Strange Meeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strange Meeting - Essay Example And in the words of Owen’s Preface – All a poet can do today is warn. Structurally, the poem is composed of 44 lines of Iambic pentameter, divided into 4 irregular stanzas: the first, 3 lines; the second, 7; the third, 29; and the last, 5. Owen makes use of a lot of Assonance. In the first stanza, we have: down, profound, piteous, recognition, fixed, distressful, bless. Stanza three contains the following: guns, thumped, flues. There are many others scattered throughout the rest of the poem. Then, we have Alliteration. In the first stanza alone, we have: down, dull; granites, groined. Stanza two has: sprang, stared; smile, sullen. The third stanza yields the following: made, moan; hopelessness, hope; wildest, world; boil, bloody; mine, mystery, mastery; miss, march; wash, wells. This stanza and the last yield many more. The reader finds a single example of onomatopoeia and it is found in the third stanza: And no guns thumped or down the flues made moan. There are two evidences of hyperbole and they are both mentioned in the long, middle stanza: With a thousand pains that visions face was grained and Then, when much blood had clogged their chariot wheels.. It seemed that a thousand pains and much blood are exaggerated. Personification may also be found in the poem. In the short first stanza: Through granites which titanic wars had groined. (Wars are to humans who can groin or reproduce). In the second stanza, Lifting distressful hands, as if to bless (Hands may be lifted, but it is the person himself who can feel distress and may bless). Going more deeply into the poem, in lines 1-3, the poet Owen sets the scene. Holes, caverns, tunnels – these form a recurring image in his mind and find their way into the poem. Titanic Wars imply not just World War I in which Owen fought, but conflicts through history on a gigantic scale. In lines 4-10,

Pablo Picasso Essay Example for Free

Pablo Picasso Essay Every artist demonstrates their thoughts and point of view of nature and of the Earth. Their masterpieces portray their artistic identity, mastery, skills and techniques. Some of them have been the founder(s) of a particular art movement, which greatly affects other artists of the world. Pablo Picasso, one of the most renowned modern artists in history, is one of the pioneers of Cubism, along with Georges Braque, who strongly exemplifies and reveals the mentioned art movement and style in his Les Demoiselles D’Avignon, The Guernica and the Three Musician, each of which would be formally evaluated and analyzed. The artistic intelligence of Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) created a great impact in the development of modern and contemporary art. His masterpieces include over 20,000 works including paintings, drawings, sculptures, theater sets, prints, ceramics and costumes that delineate a number of intellectual, social, political, and ardent messages. His styles has gone beyond and transcended realism and abstraction, Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism and Neoclassicism. Pablo Picasso was born at Malaga Spain in October 25, 1881 to Jose Ruiz Blasco and Maria Picasso Y Lopez. At the age of eight, he started to paint but his drawings were very much different from the children of his age. Even when he was young, Picasso already had a highly systematic approach to art. At the end of 1897, he studied in Madrid but later on, he dropped out of school because his teachers could not help him solve the technical problems he had. Furthermore, he endeavored to become a Classical painter similar to Rembrandt or Velasquez; however, no matter how good he was at the age of 16, still he could not contest the old masters. In the year 1899 and 1900, his style was altered radically. His works showed a more romantic manner. Since then, he began to flourish, absorbing all the dominant styles of his epoch. Nevertheless, it was in between 1907 and 1914 in Paris when he discovered a new style by which the French art critic Louis Vauxcelles referred as â€Å"Cubism. † His masterpiece entitled Les Demoiselles D’Avignon divulged that style in 1907. Picasso’s Les Demoiselles D’Avignon expresses and exhibits his ground-breaking style and distortion which is anchored from African Art. In the painting, the figures are arranged similar to Cezanne’s composition of bathers but it reveals an influence of primitivism. It manifests through the angular planes and well-defined outlines that create the entire solidity of the images. Moreover, it is composed of five females, all of which are depicted with angular body. The color of the figures are not confined to flesh rather there are red, blue and orange. The title of the painting, which is given by Picasso’s friend, pertains to the cabaret or maison publique on the Avignon Street, Barcelona. It showcases an expression of violence and barbaric intensity of the five women. On the other hand, his Guernica articulates the same form but it is more meaningful and more caricature in style. The themes signify death, bullfight and crucifixion. The figures are more complex as well as the content of the painting, which is illustrated by diverse and mixing images. The painting itself is a representation of the tragic events that occurred in Spain during the year 1937. It is full of political message and thus, summons the very idea of warfare as a heroic incident and renders it as a cruel and atrocious act of self-destruction. However, Picasso’s art possesses a trademark that any symbol can portray many and frequently contradicting meanings. According to Picasso when asked to explain the symbols, â€Å"It isn’t up to the painter to define the symbols. Otherwise it would be better if he wrote them out in so many words. The public who look at the picture must interpret the symbols as they understand them. † Another painting that depicts Cubism is the Three Musicians. It is a large painting with three figures made up of geometric shapes. The central figure is a Harlequin playing a guitar while on his sides are two musicians. On the left part, is a visible figure of a dog. The work delineates a lively appearance due to its color, orange dominates the plane. The images are figuratively rendered but it can be pulled that they are people with musical instruments with them. They are painted in a way similar to a group performing on stage. Pablo Picasso’s style known as Cubism, as well as his masterpieces, has contributed much to the depiction and understanding of abstract art and modernism. His works portray figurative images wherein every art objects is dominated by symbols that carry a myriad of interpretations and meanings. Because of his discovery of Cubism, paintings have appeared to be a three-dimensional picture plane. His works exhibit harmonious colors and biomorphic sensuality which is exemplified in his Les Demoiselles D’Avignon. Moreover, Picasso paints in such a way that is very much different from other well-known artists of his time because he does not employ in his works landscapes or well-depicted everyday scenes. He upholds in his artistic career his identity of not copying nature and not utilizing traditional techniques, and perspectives. He learns to emphasize his viewpoints of the world through geometry, lively utilization of colors, and somehow calculated perspectives. He demonstrates his activism and political comprehension through symbols too and it is evident in his Guernica. Furthermore, because of his artistic career, identity and discovered style (Cubism), he had been renowned in the world of art. Bibliography â€Å"Guernica: Testimony of War.† (2008). Public Broadcasting Service. Database online. Available from http://www. pbs. org/treasuresoftheworld/guernica/gmain. html. [06 April 2009] Harris, Mark. â€Å"Guernica. † (1996). Web. org. uk. Database online. Available from http://web. org. uk/picasso/guernica. html. [06 April 2009] â€Å"Pablo Picasso, Life and Work,† (n. d). Pablo Picasso Cubism. Database online. Available from http://pablo-picasso. paintings. name/biography/. [06 April 2009] â€Å"Pablo Picasso Painting. † (n. d). Artquotes. net. Database online. Available from http://www. artquotes. net/masters/picasso/pablo_musicians1921. htm. [06 April 2009] Rewald, Sabine. â€Å"Cubism. † (2004). Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Database online. Available from http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/cube/hd_cube. htm. [06 April 2009] Voorhies, James. â€Å"Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). † (2004). Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Database online. Available from http://www. metmuseum. org/toah/hd/pica/hd_pica. htm [06 April 2009]

