Critically analyse the ways in which the personalisation agenda might impact on the protection of vulnerable adults.

Abstract Personalisation has been described as a â€Å"cornerstone of the modernisation of public services† (Department of Health, 2008: 4); however there has been much discussion as to how this impacts upon the protection of vulnerable adults. Thus, it seems as though the current practices employed by social workers will have to be adapted in order to integrate personalisation into their agenda’s. This is likely to prove extremely complex given the conflictions that are likely to arise. This study will thus discuss such difficulties in more detail. Introduction The ways in which the personalisation agenda might impact on the protection of vulnerable adults will be critically discussed in order to consider the difficulties that are likely to be associated with personalisation. This will be done by firstly looking at social work practice implications, ethics and values. This will allow a determination to be made as to whether changes to such practices will need to be made. The effect personalisation has on anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practices will then be discussed followed by a review of the current HCPC standards, legislation policy and guidance. Once all of the applicable information has been gathered a conclusion will then be drawn. Social Work Practice Implications, Ethics and Values In improving social care standards in England, the Government published the personalisation agenda in their ‘Putting People First’ (Department of Health, 2007: 1) report. This is a shared commitment and vision that seeks to ensure all adults can have control over their own lives and thus live independently. This is likely to have a significant impact on the protection of vulnerable adults since the main objective of the report was to ensure vulnerable adults have the best quality of life. It was also made clear that the â€Å"quality of independent living is fundamental to a socially just society† (Department of Health, 2007: 2). A Local Authority circular; ‘Transforming Social Care’ (Department of Health, 2009: 4) strengthened this vision further by placing additional responsibilities on Local Authorities. Accordingly, it was noted in the circular that Local Authorities must take a more pro-active role when dealing with vulnerable adults and that the y must make applicable steps towards re-shaping their adult social care services, which was also supported by the Secretary of State for Health (Lansley, 2010: 5). In spite of such governments’ policies, it is questionable whether vulnerable adults will be better safeguarded since there appears to be â€Å"little guidance into how this agenda sits alongside that of personalisation in practice† (IPC, 2010: 3). In addition, it has been argued that both personalisation and the protection of vulnerable adults, although share the same end goals, their approaches actually conflict (Gray and Birrell, 2013: 207). Thus, personalisation is generally about enabling individuals to live their own lives, whilst the safeguarding of vulnerable adults is about ensuring the safety of such individuals by conforming to a set of policies and procedures that have been created specifically for this purpose. Arguably, by giving vulnerable adults the ability to control their own lives is likely to undermine the safeguarding principles that currently exist. This carries a significant risk since vulnerable adults may not actually have the ability to take co ntrol, and this may subsequently expose them to harm and impact the protection that they are to be afforded. Whilst personalisation encourages independence, safeguarding is about acting on behalf of vulnerable adults. Personalisation and Anti-oppressive and Anti-discriminatory Practices It remains to be seen how personalisation can be implemented, whilst ensuring that the protection of vulnerable adults is maintained, yet noted by Carr (2010: 2); â€Å"The goal is to get the balance right, moving away from being risk averse while still having appropriate regard for safeguarding issues.† It is questionable whether a balance is easy to achieve since personalisation is all about reducing the levels of control Local Authorities place upon vulnerable adults, yet higher levels of control are needed to protect such adults from harm. This can be extremely difficult for social workers who must employ anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practices by developing an understanding of structural inequalities so that they can be pro-active in their work with vulnerable adults (Hopton, 2012: 47). As personalisation is contrary to this, problems are likely to arise since social workers are required to â€Å"develop creative ways of working† by a â€Å"critical, pol iticised and geographical view of our culturally plural society† (Gardner, 2011: 30). This is much more difficult to achieve when adopting the personalisation agenda as social workers are required to take a step back and allow vulnerable adults to take control. HCPC standards, legislation policy and guidance The current HCPC standards that are required of social workers are also likely to conflict with the personalisation agenda since social workers are required to act in the best interests of their service users (HCPC, 2012: 3). Accordingly, enabling vulnerable adults to live independently may not be acting in their best interests as certain individuals will require constant supervision and will need the help and support from social workers. Hence, even if it appears as though a person is capable of taking control of their own life, this may not always be the case and so it is important that social workers continue to take a pro-active role in the lives of vulnerable adults. Thus, under the ‘No Secrets (Adult Protection)’ guidance managers with the responsibility of overseeing and supervising the investigation of, and response to, adult abuse are required to ensure that â€Å"all appropriate agencies are involved in the investigation and the provision of support, and that good standards of practices are maintained† (Department of Health, 2000: 16). However, personalisation is likely to have an impact on such responsibilities as it will require a change in the way welfare services are being delivered and the ways vulnerable adults are being supervised. Direct Payments, Exploitation and Fairer Charges As personalisation allows the individual to have a greater choice, the government will have less control over individual budgets. Accordingly, those in need of care will thus have a choice whether to accept direct payments in order to purchase their own social care services or allow local authorities to arrange their care (MNDA, 2010: 2). Whilst it has been said that this new approach helps those in need of care to attain a program suited to their individual needs (Age UK, 2013: 1), this can actually have dangerous consequences. This is because the service user may be at risk of abuse and exploitation by family members and unscrupulous carers (8). However, provided that this risk can be managed appropriately it has been said that the personalisation agenda may actually provide individuals with a fairer charging system (Duffy, 2011: 4). However, this will not be the case for everyone and whilst some individuals may end up with a better deal, others may be expected to meet the costs o f their care themselves. Arguably, whilst this system is workable in meeting the needs of certain individuals, it may actually penalise others. In addition, as put by (The Policy Press, 2011: 96) â€Å"it increases the costs of disability, encourages institutionalisation and works against independent living and person-centred support.† This is not what was intended by the establishment of the personalisation agenda and unless these inherent risks can be managed, it is likely that vulnerable adults will suffer. Conclusion Overall, it is evident that the personalisation agenda is likely to have a significant impact upon the ways in which vulnerable adults are likely to be protected in the future. This is because, the main objectives of personalisation are to enable vulnerable adults to take control of their own lives and live independently. This agenda, nevertheless, conflicts with the current practices that are being adopted by social workers in protecting vulnerable adults and as a result of this many changes are likely to be required. Whilst it is clear that a balance needs to be struck, it is likely that this will prove extremely complex when trying to put this into practice. Yet, it remains to be seen, if any, what measure will be taken by social workers in ensuring that the personalisation agenda is being employed, whilst at the same time maintaining the protection of vulnerable adults. References Age UK. (2013) Personal Budgets – More control over Your Care, [Online], Available: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/help-at-home/self-directed-support/ [13 January 2014]. Carr, S. (2010) ‘SCIE Report: Enabling risk, ensuring safety: Self-directed support and personal budgets’ Enabling Risk and Personal Budgets, Social Care Institute for Excellence. Department of Health. (2000) ‘No Secrets: Guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse’ Home Office. Department of Health. (2007) ‘Putting People First; A shared vision and commitment to the transformation of Adult Social Care’ HM Government. [Online], Available: http://www.cpa.org.uk/cpa/putting_people_first.pdf [10 January 2014]. Department of Health (2009) ‘Transforming Adult Social Care’ Local Authority Circular. Duffy, S. (2011) A Fair Society and the Limits of Personalisation. Sheffield: Centre for Welfare Reform. Gardner, A. (2011) Personalisation in Social Work, SAGE, Social Science. Gray, A. M. and Birrell, D. (2013) Transforming Adult Social Care, The Policy Press. HCPC. (2012) ‘Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics’ Health & Care Professions Council, Your duties as a registrant, [Online], Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10003B6EStandardsofconduct,performanceandethics.pdf [10 January 2014]. Hopton. J. (2012) ‘Anti-discriminatory practice and anti-oppressive practice; A radical humanist psychology perspective’ Critical Social Policy, volume 17, no. 52. IPC. (2010) ‘Safeguarding vulnerable adults through better commissioning’ A Discussion Paper for Commissioners of Adult Social Care, Institute of Public Care. Lansley, A. (2010) ‘Speech to the 5th International Carers Conference’ The Royal Armouries, Leeds. MNDA. (2010) Direct Payments and Personalisation, Information Sheet No 22B, [Online], Available: http://www.mndassociation.org/Resources/MNDA/Life%20with%20MND/Information%20sheet%2022B%20-%20Direct%20payments%20and%20personalisation.pdf [13 January 2014]. The Policy Press. (2011) Supporting People: Towards a Person-centred Approach, Social Science.

