One Way You Can Lower the Cost of Produce Essay

One way you can lower the cost of produce and be sure of their origin is to grow your own. Even in urban centers people are doing so. Go on the internet and see how you can as well. Discuss and describe one way you can make this happen whether in a dining facility or at home. Produce cost will be lower if you grow them at your home because it will reduce many of the cost that is associated with if you have to buy them in the supermarket or the food/vegetable market. The cost of labor will be reduce, the cost of transportation; whether it’s by land or a combination of land, sea, and ship will also be reduced. These costs are trickle down to the consumers which at time cause the end product to be very expensive. For the people living in the urban areas there are several option which they can explore to cultivate their own produce. One of such is if they have a piece of land in their yard, they can plant different vegetables on the land. It doesn’t have to be in abundance, a root or two of the different vegetables. If the piece of land that is not dirt, if it is concrete they can build vegetable beds off the ground and plant their produce there. Another option is to use flower plots to plant your vegetables, this takes up a lot less space and give you the same results, your own produce. When you grow your own produce you have control over the type of fertilizer you used on your crops and you can allow them to grow within their own natural timing. Some of the produce one can grow are; carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, and sweet pepper. These are short crops that once control will not take up a lot of space. These produce sometimes cost a lost if you have to buy them, and since most people are becoming health conscience they are a part of their daily meals. You can imagine how much you can save and the peace of mind you can get not worrying about how they were grown when you grow your own produce. Growing your own produce is all good, I see no negative to it and it should be something we all practice so that we can have more disposable income, eat healthier, and contribute to the protection of the ozone layer.

Plan for the Development of Future Situations Requiring Leadership Essay

This assignment is to development a strategic leadership development plan. There includes to report the CEO regarding the review the strategic management and leadership of the organization. In current situation, Myanmar is in the transition period in both political and economic surface. The treaty of ASEAN free trade area which will start impacting Myanmar from 2015 is a challenge for Myanmar SMEs. As usual consequences of change, while some will benefits from it, some will face setbacks. As the current organization is one of the SMEs in Myanmar, change management which is adaptable for the situation of Myanmar has to be made. Moreover the organization has to prepare for the changes and for adapting corporate and up to date management system. Organization Profile KKK is a manufacturer of authentic Myanmar traditional foods including various kinds of pre-packed ready-made ingredients for traditional curry. Their products are positioned at the high end of the market in terms of both quality and price. Head office of KKK is situated in 78th Street, Mandalay. Manufacturing Plant is situated in Chan Aye Tar Zen Industrial zone. The Plant is operating with about 400 employees from top to bottom line operation. KKK has been in business now for five years and has grown in popularity. What was once a business targeting solely the Myanmar traditional Food community has grown into a business that has far broader appeal. KKK has several objectives that they will achieve to maximize share of local market in pre-packed food industry within the next three years. The first is an increase in sales reaching five thousand Lakhs by  Yearly from local market. KKK also would like to achieve gross margins to be above 55%. KKK also hopes to have 20 different outlets that will distribute their product. Yangon outlet is the first step of these objectives lastly the organization is to become known as the premier authentic Myanmar traditional food producer internationally with an ever-expanding geographic distribution area. Task-1 1.1Explaining the link between strategic management and leadership Strategic managementStrategic Management is all about identification and description of the strategies that managers can carry so as to achieve better performance and a competitive advantage for their organization. An organization is said to have competitive advantage if its profitability is higher than the average profitability for all companies in its industry.| | Strategic management is a continuous process that evaluates and controls the business and the industries in which an organization is involved; evaluates  its competitors and sets goals and strategies to meet all existing and potential competitors; and then reevaluates strategies on a regular basis to determine how it has been implemented and whether it was successful or does it needs replacement. (www.managementstudyguide.com, â€Å"Strategic management†) Leadership The ability of a company’s management to make sound decisions and inspire others to perform well. Effective leaders are able to set and achieve challenging goals, to take swift and decisive action even in difficult situations, to outperform their competition, to take calculated risks and to persevere in the face of failure. Strong communication skills, self-confidence, the ability to manage others and a willingness to embrace change also characterize good leadership. ( www.investopedia.com, â€Å"terms leadership†) A simple definition of leadership is that leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.