Ban Public Smoking And Save Lives

Public smoking is hazardous to health. It has already been identified by medical authorities as a major threat to public health, as a key contributor to preventable deaths anywhere in the world. It exposes non-smokers to second hand smoke (SHS), which is â€Å"a mixture of the smoke given off by the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers† and which has proven to be almost as dangerous as the cigarette smoke directly inhaled by smokers.In fact, it is believed that a nonsmoker who is closeted in a room with several smokers for an hour inhales dangerous chemicals equivalent to that contained in ten or more sticks of cigarette. (Cooper) [cigarette 2] Reports issued by the office of the Surgeon General declared that second hand smoke (or passive smoking), was considered a contributory factor in over 50,000 deaths every year during the early 1990s. [cigarette 5] On the other hand, LawsuitSearch.com [cigarette 6]stated that since it has already been clinically proven that people exposed to secondary smoke are prone to lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other related diseases, employers who force their workers to be exposed to second hand smoke are now valid respondents to lawsuits. Meanwhile, an estimate made in the United Kingdom of deaths attributable to second hand smoke in the workplace and at home for the year 2003, found out that a total 617 employees died at the workplace while 2726 people aged 20-64, and 7959 over-65 year olds died from exposure to second hand smoke at home.Fatal strokes and heart disease aggravated by passive smoking (second hand smoke) were identified as the culprits in over 3,000 of the cases. (Jamrozik) [cigarette 8] These data certainly strengthens the case against second hand smoke. Allowed freely in public places, it can really prove harmful to nonsmokers. Armed with a prevalence of clinical data gathered around the globe, countries the world over, in wha t appears to be a concerted effort to save mankind from diseases caused or aggravated by second hand smoke, have, one after another, enacted laws declaring smoking in public areas illegal.The government of the Greater Kashmir banned it as early as 2002, with the term public places encompassing public offices, educational institutions, hospital buildings, libraries, auditoriums, public conveyance including railways, and court buildings. (Tobacco. org. ) [public smoking 3] In France, Chrisafris (2006) reported that the public smoking ban which will take effect February 2007 will cover universities, railway stations, and offices, while nightclubs, cafes, restaurants and bars were told to be ready for the ban a year after.[public smoking 7] Meanwhile, the ban in Hongkong which took effect January 1, 2007, included all indoor places such as restaurants, public places, workplaces, karaoke lounges, and bars. (Washburn, 2007) [public smoking 8] Over in Canada, smoking in public places will be prohibited in Quebec effective February 1, 2007, and smoking in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and cafes will be banned starting January 1, 2008. (Greenaway, 2007) The evidence against the hazards of public smoking can no longer be ignored, and the rest of the world has already spoken: public smoking must be banned if we want a healthy citizenry.The United States should now stop patronizing the tobacco industry and enforce a total ban on all public places in the country, because people are already dying. Smokers may invoke their freedom to smoke as they wish: when, where, or in what manner. However, people have now decided that enough is enough; that individual freedom can only be exercised as far as it doesn’t curtail other people’s own freedoms. Their right to smoke, therefore, must never prejudice nonsmokers’ right to inhale smoke-free air and, therefore, add years to their lives.Given the number of deaths occurring each year in countries around the world, public smoking could even be considered an act of homicide through reckless imprudence! REFERENCES Chrisafis, A. (2006). France sets date for public smoking ban. Guardian Unlimited. (Retrieved from: http://www. guardian. co. uk/smoking/story/0,,1890866,00. html) Cooper, P. G. (2005). Hazards of Smoking. University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. (Retrieved from: http://www. cancer. med. umich.edu/prevention/hazards_of_smoking. shtml) Greenaway, N. (2007). CanWest News Service. The Gazette. (Retrieved from: http://www. canada. com/montrealgazette/news/story. html? id=c414c2a9-9d63-4bae-9c28-a2543ac. 59025) Jamrozik, K. (2005). Estimate of deaths attributable to passive smoking among UK adults: Database analysis. BMJ. (Retrieved from: http://www. bmj. com/cgi/content/abridged/330/7495/812) LawsuitSearch. com. (2006). (Retrieved from: http://www. lawsuitsearch. com/product-liability/smoke-exposure.aspx) The Reports of the Surgeon General: Secondary Smoking, Individual Rights, and Public Space. (n. d. ). Profiles in Science. (Retrieved from: http://profiles. nlm. nih. gov/NN/Views/Exhibit/narrative/secndary. html) Tobacco. org. (2002) Public smoking banned. (Retrieved from: http://www. tobacco. org/news/89098. html) Washburn, D. (2007). Public smoking banned in HK†¦Mainland next? Shanghaiist. (Retrieved from: http://www. shanghiist. com/archives/2007/01/05/publicsmoking. php)

Office Administration

Office Administration Project Learning Objectives At the end of this project students will be able to: Prepare an application for a job Complete application forms for employment Prepare various types of follow-up letters, letters of acceptance/non-acceptance Mark Scheme Task Description Mark Allocated Dream Job A. Reason for Interest In the particular Job chosen B. Qualifications necessary for the Job chosen 10 2 Resume Resume complete with all its relevant parts Dream Job Cover Letter Application Form Accurate completion of form 3 A. B. C. D. 8 4 Letter of applicationFollow-up letter Acceptance letter Letter declining offer Resignation letter Presentation A. Cover page (name, class, date project was given & due, teacher's name and title of project) B. Table of Contents (complete with headings and page numbers) C. Introduction (Give an overview of project) D. Acknowledgements E. Body of Project Conclusion (summary of the project and how they benefited from doing the project) G. Refer ence page Assignment Part 1 Outline what your dream Job is upon leaving school and the qualifications necessary for obtaining that Job. Remember it must be an entry level position.One paragraph should be sufficient. Part 2 Create a resume tailed for your dream Job. This resume must truly reflect who you are while containing all the necessary parts. Part 3 Letters You are charged with the responsibility of constructing a cover letter to accompany your dream Job resume. This application letter must be addressed to a suitable organization. The letter is to be typed in full block style. Letters must have proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. Part 4 Using the information provided on the advertisement for Sour Sop Grove Hotel sections MUST be completed.Worksheet Part 5 Soup Sop Grove Hotel is seeking an individual to fill a position of Requirements for Receptionist: Must have over 5 EX. subjects Mathematics and English included 0 Computer Literate (Microsoft Word, Excel and Publisher) Must be between age 18 and over Must have a bubbly and pleasant personality Must be able to work under pressure Requirements for Accounts Clerk: Must have over 5 EX. subjects Accounting, Mathematics and English included Must have Cookbooks basic knowledge Must be able to work under little or no supervision Computer Literate Microsoft Word, Excel and Publisher) All applicants must be citizens of Antigen and Barbuda or have rights to work in Antigen and Barbuda. Only suitable applicants will be acknowledged. All applicants are required to send applications to the following address. Soup Sop Grove Hotel Human Resources Department Linesmen Beach SST. Marry Antigen Deadline for application is December 7th, 2013 You are required to do the following: 1 .Application letter 0 Write a letter applying for one of the positions in the above advertisements. 2. Follow-up letter 0 You have not received a reply to your application to Sour Sop Grove Hotel for the session for which you applied. Two m onths have passed. Write a follow-up letter. 3. Acceptance letter 0 Assume that you have been offered the position for which you have applied at the Sour Sop Grove Hotel. You were sent two copies of a contract of employment. Write a letter accepting the position. Letter Declining the Offer 4. 0 Assume for some reason you have decided not to accept the post offered you at the Sour Sop Grove Hotel. Write a letter to the firm declining the offer. 5. Office Administration Office Administration Project Learning Objectives At the end of this project students will be able to: Prepare an application for a job Complete application forms for employment Prepare various types of follow-up letters, letters of acceptance/non-acceptance Mark Scheme Task Description Mark Allocated Dream Job A. Reason for Interest In the particular Job chosen B. Qualifications necessary for the Job chosen 10 2 Resume Resume complete with all its relevant parts Dream Job Cover Letter Application Form Accurate completion of form 3 A. B. C. D. 8 4 Letter of applicationFollow-up letter Acceptance letter Letter declining offer Resignation letter Presentation A. Cover page (name, class, date project was given & due, teacher's name and title of project) B. Table of Contents (complete with headings and page numbers) C. Introduction (Give an overview of project) D. Acknowledgements E. Body of Project Conclusion (summary of the project and how they benefited from doing the project) G. Refer ence page Assignment Part 1 Outline what your dream Job is upon leaving school and the qualifications necessary for obtaining that Job. Remember it must be an entry level position.One paragraph should be sufficient. Part 2 Create a resume tailed for your dream Job. This resume must truly reflect who you are while containing all the necessary parts. Part 3 Letters You are charged with the responsibility of constructing a cover letter to accompany your dream Job resume. This application letter must be addressed to a suitable organization. The letter is to be typed in full block style. Letters must have proper grammar, spelling and punctuation. Part 4 Using the information provided on the advertisement for Sour Sop Grove Hotel sections MUST be completed.Worksheet Part 5 Soup Sop Grove Hotel is seeking an individual to fill a position of Requirements for Receptionist: Must have over 5 EX. subjects Mathematics and English included 0 Computer Literate (Microsoft Word, Excel and Publisher) Must be between age 18 and over Must have a bubbly and pleasant personality Must be able to work under pressure Requirements for Accounts Clerk: Must have over 5 EX. subjects Accounting, Mathematics and English included Must have Cookbooks basic knowledge Must be able to work under little or no supervision Computer Literate Microsoft Word, Excel and Publisher) All applicants must be citizens of Antigen and Barbuda or have rights to work in Antigen and Barbuda. Only suitable applicants will be acknowledged. All applicants are required to send applications to the following address. Soup Sop Grove Hotel Human Resources Department Linesmen Beach SST. Marry Antigen Deadline for application is December 7th, 2013 You are required to do the following: 1 .Application letter 0 Write a letter applying for one of the positions in the above advertisements. 2. Follow-up letter 0 You have not received a reply to your application to Sour Sop Grove Hotel for the session for which you applied. Two m onths have passed. Write a follow-up letter. 3. Acceptance letter 0 Assume that you have been offered the position for which you have applied at the Sour Sop Grove Hotel. You were sent two copies of a contract of employment. Write a letter accepting the position. Letter Declining the Offer 4. 0 Assume for some reason you have decided not to accept the post offered you at the Sour Sop Grove Hotel. Write a letter to the firm declining the offer. 5.

Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult Essay

This is the story of the directionless and destination-less youngsters. This is also the story of the combustible younger generation. Incidents similar to the one depicted in the story can be read in newspapers day after day. The readers are pained, excited and habituated to read such stories and to an extent, have become insensitive as for its implications. If there is no discipline and peace in the society, carry on with the available discipline and peace—seems to be the attitude of the citizens. The blame-game between the politicians, the executive and the judiciary as for the present pathetic state of affairs in the society continues! Nobody is able to give the tangible solution to the octopus-like growing problem. Nagging, abusing and condemning each other have become the way of life. The pages of human history daubed in bloodshed due to the negative attitudes and violence in the name of religion, language, color, race, territorial gains and aggrandizement for wealth, ask the crying question. How to make this Planet Earth heaven-like? The answer is simple and direct. Eyes full of understanding, hearts full of love and the life that refuses conflicts—enough, these alone are enough! What is depicted in ‘Nineteen Minutes,’ is the model of what is happening all over the world on a large scale. The incidents of 9/11 took place in less than 19 minutes. But what were the implications and detailed planning and above all, the mind-set, behind that tragedy! The incident had the potentially to set the entire globe on fire! The hero of Nineteen Minutes, Peter Houghton, 17 years, has been at the receiving end throughout his school life, mentally tortured and tormented, and finally the ‘volcano within him erupts’ He fights back in a dramatic, and perhaps dastardly manner. The shooting at the school leaves nineteen injured and ten dead. The composition of the book has everything to make it an interesting read, and the arguments of the two lawyers, bring out the best as for the life and motives of Peter. The author uses the flashback technique to develop the story. The major players of the plot come to play, Josie Cormier, former best friend of Peter, her mother, the detective and defense lawyer, Peter’s parents-Picoult describes their interactions with sympathy and understanding. He has given to the readers a very interesting book. The theme of the book and the author’s attitude towards the theme, both evoke curiosity. The level of detachment achieved by the author in developing the characters is commendable. Without giving room for too much sentimentalism, a grim situation manifests clearly, grows and attains new dimensions. The book deserves an outstanding position on account of this approach. The mutual interactions over the situation between different characters reveal in the most natural way, the convictions for which the novel stands for. This is the uniqueness of the novel. The narrations are beautiful and as the story develops, it becomes poignant, without losing its ground and reality. If ten or more individuals are united for a cause, and align with the Satan’s domain, that won’t make their alignment stronger. Truth has always been in minority numerically, taking any epic for example, but it is the ultimate victor. Peter’s position is the same. The majority pushed him to the wall and Peter thought that for the desperate situation, desperate remedy is the solution. Some bullets solved his decade-old problem. Those who go through the contents of the book carefully, sympathize with him, not condemn! Everyone has the right of self-defense, and in the process that you kill ten or fifty persons is altogether a different issue. This takes one to the portals of an important social problem. What if the gun control laws were there? Could the tragedy have been averted? The answer is both yes and no. The real problem is not the creation of the gun, but the creation of Peters in the society, for which the society, the parents, brothers and sisters, the friends, the teachers and Preachers, law enforcing authorities, and above all the politicians are responsible—and oh yes, the print and electronic media too, that plays to the gallery and creates deep impact in the impressionable minds of the kids! They must get more and more advertisement revenue no matter what the impact of this white-color robbery on the psyche of the society. These forces have created Peters. So unless the people are basically sound, and basic conditions are created for the people to become basically sound, many more Peters will incarnate. Countries with gun control laws have also Peters. So, changing the gun control laws is not the solution. Changing the thought process of the individuals is! An individual is the foundation stone of the society. Unless one’s thought process changes, one’s action process will not change. When the thoughts are changed, the mind is changed; when the mid is changed, the man is changed; when the man is changed, the society is changed. The message of the book by Picoult is clear. Children-friendly approach is required as for small and big problems confronting them; the teachers need to keep a careful watch as for the groups in classes or the institution as a whole. These groups could be due to any reason, simple jealousies, race and color, rich and poor and this listing of problems can go on and on†¦. The vigilant teaching community has great responsibility in this area. In the materialistic society, due to the impact of industrial and internet revolutions, the parents have little time to spend with the children. The educational institutions are the best alternatives to the prevailing family atmosphere, wherein children can be imparted the moral, ethical and even spiritual education. References Cited: Picoult, Jodi: Book: Nineteen Minutes Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Atria; 1st edition. edition (March 5, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 0739480715 ISBN-13: 978-0743496728 ASIN: 0743496728

Book exploration of Thomas Conlan, State of War Essay

Book exploration of Thomas Conlan, State of War - Essay Example Perhaps a 14th century Japanese warrior would not be pleased regarding the revived concept of the Unknown Soldier. Just the state of being a warrior was a source of fame, recognition, and glory for the warrior symbolizing a high position within the society. If one’s efforts in war were to be left unnoticed, it would be similar to being unappreciated by others for his â€Å"brave† acts on the battlefield. In his book State of War, the author Thomas Conlan recreates the concept of soldiery in the traditional 14th century setting of Japanese history. It explains the aspect of a Japanese warrior as a soldier far from his ideals. The book presents a very contrasting perspective of what is generally accepted and assumed about Japanese warriors. While doing so, he demonstrated the reality of how states and societies actually functioned in the presence of a warrior system. Thus, the book presents an analysis of 14th century soldiery by analyzing the casualty records of the cent ury. War had been for ages masked its brutalities in order to hide its real essence. War became a source of unnecessary attention meant to earn recognition and fame by employing methods to be noticed among the huge army. Several accounts give a description of warriors coming on dyed horses of vibrant colors intentionally done so to be noticed from far behind (Conlan, 18). This form of a showy self-promotion was merely meant to get oneself recognized among his enemies for an image of high status. Conlan (13) presents the real experiences of wars in his book which reflect the true nature of wars and the motives of warrior to use the war as a platform to rise in the minds of people. A historical account of a war provides details which affirm the flamboyant nature of warriors who were rewarded with great extravagances for displaying their supposedly courageous actions on the battlefields. All efforts made after the war glorified the soldiers who took part

Evaluation Of Personality Type Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evaluation Of Personality Type - Assignment Example With regards to my Type A/B personality assessment, my score of 132 makes me a type A+ personality type, which makes me highly ambitious, sensitive, status-conscious, organized, impatient, proactive, anxious, and time conscious. This can be deduced from my scores that show that I am never late, very competitive, fast, tend to sit on my feelings, and have few interests away from my task. On my procrastination assessment, my score of 25 shows that I am an occasional procrastinator as some situations at one point or the other trigger procrastination. Some of the reasons for occasional procrastination include occasional emotional preoccupation that may make me lose my drive and not want to take on any more physical or mental load. However, this procrastination does not last long and disappears as soon as the triggering events dissipate. Considering my Enneagram scores, I am a type 7, which makes me spontaneous, scattered, acquisitive, and versatile. This gives me the tendency to occupy m yself with exciting options and possibilities that give me anticipation and distract me from my fears. Finally, I am an afternoon person, which means that I prefer to be out and about when other people are, and I do not function optimally during late nights or early mornings.Working with OthersWhen working in a group, my Type A+ personality type makes me want my teammates to get to the point quickly, while I would also be very concerned with time management and expect my teammates to be as high-achieving as possible.

Company Profile Project on American Airlines Essay

Company Profile Project on American Airlines - Essay Example He has always advocated for consolidation in the airline industry so as to create a stable as well as a competitive environment for its employees, the nearby community and the shareholders. Beverly K. Goulet who is the Senior Vice President and Chief Integration Officer plays the role of worldwide functional manager. Beverly Goulet previously served as the chief restructuring officer of AMR Corp and led the restructuring process in chapter 11 of America’s constitution as well as in the analysis and negotiation of American’s merger with the US Airways. As the worldwide functional manager, she is charged with the role of leveraging knowledge as well as innovations across the various functional departments within the company. The position is held by Stephen L. Johnson as the Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs and Assistant Secretary. Johnson holds a Masters of Business Administration as well as Juris Doctor from the University of California. He further holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from California State University. As the geographic subsidiary manager, he operates as a bicultural interpreter who is in charge of linking different cultures within the company. He is at the forefront in the implementation of corporate as well as global strategies aimed at transforming the image of the company globally. Within the American Airlines, top-level managers include J. Scott Kirby who is the president and Elise R Erbwein who serves as the vice president. Kirby first served as the president of US Airways and he saw a number of major achievements in the airline industry. The top-level managers are responsible for overseeing the operations of the entire organization. They come up with strategic plans as well as setting a tone at the top of the organization so as to ensure smooth operations in the entire organization.