Main Causes of American Intervention in World War I

The war was between the Triple Entente-? Great Britain, Russia, and France-?and the Central Powers, which was comprised of Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. The vast majority of Americans strongly designated themselves a neutral nation. They believed themselves morally superior to war and viewed it to be an unnecessary, primitive solution. Even President Woodrow Wilson immediately announced America's neutrality, after recently winning the presidential election in 1916 for his second consecutive term, bearing the campaign slogan â€Å"He kept us out of war. However, despite Minimal disapproval of World War l. Many controversial events and certain predictions caused the united States to teeter between the line of isolation and intervention. It was President Willow's strong guidance and insightful evaluations of foreign actions and domestic reactions that led to America's involvement in the Great War on April 6, 1917. Right from the start, both Germany and Britain quickly began spre ading propaganda, attempting to promote their own country motives and Justify their grounds for being in the war.Propaganda Is defined as information, Ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, Institution, or nation. Both nations were affecting public opinion, but in the summer of 1915, German doctor Heimlich Albert mistakenly put a halt to Germany's influence. Albert was a preventative of the German Information Service, an agency that was responsible for dispersing rumors in the United States. As he quickly rushed to board his train, he unknowingly left his briefcase, containing German propaganda.After It was recovered by an American secret service agent, the documents and their purpose were quickly known throughout the nation, giving citizens a negative perception of Germany. British propaganda was also in circulation, and although this possibility was known by the American population, it was never proved, making it difficult to deciphe r reliable information from exaggerated. Generally these ideas proposed hat it was German aggression that was responsible for the provocation of the war In Europe, and the Allies-?the Triple Entente-?were simply fighting In defense of collocation gallant tenet Darrell opposition.Germany was salsa to nave uses â€Å"ruthless, militaristic war tactics† and to have an autocratic society, which contested America's democratic society. In an effort to coax American entry, Britain asserted that the war was unfolding in their favor, and the outcome seemed promising. However, they were actually in financial straits and struggling to survive, but they did not want America to think the war was a lost cause. Ironically, this assurance had an opposite effect on America's willingness to assist them.The public proclaimed that if the Triple Entente expected victory, then American intervention would be a pointless waste of money, resources, and lives. Germany's war tactics and disregard towar d the rules of engagement of war also negatively impacted America's Judgment of them. Early in the war Germany invaded Belgium, a country that pronounced its neutrality as America did, and fought on the soil of an unwilling nation. While occupying Belgium for more than four years, the Germans shot thousands of civilians, dotted and burned towns, and deported civilians, forcing them to assemble weapons and build defenses.The German chancellor referred too peace treaty written in agreement between the two nations as a â€Å"scrap of paper. † This disrespect to the wishes of Belgium was later called â€Å"The Rape of Belgium† and portrayed English- speaking countries as defenders of freedom. To add to Germany's misconduct, the tactics that they used during the war appalled the American nation. They deployed â€Å"dirigible† bombardments on cities, which was combat through a blimp-like airship. This aerial attack would stream poisonous gas over enemy areas, impartia lly taking he lives of both innocent civilians and soldiers.An inhumane and deadly technique such as this had previously been unknown to the world. Similarly, the engagement of submarine warfare, with their newly developed U-boats, hurt Germany's cause in the battle for American support. Germany utilized their new technology of U-boats to destroy both enemy warships and merchant vessels of nonbelligerent nations, some of which contained American citizens, enraging the United States. U-boats were small, slow-moving, and vulnerable, but they were the first submarines the world had ever seen, so defending them was difficult, even for the world-renowned British navy.The Germans used this stealthy weapon to overcome the blockade that was implemented by the British fleet. The impenetrable fleet effectively prevented all trade ships containing weapons or food from reaching countries occupied by the Central Power, as well as neighboring neutral countries. They also cut all undersea communic ation cables. The German sinking of American ships the Louisiana and Sussex had the most significant response from the United States. It was after this complete disregard for U. S. Requests that Wilson concluded he could no longer imply ignore Germany's constant, rebellious insubordination.He began to realize that war was imminent. In 1915, U-boats sank the American merchant vessel the Louisiana, killing 128 American citizens. Still wanting to maintain neutrality, President Wilson reacted by merely demanding that Germany abide by protocol of restricted warfare, in addition to arming merchant vessels for defense. Germany agreed but then later declared unlimited warfare on all ships, openly admitting that â€Å"mistakes will be made. † In 1917, the U-boats sank another American vessel, the Sussex, killing another 25 Americans.Although Germany argued that it was difficult to identify the ship, Americans were clearly frustrated with their lack of discretion. Despite this Loosely AT Electroscope, American colleens exclusively continual to remain neutral. I nee reasoned that the few Americans taken by German U-boats were not worth risking the lives of the 100 million Americans that were left. Instead, they criticized Wilson for the tragedy. They claimed that he provoked the attack by being a â€Å"silent member† of the Allies through one-sided trade and allowing the expansion of their blockade without a diplomatic challenge.However, Woodrow Wilson maintained that he was imply learning from the mistakes that led to the War of 1812 and was motivated by neutrality by â€Å"trying to avoid unnecessary trouble. † In fact, when the United States learned of what later became known as the infamous Zimmerman Telegram, it was determined that the attack was offensive and would have occurred even if Wilson had contested the blockade. In January of 1917, British intelligence intercepted and deciphered a telegram sent from the German foreign minister, Arthur Zimmerman, to the German minister of Mexico, von Gerhardt.This occurred shortly after Germany sunk the Sussex, and it revealed Germany's true intentions toward the U. S. The telegram offered American territory to Mexico that America won during the Mexican- American War in the late sass's. In return, Germany requested that Mexico attack the United States if they should enter the Great War on the side of the Triple Entente, and to also request the aid of Japan. This clearly demonstrated that the sinking of the Sussex was an attack intended to lure America into the war, and Mexico, as well, to fight alongside Germany.Before this document was found, Wilson still chose neutrality in the face of American casualties, saying, â€Å"There is such a thing as a man Ewing too proud to fight. There is such a thing as a nation being so right that it does not need to convince others by force that it is right. † The telegram, along with encounters with Germany before the Great War, caused Wi lson to contemplate intervention. During the Spanish-American War, in 1898, many perceived Germany to be a potential threat to America's interests and security because of the similarities between the two nations.Both were Just beginning to establish themselves as great world powers that were rapidly industrialized and seeking overseas markets, naturally creating a rivalry. German interest in the Philippine Islands, West Indies, Galapagos Islands, and Haiti was also unsettling because it posed a threat to the completion of the Panama Canal, which was finished in August of 1914. Germany's desire to expand to the Western Hemisphere worried President Wilson, and the main deterrent of this expansion, until this point, had been from Britain's control over the Atlantic.Wilson, along with many others, feared that if the Central Powers overcame the Triple Entente, Germany would become the new naval supremacy, over Great Britain. This conclusion became known as the â€Å"realist appraisal. T he realist appraisal proclaimed that British victory was essential to American security, because they were needed by the United States to provide a balance of powers. It was widely agreed that America and Great Britain had paralleled interests. Without this balance of power, Germany would see no resistance if they decided to attack America.This claim was consistent in many people, including James W. Gerard, the American Ambassador to Germany, who said, â€Å"We are next on [Germany's] list,† if they won the war. With this risk in mind, the Monroe Doctrine quickly became Jeopardized. The Monroe Doctrine was institutionalized by President James Monroe in 1823 and was composed of three main concepts. The first stated that the Western Hemisphere of ten world would a De Innocence Day America, Ana ten Eastern Hemisphere Day Europe. The second and third concepts opposed colonization and intervention.With these concepts in mind, it is evident that the doctrine is likely to be violate d by Germany upon the victory of the Central Powers, because they would intervene in America's hemisphere. In order to preserve the proclamation, America's intervention was deed. The night before the United States announced its entrance into the war, the newly appointed secretary of state, Robert Lansing, wrote, The Allies must not be beaten. It would mean the triumph of autocracy over democracy; the shattering of all our moral standards; and real, although it may seem remote, peril to our independence and institutions.President Wilson desperately struggled to keep peace with Germany in order to save American lives, but his attempts were hopeless. He was aware that an Allied victory was more favorable to American interests, but he also believed that the war would leave Germany weak and unable to pose an immediate threat to America. In the years that Germany needed to recuperate its army and replenish resources, Wilson planned to strengthen the Ana and prepare for a possible war.Howe ver, upon Germany's denial of Willow's two peace proposals and the renewal of submarine warfare, which Germany had consistently added to over the last few years, the president's plan seemed too far away. Germany's lack of effort to come to peace with America predicted their intention on making America the next target sooner than expected. In addition to the influences by Lansing and future president Theodore Roosevelt, President Wilson realized that an intervention was more necessary than previously assumed, and he knew that he would need the support of his country if he was going to succeed in involving the nation.Primarily through propaganda, the U. S. Government caused the change in public opinion from isolation to intervention. Most of the nation continuously adhered to an isolationist prospective, but those who held the view of the realist appraisal also happened to be those in Eastern America who had a strong influence on public opinion. On April 13, the Committee on Public In formation (ICP) was assembled by President Wilson to conduct American propaganda in the United States and overseas.George Creel, the selected manager of the committee, called it the â€Å"world's greatest adventure in advertising,† because it essentially â€Å"advertised† the war to the American people. The three main themes that were portrayed were unity, the image of a despicable enemy, and the idea of a crusade for peace and freedom. They overwhelmed the press with so much information that it was practically impossible to determine what was exaggerated from what was not. Slowly, intervention began to gain nationwide support. Once Congress accepted a declaration for war from President Wilson, America would officially be in the war.Wilson addressed Congress for a declaration of war on April 2, 1917, through what has been claimed to â€Å"rank among the three or four greatest presidential speeches in American history. † He argued that in reality, America had bee n in the war ever since their vessels were sunk by German U-boats. Because of this, it was only logical to officially announce involvement in order to gain any advantages that it might bring. Wilson also emphasized that America was not at war with Germany but at war with the autocratic government instead. The world must be safe for democracy' was the point that he conveyed, and if the Central Powers won the war, democracy would, in fact, be in peril. Both George Washington Ana I mommas Jefferson warned against â€Å"entangling alliances† Ana promoted Isolation to avoid foreign wars. This attitude was maintained and universally accepted since the War of 1812, but this principle was no longer sufficient. Since the war in Europe began in 1914, countless events occurred that warranted U. S. Entry into the war, but they were all rationalized to maintain isolation.President Woodrow Wilson thoroughly examined what had happened up to that point and carefully calculated the events tha t would ensue, and he wisely decided to Join Great Britain on the side of the Triple Entente. He unified the nation and created universal support, which led to the Allied victory on November 1 1, 1918, preserving democracy for the world, along with the bright future of the United States. The end of the war marked a new era in history, one that held the United States at the pinnacle of the world's great powers. Endnotes

