The Return: Midnight Chapter 19

Bonnie decided, with seconds precious and seeming to stretch for hours, that what was going to happen was going to happen no matter what she did. And there was a matter of pride here. She knew that there were people who would laugh at that, but it was true. Despite Elena's new Powers, Bonnie was the one most used to confronting stark darkness. She was somehow alive after al that. And very soon she would not be. And the way she went was the only thing left up to her. She heard a glissando of screams and then she heard them come to a halt. Well, that was al she could do for the moment. Stop screaming. The choice was made. Bonnie would go out, unbroken, defiant – and silent. The moment she stopped shrieking Shinichi made a gesture and the ogre who had hold of her stopped carrying her to the window. She'd known it. He was a bul y. Bul ies wanted to hear that things hurt or that people were miserable. The ogre lifted her so her face was level with Shinichi's. â€Å"Excited about your one-way trip?† â€Å"Thril ed,†she said expressionlessly. Hey, she thought, I'm not so bad at this brave thing. But everything inside her was shaking at double time in order to make up for her stony face. Shinichi opened the window. â€Å"Stillthril ed?† Now that had done something, opening the window had. She was not going to be smashed against glass until she broke it with her face and went sailing through the jagged bits. There wasn't going to be pain until she hit the ground and nobody would know about that, not even her. Just do it and get it over with, Bonnie thought. The warm breeze from the window told her that this – place – this slave-sel ing place – where customers were al owed to sift through the slaves until they found just the right one – was too highly air-conditioned. I'l be warm, even if it's just for a second or so, she thought. When a door near them banged, Bonnie nearly jumped out of the ogre's arms, and when the door to their own room banged open, she nearly jumped through her own skin. You see? Something surged wildly through her. I'm saved! It only took a little of that brave stuff and now†¦ But it was Shinichi's sister, Misao. Misao, looking gravely il , her skin ashen, holding on to the door to hold herself up. The only thing about her that wasn't grayed-out was her bril iant black hair, tipped with scarlet at the ends, just like Shinichi's. â€Å"Wait!†she said to Shinichi. â€Å"You never even asked about – â€Å" â€Å"You think a little airhead like her would know? But have it your own way.†Shinichi seated Misao on the couch, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly. â€Å"I'l ask.† So she was the one inside the two-way mirror room, Bonnie thought. She looks real y bad. Like dying bad. â€Å"What happened to my sister's star bal ?†Shinichi demanded and then Bonnie saw how this thing formed a circle, with a beginning and an ending, and how, understanding this, she could die with true dignity. â€Å"It was my fault,†she said, with a faint smile as she remembered. â€Å"Or half of it was. Sage opened it up the first time to open the Gate back on Earth. And then†¦Ã¢â‚¬ She told them the story, as if it were one she'd never heard before, putting an emphasis on how it was she who had given Damon the clues to find Misao's star bal , and it was Damon who then had used it to enter the top level of the Dark Dimensions. â€Å"It's al a circle,†she explained. â€Å"What you do comes back to you.†Then despite herself, she started to giggle. In two strides, Shinichi was across the room and slapping her. She didn't know how many times he did it. The first was enough to make her gasp and stop her giggling. Afterward her cheeks felt as swol en as if she had a very painful case of the mumps, and her nose was bleeding. She kept trying to wipe it on her shoulder, but it wouldn't stop. At last Misao said, â€Å"Ugh. Unfasten her hands and give her a towel or something.† The ogres moved just as if Shinichi had given the order. Shinichi himself was now sitting beside Misao, talking to her softly, as if he were speaking to a baby or a beloved pet. But Misao's eyes, with their tiny flicker of fire in them, were clear and adult as she looked at Bonnie. â€Å"Where is my star bal now?†she asked with dreadful gray intensity. Bonnie, who was wiping her nose, feeling the bliss of not being handcuffed behind her back, wondered why she wasn't even trying to think of a lie. Like, let me free and I'l lead you to it. Then she remembered Shinichi and his damn kitsune telepathy. â€Å"How could I know?†she pointed out logical y. â€Å"I was just trying to pul Damon away from the Gate when we both fel in. It didn't come with us. As far as I know, it got kicked in the dust and al the liquid spil ed out.† Shinichi got up to hurt her again, but she was only tel ing the truth. Misao was already speaking. â€Å"We know that didn't happen because I am† – she had to pause to breathe – â€Å"Stillalive.† She turned her ashen, sunken face toward Shinichi and said, â€Å"You're right. She's useless now, and ful of information she shouldn't have. Throw her out.† An ogre picked Bonnie up, towel and al . Shinichi came around the other side. â€Å"Do you see what you've done to my sister? Do you see?† No more time now. Just a second to wonder if she real y was going to be brave or not. But what should she say to show she was brave? She opened her mouth, honestly not sure whether what was coming out was a scream or words. â€Å"She's going to look even worse when my friends are done with her,†she said, and saw in Misao's eyes that she'd hit her target. â€Å"Throw her out,†Shinichi shouted, livid with fury. And the ogre threw her out the window. Meredith was sitting with her parents, trying to figure out what was wrong. She had finished her errands in record time: getting enlarged versions of the writing on the front of the jars made; cal ing the Saitou family to find that they would al be home at noon. Then she had examined and numbered the individual blow-ups of each character in the pictures that Alaric had sent. The Saitous had been†¦tense. Meredith hadn't been surprised since Isobel had been a prime, if entirely innocent, carrier of the kitsune's deadly possessing malach. One of the worst casualties was Isobel's own steady boyfriend, Jim Bryce, who had gotten the malach from Caroline and spread it to Isobel without knowing what he was doing. He himself had been possessed by Shinichi's malach and had demonstrated al the hideous symptoms of Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome, eating away at his own lips and fingers, while poor Isobel had used dirty needles – sometimes the size of a child's knitting needles – to pierce herself in more than thirty places, besides forking her tongue with scissors. Isobel was out of the hospital and on the mend now. Still, Meredith was bewildered. She had gotten approval of the cards with enlarged, individual characters off the jars from the older Saitous – Obaasan (Isobel's grandmother) and Mrs. Saitou (Isobel's mother) – not without a good deal of argument in Japanese over each character. She was just getting into her car when Isobel had come running out of the house with a bag of Post-it Notes in her hand. â€Å"Mother did them – in case you needed,†she gasped in her new, soft, slurring voice. And Meredith had taken the notes from her grateful y, murmuring something awkward about repayment. â€Å"No, but – but may I have a look at the blow-ups?†Isobel had panted. Why was she panting so hard? Meredith wondered. Even if she'd run from the top floor al the way fol owing Meredith – that wouldn't account for it. Then Meredith remembered: Bonnie had said Isobel had a â€Å"jumpy†heart. â€Å"You see,†Isobel said with what looked like shame and a plea for understanding, â€Å"Obaasan is real y almost blind now – and it's been so long since Mother was in school†¦but I take Japanese classes right now.† Meredith was touched. Obviously, Isobel had felt it bad manners to contradict an adult when they were in earshot. But there, sitting in the car, Isobel had gone through every card with a blown-up character, writing a similar, but definitely different character on the back. It had taken twenty minutes. Meredith had been awed. â€Å"But how do you remember them al ? How do you ever write to each other?†she had blurted, after seeing the complicated symbols that differed only by a few lines. â€Å"With dictionaries,†Isobel had said, and had for the first time given a little laugh. â€Å"No, I'm serious – to write a very proper letter, say, don't you use Thesaurus and Spel Check and – â€Å" â€Å"I need those to write anything!†Meredith had laughed. It had been a nice moment, both of them smiling together, relaxed. No problems. Isobel's heart had seemed just fine. Then Isobel had hurried away and when she was gone Meredith was left staring at a round circle of moisture on the passenger seat. A tear. But why should Isobel be crying? Because it reminded her of the malach, or of Jim? Because it would take several plastic surgeries before her ears would have flesh on them again? No answer that Meredith could think of made sense. And she had to hurry to get to her own home – late. It was only then that Meredith was stricken by a fact. The Saitou family knew that Meredith, Matt, and Bonnie were friends. But none of them had asked about either Bonnie or Matt. Strange. If she had only known how much stranger her visit with her own family would be†¦