Sustainable Development Process For Overpopulation in China

Sustainable Development Process For Overpopulation in China Overpopulation, resource crisis and environmental pollution are the three major social problems of the contemporary world; they are also three major obstacles that restrict economic and social development and the improving peoples living standard in the world. China has the largest population in the world and there are more than 1.3 billion people in China. And now, China is serious shortage of fresh water, arable land, forest and grassland, energy and other resources (Rozelle, 1997; Deng, 2008.) Per capita of these resources are less than one-third of the worlds averages. Per capita consumption of mineral resources is not to half the world average. As Chinas social and economic development increasingly, the total population is approaching the maximum carrying capacity of resources, environment. Irrational exploitation of resources exacerbates the shortage of resources and waste further, and the trend of ecological deterioration has not been fundamentally reversed. Population growth on resources and the environmental impact of socio-economic sustainable development has become the most important issue. So to deal with the population problems, all the people and stakeholders are required to cooperate with the Chinese government and then raise a sustainable development to deal with the problems. In this paper, it will first have a look at the background of Chinas population problems and then talk over which people are affected by the pollution and the barriers that are stopping the people to get a sustainable development. In the following part, it will have a brief introduction of the six processes which is developed by Dr. Mark Diesendorf and used to deal with the population problems. Next, how the six processes are implemented will be discussed. At the end of the paper, there is a brief discussion on the relationship of the steps and their dependence on each other and a conclusion will be presented as well. The direct problems which result from over population are the environmental problems and health problems. But the environment is changeable that it can flow from one place to another, such as air pollution, water pollution. So it implies that every people in China are affected by the population problems. With the increasing of population in China in recent years, China has suffered a lot. More people mean more energy and resources that could be consumed, but there will be more waste let out. Therefore, it will make the environment pollution to move forward a single step. So many environmental problems have appeared one by one. For example, in order to have good harvest of more and more fertilizers are used to improve the crop productivity (Jiang, 2009). But the low efficiency of the fertilizer use makes most of the fertilizer leave into the soil or flow with the water thus it both causes water pollution and soil pollution (Foy, 2001; Green, 1993; Jin, 2001). So in many places, especial in the rural areas, there is no fresh water to drink but it is also a lack of running water in these areas, that it is a great threat to peoples health. In addition, with the population growth, more people move into the city, so this leads an increase on the price of house. But on the contrary, in orde r to save the cost to the enterprises, many enterprises invest in the rural area directly; in order improve its profit, a large mount of the waste materials are let out into the river without any treatment. To the city people, with a growth of population, they are also the victims. More and more people live in the city, that much more rubbish is produced. Now many cities are crowded with rubbish and it is becoming a headache problem to the government. Although in order to have sustainable development, there many barriers before implementing the six steps to deal with the problems. It mainly concludes political factors, economic factors, legal factors, educational factor and cultural factors. Political factors: China is on the way of socialism, but now it is primary stage of socialism. Although the central government has enacted many laws and politics, but few of the local officers follow the path of central government. In their eyes, economy development is the most important. If the economy has risen up, it will reflect their hard work on the position that it will bring greater chances to promote. But in fact, it is quite harmful to the local people to a long term. Economy factors: China is a developing country and developing economy is the biggest theme all the time. Thus it misleads a large number of the officer pay much more attention to economic development without regarding the population problems. But the population problems react to the economy development. The population problems prohibit the economy development in many places. Moreover, many local governments are very poor in China especially in the west of China. Although they realize the population problems are quite harmful to local development, it is hard to de with it. In order to achieve instant success, GDP is the best choice, thus they have to give up the idea to deal with population problems. Legal factors: China is on the way of primary stage of socialism, many laws are not perfect. Family planning policy is not effective at present, especially in the west China. In addition, many of the families have realized the population, but they prefer boys to girls that there are at least two children if eldest son is a daughter (Luo, 2008). Moreover, some families have three or four children. Because of the special national conditions, to some degree, the local law may be not useful to them because of special relationship in China. Educational and cultural factors: A survey shows that only 21% of all the Chinese people enter in school that many people get little education. With little education, the people could not realize the importance of population problems and they have little knowledge to protect the publicity. In addition, family planning policy education is very poor in Chinas education. Another, there are 56 nations in China that they differ in culture significantly. Difference in culture will lead different attitude towards population problems and water protection. More money is input to deal with population problems and more money is punished for the parents with more than one child. With the development of economy, more and more money has been input into deal with population problems. Because the government have realized that development building on destroying the environment is an unsustainable way of development because of population growth. So in order to deal with the population problems, money input will be a basic factor. And in fact it takes effects in many places. Education. In order to deal with population problems, education is a key measure. First, more measures to dealt with the population problems will be developed through education. Second, through education, it will improve peoples awareness of population problems. Now, China government has input more and more money in education year by year. At present, many universities have the major named sociology science or sociology, and so on. It implies that the government has fully realized the seriousness of the population. The six step process is developed by Dr. Mark Diesendorf, the University of New South Wales. He gives us an easy but practical six step process to get a sustainable development process. The six steps are following. First, present a guiding vision, goals and scenarios. Second, Develop sustainability policy in all sectors, at all levels, with all types of instruments. Third, Create supportive environments. Fouth, Strengthen community action. Fifth, Develop personal and organizational skills. Sixth, reorient the system. (Diesendorf, 2000) The model will be used to give out a sustainable development process to dealing with population problems in China. China is becoming one of the core countries in the world, especially after the economy crisis. But now the population is becoming one of the biggest problems in China. On the one hand, in order to protect astogeny, more new births are encouraged, but on the other hand, to have a sustainable development process and maintain full of vigor, new births are limited. So it is difficult to achieve a medial policy. Therefore, in order to have a health, livable and sustainable development in China, there is a vision that is designed for China. The vision could be: in order to create a country with health, harmonious, and livable lives in China, China should do its best to improve peoples life in a sustainable aspect. Goals and scenarios: To deal with population problems, there is a long way to go. First, the growth trend of population problems should be under controls. There are many families which have more than one child. So measures should be taken out to restrict the families to deal with the population problems. Second, reduce the birth rate in rural area, especially in China. There is a lack of realization of reducing reduce the birth rate thus broadcast of the population problems is essential to local people to help them realize the seriousness of population problems around them. Third, improve the life standard to deal with the population problems. At present, population problems are affected by the life standard because in many poor places in the west China, people think that more children mean much happier. Early birth means that early happiness will come. Forth, more laws should enact to ensure these measures to take effect normally. First, money is essential to deal with the population problems. Finance support is one of the most important measures to handle with population problems. Without money, any treatment measures could not take effect. Second, stricter laws should be carried out to assess the quality of the peoples life. There could be an annual assessment of the population problems. In addition, the present laws to assess the population problems should be improved and perfected. Third, develop new ways of accumulating the achievements in local official career. In the past, GDP is unique target to accumulate the achievement in local official career. But now although GDP is important, the green GDP is encouraged. If the officer pursue the number of GDP, not focus on the quality of GDP, it is difficult to deal with population problems efficiently. Forth, recycle economy is encouraged. In order to have a saving and harmonious society, recycle is an efficient way. With more children birth every day, more energy and resources will be consumed, so in order to improve the efficiency of energy and resources, recycle economy is encouraged. Fifth, improve monitoring of dealing with population problems. While dealing with energy and resources, monitoring is important to make sure to operate normally. Because there is an interpersonal relation in China, that many laws may be ineffective. So improving monitoring of population problems would be effective to avoid special interpersonal relation in China. To deal with population problems efficiently, supportive environments are necessary. It main contains cooperation, transparency and compliance with relevant stakeholders. To the families with more two children in the rural areas, the government should warn them to realize the burden of the family and the whole society. But the birth control measure should be put among them. The government should help them how to get birth control in daily life. The government also could organize a group of specialist to give guide the birth control. Population problems in national minority are also not ignored. Useful and practical ways of birth control should be widely broadcast among them. In addition, more village officials could be introduced to bring new concerns to national minority area. Although many laws have been carried out and will take effect, it is difficult for a single or few people to take them into practice. So it needs community action. As James Fallows said in an email (main ideas), in the past decades, because of the Chinese peoples support in the population problems, Chinas have got greatest achievement in reducing the number of new birth, they also pave the path to population problems (Fallows, 2007). It implies that community actions play a great role in reducing birth rate. So the community should be called to deal with population problems. To deal with population problems, college students are the most suitable community. In China, there is a social practical activity in both summer holiday and winter holiday and now it is becoming a required course to them. They have many advantages among other groups. For example, people in the rural area would believe college student more than because many of them desire to go to university, but they have no cha nce. Second, the college students have many channels to deal with the practical problems when they meet in social practical activity. They can get easily in touch with the specialists. In addition, there are so many college students in China that they can spread the knowledge in each corner. In China, it is a pity that not many personal and organizational skills in dealing with population problems. The main reasons are following: it is a lack of personal power among the Chinese people because of the economic level to some degree. There is also a lack of education and public awareness in reducing population. As Jared Diamond said, in China there is a low awareness in public protection, because China input low invest in public educationis just half of the developed countries as a percentage of GDP. China has a population of 20% of the world population, but China has put only 1% of the worlds investment in education (Diamond, 2005). But now the situation is becoming much better than before. More and more people have poured in deal with population problems voluntarily. For example, a large number of people want to be volunteers in BeiJing Olympic Games 2008 and ShangHai World Expo in 2010. In addition, the government has input more (including finance and politics measures) in dealing with the population problems. Reorient the system is the largest challenge when get a sustainable development process. Because it links barrierspolitical factors, economic factors, legal factors, educational factor and cultural factors together. But the governments play the greatest role in reorienting the system. As referred above, the central government has made many useful laws, but the local government could not follow the path, mainly because there is a large of economic interest to the government. As GDP is the most important target in their eyes. Another, the economy growth is imbalance in different areas in China and the concept diversity towards population in national minority; especially there is a big difference between west and east. So in order to achieve a sustainable development, China should reform many laws relevant to population problems. Each of the six steps could not stand separately. First, in order to realize sustainable development, the most import thing to do is have a goal and vision, which is step 1. But without step 1, all the following steps are useless. With a goal and vision, measures should be carried out to realize the goal. But measures can take effect only under proper policy; that is step 2. With a politic guarantee, the measures could take into practice and good supports environment are necessary; that is step 3. In order carry out the measures, community action are needed as well, and this step 4, because the laws and measure can take out by the people, not a single person. But now, in order to have good performance on reducing birth rate, personal and organization skills will help; that is step 5. To have a large scale to deal with population problems, there would be a big challenge that it should reorient the system and that is step 6. In all, the six steps is an organic entirety. In conclusion, in order to get a sustainable development in China, population problem is a serious problem. To deal with population problems, there is a specific analysis of the background and the victim. All the people in China are the victim of population problems. In the process of deal with population problems, there are both barriers and useful factors. The main barriers conclude political factors, economic factors, legal factors, educational factor and cultural factors, because China is in the primary stage of socialism. But there are many useful factors as well including money and education. More and more money is input in dealing with population problems and invested in education. After analyzing the background, a six-step process is raising out to deal with population problems. It includes a guiding vision, goals and scenarios, sustainability policy in all sectors, supportive environments, community action and personal and organizational skills. The six steps could not exist alone, on the contrary, they an organic part.