Phesant Analysis

Sylvia Plath The poem, , has a theme, which is talking about a complex relationship of Plath. Plath uses pheasant as a symbol for representing her complicating complex. This poem also conveys of realism of nature, which reflects to the reality of a human being. This poem consists of 8 identical stanzas. Each stanza contains 3 lines. It has an irregular rhyme scheme and an imperfect rhyme. Plath starts off the poem directly. The first word of the poem, â€Å"You†, reveals that Plath is having a conversation or a negotiation with someone.The first 2 lines in the poem depict a serious but quiet atmosphere with slight grudges. Thus, Plath has shown a tone of pleading, reflected by the phrase â€Å"Do not kill it†. Then, the poem comes up with a run-on verse. It reveals Plath is emphasizing the idea here. â€Å"The jut of that odd, dark head† obviously is portraying the appearance of a pheasant. It also illustrates that Plath sees a pheasant, whose head is staying upo n the uncut grass, is pacing around. Plath also sets a foil to the peaceful atmosphere by the slow pace of the pheasant.There is a great dichotomy with the first line of the poem. The ambiance has been changed abruptly. The following lines show that Plath is talking with somebody softly, not owing to forgiveness, it is because Plath seems like suffering from hell pain and weak to convey words. â€Å"I am not mystical†, the first line in third stanza, indicates that Plath is connecting to spiritual aspect of thing, perhaps like God. And then, Plath is referring to the pheasant. Plath â€Å"thought it had a spirit† and â€Å"in its element†. The concept of Plath is that the pheasant belongs to the nature, as it is an element of it.Plath implicitly conveys that if the peasant need to end up its life, it should be caused naturally but not by any man-cause. That’s what Plath is halting somebody from killing the pheasant. In the forth stanza, Plath perhaps depi cts that pheasant is a paramount, wonderful creature in Plath’s mindset. â€Å"Kingliness† portrays the pheasant is living proudly in the nature. There are landmarks by the pheasant hither and thither, illustrated by the word phrase â€Å"tail-track†. In addition, the fifth stanza is a resonation of the forth stanza, which emphasize the gorgeous aspect of the pheasant.The word â€Å"wonder† echoes with the word â€Å"kingliness†. Plath also projects that pheasant is unique and special and can stand out to catch her attention among other birds. The â€Å"pallor† of the pheasant is charming and captivating. Afterward, Plath comes up with a question and a statement at the same time. â€Å"Is it its rareness, then? It is rare. † this line reveals the pheasant has occupied an important position of Plath. The sixth stanza is a respond to the fifth stanza. Plath expresses that even there is tons of pheasant; it is still â€Å"a fine thingâ € .The exclamation used highlight Plath’s impression. In the seventh stanza, Plath is complimenting the pheasant. â€Å"Good shape†, â€Å"vivid† are words that praising the pheasant. Thus, Plath uses metaphor to compares pheasant as Zeus, the greatest god in Greece mythology, indicated by the word â€Å"cornucopia†. Thus, the metaphor is followed by a simile, â€Å"brown as a leaf, and loud†. Perhaps Plath is portraying the colour, the size and the movement of the pheasant. In the last stanza, Plath illustrates the pheasant is enjoying under the sunshine â€Å"in the narcissi†.There is a hidden meaning here. The word narcissus appears in the name of a disease, narcissistic personality disorder. Perhaps Plath chooses this plant for precise presentation. And as a result, Plath chooses to â€Å"let be, let be†, reveals that Plath is giving up. Throughout the entire poem, Plath uses pheasant to represent a series of themes, like love, relationship and realism. Perhaps Plath uses the pheasant for presenting herself as a weak woman without any defence. And pheasant is also the one, which is defenceless. It reflects the role of Plath.If Plath is using pheasant as a metaphor to describe she, then the compliments in the poem belongs to her. That means she is praising herself. In Plath’s opinion, she is a precious woman as diamonds that everyone should cherish and treat her well when getting along with her. Plath should be paramount and be complimented all the time and she thinks that she can receive the glory. Unfortunately, things do not go on as Plath anticipated. Plath is pleading someone not to sabotage her relationship and love. If not, Plath will simply possess nothing.On the surface, everything goes logically but owing to the existence of â€Å"narcissi†, we may guess perhaps Plath has been suffering from narcissistic personality disorder. She is psychologically unhealthy and does not possess a c lear mind. She is confused and begins absurd right now. But what we can still predict that Plath has illusions is owing to bad and nasty treatment. In conclusion, the poem pheasant illustrates a serious atmosphere but elegant description on the surface. Implicitly, this poem shows the madness of Plath derive from complex love and relationships and innate human evil – deceiving.

Should gay marriage be legal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Should gay marriage be legal - Essay Example I think not. Legalizing gay marriage is not simply about protecting the rights of homosexuals. It’s not about treating fairly the so addressed minority of the population, the mythic 3 percent figure of Americans (Cameron 12). Gay marriages will arouse deep structural changes by transforming beliefs, questioning values, and institutionally proclaiming something that has long been rejected by human nature as valid, accepted and official. In this essay I am not trying to be a moralist, saying what people should or should not believe in. I simply want to question a change that is so unnatural and intrusive to me, that the argument saying â€Å"it’s their inherent human right† is not strong enough to accept it. Today the world is changing so fast and many core values are simply swept away by fashion, carelessness and eccentricity. The civil rights activists once playing the important part for this society to overcome racial or female intolerance have now shifted their efforts into new directions, pleading for further liberation of sexist rights. Now, that the so widely proclaimed same-sex marriages are in the limelight, it pays to stop and think, will their legalization really create added value to society or, on the contrary, will it actually cause harm by undermining the institution of marriage. Marriage represents a legal bondage, an institution that is recognized by church, and society. This is the couple’s official declaration for long-term commitment to one another. Marriage is a unique contract, different from simply sharing property or setting up a new business; it establishes a relationship that does not exist for people who are simply living together (Cline). When people get married, they become a social unit with strong kinship ties regarded by society as one unity. When gay couples want to contract a marriage, they actually ask for society’s

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Statistics - Assignment Example of industrial explosion and were under age 40 at the time of accident had heightened concentrations of dioxin in their blood and that each tenfold increase in dioxin level was associated with a doubling of the risk of breast cancer. a) In any experiments, it is required to select sample randomly. If the subjects were not assigned to the diets randomly instead of letting people pick what they wanted to eat, than there may be possibility of adding another factor (in this case subject’s choice) introduced to the experiments. Thus, it will be difficult to say which factor influenced blood pressure more effectively, subject’s choice what they wanted to eat or diet type. Randomization allows us to equalize the effects of unknown or uncontrollable sources of variation. It does not eliminate the effects of these sources, but it spreads them out across the treatment levels so that we can see past them. c) The researchers need the control group because than they will be able to compare the blood pressure of groups based on different diet only. If the DASH diet group’s mean blood pressure was lower at the end of the experiment than at the beginning that would only mean that DASH diet lowered the blood pressure. This will not mean how much effective DASH diet is compared to other diets. Further, in an experiment it is required to control sources of variation other than the factors we are testing by making conditions as similar as possible for all treatment groups. d) We would need additional information standard error of difference (or sample standard deviations and sizes for DASH diet group and control group) in order to decide whether an average reduction in blood pressure of 6.7 points was statistically

Buddha teachings..... anything you want that is relavent Essay

Buddha teachings..... anything you want that is relavent - Essay Example These are ‘suffering of suffering’, suffering of change and persuasive. Firstly, ‘suffering of suffering’ is ordinary suffering that result from pain and associated by lower realms of existence such as in the human world. Secondly, suffering of change on the other hand encompasses sadness that results from loss of a happy condition, or that that arises when unhappy condition develops. Lastly, persuasive suffering refers to the internal frustrations. This suffering causes unrest and therefore an individual cannot enjoy any pleasant situations. Every living thing in the universe has desires that it would wish to be quenched. These desires for and attachments to worldly things if not accomplished lead to suffering. Therefore, the entire existence is surrounded by suffering that leads to pain. This is not just the pain of life but rather the uncertainty that exists at the center of the common universe, which arises from a person's intention to keep his life and achieving the true enlightenment. Gods are inclined to be proud and are considered to have a higher status in existence because they have very long life times which seem eternal i.e. they generally occupy the highest realms of existence. ... t origination" All things in the universe arise, abide and cease to exist through numerous causes that exist with the infinite web or interconnection in the universe. As consequence, the chain of interdependence stipulates that everything in the universe is interconnected and interacts with or affects other things in the universe. This chain can also take a perspective that objects have a context for which they are inseparable, or everything that exists is because of other causes or conditions in the universe. In this chain, nothing is absolute because all effects produced in the universe were caused by other effects, and they themselves cause other effects. This is mainly the principle behind the law of cause and effect. For example, for a table to exist seed of a tree must have grown somewhere, sunlight, water and carbon dioxide must have been used in growth of the tree. People had to exist who are a result of people having sex, saw mill and machines had to be designed to convert t he logs to timber etc. This is chain is infinite because each event that contributes to the final product is part of another infinite chain. In addition, the making of the table was as result of another cause and effect The chain of interdependent origination has twelve links or nidanas that explain how a chain of causes leads to other causes. These links are circular in nature as described in the Buddhist wheel of life. The Buddhist wheel of life provides an illustration of the Buddhist teaching. These links are: ignorance which is form of spiritual blindness or the lack of understanding in the teaching of Buddha; volitional formation or karma formation dictates the formation of action, thought process and speech which are essential in determining an individual’s fate; consciousness