Human Cloning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human Cloning - Essay Example Besides therapeutic and reproductive cloning another category of cloning called the replacement cloning is also gaining prevalence. Replacement cloning is an amalgamation of therapeutic as well as reproductive cloning. The term gained prominence as it involves comprehensively injured, abortive, or weakening body, and replacement of the whole or partial organ or part of the body. The present article discusses the pros and cons of human cloning while extracting attention to understand the significance of human cloning in the advancement of human civilization. Human cloning is the process of generating a genetically indistinguishable replica of human being. It is a technique of imitating genetic information (Roxanne, 2010). The process is thought to be of therapeutic or reproductive importance. Therapeutic cloning encompasses cloning cells for their exploitation in treating various ailments. On the other hand reproductive cloning generates human clones, this is prohibited in many nation s because of ethical concerns. The moral predicament of human cloning lies on the argument either to promote or to impede cloning (Robert, 2001). Numerous molecular techniques are involved in the process of cloning encompassing molecular cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning (Manninen, 2010). There are numerous controversies associated with the cloning procedures some may favor cloning while others oppose the same. The present thesis discusses various aspects of the cloning as 1. The Cons/ Problems/Dangers and Controversies of Cloning a. Cloning is discouraged by various nations as cloning is against the rule of nature, which is generating humans, nurturing them and paving the way for uncertainties related with the repercussions of science. At present human population has crossed the figure of 7 billion, a huge burden on the planet. Is cloning going to resolve the issue of exponentially increasing human population is a big question imposed by the detractors of human cloning (Gary, 2012). b. Detractors of human cloning have their say about the loss of genetic diversity leading to higher probability and pervasiveness of genetic diseases. Poor adaptability of clones may become detrimental for situations of jeopardy. Inbreeding leads to self-annihilation. c. Cloning is inhumane as it abolish the bond of love and care and is said to be transgressing the nature. The process of cloning highlight that the human or scientists can play the role of Creator or God as cloning is a kind of asexual reproduction, therefore reduces the sense of distinctiveness of a character, lacking uniqueness and freedom. It is also noteworthy to have an insight regarding the amplification in human population and ecological burden on resources and on other surviving species. Growing population is putting pressure on the demands of basic amenities, infrastructures and social set ups; with human cloning, further contribution to disaster cannot be eluded. According to Savulescu (1999), human cloning is accountable to abuse, a person's right to individualism and self-sufficiency and being self is violated, moreover genetic individuality is also lost and human beings are used as a model organism. Cloning also enhances the risk of self safety due to genetic irregularity, cancer and diminished lifespan. 2. Pros/ Advantages of Cloning a. According to

International Business - Foreign Direct Investment Essay

International Business - Foreign Direct Investment - Essay Example China still holds and implements its policy that discourages or sometimes bans wholly foreign-owned investment. Certain intangible aspects have been recommended for foreign investors to put into consideration in order to run a successful joint venture in China. These aspects are culture, common sense, law and understanding of finance which jointly complement each other in China business environment. Throughout the 1980s up to mid-1990s, Chinese government oversaw inbound FDI mainly through entry intervention where the government emphasized FDI project ratification in which the government was able to manipulate and influence FDI size, location, timing and sometimes partner selection. China way of dealing with foreigners which is partly contributed by the country’s culture and government policy largely exhibited lack of experience in dealing with most MNCs hence most of these corporations remained regulated (Grosse p.297). The concerns of China’s government during this pe riod largely came to reflect regulation tendencies as to which industries should be opened to foreign investors and where FDI should be channeled to. Most enacted laws and regulations did not grant MNCs total control and operation powers instead these laws, rules and regulations became to be associated with how to control foreign company entry into the nation’s market (Grosse p.297). Carrying out research in 1993 Erramilli and Rao noted that joint venture as a preferred entry mode by MNCs become successful when the cultural space is relatively large between the host and home countries. Further the authors found out that there exist relationship between joint venture entry mode with â€Å"the level of the host country wellbeing, the level of host government restrictions, and the level of competition in the host country† (cited in Jiang, Cristodoulou and Wei par.3 ). At the same time literature postulate that MNCs entry mode decisions is largely affected and influenced b y the host country’s investment policies. The popularity of joint ventures in China has been attached to numerous reasons with popular one being â€Å"direct or indirect government rules requiring them in a certain circumstances to do so† (Jiang, Cristodoulou and Wei par.3). Further joint ventures (JVs) in this country have resulted due to popular and widely held belief that JVs are likely to work with Chinese municipal governments well without much conflicts.

Why study of Economy hsitory is important and why it has privilages Essay

Why study of Economy hsitory is important and why it has privilages U.S.Social or International history - Essay Example In addition, the lack of experience has led to fundamental errors and omissions caused in the present times. Furthermore, the study of economy history is important as it allows the students to understand how the economic and the non-economic facts are related to one another. In summary, the importance of economy history study is that it is an excellent economic foundation and base for those who study it. Economic history has significant privileges in the U.S International History. It provides modern day students and scholars with a background of understanding the economic events that have shaped the U.S. history. For instance, the modern economic student cannot explain the 2008-2009 economic crisis without intimate understanding of the Great economic depression that occurred in 1929. Nevertheless, economic history addresses the gains the U.S economy contributed to the world. For example, the innovations in transport that included the steam engine revolutionized the movement of goods and people. Fast, efficient and easy movement of goods by railroad bolstered trade not only domestically but also internationally (Cameron and Neal,

Communication and Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Communication and Conflict - Essay Example There was a time when I had placed my homework on my classroom desk, but when I turned around it was gone. My seatmate said the class bully pilfered it when I was not looking, but I was too scared to confront him. I suffered a â€Å"no homework† mark on that day, but I would rather have had that grade than confront the bully. I avoided conflict as much as possible, but most especially with him. There was not much criteria that went into that decision; it was purely fear and a desire for self preservation. I felt that confronting him would only make me a more appealing target for him, so I maintained a low profile, thinking that we won’t be classmates forever anyway. I was glad when the classes were reshuffled and we had different classmates the following year. â€Å"HE SAID, SHE SAID† A Case Study 1. Overview of the case The case deals with a family whose members are currently experiencing conflicts of relationships. The causes of conflict are typical for most fa milies: a teen-ager who tests his parent’s limits, a mother who tends to be lenient towards her son, and a father-figure who has difficulty asserting his authority partly because of his informal role in the family (i.e., as the mother’s fiance). 2. Presentation of the key facts Marie, an adult college student and mother of fifteen-year-old son Lenny, gives him a scolding when he comes home too late without calling. She attempts to impose a 10 p.m. curfew on her son for the next four weekends. Marie resents her fiance Mike’s intervention when he breaks off the scolding and puts off the discussion for the next day. She points out that he has no authority in the discipline of her son. The following day, Marie ignores Mike’s approach at reconciliation, but quickly forgives and forgets her son’s transgression of the previous night. Mike and Lenny leave, both of them forgetting to greet Marie on her birthday. 3. Source of conflict Marie: There are two ru nning conflicts involving Marie, one with Lenny and the other with Mike. The conflict with Lenny has to do with his seeming disregard for her as a person of authority. Lenny coming home late without calling, and getting away with irresponsible acts. At first, Marie was aggressive-assertive in nagging Lenny. Marie used threat of punishment in an attempt, or maybe a guise, to discipline, but even the relatively light penalty of coming home before 10 on Saturdays seemed a tentative punishment, which Marie did not appear to seriously have the resolve to carry out. The following day, she employed avoidance by denying there was a conflict. Marie rationalized her son’s actions by telling herself that he was a good boy and did not do anything really wrong. The second conflict involving Marie is her perception of Mike’s interference in and disapproval of the way she disciplines her son. When Lenny arrived home late, she initially addressed this conflict by competition with Mike . The following day, she used avoidance by being noncommittal when Mike approached to kiss her. Mike: Mike’s source of conflict is Marie’s failure to discipline her son. Uses avoidance, at least when the conflict is still heated and confrontation is high. While he is non confrontational, however, Mike seeks to engage the issues when he perceives that temperatures have gone down. Mike may try to assert himself, but in this situation, being only a boyfriend to Lenny’s mother. Strictly speaking, it is not his place to discipline his girlfriend’

Behavior Management in Classroom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Behavior Management in Classroom - Essay Example Thus, new and customized model of teaching models work as a source of intellectual combination of prior theorists and current trends in human learning. Question 3 Excluding external contributing factors to misbehavior in the classroom (e.g. home environment, lack of parental support for the school, peer influence etc.) what other classroom related factors might be influencing students to misbehave in the classroom. Identify and briefly explain three major factors. Answer There are some of the classroom related factors that can provoke a student to misbehave in the classroom. These can be damaging to the learning process and affecting other subjects in the learning process. It should be noted that the teacher’s tone, voice and language can play a very major role in the behavior management of a student. For instance, if a child is not able to understand the instruction of the teacher then he is more likely to loose his concentration on the subject of matter. This will result in distraction of other’s attention from the lecture. Another factor which is likely to persuade the student to misbehave in the class would be lack of attention by the teacher. It should be noted that not all children are same. Thus, teachers need to give proper attention to all students otherwise it will result in misbehave in the class. Also, a teacher needs to be consistent with the instructions that are being given to the student. If increasing instructions on one day and lesser on the other day is noted then it will make children become agitated. These three factors can lead a child to misbehave in the class regardless of the family settings they belong. Question 4 How can teachers maintain positive relations with students whose behavior is challenging and difficult to manage? Identify... There are some of the classroom related factors that can provoke a student to misbehave in the classroom. These can be damaging to the learning process and affecting other subjects in the learning process. It should be noted that the teacher’s tone, voice and language can play a very major role in the behavior management of a student. For instance, if a child is not able to understand the instruction of the teacher then he is more likely to loose his concentration on the subject of matter. This will result in distraction of other’s attention from the lecture. Another factor which is likely to persuade the student to misbehave in the class would be lack of attention by the teacher. It should be noted that not all children are same. Thus, teachers need to give proper attention to all students otherwise it will result in misbehave in the class. Also, a teacher needs to be consistent with the instructions that are being given to the student. If increasing instructions on on e day and lesser on the other day is noted then it will make children become agitated. These three factors can lead a child to misbehave in the class regardless of the family settings they belong. Question 4-Â  How can teachers maintain positive relations with students whose behavior is challenging and difficult to manage? Identify and explain three ways. Make sure you choose significant (not trivial or highly unique and specific) strategies. Identify strategies that would apply across a wide variety of classroom events and behaviors.