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essays -- Frankenstein Essays

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein The creature of the novel Frankenstein is intelligent, naà ¯ve, powerful and frightening. He seeks vengeance, kills three people, and haunts his creator to the end of his (Frankenstein’s) days. Why? What inspired and what enraged the creature so much so that he felt this was the only path to pursue? When we first meet the creature (truly meet him, that is), he shows his intelligence through speech. One must certainly expect him to be a drooling, dumb and violent creature, but he is, in fact, quite the opposite. He is violent, yes, but he does not show his violent physical side unless provoked to anger. More often than not the creature is full of self pity, cursing his existence and his creator for bringing him into it. When the creature and Frankenstein speak to each other (though the creature is doing most of the speaking), the creature does so fairly calmly, and relays his side of the story -- where he had been, what he had done and, most importantly, what he had read. When taking a close look at the creature’s behavior and story, it is impossible to ignore the fact that the two works that seemed to have the greatest affect on him were Paradise Lost and the notes that he had found in his pocket concerning his own creation. Though each work that the creature read is important in one way or another, these two were the works that helped to shape his personality and change how he felt about himself and his plight. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the creature’s reaction to Paradise Lost is that he identified not with Adam, but with Lucifer. This explains quite a bit about the creature and a bit about why he acts the way he does throughout the novel. The creature himself even... ...o an eternity of tempting souls away from the Creator, and to live in Hell. The creature lives in his own Hell each day, and does not necessarily tempt, though he does indeed taunt Frankenstein. Is this justice? A person could argue either way in that respect. To a degree, yes, it is justice. The creature committed terrible acts, to be sure, but he did not ask to be brought into the world, nor to be abandoned. To a degree, the creature’s hatred and need for revenge rather help him in his life. He is never naà ¯ve enough to trust people again, for one thing, and it pushes him to superhuman speed and constitution, things he probably would not have if he had been accepted. Though, is the emotional trade-off worth it? Perhaps not. In the end, the creature loses any redeeming qualities he may have and becomes far more wretched than he had been in the beginning of his life.

Qatari law Essay

Qatar is located in a peninsula jutting out 100 miles into the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia. The country is mainly barren and is situated with Saudi Arabia on its west and United Arab Emirates on its southern border. Qatar occupies a total land area of 11,437 square kilometers. (Infoplease, 2007) Climate experienced in this region is generally hot and dry due to the desert landscape. The air is usually humid but is sultry during the summer time. Naturally occurring disasters experienced in the area are haze, dust storms and sandstorms. Qatar has only 1% of its land area that is classified as arable while 5% of the land is used for raising pastures. Qatar has an estimated population of 1,000,000 (in 2007), and approximately 200,000 are citizens. Nearly all Qatari profess Islam approximately 95% of the population. Majority of the population migrated due to the availability of employment for the oil industry in Qatar. Arabic serves as the official language while English and other languages are also spoken in Qatar. Many Qataris trace back their roots to natives of the Arabian Peninsula. Migratory tribes have settled in Qatar during the 8th century. There were also migration from gulf Emirates and as well as Persian merchants. Today, most of Qatar’s inhabitants cluster in Doha, the capital city. Foreigners with temporary status comprise 52% of the total population and make up approximately 89% of the total workforce. In 2004, the country had a total population of approximately 1,000,000 (in 2007), of whom approximately 200,000 were believed to be citizens. Of the citizen population, Shi’a Muslims account for approximately 3 percent and Sunni Muslims comprise the remaining 97 percent. The majority of the estimated 800,000 non-citizens are individuals from South and South East Asian and Arab countries working on temporary employment contracts in most cases without their accompanying family members. They are of the following faiths: Sunni Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Baha’is. Most foreign workers and their families live near the major employment centers of Doha, Al Khor, Messaeed, and Dukhan. The Christian community is a diverse mix of Indians, Filipinos, Europeans, Arabs, and Americans. It includes Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, Anglican, and other Protestant denominations. The Hindu community is almost exclusively Indian, while Buddhists include south and East Asians. Most Baha’is in Qatar may come from nearby Iran. Religion is not indicated on national identity cards and passports, nor is it a criterion for citizenship in Qatar according to the Nationality Law. However, Qatari citizens are either Sunni or Shi’a Muslims with the exception of a Baha’i and Syrian Christian and their respective families who were granted citizenship. Shi’a, both citizens and foreigners, may attend a small number of Shi’a mosques. There is some limitation of the religious liberty of Christians. No foreign missionary groups operate openly in the country. Culture Qatar explicitly uses Sunni law as the basis of its government, and the vast majority of its citizens follow Hanbali Madhhab. Hanbali (is one of the four schools (Madhhabs) of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam (The other three are Hanafi, Maliki and Shafii). Sunni Muslims believe that all four schools have â€Å"correct guidance†, and the differences between them lie not in the fundamentals of faith, but in finer judgments and jurisprudence, which are a result of the independent reasoning of the imams and the scholars who followed them. Because their individual methodologies of interpretation and extraction from the primary sources were different, they came to different judgments on particular matters. Qatari law When contrasted with other Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, for instance, Qatar has comparatively liberal laws, but is still not as liberal as some of its neighbors like UAE or Bahrain. Women can legally drive in Qatar, whereas they may not in Saudi Arabia. The country has undergone a period of liberalization and modernization after the current Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, came to power after becoming Emir in place of his father. Under his rule, Qatar became the first Arab country in the Persian Gulf where women gained the right to vote. Also, women can dress mostly as they please in public (although in practice local Qatari women generally don the black abaya). Before the liberalization, it was taboo for men to wear shorts in public. The laws of Qatar tolerate alcohol to a certain extent. However, public bars and nightclubs in Qatar operate only in expensive hotels and clubs, much like in the UAE and Bahrain, though the number of establishments has yet to equal that of UAE. Qatar has further been liberalized due to the 15th Asian Games, but is cautious of becoming too liberal in their law making the country viable weekend immigration from their western neighbor. Overall Qatar has yet to reach the more western laws of UAE or Bahrain, and though plans are being made for more development, the government is cautious Economy Before the discovery of oil the economy of the Qatari region focused on fishing and pearling. After the introduction of the Japanese cultured pearl into the world market in the 1920s and 1930s. Qatar’s pearling industry faltered. However, the discovery of oil reserves, beginning in the 1940s, completely transformed the state’s economy. Now the country has a high standard of living, with many social services offered to its citizens and all the amenities of any modern state Qatar’s national income primarily derives from oil and natural gas exports. The country has oil estimated at 15 billion barrels (2.4 km3), while gas reserves in the giant north field (South Pars for Iran) which straddles the border with Iran and are almost as large as the peninsula itself are estimated to be between 800 – 900tcf (Trillion Cubic Feet – 1tcf is equal to around 80 million barrels of oil equivalent) (Anonymous, 2005). Qatar’s primary source of income relies on its oil reserves, which constitutes more than 30% of its Gross Domestic Product. An estimated reserve of 3. 7 billion barrels is predicted to last up to 23 years with sustained level of output (â€Å"Qatar: Background†, 2007). Qatar also has one of the world’s largest reserves for Natural Gas, estimated to be more than 5% of the world’s total reserve or amounting to 7trillion cubic meters. These two natural resources constitutes the backbone of Qatar’s economy (â€Å"Qatar†, 2002). Oil industry in Qatar On 1935, a 75-year oil concession was granted to Qatar Petroleum Company, which was owned by Anglo-Dutch, French and USA. At Dukhan, located at the western side of Qatar, high quality oil was discovered. Oil exploitation was delayed due to the onset of World War II and Qatar was only able to export oil during 1949. Due to the increase in revenue from oil export during the 1950s and 1960s, Qatar entered the start of its modern history. This was the start of Qatar’s prosperity, rapid immigration was experienced due to employment brought about by the oil industry and substantial social changes was experienced. When UK announced in 1968 the policy of ending the treaty relationship with the Gulf Shiekdoms, failed talks with the other sheikdoms in a plan to form the United Arab Emirates resulted to Qatar declaring independence on September 3, 1971. Oil still forms the cornerstone of Qatar’s economy well into the 1990’s. Today Oil still accounts for about 62% of total government revenue. In 1973, income generated from oil production and exportation gradually increased the country’s revenue. This has helped Qatar move from previously ranked as one of the world’s poorest countries into one of the highest per capita income in the world. In 2006, the country has a per capita income of $62,000, which is ranked as fifth in the world (Beureau_of_Eastern_Affairs, 2007). During the 1990’s, OPEC or Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries had lower oil production quotas resulting to fall in oil prices. The result was an unpromising outlook in the international markets and reduced earnings in oil products led to recession in Qatar. Many small businesses were affected and expatriate staffs were affected by massive lay off. However the country was able to regain economically by the late 1990’s and expatriate population have grown again. Qatar’s oil production is currently estimated around 835,000 barrels a day. It is expected to reach 1. 1 million barrels per day by the year 2009. With the current rate of producing oil, reserves in Qatar are expected to last up to more than 40 years. However Qatar has other resources that are also exploited for production. It’s proven reserves of natural gas are the third largest in the world. The gas reserves of North Fields in Qatar exceed more than 900 trillion cubic feet or 14% of the worlds total gas reserves. Qatar is the largest producer of Liquefied Natural Gas with more than 31 million metric tons per annum. By 2010, Qatar is expected to produce 77. 5 million metric tons per annum and will account for one third of the world’s LNG supply (Beureau_of_Eastern_Affairs, 2007). Qatar’s oil fields are estimated to be depleted by 2023. But with the discovery of natural gas in the Northern fields, Qatar economy received a great boost from gas reserves income generated from exportation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas. Currently Qatar exports gas to Korea, India and China via shipping lines while gas is delivered via pipelines to Kuwait, UAE and Bahrain. Exploration: Early exploration took place in May 1935 as part of an agreement between the English-Persian Corporation and the Sheikh of Qatar at that time Abdullah Bin Jassem Al-Thani to explore oil for a term of 75 years. The agreement was executed by a corporation, which is later known as Qatar Oil Associated Corporation. Exploration, however, was adjourned due to border problems with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, but eventually started in 1938 extensively (â€Å"Country profile: Qatar†, 2008). In 1949, Qatar started to export oil through Mesaieed port on the East Coast. The first exported quantity was 80,000 tons on board President Liner on 31/12/1949 for a price of 5. 9 million Indian rupees received in 1951. Qatar developed its production speedily; and in 1951, it reached 46,500 barrels a day compared to only 34,000 a day before that time (â€Å"Energy and Resources—Sources and Definitions†, 2003). The State of Qatar became number 11 among oil exporting countries in 1952, with a production of 67,700 barrels a day, i. e. , 0. 5% of world production. Consequently, oil revenue increased to 4. 2 million US dollars in 1951, and 12 US million dollars in 1952.

