How To Make Your Car Shine Essay

Detailing a car is like art. You start off with a filthy car. Put some hard work and sweat into it. You, the artist, can turn it into a masterpiece! When I was a young boy, I would help my Dad detail his car every weekend. When I was fifteen, I got my driver’s permit and started detailing cars. I made a simple flyer with colored wording and flashy pictures of exotic sports cars and posted it in my neighborhood. At sixteen with my driver’s license and a car, my business took off. I have quite a bit of experience detailing cars and would like to share with you how to do it step by step. To detail a car properly, you must first start by doing a thorough cleaning of the interior, exterior, and finally by clay barring and waxing it. The first thing to do is to make sure you have a shaded area to work in, so your car won’t water spot while drying it. Having a garage is ideal. Remember to keep hydrated if it’s hot. Open all the doors and trunk. Remove any floor mats and give the carpet and upholstery a good vacuuming. While vacuuming use a skinny nozzle on the tube of the vacuum, so you can get in the hard to reach places, for instance in between the seat and center console and the under the seats and in between the seat crevasses. A lot of times when you vacuum sand is the most difficult to get out because it’s so small. There is also a lot of pebbles and dirt that get stuck in between the crevasses. It just requires diligence and patience with the vacuum to get this pesky filth out. Next wash the floor mats. If they’re rubber, use a brush and soap. Move the front seats full fore and aft to get to all the accumulated dirt and loose change. If the carpets are clean, except for a minor stain or two, use a foaming cleaner to get the stains out. Saturate the stain with cleaner, working it in with a damp sponge. Let it sit awhile and then blot it out with paper towels or a dry cotton cloth. When you remove the stains from the carpet a lot of times the cloth will turn brown or whatever the color of the stain is. That is a good indication to know if the stain is coming out. Repeat if necessary, and then go over the area with a damp sponge before final blotting. Don’t over saturate the carpet and risk getting mildew. Next move onto the seats of the car. If the seats are made of cloth, just do a thorough vacuuming. If there are stains you wish to remove, I recommend using a foam carpet and upholstery cleaner. Some good brands for that product are Armor All and Meguiars. If the car seats are leather, use a leather cleaner/ conditioner. I recommend using Ice Total Interior Care. It is great for all interior surfaces including leather, vinyl, and even carpet stains. It cleans and conditions and doesn’t leave a slippery residue or smell. Apply the cleaner to a microfiber cloth or cotton cloth. But microfiber is the best. Then do circular motions on the seats. Leather seats tend to accumulate elbow grease, which makes lighter colored seats brown and gives it that greasy feeling. So it is good to be thorough and use generous amounts of leather cleaner/ conditioner. The color will be the same when it comes off on to the cloth. You may need to do a lot of rubbing and circular motions, to remove the grease/ dirt. Also it is good to fold over the cloth and use the clean side because you don’t want to rub off the dirt on the dirty side back on to the seat. Make sure you cover all the seats surfaces thoroughly to achieve maximum cleanliness. Frequently add more interior cleaner to the cloth and check the color of the cloth, as it will turn to a brown or black color depending on how dirty the seat is. It is good to fold the cloth to the other side so that you don’t wipe dirt back on to the seats from the dirty side. In worst case scenarios you may have to use more than one cloth. Also wipe down the dashboard real good because those tend to get dusty. In some instances some leather seats are really old and can be dry and cracked. I recommend using a leather conditioner and apply generously. Next move on to the windows. Use two clean microfiber cloths. I recommend using a product called Invisible Glass, because it is clean and easy to use and leaves hardly any residue. Spray the glass cleaner onto the cloth and wipe the windows thoroughly. Then use the second cloth to wipe off the excess film residue. Windows are tricky because you can’t always see film residue. You have to go back and check them and wipe again. My recommendation is work in good lighting. The last step in detailing the interior is to get q-tips. Dip them in water and get in between the air vents and all the small corners and crevasses because there will probably be dust in there. You will be surprised how black the q-tips turn if your air vents haven’t been cleaned in awhile. The next step is to clean the exterior of the car. To do this you will need a bucket, car wash soap (don’t use dishwasher soap as it will strip the car of wax), a sponge, brush and a lug nut brush. Start off by spraying down the rims. Sometimes rims have a lot of break dust that gives it a black color. This is especially common on European sports cars like BMWs, which are notorious for this. If your rims are really dirty and have a lot of brake dust, that’s hard to remove. I recommend using a tire and rim cleaner, which is a foam or spray that you put on the rims that helps to loosen the dirt. Use the sponge to clean the rims. Make sure you get the corners double-check them because rims with complex designs make it easy to miss a spot. Use the brush for the tires and lug nut brush to get in between the lug nuts. When removing brake dust using a sponge from the kitchen is the best because it’s small and easy to get into the small crevasses. Brake dust gets baked into the rims from the sun and heat. Which makes it annoyingly hard to get out. I like to use a sponge where half of it is rough, and the other half is smooth. Lightly use the rough side of the sponge and make light small circular motions on the stubborn brake dust to remove it, and that usually doest the trick. Then spray down the car and wash the car with the carwash soap and sponge. Make sure to frequently spray down the car, as you don’t want the water to dry on the car and cause water spots. Then move the car inside and dry with a good-quality chamois or a soft thick-nap terry cloth towel. Open all the doors and the trunk and use the cloth to wipe off the water inside the spaces and corners. Then you can spray tire shine on to the tires to make it look jet-black. Finally its time to clay bar and wax. This is the most tiring part of the process, but is also the most rewarding, because it makes the biggest difference in your car’s finish. Clay barring removes all the contaminants from your paint that are stuck onto the clear coat. These contaminants make your paint feel rough. These contaminants include deposits from acid rain, bird poop, dust, and tree sap. Clay barring makes the paint as smooth as glass and makes it shiny. The kit you need for doing this is called Meguiars Clay Barring Kit. First start by spraying the quick detail bottle evenly onto the paint surface. Use the bar of clay with back and forth motions until the bar starts to move freely across the paint. Frequently check the clay, as it will get dirty from picking up all the contaminants. Fold the clay over to a clean side and pinch off the real dirty pieces. When the car feels smooth, use a microfiber cloth to buff the paint. It should feel smooth as glass. Lastly use wax to protect your paint and give it the ultimate finish. I highly recommend using Turtle Wax Ice Liquid Polish because it goes on clear and doesn’t leave white dust. Use an applicator pad to apply the wax evenly on parts of the car. I like to wax half the car at a time. Then let it dry for a few minutes and then wipe it off with a microfiber cloth. Detailing a car is not an easy job and that is why many people pay someone to do it for them. The reason I detail cars is, because people pay well for car detailing services. If you follow the steps above, you will probably put in two to three hours or more and your car should be smooth and sparkling. When I return it to a customer and see the smile on their face and receive great compliments I receive great satisfaction knowing that the job was well done. Plus I am greatly rewarded with hard cash! I hope these instructions help you to achieve great car detailing!

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Essay

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is recommended by the NICE guidelines as an effective treatment for many mental health problems, specifically depression and all of the anxiety disorders. But is it a therapy open to all? When Professor Lord Layard wrote his paper: â€Å"Mental Health: Britain’s Biggest Social Problem? † in 2005, he noted that: â€Å"16% of adults of working age have a mental illness† Of these 16%, he stated that, only a quarter were utilising any type of treatment. It was this sort of finding that lead to his recommendation to increase accessibility to proven therapies such as CBT. This was achieved with the roll out of the Improved Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) programme. The diagram below shows how the IAPT programme has been divided up into 3 steps: It is this stepped approach that will contribute to overcoming some of the barriers that societies diversity may have with accessing CBT. What might these barriers be? One of the first barriers an individual faces may be around the concern of being stigmatised. It may be too hard for them to think about accessing CBT therapy for fear of what others may think. They may not want to take time off work to attend sessions for fear of it impacting negatively on their career prospects. The stepped care model means they are able to receive the lowest appropriate service tier support. This may mean that an individual is able to access therapy using guided self-help, allowing them to work through the programme in their own time and at their own pace. Online programmes such as â€Å"Fearfighter† and â€Å"Beating the Blues† allow the individual to access therapy where and when they like. Not only do these sort of programmes overcome the fear of stigma but they also overcome the issue of long waiting lists meaning that the individual can access treatment on their terms almost instantaneously. Only if this level of support proves unsuccessful will the individual then be â€Å"stepped up† to the high intensity support. These internet CBT programmes also overcome geographical difficulties, as long the individual has access to the internet and phone. In my opinion the internet is one of the main ways in which barriers may be removed. Morland et al (2011) conducted a study on the effectiveness of CBT delivered via video conferencing compared to the â€Å"traditional in-person†. The results indicated that the outcomes were just as effective. A promising move for those that are unable to access traditional CBT as a result of their location or possible mental health issue, for example those suffering agoraphobia. At the core of CBT is the individual’s motivation to learn and change. This in itself can lead to difficulties, especially in children and young people. Often this â€Å"group† is being taken to therapy rather than choosing to go. Hudson (2005) found that large numbers of youngsters were not responding to the CBT treatment that they were receiving. As far as children and young people are concerned there seems to have been limited research onto the success of CBT treatment. The first controlled trials did not take place until the early 1990s and the majority of research has focused on the impact of CBT on adults. Even so the NICE guidelines on Depression in Children and Young People recommended the use of CBT, firstly, rather than pharmacological interventions. So how has CBT been adapted to incorporate children and young people, whose very cognition and emotional stages differs from that of adults? There have been some creative adaptations to the CBT model such as â€Å"Think Good Feel good†. Here the concept of CBT is broken down into easy to manage bites. There is also a lot of use of cartoons and speech bubbles, allowing the young person to access their thoughts and feelings in a safe way. The need to use more non-verbal techniques to help the young person to engage in the process such as, storytelling, drawing and games is also highlighted in this book. O’Reilly et al (2009) have also developed an interesting approach to using CBT with children and young people. They have created a game called â€Å"gNAtenboroughs Island† which is played by the youngster alongside a therapist. Each session introduces another core CBT concept to the young person, such as the connection between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. These are presented in a non-threatening way and also a way that may be more engaging to this age group. Cerangolu (2010) found that video games could enhance the therapeutic experience. They could help facilitate the therapeutic relationship as young people may be more willing to relate to a therapist that is ready to engage and understand their normal way of playing. Also sitting side by side rather than at the conventional â€Å"ten to two† setting also may make the young person relax. How the game is played can also reveal the young person cognitive style. As technology develops so do the opportunities to engage young people in therapy. Apps for smartphones are constantly being developed that allow the young person to access their homework in a more user friendly way, to record their thoughts and emotions instantaneously. To allow them to engage in therapy in the same way that they engage in their life. Homework may be a part of CBT therapy that causes a young person to disengage, especially as the very word may cause them to have negative connotations. Gaynor et al (2006) found that compliance toward completing homework dropped the further into therapy a young person was. It is important that the therapist and client work together to agree the homework and that the young person is encouraged to set their own, as this may encourage a â€Å"buy in â€Å"to its importance. It may be that the therapist stays away from using the language of school and calls it â€Å"practise work† or â€Å"work for self†. Initially I saw CBT treatment as regimented and unmoving, but the more I have researched the barriers that different people may encompass when thinking of embarking on treatment the more I realise that CBT is indeed structured but there is an innate flexibility about how it is delivered. It is this flexibility that allows people from different backgrounds to engage in a CBT approach that sees them as an individual rather than specific disorder.