( www.sbinfocanada.about.com,â€Å"leadership†) The link between strategic management and leadership Strategic decisions are crucial for the growth and development of any organizastion and vary according to different management and different leadership styles. The change is the function of leadership and strategic decisions means decisions leading to substantial changes in management processes. Hence, Strategic Management and Leadership are closely related or in other words, inseparable. In fact, the terms leadership and strategic management are interchangeable because a leader performs key function like initiating, planning, supporting, controlling, evaluating, etc. Their other responsibilities include building, developing maintaining a team and achieving a common goal by keeping the individual member of the team motivated. As strategic leaders, top level managers must guide the firm in a ways that result in formation of strategic intent and strategic mission. This guidance may lead to goals that stretch everyone in the organization to improve their performance.†Griffin,R.W.1 999 Strategic management is a process of coordinating technological, financial, material and human resources of an organization for enabling it and its stakeholders in achieving stipulated target efficiently and effectively. Strategic  management is a wide term in comparison to leadership as far as scopes are concerned because leadership is mainly limited to organizing, directing and supporting individuals or the human resource in order to achieve the stipulated goal whereas strategic management refers to all resources within an organization. Strategic leadership plays key role in responding to the challenges which businesses have to face due to rapid changes in technology, growing competition and globalization. (www.mbadissertations.blogspot.com, â€Å"link between strategic management†) Strategic objectives of KKK is to maximize share of local market in pre-packed food industry within the next three years. The first is an increase in sales reaching five thousand Lakhs by Yearly from local market. KKK also would like to achieve gross margins to be above 55%. KKK also hopes to have 20 different outlets that will distribute their product. Yangon outlet is the first step of these objectives lastly the organization is to become known as the premier authentic Myanmar traditional food producer internationally with an ever-expanding geographic distribution area. To achieve the strategic goal of the organization, there are should be ways for leaders attempt to get the objectives. Leaders must do to be strategic management. First of all, analysis upon current and future situation has to be made. In analysing current situation, SWOT analysis, PEST analysis techniques can be used. Current situation of Myanmar is lots of challenges. But very near in future, due to the AFTA of ASEAN business from all over the world enter Myanmar and SME’s in Myanmar have to deal with business form ASEAN countries. Our business, traditional food manufacturing and distribution industry has already got more competitive advantage than other industries because the business is based upon traditional food. Leaders of â€Å"KKK† food manufacturing company has to analyze the strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats for the current and situation of Myanmar and foreign market and have to analyze political, economic, social and technological analysis along with the analysis of the internal and external environment of the organization to meet the strategic objectives. In making analysis the current system and infrastructure of â€Å"KKK† food manufacturing has to be considered. More employees need to be trained and more materials have to be required. To open branch offices, communication and cooperation with authorities has to be made. The leaders has to considered whether the raw materials can supply the  demand of the market and transportation condition can be supply the raw in time or not. The leader has to consider the competitors’ strategy in current market. And then decision is the second important matter. In manufacturing, the advanced machine like packing machine, mixing machine and powering machines must be mounted to be more productive. And strategic shop floor management for human resources must be implemented. In Pricing and branding strategies, differentiate with low-cost strategy is suitable for local market. Focus for only traditional strategy is also adequate. Moreover leaders are required to allocate the necessary resources and to design the organization to intended strategy to reality. The leader of â€Å"KKK† food manufacturing should attempt to get the objectives by the following ways in the diagram. Product plan/development Market analysis Distribution Supply chain Infrastructure Manufacturing Raw materials branding Promotion Lead generation Channel sales Direct sales Customer service Warranty support Pricing Customer retention. 1.2 Analyzing the impact of leadership styles and management on strategic decisions There are five main types of leadership styles like Autocratic, Bureaucratic, Charismatic, Democratic, Laissez- faire, etc. (Richard L.H. and Katherine C. B. 2005) 1. Autocratic leadership style: when the leaders use absolute powers in making decisions. This is more prevalent in military and Adolf Hitler is a good example of it. In corporate world, United Aviation Services (Dubai) is known for autocratic leadership. 2. Bureaucratic leadership: when the leader follows the strict theories of leadership defined in books. This style is followed where safety measures are prominent specially working on machines. 3. Charismatic leadership: When the followers are highly inspired by the leader and believe blindly in their leader. Mahatma Gandhi was a Charismatic leader. 4. Democratic leadership: When team members are included in decision making by the leader. This helps in building team spirit and motivating all by increasing trust, skill and confidence. 