Nutrition cycle

This paper gives the summary of the Nutrition cycle in the atmosphere. The Carbon cycle, Nitrogen cycle, Phosphorous cycle, Sulfur cycle and Hydrologic cycle are all discussed. The paper also mentions how the human activity has affected these cycles.Carbon cycleThe Carbon Cycle is the circulation of carbon, fats, proteins, DNA and many other organic compounds that is required for life in the biosphere. It makes up for 0.038% of the volume of troposphere and is also present in water. The carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere is balanced by the generating, removing (terrestrial and aquatic producers) and cooling in the cycle. Any small changes in this cycle will affect the climate and life forms on the earth (Chapter3 55).Photosynthesis converts Carbon Dioxide into glucose. Aerobic respiration then breaks glucose and organic compounds and reconverts it to Carbon Dioxide and is released into the atmosphere. Recycling of Carbon takes place in the form of decomposition of dead plant ma tter to give fossil fuels such as coal and oil. These fossil fuels are non renewable energy (Chapter3 55).There are two main ways by which humans are affected, they are as follows – Firstly, humans clear trees and plants that help in photosynthesis and absorbs Carbon Dioxide. Secondly, Carbon Dioxide is added back to the atmosphere by burning wood and fossil fuels. The addition of Carbon Dioxide and other gases enhances the Earth’s natural green house effect. All this leads to global warming which affects the food produced and wildlife, temperature, precipitation and increases sea levels (Chapter3 55).Nitrogen cycleNitrogen is available in large quantities in the atmosphere but cannot be directly used or absorbed by mutlicellular plants and animals. Nitrogen gas makes up for 78% of the volume of the troposphere   Ã‚  Atmospheric discharges like lighting, bacteria in aquatic systems in soil and the roots of plants convert the Nitrogen available into Nutrients that can be absorbed by plants or animals. This process is known as the Nitrogen Cycle (Chapter3 55).The process consists of Nitrification which converts nitrite ions to nitrate ions. Then Ammonification occurs wherein bacteria convert the detritus into simple nitrogen containing compounds such as Ammonia and water soluble salts (Ammonium ions). Denitrification then converts the Ammonia and Ammonium ions back into nitrite and nitrate ions and then further into Nitrogen gas and Nitrous gas, which is released into the atmosphere (Chapter3 55, 56).There are many ways by which humans are affected; some of them are as follows – First, Acid rain consisting of Nitrogen Dioxide and Nitric Acid causes damages in the form of acid depositions. Second, livestock and inorganic fertilizers release Nitrous Oxide into the atmosphere. This affects the ozone layer. Third, Nitrates contaminate groundwater making it harmful to drink. Fourth, Destruction of forests, wetlands and grasslands release Nitrog en compounds into the troposphere. Fifth, aquatic ecosystems is disturbed when too much nitrates is released. Sixth, Harvesting of Nitrogen rich crops, irrigation and then burning or clearing of topsoil before replanting crops removes Nitrogen in the topsoil (Chapter3 56).Phosphorous cyclePhosphorus circulation occurs through the water, earth’s crust and then the living organisms. The Phosphorus cycle is slower and flows from land to the oceans. It is found as Phosphate salts such as Phosphate ions present in terrestrial rock formations and sediments at the bottom of the ocean. Water flows erodes these inorganic compounds and transfers it to the oceans where deposition occurs. This sedimentation limits the growth of plants as it is only slightly soluble but very harmful (Chapter3 57, 58).There are three main ways by which humans are affected, they are as follows – Firstly, Phosphate rock mining is done to make inorganic fertilizers and detergents. Secondly, deforestati on of tropical forests causes reduction of phosphate in tropical soils. Thirdly, aquatic life is disturbed due to Phosphates in animal wastes, fertilizers and sewage (Chapter3 58, 59).Sulfur cycleSulfur circulation occurs through the biosphere. Sulfur is stored underground in rocks and minerals; these also include sulfate salts that are buried in ocean sediments. Sulfur enters the atmosphere as Hydrogen Sulfides, Sulfur dioxides, Sufides and Sulfate salts. Acid deposition occurs due to the conversion of Sulfur Dioxide to Sulfur trioxide and then to Sulfuric acid, which along with air pollution harms tress and aquatic life (Chapter3 59).There are three main ways by which humans are affected, they are as follows – Firstly, burning of coal and oil to produce electric power adds Sulfur into the atmosphere. Secondly, Refining of Sulfur containing petroleum is done to give gasoline, heating oil and many other products. Thirdly, metallic mineral ores containing Sulfur are converted into free metals like copper, lead and zinc, this process releases huge amount of Sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere (Chapter3 59).Hydrologic cycleThe solar energy causes evaporation of water vapour on the earth’s surface into the atmosphere. Fresh water then returns to the earth’s surface as precipitation which gets locked in glaciers, some water gets stored in the ground as aquifers and the rest becomes surface runoff, which means water flows into lakes and streams, eventually flowing into the oceans. This process of evaporation, precipitation and percolation is a continuous cycle and is called the Water or Hydrologic cycle. This is therefore a global cycle that that collects, purifies, distributes and recycles the earth’s water supply (Chapter3 53, 54).There are three main ways by which humans are affected, they are as follows – Firstly, fresh water is obtained from streams, lakes and underground water. Secondly, land vegetation is cleared to build roa ds and construction buildings, for mining and for agricultural purposes. This process destroys wetlands and causes soil erosion, landslides and flooding. Thirdly, various nutrients in the form of fertilizers (phosphates and nitrates) and other pollutants are added to water causing imbalance in the ecological process that involves the purification of water (Chapter3 54, 55).Works CitedChapter 3. Ecosystems: What are they and how do they work? Environmental ScienceNow. http://biology.brookscole.com/miller11 Nutrition cycle This paper gives the summary of the Nutrition cycle in the atmosphere. The Carbon cycle, Nitrogen cycle, Phosphorous cycle, Sulfur cycle and Hydrologic cycle are all discussed. The paper also mentions how the human activity has affected these cycles.Carbon cycleThe Carbon Cycle is the circulation of carbon, fats, proteins, DNA and many other organic compounds that is required for life in the biosphere. It makes up for 0.038% of the volume of troposphere and is also present in water. The carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere is balanced by the generating, removing (terrestrial and aquatic producers) and cooling in the cycle. Any small changes in this cycle will affect the climate and life forms on the earth (Chapter3 55).Photosynthesis converts Carbon Dioxide into glucose. Aerobic respiration then breaks glucose and organic compounds and reconverts it to Carbon Dioxide and is released into the atmosphere. Recycling of Carbon takes place in the form of decomposition of dead plant ma tter to give fossil fuels such as coal and oil. These fossil fuels are non renewable energy (Chapter3 55).There are two main ways by which humans are affected, they are as follows – Firstly, humans clear trees and plants that help in photosynthesis and absorbs Carbon Dioxide. Secondly, Carbon Dioxide is added back to the atmosphere by burning wood and fossil fuels. The addition of Carbon Dioxide and other gases enhances the Earth’s natural green house effect. All this leads to global warming which affects the food produced and wildlife, temperature, precipitation and increases sea levels (Chapter3 55).Nitrogen cycleNitrogen is available in large quantities in the atmosphere but cannot be directly used or absorbed by mutlicellular plants and animals. Nitrogen gas makes up for 78% of the volume of the troposphere   Ã‚  Atmospheric discharges like lighting, bacteria in aquatic systems in soil and the roots of plants convert the Nitrogen available into Nutrients that can be absorbed by plants or animals. This process is known as the Nitrogen Cycle (Chapter3 55).The process consists of Nitrification which converts nitrite ions to nitrate ions. Then Ammonification occurs wherein bacteria convert the detritus into simple nitrogen containing compounds such as Ammonia and water soluble salts (Ammonium ions). Denitrification then converts the Ammonia and Ammonium ions back into nitrite and nitrate ions and then further into Nitrogen gas and Nitrous gas, which is released into the atmosphere (Chapter3 55, 56).There are many ways by which humans are affected; some of them are as follows – First, Acid rain consisting of Nitrogen Dioxide and Nitric Acid causes damages in the form of acid depositions. Second, livestock and inorganic fertilizers release Nitrous Oxide into the atmosphere. This affects the ozone layer. Third, Nitrates contaminate groundwater making it harmful to drink. Fourth, Destruction of forests, wetlands and grasslands release Nitrog en compounds into the troposphere. Fifth, aquatic ecosystems is disturbed when too much nitrates is released. Sixth, Harvesting of Nitrogen rich crops, irrigation and then burning or clearing of topsoil before replanting crops removes Nitrogen in the topsoil (Chapter3 56).Phosphorous cyclePhosphorus circulation occurs through the water, earth’s crust and then the living organisms. The Phosphorus cycle is slower and flows from land to the oceans. It is found as Phosphate salts such as Phosphate ions present in terrestrial rock formations and sediments at the bottom of the ocean. Water flows erodes these inorganic compounds and transfers it to the oceans where deposition occurs. This sedimentation limits the growth of plants as it is only slightly soluble but very harmful (Chapter3 57, 58).There are three main ways by which humans are affected, they are as follows – Firstly, Phosphate rock mining is done to make inorganic fertilizers and detergents. Secondly, deforestati on of tropical forests causes reduction of phosphate in tropical soils. Thirdly, aquatic life is disturbed due to Phosphates in animal wastes, fertilizers and sewage (Chapter3 58, 59).Sulfur cycleSulfur circulation occurs through the biosphere. Sulfur is stored underground in rocks and minerals; these also include sulfate salts that are buried in ocean sediments. Sulfur enters the atmosphere as Hydrogen Sulfides, Sulfur dioxides, Sufides and Sulfate salts. Acid deposition occurs due to the conversion of Sulfur Dioxide to Sulfur trioxide and then to Sulfuric acid, which along with air pollution harms tress and aquatic life (Chapter3 59).There are three main ways by which humans are affected, they are as follows – Firstly, burning of coal and oil to produce electric power adds Sulfur into the atmosphere. Secondly, Refining of Sulfur containing petroleum is done to give gasoline, heating oil and many other products. Thirdly, metallic mineral ores containing Sulfur are converted into free metals like copper, lead and zinc, this process releases huge amount of Sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere (Chapter3 59).Hydrologic cycleThe solar energy causes evaporation of water vapour on the earth’s surface into the atmosphere. Fresh water then returns to the earth’s surface as precipitation which gets locked in glaciers, some water gets stored in the ground as aquifers and the rest becomes surface runoff, which means water flows into lakes and streams, eventually flowing into the oceans. This process of evaporation, precipitation and percolation is a continuous cycle and is called the Water or Hydrologic cycle. This is therefore a global cycle that that collects, purifies, distributes and recycles the earth’s water supply (Chapter3 53, 54).There are three main ways by which humans are affected, they are as follows – Firstly, fresh water is obtained from streams, lakes and underground water. Secondly, land vegetation is cleared to build roa ds and construction buildings, for mining and for agricultural purposes. This process destroys wetlands and causes soil erosion, landslides and flooding. Thirdly, various nutrients in the form of fertilizers (phosphates and nitrates) and other pollutants are added to water causing imbalance in the ecological process that involves the purification of water (Chapter3 54, 55).Works CitedChapter 3. Ecosystems: What are they and how do they work? Environmental ScienceNow. http://biology.brookscole.com/miller11

