Benefits of Program Evaluation to Decision

Program evaluation refers to the systematic process of gathering data and putting them all together in order to generate an overall assessment of a program, policy or project needed in decision-making. It provides a list of the strengths and weaknesses used in assessing the efficiency of a program. Both profit and non-profit organizations depend on program evaluation as a tool in gauging the performance of their projects. Often ignored in the process of program implementation, program evaluation is, in fact, necessary in providing constructive information for the improvement of an organization.In an evaluation, the data analyzed serve as guide for decision-makers on how well a program or project is operating. This answers questions regarding the effectiveness of the program to the implementer and beneficiaries, the attainment of the program goals and objectives, and the options for future improvement (McNamara, 2002). Evaluation of the internal and external factors affecting the oper ation of the program aims to provide credible, objective, and pertinent conclusions to decision-makers.Internal evaluation, covering all levels of an organization, requires the participation the program staff and stakeholders in the assessment of the program operation. External evaluation, on the other hand, takes account of the changing conditions outside of the organization that may have an influence to the performance of a program (Freeman, 2006). Findings of a program evaluation would serve as ground for the betterment of a project and the organization, as well.This would also serve as basis for the maintenance of existing program policies and construction of more cost and time-efficient operations. Moreover, evaluation can serve as basis for other organizations in carrying out analogous plans. References: Freeman, B. (2006). The Importance of Program Evaluation. from http://501cweb. wordpress. com/2006/12/30/the-importance-of-program-evaluation/ McNamara, C. (2002). A Basic Gui de to Program Evaluation [Electronic Version], from http://www. tgci. com/magazine/A%20Basic%20Guide%20to%20Program%20Evaluation. pdf

On What Grounds Have Conservatives Supported Tradition and Continuity

To what extent have conservatives supported tradition and continuity? Traditional conservatives place an emphasis on tradition as they believe, according to Edmund Burke that traditional customs and practices in society is ‘God given'. Burke thus believed that society should was shaped by the ‘law of the Creator', or what he called the ‘natural law'. If human beings tamper the world they are challenging the will of God. Burke further described tradition as a partnership between ‘those who are living, those who are dead and those who are to be born'.Tradition is also revered as it could be argued to proven to work as it has been ‘tested by time', and therefore be preserved for the benefit of the living and for generations to come. Tradition reflects a Darwinian belief that those institutions and customs that have survived have only done so because they have worked and been found to be of value. They have been endorsed by a process of ‘natural select ion' and demonstrated their fitness to survive. Conservatives also respect tradition because it generates, for both society and the individual, a sense of identity. Similar article: Conservatives and PragmatismEstablished customs and practices are ones that individuals can recognize; they are familiar and reassuring. Tradition also generates social cohesion by linking people from the past and providing them with a collective sense of who they are. Change, is unknown and therefore it creates uncertainty and insecurity, and so endangers our happiness. Tradition, therefore, consists of rather more than political institutions that have stood the test of time. Some modern Conservatives have also valued tradition, these include, the ‘one nation' conservatives and the Christian Democrats. One nation' conservatism began in the 19th century when Disraeli coined the term. Disraeli wrote against the background of growing industrialization, economic inequality and, in continental Europe at least, revolutionary upheaval. He tried to draw attention to the danger of Britain being divided into ‘two nations: the Rich and the Poor'. In the best conser vative tradition, Disraeli's argument was based on a combination of prudence and principle. Alternatively, growing social inequality starts revolutions. People would not accept their misery and they would revolt, as Disraeli feared.Revolutions broke out in Europe in 1830 and 1848 seemed to prove this belief. Reform was therefore needed for Britain to prevent the tide of the revolution arriving in Britain and it would protect the interests of the rich. In office, Disraeli was responsible for the Second Reform Act of 1867, which for the first time extended the right to vote to the working class, and for the social reforms that improved housing and hygiene. Disraeli's idea's had a considerable impact on conservatism and contributed to a radical and reforming tradition that appeals to both the pragmatic instincts of conservatives and their social duty.Disraeli's ideas formed the basis of ‘one-nation conservatism'. Randolph Churchill took up Disraeli's ideas in the late 19th centur y and he stressed the need for traditional institutions, e. g. the monarchy, the House of Lords and the church-to enjoy a wider base of social support. One-nation tradition was revived and reached high points in the 1950-60's, when conservative governments in the UK and elsewhere came to practice a version of Keynesian social democracy, working for full employment and enlarging welfare provision.Harold Macmillan explained it in ‘The Middle Way' and he promoted ‘planned capitalism', which he described as ‘a mixed system which combines state ownership, regulation or control of certain aspects of economic activity with the drive and initiative of private enterprise'. The purpose of one-nationism is to consolidate hierarchy rather than to remove it, and its wish to improve conditions of the less well-off is limited to the desire to ensure that the poor no longer pose a threat to established order-tradition. The Christian Democrats are also examples of conservatives sup porting tradition.Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in 19th century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching. The new form of conservatism was committed to political democracy and was influenced by the paternalistic social traditions of Catholicism. There are Conservatives who have challenged tradition, namely, the New Right Recently, it has begun to have a much more complex ideological basis. The New Right was in the 1970s/1980s a movement personified by Ronald Reagan in the USA and Margaret Thatcher in Britain.Its key threads are the free market economics of Milton Friedman and F. A. Hayek, a commitment to individualism and personal responsibility, and a staunchly authoritarian stance on crime and other moral issues. The New Right was, as its name suggests, a significant, distinct break with the conservative thinking that had gone before. It was a radical break with the p ost-war Keynesian ‘social democratic' consensus on the economy, and this can be seen as challenging the old definition of Conservatism. The word ‘radical' only applies if you consider a very limited timeframe, however.The commitment to economic individualism likely came from the fact that, until recently, richer classes had to contribute very little tax. This neo-Conservative principle led to significant change: it has been applied more or less egalitarianly, reducing the tax burden of the poor too (that said, it helps the rich far more than the poor, who now have to pay an increased share of indirect taxes. ) The same can be said of many other core beliefs – not only Margaret Thatcher's ‘Victorian values' and the Reagan-Thatcher cutting of public spending, but the crackdown on trade unions and the new approach to economics developed by Friedman and Hayek.Critics of Conservatism have pointed out that they invariably follow the traditional Conservative agenda , and have claimed that they are just an attempt to give Conservatism a new intellectual foundation. Libertarian Conservatism also counteracts the traditional conservative view on tradition. Liberal ideas have influenced conservatism, especially classical liberal ideas. The New Right has been seen to have usurped traditional conservative ideas in the interests of classical liberalism.Economic liberalism whereby there is a belief in the free market as a self-regulating mechanism that tends naturally to deliver general prosperity and opportunities for all. Liberal conservatives believe that economic liberalism is compatible with traditional, conservative social philosophy based on ideas and values such as authority and duty. Edmund Burke, seen as the founder of traditional conservatism was also a keen supporter of the economic liberalism of Adam Smith. Burke believed the free market is efficient and fair, but it is also, as Burke believed, natural and necessary. The laws of the market are ‘natural laws'.Burke further accepted that working conditions dictated by the market are, for many, ‘degrading, unseemly, unmanly and often most unwholesome', but insisted that they would suffer further if the ‘natural course of things' were disturbed. The capitalist free market could thus be defended on the grounds on tradition, just like the monarchy and the church. However, libertarian conservatives are not consistent liberals and they have a more pessimistic view of human nature, and hence, they support the traditional conservative view on tradition here. A strong state is required to maintain public order and ensure that authority is respected.Some libertarian conservatives are attracted to free-market theories because they promise to maintain and secure social order. In conclusion, one could argue that overall conservatives do support tradition. Different strands of conservatives may find opportunities to disagree with aspects of traditional conservative ideology, however, it must be said that in every strand of conservatism, from traditional conservatives to the New Right to libertarian conservatives tradition is supported in some form, whilst it may not be wholly supported, it is still supported.

To what extent was the Cold War global in nature Essay

To what extent was the Cold War global in nature - Essay Example First is the issue of spheres of influence. Spheres of influence have usually offered a tactic of control against immense power struggles by, establishing a defence ring of geographic territories around the lands of superpowers (Feste 1992). Certainly, throughout the Cold War the great powers formulated ideals concerning spheres of influence that were somewhat vital. In the initial stages of fierce Cold War struggle, the fight between the Soviet Union and the United States ensued over concerns of the external and internal direction of European countries, which is quite localized in nature. Yet, the regime supported by each of the great power appeared to create â€Å"a credible philosophical and organisational substitute for the old order of European politics† (Feste 1992, 15). The struggle hence becomes globalised. When the aforementioned part of the struggle weakened due to the military standoff and the recovery of Europe, the emphasis of the conflict moved to the developing or colonial nations. At this point, dissimilar from the European condition, the struggle between the Soviet Union and the United States seldom involved political or military domination (Westad 2005). More importantly, it involved the demands of the particular political and social paradigms introduced by the Soviet Union and the United States to the emerging countries. This struggle between the great powers had a major global impact on political reforms in developing and underdeveloped countries. Among other things, it increased the emphasis on social change, on economic progress, and nation building, which the Soviet Union and the United States recognised as the core rationale for these nations in their affairs with either of the great powers (Feste 1992). The global nature of the Cold War, in relation to this great power conflict, is precisely described by Paul Seabury (as cited in Feste 1992,16): Classical great-power competition had stressed principally the respective force capab ilities of states: their command of military power; their ability to build, sustain and manipulate alliances; the reach of their economic and commercial influence. Yet, Soviet-American competition added to this a further element: since both systems claimed to be based upon and legitimated by certain universally valid socioeconomic principles, so their respective performances were then to be judged by supposedly universal norms. The touchstone of performance was thus not merely to be seen in direct matters of power and effective influence when both systems impinged on each other, but in the operational vitality of the principles themselves, both within and outside their respective national and hegemonic realms. Hence the strength of American supremacy stemmed from specific normative ideals not simply assessed in terms of domestic influence and authority. Furthermore, ideology was indispensable as well for the Soviet Union to preserve its position globally, which necessitated support for radical campaigns (Westad 2005). The Cold War had created a particular cluster of organised, global interconnections that held an impression of order and formed a new world balance (Westad 2005). These circumstances depended on a unified group of principles that offered a justification for the interferences of the great powers throughout the Cold War period. Aside from the sphere of influence factor, strategic geographical positioning and ideology made the Cold War a global affair. William Bundy (1989) describes the global nature of the Cold War in terms of ‘balance of power’, arguing that it is difficult to overstate the level of the global supremacy by the Soviet Union and the United States in the initial decades of the post-war period. In terms of