Questions for Comparative Religions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Questions for Comparative Religions - Assignment Example The most significant of all the similarities is that they both trace their roots from Abraham. Moreover, they both believe in prophets and apostles as God’s massagers. Additionally, they both believe in scriptures as the main reference to what God/Allah needs of humanity. They also believe in the resurrection, as it will be the sure way of living the eternal life (Malik, 2004). Despite both believing in God, Muslims do not believe in heresy that God is in three as God the father, the Son, and Holly Spirit. Moreover, the Muslims Qu’ran, Islamic holy book, strongly rejects Jesus as God. However, they profoundly honor Him as Allah’s prophet. In addition, the Muslims and Christians disagree on death and resurrection of Jesus (Malik, 2004). Muslims do not believe that Jesus being a prophet of Allah could face such a horrific death, as the one Christians believe He did. Finally, these two religions disagree on how believers can escape God/Allah’s judgment. Muslims believe in falah, that is, positive achievement or self-support. On the other hand, ding to the Bible no one is compelling enough for God’s favors; thus, everyone shall be judged according to their deeds (Malik, 2004). It is recorded that Christianity became the most successful religion during this period. This followed numerous deaths that took place during this time (Malik, 2004). Smallpox and measles killed many people in North America, and Christianity took this opportunity to spread their beliefs and faith to the people. It is this time that Spanish catholic priests moves from Europe to North American and managed to convert many people to Catholicism. Betwixt the year 550 and 750, the Mediterranean world, Western Europe, and the Middle East transformed into three main realms including the orthodox Christianity Byzantine Empire, Latin Christendom, and the Islamic caliphate (Malik, 2004). The two former were united through Catholicism. Entirely, all these communities were politically

How Environmental Factors Can Affect the Business Organization Essay

How Environmental Factors Can Affect the Business Organization - Essay Example By 2005, it had over 80 employees and several customers, which ranges from supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and households. The company will be used as a case study to answer the questions in the subsequent paragraphs. Open system approach to organizations An open approach system to organization implies that an organization interacts with its outside environment, which in turn influences the structure and operations of the organization. The fact that an open system interacts with the outside environment implies that an organization is an open system should always adapt to changes in the environment. For a long time, Icy Foods Ltd. has been operating on informal basis judging, by the way, operations are loosely divided into five departments with no clear-cut framework. Moreover, the company used to accept orders with less or no regard to quality or quantity specifications of the product. This lack of organization explains why the company lacked customers from major supermarket chains . The other apparent misgiving that characterized Icy Foods Ltd. is the lack of clear division of labor and specialization. This fact is inherent in the way the company conducts job rotations (Weiner, 2002). Job rotation is not a good concept because it does not give the employees the chance to gain experience in a given line of duty. The fact that the company did not embrace quality and efficiency in its operations negatively affected its business performance. Before the takeover by Megastores Plc., the company had adopted an organic organization structure in managing the various operations. The management, prior to the takeover, operated an open-door policy. The management was keen on hearing employee’s ideas on new products and operational improvements. There was also a flexible approach to handling employees’ issues such as working hours and leave. After the successful takeover, the management came up with a raft of new changes that were more bureaucratic as oppose d to the organic system that the management had used to all along. The company adopted strict operational procedures that all the workers were compelled to follow to the latter. The new management placed much emphasis on operational efficiency, and work was based on performance. Decisions at the company were made unilaterally by the management without any consultations whatsoever, with the stakeholders. The human-resource department was formed to manage the human-resource issues. This bureaucratic approach to management led to high turnover at the organization. Moreover, it resulted in low motivation levels among the employees (Cassidy & Kreitner, 2009). It is worth noting that bureaucratic approach to management of the organization has one critical advantage, which is an improvement of efficiency in operation and management of the resources of the organization. Since the adoption of the bureaucratic leadership style at the organization, the efficiency at the organization has improv ed by a whopping 35%. How environmental factors can affect the business organization The year, 2005-2010 saw several changes in the business environment that adversely affected the business performance of Icy Foods Ltd. The fact that major supermarket chains dominated the ready foods market drove out of the market the smaller retail outlets from a business.  

WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANKRUPTCY CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT Research Paper - 1

WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANKRUPTCY CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT - Research Paper Example The total collapse of WaMu would have been disastrous for the Government. Besides, the FDIC is not in the banking business and a last minute deal was brokered between the Government and JP Morgan Chase. The same day as the takeover, Chase purchased the bank from the FDIC for a little less than two billion and agreed to assume all secured debts, minus equity shareholders. With that Chase became the one of the largest banking firms in the country (Dash). WaMu’s parent company, Washington Mutual, Inc., was left with just twenty-five billion dollars in assets minus liabilities and filed a voluntary petition for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection the very next day, September 26 in its home state of Delaware. The Bankruptcy itself has been an ongoing issue for three years now and is still in litigation. With the FDIC and Chase agreeing with WaMu in principal, the company’s proposal was that seven billion dollars was to be distributed to its creditors. However, the plan was rejected on September 14, 2011 by US Bankruptcy Judge Mary Walrath in Wilmington. Siding with the plaintiffs, she ordered the two sides into mediation. As such the company’s stock plummeted more than seventy per cent in the days following the judge’s ruling. Why then did a bank formerly known as the â€Å"Wal Mart of banking† fail so completely? It was for the same reasons a lot of financial firms fell during the summer and fall of 2008. During most of the first decade of the twenty-first century, credit was cheap and easy to come by. The so-called â€Å"sub-prime† consumers, those with far less than stellar credit, were able to obtain credit cards and home mortgages when they would have probably been turned down any other time. WaMu was almost leading the charge, with its Providian credit card division. It also controlled a likewise now

Tort Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tort Assignment - Essay Example . â€Å"at the cutting edge† of tort law scholarship. (2003) In two distinct and independent areas of law it is a core element in the debate. In relation to mental illness, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder in the wake of the U.K.s involvement in both Iraq and Afghanistan questions of the scope of liability have arisen with energy and imperative. On another level, pure economic loss arguments seeking to extend the potential range of damages have also encountered push back from a floodgates school of legal thought. â€Å"How far can tort liability expand without imposing excessive burdens upon individual activity (or, as some may wish, to what extent should tort rules be compatible with the market orientation of the legal system)?† is a key issue in questions of pure economic loss according to Bussani and Parker. (2003) The following brief discussion will focus briefly on the historical development of this argument. However, the majority of the discussion will focus on the dynamic of the concept in current legal debate and decisions. The story begins with Cardozo in Ultramares Corporation v Touche 174 NE 441 at 444 (1931). With less panache than Prosser his decision 8 years earlier is arguably even more widely quoted, than Prossers introductory quotation: He raised the spectre of the unattractive proposition of exposing defendants to a potential liability "in an indeterminate amount for an indeterminate time to an indeterminate class" IN 1998 the U.K. Law Commission acknowledged that floodgates arguments arise from â€Å"the concern that such a proliferation of claims would clog the court system.† (Law Commission, 1998) Today, particularly in the U.K., Bussani and Parker conclude the floodgate argument to limit liability is â€Å"not only pervasive, but has proved persuasive.† (2003) They provide a valuable typology for pure economic loss in the context of tort liability. They identify transferred loss, Ricochet

The Impact of Nursing Shortage on the Healthcare Industry Research Paper

The Impact of Nursing Shortage on the Healthcare Industry - Research Paper Example Population Aging and Increase Demand of Nurse’s 13 2. Variety of Career Options 13 3. Healthcare Cost Demands 13 4. Financial Assistance 14 5. Work Environment and Workload 14 Research Question 14 Chapter 2: Literature Review 14 Introduction 14 Nursing Staff Shortage and the Hospital Management 15 The Financial Crises and Nurse Shortages 15 Nursing Shortage Solution 16 Future Recommendation 17 Conclusion 18 Chapter 3: Methodology 19 Introduction 19 Evaluation Methods and Tools 19 Reliability and Validity 20 Maintenance of Data Integrity 20 Research Design 22 Research Methods 23 Participants in the Research 24 Obtaining of Permission 25 Chapter 4: Data analysis 26 Introduction 26 Results 27 List of Tables Table 1: Results List of figures Figure 1: Nurses rating based on customer satisfaction Figure 2: National Supply and Demand projections for FTE RNs, 2000 to 2015 Chapter 1: Introduction to the Problem Introduction The shortage of acute care nurses had been one of the primary concerns in the healthcare industry across the world. The issue created a substantial impact on the fitness activities efficiency in hospitals and healthcare centers. Several studies have shown that the nursing graduates entering in the nursing profession and those who are still in the occupation were not enough to facilitate the hospitals and patients. The healthcare professional shortage was one of the chief impediments in the achievement of United Nation’s Millennium Development goals to remove poverty, hunger, improvement of education systems, reduction in morbidity, and mortality as written in the guidelines of the year 2004 that are provided by the international nursing council (Littlejohn, Campbell & Collins-McNeil, 2012). The problem of shortage of acute care nurses had a relation to the past historical staffing, appointment, resources, nursing demand estimation, and nursing concerns for healthcare services of a country. The issue of shortage of nurses was not easily measureable and demands extraordinary planning and requirements. The relative shortages involved the accessibility of qualified and skilled professionals for the vacancy; however, they did not meet other criteria for employment (Dinsdale, 2004). The absolute shortage represents a situation that lacked availability of skilled people for a particular vacancy. The shortages may include the impact of fair consideration, geographical position, retention, and recruitment challenges meeting the replacement demands. The challenges to resolve nurse related issues included coordinated policies and package development to provide long term and sustained solutions (Buchan & Aiken, 2008). The nursing requirement could be fulfilled through the promotion of education as well as by the availability of facilities for the professional nurses to deliver sufficient care to patients. It could further assist in improving the community health and to attract more clients to the healthcare industries. Accord ing to the â€Å"Health Resources and Services Administration† HRSA report (2006) it was expected that the shortage of nurses would elevate up to one million till the year 2020. The