Music History Essay

Music, as they say, is a universal language. Unlike dialects, music can be understood by many sans, the lyrics spoken in a different country. The simple humming of a child, done in mostly minor chords, can make everyone feel a little emotional or sad. A happy song filled with trumpets, saxophones and lively guitar tabs can make people excited and get them all to dance. Music can unite people regardless of their age, gender and race, which is why it is considered a universal language. Through Those Years The history of music dates back before the 1800s, but that is only to put a legal timeline to the evolution of music. Since music is universal, it is then safe to say that it has started even in the beginning of the world. The first human beings, or the first animals, for that matter, depended on sounds that make up a structure filled with patterns that were easily remembered, which conveyed a meaning and made people do things like hunt for food, identify where the predator or the prey is, or go where they should go. Music was a sign and a symbol that represented something (Murray, 2004, p. 773). Technically, though, music before the 1800s existed already, in a more technical sense of the concept. Music was then not just a collection of different sounds. It became a study where people researched about it. During the 18th century, the book entitled History of Music was written and published by GB Martini. Its original title was Storia Della Musica. Other books followed after GB Martin’s, and among the many books that were published after the first one were De Cantu de Musica Sacra and Scriptores Ecclesiastici de Musica Sacra. The types of music being studied, during these times, were classified as sacred music (Murray, 2004, p. 773). During 1800-1950, the evolution of music can be seen and musical history was being more defined. It didn’t take too long when Johannes Wolf started to do more studies about music, specifically the type of sound that emerged during the Medieval and the Renaissance times. Musicologists depended much on the studies conducted by Johannes Wolf. Because of this, a branch of art called historical musicology was termed and developed. This branch of study became a significant part of the Baroque music. It also became an instrument to the development of music during the Medieval and the Renaissance era. In particular, the movement of original performance has a lot to do with the scholarship associated with the history of music. Musicology became a big part of the arts, and became more and more developed as time passed by. It soon became a field of study. Consequently, journals, researches, articles and new analyses are being developed to branch them out altogether, in order to produce more studies to be published. Music was being more defined as years went by, and it was spreading like fire all over the world (Murray, 2004, p. 773). Ancient Music To understand the history of music and how it changes, it is then best to use a chronology to explain the turn of events. First there was ancient music. This type of music reflects all the types of music that developed in the different parts of the globe, like Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, Greece, China, India and Persia. In fact, music was already popular and rich in countries like Rome, Greece and Mesopotamia. Whatever was audible to the people were characterized through basic scales and tones, and then came music. Music spread throughout history through systems, either written or oral (West, 1994, p. 13). The definition of ancient music differs from time to time because of how much music is already revolving, and is continuously revolving. Today, if one defines ancient music, he can say that it is the modern sound that still resembles whatever is folk and traditional in that country. Today, there are modern sounds that Muslims, Egyptians, Jews, Asians, Persians, and Indians produce, but still has not left behind the oldest and most basic of original ancient music (West, 1994, p. 13). Persia, for example, flute, lute and guitars were already being played. Religious rituals were not complete in Persia without music. Music was significant in the lives of the Persians, especially in their spiritual life. It was in Mesopotamia where the first traces of writing were seen. It was the same time when researchers and historians traced instructions for music. The traces were fragmentary, but the authorities were sure that there was music during this time in this place. In fact, music was in made in thirds when it comes to harmony. The scales of the musical pieces produced were even diatonic (Leichtentritt, 2007, p. 14). Up to this day, though, how the researchers can interpret the symbols in the ancient Mesopotamia is not a hundred percent clear. There are still controversies that have yet to be discussed and settled. The interpretation of the symbols remains to be vague. But one thing is sure; all the notations made on the cuneiform tablets were clearly that of the tunings and strings of a musical instrument called a lyre. It was also during this time when harps were invented and became a big part of the history of music (Leichtentritt, 2007, p. 14). In India, ancient music was also active. Indians were always enthusiastic when it comes to the type of musical instrument they were playing. Musical instruments were all around India. This can be proven by how much instruments were amassed from the Indus valley civilization. Archaeological sites can prove all these. Indians had forms of music that includes Samaveda, Rigveda and Samagana. Their music was characterized from hymns, verses and melodies. It was in religious rituals where music was used the most. Indian music had basic ingredients to make a sound â€Å"Indian. † During the first part of a song, Shadja is always established. The grama, in this case, is being defined. Grama is the Indian term for the note of the scale. Indian music also lives by the two principles of consonance, which involves Avinashi and Avilopi. Avinashi is a fundamental note that should always be present in a musical piece, and with Avilopi it means that the note should never change, and that it should always stay there in that particular music piece, according to Leichtentritt (2007, p. 14). Greek’s music has evolved through time. The Greeks have original musical notation style. They developed their own, no matter how robust it is. While it is true that the best musicians in Greece did not necessarily use their musical notations produced originally, it cannot be denied that a lot of Romans and Greeks still use of that original musical notation. Greek music was not exactly monophonic, although this was almost established with their style of music (West, 1994, p. 13). There was always more than just a note to be sounded at a similar time. Double pipes and bag pipes were mostly used. These can be proven also by the ancient drawings seen on the vases and the walls of Greece. Even the oldest Greek books had authors who were able to describe what different musical techniques were being used during these times. Double flutes were also popular in Greece (West, 1994, p. 13). Middle Eastern After the Ancient music came the Middle Eastern music. Middle Eastern music was rich in that it was characterized by different styles from different regions. When one goes to the Middle East, there are different types of music that can be seen, like â€Å"zajal, Turkish folk music, Turkish classical music, sha’abi, Sufi music, rapbesk, rnbesk. Somali music, pizmonim, Persian folk, Nubian music, mawwal, Kurdish music, Egyptian Chaabi and el-Gil, Egyptian Classical music, Berber music, Arabic Andalusian, Arabesque music, Arabic rap, Arabic pop, Algerian rai and Arabic Classical Music (Stanley, 1997, p. 126). † The Islam community displays its great influence coming from the Middle East music. In fact, as the Islam used music in their rituals, Middle Eastern music spread even more quickly. The identity of Middle Eastern music is defined from the melody which is still present today in modern Middle Eastern pop and liturgical music (Stanley, 1997, p. 126). Classical Music Music evolves all around the world. In the West, music has gone a long way from the classical compositions of great masters like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Carl Philipp Emanuel Back, and Franz Schubert to the catchy modern pop songs of today. It’s kind of hard to imagine how music has evolved from those grand compositions to the contemporary quirky beats we listen to today, but that just proves how quickly music transforms according to the needs of the people (Stanley, 1997, p. 154). The Classical period in the West dates from about 1750 to 1820. Classical music refers to various styles of music with roots in the secular and liturgical European musical traditions of the 9th century. This type of music is characterized by romantic melodies using instruments like violins and flutes (Stanley, 1997, p. 154). One striking characteristic of classical music is its elegance. This elegance is achieved by the composers’ close attention to balance and proportion. For this reason, classical music never becomes obsolete. Up to now, many people around the world, whether they live in the West or not, still listen to classical music. Some people study their structures and attempt to recreate classical music using modern instruments. Others simply enjoy their relaxing melodies, which may aid them to concentrate on their tasks or even sleep better. There is even a concept called â€Å"Mozart effect†, as explained by Stanley (1997), which says that children who are exposed to the classical music of the great genius that is Mozart are able to concentrate more on their tasks, thus resulting in better performance in school. This is just one example of the newly discovered benefits of music that are surprising ordinary people and experts around the world (Stanley, 1997, p. 8). Western Music through the Years As the power of the West became stronger and reached farther into different corners of the globe, music itself has gained the imprints of Western culture. More and more people heard and recognized the merits of Western music. Countries that were once colonies of Western countries are especially influenced by Western music because the language barrier is weaker. Today, the dominant music is the world comes from the West. Classical, blues, jazz, rock, hip-hop, ballads, R n B – all of these have roots in the West. The amazing thing is that since music is universal, people of different races and cultures around the world can appreciate these Western genres of music. Western music may influence local music, but the traditional character of music never goes away. For instance, in Japan today, pop music has obvious Western overtones, but most pop hits are all sung in Japanese. J-pop, as Japanese pop is locally called, is influenced by Western music in a lot of ways, but its characteristics are still a lot different from Western pop music. The Music of the ‘40s and ‘50s The invention and mass production of radios during the 1940s and 1950s facilitated an amazing development in musical styles. In many ways, World War II has also changed the face of music dramatically as people expressed their disappointments and rebelliousness against the war through music (Melton and Weinstein, 2001, p. 17). Rock and roll has its roots in the 1940s, along with other musical genres such as country, jazz, swing, folk, and boogie woogie. In the United States, different musical styles were expressed by different races. Blacks had difficulty hitting the mainstream until the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, sang rock and R n B. Elvis was able to show the whites the excellent beats of rock music, which made its crossover into mainstream a lot easier. Elvis eventually became one of the biggest icons of rock and roll in the United States and around the world (Melton and Weinstein, 2001, p. 17). The Music of the ‘60s and ‘70s Music received huge social influences again during the 1960s and the 1970s because of the Vietnam war, the Cold War, and the spread of the Civil Rights movement. During this period, music clearly became a platform for various causes, including feminism, race empowerment, sexual freedom, and other liberal ideas (Frith, et. al. , 2001, p. 77). There are many musical icons that gained fame during this tumultuous period in musical history. Musicians like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan pioneered new techniques in lyrical composition. These new techniques inspired more artists such as Cat Stevens, Carole king, Elton John, and James Taylor to create their own groundbreaking chart-topping hits. The ‘60s were filled with R n B hits that were a combination of secular and gospel music. Different kinds of soul music emerged in this time, including Philly soul, Memphis soul and Motown. Popular artists such as Marvin Gaye and James Brown also found fame and fortune in the 1960s (Frith, et. al. , 2001, p. 77). Of course, music in the 1960s and 1970s cannot be discussed without mentioning the band that is probably one of the biggest influences of contemporary music: The Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr drew huge crowds to their concerts and sold millions through their hits. The band not only became huge in England, but also in the United States and in other countries as far as the Philippines (Frith, et. al. , 2001, p. 74). One of the amazing things about The Beatles is their ability to change the musical landscape. While their early hits had rhythms and melodies that have the basics of rock and roll, their later albums explored new horizons. Their album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was ranked by Rolling Stones magazine as the greatest album of all time. This recognition is due to the immense influence of this album on the musical styles of later genres of music (Frith, et. al. , 2001, p. 74). Music of the ‘80s and the ‘90s Western music continued to gain wide acceptance around the world during the 1980s. New Wave, hip-hop, punk rock, and heavy metal increased their markets and new musical stars were born. New Wave experimented with electronic sound and catchy, playful beats which people danced to. The various styles of rock music provided the youth the avenue to express their adventurousness and rebelliousness against the fast-paced modern world. During the 1990s, grunge musicians led by the band Nirvana took center stage in the music world. Their honest and rough lyrics reflecting the confusion and apathy of the youth, and their loud, distorted riffs gained millions of fans in the United States. Meanwhile, hip-hop also gained wider popularity as hip-hop stars such as Dr. Dre and Puff Daddy broke into the music scene with fresh raps and rhythms (Chambers, 2002, p. 166). The 1990s were also notable for the huge popularity of boy bands, which are boy groups that sang ballads with catchy beats and lyrics. Some of these boy bands included Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Westlife, and A1. Boy bands became hugely popular because of their romantic songs which people can sing and dance to. Another group that is worth noting is the Spice Girls who originated from the United Kingdom. This group symbolized the power of women through their songs and videos. Interestingly, the Spice Girls were a hit for both males and females. After the Spice Girls, many other girl bands soon formed, but none of them reached their extraordinary level of popularity (Chambers, 2002, p. 166). The State of Music Today Today, contemporary music is still strongly influenced by the West. Pop, rock, hip-hop, R n B, and other genres have Western musicians leading the pack. Local music in different countries, though, are also gaining wider acceptance by fusing with the dominant music of the West or borrowing some of its elements. Music today is also crisper and clearer; thanks to the high level of technology that humans have achieved through science. Albums are released in CDs or DVDs, and they can also be downloaded on the Internet. Storage of music became a lot simpler, too. Before, you need bulky gramophone records to store music. Now, all you need is a tiny universal serial bus (USB) storage device to archive all the music you want. MP3 players have also made listening to music easier since these devices can be worn or slip inside a pocket. People can now go anywhere listening to their favorite songs. The West has no monopoly over music, though. All around the world, many people are rediscovering the beauty of their own local melodies, and they are breathing new life into them again in the form of world music. This musical style makes use of indigenous instruments and they usually are not accompanies by lyrics. Less popular genres like this are usually produced by independent producers, thus the term â€Å"indie. † Indie though, has its own market and continues to grow in popularity as people try to taste new musical types (Chambers, 2002, p. 166). The Human Experience of Music People change as music transforms as we’ve seen in our discussion of the long continuing history of music. Music is an expression of the culture that gives birth to it, and it constantly bends as various influences impinge upon it. It is an art form that never stays the same, but evolves through time. Music though doesn’t transform on its own. Historical events shape music as they shape the lives of people. The art form becomes a reflection of the hopes, dreams, and grievances of the people that create and listen to it. We can see this clearly in the rebellious attitude of the music from the ‘40s and ‘50s because of World War II, and the free spirit of the music from the ‘60s and ‘70s as it protested against the Vietnam War and the Cold War (Frith, et. al. , 2001, p. 77). In many ways, musicians deliberately voice out their protests through the songs that they sing. For example, John Lennon’s â€Å"Imagine† is a clear reaction to the dangers of the Cold War and other social inequalities at that time (Frith, et. al. , 2001, p. 77). However, music doesn’t always send clear messages all the time. In fact, most of the time, composers unconsciously express their sentiments and the sentiments of their generation through the beat of their songs, or through their melodies. Perhaps the greatest thing about music is its universality. Since everyone can appreciate good music, the art form traverses national and ethnic boundaries, bridging people together no matter where they come from. Good music will always be good music regardless of a person’s educational or cultural background. Of course, a person may need to expose himself repeatedly to a new genre to appreciate its beauty. But it’s not difficult to do that if the genre is indeed good. The universality of music is now more apparent than ever before because of the Internet. Musical influences are easier to share ever since artists living in opposite sides of the globe can listen to each other’s work. It’s not only artists though who benefit from the cyberspace, but also the listeners. Downloadable MP3 songs are all over the Internet, some of them free, others for sale for a small price. With a click of a mouse, a person online can listen to Middle Eastern music, classical music, rock and roll, hip-hop, world music, or whatever genre he wants. Music is bringing people closer and closer to each other. Time and space are quickly becoming negligible factors as people find satisfaction and comfort in just enjoying different musical styles. Old styles themselves are disappearing as traditional barriers are broken and various genres fuse together to create new ones. The result is that people are able to understand each other better through listening to different kinds of music. People are becoming more tolerant of each other’s differences as they see that they’re all just human beings enjoying music The future is bright for musicians and listeners around the world as technology allows music to cross more borders. Soon, everyone will be able to appreciate a variety of musical genres regardless of their original countries or ethnic backgrounds. As people listen to their CDs, MP3s and musical devices, they will realize that their hopes and dreams are one. They will realize that while music came from different corners of the world, it speaks of the universal desire of human beings for unity and peace. Bibliography Chambers, Stuart. (2002) Yes: An Endless Dream of ’70s, ’80s and ’90s Rock Music : an Unauthorized Interpretative History in Three Phases. General Store Publishing House. Frith, Simon, Will Straw and John Street. (2001) The Cambridge Companion to Pop and Rock. Cambridge University Press. Leichtentritt, Hugo. (2007) Music, History and Ideas. Read Books Publications. Melton, William and Randy Weinstein. (2001). The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Playing the Harmonica. Alpha Books. Murray, Christopher John. (2004) Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1760-1850. Taylor & Francis Publishing, Inc. Stanley, John. (1997) Classical Music: An Introduction to Classical Music Through the Great Composers & Their Masterworks. Penguin Group USA. West, Martin Litchfield. (1994) Ancient Greek Music. Oxford University Press.