O-Fold Essay Example for Free

O-Fold Essay 1. As a part of the management team, how would you handle distribution and marketing of the O-Fold? Within the text I really liked the 2nd and 3rd option of distribution, which was going an online route or advertising I travel magazines. Although the adverting in magazines option is appealing when it comes down to it I don’t think it would reach as many people as online distribution. I would chose to create a website and distribute the O-Fold product through there. Creating a website would be extremely cost effective. I believe there are even some sites you can use for free, such as weebly.com. However, this option is risky because marketing would have to be very effective in order to generate the business he is looking for. Since the cost of a website is low, he should consider advertising in travel magazines. He probably would not need large ad space, which would help with the cost. If he could get a small section in the Sky Mall magazine on aircrafts with the link to his website, that could be a rewarding starting point. Another option is advertising on other large online retail sites, such as Amazon.com who now gives consumers an option to purchase provides from other retailers by providing a link to that product on their site. 2. At what points should Alex consider bringing on additional management? What positions should he fill and in what order? Defend your answer. I am a supporter of Alex’ crawl-walk-run strategy. I think initially he should partner with his brother and begin to make the product together and sell online through a website he creates. This way he can get an idea of how he can proceed with next steps and be able to create a business plan to present to Anger investors. Once he can seal the investment funds he should bring on a sales and marketing manager. This is one of the most important positions in a company. Alex needs to have someone with experience in sales and marketing, especially not having experience himself. He’s already contemplating different options in this area; someone who has worked in this department can give him real examples of the outcomes and weigh in on the best decision for O-Fold. Next, after he gets an investment, he should go with the outsourcing route. He already had a connection to hire a barn full of employees. He will need to hire a manager to oversee the production of these employees, and also a Human Resources Manager since he will have employees. He cannot manage everything himself so a good candidate for the productions manager would be his brother since he should have a good understanding by then of how to produce the items. 3. What are some pricing strategies you would consider utilizing in order to get the O-Fold to market? Do you agree with Alex’s pricing point? I would consider giving a special price to first time customers, or a discount when purchasing more then one O-Fold at the early stages of marketing. Alex will want to be competitive and the first thing that customers probably look for is good deals. If he creates a website and is directing people there through advertising he should try to close the sale with a discount. An option would be first time users get free shipping, or $5 off shipping. Customers buying more then one could receive $5 off their second purchase. I like the 123 percent market with the outsourcing options at $12.50 However, that would only be beneficial at wholesale, so he should price his products per item at $25, and offer the discount for the first 100 customers. He does not need to advertise the part about it only being for the first 100 customers but he should price out shipping costs for 100 people or costs of giving discounts and set a budget for it.

The Severve After Effects of Dropping out of high school

The Severve After Effects of Dropping out of high school Education is a powerful tool. It prepares students to be invaluable contributors to society. Without a high school education, young people are less likely to succeed academically, socially, and professionally. Sadly, millions of young people leave school without completing their minimum education requirements and thus do not graduate with a high school diploma. As a result, many adolescents experience the devastating aftereffects of their regrettable decision. Students who drop out of high school are more likely to: earn less than those who graduate, be unemployed, be on public assistance, and end up in prison (ERIC). Dropping out of high school culminates a long-term process of disengagement from school and has profound social and economic consequences for students, their families, their communities, and the entire nation (ERIC). America is facing a crisis of epidemic proportions with such a high percentage of students who do not complete their high school education. Dropping out of high school is a major life event that severely impacts students chances for subsequent educational and occupational opportunities (NCES). Recent NCES reports indicate that nationally about one-third of all students who enter high school do not graduate on time, if ever. Approximately 7,000 students drop out of high school daily, which translates to one in three students. Annually, that amounts to more than six million students dropping out of high schools across the nation. The U.S. Department of Education has called it an epidemic. The children are the future of America and should be our greatest resource. All children deserve an education that prepares them to be productive members of society who perform their civic and economic duties. As such, we should ensure they have every opportunity to succeed. Every individual in the country, state, city or municipality will reap the benefits of an educated citizenry. Therefore, everyones best interest would be served by ensuring that all children stay in school and receive an adequate education. Efforts towards dropout prevention will remediate students leaving high school prior to graduation. Prevention measures will serve these individuals, their school, their community, and the nation at large. This policy memo will provide an overview on the current state of the high school dropout problem nationwide and in Florida, particularly, Miami-Dade County. I will discuss (1) the number of school dropouts, (2) the reasons related to youth dropping out of school, (3) the consequences of dropping out and not finishing high school, and (4) dropout prevention programs and techniques. For this overview, I researched the Florida Department of Education summary information on graduation and dropout rates as well as proven dropout prevention and intervention programs and techniques. BACKGROUND The vast majority of students who fail to complete high school with their respective graduating class is comprised primarily of Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans. Many of these students abandon school within two years of their projected graduation date. This tragic cycle has not substantially improved during the past few decades during which education reform has been high on the public agenda. During this time, as politicians and other elected officials purport to work at mitigating the high percentage of dropouts, the general public has been almost entirely unaware of the severity of the dropout problem due to inaccurate and inconsistent data. The consequences remain tragic. Students who drop out face a lifetime of consequences for this grave decision. Dropouts are more likely than their graduating peers to be: unemployed, living in poverty, receiving public assistance, incarcerated, of poor health, and single parents of children who drop out from high school themselves perpetuating this vicious cycle. Our local communities, as with the state and the nation, also suffer from this epidemic due to the loss of productive workers, loss of taxable wage base, and higher costs associated with increased percentages of incarceration, greater use of emergency health care services, and overwhelming reliance on social services. Despite repeated declarations by educators, politicians, and elected officials about the importance of addressing the dropout situation, the problem becomes more calamitous with every passing year. No Child Left Behind When President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) into law on January 8, 2002, he stated, Now is the time to ensure that every child learns. NCLB required states to use graduation rates to measure how well students were being educated. States were required to report to the federal government how well they met NCLB goals. Originally designed as an attempt by the federal government to hold the nations schools accountable for achieving high levels of educational proficiency for all students, NCLB has been adapted by the states in ways that fail to promote its objectives. Many states tended to manufacture basic data on graduation rates to comply with NCLB. Regrettably, NCLB placed excessive emphasis on solitary assessments that failed to assist educators improve their teaching. Needless to say, NCLB was unsuccessful in its attempt to educate students. The Dropout Crisis For most citizens, graduating from high school is the minimum standard of achievement needed for a successful future. A high school diploma can position a graduate to embark on a variety of pathways to personal, career, and social success that are generally not available to high school dropouts. The plight of the high school dropouts is extremely serious. By dropping out, these individuals considerably lessen their chances to secure a good profession. Without a diploma, dropouts face increasingly bleak career prospects tied largely to entry-level employment. They also may remain far behind in a technology-driven age where career adaptability is not simply a plus, but a requirement (NDPC/N). Graduation rates are a vital indication of how schools are performing. Recently, those rates have been meticulously examined, divulging the extent of the tragedy in Americas high schools. For decades, misleading or erroneous graduation rates were published by schools and school districts. Consequently, the American public knew little of the magnitude of the problems faced by several of the nations high schools. Many factors contribute to students dropping out of school, including poverty, low literacy and achievement levels, parenting responsibilities, and the need to immediately earn money through employment so that they can contribute financially to their impoverished families. Why Do Students Drop Out? While there is no single reason for why students drop out, research indicates that difficult transitions to high school, deficient basic skills, and a lack of engagement all serve as prominent barriers to graduation. Low attendance or failing grades are specific risk factors. Many students discover that their academic skills are insufficient for high school-level work and repeat ninth grade. Many students are not given the extra support they need to make a successful transition to high school and are lost in ninth grade. Lack of both academic and social engagement are integral components of dropping out Overall, far too many students are not graduating on time with a regular diploma; low-income students and minority students fare the worst in the dropout epidemic (Alliance for Excellent Education). More than half of the students who do not graduate on time are minorities. The graduation rate among minorities is as much as twenty-five percentage points below their white peers. Importance of not dropping out The high incidence of students dropping out poses a serious problem for the county, state, and country. Likewise, it creates deleterious consequences for the individual dropout. Consequences of dropping out identified by the General Accounting Office (GAO) include the following: As the pool of dropouts continues to grow, employment opportunities for them are more limited. The rate of engagement in high-risk behaviors such as premature sexual activity, early pregnancy, delinquency, crime, violence, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicide has been found to be significantly higher among dropouts. Dropouts are more likely than other citizens to draw on welfare and other social programs throughout their lives. Income differences between dropouts and other citizens can be expected to widen as the economy evolves. A growth of unskilled laborers in low-wage jobs will increase. As summarized by the GAO, the social costs of the dropout problem include an underskilled labor force, lower productivity, lost taxes, and increased public assistance and crime. Identifying Social Issues The Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER) suggests a focused approach must be undertaken with the purpose of successfully combating the problem of adolescents dropping out of high school. Particularly, this would entail identifying pronounced social indicators that are interrelated with the countys dropout problem. These characteristics help determine individuals who require the most intervention and accordingly implement programs committed to keeping them in school. According to CBER, three factors should be considered. Firstly, social groupings of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status pictures of at-risk youths emerge. Hispanics, Native Americans, and African-Americans had the highest dropout rates in the state and were more likely of dropping out. Secondly, problematic social environments and inappropriate behavior can be used in identifying at-risk youth. Juvenile delinquency and behavioral problems in school are indicators of potential dropouts. Lastly, academic per formance is a key component in identifying potential dropouts. Grade retention and its effect on self-esteem can be detrimental. DROPOUT PREVENTION PROGRAMS STRATEGIES Many of the proposed solutions recommended to combat the problem of high school dropouts focus on dealing with the social issues that teenagers encounter on a daily basis. The solutions heavily target at-risk youth, making sure they have the necessary tools and guidance to successfully complete their education. The following is a more sketchy examination of some of the most widely proposed programs. Information is comprised of data from Center for Business and Economic Research. Intervention at an Early Age The Oregon School Board Association advocates working with children at a young age to teach the importance of staying in school. Schools in Oregon have led the way in the development of effective programs for their students. One of the programs they have pioneered begins in the third grade. The Importance of School Environment Building strong and stable school environments is a necessary factor in the development of specific programs for children who need specialized attention. It is important to start with the essential elements of a sound school environment, beginning with the organization of the administration and ending with the overall school culture. Alternative Education Programs There are some students for whom traditional high schools simply do not work. For example, for teenagers who need to work to support themselves or their family, or for young girls facing pregnancy, going to school during the day may simply not be feasible. Thus, one idea that has been introduced is for school districts to offer alternative high schools. Dropout Prevention Programs As mandated by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), dropout prevention programs in Florida were created to: Provide families, communities, and school districts with strategies and resources to continue increasing the number of students who graduate from Floridas schools. Provide school districts with alternative strategies, such as unique teaching techniques, learning activities, and assessment procedures. Provide positive options for building and strengthening curriculums in order to prevent students from dropping out of school. Dropout prevention is a complicated endeavor and must involve a wide range of services to tackle a wide range of problems. There are multiple pathways to dropping out of school, and therefore, any dropout prevention program should have a multi-faceted strategy to serve a wide range of students who are at-risk of dropping out. (ICF and NDPC/N). RECOMMENDATION The key to early intervention is at birth to five years. This is a critical point in the lives of children in which to foster a lifelong love of learning, respect for academia, and confidence in their academic abilities. In doing so, by definition requires the involvement of parents. For parents who rely heavily on social services, there should be a mandate that they volunteer a certain number of hours in the childs school and classroom and participate in parenting classes. Studies have shown that birth to five-year-old students who have parents involved in their education and learning process fare better in their early education, which leads to better overall success in school. With this age group, critical thinking, enhancement of motor skills, cognitive learning, and experiential learning are all crucial to establishing a broad foundation for lifelong academic excellence. Continued parental involvement coupled with adequately staffed and funded schools, and teachers who are engaged and engaging students, all contribute towards long-term success in school. My recommendation is a program that provides students at an early age, similar to Oregons initiative with the necessary tools to foster academic achievement as well as personal and social growth. The program would provide tutoring, homework support, mentoring activities, extended and individual classroom learning, parental involvement, and community support. The main goals of the program, increasing the graduation rate, reducing the number of high school dropouts, and targeting at-risk youth most likely to drop out; will be accomplished. Todays high school needs greater innovation, increased student engagement, and a rich and rigorous curriculum that is more educationally meaningful for students (ASCD). IMPLEMENTATION BENEFITS The California Dropout Research Project declares: Education affords benefits to both individuals and society. Individuals with more education earn higher incomes, are healthier, are less likely to be involved in criminal activities, and are less likely to be on welfare. Additionally, better-educated persons pay more in taxes and enable reductions in government spending on health, crime, and welfare. Therefore, the state and citizens should make certain that all children graduate and finish school with an adequate education. Moving even just one student from dropout status to graduate status will make positive contributions to the economy. Implementation of the proposed policy will be beneficial to Miami-Dade County and the entire State of Florida. It will allow youngsters to successfully learn, stay in school and prepare for life. It will enable educators and parents to be on alert and identify potential signs of behavior that would indicate the student is in danger of dropping out of school. The assistance of parents, teachers, community leaders, and elected officials; will enable students to improve their grades, attendance, and behavior overall. This strategy will instill the importance of education and the benefits of obtaining a high school diploma. A high school education includes the knowledge and skills required to improve an individuals quality of life, to become a more productive citizen, and to improve their income-earning potential. Reduction of the number of local students who fail to graduate on time would exponentially increase economic factors such as individual earnings, spending and investment, tax revenue, and human capital. CONCLUSION Education is an investment in human capital. It provides the foundation for successful academic study, for lifelong learning, and for carrying out the duties of citizenship. Our high school students face significant challenges. Many teenagers drop out of school every year. Reasons for students dropping out are numerous and oftentimes complex. The alarming dropout rates that sentence young people to joblessness and poverty must be turned around.  Retaining students is an enormous problem for many schools; however, students must be convinced to stay in school and learn skills that will allow them to compete and contribute to our economy. Without a high school diploma, young people are less likely to succeed in the workforce.  Solving the dropout epidemic should result in a significant number of actual dropouts, a skilled workforce, and an improved economy. The State of Florida, specifically Miami-Dade County, has a serious problem to confront within its public-education system. Florida has a bleak record pertaining to dropout prevention efforts. Therefore, it is imperative that citizens acquaint themselves with the issues associated with high school dropouts in order to effectively address the problem. Sometimes it is difficult to identify young people who need assistance. However, social factors can be used to identify at-risk youth. Once identified, proven and successful programs used around the country that aim at getting children through school, can be implemented. Certainly, it is up to the citizenry of the state to prevent their children from leaving high school. RELAION TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION The incorporation of results-based accountability, as well as, merit pay and performance bonuses that school districts across the nation are gradually adopting, reflects NPM in public education. A reform initiative, such as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), is a prime example of New Public Management (NPM) concept being applied to education. NCLB illustrates an attempt by policymakers to employ techniques of NPM and to impose more tightly coupled policy restrictions on the educational system. These techniques are applied to the management and operation of schools. SOURCES ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ). ASCD High School Reform Proposal from http://www.ascd.org/public-policy/High-School-Reform/High-School-Reform-Summary.aspx Alliance for Excellent Education. Factsheet. Available online at: http://www.all4ed.org/files/GraduationRates_FactSheet.pdf California Dropout Research Project. The Economic Losses from High School Dropouts in California. Available online at: http://www.cbcse.org/media/download_gallery/Belfield%20and%20LevinCDRP%20Policy%20Brief%201.pdf Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER). Nevada Kids Count: Addressing the High School Dropout Epidemic Policy Brief. Retrieved November 31, 2010, from http://kidscount.unlv.edu/2002/dropouts.pdf College Board Advocacy Policy Center, The College Completion Agenda: State Policy Guide. http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/reports_pdf/Policy_Rec_Three.pdf Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) Document Reproduction Service). School Characteristics Related to High School Dropout Rates found at www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/recordDetail?accno=EJ785964 Florida Department of Education. Available online at: http://www.fldoe.org. Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Available online at: ies.ed.gov ICF International and National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N). Best Practices in Dropout Prevention. Available at: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/comm/leg_reports/bpdp_finalreport_20081219_toTEA.pdf National Center for Education Statistics. US Department of Education. Effective Strategies. Available online at: www.nces.ed.gov National Dropout Prevention Center Network. Clemson University. Available online at: www.DropoutPrevention.org National Governors Association. Graduation Counts: A Report of the National Governors Association Task Force on State High School Graduation Data. 2005. Washington, D.C. No Child Left Behind (NCLB). U.S. Department of Education. 1 Apr. 2003. . U.S. Department of Education. (1995). Educational programs that work: Dropout prevention/alternative programs (archived information). Retrieved November 30, 2010, from http://www.ed.gov/pubs/EPTW/eptw3/index.html U.S. Department of Education. (1996). Manual to combat truancy (archived information). Retrieved November 30, 2010, from http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Truancy/index.html U.S. General Accounting Office. (2002). School dropouts: Education could play a stronger role in identifying and disseminating promising prevention strategies (Report GAO-02-240). Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved November 31, 2010, from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d02240.pdf