Luxury company in the African market Research Paper

Luxury company in the African market - Research Paper Example Some of the notable countries that have continued to register increase in the number of dollar billionaires include South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Angola and Libya among others. Through the large investments in terms factories and farming, the wealth class has created many opportunities that have positive impact on the living standards of the middle class individuals in the rural areas. This paper seeks to discuss the entry strategies and the opportunities as well as limitations that Mercedes-Benz Company, a renowned manufacturer of luxurious vehicles would face in the Kenyan market. In its effort to enter Kenyan market, Mercedes-Benz a German based company will have adequate opportunities that will make the company achieve high sales and profits. Being one of the countries based in the East African region, Kenya population stands at 43 million people. The country headquarter is based in Nairobi with an estimated population of 6 million people in the year 2013. Based on the high deman d as the result of the increase in population, wealth individuals who most of them are allocated within the city of Nairobi, the demand for luxurious products has risen (Kitching, 2011). Even though the demand for other luxurious brands such as clothes and shoes, mobile phones and electronics is high, the demand for motor vehicle brands especially among the young and old rich Kenyans has drastically gone up (Daniel, 2011). Kenyan currency in referred to as Kenya Shillings (KSH). The country GDP stands at $79,890 billion. The key sector that has contributed to the Kenyan improved economy includes tourism that contributes up to 60% of the GDP. Tourism in Kenya is the main source of foreign exchange. For example, in 2012, tourism generated more than $900 million. Other sectors that have significantly contributed to the GDP include agriculture that contributes approximately 25%, industry and manufacturing with a contribution of 15% and energy. The increased foreign currency has positive ly impacted on the investment in the countries thus resulting to more job opportunities. Opportunities One the major opportunity that Mercedes-Benz will face is the high demand of its brands especially by young and reach people working in the tourism sector as well those in the music industry. The improved transport system in the city of Nairobi and other towns such as Mombasa and Thika has opened investment opportunities in the city. As a result, large companies have highly invested in Kenyan capital and its outskirts. Some of the notable companies that employ large number of people include Safaricom, East African Breweries, Daily Nation Company, British America Tobacco and Delmonte Company among others. In addition to the large amount of tax the companies pays to the government, the firms have resulted to increased household income not only for the top managers but also for other employees. This implies that by establishing a branch in Nairobi and Mombasa, Mercedes-Benz will effec tively meet the increased demand of its brands. Kenyan market for luxurious motor vehicle is unexploited (Aldwin, 2010). This implies that the company will not face stiff competition from other companies. Additionally, the countries offer

Vietnam War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Vietnam War - Research Paper Example The political matters in the society were compromised by invasions by other countries such as the United States. Both poems have incorporated themes and motifs that represent the Vietnamese society in the modern world. However, there are in their views that are discussed in the following explanations. They have been based on themes and motifs from both essays. Denise in his poem, ‘What were they like,’ has come up with different themes that expose the characters of the Vietnamese society during the war (Mahoney 180). He explains that their light hearts have been turned to stone. It means that the wholes society has been infiltrated by the external societies leading to the awareness. However, different authors have come up with strategic plans through the use of poems to develop new revolutions that cater for human rights. Critics argue that the poem has been used to represent the elite members of the community int. However, the provided knowledge has been used to help the Vietnamese society internally to take care of invaders. The forced entries include economic and political accesses. The poem represents mens actions at war. There are various principles that have been used by the author to ensure that the war processes and strategies that have been used in the war (Mahoney 180). However, the author has used familiar approaches on his poem that show the life of the Vietnamese elites and the authorities. He is in protest against the war and uses his literature skills to help in the halt of the war. His poem’s main question is to help individuals prevent a brief description of the intruders came up with strategies to kill most of the Vietnamese society and leave them in morning due to the mourning and deaths caused by the war. The poem also argues on the resistant nature of the Vietnamese society to prevent Western societies to cause change in their land. Most countries in the Vietnamese region have come up with tactics to stop the

The Parior and The Cub Scout Pack Cause Studies Assignment

The Parior and The Cub Scout Pack Cause Studies - Assignment Example The theory seeks to establish a balance between the employee and the employer to this effect and aids in the development of a strong bond and working relation between the two parties that will sustain for a longer period and ensure that proper working relationship leads to satisfaction on both ends. The employer obtains the necessary service they need from the employees who also provide the employer with the service expecting a payment as a reward for their hard work. These results base majorly on the motivation aspect of the employees and leads to better decisions in managing employees. Relating to the theory by Adam, subtle factors and some that may vary over time affect an employee’s consideration of the relationship they share with the employer and could result into challenges in working together leading to failed relationships that will also lead to poor returns for the company. Employees become much de-motivated considering their inputs and the outputs. They become affec ted mentally if their inputs fail to reach their outputs that may lead to the development of resistance in the employees, disgruntled associations develop with less efforts used by employees in their work environment. These may also lead to industrial actions that may result from the de-motivation aspect that may cause more losses to the company. In the case of McCarthy, reducing costs in favor of his income was for the best of the organization making it more profitable with fewer costs as the agreement between him and Purvis. The agreement led to the development of a program that would terminally increase the earnings of the employee through cutting costs. The employee changed meet suppliers and worked towards the lowering of the general costs through reduction of the size of nearly every item on the menu. McCarthy did this in favor of the reduced costs that resulted. The actions

Intelligence Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Intelligence Analysis - Assignment Example Fast forward, Hamid Aboutalebi is the proposed Iran ambassador to the U. N. A proposal vehemently opposed by the U. S. This is amid the looming high level and sensitive nuclear talks between Iran and the six major powers. The current appointment of one Hamid Aboutalebi as the Iranian ambassador to the U. N. has elicited mixed views on whether he should be allowed a U.S. visa amid allegations of his role in the hostage crisis of 1979 (Shawn, One – time hostage of Iranian militants urges denial of visa to new Iran envoy involved in siege). One of the hostages taken then, Barry Rosen has been vocal against his appointment. Jakes, (US Troubled by Iran’s Choice of Its UN Ambassador) reports that the U.S. objected to this anticipated appointment. However it is evident that the Obama administration does not want to state its stance on the issues instead choosing to remain silent. This issue comes up even as expert – level nuclear talks slated for Thursday are set to go ahead. The talks shall be held from April 3 – 6 in Vienna with a view of asking Iran to scale back its nuclear program to ensure it is of peaceful nature (Qing, ed., Iran, powers to start expert – level nucl ear talks