How to Write a Letter of Intent (With Examples)

How to Write a Letter of Intent (With Examples) By now, you probably think you’re familiar with all the pieces of an application package and process. You have your resume (or CV), your cover letter, your list of interview questions. And if you have those together, updated and ready to go, awesome! But there’s another potential piece lurking out there: a letter of intent. Wait, what? Is that the same as a cover letter? And if not, how do you write one? Spoiler alert: a letter of intent is not the same as a cover letter. They’re similar (being letters and all, and focused on yourself), but are actually used in different situations. Your cover letter is what you write when you’re applying to a specific job you found through traditional channels (online job search, referral, recruiter). It details why you’re a great fit for this particular job. A letter of intent is what you write when you’re coldsHi,[No opening]Hey hiring manager,Dearest sirs and madams of JobTech, Incorporated,Good examples: To whom it may concern:Dear JobTech team,As with any professional correspondence, you don’t want to seem too stiff or formal, like you’re writing a letter from a Victorian template or a bad spam email asking someone to send money to a deposed prince overseasPlease allow me to introduce myself. I am Jean, slayer of sales goals and allMy name is Jean Smith, and I am writing to you today to submit my resume for consideration on your Sales and Marketing teams. As a proven leader with more than a decade of beating aggressive sales goals and working with diverse teams to produce great results, I am very interested in opportunities to bring that experience and growth to JobTech.With 12 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in a variety of different roles (from an alls[No closing] Jean SmithCall me please,Email me if you read this,Bye,Fondest wishes to you and yours,Good ExamplesSincerely,Best wishes,Regards,Go with one of the classics, because they’re used for a r eason. If you sound too stiff and formal, it comes off like a holiday card. If you reiterate your call to action, it can carry a whiff of desperation. Just get out gracefully and quickly once you’ve said your piece.Assess Your Final DraftAt this point, you’re ready to send it off, either in the mail, handing it off, or sending it through the Internet tubes. Let’s take a last look at the good examples put together, Jean’s better draft.Dear JobTech team,My name is Jean Smith, and I am writing to you today to submit my resume for consideration on your Sales and Marketing teams. As a proven leader with more than a decade of beating aggressive sales goals and working with diverse teams to produce great results, I am very interested in opportunities to bring that experience and growth to JobTech.With 12 years of experience in Sales and Marketing in a variety of different roles (from an all-hands-on-deck startup to a Fortune 500 company), I know I can bring a st rong, customer-oriented strategy to your company. Since graduating with a B.A. in Marketing from Benjamin Franklin University in 2005, I’ve built my career on using customer data and strategic campaigns to get results. Most recently, as Sales Leader at Career Industries, my innovative sales strategies and overhaul of our social media lead generation program increased widget sales by more than 200% from 2013 to 2016. While my time at Career Industries has been a valuable experience, I’m ready to move on and grow into a senior manager position that better blends sales, marketing, and innovative strategy. Based on JobTech’s commitment to being on the cutting edge of widget sales, I believe my skills and background jibe well with that mission.I look forward to talking with you about my qualifications, and potential opportunities with JobTech. I am attaching my resume, and have a comprehensive career profile at www.joblinkcareernetworking.com/JeanSmith. If you have a ny questions, please don’t hesitate to reach me at J_Smith@emaildomain.com. Thank you for your time and consideration!Regards,Jean Smith

6 Essential Managerial Skills You Need to Be a Successful Manager

6 Essential Managerial Skills You Need to Be a Successful Manager In order to be a successful manager, you need to create an environment that helps your team to  excel. But the managerial skills needed to achieve that aren’t necessarily taught or set in job descriptions. This doesn’t mean that you’re going to be a terrible manager before developing the managerial skills of a good manager. Not at all.Weekdone.com has provided a  useful infographic  below, listing out the managerial skills any excellent manager should have:Source: [BusinessInsider]

Free Essays on Luke’s Significance In The Scriptures

Luke’s Significance in the Scriptures If I were lucky enough to lecture students on Luke’s Gospel, simply discussing the factual aspect of his writings would not do him, nor Jesus, any justice. Along with it being a great depiction of Jesus’ life from his conception until his resurrection, Luke’s Gospel teaches lessons Jesus used through His teachings to better educate His followers of what it takes to eventually be a part of God’s kingdom. Such information would be seemingly too broad to understand within the confines of a book, however Luke masterfully combines all of these facts into one story with numerous lessons, leaving it as a difficult task for an educator to select which aspects of it to cover. The third Gospel, written by Luke, presents The Son of Man through a human form as Jesus. Jesus’ life on Earth could be broken down into three parts: Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ preaching, and Jesus’ death and resurrection. These three aspects of His life are the vocal points for what modern day Theologians seem to focus on in their own teaching, so it would be nonsensical for me to refrain from using them within my own. It must also be acknowledged that much of what Jesus endured through His lifetime teaches a point so after discussing the actual happenings of a particular event, it is necessary to discuss its intentions for us. Concerning Jesus’ birth, I would teach students how His birth had both simil- rities and differences to our own. Mary went through pregnancy carrying a fetus for nine Kearney 2 months, as women always have, though she was never actually impregnated. The Angel Gabriel visited Mary to bear some unexpected news, telling her that, â€Å"†¦you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son† (CSB 99). Mary was a virgin, although God gave her the power to conceive a chi... Free Essays on Luke’s Significance In The Scriptures Free Essays on Luke’s Significance In The Scriptures Luke’s Significance in the Scriptures If I were lucky enough to lecture students on Luke’s Gospel, simply discussing the factual aspect of his writings would not do him, nor Jesus, any justice. Along with it being a great depiction of Jesus’ life from his conception until his resurrection, Luke’s Gospel teaches lessons Jesus used through His teachings to better educate His followers of what it takes to eventually be a part of God’s kingdom. Such information would be seemingly too broad to understand within the confines of a book, however Luke masterfully combines all of these facts into one story with numerous lessons, leaving it as a difficult task for an educator to select which aspects of it to cover. The third Gospel, written by Luke, presents The Son of Man through a human form as Jesus. Jesus’ life on Earth could be broken down into three parts: Jesus’ birth, Jesus’ preaching, and Jesus’ death and resurrection. These three aspects of His life are the vocal points for what modern day Theologians seem to focus on in their own teaching, so it would be nonsensical for me to refrain from using them within my own. It must also be acknowledged that much of what Jesus endured through His lifetime teaches a point so after discussing the actual happenings of a particular event, it is necessary to discuss its intentions for us. Concerning Jesus’ birth, I would teach students how His birth had both simil- rities and differences to our own. Mary went through pregnancy carrying a fetus for nine Kearney 2 months, as women always have, though she was never actually impregnated. The Angel Gabriel visited Mary to bear some unexpected news, telling her that, â€Å"†¦you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son† (CSB 99). Mary was a virgin, although God gave her the power to conceive a chi...

The Effects of the Leadership Style of the Principal on School Climate Dissertation

The Effects of the Leadership Style of the Principal on School Climate - Dissertation Example Another important area and aspect which needs to be discussed here are related to the skill and quality of leadership and the way through which this particular skill can be integrated and nurtured within children especially at the level of their high school education. This is because this skill of leadership needs to be developed within children from the very first day and moreover it is with the help of this skill which guarantees the progress and leverage of any educational institute of the world. ... Â  Out of these the first one is the realization of the fact that educational institutes are not places where individuals get their passing certificates from, but also they are training centers from which students receive an idea about the ways through which the world operates and the different type of surprises that the world outside the school premises awaits them. Moreover, the training that they receive in their high school prepares them to face any difficulty in their life with utmost ease and convenience. (Gross and Furey, 1987) But in order to successfully inculcate all these characteristics within the students, it is important to understand the very fundamentals of the process which can lead to this and out of all others the process of leadership and that of the principal is the most important. Students whether they are in high school, college or university are overwhelmingly influenced and inspired by the ways through which the principal of their institute handles the diffe rent type of organizational affairs that they encounter on an everyday basis. In other words, it is the leadership and its manifestation with which students develop that influence towards their principal. (Glickman, 1990) During the course of this discussion, we would be looking at the different leadership styles through the help of which the academic performance of students can be enhanced and can be made more effective in terms of implementation. It will be on the basis of the variables of leadership types demonstrated by principals and the subsequent effect that they have on the performance of the student.