The Traffic Congestion Problem In Toronto

The Traffic Congestion Problem In Toronto Traffic congestion is a problem which faces many large cities around the world. Many cities face the problem of traffic gridlocks especially during rush hour periods when employees are rushing to or from work. In Toronto, this is a major problem which threatens the long term economic growth of Canada mainly due to economic losses attributed to the congestion. In North America, Toronto is the fourth most congested city after San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles. Toronto was actually ranked last among cities in North America based on the average time employees spent commuting per day, which was eighty minutes. This rating is worse considering that it involved assessment of all transport forms and not only automobiles. In addition, only 30% of car owners in Toronto leave vehicles at home, which add to the congestion (Steve 2010). This congestion has an adverse cost to the economy especially due to idle time by employees, fuel wastage during traffic jams or lateness in deliveries. These costs add up to over $2 billion annually which is a great concern to any economy. In addition to these economic losses, there are other repercussions of traffic congestion including environmental pollution, which translates to millions of dollars in health care costs to affected people. It is important to understand reasons behind traffic congestion in Toronto in order to develop effective solutions to this problem. This paper will evaluate the traffic congestion in Toronto, assess the possible reasons for the problem and advance viable solutions which will help end the traffic problem in the city. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end. Traffic congestion in Toronto As has been discussed, Toronto is the most congested city in North America judging by the transport delays experienced by residents. Traffic congestion is experienced when traffic volume is generally higher than the available road capacities. This is also known as saturation and it is simply a situation where demand for roads is greater than the supply. Generally, causes of traffic congestion are categorized into two; recurring and non-recurring causes. Recurring causes of traffic congestion are caused by traffic issues which recur such as ineffective management of capacity, unrestrained demand and insufficient capacity. Non-recurring causes are those which occur due to unique circumstances which are not normally experienced. These include work zones, car accidents, bad weather, disabled vehicles and emergencies. For purposes of this paper, the recurring causes of traffic congestion will be addressed since this forms the major part of congestion of traffic in Toronto. Key reasons for increase in congestion There are several reasons which have played a role in increasing traffic congestion in Toronto. Some of the causes of recurring traffic congestion in Toronto will be briefly discussed below; Increased automobile use The increase in use of automobiles is one of the major causes of traffic congestion around the world. As has been discussed, Toronto is the most congested city in North America with over 70% of automobile owners driving to work. In addition, pedestrians and bicycles also compete for the limited road resource. This causes a strain on roads and contributes heavily to the congestion experienced in Toronto (Halberstam 14-17). Many automobiles carry one or two passengers as opposed to public transport where several people are transported by buses. This also increases congestion since more private vehicles are used to ferry very few passengers between various locations. The increase in automobile use also has adverse effects on the environment since there is more pollution from automobiles. Idle time experienced by automobiles as a result of traffic jams also increases pollution by automobiles. This pollution not only harms the environment but also causes respiratory infections and illness es to humans which translate to a huge cost to the economy. Poor planning Every government planning department or ministry is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the population growth matches available resources to reduce strain. It is therefore the responsibility of the government to ensure that resources such as roads are well planned and developed to cater for the population growth. However, the Canadian government has performed poorly in developing roads which cater for the large population in the country (Conrad Finkel 55-58). For instance, some experts have pointed out that on some roads, bike lanes have been placed in poor locations. These lanes have not been connected to other routes, which is wastage of space and money. In addition, some bike lanes have been placed in thoroughfares which are major and in addition to contributing to the congestion, parking and stopping spaces are drastically reduced. Some pedestrian crossings have been placed in dangerous locations where they cause a reduction in traffic flow as opposed to easing traff ic. Lapse in implementation of laws There is a notable inconsistency in implementation of the law which regulates traffic. It is unclear whether this is done intentionally but experts have blamed it on ignorance and corruption. Parking and traffic laws are generally not evenly applied for all types of vehicles. In addition, many motorists who commit traffic offenses are not dealt with in a harsh manner in order to act as a deterrent to other motorists. This creates a situation where motorists are ignorant of traffic laws, which further complicates the problem of congestion. Effects of traffic congestion in Toronto There are various effects of traffic congestion in Toronto and these will be discussed below; Pollution Due to the increase in the number of automobiles in use in Toronto, the city has experiences high pollution levels than many cities in North America. Toronto is one of the most congested cities in North America and pollution levels are high due to high automobile usage. Many automobiles used emit high levels of carbon monoxide and other gases which harm the environment and the health of the public (Lerner Wilmoth 74-81). Over 1500 people die annually in Toronto due to diseases which are related to environmental pollution. In addition, over 6000 people are admitted to hospitals in Toronto annually due to complications related to pollution and motor vehicle usage is a large contributor to this problem (Ruddiman 81-87). Pollution due to increase in automobile use is therefore a major problem which causes economic costs to Toronto through damage to the environment and adverse effects on the health of residents. Traffic congestion also results in idling of automobiles which leads to more pollution on the environment. Idle time and opportunity costs A lot of time is spent by workers in Toronto commuting to and from their place of work. Toronto was ranked last in terms of commuting time spent by employees when using different forms of transport and this was seen to be an average of eighty minutes. This is a lot of time since workers spend over an hour commuting daily to and from their place of employment. The costs of this idle time to the economy have been estimated to be over $2 billion annually (Roess et. al. 34-37). These are opportunity costs which would have brought even greater value to the economy. In addition to idle time by employees, there are the costs of fuel used during traffic by the many automobiles which use the roads. Such costs also run into the billions as vehicles burn fuel in traffic each day. These costs experienced due to idle time are opportunity costs which would have been used for development purposes and development of infrastructure by the Canadian government. Delays Traffic jams usually lead to delay for either employees to reach their work stations or for products to be delivered on time. It also makes employees be late for meetings, flights or other opportunities which further their career. Delays may have a negative impact on individuals, the government or businesses at large. When individuals get delayed, they may miss certain opportunities which may result in earning lower disposable incomes which adversely affects their families. When there are delays, businesses suffer from lower sales due to delays in supplies or other factors. When delays occur, the government may also earn lower revenue due to lower tax received from decline in opportunities associated with the delay. Delays should therefore be avoided since they have negative effects to the society at large. This can only be achieved if viable solutions to the problem of transport congestion are implemented. Barriers to emergency services When there are traffic delays, it becomes difficult for emergency services to reach people in need. Emergency vehicles usually find it difficult to navigate through Toronto due to the problem of traffic congestion. Ambulances and fire trucks usually take longer than necessary to reach their destinations due to traffic congestion. This is very dangerous for Canadians since many people may continue losing lives due to delays in emergency service provision. It is imperative that urgent solutions to the problem of traffic congestion in Toronto are developed in order to ensure residents have access to fast emergency services. Viable solutions to the problem There are several solutions which will help reduce traffic congestion in Toronto and these will be discussed below; Encouraging commuters to use public transport It has been discussed that one of the reasons why there is traffic congestion in Toronto is that over 70% of automobile owners use their cars as opposed to public transport. Since private cars mostly carry one or two people, there are very many private cars which are needed to transport employees to and from work. These private cars cause congestion in roads due to their large numbers. In order to ease congestion, public transport should be encouraged since it involves transporting many people simultaneously hence easing traffic congestion. Trains and public buses carry hundreds of people simultaneously which reduces the number of private cars on roads. The government should discourage the use of private cars especially within the city through making it expensive to drive and park private cars within the city. Parking fees for private cars should be increased to discourage use of these vehicles within the city. This will encourage more people to travel by train or buses which will ea se traffic on roads. Decongesting public transport Although public transport is very effective in reducing traffic congestion, it has to be effective to achieve this goal. The public transport system in Toronto faces certain weaknesses which contribute to the traffic congestion experienced in the city. Many subways including the Yonge subway is very crowded yet this is one of the most important subways in Canada. Although there is a plan to computerize control and signals system in order to enable a greater number of trains to run closer together, this plan will take some years to implement, which means that Canadians will continue facing transport congestion in the short run (Preville 2010). There are also problems with train capacity and speeds with commuters complaining some trains are too slow and have low capacities. This is a problem which should be addressed by the government through increase in number, speeds and capacities of transport trains. Decentralizing businesses from the Greater Toronto Area There are very many businesses which are present in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). As a result, many employees commute from suburbs into the GTA each day. The large number of people who commute to the GTA is one of the major reasons why there is traffic congestion. In order to reduce congestion, it is important for the government to encourage investors to invest in suburbs or the outskirts of the city (Wallace 65-69). This is one of the most effective solutions to this problem since fewer people will travel to the GTA. When many businesses are decentralized and established in suburbs and outskirts of Toronto, the traffic systems will face lower congestion due to the reduced number of users. In addition to benefits of decentralization to the transport system, decentralizing businesses will also ensure that there is balanced development in Toronto and Canada as a whole. This will raise the standards of living of people and reduce the gap between the poor and the rich. Investing in transport infrastructure In order to cater for the growing population, the road infrastructure should match population growth. Since the transport system in Toronto is congested, it is important to invest in new and more effective transport infrastructure to ease the congestion. One of these types of infrastructure is investment in subways. Subways which run under major roads are very effective means of easing traffic congestion in most major cities. The government should construct such subways and offer commuters a variety of choices to make when making transport decisions. Other infrastructures include billing systems which discourage the movement of private cars into the city. These billing systems may resemble that used in London where cameras monitor vehicles entering congested zones and require motorists to pay a certain sum of money. Motorists who do not pay receive very heavy fines. Such a billing system may be required to adjust the rates according to traffic movements. This will ensure that traffic congestion is eased in Toronto. Passing relevant transport legislation In order to ensure motorists comply with changes which have been suggested in the paper, stronger legislation is required to ensure that private cars are discouraged from entering the city and that any traffic offenders receive harsh punishments. This will serve as deterrent to other offenders who are not keen to be part of the traffic decongestion efforts. For instance, in London, private cars entering congestion zones pay 8 pounds in fees. However, people who do not observe this rule pay a harsh fine of 120 pounds. There are cameras which records all registration plates of motor vehicles hence it is difficult not to comply with the rule. Toronto requires legislation and policies which support traffic decongestion to be passed in order to develop long term solutions to the problem of traffic congestion. Dialog with stakeholders in transport industry In order for the government to ensure that changes required to the transport industry are effectively implemented, all stakeholders should be involved in the changes. The government should convene a meeting with stakeholders in public and private transport with the aim of developing long term solutions to the problem of traffic congestion (Quentin 16-22). These people may offer very effective solutions to this problem since they are the major road users. The general public will also be keen to follow changes and recommendations made to improve the transport sector once it is involved in developing solutions to the problem. Dialog with stakeholders will provide the government with an opportunity to listen to a variety of suggestions on how the transport problem can be resolved. Summary and conclusion Various aspects of traffic congestion in Toronto have been analyzed in detail. It is clear that Toronto is facing a serious problem of traffic congestion since it is the most congested city in North America. Traffic congestion in Toronto costs over $ 2 billion annually and it is caused by a variety of factors. These factors are categorized into non-recurring and recurring factors. However, the paper focused on recurring factors which contribute to the largest proportion of traffic congestion in Canada. These include increased automobile use, poor planning and lapse in implementation of laws which govern traffic systems. This leads to the use of many private cars by employees who commute to work as opposed to use of public transport systems resulting in congestion. Traffic congestion in Toronto has various adverse effects including barriers to emergency services, delays, idle time and opportunity costs as well as pollution. These effects have adverse effects on the health, welfare and economic development of the society as whole. All stakeholders in society suffer either indirectly or directly from traffic congestion. There are several solutions which should be implemented to reduce traffic congestion in Toronto. These include encouraging commuters to use public transport, decongesting public transport, decentralizing businesses from the Greater Toronto Area, investing in transport infrastructure, passing relevant transport legislation and dialog with stakeholders in transport industry. These solutions aim at discouraging the use of private vehicles and increasing the effectiveness of public transport to increase the capacity and speeds needed to reduce congestion in Toronto. However, it is important to involve all relevant stakeholders when developing solutions to the transport congestion since as earlier discussed, these people may offer very effective solutions to this problem since they are the major road users. The general public will also be keen to follow changes made to improve the transport sector if it is involved in the change process. This will ensure that Toronto has one of the best t ransport systems not only in North America but across the world.

“Shane” by Jack Schaefer Essay -- Character Analysis

In the novel â€Å"Shane†, by Jack Schaefer, Marian, the wife of Joe and the mother of Bob is initially played out to be a very simple character. She cooks and cleans and cares for her family. She starts to develop a more complex character as Shane arrives. You can tell from the beginning that Marian wants to impress her guest with her cooking and her curiosity of the latest fashions. But as the novel progresses you begin to see that Marian may want more from Shane than originally shown. In the beginning of the story, Marian just thinks of Shane as a guest, she cooks and cleans for him and makes sure he is at home. However, from the start she was drawn to him. He was as she said â€Å" dangerous†, and she liked that. Marian liked that Shane was different and unfamiliar, and was impressed by his ...