5. Laissez-faire leadership: When the leader leaves the team members to take decisions n their own and monitors them. This is applicable with efficient and capable teams. ( D.D.Warrick â€Å"Journal of Experiential learning and simulation 1981† ) The culture of â€Å"KKK† Company is manufacturing and distribution. Currently, most of the functions in the firm exercises bureaucratic leadership style. In day to day manufacturing operation, distribution and office work practices Bureaucratic Leadership Style. This style seem to be effective because employees are performing routine tasks over and over. Employees need to understand certain standards or procedures. They are working with dangerous or delicate equipment that requires a definite set of procedures to operate. In manufacturing area, safety or security training is being conducted. Employees are performing tasks that require handling cash. In all day to day operation of â€Å"KKK† food manufacturing, bureaucratic leadership style is currently exercises. The consequence of the current leadership style of â€Å"KKK† is that the organization suffers from slow development to get to the objectives of the organization. In making strategic decisions in manufacturing team the employees felt frustrated and increase turnover rate and absenteeism. In office work and transaction work, the style effects the occurring of the  loop whole. The employees feel boring in working environment and also is suffering from increasing turnover rate. So excising bureaucratic style purely in the whole organizing occur slow development to reach the goal. 1.3 Evaluating how leadership styles can be adapted to different situations Leadership styles adapted to different situations. It is evident from the various scenario of the given that different leadership styles are required to be adapted in different situation. Autocratic Leadership Style This leadership style has been greatly criticized during the past 30 years. It is the most effective style in the following situations: †¢ New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures follow †¢ Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions †¢ There are high-volume production needs on a daily basis †¢ There is limited time in which to make a decision For example, Militaries of the countries, and training sections of the firm follow autocratic leadership styles. For the organization of â€Å"KKK† manufacturing, this style should be followed in training section under the HR department so that the new assigned employees can understand the procedures and can apply in their day to day operation exactly. By applying autocratic in training section, mistakes and risks occurred by newly assigned employees can be reduced in mass manufacturing environment. Bureaucratic Leadership Style This style can be effective when: * Employees are performing routine tasks over and over. * Employees need to understand certain standards or procedures. * Employees are working with dangerous or delicate equipment that requires a definite set of procedures to operate. * Safety or security training is being conducted. * Employees are performing tasks that require handling cash. For example, audit firms, and engineering firms, mass production factories are applied the bureaucratic leadership style. For â€Å"KKK† food manufacturing, the bureaucratic leadership style is adapted in production firms so that the routine jobs can be efficient and effective. Operators must follow the production procedure and standards. Employees in production department must handle dangerous equipments like packing, blending, cutting machines and delicate materials like food which must need to be hygiene. Democratic Leadership Style Democratic leadership is suitable for the situation of high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. Many employees like the trust they receive and respond with cooperation, team spirit, and high morale. For example, arts entrainment firms like broadcasting TV and radio channels, firms based on advanced technology like â€Å"Apple† and â€Å" Microsoft† apply he democratic leadership style. For â€Å"KKK† food manufacturing, democratic style leadership style is adequate in office work and long term strategy. In top level management strategic decision making, the style is appropriate. Laissez-Faire Leadership Style The leadership style is appropriate under the situation of: * Employees are highly skilled, experienced, and educated. * Employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. * Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used * Employees are trustworthy and experienced. For example, industries like hotel and hospitality, dealing with experienced vendors, dealing with audit firms and legal consultant firms need to be practiced the leadership style. For our organization, â€Å"KKK†, we must deal with vendors like â€Å"Unilever food solution† for the purpose of training the employees and promoting the manufacturing procedure in line with international food manufacturing procedures. In dealing with outside experts, staff specialists and consultants the laissez-fair leadership style is effective. Task2 2.1reviewing the impact that selected theories of management and leadership have on organizational strategy Leadership Leadership is a process of giving purpose to collective effort, and causing willing effort to be expended to achieve purpose. (Jacobs and Jaques , 1990, pg 281) Leadership is the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organization. (House et al, 1999, pg 184) Every leaders attempt to achieve organizational objectives through other people ( their subordinates) on their own ways. Famous examples of charismatic or autocratic leaders are Winston Churchill, Bill Clinton, Mother Teresa and Adolph Hitler. They used their authority in highly manner and by structured set of reward and management. A famous example of bureaucratic leader is Paul Tetu Sr. and Paul Tetu Jr. motor bike production in America. The leaders enforce their subordinates to rule. Carlos Ghosn (born 9 March 1954) President and chief executives officer of Renault, France and CEO of Nissaan, Japan, has the style of democratic leadership. He always empowers his employees to take decision. He provided his employee’s challenges to perform better at the same time made them realized that he trusted them and their capabilities. Another famous leader who applied the Laissez-fair style is Mahatma Gandhi, National leader of India. All authority or power given to the people and they determine goals make the decisions, and