Assertiveness Paper

Assertive Paper When faced with a dilemma at work or at school the way you handle and voice your opinion is crucial in communicating your level of assertiveness. There is a proper way of being assertive rather than seeming aggressive. It takes practice in order to properly accomplish a comprehension of this technique. Becoming better at speaking your mind verbally and nonverbally will allow you to interact as a leader amongst your fellow workers and colleagues. I can be an assertive person when the time is right and the surroundings ask for a certain level of assertiveness to be needed.If I am with a group of people and I disagree with someone’s opinion or point of view of a certain issue I will allow myself to speak my mind without attacking what the other person said. The most important part of being assertive to me is not being aggressive towards others when expressing thoughts. An example would be during my senior year in high school when we were placed into groups and had to discuss our opinion on gay marriage. The conversations were at the most very educated until a person bluntly stated that they believed gay people should never get married because it was disgusting.Surely this person was entitled to their opinion but the was they phrased their response was in an aggressive manner towards anyone who believed otherwise. I responded right away without directly referring to that person with the word you rather than spoke my mind using the word I. My opinion was that people should be allowed to do what they think it is best for them no matter what others might think. If their decision is not affecting anyone else then they are entitled to their own actions and decisions as human beings.Once I said that the person became angry in a way but not because I disagreed with them but rather in the way I formed my response they could not say I was directly meaning it towards them. The verbal messages I tend to always give out when being assertive has to be for the most part to seem sure of what I am saying backing it up with support but at the same time not sounding like I am attacking anyone’s ideas or opinions. Beginning my words with I makes people feel less threatened and allows them to also have an opinion.When the situation requires me to give an order I will be serious and communicate what needs to be done. The nonverbal messages that I give off when being assertive is to maintain eye contact with the person. This is really important to me because it lets the other person know you are serious and expect what you are telling them to be understood and also taken into consideration. My body posture when doing so is standing upright without moving around or making a lot of hand movements.I try to keep a steady posture which allows the person to stay focused on my message. What I consider to be doing well while being assertive are speaking with a direct tone to the subject in matter while maintaining eye contact. When beginning my message the first word I tend to use is I in order to stay away from people believing they are being blamed or accused. I refrain from telling people your wrong or that is not the way to do something unless it is required of me to do so in certain situations.The way that works the best when communicating a solution to a problem or an approach is to have a sense with the person that what your are saying is a good way but leaving the window open for them to have an opinion as well. I would like to improve myself in the area of giving speeches in front of people to seem very confident. I am not a bad public speaker but I tend to get nervous when doing so for a long period of time. I have tried practicing in front of the mirror speaking and it works out great but it is not the same as actually being in front of many people.That’s what I need more practice in order to be looked at as very assertive when giving a speech. Assertiveness is a learned trait that we all must be aware of and practice in our everyday lives. This quality will help you all through out school and work. It will also better your relationship with friends and family. Being confident and believing in yourself is an important attribute that must go hand in hand with being assertive. Communicating with proper grammar and adjacent nonverbal cues will allow you to be taken serious and provide a level complete with the perfect balance of a great assertive person.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein Essay

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein there are a lot of examples of how she is warning the readers about the perils of modern science. One of the biggest examples is the creator of Frankenstein, and Frankenstein himself. The fact that someone was taking the role of â€Å"god†, and trying to create life is a very scary factor in life. If someone of our kind can gain the power to create their own human life from machines, science, and electricity then they could have the ultimate power. Power is something that all human kind wants to achieve, but also fear. Power goes along with the perils of modern science, which Mary Shelley warns the readers about. Modern science is definitely something to fear, and that is exactly why Mary Shelley was warning her readers. Frankenstein is just a huge example period about how scary modern science is, and why she was warning us. Mary Shelley makes references in Frankenstein from Milton’s Paradise and Garden of Eden. So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein—more, far more, will I achieve; treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation. † The quote shows; especially the part where he says he will â€Å"explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation†, a great example of how she is warning the readers about the perils of modern science. It states how exploring more with science will help him create more out of life. The deepest mysteries of creations†, is something scary to even think about someone exploring. Frankenstein has a lot of similar qualities to the god in Milton’s Paradise Lost. One great example is what was said earlier, which was the fact that they both want to create life. There is also the fact that both creators rejected their creations. The quote from page 57 Frankenstein says, â€Å"Oh no mortal could support the horror of the countenance†, which is him completely rejecting his creation and only based solely on his horrendous appearance. This book is all about him experimenting and creating life and acting as god. He creates life, and then instantly rejects it because it was not created to his full potential, which means he will continue to create again until his creation is perfect. With so many rejected creations can come so many problems, and who knows what the rejected creations will become. Just like with Frankenstein’s creations, he was portrayed as a fearful monster, which is what mankind was afraid of and wanted nothing to do with. Not only was Frankenstein’s creation hideous looking, but it also lacked in speech, which made people even more scared. People are afraid of not being able to communicate, and not being able to understand. Shelley is not only warning us as readers about science, and what the future could hold because of these experiments, but she is also showing what happens when someone acts as god, and completely fails. When you are not only ignorant, but also irresponsible on top of that, these types of mistakes will happen, and you will end up regretting what you have created; â€Å"I was seized by remorse and the sense of guilt, which hurried me away to a hell of intense tortures, such as no language can describe. â€Å"

Introduction of comparative politic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Introduction of comparative politic - Essay Example The central achievement of the Bolsheviks headed by Lenin in the first three years following the Revolution, was the establishment of the NEP. The New Economic Policy was a established for the purposes of providing a certain amount of freedom of trade in agrarian products, and which had the further proviso of allowing personal ownership of land, and also, the private entrepreneurship in both industry and in commerce 1[1]. And, in keeping with the notion that socialism or communism must be a gradual transformation, Lenin kept in the foreground of his policies the idea that the proletariat had not yet fully undergone the effects of industrialization2[2], as had their German and English counterparts in Western Europe. But, this notion that Russia or the Soviet Union was in a state of flux, or a state of 'between' Marx's central phases of economic development, came a number of troubling problems, faced not solely by Lenin, but also by his Bolshevik allies, comrades, or peers. For example , there was a struggle as to what extent it was possible in the Soviet Union, where a large number of distinct nationalities existed, to create and in turn maintain a strong central government? The questions of national unity were both raised at the theoretical level among the Bolsheviks, but prompted and coincidental with the actual affairs and events in the Soviet Union in these early years, and as well, to what extent would the trade unions who were already socialist in scope, be given autonomy from the central government, and from the Communist Party itself?3[3] In the very midst of the chaos of the First World War during the time of the Revolution, the Bolsheviks created an administrative structure facilitating the 'Red Army' under Leon Trotsky4[4], which in turn, was a force of troops more successful than the forces which had existed under the Tsar5[5]. Thus, what ensued was a form of terror which was enhanced by the conscription of men, property, as well as a re-direction of labour, food levies, and the imposition of wages paid in kind when there was a currency crisis -- that is, a complete loss of value of their currency 6[6]. In many respects, the measures of 'war communism' had a tyrannical effect, but this was coincidental with the fact that it was also successful in pulling the country together to some extent. The reforming or progressive side of communism, can be said to have ended with the early leadership of Lenin, such as it is lasted until March of 1921[7]7. Part of this restructuring, was the establishment of the NEP, and as mentioned in the above with regard to these policies, the effects were such that within a year or two, three quarters of the country's retail trade lay within private hands. This prompted a phase where the tolerance of dissension was generally and gradually eliminated. And, in turn, the restructuring program of this phase created two new hierarchies, namely the All Russian Congress and the council of People's Commissars 8 [8]. The effect of greater organization, both in terms of the structure as well as the sheer numbers of members which were increasing, was the net silencing of opposition. As the nature and essence of market style capitalism dictates, the survival of this system rests on expansion. In other words, expansion must (historically and in contemporary terms) must find new markets

Reflective Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reflective Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example ce Johnnie that cigarette smoking was a very dangerous addiction that not only causes harm to an individual alone, but also for their family, friends, and the society in general. In that respect, my rhetoric focused on highlighting the economic and social costs associated with cigarette addiction in terms of maintaining the health of the smoker when health effects like cancer start manifesting, and the resultant financial burden the audience’s family is likely to bear. Additionally, my rhetoric highlighted the negative impact of smoking on society in terms of reduced productivity of the addict, and the potential risk of loss of life of a productive member of the society in critical situations. The purpose of persuading johnnie through the rhetoric was to get him to gain self-control and to overcome his addiction, to live a healthy life that is self-directed and productive; addiction to cigarette addiction destroys families and individual’s lives, and can be a real source of pain and suffering. Johnnie feels totally incapacitated by the addiction like his own life depends on it so much so that he cannot function at all without engaging in the habit; in that respect, the withdrawal symptoms that accompany his attempt to quit makes quitting difficult and almost impossible. My rhetoric aimed to persuade Johnnie to feel and believe that he has power over his smoking addiction and that it was not the other way round, with the addiction controlling him to such an extent that he could not do without engaging in the habit. By altering Johnnie’s perspective about the smoking addiction, the rhetoric was meant to persuade him to gradually control his smoking by reducing the number of cigarettes he smokes every day and to stop the habit altogether. The audience of the rhetoric, Johnnie, was a close friend, a stubborn and yet very friendly fellow, who was always in the mood for conversation and little chats about everything that crosses his mind. Johnnie is a very social

(DEGREE LEVEL) INESTIGATING THE SOCIAL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

(DEGREE LEVEL) INESTIGATING THE SOCIAL - Essay Example 26). The National Health Service (NHS) was created on 5 July 1948 (National Health Services). Aneurin Bevan, the Minister of Health in the 1940’s, is seen as the architect of NHS (Gorsky 2008, p.437, 452). As mentioned above, the World War II bombings by Germany mobilized several interest groups and connected them. World War II served as a stressor, whose effects were made public by the Beveridge Report. However, the factor that did not let the effect of this event fade was Bevan. Thus, the aim of this research is to look at how the factors mentioned above influenced the interest groups in forming NHS. The Beveridge Report (Beveridge, 1942) is used to examine the ability of reports to shock their readers. This report was made with the purpose of evaluating the reconstruction needs which were caused by the 1940 bombings (Beveridge 1942, p. 5). Its advantage is that quantitative and objective data are presented. Observations were made in a natural environment. The report provides a background to the problem, indicating that reconstruction is only a part of the story and that more fundamental changes are required. However, its weakness is that as in case of every other report, this too has its own agenda. The government commissioned this report, so one could easily assume that it was in government’s best interest to present a gloomy picture of the existing system to the public. Another source is the interview with Bevan from 1949 (2009). Though this source offers a firsthand insight into the needs that led to NHS, this source is also subjective. Bevan is seen as the architect of NHS, implying that he possessed the ins and outs of development of the Act on NHS, its passing and creation of NHS. However, this interview is his personal view on events that happened in the 1940’s. Since he was a politician, his statements were designed to win over the voters by giving them