Analyze oral history Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analyze oral history - Research Paper Example It is also imperative to note that he was an enthusiastic environmental conservationist according to his conversation. According to Ansen Adams, photography constitutes of all communicable aspects and the whole of photography technical attributes. The most interesting aspect of this interview is that Alsen relays his personal opinions childhood and his emotions. The interview is an important source since one is able to understand his viewpoints on life and other aspects of photography. The interview brings to light important aspects about Alsen philosophy, and one gets the feeling that music and photography are the same. â€Å"Conversation with Ansen Adams† explains the photography works of Adams equivalent to his experiences, emotions, and transmission of his concepts that has shaped today’s history. Adams made photography an important aspect in representation of historical events. Photographs have a unique way of communicating information that would otherwise not be feasible orally. â€Å"Ansel Adams conversation† refers to interviews held in twenty- six sessions with Adams Ansel (Harroun and Teiser 4-8). These interviews portray various topics, personal life and feelings of the photographer. It is interesting as to how Adam Alsen compares yester education systems to current systems. In his narration, one gets the feeling that yester year’s education systems were superior. However, is this truth? The camera that Alsen used back then would not be relevant in today’s photography. He examines yesterday’s technology to details, but such technology will not be relevant in the 21st century. Therefore, humans are in a constant state of progress and this means that things have to change. We may look at t his works with great pleasure, but we know well we cannot change the world’s geography or nature. Adam narrates of his education and points out that he was not that a good student. He went through different schools

Role of Rapid Economic Growth in Resolution of Social and Political Essay

Role of Rapid Economic Growth in Resolution of Social and Political Tensions Between China and India - Essay Example The existing social and political tensions have been addressed in cases where both China and India have shared the same level of interest in their economic relations (Mitter, 2008, p. 56). In cases where the two countries have differed in their social and political objectives which could be funded by their economic growths, the tension in the political and social sphere between China and India has aggravated. The two countries India and China have close cultural, social and political linkages for long time in the history. The review of the political and the social tensions between China and India have come at a time when these two countries have started to undergo a period of socio-economic transformation and have been eager to modify their political linkages in the best interest of their economic progress. Arguments and facts In this piece of work, I would argue rationally that the rapid economic growth rates of China and India have offered a new source of political and social tensi on and have also been able to address the existing tensions in the social and political relationship domain between the two countries. In order to understand the underlying reasons of the impacts of relative economic growth of China and India on the social and political tensions between the two countries, a review of the political and socio-economic structural differences between these two countries need to be explained as follows. India is the largest multi-party democracy which has pulled the demands of democracy and has been able to achieve modest growth in its economy. China on the other hand is the largest single party ruled economy. Due to the existence of a single party... This paper outlines the importance of strengthening economic cooperation between China and India in respect to resolution of their historical political and social tensions. Historically, the countries have enough linkages in the social and cultural domain and hence, the rapid economic growth of the two countries largely impacted the social and political tensions between the two countries. The rapid growth of economy of China has seen the country to dominate the Asian economy and take on the US to challenge its economic dominance. This has resulted in the growth of China and attained a commanding position in the Sino-Indian relationships. India made rapid progress to develop as a regional superpower in Asia and was looking to expand its strategic relationship with the East in order to be able to influence the social and political tensions with China. The social and political relations between China and India and the underlying social and political tensions is explained with the help of framework of international relations. Functionalism theory of international relations explain the fact as a result of the rise of the countries, China and India have been fighting for dominance while maintaining relations between them and this also took form of militarization. After the rapid growth of economy of the two countries, the society of both China and India have developed an increasing nationalist sentiment due to which the expectations from the government and the social demands from the economic policies are even higher.

Concept Engineering, Advanced Research, Air Traffic Flow Management, C Essay

Concept Engineering, Advanced Research, Air Traffic Flow Management, Collaborative Decision Making - Essay Example A single delayed flight causes the company additional couriers, increased employee overtime & time of business operation that would mean an added compensation and cost of operation such as fuel, electricity etc. Also, the disrupted logistic process caused by a delayed flight would cost the company to pay high package delay fees (Metron Aviation - FedEx., n.d.). FedEx partnering with NASA that provides it with direct access and control of data from a collection of legacy systems was able to increase its efficiency and effectiveness in doing the business as it reduced delays by the integrated aircraft track and flight data from the airport feed and surveillance. With this, they would be prompted 30 minutes in advance an arrival or a possible delay which allowed them to make significant decisions to still make a delivery on time (Metron Aviation - FedEx., n.d.). IT services that would not be merely dependent on aviation and IT systems with real-time analytic applications, instead of being dependent on disk storage systems would be best for FedEx to have. Some of which that would make it possible would be the EMC Greenplum Platform and database appliances from Teradata. Aside from which, sensors such as the new SensaWare service that involves the application of active sensors inside packages that contain high-value merchandise would be able to skip the scanning process that would take time, instead would send out telemetry data that would cover the speed of the package’s travel, would help in tracking the item, and possible rerouting if needed (Vizard, M., n.d.).

Time Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Time Management - Essay Example In the article, entitled Time Management Essential, the author emphasized the need to have enough time to achieve all of one’s set goals. The author gives a simple but clear definition of time management. â€Å"Time management really means managing yourself and your job responsibilities effectively.† (Ohio.com -Time Management Essential 2004) Bruch and Ghoshal (2002) reported of a ten year study of busy managers in which researchers found that managers fritter away 90 percent of their time in ineffective activities. Not only do managers utilize their time ineffectively but Jane Bergen (2006) noted that 30 percent of all employees time was spent searching for lost documents. (Key Organization Systems 2000-2008) The author of Time Management Essential posits two major reasons for the inefficiency of small businesses, namely, poor planning and poor communication. Similarly, Patricia Katz 2006, argues that â€Å"a lack of communication and a lack of attention† are tw o factors for spouses to separate. (Key Organization Systems 2000-2008) Katz 2006 proposes that the there has been an increase by 33 percent for individuals reporting excessive work hours on the part of their spouse. Further Hewlett and Luce in 2006 noted that 45 percent of high-earning managers are so fatigued at the end of a work day; they are unable to have a proper conversation with their partner. (Key Organization Systems 2000-2008) 13 percent of workers claimed to have seen their coworkers display angry outbursts because of stress in the workplace. Maseda in a 2004 Gallup Poll noted that 80 percent of workers reported stress from job related activities. (Key Organization Systems 2000-2008) Poor planning results in long unproductive hours at work and subsequently an increase in the stress level of employees. Consequently, it is essential that an organization develop strategies to assist in the effective