Cultural Impacts Essay Example for Free

Cultural Impacts Essay â€Å"Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate,) generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. Different definitions of culture reflect different theoretical bases for understanding, or criteria for evaluating, human activity. In general, the term culture denotes the whole product of an individual, group or society of intelligent beings. It includes technology, art, science, as well as moral systems and the characteristic behaviors and habits of the selected intelligent entities. †(Wikipedia) Any culture can be viewed as a blend of values, norms, institutions and artifacts of a civilization that has been passed on from generations through learning alone. The ideological perspective of life and the significance of things in it form the values of a society. Norms, are the expected collective behavior of the people where as the institutions are the structures within the society that transmit theses values and norms. Also, artifacts are the relics or the materialistic representation of a culture, derived from within it. Thus, cultures basically evolve and thrive on the basis of religion, historical background, environment and the social structure. Religious beliefs are typically the central themes of different cultures and more often than not the basic values are a derivative of them. For example, the 10 Commandments of Christianity or the five precepts of Buddhism are guidelines that transform the behavior of their followers. Similarly, religion occasionally is also implicated with government, as in a theocracy. The European and the New World cultures have been profoundly influenced by Christianity for at least the last 500 to 1700 years. Likewise Islams influence has fashioned a great deal of the North African, Middle and Far East regions for more than a 1000 years. Historical incidents also add new dimensions to any culture. For instance, most of the Commonwealth countries and the Europe celebrate a public holiday on the Boxing Day. On this day, the people organize feasts, festivals and certain sports in order to celebrate and also to share these rejoicing moments with the poor and the needy. There is no precise basis of this cultural carnival but only some theories that stem out from some historical happenings. Some believe that it was a day when people presented gifts to those who had worked throughout the year for them. Others argue that it was an annual gathering of extended families in the feudal times in which the lord of the estate handed out stipends to the serfs. Another group disputes that it was basically the day of the year when the church would distribute its donation money to the poor. Whatever may be the explanation, the Boxing Day is now an integral part of the western culture. (Wikipedia) The influence of different cultures on trade and commerce is profoundly instrumental and therefore it is not surprising that business tactics have diversely evolved in different regions of the world. In fact, the technological developments of the late 1990’s, in the arena of electronic media have added new dimensions to the concept. Consequently, the global giants of the corporate sector have been lavishly investing in examination of the cultural influences on the regional economies in order to maximize profits. â€Å"In China, for example, the foundation of Chinese respect for hierarchy and the family social collective is based upon the relational norms expounded by the Confucius and legal codes such as those developed during the Tang Dynasty. This institutionalized relational logic has shaped a society whose transactional order rests on social obligation to higher authority and to the family rather than on rules oriented to protecting the individual. Chinese capitalism is seen to be intrinsically different from the Western capitalism because of this contrast in institutional framing over a long period of time. † (Warner 2003) These and other brands of cultural values of a society are carefully considered when industries are being setup or when corporations are being established. This facilitates in determining the managerial skills required in the executive professionals who are responsible for communicating and representing their companies within the local industries. A working paper series issued from the George Washington University, discusses the U. S. /Mexican business alliances negotiations and the impact of their respective cultures on them. Mexico’s mestizo culture with its strong collectivist touch has embedded the people with the capacity to share power or authority equitably and the gift to accept and tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity in situations. However, they have also inherited the aptitude for individualism and tend to get involved in a loosely held social structure with little or no care for others. This is contrary to the culture in the United States, where people long for absolute power, are highly skeptical of ambiguous scenarios and more often than not downplay relationships. All, this along with the socio-political history of the two nations-which has been marred by discords and suspicion- is significantly determining in their mutual business alliances. (Teegen and Doh 2002) Moreover, the cultural heritage of a region characterize the production and sale of several products that otherwise do not correspond to the world wide demand. For instance, the annual Basant euphoria in the Punjabi region of the Indo-Pakistan, in which people fly kites and festivals are organized, much business is spawned. It becomes the very attraction for the tourists who converge here from all parts of the world, and the economic activity generated only in the city of Lahore has been estimated to be around PK Rupees 1. 5 to 2 billion annually. The proceeds of the events are shared by almost every one including the people belonging to the seasonal cottage industries and even the local vendors. Thus, the big corporations plunge into the scene and grab at every opportunity to escalate sales. The competitive environment forces them to inspect the cultural characteristics of the event and then to employ this knowledge in launching innovative products in the market as well as in transforming their already existing marketing techniques. (The News 2007) For a progressive business structuring in a region or country, political culture-which itself is a subsidiary of the social culture-can be of immense significance. An illustration can be vividly observed in the political history of Pakistan and the revolutionary rule of its Premier Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (1973-77), which was influenced by the socialism philosophy of the Soviet Union. He aggressively followed these policies and nationalized most of the Pakistan’s industries. (Wikipedia) Consequently, the foreign investors and the big multinationals lost faith in the country and capital were taken out of the country. Locally, twenty two families in Pakistan had owned most of these nationalized banks, companies and industrial units. Sadly, this resulted into a deindustrialization in Pakistan, as none of the families have ventured in to even a single industrial project since the last 28 years. (Pakistan link) â€Å"In the fall of 1991, in the midst of the NAFTA negotiations, Vitro Sociedad Anonima (Vitro), the $3 billion Mexican glass maker, had signed a tentative $800 million joint venture with Corning Inc. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Just two years later, the joint venture was dissolved. According to company officials and external analysts, cultural differences were a principal cause of the alliance’s failure. † (Teegen and Doh 2002) Investigations showed that the Mexicans believed that Corning was a bit impulsive in their decision making; the Americans felt Vitro had a very time-consuming approach. Vitro management despised the frankness of the Americans, while polite Vitro executives, sometimes gave Americans the impression that they were reluctant to admit concerns and errors. (Teegen and Doh 2002) Thus, when businesses are being setup in different regions of the world, there is a need to develop a correlation between the corporate and the social cultures. References Babar Sattar. Immorality of Basant http://www. thenews. com. pk/daily_detail. asp? id=45221 Accessed: June 9, 2007 Boxing Day Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Boxing_Day Accessed: June 9, 2007 Culture Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Culture Accessed: June 9, 2007 Hildy J. Teegen (The George Washington University) and Jonathan P. Doh (Villanova University)-April 2002. â€Å"U. S. /Mexican Business Alliance Negotiations: Impact of Culture on Authority, Trust and Performance†. White Paper (The George Washington University). Malcom Warner . Culture and Management in Asia. Routledge, 2003 Who Owns Pakistan http://www. pakistanlink. com/hussaini/09-10-99. html#top Accessed: June 9, 2007 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Zulfiqar_Ali_Bhutto Accessed: June 9, 2007

Michel Foucault And Judith Butler Influencing Queerness Film Studies Essay

Michel Foucault And Judith Butler Influencing Queerness Film Studies Essay In this essay I will be looking at the work of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler seeing how their work has influence queerness. I will start the essay by looking at the man, Michel Foucault, followed by studying his work on sexuality and homosexuality. I will then look at Judith Butler and her work on gender performances. I will also be giving contemporary examples of homosexuals in the modern day by looking at three different homosexual television presenters to show how the construction of homosexual figures has taken place in recent years. I will also be looking at how gender performances take place in these examples of homosexuals. Michel Foucault The Background Michel Foucault was born in France in 1926. He was known as a philosopher, sociologist and a historian. In all three of these areas he was very influential, pioneering many different concepts that helped revolutionise their certain fields. Foucault continues to be one of the most important figures in critical theory. Foucault is best known for his critical studies on social institutions such as the prison system, medicine, the human sciences and for his work on the history of human sexuality which I will be discussing later. His theories have been largely concerned with the concepts of power and the relationship among power, knowledge and discourse, and his influence is clear in a great deal of post-structuralism, post-modernist, feminist, post-Marxist and post-colonial theorising (Mills 2003). Foucault suffered from depression and attempted suicide on many different occasions. This could be as Mills says due to the great difficulty at the time about being openly homosexual, but it does suggest that his pronounced interest in psychology stemmed from elements in his own life (Eribon 1991: 27). All though Foucault died of AIDS in 1984, his ideas have and still cause much debate. His ideas have never been simply accommodated by theorists around the world. This is due to the iconoclastic and challenging nature of Foucaults theoretical work (Mills 2003). Michel Foucault The History of Sexuality During Foucaults life, he wrote three volumes of The History of Sexuality. In this essay I will be focusing on his ideas on sexuality and society. The first Volume of Michel Foucaults book History of Sexuality was published in 1978, which was written near the end of a period of time called the sexual revolution in the western culture (Spargo 1999). The sexual revolution was a time where peoples thoughts and opinions shifted in regards to how they viewed sexuality throughout the western world. The book presents a powerful counter narrative to the established story about Victorian sexual repression giving way to progressive liberation and enlightenment in the 20th century (Spargo 1999). For example, Foucault describes how in the 17th century onwards sexuality was hidden from view. People were subjected to a power of repression. But as Spargo describes, this all changed in the 20th century. Sexuality was still there, simmering under the prim surface of 19th century bourgeois respectability, but it was stifled by prohibitions and repressions. Until, that is, it, and we, were liberated in the age of the mini-skirt and the analyst, revealing our legs and our innermost desires, bringing it all out into the open (Spargo 1999). This was easier for some but not quite as easy for others. Some struggled with the free expression they were able to give to their sexual desires. People turned to therapists and counsellors to help gain freedom for the years of prohibitions. Did this mean that sexuality was always waiting for us to free it? In Foucaults opinion no. His view was that sexuality wasnt waiting to be freed or repressed but rather sexuality was and is produced in culture and society. Foucault rejected this repression hypothesis and claimed evidence pointed not to a prohibition on speaking about sexuality but to a remarkable proliferation of discourses about sexuality (Spargo 1999). He didnt want people to assume that the repression from the 17th-19th century was effective. He believed that the repression increased the desire of people to express and discuss their sexuality in ways which were seen as violating the taboos of society. If sex is repressed, that is condemned to prohibition, non-existence and silence, then the mere fact that one is speaking about it has the appearance of a deliberate transgression. A person who holds forth in such language upsets established law and he/she somehow anticipates the coming freedom (Foucault 1986). He didnt believe that sexuality was natural or a normal aspect of life but rather a construction of experiences which has historical, social and cultural beginnings. As I have already discussed Foucault described how the process of restriction had created an increased excitement about sexuality, but he believed that the effect of the repressive discourse seemingly encouraged perverse forms of sexuality and made them more attractive types of behaviour. The construction of homosexuality was one of Foucaults most thought provoking assertions. He believed that the category of homosexuality was created out of a particular context in the 1870s and that it should be viewed as a form of knowledge rather than a discovered identity. Foucault wasnt saying that same sex practises werent accruing before the 19th century but, during this time it was seen as shameful rather than in the 19th century where people embraced same sex relationships and the term homosexual. Foucault said, Homosexuality appeared as one of the forms of sexuality when it was transposed from the practice of sodomy onto a kind of interior androgyny, a hermaphrodism of the soul. The sodomite had been a temporary aberration; the homosexual was seen as being totally suffused with sexuality (Foucault 1978). Since the construction of homosexuality in the 19th century, there has been an explosion of homosexual figures in the 20th century. The media have seemed to of caught the homosexual vibe with television in particular employing homosexuals to present different programmes. These programmes which are hosted by homosexuals are often quite particular programme genres. For example, you would often see a homosexual presenter on entertainment, pop culture and lifestyle programmes rather than documentaries, political shows, or on the news. This shows us that homosexuals are possibly seen as a joke, people who make us laugh by there actions, stories or vulgarity and possibly lack the intelligence or the seriousness to host programmes that require composure and a serious minded attitude towards the subject at hand. Here are three contemporary examples of homosexual TV presenters. The first is guy a called Alan Carr. He has worked on some of the biggest television programmes in the 20th century such as, Friday Night Project, Alan Carrs Celebrity Ding Dong and Alan Carr Chatty Man. Carr is famous for being camp, over the top and having a very unusual laugh that cant help but make you laugh. Despite being openly gay he doesnt consider his sexuality to be a focal part of his act. What am I meant to do? Do I go down the Julian Clary route and talk about fisting and poppers? I dont talk about being gay and I think what better equality for gays than that? (Observer online 2008). Unlike many performers, Carr shies away from unnecessary cruelty, instead relying on his own authenticity to win over his audience. His on-stage persona is simply an extension of his own and therein lies the source of both his charm and his talent. Philosopher, Judith Butler who I will be speaking about later believes that we all put on gender performances and that gender, like sexuality, isnt a vital truth that has come from the bodys materiality but rather a regulatory fiction. The second man is called Dale Winton. Winton has been on television since 1987 and has feature in many different types of television programmes. He is most famous for a programme called Supermarket Sweep which ran from 1993-2001. He was seen as the typical homosexual television presenter, very camp and over the top which is very much a trend in homosexual television hosts. During his time he was iconic for being overtly camp, tanned and often touchy feely with his guests, but he was never as he says a banner waving gay. Im not a banner-waving gay guy, because I actually dont believe its important. People never say vehement heterosexual Michael Parkinson, but it will say camp gay entertainer Graham Norton, or Dale Winton since Ive officially come out. (Times online 2008) The third and final television presenter I will be looking at is Graham Norton. He is arguably one of the most well known television presenters in recent years. Again he has many of the homosexual traits and he describes himself on the channel 4 website as a shiny Irish proof. It does not take long to work out that his sexuality has played a large part in his appeal and success. His exceedingly camp style gives him the licence to be exceedingly rude without being offensive, and his quick wit, put-downs and one-liners have made him a homosexual icon. He has been criticised for being too camp and taking the gay stereotype to an extreme. Some gay men have said he is reinforcing the idea that a gay TV star has to be over-the-top and in the mould of like Kenneth Williams or Frankie Howerd. (BBC website, 2001) All three of these television presenters are examples of the 20th century homosexual. They all share similar traits such as the in your face campness, being over the top and also being drama queens. The homosexual has grown and changed over time since its creation in the 19th century and will continue to change as time goes on. Foucault work on the analysis of sexuality has helped in challenging the preconceived ideas of sexual characteristics. He argues that his study wasnt designed to be a history of sexual behaviours nor a history of representation, but a history of sexuality. Judith Butler The theorist most prominently associated with queerness and queer theory is American post-structuralist philosopher Judith Butler. Butler followed the work of Michel Foucault and used his work so she could investigate models of gender and heterosexuality. Butler argues that gender, like sexuality, isnt a vital truth that has come from the bodys materiality but rather a regulatory fiction. Gender is the repeated stylization of the body, a set of repeated acts within a highly rigid regulatory frame that congeal over time to produce the appearance of substance, of a natural sort of being (Butler 1990, p. 33) Butler argues that the sex you are i.e. Male or female is seen to cause a gender type i.e. masculine or feminine which is then seen to create a desire towards the other gender. This is seen as a continuous series that is constantly reproducing itself. Inspired by Foucault, Butlers approach is to destroy the links between that series so desire and gender are allowed to be flexible and not made to be steady factors. Butler argues that we all put on gender performances, and she says its not a question of whether this will take place, but in what form will this performance take. She believes that by choosing to be different, we might be able to change gender norms and the understanding of masculinity and femininity. Butler says: There is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender; identity is performatively constituted by the very expressions that are said to be its results. (Butler 1990, p.25). In other words, gender is a performance; its what you  do  at particular times, rather than a universal  who you are. This approach of gender is very similar to that of sexuality. Butler, Foucault and Queer theory all believe that your identity is not fixed but constructed at certain times or in certain situations. Foucault argued that sexuality was produced which overlaps on what Butler says about gender being performed/produced. This idea of identity as free floating and not connected to a real meaning but rather a performance, is one of the key ideas in the creation of queer theory Modern day examples of Butlers theory regarding gender performances are clear to see. The three examples of homosexual figures in television are examples of what Butler calls gender performances. All three of the television presenters that I have mention Alan Carr, Dale Winton and Graham Norton have created a performance of their gender at particular times. All three man perform their gender in different ways with Alan Carr using his over the top campness as a way of engaging with the audience, Dale Winton using his touchy feely sensual approach to his audience and Graham Norton using his homosexuality as a way of making jokes and putting others down without any consequences. The way in which all three act is a performance of some kind to either feel accepted or to gain a reaction from their audiences. Conclusion In this essay I have looked at the work of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler, both of who have influenced the work of queerness in different ways. I have looked at Foucaults work on the repression in the Victorian age and his work on homosexuality. I also looked at the modern day explosion of homosexuals on TV using the examples of three different TV presenters. I then went on to study Judith Butlers work which was influenced by Foucault on gender performances. I discussed how Butler believed that we all go through gender performances but that it isnt who we are, rather a time to time experience. On the back of this I took the example of the three homosexual television presenters and linked their characters to gender performances. Both these theorists have looked at themes in sexuality, gender and society, with some of there ideas overlapping, with both Foucault and Butler looking at sexuality and gender as constructed and performed by individuals. Foucault also looked at the construction of the homosexual figure and I have taken his work on further by looking at the characteristics of the homosexual figure as exemplified by modern day TV presenters.