Analyse the impact of effective training on a company. Support your Essay

Analyse the impact of effective training on a company. Support your answer with examples - Essay Example In this essay, the highlight is on the impact of effective training that an organization experiences. Impacts Training helps to sharpen the decision-making skills of the employees. Training expounds what the organization of them, the steps to take in achieving tasks, and adhering to legal terms. It is observable that after training, they can make decisions that are more accurate. In a certain research, employees underwent training and surprisingly enough, their supervisors were observing more accuracy in performance (Starkel 2007, 17-18). For instance, it is important for jurors to have the ability to make very accurate and sane decisions owing to the complexity of their roles, so by constantly training them, they deliver more efficient and realistic verdicts. On another note, training reduces the behavioural risks of employees. Training equips them with knowledge on safety, skills, values, problem-solving, and hazard awareness. Regular effective training lowers injury rates as it pr ovides a safer working environment by equipping employees with skills in handling machinery and equipment. In addition to handling equipment, training enforces the strict implementation of procedures and rules (Kinder & Cooper 2008, p. 161-173). These aspects translate to the uninterrupted flow of events and save the employer and employee costs that would cater for treatment or replacement of machinery. For instance, farm workers require training on handling chemicals and farm equipment. Lack of keenness would otherwise result in injuries, fatalities, and damage to equipment. The daily routines of work at times contribute to psychosocial disorders such as depression and stress. The training to combat such includes stress management skills, counselling services, coping strategies and embracing healthy lifestyles (Kinder & Cooper 2008, p. 161-173). Organizations that train their employees to avoid and manage these risks maintain a healthy work force of motivated and competent workers translating to less interruption, maximum worker capacity, and less emergency leave requests. A good example is the organizational-level interventions in America and Europe where most employers include health promotion, relaxation, and education on coping strategies in their organizations’ work strategies. The training ensures that employees have a good understanding of the company’s working for the therefore cultivate job satisfaction in them. It keeps their esteem high thus, morale and loyalty to the job increases. These contribute to high performance and in addition to this; they are less likely to wander off in search of better opportunities if their current jobs please them (Barcus 2007, p.8-9). By having a workforce that is stable (constant) and highly motivated, the result is better yields and development of the organization. For instance, in an Information technology firm and with the knowledge of how fast technology evolves, one expects the employees to have f requent training and exposure to new aspects. If this is not the case, the employees might find it hard to deal with, or remain outdated in the changing trends. Such employees, given a better opportunity will desert the organization immediately. Training brings the general workforce of an organization together. During training, there is promotion of interaction in terms of participation, discussion, and sharing of

KKRs Acquisition of Alliance Boots Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

KKRs Acquisition of Alliance Boots - Case Study Example Besides the case which would be taken up for discussions, it is necessary to take up the case of KKR's purchase of RJR Nabisco, a food products manufacturing company. After the announcement of the deal being successful, RJR's stock price shot up from $ 55 to $ 77.25, a spectacular rise by any standards (Brigham & Ehrhardt, P.1000). During early times, the guiding principles for takeover were in terms of restructuring fully developed companies, acquiring them, and later on, disposing them at good margins, when they are able to provide profitable business. However, nowadays - these considerations are not taken into account, and what is merely important is the takeover of a larger company, preferably by a private equity, in order to utilize its assets for payment of creditors of the acquiring company. The method of experiencing acquisitions through LBO is widespread, and has given rise to private equity being termed as people who wish to liquidate the Company's production capacity, in order to pay off the post taken debts and obligations. Alliance Boots is being seen as the first FTSE Company to be acquired by private equity company, KKR, although earlier the latter had also acquired AFR Nabisco, a prominent food products manufacturer. On March 12, 2007, Alliance Boots was contacted by New York based private equality mogul, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., (KKR) for levered buyouts (LBO) for a record sum of 11 Billion. It is seen as the biggest European LBO deal ever struck and the underwriters even agreed to lengthen the period for Investor to stake claims in it. This move could be seen in terms of KKR's recent acquisition of the UK Retail chain, Alliance Boots, which was undertaken in conformity with the largest shareholder, Stephan Pessina on the condition that Mr. Pessina would just assume control in the newly acquired company. Modus operandi of LBO The mode of acquisition would be in terms of identifying companies, which had high cash flows, but lacked suitable avenues for investments. Through loans, these commercial debts would purchase majority interests in firms at higher than market rates. After this, the acquired company would have to take over the liabilities of the acquiring company, or the acquiring company would take loans by pledging the acquired company's assets etc. as security. Thus, it was possible to gain entry into very large corporations through the use of acquisition techniques. Over the years, it is seen that acquisitions now cease to have real value, since any company, however large, could be

Benefits of Breastfeeding Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Benefits of Breastfeeding - Research Paper Example (Brown and Isaacs, 2007, p.166) Last few years have witnessed that people now are becoming increasingly aware of the need to change our lifestyles drastically in order to lessen the existing pressures on environment and the available stock of natural resources. One of the most ignored issues, with respect to the health of our mother nature, is probably breastfeeding. Breast milk is one such food item which is not only renewable natural resource and is highly beneficial for the child, but also non-polluting. It does not even require any other natural resources and can be directly fed to the child. On the contrary, the artificial baby food not only pollutes the environment but also depletes the existing stock of natural resources. Statistics show that every year, 1.5 million babies die because of it and many suffer from ill health. Therefore, whether a mother should breast feed her child or not is not only a lifestyle issue but a health, social and environmental issue. (Correa) Body se ction One: Importance of Breast Feeding This section describes the importance of breast feeding in ensuring the healthy development of the child. These articles enumerate that it is important for the mothers to breast feed their child help him grow healthily and also to reduce the medical cost of the family. If bottled milk is replaced by breast milk, this would also reduce the medical expenses of the families. In D Michels’s article titled â€Å"Mother Nature Loves Breast milk†, the author has stated â€Å"If every child in America were bottle-fed, almost 86,000 tons of tin would be needed to produce 550 million cans for one year’s worth of formula.† (Environmental Benefits of Breastfeeding, 2011) The problem with bottle feeding, other than the health issues, is that the bottles, nipples, silicon, glass etc. required for bottle feeding are resource-intensive and to make the matters shoddier, they often lead to non-recyclable and non-biodegradable end pro ducts. Moreover, tests have shown that many of the top brands of baby foods contain some genetically modified components. Even the cows, whose milk is used to prepare these artificial foods, are injected with growth hormones so that more milk is produced. Therefore, these growth hormones also find their way into these baby foods. Mother’s milk, on the other hand, are neither genetically modified nor contaminated by growth hormones, and is therefore healthier for the babies. Mother’s milk also gets absorbed more easily in comparison to formula, as a result of which lesser excretion takes place. (Environmental Benefits of Breastfeeding, 2011) Another matter of rising concern in today’s time is the rising cost of treatment. In the year 2009, the United States had spent around 17.6% of the GDP of the nation, which accounts to $2.5 trillion, on health care. It is becoming increasingly difficult for the authorities and government alike to curb this rising cost. In thi s light, the authorities have stressed on the importance of breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months and then continuing it for the next year or two as a part of healthy diet. This will reduce the risk of diseases for the lifetime of the children and also their mothers, as a result of which, a healthier society will emerge. (Gutowski, Walker & Chetwynd, 2010, pp.2-3) Body Section Two: The Nutrition Value of Breast Milk The articles in this

