintaining a degree of anonymity. There is also the anonymity that the internet or the telephone provides. The lack of face-to-face interaction can allow people the feeling of liberation to say or do things, socially acceptable or otherwise, without repercussion. But why has the idea of a secret identity become such an intrinsic element of the superhero mythos? Late stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce presented a theory as a part of his act. He believed that the masked man hides himself because he doesnt want to be thanked. If he became too dependent on the praise, how would he feel when he wasnt being thanked? The masked man wants to keep his motives pure, to make sure he does what he does because its the right thing to do, not to be thanked. That may present a piece of the puzzle as to why the idea of a masked hero appeals to us, the every-day people. Because they want their heroic actions to stand by themselves, which is a sympathetic and universal human desire. To which fantasy does the idea of a double identity/life appeal? Perhaps it speaks to those amongst us that believe, deep down within us, we can be so much more than we appear. They covet the notion that if only people knew how truly special I am. For, in a sense, we all possess secret identities, sides of ourselves that we do not reveal to many others. A dual, and secret, identity is a place where fantasy and ambition can take hold and we eagerly await the time when the power within can be unleashed without risk or social reprisal. After all, there is always the risk that, once released, people would not warm to the real you and you are forced to once again repress your true self and re-presenting the false, approved one in hope of fitting in once more. But of course reality is not that clear cut, and there no doubt be events throughout our lives in which the false self and the true self may overlap. One will always bleed through at some point. Having two identities, wearing those m etaphorical masks gives us greater control on how we present ourselves to the world that surrounds us. Masks, be they literal or metaphorical, have been an important cultural factor across both time and civilization. For example, African and South American priests would were ceremonial clothes, often with accompanying mask, to perform their various holy rituals. In those instances, it is unlikely the mask was intended to preserve the identity of the wearer, but endow its wearer with a mixture of both social importance and simultaneous characterlessness. An everyman bestowed with holy connotations. The mask itself is seen as the symbol of power, the man behind it less so, if at all. A mask can be intimidating, so limiting it to association with common contemporary criminals seems like a grotesque waste of resources. Why not rally the intimidation factor against those people who would ultimately behave in ways that negatively affect our society? In the world of heroic fiction it can be used to drastically turn the tables on those individuals. But that also presents another valid reason to keep ones identity a secret. To protect their loved ones. Which, when you really stop to ponder it, could be applied, in theory, real-life scenarios, such as a teacher who may work with delinquent or anti-social children or a policeman who walks a beat in a particularly dangerous area. Though in a more negative spin on that theory, it could allow violent vigilante groups or death squads to emerge. But masked justice is rarely blind justice. It has agendas and rarely exists to just give the police force a little more edge. It is only the Superhero who disguises his or her identit y for truly noble and altruistic reasons whilst still maintaining his or her integrity in the eyes of the public. According to Gary Engle, in his essay What Makes Superman So Darned American?, he theorizes that the concept of a secret identity is deeply rooted in the experience of being an American immigrant, and applies this to whom is arguably considered the alpha hero and greatest example of a direct dual identity, Superman. The myth simply wouldnt work without Clark Kent, mild-mannered newspaper reporterAdopting the white-bread image of a wimp is first and foremost a moral act for the man of steel. He does it to protect his parents from nefarious sorts who might use them to gain an edge over the powerful alien. More-over, Kent adds to Supermans powers the moral guidance of a Smallville upbringing . Clark Kentis the epitome of visible invisibility, someone whose extraordinary ordinariness makes him disappear in a crowd. In a phrase, he is the consummate figure of total cultural assimilation, and significantly, he is not real. Implicit in this is the notion that mainstream cultural norms, however useful, are illusions. According to Engle, the origins of the immigrant are the core of his entire identities; only insert being an extraterrestrial from another planet in place of being from another country. Superman isnt unlike that of a young person from immigrant roots who may well speak his native tongue at home, around his family, but outside that dynamic, adjusts his identity to fit in with his