The implications for the UK businesses if the country separates from Essay

The implications for the UK businesses if the country separates from the European union ( see full detail attch on folder) - Essay Example According to Dearden (1997), European Union (EU) is the United Kingdom’s (UK) most crucial export market, with the 2011 statistics indicating that the market accounted for 53% of the goods exported. United Kingdom involvement in the European Union has advantages and disadvantages which play a key role in the analysis of the implications of the UK businesses in the event of a separation. The essay below focuses on the impacts of the separation on imports, growth, politics, business and immigration as well as its advantages and disadvantages. Exports Some of the UK exports to the EU include weapons, pharmaceutical drugs, plastics, aerospace products, electronic equipments and books (Smith, 2005; UK Trade and Investment, 2007). One of the advantages of the sector is that it supports three million jobs. This implies that the population is poised to loose a high number of jobs in the event of a separation. Currie (2008) asserts that the growth in exports is the prominent factor tha t made UK to avoid the negative impacts of recession. However, if the country leaves the European Union it can still be allowed to sell their goods through single markets. Such a case has been successfully applied in Switzerland, Iceland and Norway. This will limit the powers and influence of the United Kingdom because the country will not be able to set the rules that govern the European market. Those who hold the opinion that the United Kingdom should detach from the European Union argue that this will provide an opportunity for the British manufacturers to focus on exporting to other destinations such as Brazil. This generates more income to the business fraternity. According to Frederick Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management, the possession of abundant financial resources improves the economic proficiency or the productivity of the workforce. If the business people are assured of abundant profits, their productivity increases. Imports Most of the imports to the UK are manufactured products such as beverages, food, tobacco, chemicals, fuels and footwear (Pattichis, 2002). Separation will affect the imports that the UK obtains from the members of the EU. Britain also imports many goods from the members of the European Union. Milne (2004) study affirmed that the country imports more than its imports. The 2011 business statistics indicates that UK exported ?159bn compared to the imports that amounted to ?202bn (Great Britain, 2012). The deficit provides the country with a leverage to demand for budget rebates from other countries. However, this notion is misguided because the country can only import the goods they require and not the ones intended to benefit the exporting country. Such an economical benefit cannot be attained if the country separates from the EU. If Britain abandons the E.U, it may be obliged to impose more tariffs on the European imports. This will discourage imports leading to business difficulties because the market might experien ce shortages. The importers will also be disadvantaged because their competitive power will be lower than that of the local products. This will be contrary to Elton Mayo’s Behavioural Theory of Management because importers will feel singled out or victimised (Drucker and Maciariello, 2008). This will negatively affect the business proficiency of Britain in the European market. The EU market might respond to the increased exports in the UK market by increasing the tariffs

Thesis on Stephenie Meyer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Thesis on Stephenie Meyer - Essay Example This is the adolescent stage when young children begin their puberty, and it marks a transitional change, in their lives, which is characterized by significant changes. They are usually curious to explore some of the ideas they had learnt, in their childhood stage, and this is usually achieved through reading books and watching films. Therefore, it is necessary to understand their psychological mindsets since this stage is characterized by loneliness, peer group need, mood swings, psychological vulnerability, insecurity, audacity and the need to be emotional and argumentative. It is evident that most of the adolescents’ role models are the characters they see in the films and witness, in the books. They need literary works to broaden the understanding of themselves and future roles. Meyers’ film, Twilight, successfully exhibit this quality since it incorporates fairy tale elements and love story in its plot. It has since been known that many literary works about love are about young teenagers meeting and falling in love. During this period, there is always some kind of a barrier that needs to be overcome before the characters reach a happy conclusion. In Twilight, Edward and Bella instantly got attracted to one another when they met for the first time, but they could not establish a stable relationship because Edward is a vampire (Larsson et al. 274). Therefore, Edward, by being a vampire, is an obstacle that stands in their way to obtain mutual happiness. This also makes the novel more complicated than when Edward was just a normal boy. His condition also make their love wrong and forbidden (Larsson et al. 267). It is the passion and danger, associated with the supernatural creatures, which make Meyer’s literary piece different from other normal teenagers’ love stories. In the light of this context, Meyer is not only striving to combine different genres, but also linking Twilight to classic gothic literary

Model of Family Therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Model of Family Therapy - Essay Example I have always observed that people of a family interact with one another on an emotional level. The emotions may not apparently be quite obvious or visible, but they lay the basis of everyday decisions that have an impact upon the overall emotional and psychological balance of the family. It is usually quite helpful to study the social perceptions of the respective roles of different members of a family because most of the times, people tend to stick to these social norms. â€Å"Social constructionism †¦ can offer new possibilities for assessment and intervention with families.† (Worden, 2002, p. 13). Among numerous models of family therapy, I feel that the structural model of family therapy is based on similar principles and adopts a similar approach towards the resolution of the problem. That is why I think the Structural family therapy model fits best my style or personality. A therapist (Marriage and Family Therapist Career) employing SFT must first assess the familyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s interactions, figuring out the family’s hierarchy, alliances within the family, such as a mother and son against a father, or siblings against another sibling or siblings. (AllPsychologyCareers.com, 2011). The structural model of family therapy emphasizes upon a change in the structure of family and requires the therapist to play a very active role in bringing about the change. This model can be applied to a whole range of emotional imbalances. This model perceives family which may show an evolutionary transformation. The family is essentially a living open system in which the individuals depend upon one another to satisfy their individualistic needs. â€Å"Families are organizationally complex emotional systems that may comprise at least three – and increasingly today, as a result of longer life expectancies – four generations† (Goldenberg and Goldenberg, 2008, p. 4). Such families can be characterized by such traits as conflict avoidance, inter generational associations, lack of growth and triangulation. In the structural model of family therapy, the therapist sees the problem behavior as a component of the family’s stagnation. Thus, the therapist assesses the perceptual and transactional structure which is supportive of the symptom instead of serving as a causal factor. Accordingly, change occurs in terms of the family structure’s modification. This involves changes in the distance between various family members, positional changes. In addition to that, the hierarchical relations are redefined and a different set of rules for the family is explored. What I like the most about the structural model of family therapy is the fact that it illustrates the significance of the emotional inter-relatedness of the family members more than their blood relations with one another. A father may be blood-related to his child, but he may not be experiencing the necessary emotional relationship with the child. Likewise, the c hild may not be as close a relative of an uncle or aunt but may be more comfortable in sharing his problems with him/her. All the therapist is required is to see how to manipulate the structure of the family. In this model of family therapy, the therapist plays with distances in a way that all family members share optimal distance with one another. It is more like a game in which success is achieved by adequate positioning of

Cause and effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Cause and effect - Essay Example Childhood obesity also increases the risk of psychosocial problem among children such as low self-esteem, bullying, teasing and are underestimated by their peers. This is a cause and effect essay exploring childhood obesity in USA. One major cause of childhood obesity in US is excessive consumption of calories, for instance,  many children take many too much calories, and they do not engage in physical activities to burn them since they engage in minimal physical exercises. Most children in US and other developed countries do not take the right and healthy food. Increased intake of energy dense meals and soft drinks leads to childhood obesity. Children consume many calories, but participate less in physical activities (Murphy, 5). Lack of physical activity participation in children is caused by environmental factors such as lack of enough space to undertake different exercises like cycling, running among others. Furthermore, parents do not create time to help their children engage in physical activities. Continuous consumption of fast food and living sedentary lifestyles put them at risk of diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, and increased cholesterol among others. Researchers have pointed out sedentary lifestyle to be one of the major causes of obesity in both adults and children (Rippe and Angelopoulos 29). Parents are too busy to prepare healthy and nutritional meals to allow their children carry packed lunch instead of consuming fast food. More so, physical inactivity contributes largely in increasing cases of obesity because they spend most of their time playing video games and watching television. They  spend less time exercising, but they do spend many hours watching and playing video games, this way, they are more likely to become overweight as opposed to those who spend less time playing video games and watching. Children and teenagers should engage in physical activities for at least sixty minutes daily (Murphy 14). Even though physical edu cation has been introduced in many schools and kindergarten, many children do not actively participate in physical activity (Moreno, Pigeot and Ahrens 12). Obesity affects negatively on children’s lives. Firstly, obesity increases the risk for certain serious health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol as well as high blood pressure, and musculoskeletal among others. Different studies cite obesity to be the major cause of premature death among children. Today, these serious health conditions are found among children due to unhealthy lifestyle because for a long time these diseases have been exclusively associated with adulthood. Secondly, obese children are at a higher risk of experiencing psychological problems such as bullying, underestimation, teasing, and low self-esteem among others (Rippe and Angelopoulos 39). Moreover, obese children are prone to depression and other medical conditions such as bone and joint problems and may experience breathing difficulties esp ecially when they are engaged even in the slightest physical activity. Most obese children are not happy with their condition and are not comfortable to interact with their peers. In addition, obese children have the tendency of maturing earlier, that is, they seem to grow old faster as opposed to their colleagues who are not overweight. More so, overweight and obesity reduces children’s lifespan and causes premature death of most children in America. In conclusion,

Bottled Water Essay Example for Free

Bottled Water Essay The trend of carrying and consuming water bottles has expenditly increased in recent years, and its popularity has hit an alltime peak. More and more people are using bottled water because of its easy assecability, and its conveince. Unaware to most, the useage of bottled water has dire effects on the environment, and itself can provide several health risks. Although bottled water can serve as a great convience, the harm it causes to the environment outweights its convience immensly and contrary to popular belief, bottled water is often no healthier than tap water. Despite perceptions that bottled water is healthier than tap water, more times than not, it is not amd bottled water has much more lienant rules when it comes to regulating their water. Bottled water may be no safer, or healthier, than tap water in many countries while selling for up to 1,000 times the price, the World Wildlife Fund said. Bottled water continues to increase its revenue, and is the fastest growing beverage industry in the world, worth up to $22 billion a year. More than half of all Americans drink bottled water, and about a third of the public consumers bottled water on a regular basis. The increased sale of bottled water has been fueled by ads on television or in magazines of luxurious mountains and beauitful glaciers with cyrstal clear springs flowing with the so called purified water. In reality tho, bottled water is not necessarily regulated better or safer than most tap water. The marketing of bottled water is often misleading, implying that water comes from pure springs, when it does not. According to government and industry estmates, about one fourth of botled water is bottled tap water, which is by some accounts as much as fourty percent tap water. The FDAs rules exepmt 60-70 percent of the bottled water that is sold in the United States from the bottled water standards, because FDA said Its rules do not apply to water packed and sold within the same state. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety, tobacco products, dietary supplements, etc. The FDA also expmets carbonated water and many other waters sold in bottles from its bottled water standards, only applying a vague sanitation rule that failed to set any specific contamination limits. Contrary to popular belief, the FDAs rules are weaker in many ways than EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) rules that apply to tap water. The EPA is responsible for protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations passed by Congress, and it oversees specially big city tap water. Due to bottled water companies not follwing EPA rules and regulations, their water can be more harmful than tap water. For instance, city tap water can contain no E. coli or fecal coliform bacteria, bacteria that serve as indicators of contamination. The FDA follows no such rule and a certain amount of any type of bacteria is allowed in tap water. Bottled water plants must test for coliform bacteria just once a week, as big city tap water must be tested more 100 times a month. City tap water must meet standards for certain important toxic chemicals such as phthalate, which can come from plastic, including water bottles. On the other hand, bottled water is also exempt from follwoing this rule. Also, cities must test at least once every four months for many chemical contaminants, water bottlers generally must test only annually. Cities must have their water tested by government-certified labs; such certified testing is not required for bottled water. Although bottled water on the surface appeasr to be healthier to drink, it is quite the opposite and stricter rules for the regulation of bottled water should be placed to ensure the safety their consumers. People around the world believe that water is clearner and safer to drink than tap water. This has resulted into a multi-billion industry of retailing bottled water, but consequently leads to millions of water bottles being produced every year. Although these water bottles are recycable, it is not smart to recycle these plastics die to the chemical componets that manufacture them. As a result of mass producing these water bottles, it has a serious effect on the environme and millions of empty water bottles end up in landfills every year. One of the harmful effects it has on the environment is it can cause soil contamination as time passes on, and this is mainly due to the chemical the bottle is made up with. These chemicals contaminate the soil and as a result, can also affect the surrounding plants grwoth because of the contamination. In addition, ground water may end up sinling deeper into the ground and ultimately reaching the ground water reservoir, meaning that natural water resources are being wasted due to the disposal of these water bottles. exclaimed Joe Hartz. Production of plastic used for water bottles take a lot of energy and resources which can also have negative effects on the environment. Professor Alan Hunt said Since there is more power requirements for production means more fossil fuel is potentially used to achieve the production of water bottles. This can lead to heavily draining of fossil fuel resources. Add to that the fact that more energy and resources are needed from production to post production of these water bottles which can be considered as a waste of limited energy resources. Another harmful way water bottles hurt the environment is emit pollutants and as a direct result make the air more hamrful to breathe. The industrial plants in which these water bottles are being made also produce other harmful wastes that are harmful to the environment. Bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year. According to Food and Water Watch,plastic requires up to 47 million gallons of oil per year to produce. And while the plastic used to bottle beverages is of high quality and in demand by recyclers. Also, recent studies have shown The Plastics Symbol no. 7 is a recent concern worldwide on discovery that large numbers of no.7 plastics are made with Polycarbonate plastic which, experimentally were found to leach bisphenol A.This chemical is a known hormonal disruptor causing miscarriages and birth defects according to a study conducted by Case Western Reserve scientists. Although bottled water serves as a great convience, there is many cheap and effective alternatives to carry water and stop the production of water bottles. One way is to buy a distiller or filter to use at home. Distillers are very effective at reducing the levels of most chemicals, except organic chemicals. The distiller boils the water and condenses the steam, removing any contaminants and most chemicals in the process. Filters also serve as a great alternative to bottled water, as it traps particles in a porous material while allowing water to pass through. In this process, it is reducing particles like sand and rust. Although drinking water in the vast majority of homes meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards for quality, some homeowners use point-of-use water filtration systems to help reduce certain contaminants. Most typically, carbon filters are installed on faucets or used in pitchers or bottles. Filter devices are relatively inexpensive and the now clean and purified water can be put into a reuseable stainless steel or aluminum water bottle. These reusable bottles are a cheap alternative and puts back the ease, comfort, and convience of a water bottle but without hurting the environemnt in any way. Another way to help prevent bottled water hurting the environment is making it into a deposit. In doing this, it would encourage more people to recycle the water bottles, as only 20 percent of people currently recycle the water bottles. This would help dramtically cut back on water bottles being put into a landfill, and ultimately saving the environment also and putting money back into the consumers pocket. All these alternatives are act as a great alternative, as they do not harm the environemnt, and in the long run actually save the consumer money. Not only does an in-home filter or distiller only censt ten cents a gallon, it also provides a safer taste than bottled water. Some colleges are starting to take note of this, as bottled water is trickling away from college campuses nationwide, due to the effort of passionate students and non-profits groups. In addition to removing bottled water from vending machines, stores and cafeterias, students have pushed for reusable bottle hand-outs, water fountains, and filling stations. Were really trying to make it part of the student culture to carry a water bottle, says Clare Pillsbury, a Senior at Macalester. In conclusion, recent studies have shown the harm and the uncleainess of bottled water simply does not outweight its convience. There are many other alternatives that provide cleaner and healthier water than bottled water does. These alternatives also do not harm the environment, and in the long run actually save the consumer money and better circualate the economy. Filtered water or distilled water provide the consumer with a more than adequate source of water,and at this point and time, there is no better choice for purity and a more economically safer choice than filtered tap water.