The Role of Non-State Actors Essay Example for Free

The Role of Non-State Actors Essay 5.1 Introduction It is generally recognized that the process of building a capable state requires the participation of all the vital forces of a nation. A capable state is one that has all the attributes of a modern, strong, responsible and responsive state, a state capable of effectively discharging its duties of delivering security, peace, prosperity and other pubic goods to its people. Although the state has traditionally been considered as the focal point of this process, other sectors, including non-state ones, have an important role to play, and the importance of this role has grown significantly over the past couple of decades as the limitations of the post-colonial state in providing for the needs of its people have been made all too clear. 1 It is thus important to identify these other actors and recognise those areas wherein they can contribute, and have indeed contributed, to the process, as well as to appreciate better their nature, their mode of intervention, the constraints hampering their action as well as to explore ways in which their participation can be rendered more fruitful and less problematic. But before we delve into the subject of non-state actors and their role in the creation of the capable state in Africa, it would be useful to look into just what the capable state is and means, and what it has meant for the African continent since the advent of independence half a century ago. 5.2 Definitional Issues 5.2.1 Overview The capable state may be defined as one that effectively fulfils its obligations to its constituents by providing and safeguarding a range of goods, both tangible and intangible,2 that assure its people of a secure public space wherein they can live and love, produce and reproduce, and pursue the enjoyment of the fruits of their labour and love. Such a state will have attributes such as territorial integrity, public order and safety under the rule of law; ample political space for individual and group self-realisation; and socio-economic justice and equity that minimise conflict and foster intra-national peace and harmony. It is the absence of these attributes within states that creates what have come to be known as â€Å"failed†, â€Å"failing† or â€Å"dysfunctional† states, whose common denominator are varying degrees of precariousness. In these terms, the African state that came into being upon decolonisation had its work cut out. From centuries of successive forms of extreme exploitation, oppression and brutalisation, African nations found themselves confronted with the daunting task of, on the one hand, putting in place governance systems that would ensure the survival of the nation-state that was essentially an artificial creation of the colonial regime, cobbled up from a multitude of disparate and often mutually hostile ethnic entities and, on the other, assure a minimum of livelihood for the people by delivering education, health and other social services, securing good prices for agricultural produce, providing jobs through mining and Mabogunje, A.L. Institutional Radical isation, the state and the development process in Africa. Development Policy Centre, Ibadan, Nigeria, 2000. 2 Anyang’ Nyong’o, Governance, Poverty and Sustainable Development in Africa, in The Quest for Equity in Access to Health and Development, Tropical Institute of Community Health and Development in Kenya. Industrialisation, and generally taking care of the nation, including providing welfare for those who could not fend for themselves. Herculean as these tasks were the first crop of African leaders assumed them with gusto. In fact it was the leaders who enthusiastically promoted these expectations, either because they needed seductive promises to make their peoples rally to the anti-colonial banner, or because they genuinely believed that once the colonialists were out of the way all was possible. Mkandawire3 sheds a harsh light on this â€Å"central preoccupation† with â€Å"development†. â€Å"African leaders have always been aware of the need for some nationalist-cum-developmentalist ideology for both national building and development†¦ The quest for an ideology to guide the development process inspired African leaders to propound their own idiosyncratic and often incoherent ‘ideologies’ to ‘rally the masses’ for national unity and dev elopment. If such ideologies are still absent it is definitely not for lack of trying.† Thus, it was made possible for people to expect that the state would do everything for them, in this way fostering the concept of l’Etatprovidence, the provider State. Some African states did indeed attempt, with varying degrees of success, to deliver on some of their promises, but it did not take long for most of these attempts to prove Sisyphean, rolled back by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the following: a) Poor governance and managerial practices; b) Over-centralisation of power in the hands of a small group, or of one individual; c) Emergence of authoritarian/dictatorial/military regimes; d) Failure/reluctance to devolve power and responsibilities to local authorities; e) State corruption; f) Ethnic bias, nepotism, exclusion of whole sections of populations; g) Deterioration of terms trade on the world market; h) Unsustainable levels of state intervention in delivering social services; i) A crippling dependency syndrome on the part of populations hea vily reliant on government handouts, and on the part of governments dangerously dependent on donor handouts.4 By the end of the 1980s, it had become clear that the various development strategies different African countries had followed had not led to the desired outcomes. Despite the earlier promise of the 1960s, and the modest but positive growth figures of the 1970s, the 1980s came to be known as the ‘lost decade’, a grim epitaph epitomizing the shattered dreams of a whole continent, a reality from which African countries, having lost their initial elegance, have not fully emerged to this day. The World Bank blamed this inability to deliver development on â€Å"a strategy (that) was misconceived† in the sense that in their hurry to modernize, African governments were wont to copy rather than adapt Western development models, with the result that they found themselves with â€Å"poorly designed public investment in industry; too little attention to peasant agriculture; too much intervention in areas where the state lacked managerial, technical and entrepreneurial skills; and too little efforts to foster grassroots development.† This top down approach, according to the World Bank, â€Å"demotivated ordinary people, whose en ergies needed to be mobilized in the development effort.† It has been rather a case of ‘double jeopardy’ in the sense that the State that promised to deliver economic development – the ‘developmental State’ – also took away political and individual rights, constricting the political space in which citizens could enjoy full political participation, the argument being that incessant political bickering and rivalry would sap the developmental potential and undermine the nation building project. In the end, the African State, caught up in its ‘developmentalist’ quest, delivered neither economic development nor democratic governance6. The State became more ‘commandist,’ more intolerant of contrary ideas from its citizens, less reluctant to devolve power to local entities, more given to the use of force as a solution to political issues, and gradually descended into the mire of autocratic rule, the more egregious of which were military dictatorships and/or, later, rule by warlords and their militias. Faced with this stark reality, it became imperative to rethink governance with a view to finding alternative ways of confronting the development challenges of our peoples. At this same time, towards the end of Africa’s ‘lost decade’, momentous events were taking place in the world that were destined to usher in a major paradigmatic shift in world political relations. The end of the ‘Cold War’ was unfolding even as efforts were being made to see African countries ‘democratise’ and the discourse of that process threw to the fore a hitherto little heeded breed of protagonists, variously known as civil society, NGOs or non state actors. In Eastern Europe, some of these organisations played a central role in bringing about the fall of the Communist regimes, such as was evidenced, especially, by the Polish experience with the workers, union-based Solidarnos, as well as other civil society movements in Romania, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslov akia and the Soviet Union itself. Although there is little evidence to suggest that these movements sustained their role in the new, post-Communist governance systems –except that a trade union leader took over the State in Poland, and a poet in the Czech Republic – their importance had been recognized and stood ready to be deployed elsewhere. Africa, just like Eastern Europe, was emerging from a long period of negative development, and, as such, it was thought, what had worked in the former Communist regimes might work in African countries. As we shall see later, this would have a bearing on the way many of these non state actors, whether packaged as Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or simply Non State Actors (NSAs), would be viewed in many African countries, which would also, to a large extent, inform their effectiveness on the ground.