adopted homeland. The immigrant wish to excel whilst staying anonymous. To make his parents feel proud without making them feel ashamed of who they are or where they come from. These feelings of immigrant guilt were also profoundly felt by Superman creators Siegel and Shuster, who the projected their experiences into those of Superman. As Gary Engle continues to note: Immigration, of course, is the overwhelming fact in American history. Except for the Indians, all Americans have an immediate sense of their origins elsewhere. No nation on Earth has so deeply embedded in its social consciousness the imagery of passage from one social identity to another. -80 Further, Supermans powersare the comic book equivalents of ethnic characteristics, and they protect and preserve the vitality of the foster community in which he lives in the same way that immigrant ethnicity has sustained American culture linguistically, artistically, economically, politically and spiritually. The myth of Superman asserts with total confidence and a childlike innocence the value of the immigrant in American culture -81 For many readers of comics, particularly those old enough to have been around and enjoyed them when they were freshly conceived, they themselves may be immigrants or indeed the children or grandchildren of immigrants. Perhaps reading these stories would allow for some manner of vicarious and symbolic re-enactment or unified identification with their roots and the characters they are enjoying reading about. The idea of a secret identity can further allow the readers to become conscious of and experience their own dilemmas. For instance, discovering whether or not they were being the version of themselves that makes cultural compromises and they let the outside world see, or are they being the self that they project in their home lives? Which of those two masks is truly the real them? Which do they prefer being and which do they want to be? In many ways we all at some time or another feel we are strangers in a strange land once we leave the sanctuary of our homes and venture out into s ociety to go to work or school. Home is familiarity, we are comfortable with ourselves and confidently know what it takes for us to survive and thrive there. But who do we become once we venture outside and have a choice in how we present ourselves to the world? Its a basic choice that we are all forced to learn through trial and error from very young ages and the Superheroes are forced to make them too, albeit in much grander and colourful ways. Superman isnt just an immigrant, hes also an orphan. He arrived on our planet as a sole representative of his race, without his parents. He has an idea where he is from, but could barely recite a fact about the place aside from the fact that it is no more. Knowing, instead, a great deal more about where he currently is. The opportunity that he is presented with, however, is that, as an immigrant and an orphan, he is free to construct his entire history from day one. Not that he ever has much choice in the matter, for all that he knows of ou r world at that point is that he is from somewhere else. As pointed out by Gary Engle: Orphans arent merely free to invent themselves, they are obliged to. So perhaps the double identity is more of an integral component in what defines Superman than say x-ray vision or the ability to fly. He can cherry-pick aspects from the best of us as a society and ingest them a part of himself. While he is an alien, he is an alien that resembles a human, and a handsome human at that. He can fit in to a crowd if he wishes and he can distance himself to the fortress of solitude on a whim just as easily. His life as Clark Kent can enrich his life as Superman and vice versa. However, Supermans chosen identity is fraught with a hypocrisy that could be said to highlight an immigrants internal conflicts and insecurities. A simultaneous need to both blend in and stand out from the crowd. Clark Kent is a reporter, a career that requires a degree of courage and bravery, for instance, when attempting to acquire the scoop on a dangerous situation . Yet to his peers, Clark is seen as a cowardly person who is always nowhere to be seen when danger is close, yet, s omehow he still manages to get the scoop which is rather conspicuous for a person trying to remain amongst society inconspicuously. As an interesting side note, as with most other popular superheroes, the civilian identity is often the real identity and the public and more heroic face is the adopted persona. This is not the case with the Man of Steel. It is in fact the complete opposite. Supermans true self is Superman, yet he must adopt a more unremarkable persona in Clark Kent to fit in. One of the fundamental questions with regards to identity is if it is in fact a more courageous act to be who you are or who you pretend you are. The superhero asks this too, only louder. The superheros answers to such existential questions are usually within the realms of I will be who I must in order to fulfil my task of doing good. Whatever serves that purpose is who I will be both in and out of my costume. Whichever other questions these heroes may hav