Workplace Ethics Essay -- essays research papers

The judicial system in the United States is in desperate need of Christians with high ethic principles to take control of our courts. More Christian lawyers in our courts is one way of getting ethics into the judicial system. There are major controversial issues lawyers encounter when dealing with their clients and business in general. Firstly, many people question if an honest lawyer can defend a guilty client. â€Å"t is true that a lawyer is expected to represent a client zealously within the bounds of the law, but the question may fairly be asked whether this relieves the lawyer of any moral obligation other than compliance with the law. Put more broadly, when a person acts in a capacity of a lawyer, is he relieved of the personal or moral responsibility for the consequences of his action...

Prejudice and Racism in The Jewel in the Crown and Heart of Darkness Es

Racism in The Jewel in the Crown and Heart of Darkness      Ã‚   The effects of British colonialism are reflected in literature from both early modernism and post colonialism. Racial discrimination tainted both eras portrayed in the British morale of white supremacy over non-European counties unfolded. Heart of Darkness exemplifies early modernism in the British explorers viewed African natives of the Congo as incapable of human equality due to perceived uncivilized savagery. Personal interaction between races was little to none, as the freshly conquered Africans were still viewed as alien. Likewise, Jewel in the Crown, exemplifies of post colonialism, echoes racism from the British Rule in India. Postcolonial literature evolved from early modernism as the focus was of the interactions between the British and the people they conquered in modernism. Racism was still prevalent in post colonialism, yet the literature offers a slightly lees subhuman view of the Indians. The characters in both literary works express reactions to " learned prej udice" as white people in "control of a black man's country" (Jewel of the Crown, P.150). Furthermore, the theme common human bonds between blacks and whites develop as British characters reject racism in " the critique of the traditional values of the culture" (Modern Literature handout, P.4). Through the recognized human bond, the need to bridge the gap between black and white people develops.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The modernism theory of British " awareness of primitiveness and savagery civilization built, and therefore an interest in the non-European peoples" (), was still evident in Post colonialism literature. The British explorer of uncivilzed Africa, Marlow in Heart of Darkness, has... ...ived in early Modernism and Postcolonial Literature. The British value of learned prejudice produced a fear of dark skin, especially when curious attraction and primitive instinct felt natural to the British. However, as values are questioned, and basic human emotion is shared, human bond become blind to skin color. The theme in both literary pieces reflect Carl Jung's theory that " all humans share a common spiritual/psychic heritage, collective unconsciousness, racial memories"(English 103 handout HofDEaarly Modernism, p., 2).      Works Cited Agatucci, Cora .Conrad Study Guide Damrosch, David, et al., ed.   The Longman Anthology of British Literature: Vol. B.   Compact ed.   New York: Longman - Addison Wesley Longman, 2000. Scott, Paul.   The Jewel in the Crown.   [1966.]   Vol. 1 of the Raj Quartet.   Rpt. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998.