Promoting Democracy in Cuba Annotated Bibliography

Promoting Democracy in Cuba - Annotated Bibliography Example The author points to limitations on both sides of the fence in terms of the absorptive capacity of the targeted country and the ability of the promoting country to provide appropriate support. He stresses the dangers that may result from over-selling democracy which may reduce a prospective country’s commitment to the process and refers to some of the problems that occur under perverse examples of democracy assistance and promotion. The author indicates that evaluating democracy assistance continues to be an extremely imprecise art which is affected by elements of doubt and offers assistance in terms of approaches to take in promoting democracy internationally. The following study looks at the future of democracy in Cuba and shows how active and direct democracy has worked against the Cuban communist regime. The author who is a lecturer at the University of Colorado indicates that the promotion of the democracy has led to changes in the political economic system in Cuba. The imposition of economic blockade by the United States government is both direct and active as the aim of this drastic measure is to place direct pressure on the Cuban government to change its political system. All countries depend on trade and the United States is a powerful trading partner with states such as Florida a stone throw away. The author also indicates that demise of socialist economic system in the Soviet Union has also had a devastating though indirect impact on Cuba because of the preferential trade agreements which the government of Cuba had with the Soviet bloc. This is indirect and passive because it is through the direct promotion of democracy in the Soviet Union that led to changes in the political economic system on Cuba. The fact that the Soviet Union no longer exists meant that the Cuban governm ent lost the support that allowed them to stave off some of the negative impact that the US economic blockade presented. Both of these have led

Marketing analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Marketing analysis - Essay Example The following discussion seeks to assert the purposes of the target market in the organisation. Further, the discussion shall argue upon the marketing mix variables adapted by the organisation in increasing its competence in the provision of health care services. The organisation asserts that its devotion is to deliver health services to the UK population. It declares that every person in the country has a vital role, and acquainting them with relevant health services is the ultimate way of ensuring functionality (Stuart, 2013). Holding to the fact that nursing and midwifery are a continued health course, it is knowledgeable that the organisation’s target market is centred on the existence of health complications in the society. Every person is vulnerable to diseases, hence at a certain point, he will need medical attention (Scullion & Guest, 2007). The organisation beseeches the UK society to trust in the health practitioners from all of their obligations aim at delivering profound health services. Its target market includes children in schools, arguing that they should seek health care in case of health complications from the available school nurses (Kirpal, 2011). Secondly, the organisation asserts that expectant women should seek healthcare services during their prenatal and postnatal stages from the midwives and other relevant personnel. Further, the organisation extends its care to people suffering from mental health arguing out that they are of importance as any other groups of people in the community (Scullion & Guest, 2007). On a different account, the organisation declares its devotion in providing health care services to the ageing and aged population (Kirpal, 2011). Arguably, it is knowledgeable that the organisation’s target market combines all groups in the demographic segment as it declares the types of services that its personnel shall deliver to each category of people in the population. The organisation combines

Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Motivation - Essay Example This is an interpretation of the fact that organizational goals have been attained with the inclusion of motivational strategies among the employees. In all organizations, it is the responsibility of the managers to ensure that the employees are always motivated through a study of the needs of these employees and organizing them according to the needs of the staff. In this case, therefore, the cases of dissatisfaction among the employees will be minimal since assessment of the needs of the staff are well scrutinized, making the employers have a chance to motivate these employees towards attaining the performance of the entire organization. Moreover, motivation has been accredited for its ability to drive the employees towards goal attainance, by aiding the employees get over the factors that restrained goal achievement (Gerhart, 2005). In light to this argument, motivation can be described as the direction towards setting the pace for goal attainment and completion. If the managers h ave the need to make their organizations achieve the best, the desire for accomplishment can only be possible if they motivate the employees. However, Herrera (2002) cautions all the managers against applying motivational strategies in the organization prior to consulting the employees on their opinions. In turn, the organization enjoys productive employees, who are self directed towards making tangible decisions regarding the organizational objectives. Studies indicate that employees who are motivated are more enthusiastic and are constantly on the move to ensure that the organization attains the best through dedicated service. These groups of motivated employees must be treated with utmost respect as are the custodians of the organizations. This is emphasized in the work by Holton, Dent & Rabbetts (2009) who argue that employee preparedness cannot be overruled in a discussion of successful organizations. From the research compiled by Panisoara & Panisoara (2006), high-quality perf ormance in organizations is greatly correlated with motivated workers. In the quest to achieve organizational goals, apposite motivation among the employees has led to the employees having the ability to deal with any form of challenges that they may face. This is also linked to the fact that the managers always allocate roles to the employees that are best suited so that they get contented while performing them. An industrial company mainly depends on human labour to achieve its goals. Human labour comprises of about 50 percent of the most valuable assets in these organizations. According to Ramlall (2004), employees in manufacturing companies carry the biggest responsibility on whether the company competes relatively in the market. As almost all companies do, they should try as much as possible to retain their current group of employees. In HS Engineering, the decrease in profits and turnover may be attributed to sloppiness among employees. With multiple operations going on in the company, motivation and rewarding of employees should be the first priority if they have to get back to their profit making ways. In an argument by Schepers, et al., (2005) an organization where the needs of employees are ignored, the turnover and profits rate must be at their lowest levels. Organizations must consider several factors when dealing in employee’s welfare. For instance, the cost of acquiring a new labour workforce in the United Kingdom is very costly. The U.K as a developed country, individuals

Comparison between a Balance Sheet and an Income Statement Essay

Comparison between a Balance Sheet and an Income Statement - Essay Example A balance sheet follows the general structure of Assets = Liabilities + Owners’ Equity, which means that the summation of all assets must equal the liabilities and shareholders’ equity. Investors and company management need this information to determine the current value of a company. An income statement, like the balance sheet, shows the value of the company because it shows whether the company is operating at a loss or at a profit. An income statement portrays a company revenues vis a vis the expenses, gains, and losses after taxation for a specific period of time, be it annually, monthly, quarterly, or semiannually. Although the two financial statements are two different statements, they are closely related in that, a company’s profit and loss statement directly affect the shareholders’ equity. In the event that a company posted $30,000 increase owner’s equity compared to the previous year and the owner did not invest or withdraw assets from the business, then the increase represents the net income for the year. If the owner had withdrawn $15,000 in assets for personal use, then the net income must have been $45,000 to produce the $30,000 increase in shareholders’ equity. A balance sheet is more useful in determining the sustainability of a company as it outlines a company’s assets in comparison to the liabilities. The relationship between a balance sheet and an income statement is a result of the double entry system that prescribes Assets = Liabilities + Owner’s Equity.

Self-monitoring and self-management of oral anti-coagulation therapy Essay

Self-monitoring and self-management of oral anti-coagulation therapy practice - Essay Example Today’s healthcare practice is changing rapidly and thus, provision of patient care and management is shifting from institutional-based management to home-based care where patients can test their status and manage the condition, especially for medical conditions that are not curable but only manageable such as diabetes. One of the testing and management practice being prompted and is gaining popularity in the healthcare sector is the Oral Anti-Coagulation Therapy Practice for patients (Ansell, et al., 2005). This paper concerns the designing of a plan aimed at changing our patients habit from that of going to the lab in hospitals and other healthcare facilities just to get their International Normalized Ratio (INR) testing done to getting these patients who have the capacity to learn how to use a home based testing device for INR instead of seeking lab based testing. The idea behind this concept is the fact that this process is fairly simple and if patients are well educated, they can easily do the test accurately and without any hustle (Baglin, et al., 2005). Besides, home based INR testing devices will be able to give results required in a very short while, actually immediately, just like it is the case for those diabetic patients who normally test for their daily levels of glucose. This is not the case when they seek lab based testing since the process takes 24 hours to get the results due to the large number of patients who might need the same service and the fact that in many instances, the medical practitioners do not match the number of patients.... It is a medical fact that any change in the health, lifestyle or drugs in a patient’s life could quickly interfere and alter the oral anticoagulant’s effectiveness in managing such conditions. What makes it even worse is the fact that each patient reacts differently to these drugs thus the need for regular monitoring of the therapy. However, I tend to think, based on reviews done, that there are strategies that could be used to improve the situation and have these patients self-monitor and self-manage their condition. The evidence based model for change has been derived from a thorough theoretical and research literature that is related to various research utilizations, change theory and the current evidence-based practice within the field (Rosswurm, 1992). This model has a guideline to medical practitioners for changing the normal practice to evidence based practice. Various stages have been proposed for effective implementation of this model. These start with step one where the need for change in the healthcare practice is done. In regard to this, the carrying out of an Oral Anti-Coagulation Therapy at home has been identified as the need for change where patients would have to test and manage their condition at home as is opposed to seeking lab testing. The need is therefore to help patients test their condition at home to establish their INR level within the required range. The reason for doing this comes from the fact that patients have been dissatisfied with the current trend of lab based testing which takes longer to process. The quality of the data got will also be reliable since it will be fresh and immediately established for quick action to

Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Motivation - Essay Example This is an interpretation of the fact that organizational goals have been attained with the inclusion of motivational strategies among the employees. In all organizations, it is the responsibility of the managers to ensure that the employees are always motivated through a study of the needs of these employees and organizing them according to the needs of the staff. In this case, therefore, the cases of dissatisfaction among the employees will be minimal since assessment of the needs of the staff are well scrutinized, making the employers have a chance to motivate these employees towards attaining the performance of the entire organization. Moreover, motivation has been accredited for its ability to drive the employees towards goal attainance, by aiding the employees get over the factors that restrained goal achievement (Gerhart, 2005). In light to this argument, motivation can be described as the direction towards setting the pace for goal attainment and completion. If the managers h ave the need to make their organizations achieve the best, the desire for accomplishment can only be possible if they motivate the employees. However, Herrera (2002) cautions all the managers against applying motivational strategies in the organization prior to consulting the employees on their opinions. In turn, the organization enjoys productive employees, who are self directed towards making tangible decisions regarding the organizational objectives. Studies indicate that employees who are motivated are more enthusiastic and are constantly on the move to ensure that the organization attains the best through dedicated service. These groups of motivated employees must be treated with utmost respect as are the custodians of the organizations. This is emphasized in the work by Holton, Dent & Rabbetts (2009) who argue that employee preparedness cannot be overruled in a discussion of successful organizations. From the research compiled by Panisoara & Panisoara (2006), high-quality perf ormance in organizations is greatly correlated with motivated workers. In the quest to achieve organizational goals, apposite motivation among the employees has led to the employees having the ability to deal with any form of challenges that they may face. This is also linked to the fact that the managers always allocate roles to the employees that are best suited so that they get contented while performing them. An industrial company mainly depends on human labour to achieve its goals. Human labour comprises of about 50 percent of the most valuable assets in these organizations. According to Ramlall (2004), employees in manufacturing companies carry the biggest responsibility on whether the company competes relatively in the market. As almost all companies do, they should try as much as possible to retain their current group of employees. In HS Engineering, the decrease in profits and turnover may be attributed to sloppiness among employees. With multiple operations going on in the company, motivation and rewarding of employees should be the first priority if they have to get back to their profit making ways. In an argument by Schepers, et al., (2005) an organization where the needs of employees are ignored, the turnover and profits rate must be at their lowest levels. Organizations must consider several factors when dealing in employee’s welfare. For instance, the cost of acquiring a new labour workforce in the United Kingdom is very costly. The U.K as a developed country, individuals

Self-monitoring and self-management of oral anti-coagulation therapy Essay

Self-monitoring and self-management of oral anti-coagulation therapy practice - Essay Example Today’s healthcare practice is changing rapidly and thus, provision of patient care and management is shifting from institutional-based management to home-based care where patients can test their status and manage the condition, especially for medical conditions that are not curable but only manageable such as diabetes. One of the testing and management practice being prompted and is gaining popularity in the healthcare sector is the Oral Anti-Coagulation Therapy Practice for patients (Ansell, et al., 2005). This paper concerns the designing of a plan aimed at changing our patients habit from that of going to the lab in hospitals and other healthcare facilities just to get their International Normalized Ratio (INR) testing done to getting these patients who have the capacity to learn how to use a home based testing device for INR instead of seeking lab based testing. The idea behind this concept is the fact that this process is fairly simple and if patients are well educated, they can easily do the test accurately and without any hustle (Baglin, et al., 2005). Besides, home based INR testing devices will be able to give results required in a very short while, actually immediately, just like it is the case for those diabetic patients who normally test for their daily levels of glucose. This is not the case when they seek lab based testing since the process takes 24 hours to get the results due to the large number of patients who might need the same service and the fact that in many instances, the medical practitioners do not match the number of patients.... It is a medical fact that any change in the health, lifestyle or drugs in a patient’s life could quickly interfere and alter the oral anticoagulant’s effectiveness in managing such conditions. What makes it even worse is the fact that each patient reacts differently to these drugs thus the need for regular monitoring of the therapy. However, I tend to think, based on reviews done, that there are strategies that could be used to improve the situation and have these patients self-monitor and self-manage their condition. The evidence based model for change has been derived from a thorough theoretical and research literature that is related to various research utilizations, change theory and the current evidence-based practice within the field (Rosswurm, 1992). This model has a guideline to medical practitioners for changing the normal practice to evidence based practice. Various stages have been proposed for effective implementation of this model. These start with step one where the need for change in the healthcare practice is done. In regard to this, the carrying out of an Oral Anti-Coagulation Therapy at home has been identified as the need for change where patients would have to test and manage their condition at home as is opposed to seeking lab testing. The need is therefore to help patients test their condition at home to establish their INR level within the required range. The reason for doing this comes from the fact that patients have been dissatisfied with the current trend of lab based testing which takes longer to process. The quality of the data got will also be reliable since it will be fresh and immediately established for quick action to

The rate of catalase action Essay Example for Free

The rate of catalase action Essay I have to wear goggles, prevent any accidents that can damage my eyes I have to make sure I handle all the glassware carefully I have to handle the hydrogen peroxide very carefully because it is very toxic Method 1. Set up the experiment according to the diagram 2. Measure 10 cm of catalase (celery juice) 3. Measure 10 cm of Hydrogen Peroxide 4. Pour the catalase into the conical flask 5. Fill the burette with water 6. Pour the hydrogen peroxide into the conical flask and close the bung and start the timer 7. Record the volume of gas given off every 10 seconds () 8. Mix hydrogen peroxide with pure water to give the following percentage of concentration of acid: 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% 9. Repeat 1 8 using the 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% hydrogen peroxide 10. Repeat the whole experiment three times to get a more reliable result 11. Plot graphs for each concentration -volume of gas collected against time 12. Draw best-fit lines Diagram Analysis After I have done the experiment, I have got the results: 1st result Time (Seconds) Volume of gas collected when there is 100% of H O (cm ). Volume of gas collected when there is 80% of H O (cm ) Volume of gas collected when there is 20% of H O (cm ) 1. 5 2. 6 3. 7 5. 0 6. 2 7. 5 8. 6 9. 6 Now I am going to draw the graphs volume of gas collected against time. The graphs shows a curve best-fit line that means whenever the concentration increases, the volume of gas that was collected in the given time increases but the volume of gas collected increase at a slower rate at the end. The 100% concentration produced the most oxygen in the shortest time, which gives it a higher reaction rate than the others. According to the graph, it has proven my prediction is correct. The highest concentration would produce the most oxygen in the shortest time. The volume of gas collected increases at a slower rate at the end because the towards the end, there are less substrate and enzyme left, so it takes longer to react and releases the gas(oxygen). The rate of reaction is a measure of how fast the reaction takes place. A reaction will take place when the particles of the reacting substances collide with each other and a fixed amount of energy called the activation energy is reached. If a collision between particles can produce sufficient energy (i. e. if they collide fast enough and in the right direction) a reaction will take place. This is called the Collision Theory for rates of reaction. Concentration of the substrate increases, the greater the rate of reaction will be because higher concentration means a higher number of particles in a given volume. If there are more particles, there will be more reaction. More reaction means a larger number of successful collisions. Therefore the catalase action rate will increase. Also, the particles are closer together, so they can collide more often. The more often they collide, the chance of reaction happening increases. So the catalase action rate increases. Evaluation I think the results are very good that I can use them to support what I predicted at the beginning. I also have enough evidence to support my conclusion. The points on my graph are not very close to the best-fit line which is due to the large scale I used, so the gap seems to be bigger. But the points let me draw reasonable best-fit lines and they also show the pattern I expect. I think I can still rely on the results because they show the general pattern for each concentration. I know my results are reliable because they fitted my prediction and it also enables me to explain the relation between concentration and rate of catalase reaction. Also, I repeated my experiment three times to obtain the results, so I know they are reliable. The appropriate apparatus I used, increases the accuracy of the results. I think my experiment is quite successful as I can collect results that help me to draw some accurate graphs except there are a few anomalous points. I think this happened because: 1) I did not close the bung quick enough and some gas leak out which cause a decrease in the readings 2) I did not use the same celery each time because 1 celery does not provide sufficient catalase for the whole experiment which can cause increase or decrease to the readings 3) The temperature is slightly different as I did the experiment in three different days which can cause increase or decrease to the readings I think there is a better way of doing it that is to have a tap at the top. When I open it, the hydrogen peroxide will drop down into the catalase and I do not need to put the bung on because the bung is put on top of the tap which means no gas will leak out. Also, when I time it with a stopwatch, it will not be as accurate as using computers to time because human has reaction time that will increase the time taken and this will make the experiment less accurate. I can do the experiment in this way: For this experiment, I have used celery as a source of catalase, other than this; I can use potatoes or liver that may affect the time taken to collect gas, as they are different. Further experiment Planning Apparatus A 50cm conical flask with a bung A burette Clamps and stand Delivery tube Container 10cm measuring cylinder A stopwatch. 20 vol of hydrogen peroxide Potato tubes (catalase) Safety control I have to make sure all the school bags and chairs are under the table, in case I trip over I have to wear goggles, prevent any accidents that can damage my eyes I have to make sure I handle all the glassware carefully I have to handle the hydrogen peroxide very carefully because it is very toxic Method 1. Set up the experiment according to the diagram 2. Measure 10 g of catalase (potato juice) 3. Measure 10 cm of Hydrogen Peroxide 4. Pour the catalase into the conical flask 5. Fill the burette with water 6.Set up the light sensor and the computer 7. Turn on the tap and start the computer at the same time 8. Record the volume of gas given off every 10 seconds (10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s) 9. Mix hydrogen peroxide with pure water to give the following percentage of concentration of acid: 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% 10. Repeat 1 9 using the 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% hydrogen peroxide 11. Repeat the whole experiment three times to get a more accurate result 12. Plot graphs for different concentration- volume of gas collected against time 13. Draw best-fit lines 14.

Introduction to Alcohol Addiction Theories

Introduction to Alcohol Addiction Theories Alcohol Addiction Addiction in general, though this paper will focus on alcohol specifically, is characterized by a chronic relapse state that embodies key elements, such as the compulsion to seek out and use the drug, the inability to control the amount used, and a negative emotional state when the substance cannot be accessed (Gilpin and Koob, 2008). Alcohol consumption evolves from impulsive to compulsive through repeated binging, withdrawal, and craving cycles, which cause neuroadaptations (Cui et al., 2013; Koob, 2013). Research on the neurobiology of addiction has focused on the positive reinforcing effects and the activation of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine circuit being the sole motivator. The mesolimbic system (the primary reward circuit) projects from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and utilizes dopamine as its main neurotransmitter (Gilpin and Koob 2008). This circuit helps shape incentive salience, better known as the wanting or desire for alcohol (Robinson Berridge, 1993; Berridge, 2007). Oral ethanol self-administration is reduced by the administration of dopamine and NMDA receptor antagonists into the nucleus accumbens (Rassnick 1992). Weiss et al measured dopamine levels in the extracellular fluid of the NAcc and showed alcohol ingestion or even the anticipation of alcohol causes an increase in dopamine (Weiss et al. 1993). However, Rassnick also demonstrated that positive reinforcement alone does not motivate alcohol consumption while using a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced lesions of the mesolimbic dopamine system did not block alcohol self administration (Rassnick et al. 1993). Even in the presence of administered methylphenidate, subjects experiencing alcohol withdrawal show lowered levels of dopamine by 50-70%, as compared to controls; withdrawal causes decreases in dopamine function and the neuroadaptations that lead to a hypodopaminergic state during withdrawal (Karkhanis 2015 CIE ethanol exposure reduces presynaptic DOPAMINE NEUROTRANSMISSION IN THE MOUSE NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS; Volkow et al. 2007 Profound decreases in dopamine release in striatum in detoxified alcoholics: possible orbitofrontal involvement.). In the early stages of alcohol use and abuse, positive reinforcement acts as the main motivating factor in alcohol-drinking behavior. However, at some point chronic alcohol exposure causes a shift from alcohol use to alcohol dependence that parallels the switch from positive reinforcement to a mixture of both positive and negative as the motivating factor behind alcohol use; this is caused by neural changes, or plasticity, that chronic alcohol exposure elicits (Gilpin and Koob, 2008). There are three widely recognized stages of alcohol use that overlap and ultimately contribute to the progressive transition from alcohol use to alcohol dependence. They are: 1) binge and intoxication, 2) withdrawal and negative affect, and 3) pre-occupation and anticipation, better known as craving (Volkow et al., 2016). Neuroadaptations within the addiction circuitry and the progressive transition from alcohol use to dependence hinge on the repeated cycling of these three stages. Three phenomena contribute to the progression of alcohol use disorders and the shift from positive reinforcement to both positive and negative reinforcement as motivators for alcohol use. They are sensitization, tolerance, and withdrawal. Drug sensitization, which is the opposite of tolerance, refers to the individuals increased stimulus that occurs when the same amount of substance is taken as before; this leads to the cue-induced craving. When it takes more alcohol to achieve the same level of intoxication, as a smaller amount used to, then the subject has developed a tolerance. Withdrawal is the outward presentation of neural changes and happens when adverse effects occur in the absence of the substance, such as insomnia, delirium tremors, anxiety, and seizures. As these elements of addiction repeat, the disease progresses and spirals more out of control (Gilpin 2008)

The Marketing Mix Essay -- Papers

The Marketing Mix Description of the Marketing Mix: Marketing is the way in which a business promotes its products or service. Marketing is not solely selling the product; it is concerned with identifying customers and satisfying their needs/wants at a profit. Businesses have to sell what they produce/serve. To do this, marketing decisions must be made, which involve: PRODUCT - what products will be sold. PRICE - what price those products will be sold at. PLACE - where the best place to sell the product/service will be. PROMOTION - how the customers will get to know about the product. The above are known as the Marketing Mix. Market Research: Researching involves investigating a subject in order to find out about it. Market research takes two formsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ QUANTITATIVE - finding out numerical information. Or information that is definite and precise - based on facts rather than opinions or choices. QUALITATIVE - finding out opinions and reasons for choices. This information can be collected using PRIMARY (field research) and/or SECONDARY informationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ 1. Desk Research (secondary). This involves the use of secondary data (information that is already available - on databases or business directories, etc.). This information can come from within the business, or from outside: From outside the businessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This information comes from sources outside the business. It can mean researching other products in the market, or sometimes even finding out about another company. In our case, it means e-mailing companies and researching the products that they have on the market, via the Intern... ... Our intentions are to carry out our market research in the form of a survey. Most probably, we will use a stratified random sample, in which we would ask, perhaps, a limited representation of people in each year. A way to ensure that the sample is random would have to be created. Perhaps, asking the first people from each year (and segment) we see. This would be relatively random. Alternatively, we could select a systematic stratified random sample, in which every 20th person on the registers would be selected. In our survey, it is important that we address the problem of knowing which specific products to sell, and so in it we shall have questions that would answer "what are we going to sell?" The questionnaire we have designed is included in this business plan, along with an analysis of the questions used in it.

Global Markets vs. Local Realities Essay examples -- Consumption Econo

Global Markets vs. Local Realities "What happens to commodities when they cross cultural borders?" Howes' recent edited volume, Cross-Cultural Consumption, sets out explicitly to answer this very question. Through a diverse and highly accessible set of collected papers, inspired and adapted from a special issue of Anthropogie et Sociitis on "Culture and Consumption," the reader finds an excellent introduction to the major themes in the anthropological approach to consumption. Situated squarely within the booming literature on the globalization of consumer society, the papers in this volume are expressly geared towards students of consumer studies from a range of disciplines. Howes makes his objectives clear - this book is actually intended as a teaching tool (p.8), which likely accounts for its notable clarity. Unlike many similar ventures, Howes et. al.'s pedagological approach allows him to openly pose a set of ethical questions by way of conclusion, challenging the reader to actively reflect on the issues raised in the various chapters. That "cultures and goods stand in a relation of complex interdependence" (p.1), is by now a widely recognized feature of consumer studies in anthropology. Using this perspective as premise, the papers in this volume address the interface between the local and the global. Ulf Hannerz's popular "Creolization Paradigm" provides the appropriate framework for discussion. After rejecting the polar extremes of global homogenization and local fragmentation, Howes reifies another persistent dichotomy: that real and constructed distinction between the West and the rest'. Although the world of commodity flows presents multiple opportunities for various border crossings, it is this primary division... ...early the full range of themes which make up the corpus of anthropological studies of consumption, the authors sacrifice to some extent the coherence a more limited project might have produced. Taken together, the chapters in this work are somewhat uneven in terms of quality and content. As it stands, the book requires a more comprehensive conclusion than that provided. However, despite the criticisms presented here, this volume on the whole does successfully accomplish its objectives. The issues raised are clear and comprehensive and the personal flavor of many of the chapters help make the issues more accessible and immediate to the first-time reader. I would certainly recommend it as an introductory reader for students interested in consumption. Source Cited Cross Cultural Consumption: Global Markets Local Realities David Howes, ed. London: Routledge; 1996

Greek Mythology Essay

Do you know any historical background on the word giant? Greek and Roman mythology is present all around us. Many new and interesting words were created from the Greeks. There are many types of myths that we hear about including; gods, goddesses, mythical heroes, other heroes, monsters, and villains. When looking up these myths, research will show that many of the words we say today come from these gods and goddesses. An example of this is the words gigantic and gigantism comes from giant. The word giant has a long, unique, and mysterious background. According to dictionary. com, â€Å"Giant is very large; abnormally great development in size. †(dictionary. com) Prior to my search, I predicted that a giant was a very large man that lived in the forest and had no connection with either gigantic nor gigantism. I inferred this because of movies and books. When I saw the word gigantic I remember hearing it and I thought it meant a large person, but I had no idea it was related to Greek or Roman mythology. Gigantism puzzled me because I’ve never heard it before. As I came across the definition of gigantic, I found out that it meant very large which connects to giant and gigantism. (dictionary. com) upon conducting research, I learned more about the root word giant, coming across information about its etymology and actual story behind it. Perrizo 2 Giant’s roots go all the way back before gods or even humans existed. The etymology relates back to Greek mythology the giants were the children of Uranus and Gaea. They were involved in a conflict with the Olympian gods called the Gigantomachy, which was eventually settled when the hero Heracles decided to help the Olympians. The Greeks believed some giants lay buried from that time under the earth and that they resulted in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Many stories have been written about giants in lots of cultures. In Norse mythology, the giants are the origin of most of various monsters, and in the eventual battle of Ragnarok the giants will storm Asgard and defeat them in war. The gods themselves were related to the giants by many marriages, and there are giants such as ? gir, Loki, Mimir and Ska? i, who have little difference in status to them. In Bulgarian mythology, giants called ispolini inhabited the Earth before modern humans. They lived in the mountains, fed on raw meat and often fought against dragons. Ispolini were afraid of blackberries which posed a danger of tripping and dying, so they offered sacrifices to that plant. Giants stand for the Basque people not willing to convert to Christianity who decides to stick to the old life style and customs in the forest. Sometimes they hold the secret of ancient techniques and wisdom unknown to the Christians, like in the legend of San Martin Txiki, while their most outstanding feature is their strength. It follows that in many legends all over the Basque territory the giants are held accountable for the creation of many stone formations, hills and old structures, with similar explanations provided in different spots. There are many similarities and differences in the words giant, gigantic, and gigantism. Gigantic is big: very large, tall, or bulky. Giant is a very tall imaginary creature: in fairy tales and legends, an imaginary being who resembles a human but is much taller, larger, and stronger. Perrizo 3 Gigantism is the quality of being giant: the quality or condition of being much taller, larger, or stronger than is usual. These three definitions are similar to each other because all of them have to do with being large. Today these words are all used to describe how tall, strong, or big someone is. All of these words also share the same Greek, Roman, and other origins. These he creatures. This particular word has a very long and precise background, whereas gigantic and gigantism have a short and not informational background. Not only is the word giant relevant in today’s world, famous playwright William Shakespeare alludes to the word in one of his plays. In Shakespeare’s play much ado about nothing, Claudio uses the word giant in act 1 scene 3. â€Å"He is then a giant to an ape; but then is an ape a doctor to such a man. †(line 2276) Shakespeare uses the monsters name as an illusion to illustrate the comparison between a giant, an ape, and man. Perhaps Shakespeare wanted to show the difference between stupid and so-called smart. Giant is being used to illustrate that a giant and an ape are two unintelligent creatures. Aside from Shakespeare’s use of the word, giant is used in the following quote from measure for measure. â€Å"O, I do fear thee, Claudio; and I quake, lest thou a fevorous life shouldest entertain, and six or seven winters more respect than a perpetual honor. Darest thou die? The sense of death is most apprehension; and the poor beetle that we tread upon, in corpual sufferance finds a pang as great as when a giant dies. (isabell). The word giant is used in reference to emphasize the greatness of a giant dieing with Claudio dying. perrizo 4 Whether giant is used in Shakespeare or other forms of literature, the words etymology seems to be prevalent in today’s world. The word Is regularly used today, ranging from a gas company, to a disability center. The general meaning of giant hasn’t changed over time, but only people who are educated about the word know its true mythical meaning. For example gigantism organization is an organization for the tallest people in the world. I did not find a relevant industry on website on giant or gigantic. When writing this paper, I learned a plethora of information about the word giant, and its ethnic background. Not only did I learn about this interesting monster, I gained experience on learning how to evaluate reliable sources and search the web cautiously. This essay taught me that the majority of the words we use today have an origins that dates back to Roman and Greek times. Giant originated the words gigantic and gigantism, and I found a great deal of information that connected giant to both of the other words. Furthermore, locating the information necessary to complete the project was easy and fast, but then I began to write my report, I had to think about where to start and how to organize the information I had into a cohesive essay. Finally,, I learned that people can misconstrue the meanings of words easily if they do not understand or use the words correctly. All people need to develop their communication skills and look up unfamiliar words or inquire about the origin of words so they learn about the amazing history of our amazing language.