Education of Disabled Children

Education of Disabled Children Disability could be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent. The first major and systematic record of disabled persons in Pakistan is available from 1961 census. According to this record nearly 2 percent of the population suffered from all kinds of disabilities, particularly the children of age group 0-14 years after the initial crisis, many parents develop healthy and constructive attitude towards their handicapped children maximum population of Pakistan lives in rural areas so majority of the children are born and brought up there. The overall condition of our villages gives their life as start with multiple disadvantages. They suffer from illness caused by malnutrition and non-hygienic condition. The situation of handicapped children is far from satisfactory. The causes of this tragedy are poverty, ignorance, malnutrition, poor housing facilities, inadequate healthcare and environment act as a catalyst for infection. Good physical and mental growth can not be achieved in an e nvironment where there is poverty and misery, food and shelter is inadequate and health services are either lacking or extremely inadequate. The adverse social, economic and environmental conditions can be considered responsible for the poor intellectual performance of many children, who in more favorable environment could develop abilities within a spectrum. (David, 1978) Education of the disabled children was considered as useless exercise. The assumption was in past that a disable person could never become an integral member of the society. Persons with professional expertise to teach disabled children were not available and there was no infrastructure to support the education, training and rehabilitation of special children. The time has changed and the education of disable has started with a focus. A gradual realization has emerged that the education of a disable child is as important as the education of an able bodied main stream child. (Ali, 2003). One-quarter of the teachers believed that they had sufficient classroom time for inclusion efforts, that they were currently prepared to teach students with disabilities, or that they would receive sufficient training for inclusion efforts. These findings were interpreted as support for the assumption that teachers viewed students with disabilities in the context of the reality of the general education classroom rather than as support for the prevailing attitudes about integration. General education teachers thus demonstrated certain reluctance about inclusion that must be addressed if such a policy change was to be successful (Welch, 1989). The emphasis on special education as a place deflected attention away from the fact that special education was a more comprehensive process whose actual dynamics were major contributors to its success or failure A significant part of the special education process was represented in the beliefs and actions of general education. An integrated system means that special education cannot act independently as a separate system, but must formulate policy in response to the attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors of general education (Gallagher, 1994). Consideration for the needs of students of special school is the most central aspect of special education. It not only help teachers to plan, devise and implement modified curriculum but also guide them to create congenial classroom environment, set individual educational plans, arrange suitable educational resources, adopt effective teaching strategies, and select appropriate evaluation methods to improve the learning out comes of special children. Parents themselves take their disable child to special school where the school staff access their needs without following any standardized method for assessing the level of childs disability. Consequently, a very little detail about the special educational needs of the assessed child is available which is not sufficient for teachers to devise effective educational plans and arrange appropriate resources for such children (Coenen et al 2006). The issues concerning education of handicapped children and sociological view are globally highlighted by social scientist. The complexity in the nature of problems has further demanded prudent efforts especially in traditional societies of developing countries. Dera Ghazi Khan remained remote and deprived district of Punjab in terms of resource allocation yet the existence and sustainability of special education centers will determine the socio economic status of handicapped children. The evaluation of centers will help in determining the needs and problems of these helpless population strata. In this regard the present study will be contributing a substantial part in improving the efficiency of services provided to handicapped children. Mext (2002) explored that education system for children with special needs was shifting to special support education at the beginning of the 21st century. Ministry of education, culture, sports, science and technology mentioned that the special support education is a primary catalyst for the progress toward an equal opportunity society for all children including individuals with disabilities. The main principle of special support education is meeting individual needs of each child. A lifelong support system shall be developed through co-operation among every sector in society to promote childrens autonomy and participation in all societies. Ali (2003) studied the maturity of special education system in historical perspective and the nature and put some measures for its improvement. In her study she designed various instruments and conducted interviews of the special educators, support professionals, parents of special children and special persons. She found that the parent involvement in the education of special children is at minimal. A part from this she also concluded that majority of parents of special children of all categories and special persons are not completely contented with the education being given to their children. She also concluded that the role of non-government organizations (NGOs) was very large in the improvement of special education in Pakistan. Alam et al (2005) studied the behavior of parents towards physically handicapped children in Islamabad city by interviewing method. They found that a major proportion of the respondents had intermediate to graduation levels of education. About 30% of the respondents children suffered from deaf and dump and blind. Majority of the respondents said that their children were physical handicapped since birth. Kitcher et al (2005) studied that behavioral disorders were not only very distressing to multiply handicapped patients and their families but also had a negative impact on their learning at school or other facility, peer relationships and social competence, so more attention should be paid to diagnose (detect and classify) and aggressively treat behavioral disorders by pharmacological, educational and environmental interventions. Kazimi (2007) reported that in Pakistan, three systems of Education at present operate 1. Normal schools 2.Special Education Schools and 3. Inclusive Schools. In the last named special students of only the lower classes were accommodated. She argued that problems associated with working environment in Pakistan were wide ranging and have very severe effect on the personality of the person, especially when working with children in special setting or in inclusive settings with mental retardation or physical impairment. Further more, Teachers very often feel stress due to professional demands and ambiguous job description, parental pressure, non-supportive behavior and lack of student motivation. Similarly, Teachers working in mainstream inclusive education setting feel less stress. Molnara et al (2008) reported the education of the forthcoming generation was always a difficult task and this was particularly true for those educational institutes where students requiring special treatment were educated. These students were often educationally challenged, mentally challenged or multi-challenged. They present an international co-operation lasting for three years whose prime goal was to construct non-language-dependent software for handicapped children. They introduce the institutions taking part in the development, the process of the programs creation, the steps to apply the program and the possibilities and methods of improvement. Rao (2008) studied the persons with disabilities enjoyed co-existence, though at special times, the behavior and attitudes were at variant. An intellectual disability poses greater challenges than the other types. The families of persons with intellectual disabilities did also have needs different from others, which cannot be segregated from the needs of children with intellectual disability. The National establishment for the Mentally Handicapped had developed many service models and contributed headed for human resource development and research. National Policy has also measured as vital progress of human resources for providing education to all children with disabilities in the common education stream. Many milestones have been left behind in the path, major achievements have been made and opportunities have been formed for the disabled. Fletcher (2009) studied the students with a classmate with serious emotional problem incident reductions in first-grade test scores particularly students in low-income schools and within schools using school-level fixed effects condition was qualitatively parallel. The importance of the decline in mathematics achievement was approximately 30-60 percent of the size of the adjusted black-white achievement gap. Since nearly 10 percent of the student population has a classmate with a serious emotional problem, the total effect on test scores of the procedure of including these students is potentially quite large. Nabeel (2009) stated that Department of special education Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) through distance learning system offers study/training at graduate, masters and Ph. D. levels. Teachers were equipped in 6 specialized areas of visual mutilation, physical disabilities, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, learning disability and inclusive education. Each student is assigned to a teacher who is a subject specialist. The special teacher training model through distance education method is highlighted. Pasha (2009) assessed that no standardized method is being used for special education. In Pakistan International Classification of Functioning has emerged as a standardized method for measuring health and disability at both individual and population a level. He explored the scope of ICF in the field of special education and has established links between ICF categories and curriculum areas, classroom activities and learning objectives for improving the quality of education. Further research has been recommended to find solutions to overcome the initial problems in adapting ICF framework in the field of Special Education in Pakistan.