Accomplishments of Dorothea Dix

Accomplishments of Dorothea Dix Dorothea Dix Nekisha Riley In this paper I have chosen the public health pioneer Dorothea Dix to discuss. Dorothea was the person responsible for devoting her time to the welfare of the mentally ill. She was also and educator and an activist for many. In this paper, I will discuss the impact that Dorothea had on public health, what she did to advance public health, and some of the obstacles that she had to overcome. Dorothea Dix also known as Dolly was born in 1802 in Hampden, Maine to Joseph and Mary Dix. Dorothea was the eldest of her two siblings (Norbury, 1999). Dorothea’s father was a Methodist preacher and an alcoholic while her mother suffered from mental illness. Her father was known to be abusive, but Joseph was known for educating his children (Parry, 2006). Dorothea’s father taught her and her two brothers how to read and write. In 1812, the Dix family took up and moved to Vermont due to the war of 1812 (Gollaher, 1993). Dorothea and her family remained as one until Dorothea felt she had had enough of her dysfunctional family. At this time, Dorothea had dealt with enough of her father’s abuse, so she decided to run away at the age of 12 to live with her grandmother in Boston. Dorothea stayed with her grandmother for a brief amount of time before moving with her aunt in Worcester, Massachusetts (Parry, 2006). After staying with her aunt for two years, Dorothea opened up her first private school to help children learn to read and write. When Dorothea realize that her school was now a success, she went back to reside with her grandmother Dix in Boston. This is when Dorothea opened her second school and added a night school for the poor, which was one of the first ones in the nation (Gollaher, 1993). After being an educator for almost four years now, Dorothea met Edward, which later became her fiancà © (Gollaher, 1993). The unrealistic thing about her new relationship was her now fiancà © was also her first cousin (Parry, 2006). It was about three months later her father died and Dorothea decided that she no longer wanted to get married. Dorothea spent the next couple of years educating as many people as she could. She was also attending conferences to educate herself. At this point, Dorothea has been working so much without getting the proper amount rest that she has fallen very ill with a severe upper respiratory ailment. It was at this time, Dorothea decided to move to Liverpool, England to stay with the Rathbone family for almost a year while recovering from her illness (Ivan, 1976). The Rathbone family took a liking to her and showed her more affection that her family had. In 1837, Dorothea returned to the United States . At this point her grandmother passed away which her mother died a couple of days afterwards (Ivan, 1976). She was still ill and did not have the strength to resume teaching yet, so she used the Dix estate and savings to support herself (Ivan, 1976). In 1841, Dorothea met a ministerial student, who was teaching Sunday class for women who were incarcerated in East Cambridge Jail (Norbury, 1999). The ministerial student became so frustrated with his efforts of trying to teach these women, that he asked Dorothea for advice. When talking to Dorothea, Dorothea realized that this could be an opportunity for her to volunteer at this jail. This was the turning point of Dorothea’s life. She started volunteering at Cambridge Jail and noticed the living conditions and how the mentally ill was mistreated (Gollaher, 1993). The jail had no heat in any of the living quarters. Those incarcerated were not segregated and all lived together including hardened criminals, feeble-minded children, and the mentally ill (Norbury, 1999). Dorothea was determined to get the prisoners some heat by going through the court system. In Massachusetts, Dorothea had her first memorial for a law that they had permitting them to hold women and men who had mental issues (Ivan, 1976). In 1848, Dorothea asked Congress to grant 12 million acres of land for the benefits of the mentally ill, blind, and deaf. She had plans to build asylums to help house people that need help and could not receive it (Parry, 2006). Congress approved the bill, but six years later President Franklin Pierce vetoed it (Gollaher, 1993). This was one of the many setbacks that Dix had, but she did not allow it to hinder her from being devoted to helping the mentally ill. After having this minor setback she spent the next decade improving hospitals in Rhode Island and New York (Ivan, 1976). She also established hospitals in thirteen other states along with District of Columbia (DC), Ontario, and Nova Scotia (Ivan, 1976). At this point, in Dorothea’s life she had become worn out from working so hard and not getting any rest. In 1854, Dorothea decided to travel to Europe and rest (Gollaher, 1993). Once she was in Europe she learned that the private hospitals for the wealthy and the public facility for the poor were very different. Dorothea traveled from 1854 to 1856 to 14 countries and instigated many changes (Parry, 2006). In 1856, Dorothea returned to the United States to resume her reform work. When she returns, the country is in an uproar from slavery issues (Gollaher, 1993). She had to remain neutral on the issue of slavery, or if she was anti-slavery the southern states would have refused to hear what she had to say and her reform for mental institution would have not taken place in the south. Five years later, the Civil War began. Dorothea volunteered her services and became the Superintendent of United States Army Nurses. Dix’s job was to organize the first aid stations, recruit nurses, obtain supplies, and help to set up training facilities and hospitals (Ivan, 1976). Although Dix did have the determination required to pursue these tasks during the war, she lacked the social skills. Dix’s lack of social skills and training caused her to have some issues with the doctors. The doctors also felt like Dix was stepping over the line for telling them about the unsanitary conditions, their drinking habits, and the treatment of the soldiers. At this point they were treating Dorothea differently and no longer wanted her to be there. Dorothea resigned from her position but remained there to help find missing soldiers, write letters to families letting them know the status of their son’s well-being, and helped soldiers with securing their pensions (Parry, 2006). After the war Dix returned to traveling around the United States and Europe helping the mentally ill, while gaining the support of the wealthy (Parry, 2006). Some of the hospitals that Dix helped established were now understaffed and overcrowded. Some people were saying that Dix no longer cared for what she had started many years ago. At this time, Dix said that the hospital needed to provide the clients with therapy and that everything would go back to normal. At this time Dix had founded 32 of 123 mental hospitals in the country (Gollaher, 1993). She has now reached the age of 80 years old and has returned to New Jersey due to her ailing health (Norbury, 1999). Dorothea later retired and moved into one of the guest rooms at one of the mental hospitals that she help establish more than three decades before. Dix remained at the hospital for about five years before she died in 1887 (Ivan, 1976). Dorothea had accomplishments that came along with some obstacles. She was able to help many have a safe place to stay and receive the proper help that they needed. Dix was a pioneer to public health and stayed true to what she believed. While Dix was never married, she was engaged to her cousin for about three months (Parry, 2006). Dorothea has many things in today’s society that remains in her memory like the Dorothea Dix hospital here in my home state of North Carolina. References Gollaher, D.L. (1993). Dorothea Dix and the English Origins of the American Asylum  Movement. Canadian Review Of American Studies, 23(3), 149. Norbury, F.B. (1999). Dorothea Dix and the Founding of Illinois’ Firat Mental Hospital. Journal  Of The Illinois State Historical Society (1998-), Ivan, P.P. (1976). Pioneers in Special Education—Dorothea Lynde Dix (1802-1887).  Journal Of Special Education, 10(1), 2. Parry, M.S. (2006). Dorethea Dix (1802-1887). American Journal of Public Health. pp. 624-625.