Arab Spring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arab Spring - Essay Example This brief analysis essay will compare some of the positive and negative effects that this Arab Spring has had on Egypt as well as to discuss some of the key changes that have taken place as a result. Firstly, it is this author’s strong belief that the Arab Spring in Egypt has created a fundamentally good thing. Whereas before no level of democratic process typified the way in which the government ruled the people, as a result of the Arab Spring in Egypt, elections have been held, a president has been selected, a constitution drafted, and a representative parliament has been formed. As opposed to before where Mubarak’s dictatorship was a seemingly endless definition of the future of the nation, the people of Egypt are now able to take part in their own right to self determination, sovereignty, and the democratic process (el Faki 1). In this way, the effect of the Arab Spring has been profound in helping a nation to modernize and realize a long held wish that democracy would come to its inhabitants. The cons to such a process of course involve the painful transition to democracy. It is not the argument of this author that such a transition is without it’s drawbacks. Whereas Egypt has been controlled by one form of absolute monarch or dictator for the better part of the past several hundred years, providing a smooth and painless segue into democracy would be all but impossible. As such, some of the cons that have followed the process are the actions of key groups that feel that their rights have not been fully represented to a satisfactory extent within the confines of the democratic system. As such, these individuals have resorted to violence, coercion, and other illegalities as a means of expressing their own unique view. However, as has been stated, such is to be expected within the process of democratization and the untimely end of an

UK gym market and health clubs Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

UK gym market and health clubs - Dissertation Example The current trend in this particular industry focuses on adding boiled food or packed nutritious product in one’s diet. Along with this, there is a clear relation between identified customer segments and their individual propensity to purchase additional products, such as supplements. High-income group members prefer to buy most healthy and expensive products, on the contrary, members of 40 plus age group focus on products which can make their bones strong. Youth that is health conscious concentrates on muscle building products and food supplements. In many of the previous researchers, customer segmentation is discussed with utmost importance but the majority of the researchers neglected to discuss food supplements.On the basis of the above discussion, it can be said that health is increasingly gaining importance in people’s perception. Moreover, it is good and toned body which is attracting people to go to the gym and run on the treadmill. Here, health becomes the seco nd concern and slim and attractive body is a major priority for most of the gym-goers. Also, youth is blindly following this trend and even use some prohibited drugs for muscles building. However, gym and health club industry are increasing health awareness among the people and educating them about health issues. Thus the trend of going to the gym is proving healthy for the entire country as obesity has become a point of concern for the government. In addition to this, people themselves are becoming health conscious.... The changing trends of the market are focusing on improving the health of the nation by making them active. In addition to this the current trend is focusing on improving children’s fitness because child obesity is increasing at alarming rate (Barnett 2011). According to Beale (2011) maintain fitness of the children can prove a very crucial part in health industry as they can learn to maintain good health from very young age. Along with this, they can contribute their part in improving nation’s health. Also, making children healthy makes a complete generation healthy. Current trends in health clubs in London with regard to services offered include triathlon participation, innovation in exercise classes, and dynamic use of exercise equipments, injury and sports medicine facilities. Triathlon based activities include cycling, running and swimming which are now offered in the health clubs. Thus, sports activities are also a new trend in London’s health clubs (BBC Ne ws 2006). According to Llyod (2011) the most important service provided in the gyms and health clubs is exercise. Hence constant innovation in these exercises is required. It includes celebrity endorsed exercise classes and Adidas zone cycling which is a fun and energising workout. In order to promptly uses the exercise equipment, health clubs and gyms are nowadays are dynamically using them. For example, tennis-specific programmes, power plate and bikini workout. Another service trend of health clubs are services of sports medicine professionals and injury specialists. With the help of thee professionals, gym goers can improve their running techniques and recover their injuries. Along with this, they get nutritional advice which aid

Judicial Corruption in the US Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Judicial Corruption in the US - Research Paper Example A censor of the previous judge of the Michigan Supreme Court, Justice Betty Weaver, which was termed as â€Å"a formal censure without any adjudicative proceeding† (Zernik, 2011), for her role in criticizing the judiciary and calling for its reform is a true revelation that corruption has taken strong roots in the US judiciary. Justice Weaver has for long been an advocate of judicial reform in the USA, arguing that corruption has exacerbated to levels that are completely threatening to erode the credibility and confidence in the USA justice system (Zernik, 2011). The USA judicial system is now characterized by discrimination and prejudice, where the richer are favored at the expense of the poor, while the whites are treated different in the interpretation of the law, from the Blacks (Konzy, 2013). Needless to say, the corruption in the USA judiciary started as early as 1803, when the judiciary was barely 15 years old, as can be traced in the ruling of the Marbury vs Madison, i n which the District of Columbia ruled that Marbury as the plaintiff was entitled to his claimed commission, but the ruling further denied him the commission, on the basis that the court did not have jurisdiction to such cases, yet it had previously issued rulings in similar cases and circumstances (Kozy, 2013). It is such precedents that have now become the norm of the current USA judicial system, as can be traced in the recent rejection of an application by the USA Supreme Court, filed by over two million subscribers, seeking to have Comcast Corporation be charged for overcharging the subscribers for far too long, through unfairly eliminating competition (Konzy, 2013). The Supreme Court surprisingly rejected the proposed legal action against the company, on the grounds of technicality, notwithstanding the case entailed an injustice perpetrated against 2 million people. The incidences of corruption in the judiciary have significantly increased, and the system seems to be forming a cartel of judges and lawyers, who collude with wrongdoers to perpetrate these injustices (Zernik, 2011). No wonder that major companies have managed to apply taxation gimmicks to avoid taxation, and have placed the burden on the already suppressed tax payers. Causes of corruption in the USA Judiciary The causes of corruption in the judiciary is the established culture of reshuffles within the judiciary, where the office holders of different official capacities in the judiciary have remained there for long, and the only thing that effectively happens as a change is a reshuffle from one office to the her, creating a fertile ground through which such individuals continue to perpetrate corruption (Cruz, 2013). Further, the ability of the different parties in the judicial system to operate as a cartel has made the culture of corruption in the judiciary continue to breed, considering that the lawyers and the judges who have worked together for many years are now able to establish their ow n system of injustice, through which they can collude to deny victims their justice, while favoring those they feel are responsive to their needs and demands (Cruz, 2013). Finally, corruption in the USA Judiciary has arisen and continued to thrive, courtesy of an increasingly backtracking of the American Nationalism that was