resolve problems on their own. So, many leaders apply different leadership strategy through their people on their own way according to the situations. There are several theories of management and leadership on organizational strategy like Great Man theories, Trait theories, Behaviorist theory, Situational leadership, Contingency theory, Transactional Theory, transformational theory, etc. Different organizations are influenced by different theories of management and leadership. John Adair’s Action Centred Leadership (Greatman Theory) Source: www.adventuremas.com, Innovations in Management Development Task Leadership actions to achieve the Task include: * Defining the task and keeping it clear * Clarifying fit of the task to the more global vision and mission * Identifying resources and developing options * Establishing priorities, time frames, and specific plans of action * Establishing systems for communication * Implementing plans and responding positively to change * Assessing progress and considering contingencies on an ongoing basis Team Leadership actions to Build and Maintain the Team include: * Involving team members to generate alignment * Soliciting ideas and building on them * Establishing roles * Optimizing the exchange of information * Monitoring the team’s process and dynamics * Resolving conflict * Recognizing team successes Individual Leadership actions to Empower Individuals include: * Encouraging varying viewpoints * Harvesting ideas * Allocating responsibilities to capitalize on individual strengths and develop individuals * Listening * Facilitating and giving feedback * Delegating when it can be effective * Counseling and encouraging individuals (www.adventuremas.com, Innovations in Management Development) Three – Dimensions Theory There are three dimensions to effective leadership, each of which is within the control of the individual leader, and each of which can be developed through appropriate support and guidance. Effective leadership is about developing your ability in each of the three dimensions and then choosing to apply your skills and abilities in a balanced, three-dimensional way. Source: (www.mapleassociates.com, Simon Batty MBA MCMI â€Å"Three-Dimensional Leadership – the balanced approach†) Each dimension is of equal importance, which means that leaders who have development needs in one or more of the dimensions, will display behaviours that indicate an opportunity for improvement. Simply developing an already strong dimension will not work; a strength overplayed can become a weakness. Values The first dimension of leadership is that of values. These are the internal thoughts that influence the way a leader views the world around them. Some values are deeply embedded in our moral framework. For example, they guide us in the difference between right and wrong, good or bad. Developed as we progress through childhood, are increasingly challenging to change or modify, as we grow older. Effectiveness In order to lead people effectively, the individual leader must first be able to self-manage. This means that they must be ‘personally effective’ in performing key tasks. Time management (or rather, effective use of time), is a prime example. Leaders who fail to identify and manage their own priorities are unlikely to help team members do any better. Worse still, they may feel threatened by a team member who is more accomplished in this basic management skill than they are. Influence It is important to note that truly influential leaders are not necessarily those who are seeking the popular vote. Leaders who use their personal charisma, or popularity, to motivate and influence, whilst neglecting to develop their values or effectiveness dimensions, need to beware of the following, ‘How the mighty fall when the popular vote disappears!’ Charm may work for a while, but real credibility and respect are based upon the ability to deliver results in all areas. (www.mapleassociates.com, Simon Batty MBA MCMI â€Å"Three-Dimensional Leadership – the balanced approach†) Transformational Theory Transformational leadership theory is all about leadership that creates positive change in the followers whereby they take care of each other’s interests and act in the interests of the group as a whole. James MacGregor Burns first brought the concept of transformational leadership to prominence in his extensive research into leadership. The four components of the transformational leadership style are: (1) Charisma or idealized influence – the degree to which the leader behaves in admirable ways and displays convictions and takes stands that cause followers to identify with the leader who has a clear set of values and acts as a role model for the followers. (2) Inspirational motivation – the degree to which the leader articulates a vision that is appeals to and inspires the followers with optimism about future goals, and offers meaning for the current tasks in hand. (3) Intellectual stimulation – the degree to which the leader challenges assumptions, stimulates and encourages creativity in the followers – by providing a framework for followers to see how they connect to the leader, the organization, each other, and the goal] they can creatively overcome any obstacles in the way of the mission. (4) Personal and individual attention – the degree to which the leader attends to each individual follower’s needs and acts as a mentor or coach and gives respect to and appreciation of the individual’s contribution to the team. This fulfills and enhances each individual team members’ need for self-fulfillment, and self-worth – and in so doing inspires followers to further achievement and growth. (www.ezinearticles.com, Stephen Warrilow â€Å"Transformational Leadership Theory – The 4 Key Components in Leading Change & Managing Change†) Source: Model of Transformational Leadership, www.managementstudyguide.com For the selected organization â€Å"KKK† transformational leadership theory, 2.2Creating a leadership strategy that supports organizational direction Transformational theory has much in common. The theory focuses on attempting to explain how leaders can