Aaron’s Last Game :: Personal Narrative Writing

Aaron’s Last Game Play this game like it’s your last. This is a common phrase that athletes hear from their coaches to help inspire them to play hard in a game. In the case of my friend Aaron Halford, a basketball game during his sophomore year of high school was his last. It was a playoff game for the basketball team and there was a great deal of pressure on the players to perform well to move on to the next round. However, this was one game where regardless of the score, our team was going to lose. One of our players dribbled down the court, looked to pass, and took the shot. The ball bounced from rim to rim, back and forth, the crowd waited with anticipation, but no one even registered whether the ball entered the hoop. Aaron laid lifeless on the court. What happened, did I miss something? Was there a foul? No one in the crowd knew what caused Aaron to be lying on the court. A whistle was blown and the coaches ran out onto the court only to find that Aaron wasn’t breathing. Without any hesitation, Aaron’s dad raced down to where his son was laying unresponsively. â€Å"Grab the defibrillator,† yelled out one of the coaches. Another coach immediately began administering mouth to mouth resuscitation on Aaron. The whole gym was completely silent. I sat there in disbelief not knowing what to do. He’s going to be alright, isn’t he? Surely he will. Is there something I should do? I was short of breath and closed my eyes and began to pray, however, my thoughts made no sense. I can remember reciting over and over, â€Å"Please God, don’t let him die. Let him be ok.† Everything happened so quickly. Before I knew it, two minutes had passed and Aaron still wasn’t moving. At this point, the coach performing the CPR pulled out the defibrillator and started shocking Aaron’s chest. Aaron’s body jolted vigorously as his coach stunned him. The only speaking voice in the whole gym was Aaron’s father who was speaking to Aaron saying, â€Å"Come on boy; please wake up. I know you have it in you.† Tears began to swell in my eyes. This can’t be happening. Aaron’s father kneeled down next to his son’s still body and prayed aloud.

The doom of apple :: essays research papers

The Ethics of War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unrestricted submarine warfare is often considered a shady practice in a time of war. Unrestricted submarine warfare is when one country sets up an area that is declared a war-zone, any ships that enter this zone, military or civilian, will be fired upon without warning. Is this right? In my essay, I will weigh the pros and cons of this tactic used by the German’s in WWI.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The practice of unrestricted warfare cost the lives of many innocent people. No warning is given so there is no chance to surrender or abandon ship! And foremost, unrestricted submarine warfare violates the so-called rules of war. In the case of the Lucitania, it was believed to be carrying supplies (this was true) and the ship could have later become a threat to Germany if converted into a war or transport ship. But, at the time, the ship or its 2000 passengers were not a threat to U-20, yet the Lucitiana was sunk without warning and with massive losses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unrestricted submarine warfare is a very shady, but effective tactic, nonetheless. When implemented, little to no supplies reach your enemies, this gives a tactical strangle hold on a war. Why is no warring given on civilian ships? To a U-boat stealth and surprise are its only defenses. Once a U-boat reveals itself, it is open to ramming and attack thus endangering the crew. In most cases, keeping your troops safe comes above keeping the enemies safe. Why would someone need to attack a civilian ship anyway? Because they may be carrying supplies. To say unrestricted submarine warfare violates the â€Å"rules† of war then why is the opposition violating the â€Å"rules† by putting troops and supplies on a civilian ship making it a target of submarines? Using the lives of innocent people as a shield to protect supplies is just as bad as firing on an unarmed ship without warning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Is unrestricted submarine warfare right? In my opinion a submarine must give civilian ships a chance to abandon ship. A submarine does not need to expose itself to send a warning, send a radio ultimatum, and then a warning shot. How much of a treat could a passenger ship pose anyway?