Naturalism in Stephen Crane’s “A God in Wrath” Essay

The 1880s to the 1940s marks a period in American Literature known as Realism and Naturalism. This was the time when most literary works reflected the ideas of pessimism and determinism, and where events and even God oppose human free will or remain indifferent to human desires. One author and poet of this era was Stephen Crane. Crane published â€Å"A God in Wrath† in 1905 in a collection of poems called The Black Rider and Other Lines. The poem, which is about a god torturing a man, reflects the recurring theme of naturalism with instances of pessimism, determinism, and detachment. Naturalism in â€Å"A God in Wrath† Pessimism. Pessimism, or the seeming inevitability of the occurrence of negative events, fills every line of the â€Å"A God in Wrath. † In the poem, the very fact that a god is punishing the man is perhaps the greatest indication of pessimism considering that no man can ever be greater than a god. Therefore, no man can ever escape a god’s wrath and so a man who is suffering from it will surely suffer till the end. Indeed nothing can be more pessimistic than that. One particular line, â€Å"He cuffed him loudly† (Crane), indicates that the man is bound and has no chance of escape ever. Moreover, one should take note that these cuffs are put by a god and therefore impossible to get rid of. Also, the cuffs are in the form of â€Å"thunderous blows that rang and rolled over the earth† (Crane). This means that these are not just simple shackles that simply require a key to remove but that they are as complicated as they are difficult to detach. Perhaps one more indication of pessimism in the poem is the presence of a crowd of people who are not shown to help the man, or are portrayed as helpless creatures that do nothing but observe and add to the man’s injury by saying â€Å"Ah, what a wicked man! † (Crane). The man in â€Å"A God in Wrath† is already in deep suffering when â€Å"All people came running† (Crane). Nevertheless, although he â€Å"screamed and struggled† (Crane), the crowd, instead of helping him, condemns him more by calling him wicked. In real life, one can see people who not only ignore those who ask for their help but even regard them as evil. Such is the picture of the society that Crane may have wanted to show through the element of pessimism in the poem. Determinism. Determinism in â€Å"A God in Wrath† centers around the idea that the man has no choice but to accept the wrath of god and eventually his own fate. The whole poem is a testament to the absence of free will as indicated in the man’s useless struggle to escape. Man’s free will is figuratively strangled when the god â€Å"cuffed him loudly† (Crane) and that although he â€Å"screamed and struggled† (Crane), which means that he wants to assert himself and his free will, no help arrives and there is no escape. Perhaps the man’s last chance of escape is the people who â€Å"came running† (Crane), and maybe he smiles at the fact that all of them seem to come to his aid. Unfortunately, it seems that he is predestined to suffer and perhaps even die of his suffering when he finds out later on that the people who come running actually do nothing but say â€Å"Ah, what a wicked man! † (Crane). Crane here shows that no amount of screams and struggles from the man, or every man in general, can change the course of nature, the will of a god, or man’s destiny to suffer. Detachment. The stone-cold objectivity in Stephen Crane’s tone is felt in the poem in his use of such nameless characters as a god, a man, and all people. The absence of a capital â€Å"g† in â€Å"god,† except perhaps in the title, clearly indicates that this god is not necessarily the Christian God but perhaps any form of deity considered to be a symbol of cruel and inhuman dictatorship. It can even be religion itself which is shown here that makes man suffer. One can also see that in the poem, the man is unnamed, which means that it can represent any human being particularly those who seem to be experiencing a hopeless struggle. Lastly, the phrase â€Å"all people† (Crane) may represent everyone else in the world of the man who suffers. Also, the fact that all of them â€Å"came running† (Crane) tells us that they are united in their action, and that when they all together â€Å"cried, Ah, what a wicked man! † (Crane), one can see that people in general are wicked and often express their ridicule and cruelty in unison. On the whole, the element of detachment in Crane’s â€Å"A God in Wrath† tells us that the situation portrayed in the poem and its painful events are not exclusive to the characters in it but also to every suffering human being. Conclusion Stephen Crane’s â€Å"A God in Wrath† is a poem that portrays the elements of the era of Literary Realism and Naturalism, which include pessimism, determinism and detachment. Pessimism is reflected by man’s seemingly unending struggle with a god that is impossible to conquer and with people who are brutally indifferent to his suffering. Determinism is present in the lines that show that his fate seems inevitable and that no amount of struggle and will to survive may seem enough to free the man in the poem from his suffering. Finally, a sense of detachment is expressed by the fact that the characters in the poem are unnamed. Hence, this makes the particular literary work a mirror of what actually goes on in the life of every human being who suffers and how much pain he has to bear with the wrath of a cruel god and the inaction of his indifferent fellow humans. Works Cited Crane, Stephen. 2010. â€Å"A God in Wrath. † Stephen Maria Crane. Poemhunter. com. May 24, 2010. Crane, Stephen. â€Å"A God in Wrath. † Withered Arm and Other Stories. Ed. George Bess. New Jersey: Viking Penguin, 1999. Print.

MEMORY ABOUT FAMILY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MEMORY ABOUT FAMILY - Essay Example My sister would parade around like some kind of prima donna plucked from the cover of Sports Illustrated while my mom ran around the house like she was preparing for the second coming of Christ. Their eyes would avert mine as I would sink into a lonely corner where no one cared to go. My sister and mother would make it to the car to be sure they would be on time, and I would always be dragging behind, reluctant and resistant. All the other families on the block had boys that played Little League with fathers that played catch. Not ours. Thanks to my mother, my father was 1000 miles away and I didn't have any brothers. In her twisted mind, my mother was fulfilling the father role by turning my little sister into a sports jock. As the car started to back out of the drive I thought to myself, "I'm more athletic than that chiffon Barbie doll in the front seat that my mother was dressing up in a softball uniform. My sister couldn't bat her way out of a bad movie". Yet, maybe because she was the baby of the family, she was the chosen one. My mother had suddenly become an authority on baseball and as she screamed from the bleachers, bolstered by vodka and Valium, it was I that was embarrassed. I turned away from the haughty glances of the softball moms that had gathered together to giggle and dispense their snide remarks. Every game would make me wonder if they were snickering at my mother or me. Was my misfortune the object of their entertainment By the fifth inning, my sister was hitless and my mother was missing. I spotted her behind the concession stand sneaking into her purse to top off her drink. I again sensed a wave of laughing and whispering. The icy stares of the 'good moms' sliced through my back. I just wanted to go home and hide. The only bright spot of the day came when my sister struck out in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the game. That meant that the torture was over. There would be no more false cheers, no tittering gossip, and no pretending that everything was OK. My sister was silent as my mother staggered back to the car. "I'll drive," I said. Though I was old enough, I didn't have a driver's license. I had no adult to take me to get the necessary permits. Driving was one more thing that my mother didn't allow me to do. I couldn't play sports, music lessons were too expensive, and driving was out of the question. My mother wouldn't even let me date any boy that had a car. "Oh, well," I thought, "Who needs 'em. I've gotten along this far without a man in my life. What's a few more years." As we began the short drive home, my mother kept criticizing my driving. "Stay on the road," she yelled. "Watch that car." My mother was irritated with my sister for going 0 for 3 in the game and she was taking it out on me. My patience had outlived its useful life. "If you weren't so careless I wouldn't have to drive. You're the most irresponsible person I've ever met and I've known some real losers," I snapped. "How dare you talk to me like