The Boer War Essay Example for Free

The Boer War Essay To what extent did the Boer War change attitudes to Empire in Britain? The British Empire at its peak was considered the greatest empire in the world. It was the empire on which the sun never set. By 1897 it was guarded by a navy that was equal to the navies of two other powers. One newspaper described Britain as being in splendid isolation in that it had no enemies and needed no friends. The presss view on the events relating to the empire was very important. In 1907 Lord Sanderson, Permanent Undersecretary wrote in his retirement It has sometimes seemed to me that a foreigner reading our press the British Empire must appear in the light of some huge giant sprawling over the globe with gouty fingers and toes spreading in every direction which cannot be approached without eliciting a scream. Other examples later show how the press portrayed the majority of public thoughts and reflections on certain issues. In the late Seventeenth Century the Dutch East India Company had formed a trading station in South Africa near the Cape of Good Hope. The poorest members of this community were strongly protestant farmers called treboers or Boers. These pilgrims called themselves Afrikaners, people of Africa and searched for land. They spoke Afrikaans, a modification of Dutch. They were the original foreign settlers in South Africa. These people were unreceptive of Africans as well as Europeans. When travelling to India and the Far East the Cape of Good Hope became an essential naval base. Britain appreciated its importance in Empire relations as it allowed Britain to position herself significantly in order to defend her Empire as well as trade with it. The arrival of the British in South Africa caused a vast amount of tension. The conflict led to the Boers embarking on the Great Trek and setting up two separate states. At that time in South Africa diamonds had been discovered at Kimberley. This mineral revolution led to an influx of people to South Africa to claim their share of the fortune. The European immigrants who worked in the gold and diamond mines, 41,000 of them, mainly British, were deprived of having been granted voting rights from the Transvaal. These Uitlanders (outsiders) were in Paul Krugers (Transvaal President) eyes a tool for manipulation of the British government who were using the issue to end the independence of the Boer Republics. This was a great threat to the fiercely independent Boers who would fail to accept any foreign interference from Britain especially such which would result in a direct threat to their government i.e giving the Uitlanders the right to vote so that as they grow they will become more powerful and pose a political threat. It was this issue that was the immediate cause of the outbreak of the Boer war. There are many causes of the Boer war, which derive from longstanding Anglo-Boer tensions such as in 1834 when the British abolished slavery. This was not accepted by 5,000 Boers who participated in the Great Trek across the Orange and Vaal rivers where they set up the two new Boer states, the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. In 1877 Britain took over control of the Transvaal due to the threat of the Zulus. By 1881 the British had refused to grant independence to the Transvaal despite the Zulu war having ended. Paul Kruger used this to justify an attack on the British in what we now know as the 1st Boer war, which led to a Boer victory at Majuba Hill. The victory led to the partial restoration of independence in agreements of 1882 and 1884. This allowed Britain to supervise foreign policy and to intervene in certain circumstances in domestic matters. The roles of Joseph Chamberlain, the British Colonial Secretary and Alfred Milner, British High Commissioner for South Africa are important in when looking at why war broke out. Joseph Chamberlain, Colonial Secretary, worsened Anglo-Boer relations in the run up to the war. He had notified Kruger that despite what the Transvaal government had understood the agreements signed by the British in the first Boer war had not restored full control over domestic policy to the republic. Chamberlain also appointed a man hostile to the Transvaal Sir Alfred Milner as the British High Commissioner for South Africa and successfully encouraged London not to give long-term loans to the Transvaal. He knew that Transvaal was getting rich and powerful and expressed concerns relating to British interests. Whether Chamberlain wanted war or not his actions were insufficient in being able to stop it. His appointee Milners influence stretched everywhere and he stirred the pot. He placed pressure on the Transvaal government and stretched them to their limits. He did not believe that they were capable of war and greatly underestimated them. Paul Kruger, president of Transvaal saw war as inevitable because his attempts at regaining peace were insufficient for Milner. After Milner rejected Kruger attempts one last time on 9th October 1899 Kruger sent a telegram to British to tell them to move away from their borders. The British ignorant of their potential ignored this and didnt even reply. This cost them dearly. On 11th October the Transvaal launched an attack on the Cape Colony. The British Prime minister said this has relieved us of the task of explaining to the British public why we are at war. Although they knew the real reason was the British refusal to take the Boers seriously and their inability to foresee this event which cost them not only the disrespect of their own people but also the humiliation worldwide. During the early months of the war Britain suffered a series of humiliating defeats at the hands of the Boers. Britains underestimation of the capabilities of the Boers is shown in their failure to ensure that adequate troops and essential supplies of food and ammunition were ready in time for the conflict. The dispatchment of Lord Roberts (Hero of the Indian Mutiny) and Lord Kitchener (Hero of Sudan) was a positive move. It worked so well that by June 1900 British forces were moving swiftly towards victory. Johannesburg and Pretoria had been occupied and Kruger had fled to Europe. The term used in the press that summer was that Britain had been victorious over the bloody Boers. Lord Kitchener and Roberts had retuned. In October 1900 the Unionist government staged the Khaki elections and were victorious over the liberals. It was then to become apparent that the celebrations were premature; the Boers had headed for the countryside where they prepared to fight using guerrilla tactics. By 1901 the Boers had invaded Cape Colony. This provoked Lord Kitchener to return to put them in their place. Kitcheners impact on the Boer war from here on can be described as disastrous in the effect it would happen on the British Empire. His tactics were a huge political blunder and caused massive controversy. His scorch the earth policy, which basically consisted of the burning of farms, crops and villages was outrageous and evil. He used barbed wire fences to divide the country into zones and collected the civilian population into concentration camps. His treatment of them here was appalling and provoked much anger and debate back in Britain where even the most empire loving Englishmen were aghast with his methods. Once the news of the horrors of the concentration camps got back to England it cause massive debate. Pro-Boer liberal MPs were the first to realise Kitcheners blunder in herding women and children into so-called camps of refuge. On the 1st March Lloyd George quoted a Reuters report that correctly described 2 ration scales at the camp. MPs such as John Ellis and C.P Scoot attacked his policy also and they were the ones to borrow the ominous phrase concentration camps from the Spanish who used reconcentrado camps to deal with Cuban guerrillas, and first to give it to the situation. The opponents of the government took a religious and humanitarian tone. The Liberals sent Emily Hobhouse to South Africa to give a report of the conditions. Her report concluded that the army have no humanity and her descriptions of 12 prisoners having to share a small tent and there being no soap, toilets and meagre rations had led the majority to agree with many soldiers that the war was a gigantic mistake . When the British realised the negative reaction to policy adopted by Kitchener to deal with the Boers they offered à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3 million compensation to restore what had been destroyed. A staggering 63,000 claims were received from Boer farmers. This gesture failed to justify the barbaric conduct of Kitchener and his people. The British people accepted peace at Vereeninging without much display of emotion they were more relieved that the humiliation was over. After all 20,000 British lives had been lost and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200 million had been exhausted for the cause. Despite these outrageous figures the Boers had lost more. Something in the region of 7,000 men in the war, 28,000 women and children in concentration camps and more than 14,000 blacks. Therefore there were no wild scenes in Trafalgar Square as usually demonstrated on such occasions as victory in a war. The European rivals Germany and France had witnessed the humiliation which one historian refers to as Britains Vietnam. Britain felt dangerously isolated. The occasion failed to provoke public excitement especially that from Empire-minded Englishmen who would rather forget how the two states, Orange Free State and the Transvaal were acquired. The press, which is often representative of public mood, encouraged people to believe war was for cause of Uitlanders and in H.F.Wyatts opinion the majority of working class also had this view. Socialist press depicted the situation in typically negative accusations towards capitalism and imperialism. There view war that the war was fought so that the government may protect its investments abroad and its was the fault of Joseph Chamberlain who they refer to as an unscrupulous minister and the unscrupulous propagandist Milner. One soldier commented Its the worst war ever and all for Gold mines. This shows that the average person was not confident in the motives for the war and because of this didnt agree with it. Rival foreign nations who had respected Britains peaceful attitudes were now appalled by them. German press emphasised this as the German chancellor, Von Bulow said that Britains treatment of prisoners was brutal and inhuman and the general international view was that Britain was a bully of women and children, and a very inefficient one at that. British people at this time were incredibly patriotic people but after this they could not help but feel ashamed and embarrassed by the dreadful tactics used by their country in their treatment of the Boers. The Boer war damaged the unionist government. Alfred Milner refused to accept responsibility but in 1904 when he agreed with the Rand millionaires to import Chinese labourers to work in South African mines it confirmed the view that war was fought over the gold mines. The British government was more concerned with wealth then rights of Uitlanders. There greed had damaged their image as the righteous and honourable government. The Boer war was an even greater shock to British opinion and virtually brought to an end the brief popular enthusiasm for empire building, which had found expression in the jubilee celebrations of 1897. The war led to the emergence of an anti-imperialist group. Before war empire was seen as a benign force, which would bring civilisation to underdeveloped societies and was appreciated by all types of peoples. After the Boer war imperialism became filled with maverick politicians, capitalist cliques and methods of barbarism. It also became less accepted and those that did accept it were usually thought of as strongly right-winged Conservatives. J. A Hobson says that the imperialists had jeopardised the entire wealth of the nation in rousing strong resentment of other nations for no real gain. His view that the empire was a drain on British resources and was not helping the average British man was widely embraced. The war brought an end to Britains splendid isolation. Its vulnerability had been shown and it now needed friends and had created enemies. As the Boer war revealed the weaknesses of the British Anglo-German relation also deteriorated. British press began to focus less on the Boer war and the issue of the bloody Boers and more on typical propaganda against the Germans using terms such as wild Kaiser. The emphasis on imperial expansion and the great benefits on empire had been reduced. Instead emphasis was placed on the potential threat posed by Germany. Britain insecurity in itself was shown when Boy Scout and Girl Guide movements to encourage military standards in children. British defence was critically analysed after the war and considerable changes had been made. There was considerable re-planning on home defence issues as well as foreign protection of the empire. Things like food and ammunition supplies which had failed to operate efficiently during the Boer war were looked at closely. Free school meals and medical examination in schools were set up. This as well as the setting up of the Territorial Army (TA) to defend Britain in an invasion showed British fear in response to the failure of the Boer war. The concessions showed that the British had felt the negative impact of the Boer war and it had shaken them up and forced them to consider seriously thinking about their safety. Britain was a nation that was thought of as a policeman it was a defender of the weak. After the Boer war and especially the concentration camps that had been used Britain had lost its credibility and the power it once had to give moral lectures. Britain was once a good example to the world, after the Boer war it was still an example but of what not to do and how not to treat other nations.