accomplish extraordinary things against the odds, such as turning around a falling company, founding a successful company. The theories also emphasize the importance of leader’s inspiring subordinates’ admiration, dedication, and unquestioned loyalty through articulating a clear and compelling vision. Utilizing the theory can be the positive impact on our organization needs restructuring and reengineering in leadership and management. Transforming to corporate culture must be implemented. If possible mergers, acquisition, joint ventures have to be established. The above three theories, John Adair’s theory, 3D theory and transformational leadership must be adequately mixed and applied in our organization. Through employees, utilizing appropriate leadership style in different sections, individuals engages with each other and is able to create a connection that result in increased motivation and morality in both followers and leaders. Leaders can also initiate, develop, and implement important changes in a confidence, extroversion, and understand the value of the organization. Our changing strategy is to meet the requirement of the time of AFTA (2015) and can get competitive advantage in food manufacturing industry via traditional food. ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) AFTA is a free trade zone in Southeast Asia where member countries include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Brunei. The AFTA agreement supports the effort to relax trade barriers amongst member countries in order to achieve direct trade benefits. The purpose of a SWOT analysis of the manufacturing industry is to identify the key factors that affect the success of the industry. The four factors considered a part of a SWOT analysis are: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A SWOT analysis estimates the risks for a particular industry. 1. Strengths * The strengths of the manufacturing industry are that it is relatively stable. Although the demand for manufacturing tends to fluctuate with the ups and downs of the economy, it is characterized by regular periods of recovery following any downturns. Moreover, manufacturing has become highly efficient over the last century, with the ability to maximize both the productivity of the workers and machines to maximize profits. Weaknesses * A weakness of the manufacturing industry is that much of it is built on the production of non-essential goods. This means that a severe downturn in the economy can have a crippling effect on it. Another weakness is that it is a mature industry. This means that there is heavy competition and little room for growth. As a result, the manufacturing industry can be a cash cow for those who are already in it but may be unattractive to new entrants. * Sponsored Links * Software Metrics Measure your IT for a competitive advantage. Learn more. davidconsultinggroup.com/Metrics Opportunities * Opportunities in the manufacturing industry are in the technology and bio-technology areas. These are growing market segments with higher profit margins. Additionally, they are knowledge-dependent market segments that require highly specialized workers, which makes it difficult for low wage countries to compete in this market segment, thereby providing an edge to more industrialized countries. Foreign markets with a growing middle class are providing opportunities for technology and bio-technology manufacturers to increase their profitability through exports. Threats * The largest threats to the manufacturing industry in developed nations are from low wage countries. The low wages of these countries have made it impossible for many businesses in developed nations to compete, requiring them to either close or move overseas to find cheap labor. Increasingly, India is an even bigger threat to the manufacturing industry, with its ability to supply highly educated workers at low wages to fill roles in the high-tech manufacturing market segment. Read more: SWOT Analysis of Manufacturing Industry | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6767951_swot-analysis-manufacturing-industry.html#ixzz2HdkmsvMX 1. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats STRENGTHS †¢ Some expenditure on food is essential for everyone and is considered an established part of the household budget. †¢ Many food products are deemed necessities and are unlikely to be harshly affected by any economic downturn. It is discretionary spending that is usually badly hit in a recession, which is, therefore, more likely to harm sales of ‘luxury’ foods. †¢ The UK has a well-established supply structure, in terms of both its production base — for meat, dairy products, fresh and processed vegetables, bakery products and fish, in particular — and its network of retail outlets — mainly in the form of major multiples. †¢ Following a period of extensive rationalisation and restructuring, the UK food industry can now benefit from more focused businesses and generally more efficient supply chains. †¢ The food-processing sector has also benefited from consolidation, which has created more vertically integrated companies and more economies of scale. †¢ Consumer demands for convenience have served to increase the opportunities for foodretailing, which are no longer confined to the traditional food outlets or to daylight hours. As well as minimising missed opportunities, it also enables the industry to capitalise on impulse purchasing. †¢ In such a mature industry, the competitive pressure on suppliers ensures a high degree of product innovation. WEAKNESSES †¢ Few brands enjoy high levels of consumer loyalty and in certain sectors, such as cereals, bread and yoghurt, it is particularly limited. As a result, product switching and the growth of own labels are harming sales of some brands. †¢ The buying power of the large supermarket chains, and their demand for lower-priced supplies, has put further pressures on food-industry margins —especially on producers operating in commodity sectors, such as milk. (It is possible that future EU legislation will prevent the sale of goods below cost price and will set a†¦ 2.

Carol Sheriff’s The Artificial River Essay

APUS, Section 4 Mr. Gordinier January 8th, 2013 All situations and topics have multiple views and perspectives to them. A paradox exhibits contradictory aspects in which there is not either a single good or a bad, positive or negative. In The Artificial River The Erie Canal and the Paradox of Progress, 1817-1862, written by Carol Sheriff, there are many different examples of paradoxes. Towns initially saw the Canal having a negative impact on them, but realized it could help. The Canal provided for faster transportation, but in the case of a crash would take a long time to recover from. Also businessmen benefitted from the Canal, but other lost a lot of money because of it. The Canal provided dramatic change to the upstate New York area. In some cases this change resulted in prosperity and in others it resulted in failure and loss. At the time prior to building the Canal many negative impacts were the only things being considered. In 1826, a Canal Board was set up to deal with many of these complaints and problems. Most of the agreements and compromises were expressed through contracts made between the Canal Board and the people of the towns. Individuals questioned the right to take land to build the canal, water resources being used, and also commercial structures being built along the Canal. The thought of how much these commercial structures could drastically benefit these towns were not contemplated. When the Canal was built towns all along the route from Buffalo to Albany prospered from the revenue and the attraction the Canal brought with it. Whether the Canal was being used for business people, immigrants, settlers of the region, or tourists, the border-towns all had some appeal to these persons. After some time the state was continually asked to expand the Canal from the original route to include connecting canal routes. However, the same towns along the route from Buffalo to Albany had already been established along the lines of the original canal. These towns would need to be relocated in order to obey these new requests. This presented a major problem because the people in these towns had formed a life around the Canal and many of them made their income based of the Canal. The inhabitants of the towns changed their mentality from not wanting the Canal to invade on their lives, to it being an essential part of their lives they depended upon. The Erie Canal provided an extremely fast source of transportation compared to other ones of that time. A lot of the land that the Canal went through was uninhabited and therefore people weren’t able to move through these areas. Once the Canal was built it served as that pathway through these areas. The Canal also was a much cheaper source of transportation that was used by residents, tourists, emigrants, and workers during this time. Evangelical preachers used the artificial river to seek salvation among these people. Also the Canal helped to serve as an underground railroad, transporting slaves from Syracuse to Buffalo, near the Canadian border (Sheriff 53). The Canal not only sped up transportation, but also cost much less for goods to be delivered. Before the Canal goods from Albany to Buffalo would increase to five or six times their actual value just because of transportation. This helped business prosper and served as a positive aspect for the Canal. Although transportation was faster if a boat along the Canal crashed it would hold things up for a long time. A boat crashing had a chain effect on other boats because they then would be slowed down as well. People would not get where they needed to be on time was well as goods. A lot of the times if a boat did crash the goods were not able to be salvaged and hurt the business that owned them. There was also the issue of passing under bridges and how low they were. In a play of William Dunlap the brother of Amelia describes the inconvenience this was saying â€Å"In constant dread of lifting your head above your knees for fear of having it knock’d off your shoulders by a bridge† (Sheriff 55). Inconveniences such as these eventually encouraged travelers to find a different source of transportation; the railroad. The railroad had advantage over the Canal in the fact that it could run all year round. Individuals took advantage of the Canal and used it to help themselves gain profit. Businessmen and entrepreneurs saw the Canal as an opportunity to make money. Some bought their own boats and turned them into their business place. Boats were transformed to stores and markets in which people would buy off of them. Business was not only done on the Canal, but other men would use all the people, especially tourists, and try to sell consumer goods to them. A lot of times these vendors would scam people buying from them. They would sell fake remedies with false claims. Many times they would also trade counterfeit bills for items of actual value. The Canal helped solo merchants in a way that had never been done before. On the other hand the Canal was also very detrimental to many people as well. The people it affected were those whose land and water supply it had taken. When the Canal was built it ruined early settlers property such as the Archbalds. Frequently properties were cut in half. Once water was let into the Canal it caused a number of problems. Majorly because of poor workmanship and laziness water would stream out of the Canal and into farmers’ land. Fields and basements would be flooded, livestock would be injured, and gardens would be damaged. Also the workers feet would trample over fields, showing no regard or carefulness of their surroundings. One farmer claimed that workers torn down his fence simply for their own amusement. Without a healthy stock of crops the farmers would not make as much money and financially were negatively affected by the Canal. The Erie Canal had widely varying results on the people it impacted. Businessmen and entrepreneurs received financial success through the Canal while farmers and people already established along the lines of the Canal seemed to be negatively affected by it. There is no question transportation was faster and cheaper than any other source around that time. Communities and towns both benefitted from the Canal being around them. Initially there was a great amount of hype surrounding the Canal and all this hype brought people. Businesses thrived off these tourists and newcomers. Positives and negatives came from the opening of the artificial river that would change history forever.

Interview with a Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Interview with a Manager - Essay Example The operating expenses have been increasing at a rapid rate; the profitability margins have been reducing; the competition is intensifying; labour costs are rising and lastly demand is reducing; thereby making the overall situation extremely difficult for the business houses (Polese and Stren, 2000). Despite that the market still offers growth opportunities for the companies who are actively involved in the development of strategies that are flexible and has the ability to get adapted with the changing business environment. However, it has been also observed that the challenges that are being faced by the organizations are not always caused due to external turbulences but often the internal factors also become responsible for the complicated situation (Hall and Vredenburg, 2004). This study aims to uncover the different issues being faced by a company as a result of the turbulence in its internal and external business environment. Once the issues are identified the study will scrutin ize and screen the most vital issue faced by the company. The study will then try to identify the major issue being faced by the company and will try to identify the most feasible solution. ... The company chosen for this assignment is Vodafone UK and the manager chosen is Kevin Smith. Hence, before getting further deep into the study, a brief overview of the company as well as brief background information of the chosen manager is presented in the subsequent sections. Overview of the Company Vodafone Group plc also known as Vodafone is a UK based multinational company involved in the business of providing telecommunication services. The company was incorporated in the year 1991 in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom. However, the company shifted its headquarters to London, United Kingdom. The predecessor of Vodafone was Racal Telecom from 1983 to 1991. In terms of the total revenue generated as well as the total number of subscribers, the company is considered as the world’s second largest telecommunication company just behind China Mobile. The company has presence in almost 30 countries of the world and operates in 40 countries with the help of partners. Currently th e company is headed by Gerard Kleisterlee (Chairman) and Vittorio Colao (CEO). It employs around 87,000 people across the globe and also provides income opportunities to numerous people who are the business associates of the company. Some of the products of the company include mobile telephony, fixed line, digital television and internet services. As of 2012, the net revenue of the company was ?46.417 billion and had an operating income of ?11.187 billion. The profit for the same financial year was ?6.957 billion. This figure clearly reflects the strong financial situation of the company (Agar, 2013). Although, the company has a strong position in the market, it still has to deal with several issues and these issues emerged from both internal and external environment of the

This essay is about what your life would be like not being as you are

This is about what your life would be like not being as you are now. Imagine yourself from a different background, or phy - Essay Example Indeed, my life is difficult, since I belong to a n extremely low income family, and my entire area comprises of such people. As far as my cultural adaptations are concerned, I have to comply with what the society’s elders dictate to us. This means that I need to ask my husband regarding the changes in living conditions which come about every now and then. Since he helps next to nothing, it is just me who has to follow all the cultural and societal necessities. This makes it even harder for me since I do not have much on my hands and the only income that I receive is through cutting and stitching of clothes for middle income families which I do at night. I sleep little, yet I am able to devote my energies towards my family, and especially to my kids (Quaye n.p.). My husband does not ask anything apart from food 3 times a day, which I have to fulfill as a compulsion otherwise he beats me. Somehow life is moving forward and I am doing my best to adapt whatever comes my way. From my circumstances, I have realized that life is not a bed of roses, and that I have to live through this ordeal on a daily basis, for the rest of my life. I have also come to the reckoning that no one shall help me until and unless I help myself and find out answers to hidden questions. Even though I have no savings, yet I have to save for the rainy day because this is significant for the future of my family and especially my kids who shall grow up one day and start earning. But before that they must be educated, and I am doing my utmost to make this happen. All the boys are going to school while my youngest daughter is an infant at present. After school hours, 3 of my sons work at a local retail store for 3 hours each, this gives us enough to feed the family (O’Boyle n.p.). My husband does not help at all – and this is something that breaks my heart everyday. If only he had not committed himself towards drugs and found a decent job, our condition would have been so mu ch better. Yet this never came about, especially after our marriage. The limitations are immensely drawn my way. I have to get acquainted with the changes of weather, culture, and the people’s attitudes and moods towards us on a permanent basis. I also have to keep a check whether or not all my kids have had proper food before going to sleep. Sometimes I skip my own meals to make sure that my kids and my husband do not sleep without having something in their stomach. It indeed is a very difficult life and I am doing my best to make things work. My limitations have increased and I know this for sure that when my children grow up, these problems would enhance with the passage of time. I must be ready to counter such a threat which is something that makes me go worried for long periods of time. There just is no respite available to counter such a threat which looms large. If only I had a little more money, perhaps my mind would start functioning in a much positive fashion. But t hings are like that – few and worrisome. I can only wish for a life which will make my family succeed but as things are now, this does not seem to be a probability. I cherish for a life where there is instant result for someone who does good and quick consequence for ones who forget their responsibilities and commit to their own good. I hold my husband responsible for making our lives miserable. Even though he spends quite a depressed life himself, but at least he could have or still can do something better to make