Night World : Secret Vampire Chapter 5

James dodged as Poppy lobbed a paper back book athim. â€Å"Poppy† â€Å"You jerk! You snake! How can you dothis to me? You spoiled, selfish, immature-â€Å" â€Å"Shhh! They're going to hear you â€Å"Let them! Here I am, and I've just found out that I'mgoing to die,and all you can think of is playing a joke on me. A stupid, sickjoke. I can't believethis. Do youthink that'sfunny?†She ran out of breath to rave with.,James, who had been making quieting motions withhis hands, now gave up and looked toward the door. â€Å"Here comes the nurse,† he said. â€Å"Good, and I'm going to ask her to throw you out, â€Å"Poppy said. Her anger had collapsed, leaving her neartears. She had never felt so utterly betrayed andabandoned. â€Å"I hate you, you know,† she said. The door opened. It was the nurse with the flowered blouse and green scrub pants. â€Å"Is anything the matter here?† she said, turning on the light. Thenshe saw James. â€Å"Now, let'ssee; you don't look like family,† she said. She was smiling, but her voice hadthe ring of authority about to be enforced. â€Å"He's not, and I want him out of here,† Poppy said. The nurse fluffed up Poppy's pillows, put a gentle hand on her forehead. â€Å"Only family members are allowed to stay overnight,† she said to James. Poppy stared at the TV and waited for James to go.He didn't. He walked around the bed to stand by the nurse, who looked up at him while she continuedstraightening Poppy's blankets. Then her hands slowed and stopped moving. Poppy glanced at her sideways in surprise. The nurse was just staring at James. Hands limpon the blankets, she gazed at him as if she were mesmerized. And James was just staring back. With the lighton, Poppy couldseeJames's face-and again she had that odd feeling of not recognizing him. He was verypale and almost stern looking, as if he were doing something that required an effort. His jaw was tight and his eyes-his eyes were the color of silver. Real silver, shining in the light. For some reason, Poppy thought of a starvingpanther. â€Å"So you see there's nothing wrong here,† Jamessaid to the nurse, as if continuing a conversation they'd been having. The nurse blinked once, then looked around theroom as if she'd just awakened from a doze. â€Å"No,no; everything's fine,† she said.† Call me if †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She looked briefly distracted again, then murmured, â€Å"If, um, you need anything.† She walked out. Poppy watched her, forgetting to breathe. Then, slowly, moving only her eyes, she looked at James. â€Å"I know it's a cliche,† James said. â€Å"An overuseddemonstration of power. But it gets the job done.† â€Å"You set this up with her,† Poppy said in a bare whisper. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Or else it's some kind of psychic trick. The Amazing Whatshisname.† â€Å"No,†James said, and sat down on an orange plastic chair. â€Å"Then I'm going crazy. † For the first time that evening Poppy wasn't thinking about her illness. She couldn't think properly about anything; her mindwas a whirling, crashing jumble of confusion. She felt like Dorothy's house after it had been picked up by the tornado. â€Å"You're not crazy. I probably did this the wrongway; I said I didn't know how to explain it. Look, I know how hard it is for you to believe. My people arrange it that way; they do everything they can to keep humans not believing. Their lives depend on it.† â€Å"James, I'm sorry; I just—† Poppy found that herhands were trembling. She shut her eyes. â€Å"Maybe you'd better just-â€Å" â€Å"Poppy, look at me.I'm telling you the truth. I swear it.† He stared at her face a moment, then let out a breath. â€Å"Okay. I didn't want to have to do this, but †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stood, leaning close to Poppy. She refused toflinch, but she could feel her eyes widening. â€Å"Now, look,† he said, and his lips skinned backfrom his teeth. A simple action-but the effect was astonishing.Transforming. In that instant he changed from the pale but fairly ordinary James of a moment ago-intosomething Poppy had never seen before. A different species of human being. His eyes flared silver and his entire face took on a predatory look. But Poppy scarcely noticed that; she was staring at his teeth. Not teeth. Fangs. He had canines like a cat's. Elongated and curving, ending in delicate, piercing points. They were nothing like the fake vampire fangs soldat novelty stores. They looked very strong and very sharp and very real. Poppy screamed. James clapped a hand over her mouth. â€Å"We don'twant that nurse back in here.† When he lifted the hand, Poppy said, â€Å"Oh, myGod; oh, my God†¦.† , â€Å"All those times whenyousaid I could read yourmind,† James said. â€Å"Remember? And the times when I heard things you didn't hear, or moved faster than you could move?† â€Å"Oh. my God.† â€Å"It's true, Poppy.† He picked up the orange chairand twisted one of the metal legs out of shape. He did it easily, gracefully. â€Å"We're stronger than humans,† he said. He twisted the leg back and put thechair down. â€Å"We see better in the dark. We're builtfor hunting.† Poppy finally managed tocapture an entirethought. â€Å"I don't care what youcan do,† she saidshrilly. â€Å"You can't be a vampire. I've known yousince you were five years old. And you've gottenolder every year, just like me. Explain that.† â€Å"Everything you know is wrong.† When she juststared at him, he sighed again and said, â€Å"Everything you think you know about vampires, you've picked up from books or TV. And it's all written by humans, I'll guarantee that. Nobody in the Night World wouldbreak the code of secrecy.† â€Å"The Night World. Where's the Night World?† â€Å"It's not a place. It's like a secret society-for vampires and witches and werewolves. All the best people. And I'll explain about it later,† Jamessaidgrimly. â€Å"For now-look, it's simple. I'm a vampire because my parents are vampires. I was bornthatway. We're the lamia.† All Poppy could think of was Mr. and Mrs. Rasmussen with their luxury ranch-style house and their gold Mercedes. â€Å"Your parents?† â€Å"Lamia isjust an old word for vampires, but for usit means the ones who're born that way,† James said, ignoring her. â€Å"We're born and we age like humans-except that we can stop aging whenever we want. We breathe. We walk around in the daylight. We can even eat regular food.† â€Å"Your parents,† Poppy said again faintly. He looked at her. â€Å"Yeah. My parents. Look, why doyou think my mom does interior decorating? Not because they need the money. She meets a lot of peoplethat way, and so does my dad, the society shrink. It only takes a few minutes alone with somebody, andthe human never remembers it afterward.† Poppy shifted uncomfortably. â€Å"So you, um, drinkpeople's blood, huh?† Even after everything she'd seen, she couldn't say it without half-laughing. James looked at the laces of his Adidas. â€Å"Yes. Yes,I sure do,† he said softly. Then he looked up andmet her gaze directly. His eyes were pure silver. Poppy leaned back against the pile of pillows onher bed. Maybe it was easier to believe him because the unbelievable had already happened to her earliertoday. Reality had already been turned upsidedown-so, honestly, what did one more impossibility matter? I'm going to die and my best friend is a bloodsucking monster, she thought. The argument was over, and she was out of energy. She and James looked at each other in silence. â€Å"Okay,† she said finally, and it meant everythingshe'd just realized. â€Å"I didn't tell you this just to get it off my chest,†James said, his voice still muted. â€Å"I said I could save you, remember?† â€Å"Vaguely.† Poppy blinked slowly, then said moresharply, â€Å"Save me how?† His gaze shifted to empty air. â€Å"The way you'rethinking.† â€Å"Jamie, Ican'tthink anymore.† Gently, without looking at her, he put a hand on her shin under the blanket. He shook her leg slightly, a gesture of affection. â€Å"I'm gonna turn you into a vampire, kid.† Poppy put both fists to her face and began to cry. â€Å"Hey.† He let go of her shin and put an awkwardarm around her, pulling her to sit up. â€Å"Don't do that. It's okay. It's better than the alternative.† â€Å"You're . . .freaking . . .crazy,† Poppy sobbed.Once the tears had started, they flowed too easily she couldn't stop them. There was comfort in crying, and -in being held by James. He felt strong and reliable and he smelled good. â€Å"You said you had to be born one,† she addedblurrily, between sobs. â€Å"No, I didn't. I said I was born one. There areplenty of the other kind around. Made vampires. There would be more, but there's a law against justmaking any jerk off the street into one.† â€Å"But I can't.I'm just what I am; I'm me. Ican'tbe-like that.† He put her gently away so he could look into herface. â€Å"Then you're going to die. You don't have any other choice. I checked around-even asked a witch.There's nothing elseinthe Night World to help you. What it comes down to is: Do you want to live ornot?