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 11

Hospitals are creepy places, cold and sterile. A true reminder of the tenuous nature of mortality. The thought of Hugh here made me nauseous, but I squelched the feeling as best I could, sprinting through the halls to the room Samantha had named. When I reached it, I found Hugh lying calmly in a bed, his large body clad in a gown, his skin bruised and bandaged. A blond figure sat next to the bed with him, holding his hand. She turned in surprise when I burst into the room. â€Å"Georgina,† Hugh said, giving me a weak smile. â€Å"Nice of you to stop by.† The blond woman, presumably Samantha, studied me uneasily. Slim and doe-eyed, she tightened her grip on Hugh's hand, and I figured this must be the twenty-year old from work. Her unnatural breasts verified as much. â€Å"It's all right,† he told her reassuringly. â€Å"This is my friend Georgina. Georgina, Samantha.† â€Å"Hi,† I told her, offering my hand. She took it. Hers was cold, and I realized then that her nervousness was not so much at meeting me as general concern over what had happened to Hugh. It was touching. â€Å"Sweetie, would you excuse Georgina and me for a bit? Maybe go get yourself a drink from the cafeteria?† He spoke gently and kindly to her, a tone he rarely used with the rest of us on our pub nights. Samantha turned to Hugh anxiously. â€Å"I don't want to leave you alone.† â€Å"I won't be alone. Georgina and I just need to talk. Besides, she's a, uh, black belt; nothing will happen to me.† I made a face at him behind her back as she considered. â€Å"I suppose that's all right†¦ you'll call my cell if you need me, right? I'll come right back.† â€Å"Of course,† he promised, kissing her hand. â€Å"I'll miss you.† â€Å"I'll miss you more.† She rose, gave me another uncertain look, and retreated out the door. I watched her go a moment before taking her chair beside Hugh. â€Å"Very sweet. I think I'm getting cavities.† â€Å"No need to be bitter. Just because you can't form meaningful attachments with mortals.† His jest hurt a lot more than it probably should have, but then, I still had Roman on the brain. â€Å"Besides,† he continued, â€Å"she's a little upset about what happened today.† â€Å"Yeah, I imagine so. Jesus. Look at you.† I surveyed his wounds in greater detail. Hints of stitches appeared beneath some bandages, and dark blotchy bruises blossomed here and there. â€Å"Could be worse.† â€Å"Could it?† I wondered archly. I'd never seen any immortal sustain so much injury. â€Å"Sure. First, I could be dead, and I'm not. Second, I heal just like you do. You should have seen me this afternoon when they brought me in. The trick now will be to get me out of here before someone notices just how fast I'm recovering.† â€Å"Does Jerome know about this?† â€Å"Of course. I called him earlier, but he'd already felt it. I expect him to show up any time now. Did he call you?† â€Å"Not exactly,† I admitted, hesitant to bring up the note quite yet. â€Å"What happened? When you were attacked?† â€Å"I don't remember a lot of details.† Hugh shrugged slightly, an awkward maneuver for one lying down. I suspected he'd already gone through this story with a number of others. â€Å"I stepped out for coffee. I was the only one in the parking lot, and while coming back to my car, this†¦ person, I guess, just jumped out and attacked me. No warning.† â€Å"You guess?† He frowned. â€Å"I never really got a good look. He was big, though, I could peg that much. And strong – really strong. A lot stronger than I would have thought.† Hugh himself was no weakling. True, he didn't work out or do much with his body, but he had a big frame and a lot of density to fill that frame out. â€Å"Why did he stop?† I asked. â€Å"Did someone find you guys?† â€Å"Nah, I don't know why he quit. It was all beating and slashing one minute; the next, he's gone. Took about fifteen minutes before someone else came along and helped me.† â€Å"You keep saying ‘he.' You think it was a guy?† He attempted another shrug. â€Å"I don't really know. Just an impression I got. Could have been a hot blonde for all I know.† â€Å"Yeah? Should I question Samantha?† â€Å"You shouldn't be questioning anyone, according to Jerome. Did you ever talk to Erik?† â€Å"Yeah†¦ he's looking into some things for me. He also reaffirmed that vampire hunters can't kill you or me, nor has he ever heard of anything that can.† Hugh turned thoughtful. â€Å"This person didn't kill me.† â€Å"Do you think he was trying?† â€Å"He was certainly trying to do something. Seems like if he could have killed me, he would have.† â€Å"But he couldn't,† a voice behind me pointed out, â€Å"because, as I've said, vampire hunters can only inconvenience you, not kill you.† I turned, startled at hearing Jerome's voice. It startled me further to see Carter with him. â€Å"Leave it to Jerome to play devil's advocate,† joked the angel. â€Å"What are you doing here, Georgina?† demanded the demon icily. My mouth gaped, and it took me a moment to speak. â€Å"How†¦ how did you do that?† Carter stood there dressed as disreputably as ever. Whereas Doug and Bruce looked like they were in a grunge band, the angel looked like the band had kicked him out. He gave me a lopsided grin. â€Å"Do what? Come up with a clever pun referencing Jerome's demonic status? The truth is, I usually keep a stash of them on hand and – â€Å" â€Å"No. Not that. I can't feel you†¦ can't sense you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I could see Carter with my eyes, but I could not feel that powerful signature, aura, or whatever, that normally radiated from an immortal. Turning to Jerome suddenly, I realized he was the same. â€Å"Or you. I can't sense either of you. I couldn't the other night either.† Angel and demon exchanged glances over my head. â€Å"We can mask it,† said Carter at last. â€Å"What, like a light switch or something? You can turn it on and off?† â€Å"It's a bit more complicated than that.† â€Å"Well, this is news to me. Can we do it? Hugh and I?† â€Å"No,† both Jerome and Carter answered together. Jerome elaborated, â€Å"Only higher immortals can do it.† Hugh weakly attempted to sit up. â€Å"Why†¦ are you doing it?† â€Å"You never answered my question, Georgie,† Jerome pointed out, obviously avoiding the subject. He glanced at the imp. â€Å"I told you not to contact the others.† â€Å"I didn't. She just came.† Jerome turned his gaze back on me, and I fished the mysterious note out of my purse. I handed it to him, and the demon read it expressionlessly before handing it over to Carter. When the angel finished, he and Jerome looked at each other again in that annoying way of theirs. Jerome deposited the note into an inner pocket of his suit jacket. â€Å"Hey, that's mine.† â€Å"Not anymore.† â€Å"Don't tell me you're going to stick to your party line about this being a vampire hunter,† I shot back. Jerome's dark eyes narrowed shrewdly at me. â€Å"Why wouldn't I? This person mistook Hugh for a vampire, but as you've already observed, Nancy Drew, Hugh could not be killed.† â€Å"I think this person knew Hugh wasn't a vampire.† â€Å"Oh? Why do you say that?† â€Å"The note. The person who wrote it mentions my shape-shifting. He knows I'm a succubus. He probably knows Hugh's an imp.† â€Å"His knowing you're a succubus explains why he didn't attack you. He knew he couldn't kill you. He wasn't sure about Hugh, however, so he took his chances.† â€Å"With a knife.† Again, I remembered: How do you know if a demon is lying? His lips are moving. â€Å"I thought the story was that this was some amateur vampire hunter arbitrarily going after people with a stake because he didn't know any better. Instead, this person somehow knows about me and took on Hugh with a knife.† Carter stifled a yawn and joined in on Jerome's game. â€Å"Maybe this person's learning. You know, expanding their choice of weapons. After all, no one stays an amateur for long. Even new vampire hunters wise up eventually.† I jumped on the one detail here no one had addressed yet. â€Å"And even children know that vampires don't come out in daylight. What time were you attacked, Hugh?† A strange look crossed the imp's face. â€Å"Late this afternoon. When the sun was up.† I looked exultantly at Jerome. â€Å"This person knew Hugh wasn't a vampire.† Jerome leaned against a wall, appearing unfazed as he picked nonexistent pieces of lint from his slacks. He looked more like John Cusack than ever today. â€Å"So? Mortals get delusions of grandeur. He kills one vampire and decides to do his part against the rest of the evil forces inhabiting this city. That changes nothing.† â€Å"I don't think it was a mortal.† Both Jerome and Carter, looking at other things in the room, now snapped their heads toward me. â€Å"Oh?† I swallowed, slightly flustered under that scrutiny. â€Å"I mean†¦ you guys prove higher immortals can go around without being sensed, and no one's been able to sense anything from this guy. Plus, look at Hugh's damage. Erik said mortals can't really do substantial – † I bit off my words, realizing my error. Carter laughed softly. â€Å"Damn it, Georgie.† Jerome straightened like a whip. â€Å"I told you to let us handle this. Who else have you talked to?† Whatever cloaking Jerome had been doing vanished, and I suddenly became aware of the power crackling around him. It reminded me of one of those sci-fi movies when a door opens into outer space, and all the debris gets sucked out as a result of the vacuum. Everything in the room seemed to be drawn into Jerome, toward his swelling power and might. To my immortal perceptions, he became a glowing bonfire of terror and energy. I cringed against Hugh's bed, resisting the urge to shade my eyes. The imp put a hand on my arm, though whether it was for my comfort or his own, I didn't know. â€Å"No one. I swear it, no one else. I just asked Erik some questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Carter took a step toward the furious demon, face angelically calm. â€Å"Easy there. You're sending up a beacon to any immortal in a ten-mile radius.† Jerome's eyes stayed fixed on me, and I felt true fear for the first time in centuries in the focus of all that intensity. Then, like the light switch I'd joked about earlier, it all vanished. Just like that, Jerome stood before me completely incognito for all arcane intents and purposes. Like a mortal. He exhaled heavily and rubbed a spot between his eyes. â€Å"Georgina,† he said at last. â€Å"Contrary to whatever you believe, this is not all some elaborate attempt to vex you. Please stop going against me. We're doing what we're doing for a reason. Your best interests really are at heart here.† My catty nature wanted to ask if demons had hearts, but something else struck me as more pressing. â€Å"Why the ‘we' here? I assume you mean him.† I nodded toward Carter. â€Å"What could involve both a demon and an angel and make them skulk around hiding their presence? Are you guys afraid of something?† â€Å"Skulking?† Carter sounded jovially indignant. â€Å"Please, Georgie,† intoned Jerome, patience obviously at a breaking point, â€Å"leave well-enough alone. If you really want to do something useful, you will avoid dangerous situations like I advised before. I can't make you stay in protected company, but if you persist in being a nuisance otherwise, I can find a convenient place to stash you until this all blows over. This is not about anyone's ‘side,' and you only run the risk of muddling up matters you don't understand.† I unconsciously squeezed Hugh's hand for support. I did not want to think about what sort of â€Å"convenient place† Jerome had in mind. â€Å"Do we understand each other?† the demon asked softly. I nodded. â€Å"Good. You will be of most assistance to me by keeping yourself safe. I have too many things to worry about now without adding you to the list.† I nodded again, not trusting myself to speak. His small display had had its intended effect on temporarily cowing me, though some niggling part of me knew I would be unable to â€Å"leave well-enough alone† once I walked out of here. It would be best to keep that knowledge to myself. â€Å"That will be all, Georgie,† Jerome added. I heard the dismissal. â€Å"I'll walk you out,† offered Carter. â€Å"No thanks.† But the angel followed in my wake anyway. â€Å"So how'd it go with Seth Mortensen?† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"Just okay?† â€Å"Just okay.† â€Å"I hear he's living here now. And spends a lot of time at Emerald City.† I eyed him askance. â€Å"Where'd you hear that?† He only grinned. â€Å"So? Tell me about it.† â€Å"There's nothing to tell,† I snapped, uncertain why I was even discussing this. â€Å"I've talked to him a few times, toured him around. We don't really click. We can't communicate.† â€Å"Why not?† Carter wanted to know. â€Å"He's a hardcore introvert. Doesn't talk much. Just watches. Besides, I don't want to encourage him.† â€Å"So you're increasing his silence.† I shrugged and pushed the button for an elevator. â€Å"I think I know a book that might help you. I'll dig it out and let you borrow it.† â€Å"No thanks.† â€Å"Don't knock it. It'll improve your communication skills with Seth. I saw it on a talk show.† â€Å"Aren't you listening? I don't want to improve things.† â€Å"Ah,† said Carter sagely. â€Å"You don't go for introverts.† â€Å"I – no, that's not it. I don't have a problem with introverts. â€Å" â€Å"Then why don't you like Seth?† â€Å"I do like him! Damn it, stop this.† The angel quirked me a grin. â€Å"It's all right to feel that way. I mean, past evidence shows you tend to go for showy, flirty guys anyway.† â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† I immediately thought of my attraction to Roman. Carter's eyes flashed mischievously. We were at the hospital's exit now. â€Å"I don't know. You tell me, Letha.† I had nearly walked out the door, but his comment jerked me back. I spun around so fast, my hair whipped around and hit me in the face. â€Å"Where did you hear that name?† â€Å"I have my sources.† A great nebulous emotion swelled up in my chest, something I couldn't entirely identify. It fell somewhere on the continuum of hate and despair, not really subscribing to either one. Hotter and hotter it grew within me, making me want to scream at Carter and that smug, knowing look on his face. I wanted to beat my fists against him or shape-shift into something horrific. I didn't know where he'd learned that name, but it woke up some sort of sleeping monster within me, something that had been tightly coiled up. He continued watching me coolly, undoubtedly reading my thoughts. Slowly, I became aware of my surroundings. The chilly corridors. The anxious visitors. The efficient staff. I calmed my breathing and fixed the angel with a scathing look. â€Å"Don't you ever call me that again. Ever.† He shrugged, still smiling. â€Å"My mistake.† I turned smartly on my heels and left him there. I stormed out to my car and didn't even realize I was driving until I was halfway across the bridge, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes.