Drug trafficking a global issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Drug trafficking a global issue - Research Paper Example It is understandable that this illegal business keeps growing at such a fast pace despite myriad efforts made at an international level and the mighty risk involved because the huge amounts of cash bagged by those involved directly or indirectly in the trade keeps them from abandoning the business. The above figure clearly demonstrates how much the illicit drugs trade differs from other kinds of illegal trades like trafficking of diamonds, firearms, and humans in the context of estimated global value. Though profits in this trade are made through a variety of different factors, yet one most profitable sector in many instances is based on the complex and highly secretive process of carrying the drugs internationally which is performed in so many different and ingenious ways that catching the people involved in this process becomes impossibly difficult many times. â€Å"The funds raised by trafficking groups can be used to underwrite other criminal activity and even political insurgency† (UN World Drug Report 2007, cited in Shah, 2008) which shows that drug trafficking even has political implications as will be discussed in this research paper. This paper basically aims to analyze the key elements of drug trafficking and its global implications. Literature about how the p ublic administration relates to drug trafficking will also be reviewed along with demonstrating the relationship of internal and external influences in context of drug trafficking. Many efforts over the past many years have been made consistently to tackle this global problem which has diverse domestic implications as people are still dying in staggering numbers in many incidents related to trafficking. An important factor accounting for this thriving illegal business is that unlike diamonds or human trafficking, the drug supply is regularly consumed each year and remains in constant need of immediate and rapid renewal. When the supply always needs to be renewed on a yearly

The Phenomenon of Aging Essay Example for Free

The Phenomenon of Aging Essay Aging is an existential phenomenon, which is a natural part of development of universal significance (Erickson, 1963 Havighurst, 1959, in Ponzo, 1992). It is a biological, psychological, and sociological phenomenon. People have specific tasks to accomplish, as they grow older. For example, Erickson views middle age and late adulthood as a time when the individual must develop a sense of generativity and ego integrity or become stagnant and despairing. Jung (1969) believes spirituality is a domain that those over 40 are uniquely qualified to explore. Despite an increased understanding of aging and an ever-growing number of older adults, the elderly have to deal with age-based expectations and prejudices. As with other minority groups, elderly individuals are subject to negative stereotypes and discrimination. For instance, â€Å"older people often are tagged with uncomplimentary labels such as senile, absentminded, and helpless† (McCracken, Hayes, Dell, 1997, in Gladding, 2000). This negative attitudes and stereotypes, which are known as ageism, prevent intimate encounters with people in different age groups and sometimes lead to outright discrimination (Butler Lewis, 1973; Bulter et al., 1998). In a review of attitudes towards older individuals, Atkinson and Hackett (1998) found that elderly persons are considered to be rigid, and not adaptable in their thought processes; thought to be in poor health and not very intelligent or alert; inappropriate to have sexual interest or activity. Negative attitude toward elderly persons were present in college students, and among medical staff who feel uncomfortable around elderly patients. Jokes about old age abound and are primarily negative in nature. These negative stereotypes lead to elderly peoples being viewed as less valued members of society. Older women are even more likely to be viewed negatively by society as a whole. Elderly individuals may come to accept these views and suffer a loss of self-esteem (Sue Sue, 1999). Unfortunately, individuals who are growing old often deny and dread the process, a phenomenon that Friedan (1993, in Belsky, 1999) calls â€Å"the age mystique. † Even counselors are not immune to ageist attitudes (Belsky, 1999). Healthy Old Age Old age can be emotionally healthy and a satisfying time of life with a minimum of physical and mental impairment. Butler et al. (1998) observed that besides the general lack of interest in older persons, science and medicine have been more concerned with treating â€Å"what went wrong† than with clarifying the complex, interwoven elements necessary to produce and support health. Medicine and the behavioral sciences have mirrored societal attitudes by presenting old age as a grim litany of physical and emotional illness. Until 1960, most of the medical, psychological, psychiatric, and social work literature on the aged was based on experience with the sick and the institutionalized, even though only 5% of the older people were confined to institutions. Decline of the individual was the key concept. Fortunately, research studies that have concentrated on the healthy aged give indications of positive potential for the entire age group. What is healthy old age? In 1994, the World Health Organization first defined health as â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. † This represents an ideal with many possible interpretations. But the broad elements of health -physical, emotional, and social- is the framework in which one can begin to analyze what is going on well in addition to what is going wrong. The attempt must be made to locate those conditions that enable humans to thrive, not merely survive. The unique developmental task in old age is to clarify, deepen, and find use for what one has already attained in a lifetime of learning and adapting (Butler et al.1998). Erickson (1963) stated it as ego integrity, the psychosocial task of later life involving accepting one’s life in order to accept impending death. The possessor of this integrity is ready to defend the dignity of his or her own life style against all odds, and they know that life has meaning. Paradoxically this sense of personal significance allows them to accept their insignificance in life-that is, the reality of death (Belsky, 1999). According to Atchely (1994) Butler et al. (1998) the ability of the older person to adapt and thrive is contingent on physical health, personality, earlier life experiences, and on the societal supports he or she receives; adequate finances, shelter, medical care, social roles, recreation, and the like. As is true of children, adolescents, and middle-aged, it is imperative that older people continue to develop and change in a flexible manner if health is to be promoted and maintained. Optimal growth and adaptation can occur throughout the life cycle when the individual’s strength and potentials are recognized, reinforced and encouraged by the environment in which he or she lives.

Leading causes of morbidity and mortality

Leading causes of morbidity and mortality Abstract Background: Communicable diseases can be the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among population affected by major disasters or public health emergencies. Cyclone Nargis which was the worst natural disaster in Myanmar hit the delta area during May 2008. The objective of this study is aimed to assess the situation of communicable diseases under national surveillance in the areas one year before and after the Cyclone Nargis incident. Methods: Monthly data during 2007 and 2009 from routine reporting system for disease surveillance of the Myanmar Ministry of Health (MMOH) were reviewed. Weekly reporting from Early Warning and Rapid Response (EWAR) were also used to compare with the routine reporting data of MMOH; and the data from some UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (INGOs/NGOs) and Tri-Partite Core Group (TCG) periodic reviews were also extracted for comparisons with Sphere and Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) for global health cluster communicable diseases control indicators. In addition, focus groups regarding community perception on health sector responses to Cyclone Nargis and hospital surveys on public health emergencies preparedness including surveillance capacity were conducted. Results: Among the communicable diseases, acute respiratory infection (ARI), diarrhea, dysentery and malaria were the most disease burden of the community in terms of both morbidity and morality. During the study period, mortality rate for diarrhea and malaria were decreasing while the mortality rate for ARI appeared to be similar before and after the Nargis incident. Community members also reported that diarrhea diseases, ARI and pneumonia were common health problems immediately after Cyclone Nargis but later declined. Other diseases under national surveillance were also changed. Tuberculosis control program reached the targets of 70% case detection and 85% treatment success rate in 2007 and 2008. Even though the morbidity for STDs such as genital ulcer rate and male urethral discharge rates were not change over time but the coverage of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services was expanded in the year after Nargis. For the expanded program on immunization ( EPI), the coverage of DPT 3rd dose reached the target of around 90%, which was the highest, after Cyclone Nargis; but the measles coverage still did not reach the Sphere target. The sanitary latrine coverage in the Nargis affected area was 72% in 2009 as compared to the national sanitary latrine coverage of around 80%. Conclusion: In general, health services as well as prevention and control measures provided to the Nargis affected population had reduced the excess morbidity and mortality of the communicable diseases recommended by Sphere. However, the distribution of such health services varied among townships within the affected areas. There is still considerable need for equity in distribution of health services for the public health emergency management. Background There are approximately 450 to 800 major emergencies, disasters and crises per year; and these has been shown as increasing trends due to global warming, increase population movement, environmental damage, poverty and inadequate or underfunded public health system [1]. The general effects of disasters or emergencies include injury, death, infectious diseases outbreak, displacing a large number of people, disruption of essential services, destruction of property and infrastructure, economic loss and psychological effect [2, 3]. The magnitude and causes of excess morbidity and mortality caused by emergencies and disasters may vary according to the underlying demographic and epidemiologic profile of the population [4]. During emergency and disaster situation, communicable diseases can cause high mortality and morbidity because of disruption of health services, poor access to health care, malnutrition and inadequate logistic supply [5, 6]. Disaster-affected people are particularly vulner able to communicable diseases due to malnutrition, stress, fatigue and unsanitary living conditions [6]. Cyclone Nargis struck the coast of Myanmar on 2 and 3 May, 2008 and causing many deaths, destroying infrastructure, affecting on economic and social activities. It was the most devastating natural disaster in history of Myanmar and the most deadly cyclone in Asia since 1991 with 2.4 million people were severely affected by Nargis [7]. The common water and food borne diseases in the affected area before Cyclone Nargis were diarrhea diseases including cholera, typhoid, shigellosis, hepatitis A and E and acute watery diarrhea. Dengue and malaria has been the major vector borne diseases endemic in the affected area. Measles, acute respiratory infection (ARI), diphtheria, pertusis and meningococcal diseases were reported as associated with the overcrowding in the area. Others diseases endemic in the region were tuberculosis, snake bites and sexually transmitted infection (STIs) [8]. Early Warning and Rapid Response (EWAR) was set up after Cyclone Nargis with involvement of other national and international agencies working in Nargis affected area [9]. EWAR covers 16 common diseases and conditions in the affected area. This study was carried out to examine communicable disease burden and the changes in morbidity and mortality of the diseases under national surveillance in Cyclone Nargis affected area. The study also attempted to assess the effectiveness of control measures of these diseases employing health management information system indicators of the Sphere and Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) for global health cluster communicable diseases indicators [10, 11]. Materials and Methods Study sites The focus of data collection in this study included 10 townships in Ayeyarwady and Yangon divisions which were severely affected by Cyclone Nargis. These townships in Ayeyarwady division included Ngapudaw, Labutta, Bogale, Pyapon, Dedaye, Kyaiklat and Mawlamyinegyun townships while those in Yangon division Twantay, Kawnmu and Kungyangon townships. There were about 2.8 million people living at these townships in 2007 [12]. Secondary data sources In examining communicable diseases burden and changes in mortality and morbidity of diseases under national surveillance, system data were extracted from the Health Management Information System (HMIS) of the Myanmar Ministry of Health (MMOH). The HMIS is the routine reporting system for 17 diseases under national system in Myanmar, with monthly reporting from township to central level [12]. The official secondary data during 2007-2009 from the Department of Health, and Department of Health Planning regarding communicable diseases prevention and control programs such as immunization and water-sanitation program were also extracted for assessing the situations of such communicable diseases at the township level. In addition, other related data such as distribution of relief items from EWAR, Myanmar Red Cross Society and Myanmar offices (WHO, UNICEF, Save the Children, Merlin and MSF (Holland)) were also requested for exploring the strength and weakness in the communicable diseases man agement. Moreover, data from the periodic reviews released by Tri-partite Core Group (TCG) are also used for supplementation of population data [13]. Primary data Sources The study employed both quantitative and qualitative data collection method. The questionnaire regarding public health emergencies preparedness, particularly on disease surveillance capacity, was developed and sent to hospitals under Department of Health. The questionnaires were sent to 65 hospitals (25% of the total 252 hospitals in coastal Myanmar which includes all 5 states/divisions (i.e., Yangon, Ayeyarwaddy, Mon, Tanintharyi and Rakhine). The questionnaires were responded by hospital directors from those hospitals by means of self administered method. Focus group discussion was used to find out the community perception on health sector response to Cyclone Nargis. The totals of 6 focus groups discussion were carried out in 3 villages among the selected townships in the affected areas. Only issues related to communicable diseases were presented in this paper. The detailed analyses of hospital preparedness and community perceptions were reported elsewhere. Ethical Consideration This study received ethical approvals from Myanmar Ministry of Health and Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University. Results Disease surveillance in study areas For disease surveillance, MMOH sets up the coordinating health sectors for disease surveillance, outbreak detection and response. The diseases surveillance data were submitted form local level up to national health information management system (HMIS). After Cyclone Nargis, the MMOH also set up EWAR with rumor verification of the system for disease monitoring and management, particularly for early warning and rapid responses. It was recognized by the MMOH that there are still challenges regarding timeliness of notification and complete data reporting in both HMIS and EWAR. As shown in Table 1, among the 40 out of 65 hospitals that responded the survey, it was found that about 90% of the hospitals have surveillance system for 17 diseases under national surveillance [14]. More than 60% of the response hospitals have syndromic surveillance system but only 27.5% have microbiological surveillance system, with especially low percentage in primary referral hospitals with less than 10%. Insert Table 1 here- Diarrhea Dysentery Among the communicable diseases reported in the HMIS, acute respiratory infection, diarrhoea, dysentery and malaria are the highest diseases burden for the communities within the Nargis affected areas. Morbidity of acute diarrhea in 2007 was 571.40 per 100,000 person year and increased up to 755.80 in 2008 due to Cyclone Nargis while remained and was slightly higher than baseline in 2007 as 610.56 in 2009. From the EWAR Weekly Report, diarrhea cases after Nargis incident represented 6.30% of total consultation (4341 cases) in June 2008 (week 23-26) and reduced to 2.04% (3931 cases) in July 2008 (week 27-31). The number of cases was stable to less than 2.00% of total consultation during August to December 2008 (926 cases to 1601 cases). In contrast to normal monthly report of severely acute watery diarrhea (suspected cholera) of less than 5 cases, the suspected cholera was reported the highest during June 2008 (21 cases) and serge again a year after Nargis in March 2009 (15 cases). Th e participants from focus group discussion also revealed that diarrhea diseases, ARI, influenza and pneumonia are prevalence immediately after Cyclone Nargis. One participant mentioned that Villagers suffered mostly diarrhea and common cold. Pneumonia was common especially among children. Dengue and malaria were not common among villagers. (35 years old woman) Despite such increasing disease incidences, mortality rates for diarrhea were reducing during study period, from 0.68 per 100,000 person year in 2007 to 0.40 and 0.28 in 2008 and 2009 respectively. This finding was also corresponding to the high percentage of treatment with ORT among diarrhea children (>95%) in the health facilities and decreasing in severe dehydration among diarrhea children (2.31% in 2007 to Besides diarrhea diseases, dysentery was also one of the leading causes of morbidity among study population; about 350.90 per 100,000 person year was reported in 2007 and slightly increased to 475.40 and 374.39 during 2008 and 2009 respectively. However, mortality and case fatality rate for dysentery was quite low with nearly 0% during study period. Acute respiratory tract infection (ARI) ARI has been reported as the major cause of morbidity and mortality among communicable diseases at study townships. Morbidity of ARI in 2007 was 4041.91 per 100,000 person year among under 5 children, highly increased to 599,621 in 2008 due to Cyclone Nargis, and 4661.59 in 2009 which was slightly higher than that of at baseline 2007. For morbidity rate among under 5 years old children, as reported by EWAR showed that there were 7.93% of total consultation (5452 cases) after Nargis in June 2008 (week 23-26), and it dropped to around 5.00% of total consultation (8842 cases and 5131 cases) in July and August 2008 respectively., and subsequently back to normal stable level at less than 3.00% during October (3615 cases) to December 2008 (1991 cases). Interestingly, mortality rate for ARI was lower in Nargis year; that is 4.86, 3.14, and 4.11 per 100,000 person year in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. On the other hand, case fatality rate for ARI has been improving from 0.12% in 2007 to 0.09% in 2009. Malaria and dengue Vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue cases were decreasing significantly in 2009, compared to 2007 and 2008. Malaria morbidity was more 324.44 and 352.51 per 100,000 person year in 2007 and 2008, and then dropped to 227.18 in 2009. Similarly, percent of malaria inpatient among general clinic attendance has been decreasing during study period, 3.17% in 2007 to 1.63% in 2009. In contrast, the mortality percentage among malaria inpatient was increasing, 1.16% in 2007 to 3.31% in 2009. It was shown, however, that malaria morbidity and mortality varied among different townships. From the EWAR report, malaria confirmed cases represented about 0.25% of total consultation (465 cases) in July 2008, then dropped to 0.10% of total consultation (77 to 237 cases) during August to December 2008. Dengue hemorrhagic fever cases are 35.65, 15.76 and 12.40 per 100,000 person year respectively. Confirmed dengue hemorrhagic fever cases were also surge after Nargis during July 2008 which was 273 cases or 0.14% to total consultations. Normally during other period the numbers of cases ranged from 1 to 95, making the rate of approximately less than 0.10% of total consultation. Mortality rate and case fatality rate for dengue hemorrhagic fever were decreasing trend during study period. Tuberculosis, HIV, and other diseases HMIS data also shows that morbidity and mortality rates for tuberculosis had been decreasing in the study area during the study period (67.11, 57.12, and 47.54 per 100,000 person year in 2007 to 2009). Morbidity for sexually transmitted infection (STIs) such as genital ulcer rate (>2 per 100,000 person year) and male urethral discharge rates (>1 per 100,000 person year) had not changed over time and thus it could be assumed that these diseases burden for STIs were the same before and after the Cyclone Nargis. According to EWAR, STIs constituted less than 0.5% of total consultations during June 2008 to May 2009. Interestingly, as part of the surveillance, mortality rates for snake bite had not changed much during 2007 to 2009 but case fatality rates for snake bite and meningitis were quite high in the study area. It was also found that vaccine preventable diseases such as diphtheria, pertusis, neonatal tetanus and measles were not the major causes of morbidity and mortality among the under 5 children during study period. Morbidity for viral hepatitis and typhoid constituted Insert Figure 1 here- Insert Table 2 here- Health services utilization Based on the data in HMIS, the general clinic attendance was 15.13, 23.18 and 21.33% in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively; this reveals that general clinic attendance had been increasing significantly since 2008 compared to 2007. However, percentage of average visit per patient attending clinic and referral hospitals did not change much during 2007 to 2009. The data from EWAR which includes statistics from international NGOs indicated that there was a total of 754,852 consultations in 15 townships at Nargis affected area one year after Nargis incident, from June 2008 to May 2009. It was also estimated that the total consultation per person was about 0.3, and there was a total consultation of more than 300,000 to mobile clinics sent by MMOH. As shown in Figure 2, monthly general clinic attendance did increase during May 2008 to July 2008 which was 3 months after Cyclone Nargis, and subsequently attendance slowly decrease start from August 2008. During 2009, monthly attendance appears t o be stable with not much variation in months. In assessing accessibility to health facilities, it was found that there was not significantly change during 2008 to 2010 for the presence of health personnel at health facilities at most of the time. In contrast, drugs availability at health facilities for most of the time has been dramatically increased from 76% to 92%. On the other hand, average number of clinic visit by household head count has decreased from 1.9 in July 2009 to 0.5 in 2010; this falls short when comparing to the international standard target of 2.0-4.0 (as set by Sphere). Insert Table 3 here- Insert Figure 2 here- Prevention and control measures During May 2008 to April 2009, there were a total of 50,000 pamphlets, 2,945 posters, 12,000 booklets about diarrhea diseases and childhood infections distributed to the Nargis affected areas by National Health Programs and other organizations. Interestingly, most of the participants in focus group discussion pointed that they were not interested in health education and went to health education only for receiving relieve items. Health education was given on dengue, malaria, diarrhea diseases, and other communicable diseases. Most of the villagers did not go because they were busy with activities such as building shelter. (57 years old farmer) It is found that rapid diagnostic test and artemesinin combination therapy (ACT) were available in about 70% of rural and sub rural health centers. The national health programs and other organizations distributed a total of 191,718 ACT strip and 282, 532 insecticide long lasting nets (ILLN) during May 2008 to April 2009. Availability of information education and communication (IECs) materials for dengue in health centers was high, with more than two-third of the health center have IECs materials for dengue. On the other hands, IECs material for malaria was present in about 50% of health centers. The vector-borne diseases control program distributed 37,000 pamphlets on vector-borne diseases during May 2008 to April 2009. Particularly in a malaria high endemic area, Ngapudaw, the training program for malaria case management was carried out for 80 hospital staffs. Insecticide residual spray had also been carried out in high endemic area with population coverage of 40,122. Mass larvicidi ng activities were carried out with population coverage of 347,231 in study area for dengue control. It was found that distribution of malaria drug was well covered as one health personnel mentioned that During Cyclone Nargis, a lot of malaria drugs supply was given to my health center but malaria is not prevalence in my area. I was afraid of malaria drugs to be expired. Tuberculosis control program reached the targets of 70% case detection and 85% treatment success rate before Nargis incident since 2007. However, the case detection in the Nargis affected area of 70% was slightly lower than the national average of 77%. It was found that the case detection was quite different among townships, in some townships is lower than 50%. During May 2008 to April 2009, the national health program distributed 2000 pamphlets, 1000 posters and 8800 booklets on education for tuberculosis to the study area. Coverage of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services increased from 2 townships in 2007 to 7 townships in 2009. Performance of PMTCT services such as percentage of treatment taken by HIV (+) pregnant mother (61% in 2007 to 80% in 2009) and percentage of new born HIV (+) have been improved overtime (14% in 2007 to In terms of expanded program immunization (EPI) coverage, it was found that the coverage reached highest in 2008 after Cyclone Nargis; the DPT 3rd dose reached the target of around 90%. However, measles coverage was lower, around 84% during the study period. The EPI IECs materials were presented in around two-third of health facilities in the survey done by UNICEF during December 2008 [14]. One health personnel also confirmed in focus group discussion that immunization services were successful after Cyclone Nargis. The sanitary latrine coverage was increased after Cyclone Nargis in 2009 compared to 2007 both in urban and rural area. The sanitary latrine coverage for population was 72.36 in 2009. However, the sanitary latrine coverage on 2009 was still low in certain rural area, i.e., in Ngapudaw, Labutta and Bogale townships. During May 2008 to April 2009, the total of 316,891 pamphlets and 200,415 posters were distributed to disaster affected area by several organizations. The TCG survey reported that the population receiving improved drinking water has been increasing from 66% in December 2008 to 72% in July 2010, but there was approximately 43% for improved sanitation facilities which was contradict with MMOH surveillance data of 70%. The national health Programs also rehabilitated 4235 ponds, 1028 wells in study area. A total of 236 ponds, 760 shallow wells and over 200 deep tubes well were also constructed in study areas. Participants from focus groups discussion mentioned that sanitary la trine constructions by villagers were associated with the supply of both latrine pan and construction cost. Latrine pans were distributed. However, I could not construct latrine because I had no money. (25 years old man) and In our village, most of the villagers were constructed sanitary latrine because the organization () provided not only gave latrine pans but also provided the construction cost. (18 years old student) Insert Table 3 here- Insert Figure 3 here- Discussion MMOH had established HMIS for routine reporting disease surveillance system and the system has been fully functioning in almost all levels of hospitals. However, the hospitals especially in the secondary referral level should consider strengthen the microbiological surveillance because of weakness in laboratory capacity at such hospitals. Microbiological surveillance is important for early detection of public health emergencies especially communicable diseases outbreak. Currently, the there are only about 20-30% of hospitals that have microbiological surveillance system, compared to 64.5% of hospitals in China in preparation for public health emergencies [18]. World Health Organization recommended that major diseases/syndromes that should be included in emergency surveillance are bloody diarrhea, acute watery diarrhea and suspected cholera, acute respiratory tract infection (ARI), measles, meningitis, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, and neonatal tetanus [6]. Setting up of EWAR with participation of national and international organizations working in public health emergency response is best practice for public health emergency management and should be maintained in future public health emergency management. It was found in this study that surveillance system is also compatible with the diseases impact in the affected area but there are rooms to improvement for areas such as recording and calculation of actual proportion such as timeliness for surveillance and sensitivity for outbreak detection [12]. However, it is also recommended the necessity of setting up the database for logistic and drugs supply for health sect or with involvement of other organizations working in public health emergencies [17]. The national surveillance data coincided with the EWAR reports suggested that morbidity of communicable diseases highly increased for about 3 months after Cyclone Nargis. Diarrhea diseases, ARI and malaria have been reported as major communicable diseases, in this area. The diseases increased significantly during the months after Cyclone Nargis which was similar to other disaster incidents elsewhere in which the diseases that could cause major morbidity and mortality in emergencies including ARI, diarrheal diseases, measles and, malaria in endemic area, epidemic meningococcal disease, dengue, tuberculosis, tetanus, pneumonia, relapsing fever, yellow fever, and typhus [6,16]. With early diagnosis and prompt treatment with trained staff by using standard protocols at all health facilities, the management of communicable diseases would help solve the situation [5]. Thus, it might be due to the good predisposition of drugs for common diseases in risk areas and the strengthened preparatio n for disaster management by both governmental programs, international organizations and NGOs. The morbidity and mortality of common communicable diseases seem to be in better situations after the Nargis incident. In 2009, acute diarrhea diseases in the affected area have been compatible with the national average of morbidity and mortality of 667 and 0.65 per 100,000 person year respectively. Case fatality rate for diarrhea diseases such as typhoid, dysentery etc. was less than 1% and it achieved the standards set by communicable diseases management in public health emergencies [10]. This finding coincided with the observable fact of high percentage of treatment with ORT among diarrhea children in the health facilities, decreasing in severe dehydration among diarrhea children, and effective case management for diarrhea diseases as well as early diagnosis. The morbidity and mortality of ARI which was the most communicable disease burden revealed increasing trends in the study. Both ARI and diarrhea are still a public health burden and require effective prevention and control programs in this coastal area. In contrast, mortality and morbidity for vector-borne diseases, particularly malaria and dengue, reveal decreasing trends during 2007 to 2009, except high peak in months of Nargis incident. Malaria morbidity and mortality rates in study area were lower compared to national rate of 1075 and 1.84 per 100,000 person year respectively. Overall, major vector-borne diseases control in the study area has been functioning well. However, it was noted by healthcare providers that supply of drugs should be based on risk assessment of malaria in that area. The situation of other diseases also shows improving trends. Tuberculosis program reached the targets of case detection and treatment success rates but varied in different townships. More efforts are needed in townships that did not reached the national targets. Despite the fact that morbidity rates of sexual transmitted diseases did not change much, but the PMTCT coverage was improved. It was noted by healthcare providers though that PMTCT services should be secured at all townships by national health programs with financial and technical support. This involves many stakeholders that manage PMTCT services in the country. Immunization plus program with nutrition services has shown effective practice for public health emergencies management and it should be maintained or even improved not only for future emergency incidents. It was suggested that if measles vaccination coverage rates are lower than 90%, it should be given priority to prevent an outbreak of measles in emergency situations [5, 6]. Measles immunization coverage in the study area was at 84% but it was still considered not reaching the target of 95% coverage set up by Sphere [10]. On contrary, DPT 3rd dose coverage was about 90% reaching the target of national health program but was again less than the IASC indicators of 95% coverage [11]. In all, it was found that all immunizations coverage is slightly lower after Nargis incident in 2009 compared to 2008. Sustainability of immunization services should be considered as part of the routine national health program with involvement of donor agencies and township health department. Community awareness program should be strengthened because community awareness on early treatment and proper case management are important in reducing the impact of communicable diseases [6]. It is found that almost all of the organizations distributed several IEC materials regarding communicable diseases; however, most of the participants in the focus group discussion reported not interested in health education programs. The evaluation of effectiveness of health education programs should be then carried out to assess future public health emergency management. Utilization rate of health services such as general clinic attendance has been improving during the study period but it is still quite low in consideration with the target achievement of 50% target. Clinic attendance rates of some townships were less than 15% while TCG survey also reported that health services utilizations did not reach the Sphere target of 4 visits/person/year. It is necessary to research on factors influencing the utilization of health services. Sanitary latrine coverage in townships at the affected areas was still slightly lower than the national sanitary latrine coverage of around 80%. It was also found that distribution of water and sanitation items were quite varied among communities. Water and sanitation program should be strengthened in townships which are below the national average by cooperation among stakeholders. Conclusion Overall, health sectors have achieved the Sphere targets of management of communicable diseases in the coastal townships. The excess mortality and morbidity of the communicable diseases was reduced in the Nargis affected area by means of health services given by Department of Health, MMOH and other several organizations including NGOs and international NGOs. However, communicable diseases are still the high burden in these townships and health sectors including all stakeholders should strengthen the health services. Lesson learned in terms of strengths and weakness for communicable diseases prevention control during Cyclone Nargis could be applied for setting up policy and plan for preparation and management of public health emergency in Myanmar. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors contributions NWM, JK, PS were involved in the conceptualization and design of the study. NWM prepared research instruments and other study logistics, collected data in Myanmar. SLN and TTM assisted in study management and data support in Myanmar. KC, PS, AKM, PP provided conceptual framework and technical support for the study. NWM and JK performed analyses and drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Acknowledgements We

existentialism :: essays research papers

The modern conception of man is characterized, more than anything else, by individualism. Existentialism can be seen as a rigorous attempt to work out the implications of this individualism. The purpose of this lecture is to makes sense of the Existentialist conception of individuality and the answers it gives to these three questions: (1) What is human freedom? What can the absolute freedom of absolute individuals mean? (2) What is human flourishing or human happiness? What general ethic or way of life emerges when we take our individuality seriously? (3) What ought we to do? What ethics or code of action can emerge from a position that takes our individuality seriously. Although I am sure you will want to take a critical look at the assumptions from which Existentialism arises in your seminars, I will be attempting, sympathetically, to see what follows if one takes these assumptions seriously. Let's begin by seeing what it could mean to say we are absolute individuals. When you think of it, each of us is alone in the world. Only we feel our pains, our pleasures, our hopes, and our fears immediately, subjectively, from the inside. Other people only see us from the outside, objectively, and, hard as we may try, we can only see them from the outside. No one else can feel what we feel, and we cannot feel what is going on in any one else's mind. Actually, when you think of it, the only thing we ever perceive immediately and directly is ourselves and the images and experiences in our mind. When we look at another person or object, we don't see it directly as it is; we see it only as it is represented in our own experience. When you feel the seat under your rear-end, do you really feel the seat itself or do you merely feel the sensations transmitted to you by nerve endings in your posterior?. When you look at the person next to you (contemplating how their rear-end feels), do you really see them as they are on the inside or feel what they feel?

Elizabeth Bishop Essay

Elizabeth Bishop is a very highly skilled poet. She deals with several different but equally interesting subject matters. I am personally drawn to many elements of her work, for example her themes and style of writing. Bishop deals with many different themes, including family, death, beauty and survival. She also uses a very unique and intriguing style of writing. Bishop has a remarkable eye for detail, her poems reach a conclusion and she puts a huge amount of her own life into her work. Firstly I will look at the themes of her poetry. Family, childhood and home are recurring themes throughout her poetry. Bishop had quite an unfortunate childhood and lost both her parents at quite a young age. This is reflected in the unnerving images she often employs in accounts of her childhood. This theme is central to many of her poems. â€Å"Sestina†, for example, is dominated by mages of rain, failing light and tears. Also in â€Å"First Death in Nova Scotia† she captures the confusion of a child faced with the inexplicable fact of her cousin’s death. The use of the third person voice in â€Å"sestina† blends the poet’s adult perspective with the child’s. It also allows Bishop to distance herself emotionally. Quite noticeably there is no mother in â€Å"sestina†, which is reinforced by the repetition of â€Å"grandmother.† This lack of parental figure in Bishop’s life is common in her poems, all but â€Å"First Death in Nova Scotia†. â€Å"Come,’ said my mother† Bishop lost her mother at five years of age. Although her mother didn’t die at this time it is notable that the only poem in which she is mentioned is predominantly about death. It seems Bishop never knew a true home and her search for a sense of belonging is apparent in â€Å"Filling Station.† At first she is disgusted by the â€Å"dirty† filling station. However as the poem progresses she discovers that it is a â€Å"family filling station.† She notices a warmer, more feminine touch in the home. â€Å"They lie upon a big dim doily draping a taboret.† Bishop tells us that â€Å"somebody† embroidered the doily. This somebody is the mother of the â€Å"greasy sons.† There are also many other domestic comparisons in her work, such as the reference to â€Å"ancient wallpaper† and â€Å"tarnished tinfoil† in â€Å"The Fish.† â€Å"The Fish† uses many different types of descriptions. Bishop’s use of both factual, objective imagery and aesthetic, subjective imagery is an element of her work which really appealed to me. In contrast to factual description such as â€Å"rags of green weed hung down† there is quite a bit of romanticising such as â€Å"five haired beard of wisdom.† There is also a contrasting link between the fish and roses. Once again Bishop takes something quite unpleasant and makes it beautiful. â€Å"Speckled with barnacles† is hardly a pleasant image, much like the skin of the fish hanging off. However Bishop’s carefully chosen language shows beauty. Bishop also finds beauty in the most miserable of scenes. This is clear in â€Å"The Prodigal.† The prodigal lives in a pig sty, he leads a truly disgusting life. However Bishop’s ability to find beauty in the most miserable of places shines through. â€Å"The sunrise gazed the barnyard mud with red.† Beauty is discovered through a series of observations in â€Å"Filling Station.† At first glance the filling station is a filthy and thoroughly unpleasant place to be. â€Å"Oil-soaked, oil-permeated to a disturbing overall black translucency.† However she continues to discover more and more about their home and the images become more pleasant. â€Å"Embroidered with daisy stitch with marguerites.† Another interesting theme throughout Bishop’s work is death. â€Å"First Death in Nova Scotia† deals with a child’s first experience of death. The child is younger than five and doesn’t understand death. This is showing where she speaks about the stuffed loon. â€Å"Since Uncle Arthur fired a bullet into him he hadn’t said a word.† The child doesn’t understand what has happened or what will happen to â€Å"little cousin Arthur.† She is unfamiliar with coffins and compares his to a â€Å"little frosted cake† because it is small and white. In the final lines of the poem the child becomes frustrated due to her confusion. â€Å"But how could Arthur go and the roads deep in snow?† Throughout â€Å"The Fish† the animal’s life is in the speaker’s hands. She holds him â€Å"half out of water,† while he breathes in the â€Å"terrible oxygen†, the fish is slowly dying in her hands and she must decide whether or not he is worth saving. Ultimately the speaker decides the fish is far too â€Å"venerable† to lose its life. â€Å"And I let the fish go.† The final theme I will look at is survival. This is shown best in â€Å"The Fish† and â€Å"The Prodigal.† â€Å"The Fish† shows that nature’s creatures are like humans in their ability to suffer and learn from that suffering. The â€Å"tremendous† creature has escaped death at the hands of previous fishermen 5 times. â€Å"A five haired heard of wisdom trailing from his aching jaw.† The word â€Å"wisdom† shows that he has become wise from his struggles. â€Å"The Prodigal† shows survival in a different sense. The alcoholic in this poem will endure anything to maintain his addiction. Surviving in vile conditions to maintain his drinking. â€Å"The Prodigal† also made me question my own attitudes towards addiction, helping me to understand and sympathise with it. Many poems have attention to the senses. This shows Bishop’s commitment to detail. This is very strong in â€Å"The Prodigal.† Sound, â€Å"their little feet and snored;† smell, â€Å"the brown enormous odour;† touch â€Å"he leaned to scratch her head;† and sight â€Å"plastered half way up with glass smooth dung.† This attention to all our senses is also strong in â€Å"The Prodigal†. Sound, â€Å"their little feet and snored†; smell â€Å"The brown enormous odour†; touch â€Å"he leaned to scratch her head†; and of course sight â€Å"the sty was plastered halfway up with glass-smooth dung† Our senses are also used in â€Å"Sestina†. Sound, â€Å"rain that beats; smell â€Å"she cuts some bread†; touch â€Å"she thinks the house feels chilly†; and finally sight â€Å"With crayons the child draws a rigid house†. Bishop’s concern with every day, ordinary objects also adds to her compelling dedication to detail. This is at the heart of â€Å"The Fish,† â€Å"Filling Station† and â€Å"First Death in Nova Scotia.† As such she allows us to see how wonderfully attractive the world can be if we stop and pay attention to the details. In â€Å"The Fish† for example, Bishop describes a â€Å"tremendous,† fish that she caught. She compares the fish’s skin to â€Å"ancient wallpaper† and speaks of the â€Å"rosettes of lime† that she sees. Even the aspects of the fish that she cannot see, his insides and entrails, she describes in intricate detail. Likewise this fascinating attention to detail is also apparent in â€Å"Filling Station.† Standing before an average filling station the poet becomes increasingly curious about the place. â€Å"Why the extraneous plant?† she wonders. In â€Å"First Death in Nova Scotia,† we discover Bishop’s commitment to detail was something she possessed even as a young child. â€Å"Edward, Prince of Wales†¦ with Queen Mary.† As she tells this poem from her childhood perspective the images are childlike and unusual, however they stay true to her particular technique. This ability of Bishop’s to see beyond the ordinary, to note and appreciate the wonder in the everyday objects around us is refreshing All of Bishops poetry reveals how time spent observing the world around us can lead to interesting conclusions and insights. Colour is also an appealing quality of her work. There is a lot of colour throughout â€Å"The Fish†, we never go more than a few lines without the next addition of colour. These colours get much more vibrant as the poem progresses, going from his â€Å"brown skin† to â€Å"rusted orange.† The steady progression of colour ultimately leads to the exclamation â€Å"rainbow, rainbow, rainbow!† In â€Å"The Prodigal† she mentioned â€Å"the brown enormous odour.† Attaching a colour to the odour strengthens the unbearable stench and I think it creates one of Bishop’s strongest descriptions. Unlike â€Å"The Fish†, â€Å"First Death in Nova Scotia,† references the same colours repeatedly. Red and white are repeated and references continuously. The â€Å"frozen lake† which the loon sits on is mentioned twice along with â€Å"frosted cake,† â€Å"white like a doll,† and â€Å"left him white forever.† This colour may represent peace or innocence. The child also mentions the loon’s â€Å"red eyes† twice, as well as â€Å"a few strokes of red† and â€Å"warm in red.† This may represent pain or suffering. There is also reference to colour in â€Å"Filling Station.† The difference here is that Bishop focuses on the lack of definite colour. Greys and blacks make up the scene, â€Å"Black translucency.† The repetition of â€Å"dirty† reinforces this. The lack of colour makes the comics stand out, â€Å"the only note of certain colour.† A common theme throughout all of Bishop’s work is her ability to reach a conclusion in order to end the poem. Her conclusions include â€Å"And I let the fish go†; â€Å"But it took him a long time finally to make his mind up to go home†; â€Å"The child draws another inscrutable house† and â€Å"Somebody loves us all†. Quite notable there isn’t a pleasant ending to â€Å"First Death in Nova Scotia† which reinforces the lack of understanding in the child and her inability to give her cousin a happy ending. What I personally admire most about Bishop’s work is how much of herself she puts into her poetry. On a deeper level, â€Å"Filling Station† may be about Bishop herself. She missed and longed for a mother figure in her own life. Sadly she and her mother were separated when she was only 5 years old. â€Å"Sestina† deals with the period of time just after the separation. The mother is absent from the scene and she draws a man who we presume is her late father. â€Å"Then the child puts in a man†. â€Å"The Prodigal† represents her problems with alcoholism and was inspired by drinking in a barn. She, like the prodigal, suffered with addiction. â€Å"First death in Nova Scotia† is the only poem where Bishop mentions her mother, showing us she has some memory of her. It is significant that the only poem where she mentions her is one where death and the understanding of death is the central theme. â€Å"The Fish† shows the ability to struggle on and survive, despite all odds. The Fish was like Bishop because it had grown tired of fighting for its life. Bishop’s poetry displays her need throughout her life to find stability and order. Bishop never outgrew the loss of her mother and the terrible feeling of not belonging. Elizabeth Bishop’s work is fantastic and compelling, allowing the reader to see into her own life through varied themes and subject matters. Her style of writing is appealing and unusual and this makes her an incredibly skilled poet. Bishop is honest in her portrayal of her upbringing which is undoubtable very appealing.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Yet another reason that I loathe the heavenly scum with whom I share this room: today I found that I had offended our intrepid room service waiter, Jesus. How was I to know? When he brought our pizza for dinner, I gave him one of the American silver coins that we received from the airport sweet shop called Cinnabon. He scoffed at me – scoffed – then, thinking better of it, he said, â€Å"Seà ±or, I know you are foreign, so you do not know, but this is a very insulting tip. Better you just sign the room service slip so I get the fee that is added automatically. I tell you this because you have been very kind, and I know you do not mean to offend, but another of the waiters would spit in your food if you should offer him this.† I glared at the angel, who, as usual, was lying on the bed watching television, and for the first time I realized that he did not understand Jesus' language. He did not possess the gift of tongues he had bestowed on me. He spoke Aramaic to me, and he seemed to know Hebrew and enough English to understand television, but of Spanish he understood not a word. I apologized to Jesus and sent him on his way with a promise that I would make it up to him, then I wheeled on the angel. â€Å"You fool, these coins, these dimes, are nearly worthless in this country.† â€Å"What do you mean, they look like the silver dinars we dug up in Jerusalem, they are worth a fortune.† He was right, in a way. After he called me up from the dead I led him to a cemetery in the valley of Ben Hiddon, and there, hidden behind a stone where Judas had put it two thousand years ago, was the blood money – thirty silver dinars. But for a little tarnish, they looked just as they did on the day I had taken them, and they were almost identical to the coin this country calls the dime (except for the image of Tiberius on the dinars, and some other Caesar on the dime). We had taken the dinars to an antiquities dealer in the old city (which looked nearly the same as it did when I'd last walked there, except that the Temple was gone and in its place two great mosques). The merchant gave us twenty thousand dollars in American money for them. It was this money that we had traveled on, and deposited at the hotel desk for our expenses. The angel told me the dimes must have the same worth as the dinars, and I, like a fool, believed him. â€Å"You should have told me,† I said to the angel. â€Å"If I could leave this room I would know myself.† â€Å"You have work to do,† the angel said. Then he leapt to his feet and shouted at the television, â€Å"The wrath of the Lord shall fall upon ye, Stephanos!† â€Å"What in the hell are you shouting at?† The angel wagged a finger at the screen, â€Å"He has exchanged Catherine's baby for its evil twin, which he fathered with her sister while she was in a coma, yet Catherine does not realize his evil deed, as he has had his face changed to impersonate the bank manager who is foreclosing on Catherine's husband's business. If I was not trapped here I would personally drag the fiend straight to hell.† For days now the angel had been watching serial dramas on television, alternately shouting at the screen or bursting into tears. He had stopped reading over my shoulder, so I had just tried to ignore him, but now I realized what was going on. â€Å"It's not real, Raziel.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"It's drama, like the Greeks used to do. They are actors in a play.† â€Å"No, no one could pretend to such evil.† â€Å"That's not all. Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus? Not real. Characters in a play.† â€Å"You lying dog!† â€Å"If you'd ever leave the room and look at how real people talk you'd know that, you yellow-haired cretin. But no, you stay here perched on my shoulder like a trained bird. I am dead two thousand years and even I know better.† (I still need to get a look at that book in the dresser. I thought maybe, just maybe, I could goad the angel into giving me five minutes privacy.) â€Å"You know nothing,† said Raziel. â€Å"I have destroyed whole cities in my time.† â€Å"Sort of makes me wonder if you destroyed the right ones. That'd be embarrassing, huh?† Then an advertisement came on the screen for a magazine that promised to â€Å"fill in all the blanks† and give the real inside story to all of soap operas: Soap Opera Digest. I watched the angel's eyes widen. He grabbed the phone and rang the front desk. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I need that book.† â€Å"Have them send up Jesus,† I said. â€Å"He'll help you get it.† On our first day of work, Joshua and I were up before dawn. We met near the well and filled the waterskins our fathers had given us, then ate our breakfasts, flatbread and cheese, as we walked together to Sepphoris. The road, although packed dirt most of the way, was smooth and easy to walk. (If Rome saw to anything in its territories, it was the lifelines of its army.) As we walked we watched the rock-strewn hills turn pink under the rising sun, and I saw Joshua shudder as if a chill wind had danced up his spine. â€Å"The glory of God is in everything we see,† he said. â€Å"We must never forget that.† â€Å"I just stepped in camel dung. Tomorrow let's leave after it's light out.† â€Å"I just realized it, that is why the old woman wouldn't live again. I forgot that it wasn't my power that made her arise, it was the Lord's. I brought her back for the wrong reason, out of arrogance, so she died a second time.† â€Å"It squished over the side of my sandal. Well, that's going to smell all day.† â€Å"But perhaps it was because I did not touch her. When I've brought other creatures back to life, I've always touched them.† â€Å"Is there something in the Law about taking your camel off the road to do his business? There should be. If not the Law of Moses, then the Romans should have one. I mean, they won't hesitate to crucify a Jew who rebels, there should be some punishment for messing up their roads. Don't you think? I'm not saying crucifixion, but a good smiting in the mouth or something.† â€Å"But how could I have touched the corpse when it is forbidden by the Law? The mourners would have stopped me.† â€Å"Can we stop for a second so I can scrape off my sandal? Help me find a stick. That pile was as big as my head.† â€Å"You're not listening to me, Biff.† â€Å"I am listening. Look, Joshua, I don't think the Law applies to you. I mean, you're the Messiah, God is supposed to tell you what he wants, isn't he?† â€Å"I ask, but I receive no answer.† â€Å"Look, you're doing fine. Maybe that woman didn't live again because she was stubborn. Old people are that way. You have to throw water on my grandfather to get him up from his nap. Try a young dead person next time.† â€Å"What if I am not really the Messiah?† â€Å"You mean you're not sure? The angel didn't give it away? You think that God might be playing a joke on you? I don't think so. I don't know the Torah as well as you, Joshua, but I don't remember God having a sense of humor.† Finally, a grin. â€Å"He gave me you as a best friend, didn't he?† â€Å"Help me find a stick.† â€Å"Do you think I'll make a good stonemason?† â€Å"Just don't be better at it than I am. That's all I ask.† â€Å"You stink.† â€Å"What have I been saying?† â€Å"You really think Maggie likes me?† â€Å"Are you going to be like this every morning? Because if you are, you can walk to work alone.† The gates of Sepphoris were like a funnel of humanity. Farmers poured out into their fields and groves, craftsmen and builders crowded in, while merchants hawked their wares and beggars moaned at the roadside. Joshua and I stopped outside the gates to marvel and were nearly run down by a man leading a string of donkeys laden with baskets of stone. It wasn't that we had never seen a city before. Jerusalem was fifty times larger than Sepphoris, and we had been there many times for feast days, but Jerusalem was a Jewish city – it was the Jewish city. Sepphoris was the Roman fortress city of Galilee, and as soon as we saw the statue of Venus at the gates we knew that this was something different. I elbowed Joshua in the ribs. â€Å"Graven image.† I had never seen the human form depicted before. â€Å"Sinful,† Joshua said. â€Å"She's naked.† â€Å"Don't look.† â€Å"She's completely naked.† â€Å"It is forbidden. We should go away from here, find your father.† He caught me by my sleeve and dragged me through the gates into the city. â€Å"How can they allow that?† I asked. â€Å"You'd think that our people would tear it down.† â€Å"They did, a band of Zealots. Joseph told me. The Romans caught them and crucified them by this road.† â€Å"You never told me that.† â€Å"Joseph told me not to speak of it.† â€Å"You could see her breasts.† â€Å"Don't think about it.† â€Å"How can I not think about it? I've never seen a breast without a baby attached to it. They're more – more friendly in pairs like that.† â€Å"Which way to where we are supposed to work?† â€Å"My father said to come to the western corner of the city and we would see where the work was being done.† â€Å"Then come along.† He was still dragging me, his head down, stomping along like an angry mule. â€Å"Do you think Maggie's breasts will look like that?† My father had been commissioned to build a house for a wealthy Greek on the western side of the city. When Joshua and I arrived my father was already there, directing the slaves who were hoisting a cut stone into place on the wall. I suppose I expected something different. I suppose I was surprised that anyone, even a slave, would do as my father instructed. The slaves were Nubians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, criminals, debtors, spoils of war, accidents of birth; they were wiry, filthy men, many wearing nothing more than sandals and a loincloth. In another life they might have commanded an army or lived in a palace, but now they sweated in the morning chill, moving stones heavy enough to break a donkey. â€Å"Are these your slaves?† Joshua asked my father. â€Å"Am I a rich man, Joshua? No, these slaves belong to the Romans. The Greek who is building this house has hired them for the construction.† â€Å"Why do they do as you ask? There are so many of them. You are only one man.† My father hung his head. â€Å"I hope that you never see what the lead tips of a Roman whip do to a man's body. All of these men have, and even seeing it has broken their spirit as men. I pray for them every night.† â€Å"I hate the Romans,† I said. â€Å"Do you, little one, do you?† A man's voice from behind. â€Å"Hail, Centurion,† my father said, his eyes going wide. Joshua and I turned to see Justus Gallicus, the centurion from the funeral at Japhia, standing among the slaves. â€Å"Alphaeus, it seems you are raising a litter of Zealots.† My father put his hands on my and Joshua's shoulders. â€Å"This is my son, Levi, and his friend Joshua. They begin their apprenticeship today. Just boys,† he said, by way of apology. Justus approached, looked quickly at me, then stared at Joshua for a long time. â€Å"I know you, boy. I've seen you before.† â€Å"The funeral at Japhia,† I said quickly. I couldn't take my eyes off of the wasp-waisted short sword that hung from the centurion's belt. â€Å"No,† the Roman seemed to be searching his memory. â€Å"Not Japhia. I've seen this face in a picture.† â€Å"That can't be,† my father said. â€Å"We are forbidden by our faith from depicting the human form.† Justus glared at him. â€Å"I am not a stranger to your people's primitive beliefs, Alphaeus. Still, this boy is familiar.† Joshua stared up at the centurion with a completely blank expression. â€Å"You feel for these slaves, boy? You would free them if you could?† Joshua nodded. â€Å"I would. A man's spirit should be his own to give to God.† â€Å"You know, there was a slave about eighty years ago who talked like you. He raised an army of slaves against Rome, beat back two of our armies, took over all the territories south of Rome. It's a story every Roman soldier must learn.† â€Å"Why, what happened?† I asked. â€Å"We crucified him,† Justus said. â€Å"By the side of the road, and his body was eaten by ravens. The lesson we all learn is that nothing can stand against Rome. A lesson you need to learn, boy, along with your stonecutting.† Just then another Roman soldier approached, a legionnaire, not wearing the cape or the helmet crest of the centurion. He said something to Justus in Latin, then looked at Joshua and paused. In rough Aramaic he said, â€Å"Hey, didn't I see that kid on some bread once?† â€Å"Wasn't him,† I said. â€Å"Really? Sure looks like him.† â€Å"Nope, that was another kid on the bread.† â€Å"It was me,† said Joshua. I backhanded him across the forehead, knocking him to the ground. â€Å"No it wasn't. He's insane. Sorry.† The soldier shook his head and hurried off after Justus. I offered a hand to help Joshua up. â€Å"You're going to have to learn to lie.† â€Å"I am? But I feel like I'm here to tell the truth.† â€Å"Yeah, sure, but not now.† I don't exactly know what I expected it would be like working as a stonemason, but I know that in less than a week Joshua was having second thoughts about not becoming a carpenter. Cutting great stones with small iron chisels was very hard work. Who knew? â€Å"Look around, do you see any trees?† Joshua mocked. â€Å"Rocks, Josh, rocks.† â€Å"It's only hard because we don't know what we're doing. It will get easier.† Joshua looked at my father, who was stripped to the waist, chiseling away on a stone the size of a donkey, while a dozen slaves waited to hoist it into place. He was covered with gray dust and streams of sweat drew dark lines between cords of muscle straining in his back and arms. â€Å"Alphaeus,† Joshua called, â€Å"does the work get easier once you know what you are doing?† â€Å"Your lungs grow thick with stone dust and your eyes bleary from the sun and fragments thrown up by the chisel. You pour your lifeblood out into works of stone for Romans who will take your money in taxes to feed soldiers who will nail your people to crosses for wanting to be free. Your back breaks, your bones creak, your wife screeches at you, and your children torment you with open, begging mouths, like greedy baby birds in the nest. You go to bed every night so tired and beaten that you pray to the Lord to send the angel of death to take you in your sleep so you don't have to face another morning. It also has its downside.† â€Å"Thanks,† Joshua said. He looked at me, one eyebrow raised. â€Å"I for one, am excited,† I said. â€Å"I'm ready to cut some stone. Stand back, Josh, my chisel is on fire. Life is stretched out before us like a great bazaar, and I can't wait to taste the sweets to be found there.† Josh tilted his head like a bewildered dog. â€Å"I didn't get that from your father's answer.† â€Å"It's sarcasm, Josh.† â€Å"Sarcasm?† â€Å"It's from the Greek, sarkasmos. To bite the lips. It means that you aren't really saying what you mean, but people will get your point. I invented it, Bartholomew named it.† â€Å"Well, if the village idiot named it, I'm sure it's a good thing.† â€Å"There you go, you got it.† â€Å"Got what?† â€Å"Sarcasm.† â€Å"No, I meant it.† â€Å"Sure you did.† â€Å"Is that sarcasm?† â€Å"Irony, I think.† â€Å"What's the difference?† â€Å"I haven't the slightest idea.† â€Å"So you're being ironic now, right?† â€Å"No, I really don't know.† â€Å"Maybe you should ask the idiot.† â€Å"Now you've got it.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Sarcasm.† â€Å"Biff, are you sure you weren't sent here by the Devil to vex me?† â€Å"Could be. How am I doing so far? You feel vexed?† â€Å"Yep. And my hands hurt from holding the chisel and mallet.† He struck the chisel with his wooden mallet and sprayed us both with stone fragments. â€Å"Maybe God sent me to talk you into being a stonemason so you would hurry up and go be the Messiah.† He struck the chisel again, then spit and sputtered through the fragments that flew. â€Å"I don't know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"So what, a week ago we didn't know how to be stonemasons and look at us now. It gets easier once you know what you're doing.† â€Å"Are you being ironic again?† â€Å"God, I hope not.† It was two months before we actually saw the Greek who had commissioned my father to build the house. He was a short, soft-looking little man, who wore a robe that was as white as any worn by the Levite priests, with a border of interlocking rectangles woven around the hem in gold. He arrived in a pair of chariots, followed on foot by two body slaves and a half-dozen bodyguards who looked like Phoenicians. I say a pair of chariots because he rode with a driver in the lead chariot, but behind them they pulled a second chariot in which stood the ten-foot-tall marble statue of a naked man. The Greek climbed down from his chariot and went directly to my father. Joshua and I were mixing a batch of mortar at the time and we paused to watch. â€Å"Graven image,† Joshua said. â€Å"Saw it,† I said. â€Å"As graven images go, I like Venus over by the gate better.† â€Å"That statue is not Jewish,† Joshua said. â€Å"Definitely not Jewish,† I said. The statue's manhood, although abundant, was not circumcised. â€Å"Alphaeus,† the Greek said, â€Å"why haven't you set the floor of the gymnasium yet? I've brought this statue to display in the gymnasium, and there's just a hole in the ground instead of a gymnasium.† â€Å"I told you, this ground is not suitable for building. I can't build on sand. I've had the slaves dig down in the sand until they hit bedrock. Now it has to be back-filled in with stone, then pounded.† â€Å"But I want to place my statue,† the Greek whined. â€Å"It's come all the way from Athens.† â€Å"Would you rather your house fall down around your precious statue?† â€Å"Don't talk to me that way, Jew, I am paying you well to build this house.† â€Å"And I am building this house well, which means not on the sand. So store your statue and let me do my work.† â€Å"Well, unload it. You, slaves, help unload my statue.† The Greek was talking to Joshua and me. â€Å"All of you, help unload my statue.† He pointed to the slaves who had been pretending to work since the Greek arrived, but who weren't sure that it was in their best interest to look like a part of a project about which the master seemed displeased. They all looked up with a surprised â€Å"Who, me?† expression on their faces, which I noticed was the same in any language. The slaves moved to the chariot and began untying the ropes that held the statue in place. The Greek looked to us. â€Å"Are you deaf, slaves? Help them!† He stormed back to his chariot and grabbed a whip out of the driver's hand. â€Å"Those are not slaves,† my father said. â€Å"Those are my apprentices.† The Greek wheeled on him. â€Å"And I should care about that? Move, boys! Now!† â€Å"No,† Joshua said. I thought the Greek would explode. He raised the whip as if to strike. â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"He said, no.† I stepped up to Joshua's side. â€Å"My people believe that graven images, statues, are sinful,† my father said, his voice on the edge of panic. â€Å"The boys are only being true to our God.† â€Å"Well, that is a statue of Apollo, a real god, so they will help unload it, as will you, or I'll find another mason to build my house.† â€Å"No,† Joshua repeated. â€Å"We will not.† â€Å"Right, you leprous jar of camel snot,† I said. Joshua looked at me, sort of disgusted. â€Å"Jeez, Biff.† â€Å"Too much?† The Greek screeched and started to swing the whip. The last thing I saw as I covered my face was my father diving toward the Greek. I would take a lash for Joshua, but I didn't want to lose an eye. I braced for the sting that never came. There was a thump, then a twanging sound, and when I uncovered my face, the Greek was lying on his back in the dirt, his white robe covered with dust, his face red with rage. The whip was extended out behind him, and on its tip stood the armored hobnail boot of Gaius Justus Gallicus, the centurion. The Greek rolled in the dirt, ready to vent his ire on whoever had stayed his hand, but when he saw who it was, he went limp and pretended to cough. One of the Greek's bodyguards started to step forward. Justus pointed a finger at the guard. â€Å"Will you stand down, or would you rather feel the foot of the Roman Empire on your neck?† The guard stepped back into line with his companions. The Roman was grinning like a mule eating an apple, not in the least concerned with allowing the Greek to save face. â€Å"So, Castor, am I to gather that you need to conscript more Roman slaves to help build your house? Or is it true what I hear about you Greeks, that whipping young boys is an entertainment for you, not a disciplinary action?† The Greek spit out a mouthful of dust as he climbed to his feet. â€Å"The slaves I have will be sufficient for the task, won't they, Alphaeus?† He turned to my father, his eyes pleading. My father seemed to be caught between two evils, and unable to decide which was the lesser of them. â€Å"Probably,† he said, finally. â€Å"Well, good, then,† Justus said. â€Å"I will expect a bonus payment for the extra work they are doing. Carry on.† Justus walked through the construction site, acting as if every eye was not on him, or not caring, and paused as he passed Joshua and me. â€Å"Leprous jar of camel snot?† he said under his breath. â€Å"Old Hebrew blessing?† I ventured. â€Å"You two should be in the hills with the other Hebrew rebels.† The Roman laughed, tousled our hair, then walked away. The sunset was turning the hillsides pink as we walked home to Nazareth that evening. In addition to being almost exhausted from the work, Joshua seemed vexed by the events of the day. â€Å"Did you know that – about not being able to build on sand?† he asked. â€Å"Of course, my father's been talking about it for a long time. You can build on sand, but what you build will fall down.† Joshua nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"What about soil? Dirt? Is it okay to build on that?† â€Å"Rock is best, but I suppose hard dirt is good.† â€Å"I need to remember that.† We seldom saw Maggie in those days after we began working with my father. I found myself looking forward to the Sabbath, when we would go to the synagogue and I would mill around outside, among the women, while the men were inside listening to the reading of the Torah or the arguments of the Pharisees. It was one of the few times I could talk to Maggie without Joshua around, for though he resented the Pharisees even then, he knew he could learn from them, so he spent the Sabbath listening to their teachings. I still wonder if this time I stole with Maggie somehow represented a disloyalty to Joshua, but later, when I asked him about it, he said, â€Å"God is willing to forgive you the sin that you carry for being a child of man, but you must forgive yourself for having once been a child.† â€Å"I suppose that's right.† â€Å"Of course it's right, I'm the Son of God, you dolt. Besides, Maggie always wanted to talk about me anyway, didn't she?† â€Å"Not always,† I lied. On the Sabbath before the murder, I found Maggie outside the synagogue, sitting by herself under a date palm tree. I shuffled up to her to talk, but kept looking at my feet. I knew that if I looked into her eyes I would forget what I was talking about, so I only looked at her in brief takes, the way a man will glance up at the sun on a sweltering day to confirm the source of the heat. â€Å"Where's Joshua?† were the first words out of her mouth, of course. â€Å"Studying with the men.† She seemed disappointed for a moment, but then brightened. â€Å"How is your work?† â€Å"Hard, I like playing better.† â€Å"What is Sepphoris like? Is it like Jerusalem?† â€Å"No, it's smaller. But there are a lot of Romans there.† She'd seen Romans. I needed something to impress her. â€Å"And there are graven images – statues of people.† Maggie covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. â€Å"Statues, really? I would love to see them.† â€Å"Then come with us, we are leaving tomorrow very early, before anyone is awake.† â€Å"I couldn't. Where would I tell my mother I was going?† â€Å"Tell her that you are going to Sepphoris with the Messiah and his pal.† Her eyes went wide and I looked away quickly, before I was caught in their spell. â€Å"You shouldn't talk that way, Biff.† â€Å"I saw the angel.† â€Å"You said yourself that we shouldn't say it.† â€Å"I was only joking. Tell your mother that I told you about a beehive that I found and that you want to go find some honey while the bees are still groggy from the morning cold. It's a full moon tonight, so you'll be able to see. She just might believe you.† â€Å"She might, but she'll know I was lying when I don't bring home any honey.† â€Å"Tell her it was a hornets' nest. She thinks Josh and I are stupid anyway, doesn't she?† â€Å"She thinks that Joshua is touched in the head, but you, yes, she thinks you're stupid.† â€Å"You see, my plan is working. For it is written that ‘if the wise man always appears stupid, his failures do not disappoint, and his success gives pleasant surprise.'† Maggie smacked me on the leg. â€Å"That is not written.† â€Å"Sure it is, Imbeciles three, verse seven.† â€Å"There is no book of Imbeciles.† â€Å"Drudges five-four?† â€Å"You're making that up.† â€Å"Come with us, you can be back to Nazareth before it's time to fetch the morning water.† â€Å"Why so early? What are you two up to?† â€Å"We're going to circumcise Apollo.† She didn't say anything, she just looked at me, as if she would see â€Å"Liar† written across my forehead in fire. â€Å"It wasn't my idea,† I said. â€Å"It was Joshua's.† â€Å"I'll go then,† she said.

Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River Essays

Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River Essays Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River Essay Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River Essay Essay Topic: The Heart Goes Last Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Symbolism in Big Two-Hearted River The story, Big Twos of these include symbolism, paradox, metaphors, onomatopoeia, irony, and imagery among others (Brooke and Carpenter 15). In this story, the writer makes use of the various literary elements to piece together a convincing image in the reader’s mind, one such element used extensively by the writer being symbolism. When Nick, the main character, comes home from the war, he expects to gain peace in his home. However, he finds the whole place burnt down and the previously old familiar surroundings inexistent. â€Å"There was no town, nothing but the rails and the burned-over country†, (Hemmingway 253). The state of Nick’s home symbolizes the state of despair that is experienced by most war veterans when they return home after the war. Their emotional state is ruined and unstable showing a similarity to the demolished state of the place. The place is deserted when Nick gets home and throughout the story, he remains on his own. This can also be a symbolic sign to portray the feelings that soldiers have when coming back from war. Most soldiers go through painful ordeals, and it is impossible for any other person to relate to what they feel. Hence, the lonely picture shows their solitary emotions. Nick’s actions are also symbolic. Nick carries a large hiker’s bag on his back and purposely walks away from the road into the woods. He knows what he wants at this point and knows where he is headed. Even when he is tired, he presses on past a pine island towards a certain spot on the riverbank. â€Å"His muscles ached, and the day was hot, but Nick felt happy. He felt he had left everything behind, the need for thinking, the need to write, other needs. It was all back of him,† (Hemmingway 254). Symbolism is used here to represent freedom. The war is over, and there are no boundaries as to where he can or cannot go. There are no rules dictating the food that he can carry and which he cannot. He is also free to decide where to pitch his tent. This part of the story symbolizes the freedom soldiers experience once they get out of the war-torn areas where their every move is dictated. At the beginning, when Nick gets to his home area and goes to the river on the log bridge, he watches the big trout racing upstream. Nick picks up his backpack, walks up the road and turns heading towards the woods. He only takes short rests and even when he is tired, he continues walking. â€Å"He was tired and very hot, walking across the uneven, shade-less pine plain. At any time, he knew he could strike the river by turning off to his left† (Hemmingway 255). Once he arrives at the riverbed, he observes that the trout would race upstream and jump to the surface to catch insects, but after some time, they all settle and easily feed from downstream as the insects settle on the surface (Hemmingway 256). This is symbolic to Nick’s situation. Initially, he was troubled and needed peace of mind, which led to him to go into the woods and to the riverbed just as the trout have to race up the river and jump out to catch the insects. The situation where the trout later calm do wn downstream, and do not have to jump out of the water to catch insects is used to symbolize Nick’s situation. He finally begins to get the peace of mind that he was after; as he had reached the riverbank, he yearned for and embraced his freedom. However, Nick realizes that not all is lost, as the pine trees and the river still exist. Nature is often used for healing processes as a means to attain calm and peace from man-initiated troubles such as wars. Thus, Hemmingway uses nature in his plot to signify that Nick finds the peace he is looking for in the woods, regardless of the derelict state of the town. When he gets to the pool, looking at the trout moving up against the current in the stream gives Nick a renewed feeling. He gets an illusion of the peace he is in search of, the feeling that he once had before the war. This is explained in the quote â€Å"Nick’s heart tightened as the trout moved. He felt all the old feeling† (Hemmingway 253). In the story, Nick noticed that the grasshoppers were sooty black, in contrast to the grasshoppers that he remembered from his childhood. Those from his childhood were either black and yellow in color or black and red. Initially he did not pay attention, but once his mind settled down, he realized that they were black because of the soot from the fire that burnt down the town. The fire had occurred the previous year, but the grasshoppers were still sooty black. This is a form of symbolism since, wondering how long the effects of the past destruction would last on the grasshoppers could be alluded to wondering how long the effects of the war that Nick had just come from would last on him. â€Å"He realized that the fire must have come the year before, but the grasshoppers were all black now. He wondered how long they would stay that way†, (Hemmingway 254). The second part of the story talks about renewal and Nick finding the peace he sought. By being able to pitch his own tent and make his own fishing rod, Nick felt more like the man he should be. There were no rules to govern him or anyone to dictate to him what he was expected to do. This symbolizes a new beginning for him, and a chance to be his own man. â€Å"Nick felt awkward and professionally happy with all his equipment hanging from him†, (Hemmingway 260). In this part, he is enjoying himself, savoring the river’s feeling and fishing. While he throws in the hooks for the second catch after throwing the smaller fish back into the water, there is a great resistance as he hooks a big trout that is not willing to lose the battle. He struggles with it until he reels it. In the shallow waters near the swampy shores, he reels in yet another big trout. The two trout put up quite a fight before they are eventually captured. This struggle is a symbol of the struggle that Nick had gone through in his life. This is further emphasized in that the trout are both male. He does not fish for the small trout as by now he has recognized that bigger risks bring with them greater rewards. â€Å"Nick fought him against the current, letting him thump in the water against the spring of the rod. He shifted the rod to his left hand, worked the trout upstream, holding his weight, fighting on the rod, and then let him down into the net† (Hemmingway 263). In both parts of the story, the writer makes great use of symbolism. The story has a flow and compels the reader to think deeper into the meanings of the words. This makes it an interesting and educative read. Literary elements give a story more meaning as it is subject to various interpretations based on the person reading it. This makes it suitable for a diverse crowd. Hemingway masters the art making him one of the recognizable writers of his time. Work Cited Brooke, Stopford A, and George R. Carpenter. English Literature. New York: The Macmillan Co, 2000. Print. Hemingway, Ernest. The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. Simon Schuster, 1938. Print.

Acquaintance Rape essays

Acquaintance Rape essays Women take many routine precautions in their lives to prevent acts of violence from happening to them. Women take these precautions as a second nature because ever since we were little children our parents taught us not to do certain things and if you do your safety may be in jeopardy. However, the precautions theyre taking are against an attack by a stranger as opposed to an attack by an acquaintance. This should not be the case when we know that large proportions of these violent and sexually violent crimes are committed by someone the woman knows and sometimes even trusts. All women know not to go out alone or walk alone, especially at night. We also know better than to interact with men if we dont want to pursue it. We are taught to dress differently so as not to attract a man. We are taught to have a ride, and let someone know where youre going and what time you plan on arriving home. These routine precautions are a good idea, but they arent addressing the real problem. The real problem is acquaintance rape, even though most people when they visualize rape, they visualize a stranger in a dark alley waiting to pounce. This is obviously not the case. If we look at the risk factors associated with acquaintance rape then we can assess some routine precautions that can be taken to avoid acquaintance rape. The first is frequently drinking enough to get drunk. Obviously men will find you more vulnerable to give into their demands if you have been drinking or are drunk. A simple way to avoid this is not drinking in excess. This directly follows the next risk factor, which is drinking to the point of being unable to resist forceful sexual advances. This is an obvious risk factor. You are certainly more likely to be raped when you cant resist because to a man that means you want it. Using drugs or drinking by either the victim or the assailant increases the risk. Therefore, don...

Barriers To Communication

Barriers To Communication For any kind of communication to be successful, it is essential that the receiver attributes the same meaning to the message as intended by the sender of the message. But all acts of communication are not perfect or successful. At times, some meaning is lost as the message encounters various barriers along its passage between the sender and the receiver. Such barriers may arise at any of the stages through which a message passes during the process of communication. This is also called miscommunication. Some of the common problems that lead to the failure of communication are: noise, cultural differences, complexity of subject matter, personal biases, semantic problems, socio-psychological barriers, filtering, information overload, poor retention, poor listening, goal conflicts, slanting, inferring, etc. Barriers to communication can be classified as follows on the basis of the stage of the communication process during which the problem/s arise: a. Sender-oriented barriers: lack of p lanning, lack of clarity about the purpose of communication, improper choice of words resulting in a badly encoded message, difference in perception, wrong choice of the channel, unjustified presumptions, etc. b. Receiver-oriented barriers: poor listening, lack of interest, difference in perception, biased attitude, etc. c. Channel-oriented barriers: noise, wrong selection of medium, technical defects in the address system or the medium of communication chosen by the sender, time and distance, etc. We may define communication as a psycho-semantic process. Therefore, the barriers that affect the effectiveness of communication are mostly of social-psychological-linguistic nature. These factors may act upon any or all of the elements of the process of communication, that is, the sender or the receiver or the channel. And a common barrier for both the sender and receiver can be the absence of a common frame of reference which often leads to the breakdown of communication in a specific s ituation. A common frame of reference is the context in which communication takes place. A well-defined context helps the sender and the receiver to comprehend the content of the message in a similar way, with regard to its implications and meaning. Many of the barriers listed above are easy to understand. But a few of them may require a detailed explanation. DIFFERENT TYPES OF BARRIERS The various barriers to communication can be classified into the following broad categories: 1) Semantic or language barriers, 2) Physical barriers, 3) Personal barriers, 4) Emotional or perceptional barriers, 5) Socio-psychological barriers, 6) Cultural barriers, and 7) Organizational barriers. SEMANTIC/LANGUAGE BARRIERS Semantics is the systematic study of the meaning of words. Thus, the semantic barriers are barriers related to language. Such barriers are problems that arise during the process of encoding and/or decoding the message into words and ideas respectively. Both the oral and the written communication are based on words/symbols which are ambiguous in nature. Words/ symbols may be used in several ways and may have several meanings. Unless the receiver knows the context, he may interpret the word/symbol according to his own level of understanding and may thus misinterpret the message. The most common semantic barriers are listed as under:

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Business Law - Essay Example 2 In order to have a valid contract, an offer must sufficiently be accepted. In this case when Simon ordered the 20 coffee machines, there was already a valid offer to purchase the said product from the wholesaler. In order that the contract may be perfected, what is needed is the valid acceptance of the wholesaler. But since the wholesaler made no reply since the offer to purchase on Thursday, Simon had every right to change his mind. When Simon sent a telefax canceling his order on Tuesday thereafter, there was still no perfected contract. The general rule is, once the acceptance is made, the offerror can no longer revoke the offer. But the acceptance becomes binding on the offerree only when it reaches the offeror. In this case the telefax was sent on Tuesday, while the letter of acceptance, confirming the order was received the next day. In order for the contract to be valid, acceptance of the offer is needed to create legal rights and duties arising from such agreement. In this case Simon has revoked his offer prior having knowledge of the acceptance the next day. In the case of Entores Ltd. v Miles Far East Corporation (1955)3, where the parties where dealing on an agreement based on telex communication between parties, it was held that it was not until the message of acceptance was received by the offeror until the contract is deemed perfected or complete. Lord Denning, Master of the Rolls, provided that if a notice of withdrawal was sent during business hours, the withdrawal was effective as of the time it was received by the telex machine, regardless if the other party received it or not based on their own neglect.4 In our case it is obvious that after a number of days without confirmation of the request, Simon sent a telefax canceling his order on Tuesday, a day before there was a valid acceptance from the wholesaler. Hence, he had all the right to revoke his primary offer to purchase the coffee makers since there was no acceptance yet made, there was no contract yet perfected or created at that time. The telefax remains open to receive messages, there was also no confirmation made by the wholesaler that the request to purchase their product was even accepted, in addition to that there was no consideration or payment made. Simon had timely withdrawn his offer before any contract was created, hence he will not be liable for any demand based on breach of a contract that was never effective. The use of disclaimers in shops or place of business is generally allowed by law, but the rule is not absolute, as it does not include responsibility for negligence as provided in the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. Simon cannot rely on his general disclaimer from preventing himself to be sued based on negligence that resulted to damages. The law provides that although disclaimers are allowed, it cannot be made or put in general terms as to limit the liability of the owner in every case, as the limited liability depends on the nature of the obl igation and must be reasonable as not to cause boundless responsibilities. It was held in the case of Staples v West Dorset District Council (1995) 5that a disclaimer or notice to be valid must renounce responsibility based on specific issues6. In this case, Simon posted a notice renouncing all responsibility for

Take home question Financial Markets of Latin American Essay

Take home question Financial Markets of Latin American - Essay Example However, they -as well as other emerging markets as China or Eastern Europe- appear to be overcoming this crisis much better than more mature markets as USA or the European Union. Some analysts explain that this fact is due to these countries costume and tradition of facing continuous tensions and crisis, situation that have led them to develop "overcoming mechanisms"2. According to Manuel Romera, the Latin-American countries have few to fear from this situation, since they are "those countries that are the most used to difficult and tension moments, being so the most prepared to overcome the crisis". I coincide with this hypothesis because, to my mind, if during the coming decades these countries are able to achieve solid organisational models to simultaneously stimulate innovation and efficiency, it would be seen how theses economies experiment unknown levels of development. It should be beard in mind that Latin-American economies are rich in natural resources and primary materials (resources more and more precious in such a shortage world, characterised by a frantic economic growth). Nevertheless, and once the risk of contagion is being avoided, let's remark some other facts that condition the S

Histoy Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Histoy Final - Essay Example He was known as one of the â€Å"Fathers of the Church† his writings are the secondary foundation of the Christian faith. St. Augustine has been especially influential in molding belief in Christianity. His â€Å"Confessions and The e City of God† has been the most important repositories of Christian teaching (134). The Treaty of Verdun in 843 during the Holy Roman Empire is the treaty that established peace and is one of the most important treaties in world history because its general linguistic and cultural borders it established still exist today (746). Charlemagne was the greatest of German kings and was also known as Charles the Great (768–800) and the first Holy Roman Emperor (800–814) of the empire. He was also the first German ruler to accept Roman Christianity. He was rewarded with the establishment of the largest territory under one ruler since Roman times and by Pope Leo III’s granting him the title of Emperor (138). The Crusades during the medieval era contributed to peace in Europe by allowing young nobles to exercise their warlike impulses in a church-approved arena. Starting with the First Crusade in 1096, thousands of aggressive sons of the nobility went to Palestine or Eastern Europe to fight the nonbelievers thus recovering the long-lost Holy Land-Jerusalem (251). The Bourgeoisie during the Economic Revival-11th century are people in the upper middle class: doctors, lawyers, royal and clerical officeholders, and the merchants. They were educated, status-conscious people who lived within the bourg which a walled settlement was meant to protect life and property. The One Hundred Years War dealt a heavy blow to the French monarchy during the European Middle Ages, which was rescued from disintegration through Joan of Arc. The war also ended the domination of the field of battle by noble horsemen and started the coming of modern gunpowder warfare (252). The Great Schism during the European Middle Ages (1378–1417) marked

A Case of Corporate Ethical Failure, and Discuss Where Blame Might Be Essay

A Case of Corporate Ethical Failure, and Discuss Where Blame Might Be Assigned - Essay Example According to the research findings, in an environment where an employee does what he or she wants, there tends to be the ethical failure in the leadership. These failures often affect the productivity of an organization because there is lack of clear direction on how things should be done in the organization. Organisations need to establish an ethical code that guides the behaviors of employees including the top management. However, where such the ethical code of conduct is ignored by the workers, then an organization is exposed to different problems including ethical leadership failures. Ethical failures in any organization result from what people do at the workplace. In addition, ethical failures are created as a result of the behaviors and thinking that is supported by the organization in general. The individual behaviors that may cause ethical failures include ignoring boundaries, lack of self-control, the entitlement view, self-interest, lacking moral compass and crowd following . On the other hand, organization culture that can lead to ethical failures include lack of clarity regarding ethical conduct in the organization, lack of effective leaders to act as role models, lack of accountability, shifting blame and there is no performance integration and things are done incorrectly in the organization. A former manager of the Siemens testified regarding unethical practice in the company that involved slashing funds and bribery which amounted to corporate corruption. The manager testified on his role in the bribery scandal that was first exposed by German prosecutors in 2006. This corruption scandal has tarnished the name of the company resulting in two top executives losing their jobs. In addition, the remaining executives still faced fines and indictments that amounted to billions of euros because of the corporate corruption.