Multi-disciplinary Care Management in Orthopaedic Ward

Multi-disciplinary Care Management in Orthopaedic Ward The purpose of this assignment is to explore, discuss, and analyse multi-disciplinary care management of a patient admitted to an orthopaedic ward. It will look at how collaboration with other agencies and disciplines takes place. In addition, their role in the rehabilitation and discharge planning. It will conclude if the special needs of the patient were met which will be discussed throughout the assignment. This assignment will contain reference to Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle along with Webb (1992) who agrees it is appropriate and acceptable to write in the first person, when giving a personal opinion. The patient cared for in this assignment was a woman admitted to an orthopaedic ward after falling over in her home, with a possible fractured neck of femur. Fractured neck of femur is the most common traumatic condition requiring admission to orthopaedic wards. It is currently approaching epidemic proportions among older people, especially women (Audit Commission 1995). The names of the staff and hospital will remain anonymous to maintain confidentiality. This is in conjunction with clause 5.1 of the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Code of Professional Conduct (NMC 2002). In addition, a pseudonym of Mrs. H will be used to name the patient. Mrs. H is a fifty-seven year old woman, who has Type II diabetes controlled by tablets and diet. Since she was a child, she was diagnosed as having learning difficulties. A learning difficulty/disability is a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information (DOH 2001). Due to social issues, Mrs. H was labelled as a complex discharge from admission. Smith supports this and states discharge planning starts on admission (Smith 2002). Mrs. H was admitted to the ward after an assessment was carried out in the Accident and Emergency Department. Mrs. Hs fracture was confirmed by an x-ray, which identified an extracapsular fracture. The surgical house officer decided to book her for emergency surgery with dynamic hip screws (DHS), which are used to internally fix the fracture. DHS are designed so that the shoulder of the screw presses against the edge of the screw hole and applies pressure at the fracture site (Dandy Edwards 1998). After surgery, Mrs H was transferred onto an elective orthopaedic joint replacement ward where I was placed. The ward follows Ropers model of nursing as well as a care pathway for total hip and knee replacements. These pathways have been defined as a multidisciplinary outline of anticipated care, placed in an appropriate time frame, to help a patient with a specific condition or set of symptoms moving progressively through a clinical experience to a positive outcome (Roberts Reeves 2003). Ropers model of nursing is the most commonly used in the UK, particularly in adult nursing (Kenworthy et al 2002). This model focuses on twelve activities that people engage in to live(Roper et al 1995). It focuses on the client as an individual engaged in the living throughout his or her lifespan, moving from dependence to independence, according to different circumstances. The concepts underlying the model are the progression of a patient along a lifespan, dependence, and independence continuum, the activities of daily living and influencing factors, and lastly individuality (Roper et al 1995). However, the goals of orthopaedic nursing is to return the patient to mobilise fully and weight bear independently, hence, self-caring. Therefore, Kenworthy et al (2002) suggests that when working with patients with learning difficulties, nursing models may need adapting to cater for long-term problems. Kenworthy et al (2002) also suggest that Orems (1985) model of nursing is integrated with Ropers (1995), which is widely used in the fields of rehabilitation and community care. Despite this, this ward adheres only to Ropers (1995) model. When Mrs H initially arrived on the ward, her patterns of activities were assessed, evaluated, and documented by the nurse. The problems identified were used to formulate a plan of care. This involves referrals to other agencies and disciplines. A multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation and discharge planning is fundamental and includes the following: A named nurse, health care assistant, physiotherapist, radiographer, catering staff, social worker, occupational therapist, dietician, and psycho geriatrician. Other health team members involved in her care were community based health professionals such as her general practitioner who would be involved after discharge. The adult nurse could facilitate health promotion for people with learning difficulties. This could involve a member of the community learning disabilities team, a learning disabilities nurse. The role of the learning disabilities nurse is to liase with hospital administration staff to plan clients care needs on admission and discharge (Simpson 2002). However, there is shortage of learning disabilities nurse in the UK (UFI limited 2000). Nevertheless, the nurse could adhere to the protocol for admission to hospital for adults with learning disabilities, which is being piloted in some hospitals at present (Robson 2000). Therefore, by using Mrs. H as an example of a learning disabilities patient, requiring specialist nursing. The ward could devise its own protocol. Similarly, by looking at the governments white paper for Learning Disabilities (LD) published in March 2001, its aims are to challenge discrimination and improve access to health and a better quality of life for people with LD (DOH 2001). The idea that nurses could discriminate against disabled patients may seem preposterous (Scullion 1996). However, some may play a part in what Miller (1995) calls hospital induced dependency. Biley (1994) suggests that far from being user-friendly, hospitals may be particularly hostile to disabled people. Hannon supports this and points out people with learning disabilities are vulnerable and frightened on admission to hospital (2003). The nurse carried out most nursing interventions, including measurement of blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and temperature. This procedure was carried out every half hour for two hours until Mrs. Hs cardiovascular observations were stable. This was increased to four hourly intervals (NHS Trust 2002). The nurse also monitored her pain score, sedation score, and pain site. She checked all intravenous drips for leakage. Wound dressings were observed for strike through. Mrs. H arrived back on the ward with a patient controlled Analgesia (PCA) pump. It is a method of pain relief, which allows patients to control their own pain by using an electronically operated pump (NHS Trust 1998). By using a pain assessment tool, nurses play a major role in assessing and managing pain (Watt-Watson et al 2001). The administration of prescribed analgesia was offered, and local policies regarding pain relief were implemented (Alexander et al 2000). However, Watt-Watson et al (2002) states many nurses distrust patients self-reporting of their pain, which suggest that they have their own benchmark of what is an accepted level before analgesic is necessary. McCaffrey disputes this and notes pain is what the patient says it is and exists when he or she says it does (McCaffrey Beebee 1989). The nurse would ask Mrs. H if she would like any pain relief and on most occasions, she replied Yes. The Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) guidelines for mental health and learning di sabilities (MH LD 2002) state it is important to devote as much time as it is necessary to explain issues to clients (nmc.org.uk 2002). This suggests that the nurse should ask if they have any pain and explain it is not always necessary to agree to accept pain relief. The NMC guidelines for MH LD also state people with learning disabilities have a fluctuating state of competence (nmc.org.uk 2002). Due to poor mobility and being a diabetic, Mrs H was at risk of developing pressure sores. Using the hip replacement care pathway as a tool, the nurse and health care assistant turned her every two hours using an immoturn. This is a metal frame to help move the patient, it elevates pressure, ensuring no discomfort or soreness is experienced (NHS 2002). Because older patients are at risk of a deep vein thrombosis following surgery, the use of an anti-coagulant clexane was used (Collins 1999), the nurse encouraged leg and circulatory exercises to be commenced post operatively. Due to a previous low blood haemoglobin, a full blood count was taken, along with urea and electrolytes and liver function tests (Collins 1999). Blood glucose monitoring was carried out and documented at appropriate times. Mrs. Hs consent was not always sought to carry out the blood glucose monitoring procedure. The NMC MH LD guidelines (nmc.org.uk 2002) suggest that certain environments force the learning disab ilities client to feel forced to make certain decisions. They go on to suggest if a person has been appointed as guardian of the client, matters of consent should be discussed with that person (nmc.org.uk 2002). The diabetic nurse was not involved as the nurses on the ward were managing Mrs Hs diabetes through tablets and monitoring of her diet. Using the wards care plan as a tool to reassess Mrs Hs problems, it was evident that by the third day post operatively her dietary intake was poor. Due to this, and the fact Mrs H was a diabetic, a referral to the dietician was made. The dietician advised both the catering staff and the nursing staff what type of diet was appropriate. The nurse would sit with Mrs. H and talk through what was available on the food menu. Mrs. H would deny that she had chosen the meal when it arrived. The NMC MH LD guidelines outline learning disabilities clients may be highly suggestive, thus most likely to agree to choices from those in positions of authority (nmc.org.uk 2002). They also suggest an advocate would promote the clients right to choose and decide for themselves (nmc.org.uk 2002). On the third day after Mrs. H operation, the physiotherapist came to teach her how to use a walking frame, which should progress to walking with two sticks. The physiotherapists play an important part in the patients rehabilitation process by encouraging limb movement (Cuthbertson et al 1999). After mobilising on the stairs with the physiotherapist, a referral to the occupational therapist was made. The role of the occupational therapist was to assess the patient and decide if any aids are needed to help the patient manage safely and independently at home. Both the physiotherapist and occupational therapist agreed that Mrs. H was fit enough to go home. The multidisciplinary team (MDT) recognised the benefit of family centred care and involved Mrs Hs family (Wright Leahey 1994). This resulted in the family expressing concern over the squalid conditions of her home. Mrs. Hs home had not been cleaned for some time; she chose to leave left over food all over the house. This resulted in an infestation of maggots and bluebottles. In addition, the house was poorly maintained, with no heating and hot running water. The main concern expressed by the MDT was hundreds of rubbish bags, which surrounded most of the house, causing blockage of the stairs and doorways. Due to Mrs. Hs learning disability, a cognitive assessment was requested, and carried out by a psycho geriatrician. The nursing admission form contradicts this decision, in which Mrs. H states that she knew why she was in hospital and what her treatment was. However, as mentioned earlier, people with learning disabilities have a fluctuating state of competence (nmc.org.uk 2002). The psycho geriatrician confirmed that Mrs. H did have the capacity to decide where she lived. Nevertheless, Mrs Hs social worker was very concerned about home circumstances. Based on these facts, the ward nurse contacted the community liaison nurse to arrange a case conference. Unfortunately, this was delayed by two weeks due to the social worker taking annual leave. The nursing staff was told that there was no other social worker available to take over this case. T his may be explained by the fact that there is currently a shortage of qualified social workers nationwide (Simpson 2002). Most days, Mrs. H would spend time sitting in her chair and would only mobilise when going to and from the toilet. Over the weekend, Mrs H did not receive any visitors. She then became tired mobilising back from the toilet. She began to shout loudly and insisted she was in pain. As it was visiting time, all the visitors stopped to stare at her. The nurses responded to this by transporting her back to her bed in a wheelchair. This behaviour continued for a couple of days. This prompted an x-ray referral, which confirmed no change. This was recorded on the care pathway as a variance. Any variance from the anticipated care pathway is recorded outlining what occurred differently, why and what was done instead (Onslow 2003). Mrs. H was encouraged to mobilise as much as she could but she would still shout in pain. The NMC guidelines for MH LD (nmc.org.uk 2002), however, suggest a lack of individual stimulation could be the reason and exacerbate the problems associated with some challenging behaviours. Eventually a case conference was arranged. The issues highlighted were although Mrs. H has the help of daily home carers visiting twice a day and belongs to a lunch club, she had a history of falls. Mrs. H was mobilising around the home with a zimmer frame, due to a right fractured neck of femur in 1999. The MDT reached a decision and the aim is to get Mrs. H to agree to a home visit. After careful negotiations with Mrs H and members of the MDT, a home visit took place. The outcome of the home visit was sheltered accommodation would be safer. Pritchard Pritchard (1994) suggests each member of the team demonstrates a clear understanding of his or own functions and recognises a common interest. This common interest was the well being of the patient. Mrs. H was asked to visit the sheltered housing available and asked to make a decision. Mrs. H decided she wanted to go home. The occupational therapist made a list of recommendations, such as rails on her front door, additional help to tend to the coal fire or alternate heating and an electrician to come and fix the light in Mrs. Hs bathroom. Unfortunately, the social worker involved with Mrs. Hs case went on annual leave for a further two weeks. Mrs. H is now still in hospital awaiting her social workers instructions on her discharge. According to the Guardian newspaper, every day across England, about 5,000 people of all ages are unnecessarily stuck in acute hospital beds because no follow up care is available in the community (Waters 2003). This is still happening in spite of in 2003, the government introduced the community care (Delayed Discharges Act). This act, effective from January 2004, stipulates social services departments will be fineable and will have to pay the NHS up to  £120 per day to cover the cost of a blocked bed (Batty 2003). On reflection, (Gibbs 1988) I felt there was evidence of good multi-disciplinary team collaboration. Mrs. H was given good care and emphasis was placed on her rehabilitation and discharge planning. However, on further analysis, utilisation of other agencies/disciplines could have been made. Due to staff shortages, and no alternative social worker being available to be Mrs. Hs advocate, then the community learning disabilities could have been involved. As this was not possible, the nurse as a health facilitator could have made herself and the multidisciplinary team aware of the government white paper, learning disabilities a strategy for the 21st century (DOH 2001). Conversely, one member of the nursing staff could have offered to participate in training courses for the care management of people with learning disabilities (NHS Careers 2000). Overall, the nursing staff implemented good care. Nevertheless, the nursing staff by using Mrs. H as an example of a complex discharge can learn from this. They could put in place policies to deal with other learning disabilities patients. Finally, the NMC (2002) clause 2.4, stipulates that as a registered nurse, you must promote the interests of your clients. This includes helping individuals and groups, including the multidisciplinary team, to gain access to health and social care. More importantly, you must respect the interests of patients irrespective of their ability (NMC 2002) clause 2.2.