Case Report On Jive Software Marketing Essay

Case Report On Jive Software Marketing Essay For the basis of this case report we will assume Jeremy Wilsons role as VP of Sales for Jive Software were we will look at the core building blocks of the sales function that are required to assist Jive Software implement their sales strategy. In addition we will also look at what steps the new VP of Sales John McCracken needs to take to resolve the sales problems Jive Software were facing due to the growth of the company. Core building blocks of a Sales function For any business that is going to implement a sales strategy there are some key factors that need to be considered. For example, who are your target customers, do you have any competitors in this market space, what geographically regions are you going to concentrate on, and what core building blocks of the sales function are required to realize the sales strategy. In Jives situation we know that their target audience comprised of large scale organizations and SMEs. We also know that Jives reputation firmly put them to the forefront as the leading provider of social networking for enterprise which in essence gave them an advantage over their competitors. As for the geographically regions, due to the nature of their business there are no limitations as to where Jive could not sell their product suite. This leaves the question, what are core building blocks of the sales function they need to put in place? After reviewing the situation it was determined that the core building blocks were , a centralized Information system, a functional sales pipeline, sales resources, marketing investment and an agreed sales budget. Centralized Information System The initiation of a centralized information system will improve how Jive manage, store and disseminate their information. In employing systems such as Transaction Processing Systems (TPS), Office Automation Systems (OAS), Decision Support Systems (DSS) and Customer Relationship Management systems (CRM) it allows the integration of the functional areas within the organization.(i.e. Sales and Marketing, Finance, Operations and HR) (Malaga, 2005) The result of this integration provides easier access to both internal and external information which assists senior management making decisions that affect the daily running of Jive but also helps in achieving their strategic sales goals. Development of a Sales Pipeline Following the deployment of the information system Jive need to analyze all sales leads that have been generated and employ a functional sales pipeline to give senior management visibility on the sales leads while also enabling them to qualify which leads the sales team should be focusing their efforts on. This effectively allows Jive to see which companies would get the greatest benefits out of using Jives social networking enterprise system and to rank them accordingly. (Reynolds, 2012) Sales Resources The number of resources required to manage all the sales opportunities in the pipeline is vital. That is how many account managers, sales engineers, administration staff, technical support and field service engineers do Jive need? In addition these resources will require the relevant training in sales, customer support, the CRM information system as well as the Jive product suite itself. (Reynolds, 2012) Marketing Providing literature to the sales team in the form of PDFs, brochures etc. For example, information on the product specifications, retail price of the products, lead time on the delivery of the product, warranty duration, an overview of Jives abilities and capabilities, and a standard sales pitch the sales person should deliver to the customer. Also providing the customers with the facility to download a copy of the software to evaluate is extremely advantageous as it allows Jives to showcase the product to wide audience which in turn will assist in the generation of sales leads. Sales Budget The last but not least core building block is Jives sales budget. It is imperative that Jive control the budget to ensure their sales strategy is effective. Developing a centralized information system is expensive and when you factor in the cost of training, marketing, travel, entertainment etc.. the overall budget can be quite high. (Ma, 2012) A new era for Jive Software For this section of this report will look at the steps the new VP of Sales John McCracken needs to take to mitigate the sales problems Jive Software were facing. Focus on Enterprise Business In 2008 Chris Morace (VP of Product Marketing) instigated the initial changes in how Jive did their prospecting of customers by moving from the shotgun sales approach of selling to everyone and anyone to concentrating on the enterprise sector. However there may still be some issues with the sales reps regarding this strategy. John McCracken will have to address this situation and explain that spending a large portion of their time on SME accounts that give little return in the way of revenue is not the way forward. He needs them to focus their efforts on looking at Jives existing customers and determining, which ones generate high revenues with high profit margins, what problems do Jive solve for these customers, and most importantly why do these customer do business with Jive Software. (Robertson, 2012) In conjunction the sales reps should refrain from selling legacy/patched up products and focus on selling the latest Clearspace product. Pro-Active Selling John needs to move the sales team away from the reactive selling done in the past. He should adopt a pro-active solution selling approach to target the customers specific business need or problem they are trying to solve. Arguably this would require the sales rep to have detailed knowledge of customers business and industry. However employing this approach would mean the sales reps are working more closely with the customers either by email, telephone or site visits which ultimately enables them to forge strong relationships with the key decision makers in these companies whilst also attaining vital market intelligence. Repair the broken link with product development For the future success of Jive its important that John has the sales reps feed information gathered from customer visits back into the Jives product development team so they can work on the next generation of Jives product suite. Revise Group Quota System Address the current problems the quarterly quota system is causing. One solution to this problem could be to apply an annual forecasting system instead. This will end the mid-quarter quota issues that faced the sales reps under Jeremy Wilsons stewardship. However it is still crucial that John holds monthly meetings with his sales team to ensure they are continuously monitoring the situation and the Jive are still on track to meet the forecasted sales set out at the start of the fiscal year. There also needs to be greater transparency when it comes to who is responsible for which accounts, what selling techniques were used and which sales reps are meeting their target sales. Jive Softwares Profile Finally John should increase Jives company profile in the social network enterprise market space. This could be achieved by exhibiting Jives product range at trade shows, publishing articles on Jive Software in industry trade magazines, speaking at industry conferences, providing a list of Jives top enterprise customers on the website as well as getting testimonials from these customers endorsing the Jive product range. (Robertson, 2012)

The Major Themes of Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart D

The two major themes of Heart of Darkness are the conflict between â€Å"reality† and â€Å"darkness,† and the idea of restraint and whether or not it is necessary. Conrad’s passage describing the restraint of the hungry cannibals exemplifies both themes:   It describes how reality shapes human behavior, and contrasts the characters of Kurtz and Marlow.   â€Å"Reality,† as it is used here, is defined as â€Å"that which is civilized.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conrad emphasizes the idea of what is real versus what is â€Å"dark,† what is civilized versus what is primitive, what colonizes versus what is colonized, repeatedly throughout Heart of Darkness.   As stated above, â€Å"real,† in this case, contains all the implications of a civilized society:   clothing which covers a person’s sexual organs, restraint from gluttony, a constant reliance on clocks as dictators of action, etc.   The cannibals in the aforementioned passage face a horrendous conflict between what is real and what is â€Å"dark,† or, in their case, what is natural and what must be restrained.   Marlow cannot fathom how these â€Å"big powerful men, with not much capacity to weigh the consequences† could restrain their desires to consume him and the pilgrims:   â€Å"Restraint!   What possible restraint?   Was it superstition, disgust, patience, fear – or some kind of primitive honor?   N o fear can stand up to hunger, no patience can wear it out.†Ã‚   The â€Å"darkness† these men restrain is the part of every person that wants fulfillment, the Id in psychoanalytic terms, the part almost every orthodox religion looks down upon.   Along with every civilized society, one which requires some form of government, the citizens are expected to restrain, to a certain extent, their most basic desires.   This theme can be taken a step farther, and c... ...ssage describing the cannibals exemplifies both.   The cannibals are practicing a sort of enigmatic restraint that keeps them from fulfilling a basic human need; on a second level, they are facing the issue of what is reality (what is civilized) versus what is natural.   Although there is no concrete evidence that these peoples are cannibalistic, the natural solution to their hunger is to eat, and they do not.   Marlow, the character symbolic of the reality of civilization, practices this restraint, a sort of religious emulation of what he has seen of civilized peoples up to this point.   Kurtz, on the other hand, has abandoned his restraint, has stepped into the â€Å"darkness† so to speak.   â€Å"The horror! The horror!† he utters on his deathbed, perhaps expressing contempt at his own actions, perhaps at all existence.   Perhaps at the reality and restraints of civilization.  

The Raven :: Literary Analysis, Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe wrote many literary works and had many tragedies in his life. Edgar Allan Poe’s life started in poverty, became better during his adopted years, and once again fell into poverty. Edgar Allan Poe inspired many people with his haunting poetry and short stories. One of his best known poems is â€Å"The Raven.† In this poem he is represented as a lonely fellow in his bedroom, longing for his lost love. Some say this poem is a metaphor for his close friends and family dying. Edgar Allan Poe had a rough life that resulted in many inspiring poems. (Hallqvist 1). Edgar Allan Poe was born January 19 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents, Elizabeth and David Poe were both involved in acting careers. When Edgar was two years old, his father mysteriously abandoned his family, leaving Elizabeth Poe with Edgar and his two siblings, Henry and Rosalie to raise on her own. Soon after Edgar’s father leaving, his mother fell ill with tuberculosis. Elizabeth Poe suffered with the disease from October until December 8, 1811 when she died. Later in Edgar’s life, his poems would relate back to December 1811 and its misfortunes. â€Å"And all I loved, I loved alone† (Lange 12). Poe said speaking of the tragedy of his mother’s death. (Lange 12-13). While Elizabeth Poe had lain sick, Frances Allan and a few other ladies cared for the Poe household. Frances Allan grew and attachment to Edgar and adopted him after his mother died. His siblings were adopted by different families. Frances loved Edgar as her own. â€Å"Edgar was somewhat spoiled by his doting foster mother† (Anderson 12). Frances and her husband John Allan were very wealthy. (Anderson 12). When Edgar turned six, John moved the family to London for business. There, Edgar attended an English boarding school where he studied French, Latin and literature. In 1820, John Allan’s business in England failed, which caused the family to move back to Richmond. Edgar continued school back in Richmond and began writing poems. One of his first poems was about a crush he had on his friend’s mother. â€Å"Helen, thy beauty is to me Like those Nicean barks of yore, That gently, o'er a perfumed sea,

The Awakening: Romanticism, Realism, and Local Color Essay -- Chopin

The Awakening:   Romanticism, Realism, and Local Color  Ã‚  Ã‚      Imagine being far out into the middle of the ocean and at that moment, having to make a choice between judgment and individuality, death and life? In 1899, Kate Chopin composed a captivating novel titled The Awakening. Throughout Chopin's day, the work was regarded as nonsense and a waste of time on her part. Critics found the main character's rebellion to be foolish and unlawful. At that age, it was believed firmly that women should be nothing less than completely loyal to their husbands and should joyfully care for any children that they had while their spouse was away, hard at work. Edna, the central character, did not follow this standard. She says specifically that she would not give-up herself for her children. She is not one known to submit to her husband's every whim. Chopin brought Romanticism into play in a realistic setting with this individual. To these literary devices, she blends local color.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By manipulating Romanticism, Kate Chopin stretches one's imagination and startles one's mind. Romanticism is both a literary and an artistic movement. It took place in the eighteenth and nineteenth century during which people expressed freedom and individuality and emotions in their works. Chopin shows Mrs. Pontellier's display of freedom and individuality when Edna refuses to go in when her husband Leonce tells her to do so; rather, she stays out on the hammock and tells him to proceed inside without her. Romantics also loved exotic places and chose to display a character that follows his or her own heart. Chopin demonstrates this in her work when Edna realizes th... ...because Tuesday night social calls were a pastime, Realism because Leonce believed that Edna should put herself on hold every Tuesday night for company, and Romanticism because she chose not to stay.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kate Chopin is now considered a wonderful author for the same piece that was once prohibited. People realize that she was just before her time. She blended a Romanticism which is now common to out time with a Realism that was true to her time. She enhanced it with a mà ©lange of Local Color into her setting to give a full outlook of Edna Pontellier's world. Seeing everything that she has to go through, which option should be chosen? Would it be   better to live without freedom of individuality or die trying to get it? With all of the pressures that prevailed over Edna, she chose death.

Fine Print: Life and Works of a Poet Essay

The world and imagery created through words written with the pen and paper are always made not only to bring about entertainment but also to capture the hearts of those who are able to read it. But to be able to evoke such strong emotions, most writers tend to take into consideration their lives and first-hand experiences. Such was in the case of Edgar Allan Poe. Poe has been a fortress in writing, regarded with high praises, and the one from whom the most valuable thriller and detective stories originated. His is a passion that had started since his early years. Without doubt, Poe’s life had mostly been about writing, writing, and writing. One of his teachers in Richmond, right about when he was around five, said â€Å"While the other boys wrote mere mechanical verses, Poe wrote genuine poetry; the boy was a born poet,† commenting on his natural gifts. Indeed this passion is so strong that it is reflected in a selection of his works, especially in The Raven in which he said, â€Å"With me poetry has been not a purpose, but a passion; and the passions should be held in reverence: they must not – they cannot at will be excited, with an eye to the paltry compensations, or the more paltry commendations, of mankind. † (http://www. readprint. com/author-67/Edgar-Allan-Poe) But not only was his passion for writing translated to his works but also his devotion and love for his wife Virginia. While Virginia was his cousin and fairly young compared to him when they were married their relationship had been true and very deep. Edgar Allan Poe’s Annabel Lee is a writing that presented his utter devotion to Virginia. Kevin J. Hayes even cites in his book, â€Å"Annabel Lee exemplifies several traits of Poe’s feminine ideal, especially that of being wholly subsumed by the male. Her unnaturally young age for marriage (she and the narrator are each described as a â€Å"child†) is of course evocative of Poe’s own child-bride, his thirteen-year-old cousin Virginia. † (152) His wife’s illness and ultimately her death is something that profoundly struck Poe, the thoughts consuming several of his works and showing how he tried to break free of the loneliness and agony he felt with her loss. Hayes says: Eleonora epitomizes Poe’s ideal: young, unlearned, impressionable and completely dedicated to her love for him†¦ She is exceptionally frail and beautifully sick, â€Å"slender even to fragility† with an â€Å"exceeding delicacy† of frame†¦After plumbing the depths of the â€Å"fervor of her love† for the narrator, her main concern at death is whether the narrator will remain true to her memory or will marry another.. These scenes are reminiscent of Ligeia’s â€Å"idolatrous love† and the narrator’s subsequent remarriage in the tale. They are also prescient of Poe’s own experience with Virginia’s youthful death and his subsequent years spent with her mother, â€Å"Muddy. † (154) Indeed, after Virginia’s death, Poe’s vices build up, especially his alcoholism; his outlook becoming gloomier each passing day. A friend of his explained the reason as to why, â€Å"The loss of his wife was a blow to him. He did not seem to care, after she was gone, whether he lived an hour, a day, a week, or a year; she was his all. (Meyers 207) A writer’s life and his experiences undeniably take a big slice in how he writes his stories and how his characters develop their behaviors. And in Poe’s case, it really stands out. Works Cited Hayes, Kevin J. The Cambridge Companion to Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Cambridge UP, 2002 Meyers, Jeffrey. Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy. New York: Cooper Square Press, 1992. â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe. † Read Print. 2009. Read Print. 19 April 2009.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 44~45