Arab Israeli Relations and the Middle East Conflict Essay

Arab Israeli Relations and the Middle East Conflict - Essay Example However, the Muslims are the majority while Christians are the minority in Palestine (Smith, 2006). The war has been fought since then with no signs of it ending any time soon despite efforts being put by the two warring factions to strike a cease-fire to end the war. In fact, the war has led to the death of many people in the region something, which is so alarming. As such, the United Nations and the U.S. have been at the forefront in trying to bring the two warring factions to the negotiating table so as to end the war. Nevertheless, it is surprising that even after making an agreement, it seldom take too long before the wear regenerates again. This war has led to much research being conducted to establish its real cause as regards the views held by the two warring factions. In this regard, historians have established that the conflict has mainly been attributed to the struggle over land. This is because the war of 1948 was fought purely on the land question that later led to the d ivision of Palestine into three parts namely the West Bank, the Israel State and the Gaza Strip. Palestine, as it is known internationally is a small area of about 10,000 square miles. The war over this land degenerated over the fight for its political control (Smith, 2006). The Jews claim that the land was given to them in according to the torah where God promised Abraham and his descendants the land. In fact, they argue that the land has been a historical site for the Jews people of Israel, which had been illegally occupied by the Roman Empire. Therefore, the Jewish are of the opinion that the land rightfully belongs to them and nothing whatsoever can deter them from occupying this land. Palestine Arab’s, on the other hand, claims that the land rightfully belongs to them based on the fact that they have lived on this land for several years. They also claim that, demographically, they represent the majority on this land, which signifies their legitimate ownership of the land . Therefore, they refute the argument put forwards by the Biblical-era kingdom that claims that the land belong to the minority Jewish. In fact, Palestine Arabs argue that based on the fact that Ishmael, the son of Abraham is an Arab’s ancestor, then the promise of God to the Abraham’s descendants also include the Arabs as well. Therefore, they object any attempt aimed at snatching them the land, which they believe rightfully belongs to them (Lesch and Tschirgi, 1998). It is noted in the 19th century, preceded by the trend that began in Europe, many people across the globe began to identify themselves as sovereign nations that culminated to the demand for independence. As a result, the Palestine and Jews started developing national consciousness aimed at achieving their national agenda. However, since the Jews were spread all over the world, there came a need to identify a place where the Jews could call home thereby leading to the formation of the Zionist movement. Th e Jews later found Palestine to the right place since it represented the place of Jews origin. As a result, in 1882, the Zionist movement initiated mass immigration of the Europeans into Palestine. However, what is noted is that, at this time, Palestine formed part of the Ottoman Empire. The Jewish settled mainly in four major cities in Palestine particularly those with religious significance such as Jerusalem, Safad, Hebron, and Tiberas (Mahler and Mahler, 2010). As the Jews continued to

Psychological Route to War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Psychological Route to War - Essay Example The act of war is a decision with the ultimate consequence. With such magnitude that comes with the declaration of war, it becomes imperative to understand the political and historical context that comes with such a decision. "The constitution makes the President Commander in chief of the armed forces but requires that Congress appropriate all money for the military. The president appoints ambassadors, but the Senate must confirm them. The president can sign treaties, but they have no meaning unless the Senate, by a two-thirds vote, ratifies them. Congress must 'declare' war, but the United States has often gone to war without any formal declaration. The reason is simple: America backs its fighting forces, and when they are put in harm's way, Congress pays their bills," (Wilson p.348). With such insurmountable risks at hand, the psychological reasoning behind resorting to a declaration of war to resolve conflict is an imperative idea to assess and analyze. To have one person be given the Godly role of placing people in a perilous situation, the psychology of what leads them there is tantalizing to contemplate. Humans by nature find themselves at one point in their lives being in the position of having to make a decision that has ramifications of monumental proportion. Psychology Today writes that, "War is probably the second most popular activity with the human race," says psychologist Lawrence LeShan, Ph.D., author of the recently published book, The Psychology of War (Helios Press, 2002). "Making love," he concedes, "is the first." In his book, LeShan argues that war's popularity stems from its unique ability to resolve two major psychological needs. It fulfills our sense of independence by assigning it a purpose, and it fulfills our need for community by establishing boundaries between 'us' and 'them,'" Adding that, "We say we love peace, but it doesn't actually excite us," says LeShan. "Even pacifists talk more about the horrors of war than the glories of peace." Battle generates perceptions so attractive that they can shift people from a rational perspective to one of "war mode," the idealized perception of crusading against evil. But as LeShan notes, After it's all over, you might have solved one problem, but you won't have solved all of the m," (Allen p.1). Humans, as a sign of their nature, can find themselves letting their subconscious desires filter into the decision making capabilities of their logical mindset on the outside. It is those unspoken desires which can lead the person into the most dangerous situations, with the direst of conclusions, or lead them into the most amazing of successes. In the end, as it comes down to it, the chips ultimately fall wherever they may and it is up to whomever is at the helm to make the important decisions with only their natural resolve, as well as the conviction of their psyches, to guide them as best as they see fit at the present time. To assess the psychological reasoning behind the act of declaring war, one must

Management & Organisation Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Management & Organisation Theory - Essay Example The 20th century has observed an insurgency in the theories of management ranging from scientific management theory to contingency theory (Hartman, n.d). The management theory prevailing today is the consequence of the extraordinary efforts of several people (Koontz and O’Donnell, 1984). The management and organization theories are employed to help boost the productivity of the organization and also its service quality (Dibben et al, n.d.). Managers make use of various theories depending on their workplace, function, and workforce (Walonick, 1993). The case here is about L’Oreal products which have been circulated in Thailand during the early fifties by the neighboring agents. It is the biggest beauty and cosmetics products Company. In Thailand, the main challenge for L’Oreal has been the consequence of the Asian Crisis of 1997 triggered by an undue investment of fixed asset. It has primarily targeted the women between the age group of 20-44 years. Thai customers who frequently bought the products of L’Oreal were situated in urban regions of Thailand and Greater Bangkok. The overall business of the company ranks number four in terms of Thai beauty industry turnover. The main competitors were Unilever and Procter & Gamble who were main players in non-beauty and beauty sections such as personal hygiene, food, and detergent, whereas, L’Oreal focused only on the beauty industry. At present L’Oreal offers it’s following products in the Netherlands such as Recital and Plenitude under the brand name of L’Oreal and Ambre Solaire under the brand name of Garnier Institute (Ubalt, n.d). The main purpose of this paper is to utilize suitable theories and models of management and organization in the context of L’Oreal.

Business Kodak and Fujifilm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 10

Business Kodak and Fujifilm - Essay Example According to the study in 1976, the company had 90% market share in USA. But during the late 1990s the company started to struggle financially as the sales of photographic film declined. After that the company was able to earn in 2007 by selling digital cameras. In January 2012, Kodak filed for protection against in the District Court of United States. Kodak had sold many of its business and patents to various companies. Fujifilm Holdings Corporation which is generally known as Fujifilm and it is a Japanese company specialized in imaging and photography. It has it’s headquarter in Tokyo, Japan. The core businesses of Fujifilm are production, sale and servicing of color film, development, digital cameras, color paper, equipments for photo finishing, equipments for graphic arts, equipments for medical imaging, printers, optical devices and flat panel displays. Fujifilm was founded in 1934 as a manufacturer of photographic film. It has expanded to be a leader in various fields of business. During the 1940s Fuji photo entered into the market segment of lenses, optical glasses and equipments. This essay declares that in 1962, the company has launched Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd along with another UK based company Rank Xerox. In the 21st century, with the rapid pace of digital technology in the photography segment the company had transformed its business structures in to digital technology. Although the company was founded many years later than Eastman Kodak Company but Fujifilm was able to transform its business very quickly from film to digital technology. The diversification strategy of Fujifilm was also successful while Kodak failed on that.  

African Masks in Pablo Picasso's Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

African Masks in Pablo Picasso's Art - Essay Example The paper "African Masks in Pablo Picasso's Art" explores the role of African art in Pablo Picasso's art and in the culture of the whole world. The history of African masks dates back to before the Paleolithic era. A major feature used by the Africans to represent culture was through the use of masks in ceremonies, feasts and rituals. Furthermore, the traditional African masks exemplified heroes, ancestors, spirits, codes of conduct and animals. Usually, the raw materials used to make the masks include wood, pottery, textile, bronze and copper. The substitute details in the masks would be made using sea shells, egg shells, animal feathers, horns, hair and bones. Because of the belief that the masks represented the spirits, the makers were regarded as superiors in the village. Also, the art and talent of making masks was believed to be passed in the family hence was considered a part of inheritance. On the other hand, the history of African art by Pablo Picasso dates back to the 19th century during the colonization of Africa especially the North and West coasts by France. The scramble and partition of Africa prompted the expeditions and the travels of West elites in search of riches and adventures which resulted to the promotion African art. After painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, Picasso’s paintings were influenced by the two figures on the right side which basically were based on African art. Most of the African arts at that time were being interpreted to be signs of slavery, cannibalism, and mistreatment.

Adidas Company Essay Example for Free

Adidas Company Essay I think this company using pull marketing. There are several reasons that I think that this company using pull marketing because for their strategy they use performance as central group value, leveraging opportunities across brand portfolio and extending innovation and design leadership. Why they use pull marketing? They use pull marketing because it very easy for customer or users s to access the services of the internet or the web using their web browsers. Their main goal is to lead the supporting goods industry with brands built n a passion for supporting lifestyle. In performance and service, they performed efficiently designed to simplicity of access especially while shopping and buying transaction via internet. Adidas will send us a confirmation email acknowledging receipt of orders. Once we have selected our purchases, delivery charges are automatically calculated and displayed on the check out page. Payment includes all major credit cards, Pay Pal or pay check. Their Customer Services is 24 hours if someone wants to order or to make sure for heir order have been sent by call at this number 1-800-982-9337 Other factor includes personalization; Adidas will request certain personally identifiable information from us on our order form membership and financial information (credit card number, money order or using pay check) for billing purposes and to fill order. Besides, look and feel factor. Based on their homepage, we can glimpse a soccer players or athletic using this shoes to show that their quality, comfort and their stability. On combination of stylish and striking background, I believe that this will attract customer to get into website swiftly. Consist of teenagers preferences and taste it could be most sensation and favorable website among modern generation today. Last for the factor is security and reliability factor. Adidas seize customer privacy very seriously. All information collected include card credit number will remain within the company and will not be distributed or sold to any third party. To ensure customer hopping experience safe, simple and good secure, Adidas uses the standard Secure Shopping Guarantee technology. This encrypts and protects the sensitive details like email address and credit card details. To give more privacy to their customers, they use Privacy Policy to make sure that their customer can choose any product they want to buy without any interruption someone. It also ensures customer browser is being sent to the correct and then checks the data being transferred. Its approved SSG technology make online purchasing secure and pleasurable.

The Impact Of Social Divisions Social Work Essay

The Impact Of Social Divisions Social Work Essay Social Workers work with some of the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in Society, those who have been possibly subjected to oppression in their daily lives. Most would agree that Social Work is a diverse and shifting activity (Jones 200241) in response to the situations presented within society. The society that we live in can be seen as one with many divisions, due to individual difference, people are categorised in due to these differences such as gender, race, class, age and disability. These Social Divisions can result in certain groups being oppressed. Barker (2003306-307) defines oppression as The social act of placing severe restrictions on an individual, group or institution. Typically a government or political organisation that is in power places these restrictions formally or covertly on oppressed groups so that they may be exploited and less able to compete with other social groups, the oppressed are devalued exploited and deprived of privileges by the individual or group that has more power. Oppression can be fully understood through attention to race, gender, class, disability, sexuality and age. Society can attribute to these differences by defining people and their roles based on their different experiences in relation to the power, status and opportunities in society. Northern Ireland is seen as a multi-cultural society with inhabitants from many different backgrounds and cultures. The roles and expectations that society assumes for different group of people is immersed on a cultural level, thus creating common values about what is normal which creates perceptions of social norms. Through these perceptions of social norms oppression comes to the forefront. Recurring discrimination leads to oppression. Thompson (199810) says this is: inhuman or degrading treatment of individuals or groups; hardship and injustice brought about by the dominance of one group over another, the negative and demanding exercise of power. Oppression often involves disregarding the rights of an individual or group and is a denial of citizenship. It is important that it is recognise that oppression is not intended solely to refer to situations where a powerful person or group exerts tyranny over others it also refers to the structural injustices that can arise from often unintentional oppressive assumptions and interactions which occur as a result of institutional and social customs, economic practices and rules. (Clifford and Burke 2009) For the purpose of this assignment I am going to focus on racism and the oppression faced by Travellers as an ethnic minority group. Travellers are an indigenous minority in Ireland and enjoy a distinctive culture, value system and common language. (OConnell, 2006:4) Travellers nomadic lifestyle follows a routine based on economic practices and religion. According to the Government, Travellers have shared histories, a nomadic way of life and distinct cultural identity (Department of Justice 2005; Cited by OConnell 20064) One notable feature about the discourse of Travellers is the tendency to associate traveller oppression with the terms discrimination and prejudice and not racism, a tendency which is reflective of a broader resistance among some members of the Irish public and some policymakers and politicians to naming the treatment of travellers as racist. (Exchange House Travellers Service, 2005, www.exchangehouse.ie) (accessed 14/10/10) The failure to acknowledge traveller oppression as racism may be stemming from failure to acknowledge travellers as a distinct ethnic group. While travellers are visually racialised in society by their normandism, they were also marked through their physical, not structural whiteness. This failure to associate the marginalisation of travellers in Irish Society with racism supports a false understanding of racism as pertaining exclusively or primarily to people of colour (Downes Gilligan 2007249) despite definitions such as Burke and Harrisons (2000 283) who believe: racism is a multidimensional and complex system of power and powerlessness, a process in which powerful groups are able to dominate, which can be seen in the differential outcomes for less powerful groups in accessing services in the health and welfare, education, housing and the legal and criminal justice systems. This notion of power can demonstrate the segregations in society, and can heighten the oppression faced by those of ethnic minority groups. The development of racial ideology does not reflect the state of knowledge about racial differences but an aspect of social conflict.'(Ely and Denny 19874) Racism is a negative term with negative connotations and can be seen as a socially constructed ideology rather than a biological entity. (Thompson 2006) The impact of racism on ethnic minority groups can be detrimental, it can place many restraint on the lives of the individuals such as being restricted in what services they can avail of, the lack of knowledge about the provisions and opportunities available to them. Racism damages those it oppresses socially, economically and politically. (Dominelli 200865) Thompson (1993, p19) states that: P refers to the personal or psychological; it is the individual level thoughts, feelings, attitudes and actions. It also refers to practice, individual workers interacting with individual clients, and prejudice, the inflexibility of mind, which stands in the way of fair and non judgmental practice. C refers to the cultural level of shared ways of seeing, thinking and doing. It relates to the commonalities, values and patterns of thought and behaviour, an assumed consensus about what is right and what is normal; It produces conformity to social norms, and comic humour acts as a vehicle for transmitting and reinforcing this culture. S refers to the structural level, the network of social divisions; it relates to the ways in which oppression and discrimination are institutionalised and thus sewn in to the fabric of society. It denotes the wider level of social forces, the socio-political dimension of interlocking patterns of power and influence. At the Personal Level Travellers can be seen to be oppressed in many ways, the impressions that Travellers are dirty, criminal As a minority group, Travellers suffer discrimination and oppression; they are marginalised and excluded by people of the settled community. Poverty is seen to be part of daily living within the travelling community and many of the settled community feel that it is due to their Normandic way of life and that it could be solved by settling down and getting a job. (De Burca Jeffers 1999; Cited in Downes Gilligan, 2007:249) Rather than offering a structural explanation for traveller poverty, or an understanding of these experiences from the travellers point of view, the views and interpretations of the dominant cultural group are usually imposed on travellers. (Downes Gilligan 2007) However the oppression faced by travellers cannot be seen just from a personal point of view, it needs to be viewed in a broader context. Racism manifests itself in many different ways in society. Thompsons (2006) PCS model provides an understanding to how racism des so; it can be seen to operate at three different levels, the personal, cultural and structural. Clifford and Burke (200918) believe that Oppression operates at both structural and personal levels at the same time. Since the formation of the Welfare State many changes have come about which have resulted in positive actions in attempting to challenge racism and the oppression faced by people in Society. Social Policy plays an important part in promoting integration in society. One of the functions of the Welfare provision in general, is to promote the integration of individuals in society. (Oliver 199678) These policies may be interpreted as responses to perceived social needs. The policies evolve within an environment where problems come to the forefronts that are seen to require political solutions and pressures occur for new political responses. (Hill 2009) Social Work practice is transforming through the creation of social relations, fostering equality and justice in moving toward an anti- racist approach, a political stance against racism is adopted on the personal, institutional and cultural levels within policies, practice, education and Social Work organisations. (Dominelli, 2008) OConnell (20065) states that Travellers have been victims of violence and intimidation and have been subject to exclusion from services, giving rise to many cases under the Equal Status Act. This Act covers discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, age, marital status, family status, religion, sexual orientation, disability and membership of the Traveller Community. Deconstructing power relations and privileging within professional relationships can begin the processes of changing professional and organisational structures. Dominelli (2008:77) The Traveller Education strategy (2006) seeks an end to separate Traveller provision in education to be replaced by inclusive provision in main stream services. The need to respect Travellers rights is a logical element of the new human rights and equality architecture established since 1998: the creation of an Equality Authority to promote equality, an Equality Tribunal to hear discrimination cases, the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) to give expert advice on these issues, and the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) to promote human rights. Ireland has adopted new anti-discrimination legislation (1998 Employment Equality Act and 2000 Equal Status Act), and most recently the State has announced a National Action Plan against Racism (Department of Justice 2005). Anti-racist initiatives are reflected in Social Work education and practice, many Social work organisations engaged with what is known as Race Awareness Training. These initiative target Social Work education as well as service delivery. CCETSW implemented an anti racist policy which was aimed at looking at ways to educate student and practitioners of anti-racist practices. (Llewellyn 2008)

What Are Uniformitarianism Catastrophism And Plates Tectonic History Essay

What Are Uniformitarianism Catastrophism And Plates Tectonic History Essay Introduction: The following report will outline and discuss the work of scientists; Sir Charles Lyell, James Hutton, Alfred Wegener and Harry Hess. It will also explain how their work influenced the development of earth science from the time they made their theories/observations to today. What are uniformitarianism, catastrophism and plates tectonic: Uniformitarianism: Uniformitarianism has took many, many years to be understood, proven and actually used as a theory on how things happen on and to the earth. When scientists started to understand the ways in which mountains and volcanoes are formed and why deep sea trenched occurred etc, they began to realise that such things as these did not happen in a matter of minutes due to a catastrophic incident. Its by natural causes and slow movements. As the motto for uniformitarianism is the present is key to the past which literally means everything that happens today is an indication of what happened in the past, dealing with the same occurrences. The dictionary definition is: Geology. Of or pertaining to the thesis that processes that operated in the remote geological past are not different from those observed now. Catastrophism: Catastrophism was around for a long time before uniformitarianism and was chosen as the favoured theory for a long time before uniformitarianism; they believed that everything that happened and changed the earth was due to major catastrophes like violent volcano eruptions or meteorites from space impacting on the earth. The dictionary definition is: Geology. The doctrine that certain vast geological changes in the earths history were caused by catastrophes rather than gradual evolutionary processes. Plates tectonic: Plates tectonic are the plates underneath the continents and are broken up into 7 major plates; the African, North American, South American, Eurasian, Australian, Antarctic, and Pacific plates. There are also some smaller plates, including the Arabian, Nazca, and Philippines plates. These plates are constantly moving at a rate of about 2-10cm per year. Some of the plates crash into each other while others simply follow each other or slip over and over each other. When the plates meet and are stuck together trying to move when one finally moves under the other it causes earthquakes and even tsunamis because one plate is thrust upwards causing the land above it to rise upwards. Information about Earth Scientists: Sir Charles Lyell, James Hutton, Alfred Wegener and Harry Hess all have something very important in common; they helped form the theories, ideas and investigations of Plates tectonic, sea floor-spreading and the development of the theory uniformitarianism over catastrophism. The next paragraphs will introduce you to all of the above scientists, what they did and how they did and also the meanings and importance of uniformitarianism and catastrophism. James Hutton: Name: James Hutton Nationality: Scottish D.o.B: 3 June 1726 D.o.D: 26 March 1797 Speciality: Geologist, physician, naturalist, chemist and experimental farmer. Brief insight: Known as the founding father of modern geology. Started the theory of uniformitarianism Influenced Sir Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin. James Hutton was born in Edinborough in 1726 and studied many things from farming to chemistry. He wrote the famous book theory of the earth, which gained the attention of many philosophers to come in later years and started the age of geology and new discoveries on how the earth works. Huttons farming passion made him more susceptible to the beauty and wonders of the earth and as he began to examine rocks he discovered that in actual fact the earth didnt form around 6,000 years ago as told by the catholic religion, but in actual fact over millions of years ago, and that fossils found were not the bones of animals that drowned in the great biblical flood. He pursued the idea that sedimentation (Sediment mineral or organic matter deposited by water, air or ice. Sedimentation -the deposition or accumulation of sediment.), happens so slowly that even the oldest rocks are made up of materials furnished from the ruins of former continents. He called these processes the great geological cycle which happens continuously. Sir Charles Lyell: Name: Sir Charles Lyell Nationality: British D.o.B: 14 November 1797 D.o.D: 22 February 1875 Speciality: Geology Brief insight: He studied law and became a practising lawyer. Wrote the Principles of Geology, 1830, (12 editions), which basically made people accept the theory of uniformitarianism. Without him Charles Darwin mightnt have been able to prove his theory of evolution. Sir Charles Lyell was a British geologist and was the main person who gained recognition for the theory of uniformitarianism. It started off as an understanding and agreement for James Huttons book theory of the earth, but then turned into an adventure in proving uniformitarianism has and is at work. His observations led scientists to believe that slow, steady movements cause the earth to be shaped and formed, not catastrophic occurrences. Lyells ability and flair for creative writing helped the theory become recognised by the world wide community of scientists. The information and evidence collected was enough to move the positions of the scientists and really show them flaws in the theory of catastrophism. Without Lyells clarification and dedication of explaining and proving uniformitarianism maybe Charles Darwin wouldnt have been able to progress his theories of evolution for people to believe and understand. Alfred Wegener: Name: Alfred Wegener Nationality: German D.o.B: November 1, 1880 D.o.D: November 1930 Speciality: Astronomy and meteorology Brief insight: Lecturer of astronomy and meteorology at a German university. Started to meddle with sciences outside his field. Wrote an important paper called The origin of Continents and Oceans which was the start of the theories on continental drift and plates tectonic. Alfred Wegener was a German lecturer on astronomy and meteorology and this was his passion until he happened to come across a paper on the theory of a land bridge between Brazil and Africa. This made him try and understand the real reason for the jigsaw puzzle like continents that make up our world. Like many others he realised that Africa and South America seem to fit perfectly together and that there must have been a way for one species of fossil to be found in one country and another when the animal had a land locked form and the countries werent connected. His expeditions to Greenland (his most loved country to visit), led him to discover the discrepancies between the longitudinal calculations of his party and earlier ones from 1823 and 1870 this became an important part of evidence later on to prove that this particular continent has moved between the years therefore there must be evidence to suggest others have too. He later wrote a book/paper called the origin of continents and continental drift, which was dismissed and mocked due to him being meddling out of his field of expertise and his nationality as the Great War only ended to years earlier. None of the scientist wanted to believe that continents drifted and were once united as one, this was absurd. Wegener used many forms of evidence to back his theories sup such as the shared diamond mines between Brazil and Africa, even though they arent connected, but the scientists refused to go back on what they believed in. Harry Hess: Name: Harry Hess Nationality: Canadian D.o.B: May 24, 1906 D.o.D: August 25, 1969 Speciality: Geology Brief insight: Single most important contribution of the 20thcentury. Emphasised on the sea-floor spreading theory, One of the founding fathers of plates tectonic theories. Discovered the great global rift. Harry Hess was a Canadian navy officer and specialised in geology he produced the original hypothesis of the ocean floors were moving like conveyor belts, carrying the continents along with them. In his book The history of ocean basins, he quoted The sea floor is not permanent, but is constantly being renewed. The mid-ocean ridge is indeed a crack in the crust. Through it hot material from the underlying mantle continually swells up and spreads outwards, new crust is generated at the rate of about half an inch a year on each side of the ridge. His theories solved all problems of the time such as: The high heat flow along the ridge and the discovery of conical mountains on the sea floor. The understanding of sea-floor spreading also helped us to understand the theory of plates tectonic and how it works in comparison with sea floor spreading. But because this was only fiction and no solid evidence was produced to back up all statements of the theory it was taken the same way as Wegener s thoughtsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦nowhere, until later on in the years. Issues relating to the development of the theories of catastrophism and uniformitarianism: Religion vs. evidence: Catastrophism only remained in the heads of scientists due the direction in which it pointed Noahs flood. Religion held a very high level of authority in the 1600s- late 1900s therefore everything that was discovered had to lead to a biblical explanation. It wasnt accepted until around 3 people tried to evolve the theory such as Hutton, Lyell and Darwin who all gave evidence and suggestions and add evidence on top of evidence to try and prove their way of thinking and the Uniformitarianism vs. nature: After uniformitarianism was recognised as the higher of the two theories on how the earth was formed and is still shaping over catastrophism, everyone started to look at the events that were shaping the earth and began to see that uniformitarianism seemed to be the more appropriate theory. However as most scientists and the general public believe that uniformitarianism is the reasons for how the earth is what theyre not realising is that catastrophism is also playing a part in forming the earth as well by natural disasters from violent volcano eruptions to tsunamis. These examples could happen at any given time and not much warning is given before hand of what is about to happen, therefore it could become a catastrophic occurrence which could shape the way the earth is. So catastrophism need not be forgotten. Catastrophism vs. evidence: It is suggested that the cause of the extinction of the dinosaurs was due to a major meteorite impact which caused huge devastation for the earth and another theory is that they went extinct due to the great biblical flood, this theory is only on the basis on what the Bible says about the great flood, but in actual fact there is no evidence which suggests the dinosaurs drowned, just the word of the bible. The problem with catastrophism is that most the theories made up involving it dont show sufficient evidence to suggest it did happen besides the few cases of volcanoes erupting violently and changing the earth. Conclusion: In conclusion to my report I support the theory of uniformitarianism because the evidence that backs it up is clear and concise and it has an answer to every problem e.g. how plates tectonic move and how volcanoes and mountains are made. But we shouldnt forget that catastrophism still works in ways when volcanoes and mountains and formed suddenly by earthquakes and tsunamis which change the earth.

Sino-Soviet relations Essays -- Soviet Union Russia History Communism

Sino-Soviet relations Following the Second World War a new political order existed. The world essentially was divided between two dominant and opposed spheres, that of the United States and that under the hegemony of the Soviet Union. This global order heavily influenced the foreign policy decisions of policy makers in both Washington and Moscow. Joseph Stalin, the General Secretary of the Communist party and the absolute dictator of the Soviet Union, sought national security for the Soviet Union above all else in the sphere of foreign relations. Stalin’s dealings with other governments, including other Communist leaders, aimed largely towards serving the needs he perceived to exist in his country. Stalin’s government in dealing with China and Chinese communists, therefore, was more concerned with Soviet national security than with the fulfillment of the international communist revolution. Soviet-Chinese Relations Under Lenin Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik party and the Revolution of 1917 which ushered in communist rule in Russia, believed firmly in the idea of a world revolution and the eventual victory of the International Soviet Republic. Lenin, in making contact with the government in Peking, expressed that â€Å"The Chinese revolution will lead to revolution throughout the entire East, and will bring finally the downfall of world imperialism.† On May 4, 1919 Chinese students and intellectuals demonstrated against what they viewed as pro-Japanese sentiments in the Peking government during what became known as the May Fourth Movement. Moscow began monitoring the situation in China with hopes of fostering a communist movement. In 1921 a meeting was held in Shanghai in which a new party, the Chinese Comm... ...he Soviet Experiment: Russia, the USSR, and the Successor States. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Articles Chen, Jian. â€Å"Working Paper #1: The Sino-Soviet Alliance and China's Entry into the Korean War.† Cold War International History Project Virtual Archive. 1 Jun. 1992. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. 30 March 2003. . Chapters in edited books Jun, Niu. â€Å"The Orgins of the Sino-Soviet Alliance,† in Westad, Odd Arne, ed. Brothers In Arms: The Rise and Fall of the Sino-Soviet Alliance, 1945-1963. Washington D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1998. Westad, Odd Arne. â€Å"Introduction,† in Westad, Odd Arne, ed. Brothers In Arms: The Rise and Fall of the Sino-Soviet Alliance, 1945-1963. Washington D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1998.

SCHIZOPHRENIA Essay -- essays research papers

Psychological behaviors occur in so many people. A lot of them don’t realize that they have a disorder, or a particular behavior, until someone points it out. Many people have disorders. In humans there are two types of main disorders and just to do a brief analysis on them. They are biological and psychological for the biological it is a disease of the body that can be cured by altering the body. The biological involves the use of the medical model that works with genes, hormones, neurons and the chemistry of the brain. Psychopathology can be caused by a human’s disordered mental life, and mental illness can be cured by helping to change behavior, emotion and thought. The three causes of abnormalities that I am going to talk about are biological, psychological, and sociocultural. I am going to start by talking about the biological causes starting with genetic inheritance, medical conditions, exposure to bad environment, and brain damage. The psychological one are trau matic life experiences, learned associations, faulty ways of thinking, and distorted perceptions. The sociocultural ones are stated as disturbances in intimate relationships and problems in extended relationships, political or social unrest, and discrimination towards one’s social group. The early approaches of abnormal behavior are animism that abnormal behavior is a possession by evil or demons. This was treated by trephination this is where holes where made in the head so the evils spirits can escape from th...

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 23

Dante wasn't around when I got home, nor was he reachable by phone. That relieved me of any guilt I had about going out with Seth, meaning my only other obstacle was the accusatory look Roman gave me when we parted. I had no idea how he would spend his evening, and honestly, I didn't really want to know. The problem Seth and I had with going out was that we pretty much had to avoid the city. We knew people in the suburbs too, but the odds of running into anyone were a lot smaller. The rainy weather Roman and I had experienced in the afternoon had blown over, and we suddenly found ourselves in semi-warm conditions that made it almost possible to go without a coat. I would have read the fortuitous weather as a divine blessing, if not for the fact that I'd given up on such beliefs long ago. To my astonishment, though, Seth said he wanted to go downtown and felt pretty confident we wouldn't be spotted. He drove us over to Belltown, parking underneath one of the many high-rise apartment buildings that seemed to be sprouting up there every day. A mysterious key let him inside, and the elevator took us all the way to the top floor. â€Å"What is this?† I asked when we entered a sprawling penthouse suite. It kind of made me wonder if I should have been setting my real estate aspirations in a different direction. I gave him a startled look. â€Å"You don't own this, do you?† Seth having a secret vacation home wasn't entirely improbable. â€Å"Belongs to someone I know who's out of town. I called in a favor.† â€Å"You have friends I don't know?† He gave me A Look, and I let the matter go. Besides, the place was so beautiful that I had plenty of distraction. The colors were all done in shades of navy and gray, and the furniture was plush and expensive. I especially liked the fact that the walls were decorated with huge reproductions of pre-Raphaelite work. Nowadays, abstract art was the trendy way to go, and it was nice to see something a little different. â€Å"Wait'll you see the rest,† said Seth, beckoning me out to the balcony. Or, well, â€Å"balcony† was the closest word I could come up with. It was practically half the size of my apartment and faced west, showing part of downtown's glittering array of lights and all of Puget Sound. I stared in wonder, watching a ferry move across the dark expanse of water. â€Å"Wow.† That about summed it up. We stood there for a few moments, and Seth's arm slipped around me. This high up, the unseasonable warmth had turned to seasonable gusts and coldness. I shivered, and Seth draped me in a blanket that had been neatly folded on a wrought-iron chair. â€Å"Have a seat,† he said. â€Å"I'll be back with dinner.† I grinned at the gallantry and sat at an ornate, candlelit glass table that still allowed me to take in the view. Waiting for Seth, I felt all sorts of strange feelings stir to life within me. This was it, I realized. I didn't know how I knew, but this was the end of whatever it was that we had right now. Maybe something new would take its place. Maybe we'd never have anything again. Regardless, this moment was crystallized in time for me. Nothing like it would ever come again. Dinner turned out to be an array of tapenade and bread, as well as-to my shock-a bottle of wine. â€Å"Is that whole thing for me?† I asked. He shook his head. â€Å"I'll have a glass.† â€Å"What? Starbucks, now this?† I peered at the bottle to make sure it wasn't some kind of weird alcohol-free kind. Nope. â€Å"It's a special occasion,† he said with a smile, and I knew he'd gotten the same vibe that I had, that this was the end of something. â€Å"Besides, how can I live out the Rubaiyat if I don't have all the accoutrements?† â€Å"Of course. Your uber-romantic date would be based on a poem.† I could already see him getting into quotation mode. He cleared his throat to speak. â€Å"Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse-and Thou Beside me singing in the Wilderness- And Wilderness is paradise enow.† I tsked. â€Å"You've got the bread, wine, and me†¦but no bough. And hardly the wilderness.† â€Å"It's the urban jungle,† he argued. â€Å"And no book of verse,† I continued, liking my contrary role. Then I reconsidered. â€Å"Although, I did finish All Fools Night .† Seth's expression immediately grew serious. â€Å"And?† â€Å"You already know. It was beautiful.† â€Å"No, I don't. It's a mystery every time-no pun intended. The words come out, but in the end†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged. â€Å"You never know how they'll be received, what people will think. I'm always kind of surprised.† â€Å"What did the opening quote mean? The Kate Bush lyrics about making a deal with God?† â€Å"You should hear the cover of that song that Placebo did. It'll blow you away.† Seth gave me a knowing look. â€Å"You think there's some hidden meaning?† â€Å"There's always a hidden meaning. You added it in after you met me, didn't you?† â€Å"Yeah†¦I mean, it relates to the book obviously†¦to O'Neill's revelation at the end. But I guess it relates to us too.† His eyes drifted away, lost in the vista around us. â€Å"I don't know. We've had to deal with so many complications. We're still dealing with them. And what can we do? Nothing-well, unless we take your side's point of view and make deals with the devil. But why? Why can't we make deals with God?† â€Å"People do all the time. ‘God, if you do this for me, I promise to be good.' Stuff like that.† â€Å"Yeah, but I don't see any contracts like you guys have. No hard evidence that it works.† If I wasn't mistaken, there was a little bitterness in his voice. â€Å"How come we can only get the things we want by being bad? Why can't we get them by being good?† â€Å"I'll ask Carter the next time I see him,† I said dryly. â€Å"But I have a feeling he'd say goodness is its own reward.† We'd picked over the tapenade by now but hardly touched the wine. His claims aside, I wasn't sure Seth had even sipped his. He turned back toward me. â€Å"You and I aren't being very good, are we?† he asked. That was an understatement. â€Å"You and I are the victims of unfortunate timing.† I paused. â€Å"And a lot of other unfortunate things.† â€Å"Would have been a lot simpler if this stasis thing had happened when we were dating. Or if we'd just given in then.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"No way. I don't care if this is a mess. It's worth it that I didn't end up hurting you.† You spared him physical pain , a nasty voice inside me taunted. But what about Maddie? Pain isn't always physical, you of all people know that. What about the heartache you've caused her? I ignored the voice. â€Å"I don't care,† said Seth. â€Å"I would have done it. I would have sold my soul for you. You and me†¦I told you. Something's always going to keep us near each other†¦even if we aren't together.† I rose from my chair and sat on his lap, wrapping my arms around him and wondering how it was possible that my heart was both swelling and breaking at the same time. I leaned my head against his shoulder. â€Å"I love you,† I said softly. â€Å"And I forgive you.† Something weird about those words made me shiver, as though I'd never said them to anyone. â€Å"And I understand now why you did what you did.† I didn't elaborate on the â€Å"what.† I didn't need to. Seth kissed my cheek. â€Å"Do you ever feel like†¦we're reliving this moment over and over?† I thought about our troubled past. â€Å"If we are, I don't want to worry about it. Not right now.† I think he was going to say more, possibly even correct me, but I didn't give him a chance. I kissed him, and like every other time, it was sweet and powerful and the most right thing in the world. We wrapped ourselves together, and somehow, despite the cold weather, we got enough clothes off and made love with the wind whipping our hair and the stars shining down on us. And like that first time, I still had that sense that we weren't close enough. Even when our bodies joined and he moved in me, it still felt like I could never, ever be close enough to him. Maybe it was this mystical connection he kept talking about. Or maybe it was just a metaphor for our lot in life. We sat together for a long time afterward, draped in blankets and saying little. I wanted to stay there all night. Forever, even. In this affair, it was the one thing we hadn't done: spend the night together after sex. We always had to part and go on to the rest of our lives. He finally dropped me off at my car, and we kissed for a long time before I could finally extricate myself. Seth ran his hand along my cheek and hair, reluctant to let me go. I shared the sentiment. â€Å"What will you do now?† he asked. â€Å"I don't know. One more search tomorrow, I guess. If there's even time. I expect Ephraim to name somebody any minute now.† Seth nodded, eyes dark and thoughtful. â€Å"Well, if you need company again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I smiled, unsure if that was a smart idea or not, but it wasn't a decision I wanted to make tonight. I didn't know if I wanted the balcony to be our last moment together in this fling or if I wanted to cling to another few precious seconds, even on the beach. â€Å"I'll let you know,† I promised. I kissed him one last time and then left to find my own car. I had just unlocked it when a voice spoke to me out of the darkness. â€Å"Can you give me a lift?† I sighed. I really didn't like the way everyone could sneak up on me lately. Of course, with Carter's sick sense of humor, I wasn't entirely shocked. He'd lurked while hiding his aura plenty of times in the past because he liked the element of surprise. Still. I didn't even have a fighting chance now. I opened my door. â€Å"Sorry. I don't pick up hitchhikers.† Undeterred, he slid into the passenger seat and put on his seat belt. â€Å"Did you have a good evening, madam?† He spoke in an old-fashioned, genteel sort of way. â€Å"Don't take that tone with me.† â€Å"What tone? I was being polite.† â€Å"You know exactly what I've been doing, so don't act like you're making pleasant conversation.† â€Å"Why are they mutually exclusive?† I refused to look at him. â€Å"I don't want to be judged.† â€Å"Am I judging you? Sounds more like you're judging yourself, which really, is the way it should be. The best jury of your peers that you'll ever find is†¦well, you. Only you know what you're capable of and what you want to be.† â€Å"Did you find me just to delve into the philosophy of my morals?† I grumbled. â€Å"Nah,† he said. â€Å"Whenever I find you, I just sort of go with this free-form thing and see where the mood takes me.† â€Å"Maybe the mood could take you to Jerome.† â€Å"That's your quest, not mine. Any luck?† Again, I faced that dilemma. Who could I tell what? Grace, Roman†¦so many players on the board now and no clear opponent. â€Å"Some,† I said at last. â€Å"Oh-ho,† he laughed. â€Å"You could be an angel with an answer like that.† â€Å"Well, I don't think it's going to be enough to find Jerome, not unless a miracle happens.† The drive was short. I pulled up outside my building, getting a lucky front spot. Carter turned and winked at me. â€Å"Well, you know my take on those. Thanks for the lift.† â€Å"Wait,† I said, realizing he was about to teleport away. â€Å"I have a question.† He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"How come when mortals want things, their only option is to make a deal with Hell and sell their soul? Why can't they make deals with God in exchange for good behavior?† It was another of those rare moments when I'd surprised Carter. I waited for the glib answer I'd mentioned to Seth, something along the lines of goodness being its own reward. The angel considered for several seconds. â€Å"Humans make those deals all the time,† he said finally. â€Å"They just don't make them with God.† â€Å"Then who are they making them with?† I exclaimed. â€Å"Themselves.† He vanished. â€Å"Fucking angels,† I muttered. I arrived in my apartment only minutes before Dante showed up. â€Å"Oh, I'm in luck,† he said, seeing me on the couch with Aubrey. â€Å"You seem to always be busy lately.† I felt a small pang of guilt at what I'd done tonight. A lie was still a lie, no matter who you were lying to. â€Å"I'm saving Seattle,† I explained, making room for him beside me. He sat down, clean-shaven for a change and looking good in his usual jeans, thermal shirt, watch, and boots. His insecurity was driving him to buy me gifts lately, but I realized I'd need to step it up and get him some wardrobe variety once all this madness ended. â€Å"And how's that going exactly?† Everyone kept asking me that. Seth. Carter. Dante. And my answer was lame each time. â€Å"Not so great, actually. I think tomorrow'll be the day it all resolves, and Jerome's going to be lost forever. Even if he's not, it'll be too late for him to get his old position back. His best-case scenario'll be someone's lieutenant in northern Michigan.† Dante put his arm around me and his feet on my coffee table. â€Å"Well, succubus, don't take this wrong way, but I'll be glad when this is over, new archdemon or no. I'm tired of you being stressed all the time, and I'm tired of not getting any face time with you.† He toyed with the strands of my hair. â€Å"I'm also kind of tired of how frizzy this is. Isn't there some product you can use?† â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Not funny. What happened to internal beauty?† He seemed undaunted. â€Å"You've got plenty of that. I just want the whole package. Besides, the look on your face was great when I said that.† His hand slipped from around my waist to trace patterns between my hip and thigh. It wasn't overtly sexual but I had a feeling that between that and his good mood-which I was happy for, don't get me wrong-there was an amorous advance in my future. â€Å"Will you read my cards?† I asked abruptly. He gave me a shocked look. â€Å"Tarot cards?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"You know that's all bullshit.† â€Å"It is when you bend the truth for your clients. Please? Just do a quick one.† â€Å"Fine. I'll give you a card-of-the-day one. All the mysteries of the universe in one card.† I could hear the eye roll in his voice as he got up to get his cards out of his satchel. He usually kept them on him in the event of an impromptu client opportunity. â€Å"Don't lie to me,† I warned. â€Å"I know more than your clients.† â€Å"Wouldn't dream of it,† he said, deftly shuffling the cards. I'd seen him scam clients plenty of times, telling them what they wanted to hear. Seeing as I didn't know what I wanted, I supposed that excluded me from that category. After the cards were thoroughly randomized, he had me cut them, and then he neatly restacked them. â€Å"Draw.† I took the first card off the top and flipped it over. â€Å"Fuck.† The Five of Cups. Spilled chalices. Lost hopes and dreams. Dante affirmed as much. â€Å"Disappointment's ahead, the loss of something you had. It can be a failure or inability to resolve a recurring problem. Pretty typical reading for you.† â€Å"What's that supposed to mean?† â€Å"Doom and gloom always surround you. I didn't make up that palm reading for you.† That had been even worse than this. â€Å"It's probably just verifying that Jerome's gone for good-if you even want to believe in this. And, hey, look.† He tapped the card. â€Å"One cup stayed upright. Not all hope is lost.† I wondered about that as I thought about losing Seth and the man in the dream. I wondered also if Roman was right, if it was true that I wouldn't know what to do if I ever was actually happy. As I suspected, Dante did make sexual moves on me, but I demurred as I had all week. I knew it didn't matter at this point. My cups had emptied, and the ride with Seth was over. Yet, our time on the balcony had been so sweet and so powerful that once again, I couldn't be with someone else after an encounter like that. Soon enough my sex life with Dante would return to normal-but not tonight. He didn't seem angry at being turned down, so much as hurt. I felt a little bad about that but realized I'd rather feel guilty about betraying him than Seth. Dante was up and gone before me the next morning, but Roman was sitting in my living room eating cereal and generally making himself at home. He had to know I was standing there, but he kept his eyes on the morning news. When he finished the cereal, he clicked for Aubrey and set the bowl down for her. â€Å"Hey,† I said, scooping it up. â€Å"Milk's bad for cats.† â€Å"You need to let her live a little,† he protested, still watching the news. â€Å"So what's the plan today?† â€Å"I don't know. I'm still in stasis, so I guess that gives us time. Want to throw a dart at the map and go somewhere?† I gestured to the atlas of the Pacific Northwest lying on my coffee table. â€Å"Might be the most productive method we've tried,† he mused. He had that light tone he often used, but I could hear the disappointment too. It was still a mystery to me as to why he'd be so into helping find Jerome. It was a mystery best solved with coffee, I decided, and while the pot brewed, I rummaged for my own breakfast. I unearthed Pop-Tarts and again wondered about weight gain. â€Å"Um, Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"If you're asking if you can feed her anything else, the answer is no.† â€Å"You need to come see this.† His voice was deadly earnest. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I hurried back into the living room. Roman pointed at the TV. â€Å"You have got to be kidding me,† I groaned. The Army of Darkness had struck again. We were watching a Seattle station, but apparently, this north-of-the-border escapade had been deemed newsworthy. The prank had actually taken place over in Victoria, a city on an island just west of Vancouver but still in British Columbia. There were some very famous and very beautiful gardens there, and the Army had apparently broken in at night and done their best to clip a pentagram into a huge expanse of bushes. They'd enhanced it with spray paint. â€Å"Jesus Christ,† I muttered. The pentagram job was bad, but the group had been savvy enough to get out of there without being caught. One shot of a courtyard there showed where they'd spray-painted: ALL HAIL THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS . â€Å"Glad to see they haven't lost their touch,† Roman said wryly. I sank down onto the couch beside him, my mind spinning. Why? Why now? I'd toyed with the theory that the Army's activities had been an absurdly elaborate distraction to take everyone's attention away from Seattle. By that reasoning, their shenanigans should have stopped once Jerome was summoned. Yet here they were again. Had they acted on their own, just for the fun of it? Had Blake discovered a spray-paint sale? Or had Grace directed them again-and if so, why? Most of their other activities had lined up with some other significant part of the seal's creation or Jerome's summoning. Without wasting another moment, I picked up my cell and called Cedric. I actually got through to him rather than Kristin. â€Å"What?† he demanded when he answered. â€Å"This is Georgina. I just saw the news.† â€Å"Look, I do not have the time for you. In fact, you're the last person I want to talk to right now, seeing as how none of this would have happened if you'd done your job in the first place.† â€Å"Yeah, yeah, I know, but listen†¦was anything important going on today?† His voice was incredulous. â€Å"What, you mean aside from those idiots embarrassing me again ?† â€Å"No, I mean†¦any events or, I don't know†¦just anything important, um, demonically†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Well, if you consider my evaluation with Ephraim important, then yes.† The sarcasm dripped through the phone. I froze. â€Å"Thank you. That's all I needed to know.† He actually seemed surprised by that. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Yeah, no, wait-when I talked to Kristin the other day, she said that you came to Seattle the day Jerome was summoned, but then Ephraim said when you got here, he was already gone. Is that true?† â€Å"Yes, of course. Do you doubt him?† â€Å"No, no†¦just making sure I heard right. And you were in Seattle for a while?† â€Å"Yeah, was with Grace and Mei dealing with the aftermath. Look, if you want to track my activities, wait until Kristin's back in the office.† He sighed in frustration. â€Å"Fuck. I wish she was here now.† I hesitated, then figured I couldn't make things worse. â€Å"Hey, just some friendly advice†¦but the next time you're looking at Match. com or asking out succubi, why don't you look a little closer to home?† â€Å"What the hell are you talking about?† â€Å"Kristin. If you're looking for someone who ‘gets' you, you've already got her. See you later.† I hung up before I could hear his response. Roman gave me a bemused look. â€Å"Are you matchmaking in the middle of this crisis?† â€Å"Just doing a good deed.† I tossed my cell phone from hand to hand, thinking. â€Å"Okay, so. The Army did a prank today-while Ephraim was interviewing Cedric. Not good for Cedric.† â€Å"Which is going to ruin his candidacy for Seattle.† â€Å"Likely, even though he claims he doesn't want it. Still, it makes sense that Grace would have them do it today†¦ if she had them do it and they didn't act randomly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged. â€Å"Makes sense, but what's it matter? You already know she's got a role in this. All this does is clear him.† I frowned. I had the same sense I had the other day while analyzing the cult's activities, like I was so close but couldn't grasp all the threads. Against my better judgment, I dialed Evan. He flipped out when he realized it was me. â€Å"Georgina! We've been wondering what happened to you. Man, you will not believe what we did today, it was this-â€Å" â€Å"I already know,† I interrupted. â€Å"It was on the news down here.† â€Å"What? Holy shit. Hey! You guys!† I pulled the phone away as he yelled at whoever was with him. â€Å"We made the Seattle news!† A moment later he returned to me. â€Å"Wow, that's awesome. International recognition!† â€Å"Look, Evan. I need to know something. Did the Angel actually tell you to do this? And when I say that, I mean, did she actually appear in one of those visions or did you presume she wanted this?† â€Å"She was here. Told us to leave our mark at Butchart Gardens, so the world would know her glory. Cool too, since you know, it's a powerful place and all. No wonder it's having such far-reaching effects.† â€Å"Powerful place†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My fist closed around all the threads. â€Å"Evan, listen to me. Are you familiar with other places of power around you?† I'd always dismissed this group's arcane knowledge, never considering they might know a few things about the unseen world. â€Å"Of course.† Roman's eyes were fixed on me so hard, I thought they'd shoot lasers right through me. He could tell I was on to something. I took a deep breath. â€Å"Do you know of any place up there that's by a beach-on the ocean-that has white rocks or gravel or sand or anything like that? That's infused with power?† â€Å"White rocks?† he asked. There was a few second's silence. â€Å"Well†¦there's White Rock.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"It's this town that has, well, a giant white rock. Some kind of glacial thing, but the Indians thought it came from the gods or something. Always been a holy place.† â€Å"White Rock,† I repeated flatly. â€Å"Yup.† No, no. It could not be that obvious. Balancing the phone with one hand, I opened the atlas with the other and flipped to the section on British Columbia. There it was, on the coast, just barely north of the American border. White Rock. â€Å"Son of a bitch,† I said.

Diabetes mellitus, Essay

Since diabetes is such a complex disease with many different forms, we decided to focus on diabetes type I. This is known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). This type of diabetes includes people who are dependant on injections of insulin on a daily basis in order to satisfy the bodies insulin needs, they cannot survive without these injections. OVERVIEW OF DIABETES TYPE I What is diabetes type I? In order to understand the disease we firstly need to know about insulin. Insulin is a hormone. The role of insulin is to convert the food we eat into various useful substances, discarding everything that is wasteful. It is the job of insulin to see that the useful substances are put to best use for our well-being. The useful substances are used for building cells, are made ready for immediate expenditure as energy and also stored for later energy expenditure. The cause of diabetes is an absolute or lack of the hormone insulin. As a result of this lack of insulin the processes that involve converting the foods we eat into various useful substances does not occur. Insulin comes from the beta cells which are located in the pancreas. In the case of diabetes type I almost all of the beta cells have been destroyed. Therefore daily injections of insulin become essential to life. Health implications of diabetes type I One of the products that is of vital importance in our bodies is glucose, a simple carbohydrate sugar which is needed by virtually every part of our body as fuel to function. Insulin controls the amount of glucose distributed to vital organs and also the muscles. In diabetics due to the lack of insulin and therefore the control of glucose given to different body parts they face death if they don’t inject themselves with insulin daily. Since strict monitoring of diabetes is needed for the control of the disease, little room is left for carelessness. As a result diabetic patients are susceptible to many other diseases and serious conditions if a proper course of treatment is not followed. Other diseases a diabetic is open to: Cardiovascular disease, stroke, Peripheral artery disease, gangrene, kidney disease, blindness, hypertension, nerve damage, impotence etc. Basically there is an increased incident of infection in diabetic sufferers. Therefore special care needs to be taken to decrease the chances of getting these other serious diseases. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY What is physical activity? (Bouchard 1988) States that physical activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles resulting in energy expenditure. Therefore this includes sports and leisure activities of all forms. Why do we need physical activity in our lives? Physical activity and exercise helps tune the â€Å"human machine†, our bodies. Imagine a car constantly driven only to stop for fuel. It would be a client for all sorts of damage, rusting, oil leaking, dehydration and the chances are most likely it would die in the middle of the road not long after. This is what the body would be like if we didn’t exercise at all. We would be and as a result of todays lifestyle many of us are, the perfect target to all kinds of diseases and infections. For those of us who are carrier of some disease or illness we are still encouraged to exercise by our physicians if we have the strength to. This is to help make our organs, muscles, bones and arteries more efficient and better equipped to fight against the disease or illness. This is our way of counter attacking. And if we are still healthy then we reduce the chances of getting an illness or a disease. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND DIABETES (EPIDEMIOLOGY) Recently insulin injections have become available to dependant patients. However in the pre-insulin era physical exercise was one of the few therapies available to physicians in combating diabetes. For an IDDM carrier to benefit from exercise they need to be well aware of their body and the consequences of exercising. If an IDDM carrier has no real control over their situation and just exercise without considering their diet, time of insulin intake, type of exercise, duration of the exercise and the intensity, then the results can be very hazardous to the patient. In the first journal article that I used for this part of the research (Sutton 1981) had conducted an investigation on â€Å"drugs used in metabolic disorders†. The article is designed to provide some background information on previous beliefs and research conducted early this century. As well as his own investigations conducted during the beginning of the 1980’s. He has compared the results and came to the same conclusion as the investigations done early in this century. Sutton’s findings show that decrease in blood glucose following an insulin injection was magnified when the insulin was followed by physical activity/exercise (see figure 1). This shows that if a person gets involved in physical activity or exercise after insulin the volume of glucose drops dramatically. This leads to symptoms of hypoglycemia. The reason this occurs is that glucose uptake by muscles increase during exercise, in spite of no change or even a diminishing plasma insulin concentration. As a result of this type of information we know now that if a patient is not controlled through a good diet and program then they could put themselves in danger. A person who might be poorly maintained and ketotic will become even more ketotic and hypoglycimic. Good nutrition is of great importance to any individual especially one that exercises. In the case of diabetes even more consideration must go into the selection of food before and after exercise. Doctors suggest large intakes of carbohydrates before exercise for diabetes carriers to meet the glucose needs of the muscles. The second article that I used was that of Konen, et al. He and his colleagues conducted testing and research on â€Å"changes in diabetic urinary and transferrin excretion after moderate exercise†. This article was a report of the way the research was conducted and it’s findings. The researched found that urinary proteins, particularly albumin, increase in urinary excretion after moderate exercise. Albumin which is associated with micro- and macrovascular diseases in diabetic patience was found to increase significantly in IDDM patients, while remaining normal in non-diabetics. (See table 1 and 2 for results) These results cannot be conclusive to say that this shows that exercise causes other micro- and macrovascular diseases in diabetics. Since albumin is not associated with any disease in non-diabetics then the same may be the case for diabetics as well. However further research is required to find out why such a significant increase occurs in diabetic patients and what it really means. It obvious that there are many very complicated issues associated with diabetes which cannot be explained at this stage. Therefore much more research is required and it’s only a matter of time for these complications to resolved. Although there are no firm evidence to suggest that exercise will improve or worsen diabetes still it is recommended by physicians. Aristotle and the Indian physician, Sushruta, suggested the use of exercise in the treatment of diabetic patients as early as 600 B.C. And during late last century and early this century many physician claimed that the need for insulin decreased in exercising patients. The benefits of exercise in non-diabetic individuals is well known. For example reduce the risk of heart disease. This makes exercise very important to diabetic carriers since they are at a greater risk of getting heart disease than non-diabetics. Unquestionably, it’s important for diabetics to optimise cardiovascular and pulmonary parameters as it is for non-diabetic individual. Improved fitness can improve one’s sense of well-being and ability to cope with physical and psychological stresses that can be aggravated in diabetes.

Organizational Risks & Mitigation Methods Essay

As per our discussion last week I’ve prepared this memo that outlines the risks that CWTI faces and methods of mitigation for those risks. The goal of this exercise is to have a starting point for establishing a risk management process within CWTI. Below I’ve identified risks and provided suggested methods of mitigation for each. I’d like to point out that while most of these risks have more than one potential mitigation method, I chose to present the method I believe would be most successful for CWTI. 1.)Risk of fluctuation in foreign exchange rates –USD receivables Mitigate using control method ie. forward contracts, hedging etc. 2.)Risk of fluctuation in interest rates – USD loan Mitigate using control method ie. forward contracts, hedging etc. 3.)Risk of supply shortage/delay due to truck breakdowns Mitigate using diversification ie. Have alternative options of transportation readily available 4.)Risk of losing major customer Mitigate using diversification ie. Try to gain other customers in need of timber 5.)Risk of losing timber licenses Mitigate using control technique ie. Establish strong internal controls regarding the requirement to clear and replant and ensure to measure controls. 6.)Risk of non-compliance with national stock exchange requirements Mitigate using control technique ie. Establish strong internal controls regarding compliance requirements for stock exchange. 7.)Risk of inventory shrinkage due to theft, damage Mitigate using sharing/transferring technique ie. Purchase insurance for buildup of inventory 8.)Risk of supply delay if sawmill equipment goes down, staff turnover/lack of skilled staff Mitigate using diversification technique ie. Have alternative options of production in the event either of these occur 9.)Risk of delay/damage/lost shipment to overseas market Mitigate using sharing/transferring technique ie. Purchase additional insurance that would cover this 10.) Risk of timber market/supply – what if something happens to forest? Fire, bug infestation Mitigate using diversification ie. Find other supplies of timber 11.) Risk of reputation – environmental groups if CWTI doesn’t live up to the clearing/replanting requirement Mitigate using control ie. Establish strong internal controls to ensure all clearing/replanting requirements are being fulfilled. 12.) Risk of not meeting financial obligations due to delayed/infrequent receivables – CWTI operates year round but majority of payment only gets received around December & January (based on 60/90 day terms) Mitigate using diversification ie. Find more new customers that require timber throughout the year to balance the cash flow. We can further discuss other mitigation methods should you please. I look forward to your feedback.

Cosmopolis: a World of Subjective Reality Essay

Cosmopolis, written in the spirit of post modernity, rejects the idea of an ordered universe with one objective reality. This novel asserts that reality is instead subjective, and as human beings while we all experience the same one world ,but we each perceive this experience differently, and therefore we all live in different worlds. In this paper using quotes from Cosmopolis, I will explain how Don DeLillo uses dialogue and the actions of characters to construct his argument for subjective reality, and how his theory of subjective reality relates to the real world. Before I begin quoting Cosmopolis, I will briefly explain the modern definition of subjective reality. The idea of subjective reality asserts that reality and of the â€Å"truths† in the universe changes between individuals. Meaning, although there may be objective truths in the universe, each person perceives these truths and experiences them differently, and because of everyone’s own unique perspective of the world, each lives in their own world existing in an altered state of objective reality. Cosmopolis is littered with dialogue where the characters are talking about subjective reality. You could almost randomly flip to any page in the novel and find that someone is talking about subjective reality. It was obvious to me that Don DeLillo purposefully wrote this dialogue adding an argument for the existence of subjective reality. Although one could argue I read the novel looking for people talking about subjective reality and that in reality it is all in my head, for the purposes of this paper I am going to assume Don DeLillo purposely wrote Cosmopolis as an argument for subjective reality. One of the first lines of dialogue which I encountered that got me to thinking about subjective reality is near the very beginning of the novel when Eric is in the limo talking with Shiner. Shiner asks Eric why they were in the car instead of the office to which Eric replies, â€Å"how do you know we’re in the car instead of the office† (15). This quote is a perfect example of one of the aspects of subjective reality: that a person can never truly be sure of where they are, and that no matter where they actually are, they can choose to be somewhere else. Eric is in a way challenging Shiner to prove both that they are in a car and that they are not in an office. However, these are impossible things to prove, because a person can chose to be wherever they want to be regardless of actual physical position. Ideal to subjective reality, Shiner doesn’t even attempt to answer Eric’s question, because he knows he can’t prove either arguments. Plus, the fact that Eric chooses to turn his limo into an office shows that even though Eric knows his car is not an office, he makes it into an office merely just by acting as if it is an office. Like Eric, Beeno Levin is another character in Cosmopolis who understands the nature of subjective reality. As he is writing he beings to talk about what he sees in other people and what that means, saying â€Å"it is what people think they see in another person that makes his reality. If they think he walks at a slant, then he walks at a slant, uncoordinated, because this is his role in the lives around him† (57). Beeno is making two assertions on the nature of people in reality. Firstly, Beeno is asserting that no matter what a person actually does, it is what you think they do that is reality. Meaning, in his example, whether a man walks with a slant or not, if you think he walks with a slant, then he walks with a slant. Secondly, when he says, about the man, that â€Å"this is his role in the lives around him†, he means that to him the man who walks with a slant is nothing but the man who walks with the slant. In Beeno’s life the role of the man is to do nothing but walk around with a slant. Whether the man does anything other than walking with a slant, such as being an accountant or having children, to Beeno he can never be any of those things, because he is merely the man who walks with a slant. The man can never be anything else unless Beeno chooses to see him that way. Near the end of Beeno’s monologue he also thinks that â€Å"world is supposed to mean something that’s self-contained. But nothing is self-contained. Everything enters something else. My small days spill into light years† (60). Here he is making another assertion on the nature of reality and how it relates to the world. When he says the world is self-contained he is challenging the idea that the â€Å"truths† in the world can be separated and neatly pushed into categories. He asserts that in reality the elements of the world cannot be separated and everything is melting into everything else. There are actually no boundaries because one can perceive the world and anything could be anything else, for example, a limo can be an office. Here in this next quote the characters actually start to directly discuss reality. At this point in the story Eric and one of his advisors, Kinski, are chatting in the limo during the protest. Kinski baits Eric, asking him what the flaw of human rationality is. When he asks what, she answers replying that â€Å"it pretends not to see the horror and death at the end of the schemes it builds† (91). Ironically, she is asserting that human rationality isn’t even concerned with being accurate to reality. Human rationality strives to create its own deluded reality outside of what might actually be happening, such as in this example the evils of capitalism. It is deluded, ignoring the facts and believing whatever it wants to believe, such as the disparity between the rich and poor in the United States. Although Kinski, in this context, is only commenting on humans as a whole, this idea can be applied to human rationality on an individual basis. An individual may delude themselves in the same way, for example Eric continues to lose money on the Yen even though all evidence is telling him he should cut his losses and pull out. He is deluded in ignoring the facts, rejecting what he sees, and formulating his own new reality where he doesn’t pull out and makes a lot of money off the Yen. Some of my favorite moments in Cosmopolis are during the last scene when Beeno shoots Eric. The two of them seem to understand each other, and even hold some of the same beliefs, such as the subjective nature of reality. At one point, Beeno is convinced that his penis is shrinking and receding into his body, while Eric tries to convince him that is not true. Beeno says, â€Å"whether I imagine a thing or not, it’s real to me† (192). Eric asks been to prove it is true by showing him, and Beeno refuses saying, â€Å"I don’t have to look. There are folk beliefs. There are epidemics that happen. Men in the thousands, in real fear and pain† (192). Beeno is asserting something new this time. He has already asserted that a person can look at something, such as the man with the slant, and see anything they want to see (a man walking with a slant), whether that is actually what they are looking at. But now, he is asserting a man can look at nothing and see something that isn’t even visibly there. This is even further into subjective reality, it is one thing to say something can be something that is not, but it is entirely different to say that nothing can be something. Beeno even tries to support his belief that his sex organ is receding into his body with two different arguments. The first is that other men have experienced it, and therefore it is a real thing. The second one is that thousands of other men also fear it, and that it is a â€Å"real† fear. This argument is based on the idea that the very fear itself of something happening is just as real as if it were actually happening. This is another element of subjective reality. Beeno fears that something is happening to his body, even though he knows he can’t see it, but this very fear itself makes it real to him whether or not it is actually happening. During the climax of the novel, Eric begins to belittle Beeno by telling him that he doesn’t even have a good, admirable reason to kill him, that Beeno is just another whack job killing someone just because; â€Å"No. Your crime had no conscience. You haven’t been driven to do it by some oppressive social force. How I hate to be reasonable. You’re not against the rich. Nobody’s against the rich. Everybody’s ten seconds from being rich. Or so everybody thought . No. Your crime is in your head† (196). Here Eric is trying to tear down Beeno’s righteous justification for killing Eric. Eric is saying that Beeno isn’t killing Eric for the greater good of society, getting rid of a bad power-driven rich person, Beeno is just killing Eric just because. Eric asserts Beeno’s own motives are all in his head, that Beeno is deluded and doesn’t actually know why he is killing Eric, he is just doing it. This is a very odd turn. At the beginning of this novel Eric has been a perfect spokesperson for subjective reality, but here he seems to be playing devil’s advocate by trying to tear down Beeno’s arguments. I wondered why Eric would make such a sudden change, but after finishing the book I believe it is clear Eric isn’t actually trying to tear down subjective reality, he is just saying whatever he can to buy time and possibly not die. One of my good friends from primary school used to say that when he died the world would end. His names is Martin, and he is a genius. I am not a genius, but I enjoyed a lot of philosophical conversations with Martin nevertheless. I was really surprised when I came across exactly the same thing in this novel. It is right at the beginning when Eric first gets up and is getting ready to leave. He is lamenting his insomnia and thinks â€Å"when he died he would not end, the world would end† (6). I believe this quote embodies the spirit of subjective reality. If reality exists on an individual basis, and is only inside the mind of every person, then logically it would follow that when that person dies their reality, their world would end too. Possibly the most perfect aspect of this novel is the way Don DeLillo parallels this quote with the structure of the story. When Eric is about to be shot, it is obvious that he is going to die, however the novel ends with just his thoughts right before Beeno kills him. Nothing follows, that is the end of the story. How perfect that the novel ends with the very last thought of Eric! It makes absolute sense that the novel would end when Eric dies, because as already stated he wouldn’t end when he died, the world would end. Postmodernism encourages experiment in literature, and Don DeLillo takes full advantage of this. As an American I was always taught there were rules and truths that ruled the Universe. That reality was always objective and one merely has to interpret it correctly. Objective reality is the idea crucial to the success of religious and political systems. Every religion claims to be the one true religion, and without the claim of objective reality these religions would fail. This is also very much true in political, ethnocentricity being a perfect example of the effects of people believing there is an objective reality to the universe. In conclusion, Don DeLillo argues for the existence of subjective reality in his novel Cosmopolis. He utilizes the dialogue and the actions of the main characters to debate this idea and highlight crucial elements of the theory. In this paper I have analyzed several quotations from different scenes in the novel, explaining how each quotation represents an aspect of subjective reality. Subjective reality may have sounded like a crazy idea in the past, but now as we live in post modernity, subjective reality is quickly gaining acceptance.