The Elevator And Escalator Industry In Sri Lanka Economics Essay

The Elevator And Escalator Industry In Sri Lanka Economics Essay I am employed at ETA MELCO ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD for the past one year and Im currently working as the Human Resource Executive. My company is a fully owned subsidiary of ETE MELCO Elevator Co. L.L.C. and has its head office in Dubai, U.A.E. which belongs to the ETA STAR GROUP OF COMPANIES. We represent Mitsubishi Elevators and Escalators in Sri Lanka and our activities cover the marketing, supply, installation and maintenance of all types of Mitsubishi Elevators, Escalators, Moving Walks and Vertical transportation equipment. Mitsubishi Escalators and Elevators has earned a reputation as one of the most advanced Elevator and Escalator manufactures in the world, offering firsts in technology. Let analyze in detail the Elevator and Escalator Industry in Sri Lanka and the market my company belongs in relation to the economic context. About the Group Company ETA STAR Group was established in the early 1973 and is involved with expertise ranging from Civil Construction to Electro Mechanical, Facilities Management and Elevator Engineering. Today the ETA STAR group involves in activities that cover 16 broad industry verticals. Namely: Construction and Engineering, Trading, Shipping, Manufacturing and Assembly, Facilities Management, Auto Mobile, Real Estate, Retail, Services, Travel and Leisure, Health Care, Aviation, Learning and Education, Insurance, Hospitality, Oil and Natural Gas. The group has a network of 140 entities and offices in 22 countries. As a group we provide employment to over 72000 people. All group companies are guided through the group companys vision, Quality is our single-minded pursuit in the application of new technologies. In our wide ranging diversity, we innovate continuously as we strive to provide complete satisfaction to our customers and shareholders. We have emerged as one of the largest corporate houses duri ng the last 37 years of operations achieving excellence. A look at the Industry The Elevator and Escalator industry in Sri Lanka is highly depended on the construction industry. The construction industry in Sri Lanka comprises of building, highway, bridge, water supply and drainage, irrigation and land drainage, dredging and reclamation and other constructions. According to the annual survey carried out by construction industries, the total value of estimated work done by all types of construction activities in Sri Lanka was Rs. 56,496 million in 2007. The building construction sector was the highest contributor to the total value of work done contributing 64.1%. This contribution to the building construction sector was made by the private and public sector. The second largest contributor to the total value of work done in the construction industry was the highway construction amounting to 25.2% of the total value of work done. The highest value of work done was reported from Colombo district amounting to 37.2% of the total output. Hambanthota and Kaluthara Dist ricts contributed 11.3% and 6.2% accordingly. Jafna District reported the lowest value of work done amounting to 0.3% of the total output. A detail breakup constriction industry for the year 2007 is as follows: Source: Annual Survey of Construction Industries 2008 To evaluate on the industry of Elevator and Escalator lets analyze the detail break up of the building construction industry. Source: Annual Survey of Construction Industries 2008 Elevators and Escalators are mainly used in Sri Lanka for high and medium rise buildings that has being developed for residential apartments, hotels, shopping complexes and hospital buildings. The demand for elevator is based on the infra structure development in the above mentioned areas. Based on the interview I had with the Sales Manager he told me that the demand for elevators and escalators have being 238, 243, 219 and 171 for the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively. This clearly helps us to understand the sudden drop in the demand for elevators was due to the economic crisis that affected the constriction industry in our country in the mid 2008 and 2009. The estimated annual demand for elevators for the year 2010 is predicted to be 260 units. However the rapid development in the northern and southern province in the country after the 30 years of civil was is contributing favorably to the elevator and escalator market in Sri Lanka as many infra structure development programmes are presently taking place. Many of these projects are government owned. Population growth on the other hand too contributes immensely to the building construction industries. Due to scare resources such as land developers are compelled to put up high rise apartment buildings and complexes. Today even in the rural sector there are plans to up such building. Tourist industry too positively contributes to the elevator and escalator market as we need to develop many hotels and hotel apartments to keep up to the demand. Sri Lanka tourist board is presently focusing on areas such as Trincomalee and Puthalam in order to promote Dolphin, Wale watching and Surfing. Also areas such as Hambanthota, Jaffna, Baticalo are given preference. The Health care sector too in Sri Lanka gives high priority to the elevators and this is seeing as a sector that has been having a continual growth over the last decade. Overview of the Organization Taking into account the initial success achieved in the U.A.E. market in the early 1980s the ETA MELCO Elevator Co. L.L.C. set up branch office in Sri Lanka in the name ETA MELCO ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD and 20 other countries. The Sri Lankan construction industry proved to be during very well in the early 1980s and this influenced the management to set up operations in Sri Lanka to provide vertical transportation facilities as there was a huge demand for products such as elevators, escalators and moving walks and other related products for high rising buildings, hotels, hospitals, commercial buildings, residential apartments etc. These products are supplied by Mitsubishi Corporation. Popularly known as the Elevator People of Sri Lanka we have grown to be the biggest elevator specialist in the region enjoying a very high market share. We as a company are singularly focus on growth by keeping up with modern technological changes and advances. We have a fully fledge research and development team in Japan that keeps us updated with trends that suites the industry tomorrow. The phrase that brands our products, Quality in Motion is not just a catchy slogan but a statement of fact. We are driven by the continual evolution of technological improvement. The professionals of our company and through out the worlds practice Quality in Motion everyday. We not only pay emphasis to operational efficiency but also safety and comfort. We are embodied by our mantra Number one for Quality to ensure we exceed out customer requirements. The policies of Mitsubishi Electric has made all these possible while fostering the values necessary to harmonize our products and activities with the environment and local communities. These will vary based on customers requirement for capacity, speed, purpose, number of persons, number of stops (floors) etc. Refer appendix for more details on our product range. Market Share The industry leader in the Sri Lankan Elevator market is ETA MELCO ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD the agent for Mitsubishi Elevators in the country. We import Mitsubishi Elevators and Escalators under the HS code 84281010 Lifts and skip hoists. According to the import statistics details obtained from Data One Company our sales team analyzed the market share for the year 2009 based on the number of units ETA MELCO (Mitsubishi) secured as against its competitors. The data is as follows: With reference to the analysis carried out it could be said with much certainly that this industry belongs to the Oligopoly (Imperfect) Market Structure as it has a relatively small number of large firms. They sell differentiated products and comprise of significant entry barriers. Thus we have a few key industry players like Otis, Sanyo, Sigma, Dipra, Schindler, Johnson, Kone and Local Fabrications who deal with Elevators and Escalators in Sri Lanka. Hence we export only three types of products Elevators, Escalators and Moving Walks. We are the only local company that exports these products from Mitsubishi we have better access to architects, clients, contractors, government authorities and other developers due to the good name we maintain in safety, comfort, efficiency and superior quality. Nevertheless this industry is highly competitive as all the few players on average have to meet a demand of 175 200 elevators for a year. This leads to sever competition. We have to keep a breast of the ever changing technological advances and we need to convince our customer base on the modern products and modifications needed to existing products from time to time to avoid our products being modernized or serviced by out competitor companies. Taking in to account the over all market in to consideration ETA MELCO has grown from strength to strength enjoying the highest market share in this segment when compared to its competitors. The company has to now focus on promoting vertical transportation products such as Elevators, Escalators and Moving walkers by moving in to the northern and southern geographical areas of the country to remain as the market leader as many developments are taking place. The product alone is a luxury item and today the demand for Home elevators our becoming popular. The company also has it focus in coming up with more customized products to cater to the market. In Sri Lanka alone we have Home Elevators. Market Structures My findings indicate that this organization belongs to the Oligopoly (Imperfect) market structure since it highlights the following characteristics; Major industry players amounts to 9 competitors while there are few other mushroom companies that deals with maintenance of elevators and escalators. The firm is relatively large compared to the overall market and has a substantial degree of market control. In short there are small numbers of large firms. Firms in oligopolistic industries produce either identical or differentiated products. Identical product oligopolies also knows as perfect oligopolies produce tend to process raw materials or intermediate goods that are used as inputs in other industries. Notable examples are petroleum, steel and aluminum. On the other hand elevator and escalator falls into differentiated product oligopolies also knows as imperfect oligopolies focuses on consumer goods (mostly luxury) to satisfy the wide variety of consumer needs and wants. Barriers to entry prevail as the firm attain and retain market control. Patents, brand names, recognition, resource ownership, start-up cost, decreasing average cost are the most common barriers and the make it extremely difficult or impossible for potential firms to enter the industry. Oligopolistic firms are diverse and they posses several behavioral tendencies. The following behavioral characteristics were highlighted in my findings: Interdependency among firms as it takes in to account relative size and market control. This means that the actions of one firm will depend and make an influence on the actions of another firm. The firm keeps a close eye on the activities of the other firms in the industry. As a result the decisions made by one firm invariably affect others and are invariably affected by others. Thus a firms success will not only depend on its own action but also those of the competitor. A Rigid price strategy is followed by the firm that helps to keep the price relatively constant as the firm prefers to compete in other ways that does not involve changing the price. This is mainly because if price decreases the competitor will try to match the same and will not take in to consideration the increases in prices as the firms do not gain much from price changes. As the firm does not gain much from price competition they tend to follow non-price methods of competition which includes entry barriers, product differentiation and advertising, continuous improvement in quality, after sale services, effective distribution, guarantees as the firms objective is to get more buyers and simultaneously increase the market share while holding the line on price. Taking all firms in the industry I wish to emphasize that the firms operate in cooperation through collusion in an oligopoly market. The factories of the companies that manufacture elevator and escalators secretly agree on prices, production and other aspects in the market and behave like they are operating as one firm a monopoly. A formal method of collusion is cartel which is found among international produces. Operating in an Oligopoly (imperfect) market brings in two important advantages to the firm. It could be elaborated as follows: The firm tends to be a prime source for innovations that promotes advances in technology and economic growth. This leads to higher living standards. These firms have the motive and opportunity for innovation. Interdependent competition results in motive and access to abundant resuorses bring about opportunity. The firm is in a position to enjoy economies of scale as it leads to a reduction in the cost of production and prices. The firm can mass produce at a low average cost. Elevators and escalators will be more significantly expensive if they were produced by a large number of small firms that small number of large firms. Graphical Illustration of the Market Equilibrium A kinked demand curve is used to illustrate the short run production activity of an oligopolistic firm. To explain the price rigidity in an oligopolistic firm the kinked demand curve is used. The kink of the demand curve exists at the current quantity (Qpm) and current price (Ppm). This is because competitor firms will not match the increases in price as it will loose its customer base and market share. It is evident that a small increase in price will lead to a relatively large decrease in quantity demanded. Similarly any price decreases will be matched by competitor firms and the firms is unlikely to gain customers or market share. If a firm is to gain a small increase in quantity demanded a large decrease in price needs to take place. (This is not feasible to many firms) Conclusion With reference to my study on my organization ETA MELCO ENGINEERING (PTE) LTD I could state that we fall into Imperfect Oligopoly Market Structure. Hence I will use the following findings to justify my answer; There are small numbers of large firms (09 major industry players) in the elevator and escalator industry. The company sells a range of differentiated products to suit customer, client, architect, developers requirements and specifications taking in to account type of building, type of elevator/escalator, number of stops (floors), travel speed, capacity, and usage thus falling in to imperfect oligopoly without any doubt. Significant barriers to entry prevail due to brand name, recognition, start up cost, decreasing average cost, patent and resource ownership. Interdependency among firms exists. A rigid price structure is followed to keep price relatively constant. As any decrease in price will lead towards the same action from competitor thus affecting the companies customer base and market share. Also any price increases will lead to a reduction in quantity demanded thus affecting the customer base and market share. Due to the above reason the company follows non-price methods of competitions by promoting its brand image and reputation, quality products, customized products, guarantees, cost effective after sales services and product differentiation. The firm balances competition among others through cooperation. We can identify collusion as a method used in the elevator/escalator industry. Price cartels are experienced in the factories that produce elevator/ escalators. The company is heavily involved in innovations that promote advances in technology and economic growth. The main factory of the company enjoys economies of scale through mass production thus leading to low average cost. Finally giving all reasons, arguments and justification above like to conclude that ETA MELCO ENGINEERIN (PTE) LTD is operating in an Imperfect Oligopolistic Market Structure.