44 Revealed: The Perfect Couple Back at his bungalow, an argument went on in the still-sober brain of Tucker Case. I am scum. I should have told them to shove it. But they might have killed you. Yeah, but I would have at least had my integrity. Your what? Get real. But I'm scum. Big deal. You've been scum before. You've never owned a Learjet before. You actually think they'll give me the jet? It could happen. Stranger things have happened. But I should do something about this. Why? You've never done anything before. Well, maybe it's time. No way. Take the jet. I'm scum. Well, yes, you are. But you're rich scum. I can live with that. The dog tags and Jefferson Pardee's notebook lay on the coffee table, threatening to set off another fusillade of doubt and condemnation. Tuck lay back on the rattan couch and turned on the television to escape the noise in his mind. Skinny Asian guys were beating the snot out of each other in a kickboxing match from the Philippines. The Malaysian channel was showing how to fillet a schnauzer. The cooking show reminded him of surgery, and surgery reminded him that there was a beautiful island girl lying in the clinic, recovering from an unnecessary major surgery that he could have prevented. Definitely kickboxing. He was just getting into the rhythm of the violence when the bat came through the window and made an awkward swinging landing on one of the bungalow's open rafters. Tuck lost his breath for a minute, thinking there might just be a wild animal in his house. Then he saw the sunglasses. Roberto steadied himself into a slightly swinging upside-down hang. Tuck sighed. â€Å"Please just be a bat in sunglasses tonight. Please.† Thankfully, the bat said nothing. The sunglasses were sliding off his nose. â€Å"How do you fly in those things?† Tuck said, thinking out loud. â€Å"They're aviators.† â€Å"Of course,† Tuck said. The bat had indeed changed from rhinestone glasses to aviators, but once you accept a talking bat, the leap to a talking bat with an eyewear wardrobe is a short one. Roberto dropped from the rafter and took wing just before he hit the floor. Two beats of his wings and he was on the coffee table, as awkward in his spiderlike crawl as he was graceful in the air. With his wing claw, he raked at Jefferson Pardee's notebook until it was open to the middle, then he launched himself and flew out the window. Tuck picked up the notebook and read what Pardee had written. Tuck had missed this page when he had looked at the notebook before. This page had been stuck to the one before it; the bat's clawing had revealed it. It was a list of leads that Pardee had made for the story he had been working on. The second item read: â€Å"What happened to the first pilot, James Sommers? Call immigration in Yap and Guam.† Tuck flipped through the notebook to see if he had missed something else. Had Pardee found out? Of course he had. He'd found out and he'd followed Sommers to the last place anyone had seen him. But where was Pardee? His notebook hadn't come to the island without him. Tuck went through the notebook three more times. There were some foreign names and phone numbers. Something that looked like a packing list for a trip. Some notes on the background of Sebastian Curtis. Notes to check up on Japanese with guns. The word â€Å"Learjet† underlined three times. And nothing else. There didn't seem to be any organizational form to the notes. Just random facts, names, places, and dates. Dates? Tuck went through it once more. On the third page in, all by itself, was printed: â€Å"Alualu, Sept. 9.† Tuck ran to the nightstand drawer, where the Curtises had left him a calendar. He counted back the days to the ninth and tried to put events to days. The ship had arrived on the ninth, and the morning of the tenth he had made his first flight. Jefferson Pardee could be lying in the clinic right now, wondering where in the hell his kidney was. If he was, Tuck needed to see him. Tuck looked in the closet for something dark to wear. This was going to be different than sneaking out to the village. There were no buildings between the guards' quarters and the clinic, no trees, nothing but seventy-five yards of open compound. Darkness would be his only cover. It was a tropical-weight wet suit – two-mil neoprene – and it was two sizes two big, but it was the only thing in the closet that wasn't khaki or white. In the 80-degree heat and 90-percent humidity, Tuck was reeling from the heat before he got the hood on. He stepped into the shower and soaked himself with cold water, then peeled the hood over his head and made his escape through the shower floor, dropping onto the wet gravel below. In the movies the spies – the Navy SEALS, the Special Forces, the demolition experts – always sneak through the night in their wet suits. Why, Tuck wondered, don't they squish and slosh and make squeaking raspberry noises when they creep? Must be special training. You never hear James Bond say, â€Å"Frankly, Q, I'll trade the laser-guided cufflink missiles for a wet suit that doesn't make me feel like a bloody bag of catsick.† Which is how Tuck felt as he sloshed around the side of the clinic and peeked across the compound at the guard on duty, who seemed to be looking right at him. Tuck pulled back around the corner. He needed a diversion if he was going to make it to the clinic door unseen. The moon was bright, the sky clear, and the compound of white coral gravel reflected enough light to read by. He heard the guard shout, and he was sure he'd been spotted. He flattened against the wall and held his breath. Then there were more Japa-nese from across the compound, but no footsteps. He ventured a peek. The guard was gesturing toward the sky and brushing his head. Two other guards had joined him and were laughing at the guard on duty. He seemed to get angrier, cursing at the sky and wiping his hand on his uniform. The other guards led him inside to calm him down and clean him up. Tuck heard a bark from the sky and looked up to see the silhouette of a huge bat against the moon. Roberto had delivered a guano air strike. Tuck had his diversion. He slipped around the front of the building, grabbed the doorknob, and turned. It was unlocked. Given Beth Curtis's irritation at being buzzed and the amount of wine she'd consumed, Tuck had guessed that she'd get tired locking and unlocking the door. What did Mary Jean always say? â€Å"Ladies, if you do your job and assume that everyone else is incompetent, you will seldom be disappointed.† Amen, Tuck thought. He squished into the outer room of the clinic, which was dark except for the red-eyed stare of a half-dozen machines and the dancing glow of a computer screen running a screen saver. He'd try to get into that later, but now he was interested in what, or who, lay in the small hospital ward, two rooms back. He sloshed into the examination/operating room by the light of more LED eyes and pushed through the curtain to the four-bed ward. Only one bed held a patient – or what looked like a patient. The only light was a green glow from a heart monitor that blipped away silently, the sound turned off. Whoever was in the bed was certainly large enough to be Jeffer-son Pardee. There were a couple of IVs hanging above the patient. Probably painkillers after such major surgery, Tuck thought. He moved closer and ventured a whisper. â€Å"Pst, Pardee.† The lump under the covers moved and moaned in a distinctly unmasculine voice. â€Å"Pardee, it's Tucker Case. Remember?† The sheet was thrown back and Tuck saw a thin male face in the green glow. â€Å"Kimi?† â€Å"Hi, Tucker.† Kimi looked down at the other person under the covers. â€Å"You remember Tucker? He all better now.† The pretty island girl said, â€Å"I take care of you when you sick. You stink very much.† Tuck backed off a step. â€Å"Kimi, what are you doing here?† â€Å"Well, she like pretty thing, and I like pretty thing. She tired of having many means and so am I. We have a lot in common.† â€Å"He the best,† Sepie added with an adoring smile at Kimi. Kimi handed the smile off to Tuck. â€Å"Once you be a woman, you know how to make a woman happy.† Tuck was getting over the initial surprise and began to smell the smoke of his beautiful island girl fantasy as it caught fire and burned to ash. He hadn't realized how much time he'd spent thinking about this girl. She, after all, was the one who had revived his manhood. Sort of. â€Å"You right,† Kimi said. â€Å"Women are better. I am lesbian now.† â€Å"You shouldn't be doing this. This girl just had major surgery.† â€Å"Oh, we not doing nothing but kissing. She very hurt. But this make it better.† Kimi held his arm up, displaying an IV line. â€Å"You want to try? Put in you arm and push button. It make you feel very very nice.† â€Å"That's for her, Kimi. You shouldn't be using it.† â€Å"We share,† Sepie said. â€Å"Yes, we share,† Kimi said. â€Å"I'm very happy for you. How in the hell did you get in here?† â€Å"Like you get out. I swim around mimes and come here to see Sepie. No problem.† â€Å"You don't want to let them catch you. You've got to go. Now.† â€Å"One more push.† Sepie held the button, ready to administer another dose of morphine to Kimi. Tuck grabbed it from her hand. â€Å"No. Go now. How did you know about the mines?† â€Å"I have other friend. Sarapul. I teach him how to be a navigator. He know a lot of things too. He a cannibal.† â€Å"You're a cannibal lesbian?† â€Å"Just learning. How come you have rubber suit? You kinky?† â€Å"Sneaky. Look, Kimi, have you seen a fat white guy, an American?† â€Å"No, but Sarapul see him. He see the guards take him from the beach. He not here?† â€Å"No. I found his notebook. I met him on Truk.† â€Å"Sarapul say he see the guards bring him to the Sorcerer. He say it very funny, the white man wear pigs with wings.† Tuck felt his face go numb. All that was left of Pardee was a pelvic bone wedged in the reef, stripped of flesh and wrapped in flying piggy shorts. Oh, there might be the odd kidney left alive in someone in Japan, a kidney that he had delivered. Had the fat man died on the operating table during the operation, the surgery too much for his heart? Or was he put under and never meant to wake up? Tuck suddenly felt that getting into the doctor's computer was more important than ever. He grabbed Kimi's arm and pulled the IV needle out of his vein. The navigator didn't resist, and he didn't seem to feel it. â€Å"Kimi, see if you can get that back in Sepie's arm and come with me.† â€Å"Okay boss.† Tuck looked down at the girl, who had evidently picked up on the panic in his voice. Her eyes were wide, despite the morphine glaze. â€Å"Don't buzz the doctor until after we're gone. This button will let you have only so much morphine, and Kimi's used some of yours. But if it hurts, you still have to wait, okay?† She nodded. Kimi crawled out of the bed and nearly fell. Tuck caught him by the arm and steadied him. â€Å"I am chosen,† Sepie said. â€Å"When Vincent comes, he will give me many pretty things.† Tuck brushed back her hair with his fingers. â€Å"Yes, he will. You sleep now. And thank you for taking care of me when I was sick.† Kimi kissed the girl and after a minute Tuck pulled him away and led him through the operating room to the office section of the clinic. In the glow of the computer screen, Tuck said, â€Å"Kimi, the doctor and his wife are killing people.† â€Å"No, they not. They sent by Vincent. Sepie say Vincent come from Heaven to bring people many good things. They very poor.† â€Å"No, Kimi, they are bad people. Like Malcolme. They are taking advantage of Sepie's people. They are just pretending to be working for a god.† â€Å"How you know? You no believe in God.† Tuck took the boy by the shoulders. He was no longer angry or even irritated, he was afraid, and for the first time ever, not just for himself. â€Å"Kimi, can you swim back around the mines?† â€Å"I think.† â€Å"You've got to go to the other side of the island and you can't come back. If the guards find you I'm pretty sure you'll be killed.† â€Å"You just want Sepie for yourself. She tell me you follow her.† â€Å"I'll check on her and I'll meet you at the drinking circle tomorrow night – tell you how she's doing. I won't touch her, I promise. Okay?