Assessment Of Community Resource Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Assessment Of Community Resource Management Environmental Sciences Essay This is a community development planning study which examined the resource management capacity of selected barangays given the prevailing mindset of people (i.e. no sense of ownership of local resources), how local organizations worked to effect protection and development of these resources, and how the stakeholders managed these resources. To pursue with this aim, the study covered barangays Ayala, Talisayan, Pamucutan, La Paz, Cawit and Tulungatung west coast of Zamboanga City. It utilized Participatory Resource Appraisal (PRA) in data gathering. Data gathered were subjected to SWOT analysis. Results of the study revealed that the communities resources are so vast and rich which barangay officials cannot manage alone. LGUs have laudable resource management plans that need peoples cooperation to implement. However, people do not participate because they believe this is LGUs sole responsibility. Meanwhile, investors, mostly outsiders, have more access to resources, which some over-utilize and/or pollute with industrial wastes. Results of the study, therefore, indicated a need for barangay officials and the people to build their capacity to effectively manage community resources through collaborative efforts in all stages of development. Thus, the study recommended a resource management action planning to be participated in by both barangay officials and sector representatives. Introduction Natural resources are the foundation from which the rural poor can overcome poverty. (Ferrer, et al, 1996). However, in a country like the Philippines which is noted for its rich and vast natural resources, it is a paradox that poverty continues to reign especially among rural folks. Although poverty alleviation and sustainable development are components of Philippine government programs, planning has been concentrated at the higher echelon of government bureaucracy leading to a top down approach which fails to attain participation of concerned communities leaving no feeling of ownership in the programs implemented. Local level participation and grassroots initiatives are key elements in any community resource management effort. (Ferrer, et al. 1996). One of the approaches which placed emphasis on community involvement in management of resources and social justice is community-based coastal resource management. Community-based Coastal Resource Management (CBCRM) is one of the most significant approaches used because of its emphasis on both natural resources and social justice. Its roots come from two strains of civil society movements in the Philippines, namely: environmental conservation and human rights. It undertakes Community Resource Management in the context of community transformation by ensuring social and economic equity, holistic and integrated management, and sustainable livelihood and development. Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) is one of the most important manifestations of true decentralization as it relates to control of rural resources. CBNRM programs, if successful, can be models of local empowerment, imbuing communities with greater authority over the use of natural resources. Under the right circumstances, they can also bring important benefits to poor people and poor communities (Holmes Cooper, 2005). The ECSOM (Ecosystem-Based Community-Centered Sustainable Development Organization and Management) proposed by the Maximo Kalaw Institute for Sustainable Development, is also one such community-based sustainable development framework. ECSOM provides the local government and other sectors, the framework for designing and instituting programs for economic development and poverty alleviation, and affirms what is already provided for in the 1987 Constitution and Local Government Code of 1991 (Roxas S.K., 2007). A study is deemed necessary in establishing an ecosystem-based community-centered sustainable development organization and participatory management preparatory and pre-feasibility phase. As such, emphasis is put on expanding participation beyond consultation. It is making the people not mere data sources but also involving them in the process of data gathering and in building their aspirations, needs and abilities toward a just, equitable and sustainable future for all. On this principle was this study anchored, as conducted in barangays Ayala, Talisayan, Pamucutan, Lapaz, Cawit and Tulungatung which form the ECSOM cluster in the west coast of Zamboanga City. Method The study covered the whole communities of the six barangays in the west coast of Zamboanga City, as the main subjects of the study. Specifically, it mobilized the following stakeholders from each community: barangay officials represented by the Chairperson, Kagawads and Sangguniang Kabataan, the Barangay Health Workers, Day Care Workers, Purok leaders and PO leaders, and representatives of sectors such as; farmers, fisherfolks, women, youth and factory workers. The study used primarily the Participatory Resource Appraisal (PRA) procedure that enabled participants to unravel and analyze their situation, and in acting/planning on their own. The PRA is an approach that evolved from a series of qualitative multidisciplinary approach to learning about local-level conditions and local peoples perspective including agro ecosystem analysis (IBRD/WB, 1998). It seeks to generate knowledge and then to use that knowledge to empower the participants as they create solutions to the problems they face. Outcomes are focused not only on the creation of that change, but also on individual and group empowerment, and the creation of a heightened sense of self-esteem through ownership of the process and the solution (Palloff, 1996, p. 47). Secondary data were also collected and analyzed to generate the barangay profiles and served as input to the development planning process. Four phases marked the assessment process. (1) emergence and development of research design which was inspired and influenced by the Ecosystems-Based Community Centered for Sustainable Development Organization and Management (ECSOM); (2) pre-study consultation with respective officials and stakeholders of concerned communities to present the proposed study and agree as to its purpose, scope and coverage, and to generate commitment of stakeholders to participate in the process; (3) mobilization and engagement which entailed the formation and orientation of the PRA team. The actual data collection used PRA tools (resource mapping, social services mapping, production flow chart, seasonality diagram, organizational matrix, historical transect, pie chart of household income and expenditure) facilitated through workshops and focused-group discussions conducted in the six barangays with the people as partners in data collection and analysis. Analysis of data was done on the spot by local re search participants during the presentation of workshop outputs that provided opportunity for checking and feedback, triangulation of findings from three (3) sources (e.g. workshops, focus group discussion and interview with identified key informants, and secondary data) to determine trends and priorities, subjecting data gathered to SWOT analysis, and conducting of consolidation workshops and data validation; and (4) action planning which was a two-pronged process of (a) strategic planning that resulted in the formulation of the 3-year development plan and 1-year investment plan of the barangays consolidated as a cluster plan for the 6 barangays; and (b) institution building which included formation of a viable organizational structure required to operate and implement the cluster plan, complete with vision and mission. Based on the conceptual flow of the study, the primary source (input) in data gathering was the production sectors in the community which included the agricultural and fishery sectors as well as the local government, community-based people organizations, non-government organizations, and the business sector. The data gathered from the participants were used to determine the state of resource management practice of the community in terms of availability, access, utilization and sustainability. Results In order to determine the community resource management capacity of the six barangays, results of the assessment were classified as follows: (a) natural resource (specifically pertaining to the main production sectors i.e. agriculture, fishery and forest resources); (b) basic social services; (c) community infrastructure; and (d) organizational management/ governance. Results of the study revealed a vast and rich natural resource base for the six barangays which comprises of the production sectors such as agriculture and fishery. About a 30-kilometre shoreline traverses the coastlines of barangays Ayala, Cawit and Talisayan a primary source of fish, lobsters and other marine products for small-scale fishermen. It provides great economic opportunities for both local and foreign investors who engage in fishing, canning, box and tin can production, and fish mill operations, all of which provide ample income to some residents and outsiders. Small-scale fishermen, both resident and non-residents of the area have lesser access to fish resources as their fishing technology are no match to the big boats of commercial fishers. Furthermore, they have now to go far out at sea as there are hardly any fishes near the shorelines due to water pollution by industrial wastes. In terms of resource utilization, while large-scale fishers do it for commercial purpose s, small-scale fisher folks do it primarily for subsistence, and whatever extra, they sell (See Table 1). Sustainability of marine resources is challenged by pollution due to dumping of untreated industrial wastes into the sea, and by oil spill from factories. On the other hand, dynamite fishing destroys coral reefs fingerlings. Similarly, the use of fish nets by small-scale fishermen, does not also spare fingerlings, resulting in decreased volume of fishes in the area. Both commercial and small-scale fishers do not heed an existing ordinance on fish ban during the breeding months from October to December. Table 1 Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Marine Resources Accessed by both big commercial boats owned mostly by foreigners and their Filipino partners; and by marginal fishermen, both residents and non-residents of the area. For fish canning to supply local and foreign markets. For subsistence and small-scale sale of fishes by marginal fishermen. Community Resource Management Capacity (Marine Resources) Approximately, a total of 182 hectares of rich agricultural land are devoted to rice-farming in the low-lying barangays of Ayala, Cawit and Talisayan. Upland barangays of La Paz, Pamucutan and Tulungatung have rich agricultural farms that produce rice, vegetables, fruits, poultry, and cock. These farms employ tenant farmers and farm laborers. La Paz and Pamucutan are engaged in large-scale production of vegetables and other high-value crops. Continuous skills and technology development in these modes of agricultural production are provided by the Department of Agriculture. Earnings and income generated from a 50-hectare farm is estimated at Php100, 000 per harvest (See Table2). The cluster produces sufficient rice supply to the residents of the six barangays. Large areas (in hectares) are devoted to rice farming in the following barangays: Talisayan 180, Tulungatung 115, Pamucutan 100 and Ayala 40. However, the utilization of the potentials of the agricultural land resource is not maximized as harvest is only twice a year. Sustainability-wise, majority of the farmers do not use organic fertilizer and insecticides and still rely on chemical-based ones. Moreover, some farmers complain of lack of post-harvest facilities. Others have difficulty in bringing products to the market due to poor road condition, giving chance for middlemen or compradors to buy farm products from farmers at very low price, almost 1/3 of the market price. Kaingin system, which is still being employed in some areas, endangers the soils richness while illegal cutting of trees in forest areas to supply the box factory and for charcoal making of Talisayan, has led to soil erosion and subsequent siltation in rivers, endangering the supply of water in irrigation systems (See Table 2). Table 2 Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Agricultural Resources (Agricultural lands, irrigation) Accessed largely by local people. Employs local people as tenants or farm hands. Vegetable, fruit, rice, poultry and cock farms for subsistence and commercial purposes. Community Resource Management Capacity (Agricultural Resources) Two (2) major rivers the Dumalon and Sas rivers supply water to the irrigation systems of Cawit, Tulungatung, Ayala, Talisayan, and Pamucutan. These rivers and their tributaries, aside from being source of irrigation water, also provide good quality sand and gravel a source of a quarrying business thriving in the area by outside investors (See Table 3). However, unregulated sand and gravel quarrying, coupled with cutting of trees in forests, has resulted in soil erosion and erosion of river banks and subsequent siltation. This condition has resulted in flooding in adjacent barangays prompting fishpond owners, in Cawit particularly, to complain. Aggravating the situation is the dumping of garbage in rivers by some residents. A potential proposed mining exploration can pollute the water. Moreover, a proposed mining exploration in the area poses an additional threat to rivers through chemical pollution. Table 3 Community Resource Management Capacity (Rivers) Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Rivers (with good quality sand and gravel) (Common resource of the six barangays) Some barangay people and some industries have access to forest resources and wildlife Sand and gravel accessed by outside investors. Provide water for farm irrigation and for household, commercial and industrial use. Sand and gravel quarrying for business purposes by non-resident investors. The Ayala watershed consists of 102 hectares, with 277.46 hectares of close canopy area, 217 hectares of plantation forest, 1.93 hectares residual forest, 663 hectares cultivated area, and 11.14 hectares open grass land. There is an existing agreement between the city government and DENR for the protection and conservation of the Ayala watershed that provides potable water to the whole of Zamboanga City. On the other hand, La Paz watershed is protected and preserved through the presence of the WMSU College of Forestry and Environmental Studies WMSU experimental project which covers 1,277 hectares planted to indigenous trees. But local people access and illegally cut trees, including bacawan trees, basically for building houses and other similar structures, without reforestation. There is also rampant cutting of trees to supply raw materials for the box factory in Talisayan. Noticeably some forest areas are gradually denuded. The number of wild animals like deer, wild pigs, monkeys, tarsiers and birds is increasingly decreasing due to continuous hunting by local residents and those from neighboring areas like Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. There is no barangay ordinance to regulate the activity. Table 4 Community Resource Management Capacity (Forest, Watershed, Wildlife) Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Forest trees and wildlife Occupied by farmers under stewardship program. Landowners and local populace have access to forest resources. Residents and non-residents have access to wildlife resources. Farmers raise vegetables. Landowners cut down trees for construction. Wildlife hunted for food by residents and non-residents. Ayala -La Paz Watershed Protected area Source of potable water for commercial, industrial and domestic use. Although the rich mineral resources in some barangays remain untapped, there is a proposal of a mining company do to mining exploration in Baluno and La Paz covering around 5-7 hectares. Residents strongly oppose the proposal having experienced the effects of mining done by Zambales Mining at La Paz ten years ago. Ayala farmers were also affected because they were not able to plant for almost ten years. There are still remains of poisonous substances in the riverbeds due to the Zambales mining operations more than a decade ago. Today, some residents engage in camote mining (small-scale) for subsistence (See Table 5). Table 5 Community Resource Management Capacity (Forest) Community Resource Base Resource Available Access Utilization Mineral Resources (e.g. gold, copper, zinc, manganese and ore found in La Paz and Pamucutan) Access is limited to residents in the area who engage in small-time mining activities or camote-mining. To meet subsistence needs. Social services found in the six barangays, mandated of barangays local government units (BLGU), are day care services, elementary and secondary schools, health center, barangay hall, church or masjid, and cemetery. Health services are available 24/7 although some medical facilities are lacking. Basic education is well-provided in the six barangays, with only two barangay high schools serving the whole cluster. The main problem of these schools is inadequate school facilities. Various organizations present in the barangays which offer microfinance facilities are KFI, TAYTAY, Ayudahan and ASA. Land Bank itself gives up to Php300, 000-loan to farmer coops. Loans are availed of in order to finance family enterprise or to subsidize rice farming inputs. However, due to poverty, loan proceeds are sometimes used to buy basic necessities. But the sadder thing is that others spend on vices (See Table 6). Table 6 Community Resource Management Capacity (Basic Social Services) Community Basic Resource Resource Available Access Utilization Health Generally accessible to residents thru barangay health centers, lying-in clinic in Ayala and wellness center in La Paz, which operate 24/7. However, not very accessible to residents of La Paz and Pamucutan due to distance and lack of transporation. High utilization. Education Pres-school and elementary education are available in all six barangays. Secondary education available only in Ayala and Talisayan. In La Paz, households are dispersed making it difficult for children to attend school due to distance. School children avail of educational facilities. Credit facilities Several microfinance facilities operating in the area (KFI, MEMPCO, TAYTAY, Ayudahan and ASA) Land Bank gives up to Php300, 000-loan to farmer coops. For family enterprise or to subsidize rice farming inputs; some spend proceeds to buy basic necessities; others, on vices. As mandated, all the six barangays have their respective elected Barangay Councils. Government line agencies as well as instrumentalities of the city government do their part in addressing the basic services needs of the populace. Community-based organizations are also operating in the area such as womens organizations, farmers associations, and youth associations, sustainability of which are challenged by the fact that these are mostly leader-driven. The local catholic church exerts a degree of influence in the affairs of these communities. A number of non-government organizations also implement projects in these which offer free medical services and housing projects, to name a few. Local and national line agencies of the government also provide services to the barangays. Likewise, the Zamboanga City Water District and the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative also extend their services (See Table 7). Table 7 Community Resource Management Capacity (Operational Management And Governance) Resources Available Access Utilization Sustainability Office of the Barangay Council per barangay Line agencies: DepEd, DOLE, PNRC, PCSO, DAR, DSWD, CSWDO, PNP, FD, CAO, CEO, others. Most accessible structural resource to all constituents Utilized by people for settlement of disputes; emergency assistance; issuance of certificates; and making impartial decisions on barangay affairs. Barangay officials readily available. There is a need to strengthen their capacity to manage and regulate utilization of community resources thru ordinances and resolutions. NGOs/Pos People in communities have access to membership in POs. People have access to services offered by NGOs in the area like Gawad Kalinga, Glee Club, Kasanyangan Foundation, Inc. (KFI), Tzu Chi Foundation and USAID Equals. Community people take advantage of the services and technical assistance offered by NGOs and POs like housing projects and loan grants. Usually, these organizations are leader-driven. Not fully functional as leaders are lacking in capacities. Organizations need continuous capacity building. Only few members sustain their membership. The six barangays covered by the study have some if not all of the basic community infrastructures. The barangays have their respective Barangay Halls or Barangay Offices. Multi-purpose covered courts are also available in these barangays which were constructed inside school campuses and others in donated lands. Barangay Ayala specifically has a mini-gymnasium where public events and activities are oftentimes held. Other community infrastructures available in these barangays are the buildings which house the health centers, day care centers and the schools. Discussion The study revealed the existence a vast and rich community resource base in the clustered barangays, particularly, natural resources. But the people remain generally poor. Some benefit from industries through employment, but this is seasonal. Results of the study also indicated that the communities have lesser access to some resources than outsiders; and that they are not able to manage their natural resources effectively, leaving outside investors to bring havoc to these resources through pollution and over-utilization. Barangay local government units admit they have to formulate more ordinances to protect the resources, while, existing ordinances are hardly implemented. Meanwhile, the rape of the environment flourishes. Clearly, the damage wrought by industries outweighs the benefits from their ventures, especially on the long-term. Although local people have high access to agricultural lands, farmers are beset with lack of farm facilities and needed infrastructure. Infrastructure is known to be the economys backbone. Power and water supply, transportation and communication systems are all important elements in peoples quest to improve their quality of life. Overcoming poverty means individual and collective empowerment, strengthening productive and income generating capacities and increasing opportunities. This requires a clear understanding of the activities of poor people and of the natural, social, economic and political environment in which they live. It also requires supportive policies, institutions, services and investment (IFAD, 2006). The study also revealed that the barangay LGUs have very good resource management plans. However, these remain unimplemented. Given the vastness of the clusters resources, and considering the extent of the adverse effects of inappropriate resource utilization both by residents and non-residents of the barangays, local officials certainly cannot do it alone. This political exercise necessitates the involvement of prime stakeholders the people, even at the planning stage. It also necessitates concerted effort among the six barangays who are intertwined by the ecosystem. Community based resource management is not only about communities taking on the mechanical management responsibilities. It also requires involving communities in all stages of making decisions about the nature and direction of development and conservation (Mekong Wetlands Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use Programme, 2004). However, the study indicated that majority of local folks remain passive about their role in managing community resources. To them, this is the sole responsibility of government officials. Thus, there is a need for a two-way paradigm shift: (a) for local officials to encourage people participation even at the planning stage of development initiatives, based on local officials mandate (1991 Local Government Code); and (b) for local people to understand and appreciate their vital role in purposively planning and managing their resources for maximum access and sustainability. Cognizant of these imperatives, the participants of the study proceeded with the formulation of the Three-Year Development Plan and the One-Year Investment Plan. The planning activity was an exercise in community-based resource planning that involved the representatives of the various sectors of the community together with local officials who participated in the study, as inspired by ECSOM and as recommended by the study team. The cluster members likewise institutionalized their plans by forming the cluster organization called the Alyansa de Costa Oeste Para Progreso Y Prosperidad, and created committees to pursue the identified priority projects. The biggest challenge now that confronts the clustered communities is how to sustain the momentum and achieve their goals.

how climate change affects MISC Berhad

how climate change affects MISC Berhad The aim of this report is to identify the effects of climate change towards MISC Berhad. MISC berhad is a company renowned for its shipping services throughout the world. As one of the biggest firms in Malaysia, MISC has a reputation to maintain as not only as one of the longest shipping companies established, but also one of the largest shipping company in the world. Without a doubt, climate is a crucial issue in the present and also the upcoming future. Due to the effects of climate change, mankind itself is at risk to hazardous and even fatal threats. The world has come united to find ways to reduce emissions of developed or developing countries to the minimal as possible, like in the Copenhagen Summit. None the less, Malaysia took minor but meaningful steps like the no plastic bag days in selected states in the country. The four bottom lines were used to evaluate the performance of MISC Berhad. To counter the ever changing needs, MISC Berhad implements economic and financial bottom line, social, environmental and corporate governance bottom line to fill the needs and ensure its survival in the industry. Through group brainstorming, it would be assumed that MISC Berhad would be affected by climate change in various aspects. Pressure from external forces, a decrease in total sales, delay of shipping time, the well-being of employees on board the ship and an increment in cost are problems the company would face through climate change. The problems would be ranked through K.T. Situational Appraisal which would in turn result in knowing the main problem, which in this case is the pressure from external forces. The the duncker diagram, KT Problem Analysis and Decision Analysis was then prepared in accordance to the main problem. As the climate differs from time to time, MISC Berhad would need to prepare itself for the threats faced and ensure that problems would be of minimal impact to the company. MISC Berhad would need to eradicate the pressure from external forces to keep a good reputation in hand. The company would report its status to the stakeholders on a timely basis and make necessary amendments to the company to further enhance its performance. The company should also practice environmental friendly activities within the company and not only reduce its carbon footprint of its operations.The report also further discusses some solutions to the main problem face by MISC berhad, where MISC Berhad should negotiate with the WWF and other environmentalist organizations to reach an applicable and practical solution to the carbon footprint left by the company to mother earth. Table of Contents Topic Introduction 1.1 Bottom lines a. Economic and Financial b. Social c. Environmental d. Corporate Governance Background Issues Problem Statement and Ranking Selection Solutions Rationale Recommendation Conclusion References Appendices 1.0 Introduction The idea of this report is to study how climate change is impacting on MISC Berhad and how MISC Berhad is responding to the changes. MISC Berhad was integrated in 1968 as Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad and is the top international shipping line of Malaysia (MISC Berhad 2010. It is currently the third largest shipping corporation in the world by market capitalization (MISC Berhad 2010). From being merely a shipping line in 1968, MISC has become a fully integrated maritime, offshore floating solutions, heavy engineering and logistics services provider (MISC Berhad 2010). Now, with a modern and well-diversified task force, MISC provides steadfast, safe, well-organized and competitive shipping services both locally and internationally. MISCs vision is to be a global champion in the provision of logistics services and supply chain solutions (2004 MISC Integrated Logistics Sdn Bhd). In addition, its goal is to entirely service its customers global oil transport requirem ents. Lately climate change has taken a first-time turn in the recent past. Global warming has caused climate change due to the increase of average earth temperature in accordance of what is known as the greenhouse effect. As the greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere the Earth gets hotter (Young People Trust for the Environment). In addition to that, Televisions, lights and computers use electricity that is created mainly from burning coal. Every time we switch on a light we are adding to the greenhouse effect (Young People Trust for the Environment). Due to the climate change, protecting the environment in which the ships operate is vital. The company are conducting tests for use of a new hull coating system to reduce emissions that will pollute the environment (Impressions of AET 2009). Oil spill training was organised to aware them of the oil spill awareness. 1.1 Bottom Line a. Economic and Financial MISC berhad reports its companys cash flow and financial statuses through a series of statements which are available in the annual report. The company recorded an operating profit of RM1, 914.4 million from RM2, 585.7 from year of 2008. Data shows that the company suffered a reduction in profit of RM671.3 million which is equivalent to 26% against the profit of year 2008. MISC berhad reports that this loss was mainly caused by the loss in the Integrated Linear Logistics segment (MISC Annual Report 2009). MISC would be affected economically and financially by climate change as MISC is a shipping company and serious weather alterations would greatly impact on shipping schedule and arrival of shipments. Customers of MISC would be in risk of having important deliveries arriving on a delayed period where not only would MISC suffer a loss of profit, but also the customer would be losing valuable resources which are in need. Consumers of MISC`s services would have unsatisfactorily deny usage of the company`s service as due to climate change, consumers would rather use companies of nearer distance or even opt to pay more for on time deliveries. MISC might lose credible customers and thus be reduced of profit to the company. Knowing the risks involved in the climate changes occurring, MISC can opt for the transporting vehicles used to be upgraded to a faster speed to reduce travelling period. MISC can also consider using eco-friendly upgrading to further ensure reduced problems in the future as the transportation used by the company consumes a high capacity of fuel which will in turn harm the environment. b. Corporate Social Responsibility The social bottom line pays concern on the effects of every action taken by a company towards the society welfare (Elkington 2005). CSR is about the interaction of the corporation with the legal and social obligations of the societies in which it operates, and how it accounts for those obligations (WBCFD 2010). MISC had built the youth development which focuses on education that related to their core business and personal development. Moreover, MISC had built a maritime training academy which is known as Akademi Laut Malaysia (ALAM) to ensure that youth have the skilled and competent personnel as well as to stay on course towards becoming a leading maritime nation. Furthermore, MISC also provided sponsorship for students to further their education for both locally or overseas. Consequently, MISC are also caring for their corporate citizen as to create avenue for their personnel. c. Environmental d. Corporate Governance The Board of Directors of MISC Berhad is devoted in ensuring the highest standards of corporate governance are practise throughout the MISC Berhad Group (MISC Berhad Annual Report 2009). The Board fully supports the principles of Corporate Governance as laid down in the Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance. Corporate Governance is the key to achieve competent and high quality shipping operations that delivers quality to customers and stakeholders (MISC Berhad Annual Report 2009). The Board of Directors of public listed companies are required to maintain a sound system of internal control to safeguard shareholders investment and the Groups assets (MISC Berhad Annual Report 2009). Additionally, the company is coping with low global demand and reductions in trade volume (MISC Berhad Annual Report 2009). They will find out new value-added services and realign its business strategies in the non-energy section to improve its position in the coming year (Impressions of AET 2009). The business keeps its shareholders and other stakeholders informed of its decision making process by defining risk parameters and standards guided by the corporate objective (Impressions of AET 2009). This is to maximise long term shareholders value at the same time as meeting the needs of the customers, employees and all related stakeholders. 2.0 Background Issues The main issue discuss by our group is the pressure from the external force followed by less profit generated due to decrease in sales and shipping time delayed. The green organizations are established to give limits and encourage companies to reduce their emissions that can harm the environment. Thus, this is one of the pressures from the external force that can be able to influence the customers perspectives. For example, WWF will notify the company to reduce shipping activities due to the emission of CO2 and if no action is taken, the company would face serious hardship. As the world is working towards saving the environment, there will fewer purchases on petroleum, coal that will harm the environment. If certain companies would want to save the environment and prevent less of climate change that drastic, this will affect MISCs sales too. This will cause a fall in the number of sales. Thirdly, the shipping time to reach its destination might be delayed. The melting of polar ice causes sea level rises which makes more difficult for the ship to harbor. The company might want to be prepared for the extreme and highly variable environmental conditions, principally in the Southern Ocean, for example (Impacts of Climate Change on the Maritime Industry Conference 2008). 3.0 Problem Statement Ranking Solution According to the K.T situational appraisal (Appendix 1), it ranks the problem by their importance (Fogler LeBlanc 2008). In this case, the top ranked issue of climate change that affect MISC is the pressure from external force such as WWF and IMO. According to WWF Malaysia (2010), they recognises that the role of Business and Industry (BI) as catalysts to reduce the CO2 emission and may at best become part of the solution to CO2 reduction. Therefore, this will directly affected the MISC as WWF aims to engage with BI in working towards changing practices as a solution to climate change. For IMO (2009), work on prevention of air pollution and control of greenhouse gas emissions from ship engaged in international trade is their main objective. Secondly, the issue for MISC would be the sales decreased. This is due to the production of petroleum and chemical is the cause of climate changed, thus it will force to reduce the production and directly affected the sales of MISC. Moreover, the third ranked problem is the shipping time delayed as the sea level had increase due to the ice melting in the North Pole lead vessel difficult to anchor safely. The forth ranked issue is the safety of employees as the natural disaster could cause in danger situation during shipping time. Lastly, the fifth ranked problem for MISC is the cost increased as they need to build more advances mechanism for their ships that has clean emission. K.T. Problem Analysis (Appendix 2) is one of the most useful tools in troubleshooting an operation (Fogler LeBlanc 2008). The major problem is the pressure from external force but is not from the internal force. The distinction is the WWF put pressure on MISC as the emission from shipping caused air pollution which is the WWFs concern. The problem occurred globally but not only happened in Malaysia. The reason is the emission of CO2 is not confined by territorial borders but in the atmosphere. The problem occurs when shipping activities are operating on the ocean but not anchor on the harbour. However, shipping activities is the main business for MISC. The extent of the problem is the related to the business field which produce CO2 lead global warming but not the business field that doesnt affect the climate change. The distinction is able to track and control the amount of CO2 that emitted. From the Duncker diagram (Appendix 3), the top problem for MISC is the pressure from external forces. If okay to solve the problem, the solution would be the try to fulfil WWFs concern by reducing the shipping activities. Besides that, it can negotiate with the external force which is to make agreement with the IMO or WWF. Moreover, MISC can change the major transportation from shipping to submarine or airplane. On the other hand, if it is not okay to solve the problem, the solution can be increase the corporate social responsibility by sponsoring for environmental campaign. Furthermore, it also can try to fulfil other stakeholders by providing better service for customers. 4.0 Solutions As the main issues is the pressure from the external force, less profit generated due to decrease in sales and shipping time delayed. The suggested solutions to encounter the pressure from the external force would be trying to fulfill WWFs concern by reducing shipping activities or negotiate with WWF to come out with an agreement. In addition, upgrading the tanker that can reduce the emissions of gas will be another suggested ways. On top of that, to maintain the profit, the company would have to lower the price of the petroleum as it would be less expensive compared to an alternative ways that is less harmful to the environment. Lastly, the company would have to upgrade the tanker engine and set up branch companies in overseas land. This mean they would have the storage there and then, so whenever there is orders nearby it could be deliver as soon as possible. 5.0 Rational Recommendation After deliberation and a further understanding of the company`s needs, our group would recommend MISC Berhad to negotiate and reach a consensus with the IMO. Besides that, MISC Berhad should also put its involvement in caring for the environment as one of its major priorities. Our group also recommends the shipping company to place a larger sum of its revenue into research to reduce the current level of emissions given out by the company`s operations. These steps would aid MISC berhad to have peaceful and good remarks from multiple major environmentalist organizations as the company has taken a huge leap into achieving an eco-friendly company. It would build a reputable name for the company and it would also be seen as a pioneer of shipping companies which took the first steps into reaching an environmental goal. 6.0 Conclusion

The Gap Between Reading and Writing :: Education, Reading, Writing

There are many forms of assessment but writing is the primary basis upon which a child’s work will be judged and Jennings, Caldwell and Lerner (2010) made emphasis that teachers should focus on writing because reading and writing are intertwined and is used to construct meaning (pg. 338). It becomes important for teachers to teach writing because it is a form of expression of self. We learned in earlier chapters that readers construct meaning as they read likewise Jennings, Caldwell and Lerner (2010) informed that writers construct meaning as they create text (pg. 338). Fortunately, there are a numbers of strategies for children with reading and writing problems. I agree with Jennings, Caldwell and Lerner (2010) when they made mention to the fact that children tend to enjoy writing when writing is relevant to their own lives (pg. 341). Therefore I would implement independent writing to get my students instructing them to write about themselves in the area of family, food, culture, or music. At other times I would also allow them to choose their own topics. Jennings, Caldwell and Lerner (2010) referred to this strategy as an effective way to promote writing (pg. 341). Encouraging students to share their work builds self-esteem and give them confidence to want to write more. These activities also improve reading skills. They need to organize thought and think about the information they need to include in their writing. Jennings, Caldwell and Lerner (2010) advised that it is important to check if thoughts are communicated properly, are the tho ughts in order and if grammar and punctuations are used effectively (pg. 343). I have seen students using the teachers’ writing as help for their own work therefore I would also use model writing to promote writing. Jennings, Caldwell and Lerner (2010) pointed out that as students get more knowledgeable they rely less on the teachers input (pg. 344). To differentiate the connection of reading and writing first involves looking at the readiness and interest of students. The skill level and background information along with topics that will peak interests and increase motivation are essential to reading and writing. I would pay close attention to the topics I select for my students. I agree with Jennings, Caldwell and Lerner (2010) on their observation that students are more eager to write when they choose their own topic that is of interest to them.

Presentation of Black Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee :: Free Essay Writer

Presentation of Black Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ‘To kill a Mockingbird’ is a story by Harper Lee. It is about Racial Segregation and the supernatural, it is based in a time and in a place that was very racist, where people put White trash above good black people. It is based in Maycomb, (It is a small town created by Harper lee the author of the book. In the book it describes the town as small and old, and it says the day seems more than 24 hours because everything moves slower there. This town is actually based on the author’s hometown, Monroeville, Alabama.) Alabama, in the 1930’s. This essay will discuss to you about all the main black characters in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and how they are presented in this story, it will be focusing mainly on the following black characters: Tom Robinson (the man who is on trial in this story.), Calpurnia and Reverend Sykes. I will also talk about how the book was based in the depression, and how in that time, the blacks were good law-abiding people, but yet they were still treated as second class citizens. In the story Calpurnia or ‘Cal’ is presented as a very intelligent black person, she is educated (she can read) for one, and she is a good person at heart as well, and also she has Atticus’s respect. And also as we see in the book she leads an almost ‘double life’ when she is among the Finch family and other white people she speaks proper English, but when she is among her own people she speaks using a lot of slang and cuts words short. for example: sure enough, she says sho’ nuf’. She is also the mother of Zeebo; a full grown man who is married and reads out the sermons at church. She also acts as a motherly figure in (as she is always there; she cooks for the Finch family.) Scout’s life and they have a love-hate relationship, until scout starts school, and then it eases a little. In an argument with Aunt Alexandra, Atticus also insists that Calpurnia is part of the family. Also in the story is Tom Robinson he is presented as a good person with a pure heart, he is a sharecropper on a cotton farm, and each day on his way home he passes the Ewell household, I believe he is also brave because he accepted his fate; all human beings must die sooner or later, not many people I know would accept that. He also has his

Bioterrorism and Plague Essay -- Biological Terrorism Terrorist Homela

Bioterrorism and Plague Plague, also known as Yesirnia pestis, has wreaked havoc since the first documented outbreak in the 6th century, along with changing the course of history. Although bubonic plague is the most common form of plague, pneumonic plague is the more fatal form of the bacteria. It is the only form that has been successfully aerosolized by man and has the potential of taking down a mass of people in days. If used as a bioweapon, it would cause major damage. This paper is designed to inform you of the history, the facts, and the precautions needed to prevent a bioterrorist attack. In 1970, The World Health Organization estimated that 50 kg, or 110 lb, of Y. pestis sprayed over a city would infect 150,000 individuals and kill about 40,000 (Grey, p.218). Throughout history, there have been plague epidemics that have killed thousands of people. From the Athenian plague starting in 430 B.C. to the famous Black Death in 1346, people from all over the world have been caught in chaos with insufficient treatments and no reliable way of preventing this horrible disease from spreading. Today, vast medical advancements have yielded successful treatments for the plague, but people are still highly susceptible to widespread disaster if a bioterrorist attack does manage to occur. In 430-26 B.C. during the Peloponnesian War, which was fought between Sparta and Athens, overcrowded conditions in the cities allowed plague to spread quickly. It claimed tens of thousands of victims including Pericles, the former leader of Athens. We know of this outbreak because of the last remaining source: Thucydides in his History of the Peloponnesian War (Smith, p. 1). Having been through the plague himself, Thucydides described the symptoms w... ...5. Arizona Dept. of Health Services. 8 July 2005 â€Å"FAQ About Plague.† 2005 CDC. 5 April 2005. www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/plague/faq.asp Med TV. â€Å"Bubonic Plague Symptoms.† 2006. MED TV. 11 Oct. 2006. www.plague.emedtv.com/bubonic-plague-symptoms.html Henderson, Donald; Inglesby, Thomas and O’Toole, Tara. Bioterrorism. Chicago: American Medical Association, 2002. Inglesby, Thomas and Dennis, Davis. â€Å"Plague as a Biological Weapon.† Medical and Public Health Management. 2000. JAMA. 3 May 2000. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/283/17/228/ â€Å"Natural History.† Plague. 2005. CDC. 30 March 2005. http://cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/plague/history.htm#100 Mayoclinic. â€Å"Plague.† Health Library. 1998-2008. Mayo Clinic. 1 Sept. 2006. www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/OQ493.html Grey, Michael and Spaeth, Kenneth. â€Å"Plague.† The Bioterrorism Sourcebook. The McGraw-Hill Companies: US. 2006.

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Four

â€Å"Trust Bonnie to meet a cute guy on her first day at col ege,† Elena said. She careful y drew the nail-polish brush over Meredith's toenail, painting it a tannish pink. They'd spent the evening at freshman orientation with the rest of their dormmates, and now al they wanted to do was relax. â€Å"Are you sure this is the color it's supposed to be?† Elena asked Meredith. â€Å"It doesn't look like a summer sunset to me.† â€Å"I like it,† Meredith said, wiggling her toes. â€Å"Careful! I don't want polish on my new bedspread,† Elena warned. â€Å"Zander is just gorgeous,† Bonnie said, stretching out luxuriously on her own bed on the other side of the room. â€Å"Wait til you meet him.† Meredith smiled at Bonnie. â€Å"Isn't it an amazing feeling? When you've just met somebody and you feel like there's something between you, but you're not quite sure what's going to happen?† She gave an exaggerated sigh, rol ing her eyes up in a mock swoon. â€Å"It's al about the anticipation, and you get a thril just seeing him. I love that first part.† Her tone was light, but there was something lonely in her face. Elena was sure that, as composed and calm as Meredith was, she was already missing Alaric. â€Å"Sure,† Bonnie said amiably. â€Å"It's awesome, but I'd like to get to the next stage for once. I want to have a relationship where we know each other real y Well, a serious boyfriend instead of just a crush. Like you guys have. That's even better, isn't it?† â€Å"I think so,† said Meredith. â€Å"But you shouldn't try to hurry through the we-just-met stuff, because you've only got a limited time to enjoy it. Right, Elena?† Elena dabbed a cotton bal around the edges of Meredith's polished toenails and thought about when she had first met Stefan. With al that had happened since then, it was hard to believe it was only a year ago. What she remembered most was her own determination to have Stefan. No matter what had gotten in her way, she had known with a clear, firm purpose that he would be hers. And then, in those early days, once he was hers, it was glorious. It felt as if the missing piece of herself had slotted into place. â€Å"Right,† she said final y, answering Meredith. â€Å"Afterward, things get more complicated.† At first, Stefan had been a prize that Elena wanted to win: sophisticated and mysterious. He was a prize Caroline wanted, too, and Elena would never let Caroline beat her. But then Stefan had let Elena see the pain and passion, the integrity and nobility, he held inside him and she had forgotten the competition and loved Stefan with her whole heart. And now? She stil loved Stefan with everything she had, and he loved her. But she loved Damon, too, and sometimes she understood him – plotting, manipulative, dangerous Damon – better than she did Stefan. Damon was like her in some ways: he, too, would be relentless in pursuing what he wanted. She and Damon connected, she thought, on some deep core instinctive level that Stefan was too good, too honorable to understand. How could you love two people at the same time? â€Å"Complicated,† Bonnie scoffed. â€Å"More complicated than never being sure if somebody likes you or not? More complicated than having to wait by the phone to see if you have a date for Saturday night or not? I'm ready for complicated. Did you know that forty-nine percent of col ege-educated women meet their future husbands on campus?† â€Å"You made that statistic up,† Meredith said, rising and picking her way toward her own bed, careful not to smudge her polish. Bonnie shrugged. â€Å"Okay, maybe I did. But I bet it's a real y high percentage, anyway. Didn't your parents meet right here, Elena?† â€Å"They did,† Elena said. â€Å"I think they had a class together sophomore year.† â€Å"How romantic,† Bonnie said happily. â€Å"Well, if you get married, you have to meet your future spouse somewhere,† Meredith said. â€Å"And there are a lot of possible future spouses at col ege.† She frowned at the silky cover on her bed. â€Å"Do you think I can dry my nails faster if I use the hair dryer, or wil it mess up the polish? I want to go to sleep.† She examined the hair dryer as if it were the focal point of some science experiment, her face intent. Bonnie was watching her upside down, her head tipped back off the end of the bed and her red curls brushing the floor, tapping her feet energetical y against the wal . Elena felt a great sWellof love for both of them. She remembered the countless sleepovers they'd had al through school, back before their lives had gotten †¦ complicated. â€Å"I love having the three of us together,† she said. â€Å"I hope the whole year is going to be just like this.† That was when they first heard the sirens. Meredith peered through the blinds, col ecting facts, trying to analyze what was going on outside Pruitt House. An ambulance and several police cars were parked across the street, their lights silently blinking red and blue. Floodlights lit the quad a ghastly white, and it was crawling with police officers. â€Å"I think we should go out there,† she said. â€Å"Are you kidding me?† Bonnie asked from behind her. â€Å"Why would we want to do that? I'm in my pajamas.† Meredith glanced back. Bonnie was standing, hands on hips, brown eyes indignant. She was indeed wearing cute ice-cream-cone-printed pajamas. â€Å"Well, quick, put on some jeans,† Meredith said. â€Å"But why?† asked Bonnie plaintively. Meredith's eyes met Elena's across the room, and they nodded briskly to each other. â€Å"Bonnie,† Elena said patiently, â€Å"we have a responsibility to check out everything that's going on around here. We might just want to be normal col ege students, but we know the truth about the world – the truth other people don't realize, about vampires and werewolves and monsters – and we need to make sure that what's going on out there isn't part of that truth. If it's a human problem, the police wil deal with it. But if it's something else, it's our responsibility.† â€Å"Honestly,† grumbled Bonnie, already reaching for her clothes, â€Å"you two have a – a saving-people complex or something. After I take psychology, I'm going to diagnose you.† â€Å"And then we'l be sorry,† Meredith said agreeably. On their way out the door, Meredith grabbed the long velvet case that held her fighting stave. The stave was special, designed to fight both human and supernatural adversaries, and was made to specifications handed down through her family for generations. Only a Sulez could have a staff like this. She caressed it through the case, feeling the sharp spikes of different materials that dotted its ends: silver for werewolves, wood for vampires, white ash for Old Ones, iron for al eldritch creatures, tiny hypodermics to fil with poisons. She knew she couldn't take the stave out of its case on the quad, not surrounded by police officers and innocent bystanders, but she felt stronger when she could feel the weight of it in her hand. Outside, the mugginess of the Virginia September day had given way to a chil y night, and the girls walked quickly toward the crowd around the quad. â€Å"Don't look like we're heading straight over there,† Meredith whispered. â€Å"Pretend we're going to one of the buildings. Like the student center.† She angled off slightly, as if she was heading past the quad, and then led them closer, glancing over at the police tape surrounding the grass, pretending to be surprised by the activity next to them. Elena and Bonnie fol owed her lead, looking around wide-eyed. â€Å"Can I help you ladies?† one of the campus security men asked, stepping forward to block their progress. Elena smiled at him appealingly. â€Å"We were just on our way to the student center, and we saw everyone out here. What's going on?† Meredith craned her head to look past him. Al she could see were groups of police officers talking to one another and more campus security. Some officers were on their hands and knees, searching careful y through the grass. Crime scene analysts, she thought vaguely, wishing she knew more about police procedure than what she'd seen on TV. The security officer stepped sideways to block her view. â€Å"Nothing serious, just a girl who ran into a bit of trouble walking out here alone.† He smiled reassuringly. â€Å"What kind of trouble?† Meredith asked, trying to see for herself. He shifted, blocking her line of sight again. â€Å"Nothing to worry about. Everyone's going to be okay this time.† â€Å"This time?† Bonnie asked, frowning. He cleared his throat. â€Å"You girls just stick together at night, okay? Make sure to walk in pairs or groups when you're out around campus, and you'l be fine. Basic safety stuff, right?† â€Å"But what happened to the girl? Where is she?† Meredith asked. â€Å"Nothing to worry about,† he said, more firmly this time. His eyes were on the black velvet case in Meredith's hand. â€Å"What have you got in there?† â€Å"Pool cue,† she lied. â€Å"We're going to play pool in the student center.† â€Å"Have a good time,† he said, in a tone of voice that was clearly a dismissal. â€Å"We wil ,† Elena said sweetly, her hand on Meredith's arm. Meredith opened her mouth to ask another question, but Elena was pul ing her away from the officer and toward the student center. â€Å"Hey,† Meredith objected quietly, when they were out of earshot. â€Å"I wasn't done asking questions.† â€Å"He wasn't going to tel us anything,† Elena said. Her mouth was a grim straight line. â€Å"I bet a lot more happened than someone getting into a little trouble. Did you see the ambulances?† â€Å"We're not real y going to the student center, are we?† Bonnie asked plaintively. â€Å"I'm too tired.† Meredith shook her head. â€Å"We'd better loop back behind the buildings to our dorm, though. It'l look suspicious if we head right back where we came from.† â€Å"That was creepy, right?† Bonnie said. â€Å"Do you think† – she paused, and Meredith could see her swal ow – â€Å"do you think something real y bad happened?† â€Å"I don't know,† Meredith said. â€Å"He said a girl ran into a little bit of trouble. That could mean anything.† â€Å"Do you think someone attacked her?† Elena asked. Meredith shot her a significant look. â€Å"Maybe,† she said. â€Å"Or maybe something did.† â€Å"I hope not,† Bonnie said, shivering. â€Å"I've had enough somethings to last me forever.† They'd crossed behind the science building, down a darker, lonelier path, and circled back toward their dorm, its brightly lit entryway like a beacon before them. Al three sped up, heading for the light. â€Å"I've got my key,† Bonnie said, feeling in her jeans pocket. She opened the door, and she and Elena hurried into the dorm. Meredith paused and glanced back toward the busy quad, then, past it, at the dark sky above campus. Whatever â€Å"trouble† had happened, and whether the cause was human or something else, she knew she needed to be in top condition, ready to fight. She could almost hear her father's voice saying, â€Å"Fun time is over, Meredith.† It was time to focus on her training again, time to work toward her destiny as a protector, as a Sulez, to keep innocent people safe from the darkness.