Flummoxed: ?An Essay on Man? :: essays research papers

Flummoxed: â€Å"An Essay on Man†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the excerpt I read of â€Å"An Essay on Man†, I have grasped the general concept of this epistle which is how man is put up in contrast to the universe. There were many paragraphs in which I had to read over quite a few times in order to grasp its true reasoning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One quote I would like to analyze is from line 130 stating â€Å"Of order, sins against the Eternal Cause.† If I had to interpret this without any background information it would be hard to grasp what Pope means by this. However, by going over the paragraph a few times and looking up words in this paragraph like abode which is the past tense of abide meaning to comply with, I came up with this reasonable explanation. Don’t try and play God or try to be God because by messing with the order you are put in, you're messing with your eternal fate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Section six in general troubled me a fair amount. In line 186 in section six of the poem it stated â€Å"Is Heaven unkind to man, and man alone?† The whole paragraph talked of the different traits that an assortment of animals possessed and how they are uniquely created. But the quote that I had chosen said that heaven was unkind to man, saying that man does not think he was created fairly. The animals however in the quote â€Å"Each beast, each insect, happy in its own† states that the animals are content with what they are given and Heaven is unkind to man because man is not content with what he has. The only way I could understand this section was to take each line in one at a time and cipher what it meant and then put them all together in order to make sense on the whole paragraph.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another problem for me was ciphering section seven of An Essay on Man. I had a problem generating this sections them because of lines like line 210 â€Å"From the green myriads in the peopled grass.† This meant nothing to me until I looked up the word myriad which was an adjective that mean a numerous number and peopled which was an adjective also which meant furnished with people. A quote that helped me greatly in this section was â€Å"Forever separate, yet forever near.

DNA Analysis: Validity And Doubts :: essays research papers

DNA : Criminal Identification Validity and Doubts   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DNA, although controversial on accuracy, has provided a new means of identifying criminals where there is little physical evidence. This allows you to take a piece of hair, a spot of blood, or skin tissue and make a positive identification on a suspect. Since it's first use by the FBI in December 1988 it has grown to become a major factor in criminal investigation. This new key gives them help when the crime scene lacks evidence. DNA evidence also allows detectives to narrow down suspects and keep innocent people from being prosecuted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1990 the FBI began development of a national DNA identification index. The FBI has received over 10,000 submissions of DNA evidence from police agencies and DNA evidence has been used in over 500 cases throughout the United States. The FBI performs testing for free to all police agencies to help keep costs down in prosecuting criminals. More than 50 laboratories perform DNA analysis around the US. The chances of two people having the same DNA profile is 1 in 50,000 all the way to 1 in 5 million according to scientists estimates.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  DNA controls all our inheritable information like eye color, hair color, skin color, etc. DNA differs in all people except for identical twins. All cellular matter contains DNA: this includes white blood cells, bone cells, tissue cells, spermatozoa, and hair root cells. Adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine are the building blocks of DNA strands which make up the letters of a genetic code. In certain regions of a DNA strand the sequence of genetic code is unique which allows scientists to identify an individual and exclude others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The FBI, Cellmark, and Lifecodes are the 3 major laboratories that courts accept DNA profiles from. As estimated by the FBI, the chances of two DNA samples being the same is as low as one in a trillion. Critics of DNA say that the FBI has falsely applied theories of population biology behind it's calculations, so courtrooms make DNA seem inaccurate. More than half the states have a mandatory DNA testing of all people convicted of sexual charges and violent offenses, to help in future criminal investigations. Although some people say that this is an invasion of privacy, it's a good way to prosecute repeat offenders and find suspects when only DNA evidence is available.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As accurate as DNA profiling is, there are still many questions about the

Case Study †Peter and Jackie Essay

1. What factors in Peter’s and Jackie’s family backgrounds increased their risk of divorce? The factors that occurred in Peter’s family background that increased his and Jackie’s risk of divorce is when Peter was 14 his parents divorced as well his father had an affair with another woman which later got them married. As well Peter’s mother, Ethel had left to England because she never really liked the lifestyle in Canada to start off with and she only immigrated there to improve her marriage life with her husband, and since that did not work out, she left. Whereas Jackie had left her home at her teenage years leaving her family behind in rural Alberta, Jackie had migrated to Ontario. 2. Why do you think Jackie married Peter? I think that Jackie married Peter because they both had shared many things in common, most of all they had married because they both didn’t have that family relationship with their parent and siblings. As well both of them felt strongly attracted to each other when they had met at Thunder Bay, both of them were seeking companionship and intimacy. As both of them are from outside the Thunder Bay area, it naturally drew them together. Most of all as being a couple gave them a sense of family that neither of them had experienced for a long time. Eventually their relationship became stronger and they got married within three months. 3. Identify the causes of Jackie’s infidelity. The causes of Jackie’s infidelity that were affected is by moving to Brampton, where she had completely cut herself off from her family of origin to become closer to Peter’s extended family. She also worked long hours of part-time job and and on top of that going to school had put a strain on her and Peter’s relationship and eventually she ended up in the hospital with a nervous breakdown. As well their relationship changed irreversibly and Jackie seemed to have no interest in making the marriage work and she spent less and less time with Peter as she was spending more time with her girlfriend whom she met had at her College. Peter and Jackie constantly got into arguments as it irritated Peter that she spends more time with her girlfriend than with him. Eventually she confronted Peter that she just realized she is a lesbian and has an affair with her girlfriend. Jackie left Peter and moved to Toronto with her girlfriend. 4. How might Peter’s relationship with Jackie have affected his subsequent relationships? Peter’s relationship with Jackie might have affected his subsequent relationships by the emotional stress and pain that he had sustained. In fact, he put his best effort into recovering from their relationship and felt like he failed as a husband in the relationship that he worked hard for to make the marriage successful. This loss eventually pursued him to find another partner but that did not lead to a marriage and the commitment he expected. The emotional stress that was gained from the elopement of Jackie definitely was in the mind of Peter which made him uncomfortable to move on in life and eventually led to a stroke which had prevented him from working and suffered from depression. 5. Why was there underlying conflict in Peter’s relationship with Mary, even though Mary was 43 when they started living together? What problems might that conflict have caused in their relationship? There was underlying conflict in Peter’s relationship with Mary, even though Mary was 43 when they started living together because Mary did not want to lose her right to pass on the status to her children by marrying a non-status man. The problems that might have been caused in their relationship are for a very depressing view on Mary by the society and culture she came from. She would seem lonely and as a result, she may start to regret the marriage and if she had children, the children would also be strongly affected. Frankly, the loss of her status would change her whole life and it is a big sacrifice especially when she grew up learning about her culture and how she attained the particular status if she had married Peter. 6. Suggest reasons why Peter’s history of intimate relationships with Lisa and Mary differs from that of his siblings. Peter’s history of intimate relationships with Lisa and Mary differs from that of his siblings because both Lisa and Peter have come from parents that have divorced, thus having a background of understanding what a good marriage looks like. Mary cohabitated and had parents who also cohabitated where marriage was not a true definition in their background. Since the background of both Mary and Lisa do not define marriage or had a troubled married life from their parents, it is evident that Peter’s relationships were weak and did not lead to a marriage. His siblings on the other hand would have found partners that came from parents that shared a great and supportive married lifestyle, thus pursuing them to follow their path.