† Poppy's mind, which had been swamped in confusion again, suddenly fixed on this question. It was like a flash light beam in a pitch-black room. Did she want to live? Oh, God, of courseshe did. Until today she'd assumed it was her unconditional right to live. She hadn't even been grateful for the privilege. But now she knew it wasn't something totake for granted-and she also knew it was some thing she'd fight for. Wake up, Poppy! This is the voice of reason calling.He says he can save your life. â€Å"Wait a minute. I've got to think,† Poppy saidtightly to James. Her tears had stopped. She pushed him away completely and stared fiercely at the white hospital blanket. Okay. Okay. Now get your head straight, girl. You knew James had a secret. So you never imagined it was anything like this, so what? He's still James. He may be some godawful undead fiend, buthe still cares about you. And there's nobody else to help you. She found herself clutching at James's hand without looking at him. â€Å"What's it like?† she said through clenched teeth. Steady and matter-of-fact, he said, â€Å"It'sdifferent. It's not something I'd recommend if there was another choice, but †¦it's okay. You'll be sick while your body's changing, but afterward you'll never get any kind of disease again.You'llbestrongandquick-and immortal.† â€Å"I'd live forever? But would I be able to stop aging?†She had visions of herself as an immortal crone. He grimaced. â€Å"Poppy-you'd stop aging now.That'swhat happens to made vampires. Essentially, you're dying as a mortal. You'll look dead and be unconscious for a while. And then†¦you'll wake up.† â€Å"I see.† Sort of like Juliet in the tomb, Poppythought. And then she thought, Oh, God†¦Momand Phil. â€Å"There's another thing you should know,† Jameswas saying. â€Å"A certain percentage of people don't make it.† â€Å"Don't make it?† â€Å"Through the change. People over twenty almost never do. They don't everwake up. Their bodies can't adjust to the new form and they burn out. Teenagersusually live through it, but not always.† Oddly enough, this was comforting to Poppy. Aqualified hope seemed more believable than an absolute one. To live, she would have to take a chance. She looked at James. â€Å"How do you do it?† â€Å"The traditional way,† he said with the ghost of asmile. Then, gravely: â€Å"We exchange blood.† Oh, great, Poppy thought. And I was afraid of asimple shot. Now I'm going to have my blood drawn by fangs. She swallowed and blinked,staring atnothing. â€Å"It's your choice, Poppy. It's up to you.† There was a long pause, and then she said, â€Å"I want to live, Jamie.† He nodded. â€Å"It'll mean going away from here.Leaving your parents. They can't know.† â€Å"Yeah, I was just realizing that. Sort of like gettinga new identity from the FBI, huh?† â€Å"More than that. You'll be living in a new world,the Night World. And it's a lonely world, full of secrets. But you'll be walking around in it, instead oflying in the ground.† He squeezed her hand. Thenhe said very quietly and seriously, â€Å"Do you want tostart now?† All Poppy could think of to do was shut her eyesand brace herself the way she did for an injection.†I'm ready,† she said through stiff lips. James laughed again-this time as if he couldn'thelp it. Then he folded the bed rail down and settled beside her. â€Å"I'm used to people being hypnotized when I do this. It's weird to have you awake.† â€Å"Yeah, well, if I scream you can hypnotize me,†Poppy said, not opening her eyes. Relax, she told herself firmly. No matter how muchit hurts, no matter how awful it is, you can deal with it. You haveto. Your life depends on it. Her heart was thumping hard enough to shake her body. â€Å"Right here,† James said, touching her throat with cool fingers as if feeling for a pulse. Just do it, Poppy thought. Get it over with. She could feel warmth as James leaned close toher, taking her carefully by the shoulders. Every nerve ending in her skin was aware of him. Then she felt cool breath on her throat, and quickly, before she could recoil, a double sting. Those fangs, burying themselves in her flesh. Making two little wounds so he could drink her blood†¦ Now it's reallygoing to hurt, Poppy thought. Shecouldn't brace herself anymore. Her life was in the hands of a hunter. She was a rabbit trapped in thecoils of a snake, a mouse under the claws of a cat. She didn't feel like James's best friend, she felt like lunch†¦. Poppy, what are you doing? Don't fight it. It hurts whenyou resist. James was speaking to her-but the warm mouthon her throat hadn't moved. The voice was in her head. I'm not resisting, Poppy thought. I'm just ready forit to hurt, that's all. There was a burning where his teeth pierced her.She waited for it to get worse-but it didn't.It changed. Oh, Poppy thought. The feeling of heat was actually pleasant. A sensation of release, of giving. And closeness. She and James were getting closerand loser, like two drops of water moving together until they merged. She could sense James's mind. His thoughts-andhis feelings. His emotions flowed into her, throughher. Tenderness†¦concern†¦ caring. A cold black rage at the disease that was threatening her. Despair that there was no other way to help her. And long ing-longing to share with her, to make her happy. Yes, Poppy thought. A wave of sweetness made her dizzy. She foundherself groping for James'shand, their fingers intertwining. James,she thought with wonder and joy. Her communication to him a tentative caress. Poppy.She could feel his own surprise and delight. And all the time the dreamy pleasure was building.Making Poppy shiver with its intensity. How could I have been so stupid? Poppy thought. To be afraid of this. It isn't terrible. It's.. . . right. She had never been so close to anybody. It was as if they were one being, together, not predator and prey, but partners in a dance. Poppy-and-James. She could touch his soul. Strangely enough, he was afraid of that. She couldsense it. Poppy,don't-so many dark things-I don't want you to see †¦ Dark, yes, Poppy thought. But not dark and terrible. Dark and lonely. Such utter loneliness. A feeling of not belonging in either of the two worlds he knew.Not belonging anywhere. Except †¦ Suddenly Poppy was seeing an image of herself. Inhis mind she was fragile and graceful, an emeraldeyed spirit of the air. A sylph-with a core of puresteel. I'm not really like that, she thought. I'm not talland beautiful like Jacklyn or Michaela†¦. The words she heard in answer didn't seem directed toward her-she had the feeling they were something James was thinking to himself, or remembering from some long-forgotten book. You don't love a girl because of beauty. You love her because she sings a song only you can understand†¦. With the thought came a strong feeling of protectiveness. So this was how James felt about her-she knew at last. As if she were something precious,something to be protected at all costs†¦. At all costs. No matter what happened to him.Poppy tried to follow the thought deeper into hismind, to find out what it meant. She got an impression of rules-no, laws †¦ Poppy, it's bad manners to search somebody's mind when you're not invited.The words were tinged with desperation. Poppy pulled back mentally. She hadn't meant topry. She just wanted to help†¦. I know,James's thought came to her, and with ita rush of warmth and gratitude. Poppy relaxed and simply enjoyed the feeling of oneness with him. I wish it could last forever, she thought-and justthen it stopped. The warmth at her neck disappeared, and James pulled away, straightening. Poppy made a sound of protest and tried to draghim back. He wouldn't let her. â€Å"No-there's something else we have to do,† hewhispered. But he didn't do anything else. He just held her, his lips against her forehead. Poppy feltpeaceful and languid. â€Å"You didn't tell me it would be like that,† she said. â€Å"I didn't know,† James said simply. â€Å"It never hasbeen before.† They sat together quietly, with James gently stroking her hair. So strange, Poppy thought. Everything is thesame-but everything's different. It was as if she'd pulled herself up on dry land after almost drowningin the ocean. The terror that had been pounding inside her all day was gone, and for the first time inher life she felt completely safe. After another minute or so James shook his head,rousing himself. â€Å"What else do we have to do?† Poppy asked. For an answer, James lifted his own wrist to hismouth. He made a quick jerking motion with hishead, as if tearing a strip of cloth held in his teeth. When he lowered the wrist, Poppy saw blood. It was running in a little stream down his arm. So red it almost didn't look real. Poppy gulped and shook her head. â€Å"It's not that bad,† James said softly. â€Å"And you have to do it. Without my blood in you, you won't become a vampire when you die, you'll just die.Likeany other human victim.† And I want to live, Poppy thought. All right, then.Shutting her eyes, she allowed James to guide her head to his wrist. It didn't taste like blood, or at least not like theblood she'd tasted when she bit her tongue or put a cut finger in her mouth. It tasted–strange. Richand potent. Like some magic elixir, Poppy thoughtdizzily.Andonce again she felt the touch of James's mind. Intoxi cated with the closeness, she kept drinking. That's right. You've got to take a lot,James told her.But his mental voice was weaker than it had been. Instantly Poppy felt a surge of alarm. But what will it do to you? â€Å"I'll be all right,† James said aloud. â€Å"It's you I'mworried about. If you don't get enough, you'll bein danger.† Well, he was the expert. And Poppy was happy tolet the strange, heady potion keep flowing into her. She basked in the glow that seemed to be lighting herfrom the inside out. She felt so tranquil, so calm†¦. And then, without warning, the calm was shattered. A voice broke into it, a voice full of harshsurprise. â€Å"What are you doing?† the voice said, and Poppylooked up to see Phillip in the doorway.