† â€Å"Okay.† Kimi leaned against the wall by the door. Tuck studied him for a moment to try and determine just how fucked up he was. It wasn't a difficult swim. Tuck had done it stone drunk, but he'd been wearing fins and a mask and snorkel. â€Å"You're sure you can swim?† Kimi nodded and Tuck cracked the door. The moon had moved across the sky throwing the front of the clinic in shadow. The guard across the compound was reading a magazine by flashlight. â€Å"When you get outside, go left and get behind the building.† The navigator stepped out, slid down the side of the building and around the corner. Tuck heard him trip and fall and swear softly in Filipino. â€Å"Shit,† Tuck said to himself. He glanced at the computer. It would have to wait. He slid out the door, palming it shut behind him, then followed the navigator around the building. He heard the guard shout from across the compound, and for once in his life, Tuck made a definitive decision. He grabbed the navigator under the arms and ran. 45 Confessions Over Tee Tucker Case dreamed of machine-gun fire and jerked as the bullets ripped into his back. He tossed forward into the dirt, mouth filling with sand, smothering him as the life drained out of a thousand ragged wounds, and still the guns kept firing, the rhythmic reports pounding like a violet storm of timpanis, like a persistent fist on a rickety door. â€Å"Just let me die!† Tuck screamed, most of the sound caught by his pillow. It was a persistent fist on a rickety door. â€Å"Mr. Case, rise and shine,† said a cheery Sebastian Curtis. â€Å"Ten minutes to tee time.† Tuck rolled into the mosquito netting, became entangled, and ripped it from the ceiling. He was still wearing his wet suit and the fragile netting clung to it like cobwebs. He arrived at the door looking like a tattered ghost fresh out of Davy Jones's locker. â€Å"What? I can't fly. I can't even fucking walk. Go away.† Tuck was not a morning person. Sebastian Curtis stood in the doorway beaming. â€Å"It's Wednesday,† he said. â€Å"I thought you might want to play a few holes.† Tuck looked at the doctor through bloodshot eyes and several layers of torn mosquito netting. Behind Curtis stood one of the guards, sans machine gun, with a golf bag slung over his shoulder. â€Å"Golf?† Tuck said. â€Å"You want to play golf?† â€Å"It's a different game here on Alualu, Mr. Case. Quite challenging. But then, you've been practicing, haven't you?† â€Å"Look, Doc, I didn't sleep well last night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Could be the wet suit, if you don't mind my saying. Here in the tropics, you want fabrics that breathe. Cotton is best.† Tuck was beginning to come around, and as he did, he found he was focusing an intense hatred on the doctor. â€Å"I guess we know who got laid last night.† Curtis looked down and smiled coyly. He was actually embarrassed. Tuck couldn't quite put it together. The doc didn't seem to have any problem with killing people or taking their organs – or both – but he was blushing at the mention of sex with his wife. Tuck glared at him. Curtis said, â€Å"You'd better change. The first tee is out in front of the hangar. I'll go down and practice a few drives while you get dressed.† â€Å"You do that,† Tuck said. He slammed the door. Twenty minutes later Tuck, his hair still wet from the shower, joined Curtis and the guard in front of the hangar. He was feeling the weight of three nights with almost no sleep, and his back ached from dragging Kimi across the compound, then towing him in the water to the far side of the minefield. The guard had never caught up to them, but he had come to the edge of the water and shouted, waving his machine gun until Tuck and Kimi were out of sight. â€Å"We'll have to share a set of clubs,† Curtis said. â€Å"But perhaps now that you've decided to stay, we can order you a set.† â€Å"Swell,† Tuck said. He couldn't be sure, but he thought the guard might be the same one that had chased them to the beach. Tuck sneered at him and he looked away. Yep, he was the one. â€Å"This is Mato. He'll be caddying for us today.† The guard bowed slightly. Tuck saluted him with a middle finger. If the doctor saw the gesture, he didn't comment. He was lining the ball up on a small square of Astro Turf with a rubberized pad on the bottom. â€Å"We have to hit off of this. At least until someone invents a gravel wedge.† He laughed at his own joke. Tuck forced a smile. â€Å"The Shark People covered this entire island with gravel hundreds of years ago. Keeps the topsoil from being washed away in typhoons. This first hole is a dogleg to the left. The pin is behind the staff's quarters about a hundred yards.† â€Å"Doc, now that we've come clean, why don't we call them the guards?† â€Å"Very well, Mr. Case. Would you like honors?† â€Å"Call me Tuck. No, you go ahead.† Curtis hit a long bad hook that arced around the guards' quar ters and landed out of sight in a stand of palm trees behind the building. â€Å"I have to admit that I may have a bit of an advantage. I've laid out the course to accommodate my stroke. Most of the holes are doglegs to the left.† Tuck nodded as if he understood what Curtis was talking about, then took the driver from the doctor and hit his own shot, a grounder that skipped across the gravel to stop fifty yards in front of them. â€Å"Oh, bad luck. Would you like to take a McGuffin?† â€Å"Blow me, Doc,† Tuck said as he walked away toward his ball. â€Å"I guess not, then.† The pins were bamboo shafts driven into the compound, the holes were lined with old Coke cans with the tops cut off. The best part about it was that Tuck was able to deliver several vicious high-velocity putts into the shins of Mato, who was tending the pins. The worst part was that now that Curtis considered Tuck a confidant, he decided to open up. â€Å"Beth is quite a woman, isn't she? Did I tell you how we met?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"I was at a transplant symposium in San Francisco. Beth is quite the nurse, the best I've ever seen in an operating room, but she wasn't working as a nurse when I met her.† â€Å"Oh, good,† Tuck said. Curtis seemed to be waiting for Tucker to ask. Tucker was waiting for the guard to rat him out for sneaking out of the compound last night. â€Å"She was a dancer in North Beach. An exotic dancer.† â€Å"No shit.† Tuck said. â€Å"Are you shocked?† Curtis obviously wanted him to be shocked. â€Å"No.† â€Å"She was incredible. The most incredible woman I had ever seen. She still is.† â€Å"But then, you've been a missionary on a remote island for twenty-eight years,† Tuck said. Curtis picked his club for the next shot: the seven iron. â€Å"What's this?† â€Å"Looks like blood and feathers,† Tuck said. Curtis handed the club to Mato for him to clean it. â€Å"Beth did a dance with surgical tubing and a stethoscope that took my breath away.† â€Å"Pretty common,† Tuck said. â€Å"Choke you with the surgical tubing and use the stethoscope to make sure you haven't done the twitching fish.† â€Å"Really?† Curtis said. â€Å"You've seen a woman do that?† Tuck put on his earnest young man face. â€Å"Seen? You didn't notice the ligature marks on my neck when you examined me?† â€Å"Oh, I see,† Curtis said. â€Å"Still, I, at least, had never seen anything like it. She†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Curtis couldn't seem to return to his story. â€Å"The wet suit this morning. Was that a sexual thing? I mean, most people would find it uncomfortable.† â€Å"No, I'm just trying to lose a little weight.† Curtis looked serious now. â€Å"I don't know if that's such a good idea. You're still very thin from your ordeal in getting here.† â€Å"I'd like to get down to about eight pounds,† Tuck said. â€Å"There's a big Gandhi revival thing going on back in the States. Guys who look like they're starving have to beat the babes off with a stick. Started with female fashion models, but now it's moved to the men.† Curtis look embarrassed. â€Å"I guess I'm a bit out of touch. Beth tries to keep up with what's going on in the States, but it, well, seems irrelevant out here. I guess I'll be glad when this is all over and we can leave the island.† â€Å"Then why don't you just leave? You're a physician. You could open up a practice in the States and pull down a fortune without all this.† Curtis glanced at the guard, then looked back to Tuck. â€Å"A fortune maybe, but not a fortune like we're accumulating now. I'm too old to start over at the bottom.† â€Å"You've got twenty-eight years' experience. You said yourself that the people you take care of are the healthiest in the Pacific. You wouldn't be starting over.† â€Å"Yes, I would. Mr. Case – Tuck – I'm a doctor, but I'm not a very good one.† Tuck had met a number of doctors in his life, but he had never met one who could bear to admit that he was incompetent at anything. It was a running joke among flight instructors that doctors made the worst students. â€Å"They think they're gods. It's our job to teach them that they're mortal. Only pilots are gods.† This guy seemed so pathetic that Tuck had to remind himself that the good doctor was at least a double murderer. He watched Curtis hit a nice hundred-yard bloodstained seven iron to within ten feet of the pin, which was set up on a small patch of grass near the beach. Tuck chased down his own skidding thwack of a nine iron that had landed between the roots of a walking tree, an arboreal oddity that sat atop a three-foot teepee of tangled roots and gave the impression that it might move off on its own power at any moment. Tuck was hoping that it would. The caddie followed Tuck, and when they were out of earshot of the doctor, he turned to face the stoic Japanese. â€Å"You can't tell him, can you?† The guard pretended not to understand, but Tuck saw that he was getting it, even if only by inflection. â€Å"You can't tell him and you can't fucking shoot me, can you? You killed the last pilot and that got you in a world of trouble, didn't it? That's why you guys follow me like a bunch of baby ducks, isn't it?† Tuck was guessing, but it was the only logical explanation. Mato glanced toward the doctor. â€Å"No,† Tuck said. â€Å"He doesn't know that I know. And we're not going to tell him, are we? Just shake your head if you're getting this.† The guard shook his head. â€Å"Okay, then, here's the deal. I'll let you guys look like you're doing your job, but when I wave you off, you're gone. You hear me? I want you guys off my ass. You tell your buddies, okay?† The guard nodded. â€Å"Can you speak any English at all?† â€Å"Hai. A rittle.† â€Å"You guys killed the pilot, didn't you?† â€Å"He tly to take prane.† Mato looked as if the words were painful for him to form. Tuck nodded, feeling heat rise in his face. He wanted to smash the guard's face, knock him to the ground, and kick him into a glob of goo. â€Å"And you killed Pardee, the fat American man.† Mato shook his head. â€Å"No. We don't.† â€Å"Bullshit!† â€Å"No, we†¦we†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He was searching for the English word. â€Å"What?† â€Å"We take him, but not shoot.† â€Å"Take him where? To the clinic?† The guard shook his head violently. Not saying no, but trying to say that he couldn't say. â€Å"What happened to the fat man?† â€Å"He die. Hospital. We put him water.† â€Å"You took his body to the edge of the reef, where the sharks would find it?† The guard nodded. â€Å"And the pilot? You put him in the same place?† Again the nod. â€Å"What's going on. Are you going to hit or not?† Tuck and the guard looked up like two boys caught trading curses in the schoolyard. Curtis had come back down the fairway to within fifty feet of them. Tuck pointed to his ball. â€Å"Kato here won't let me move that out for a shot. I'll take the penalty stroke, Doc. But hell, we don't have mutant trees like that in Texas. It's unnatural.† Curtis looked sideways at Tuck's ball, then at Mato. â€Å"He can move it. No penalty. You're a guest here, Mr. Case. We can let you bend a few rules.† Curtis did not smile. Suddenly he seemed very serious about his golf. â€Å"We're partners now, Doc,† Tuck said. â€Å"Call me Tuck.†