Master Harold and the Boys Essay

â€Å"Master Harold† †¦and the boys, by the white South African playwright Athol Fugard, is a naturalistic play set in a Tea Room in Port Elizabeth on a rainy day in 1950. Two black servants, Sam and Willie, and their white master’s son Hally (‘Master Harold’), have deep conversations about the good time they had together when Hally was young. In the beginning of the play, Sam and Willie, practice their dancing techniques and talk about an upcoming dance contest. Fugard has created first impressions of situation and characters in the opening of the play by using set design, stage directions, duologue as well as speech and tone. The opening of the play is interpreted as being up to Hally’s first entry. Firstly, the unprofessional and for the audience surprisingly casual and light-hearted situation is created by Fugard’s choice of set design, stage directions and duologue. Secondly, Sam and Willie’s relationship is proven of unequal status, yet intimate and deep, by the difference in speech and tone, and by the choice of topics in the duologue. Finally, initial perceptions of a childish and rude Willie and an intelligent and experienced Sam are constructed through mostly speech and tone. The unprofessional impression of the Tea Room and the carefree and easy going ambiance is created by set design and stage directions, and duologue. Firstly, the amateurish impression of the business is created by the blackboard on which an untrained hand has chalked up the prices of the items, and by the few sad ferns in pots in the room. Furthermore, the fact that Fugard has chosen to clear all tables to one side, suggests that the business is not doing well, because the Tea Room is not likely to be expecting any customers. Secondly, the audience notices immediately that the mood in the room is casual, by letting Willie start off with singing a song as he mops down the floor. This strong mood is then reinforced when Willie suddenly gets up and starts dancing, Sam eagerly encouraging and correcting Willie’s dance technique. The audience must have been surprised by this casual situation, because one must not forget that at the time of the performance, around 1982, apartheid in South Africa was considerably further developed than the setting of the play. The fact that two black men, obviously workers, are without supervision of a white person and that they are enjoying themselves during work must have raised a sense of unease from the spectators, unsure how to react. The relationship between Sam and Willie is profound, yet Sam seems to have a higher status compared to Willie, as suggested by Fugard’s choice of topic of conversation and by the contrast between the terms of address and physical position. To begin with, the way in which both men communicate is very informal. Willie uses plenty of swear words, like â€Å"fuckin’ whore† or â€Å"bitch†, whereas Sam uses a higher register, but is still joking around with Willie (â€Å"How’s your pillow with the quickstep?†). This use of language suggests that both men feel at ease and that they have known each other for a very long time already. A sense of intimate relationship is also created by the topics of conversation. Willie is very open with Sam about his relationship with Hilda Samuels, as when he talks about the problems buying food for their baby of which he isn’t even sure it is his son (â€Å"Only his hair looks like me.†); he shows no hesitation to discuss the matter with Sam. Sam even knows that Willie often beats up his girlfriend, suggesting that they have been living alongside for a long time. The audience realises that it is watching an intimate conversation, which makes them attentive, curious and involved in the discussion. Secondly, Sam’s higher social position is suggested by the contrast between the way Sam addresses Willie and vice versa, almost like a teacher-student relation. Sam suggests improvements for Willie’s dance technique, as â€Å"Don’t look down!† or â€Å"But you’re too stiff!†, as well as how he could be more successful in his relationships with girlfriends (â€Å"You hit her too much.†) and Willie reacts willingly to take up the advice. Also, Sam demonstrates the dance as it should be, suggesting that Sam is more experienced. Lastly, a subtle but symbolic detail is the physical positioning of Sam and Willie at the very beginning of the play: Willie is mopping down the floor on his knees, working, while Sam is flicking through a comic book, standing, and obviously not working. Fugard has visualised their relationship by the contrast between kneeling and sitting, and working and relaxing, and this can in fact be applied to the entire rest of the play. Sam is portrayed as a confident, intelligent and experienced character through his speech and tone. The way Sam guides Willie through the learning process of the quickstep, and even demonstrates a much more accomplished dance than Willie, indicates he is a skillful dancer himself. Fugard has made the audience feel sympathy towards Sam, as he encourages Willie, â€Å"Look happy, Willie! Relax Willie!†, although Willie is a hopeless dancer. Fugard represents Willie’s character as slightly vulnerable, unexperienced, and as a bad lover through his reactions to Sam’s teasing, the difficulties he has with learning the quickstep and through his description of his relationship with girlfriends. Willie is very quickly frustrated by Sam’s advice, like â€Å"Yesterday I’m not straight †¦ today I’m too stiff!† and â€Å"I try hard because it is hard.†. Willie’s incapability to cope with Sam’s teasing once even results in a small brawl between the two of them: â€Å"It’s finish between us.† Furthermore, Willie is clearly a bad love partner, confirmed when he describes his girlfriend as a â€Å"whore† and a â€Å"bitch†, but which is, quite ironically, provoked by himself hitting his girlfriend every once in a while. This, together with his vulgar choice of language, results in an aversion from the audience to Willie. To conclude, Fugard has managed to create strong first impressions in the opening of the play in terms of situation and characters. He has used set design, stage directions and duologue to create an unprofessional and casual ambience. In terms of characters, Fugard has succeeded in associating strong characteristic features to Sam and Willie, both intimate friends, yet separated in a way by an intellectual line.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

Justin Goings Debra Dockter English Composition October 12th 2012 â€Å"The definition of love may be unique to the individual, if it can be defined at all† The feeling you have when you first look upon your new born child, the radiant warmth in your face when you say â€Å"I do† at the altar, or the divine feeling in your chest when you pray. Every one of these situations could be used to describe love. Its an emotion so richly embedded into our minds, that every single one of us can say they’ve experienced it in their lives. Some might even say they’ve molded their existence around it.However, while we are all familiar with love, the situations in which we encounter it are so diverse that the definition has become unique to the individual person. â€Å"What We Talk about When We Talk about Love† does an amazing job of forcing the reader to wonder what this feeling really means to them. What starts out as a normal conversation between four friends almost turns into a harsh debate on the elusive nature of love. Of the four people in the story the person that appears to struggle with the topic the most is Mel. The author seems to use a bit of symbolism in his story by making Mel a cardiologist.Almost as if saying because he is a heart doctor, he would have plenty to say about matters of the heart. Mel’s original position is that real love is nothing less than spiritual love, but he quickly becomes unsatisfied with his original answer. Seeing the affection between Nick and Laura makes him analyze the question even further. He eventually goes into a story about an elderly couple that was gravely injured in a car accident and it looks like he is going to have a strong point, yet somehow he can’t exactly describe what it is.Despite Mel’s knowledge though, he still struggles to find a clear answer. My favorite example in the story is when Mel is trying to explain sentimental love. He explains that he and Terri s ay that they love each other, yet they would both say that they have loved other people before them. That the â€Å"saving grace† is when one of them dies, the other might grieve for a while, but will eventually love again. All of their love would just be a memory, if it was even that. This helps to illustrate that love is such an important part of people’s lives because that we are able to move on nd love again after tying such important emotional feelings with someone. But in relation to the story it leaves you feeling as if love has no meaning. Regardless of it being the saving grace he says it is, the thought seems to disturb Mel because at this point on he displays obvious aggression towards his wife. Nick, the narrator of the story, doesn’t seem to have to many vocal opinions on what love actually means to him, but it’s his observations or actions that really seem to give away his stance. For example throughout the story he is constantly making gest ures to his wife.Such as resting his hand on his her thigh, or kissing her hand. He is always showing his affection, leading you to believe that love for him and Laura is strictly sentimental. It’s the only points in the story where I feel love was actually expressed and felt. It almost seems like the author is trying to say that even though they may never reach an agreement on what love is, actions are the only thing that matters in the end. The only character that touches on the fact that love is different from person to person is Mel’s wife, Terri.She explains that her ex-husband loved her so much that he tried to kill her. Everyone else seems mortified by her story and they try their best to convince her that abuse is not love. However her opinion is important in explaining the diversity of the emotion, because even though her ex husband expressed it in a very unhealthy manner, all the characteristics of love were there. Even though no one else shares her feelings with the example, she’s the only one with a solid idea of what it means.Nick and Laura only show what they feel about love by touching each other gently, or by saying â€Å"I love you†. And Will talks like he has a lot of ideas on what the definition is, but by the end of the story you realize he’s just as confused as everyone else. Terri is the only person that can actually express a view of love from personal experience. The sun setting in the story, in combination with the drinking seems to bring a loss of clarity on the subject as the friends continue to talk.Nick notes in the beginning that â€Å"sunlight filled the kitchen from the big window behind the sink† and the general mood of the party seems to be pretty happy. However as the conversation becomes a bit more complex and dark, Nick notes that the light in the kitchen is fading. The guests even seem to become more content to letting Will rant on. By the end of the story it is nighttime and no on e is left talking. You’re left with an almost hopeless feeling and begin to wonder if any of them actually really love each other. What We Talk about When We Talk about Love† was a story that I actually enjoyed reading a few times to try and understand. I believe that it illustrates the true diversity of the emotion and is a story to really make you think. Even though by the end you feel like love is almost hopeless, it is after a bit of reflection that you begin to realize the complexity of the word. It might not have an exact definition, and maybe it’s because of the inadequacy of the human language, but everyone will have a special example of what love really means to them.