Peter the Great's Reformation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Peter the Great's Reformation - Essay Example Peter instituted state wide reformation from military ranks to beard taxation, all of which helped Westernize Russia. These westernizing reformations forced Russia modernize, and adoption of European culture whether the people liked it or not. Peter the Great's most significant changes to the state were the improvements to the Russian military and also the expansion of the Russian industry. Throughout his reign, Peter the Great's ambitious westernizing reformation of the Russian military and industry transformed Russian into a strong and well respected European power at the expense of the countries laboring serfs. After the crushing defeat against the Swedish at the Battle of Narva, Peter the Great realized he had to reform the Russian military they wanted to stand a chance against the European powers. Although Peter's army was very large the soldiers were in sufficiently trained and inadequately equipped (Hosking). Peters officers and soldiers were not accustomed to fighting the European style battles involving open field. Peter knew that if he wanted match the European powers he needed to teach his officers western military tactics, modernize the weaponry for the soldiers, and raise funds to apply these changes. Peter also adopted European style uniforms for his army to express formality and contention to the Western powers. With this large, formal, advanced, and educated army, Russia could safely protect its newly acquired lands, contest European powers such as Sweden.

Creating an Inclusive, Student Centred Learning Environment Essay

Creating an Inclusive, Student Centred Learning Environment - Essay Example As the paper highlights the teacher must establish a working relationship with parents, in order to better and more holistically approach the lesson in a manner most effective for the learner. For the kindergarten music class, the teacher could inform parents of the songs they had learned so that the parents could practice them at home with their children. According to the report findings the general education teacher in an inclusive environment will need to collaborate with the various professionals who perfrom specialized functions in the special education field. Most important among these is the special education teacher, who shall be responsible for coordinating student services and an Individualized Education Program or IEP, which shall be designed for each special-needs child. Frequent collaboration between the general education and SPED teachers should immediately address SPED learners’ needs by adjusting lesson content and strategy. Other professionals involved in the collaboration process conducted by the general education teacher are the school psychologist, counselors, social workers, speech and language as well as physical and occupational therapists, nurses, paraprofessionals, and school administrators. Speech and language therapists could help maximize the music therapy aspect of this music class for autistic learn ers. In classroom preparation, the first consideration should always be the choice of furniture and their best arrangement to accommodate the unique needs of its occupants.

Was the Financial Industry Responsible for the Economic Meltdown of Essay

Was the Financial Industry Responsible for the Economic Meltdown of 2008 - Essay Example Instead, their poor risk management practices are to blame. He however, argues this from the perspective of his financial firm. From this discussion, it will be clear that apart from financial institutions, policy makers also contributed to the financial crisis. It is true that the root cause of this problem was the decline of the housing market, as Bogle and Blankfein note. Bogle is right when he figures out that this problem has roots in the past events, and so its growth was gradual. The most important factor was the Glass-Steagall Act. When the major elements of this act were repealed, the negative consequences started to unfold. This law was enacted in 1933 as a solution to the collapsed banking institutions, after the 1929 financial breakdown. The main act of this law was to protect the deposits of bank customers from investment risks. Separation of investment banks and commercial depository banks during this period also had overwhelming results in the subsequent years. On the negative, this turned banks into financial institutions working for â€Å"agents.† Therefore, since the bank owners were not exposed to any risk, they exercised little caution in their management. Although Blankfein does not directly put the blame on financial bodies for the 2008 financial crisis, he points out that some of their practices were responsible for the economic meltdown. For instance, some financial institutions engaged in too much lending, which in return cheapened credit. In the housing market, this resulted in its growth before plunging into decline. When lending exceeded the appropriate levels, the lending risks became more pronounced and complex. This complexity of instruments made it impossible for them to be sold or bought, hence increasing the effects of the meltdown. This to date remains the causal factor of the financial crisis, and the US government greatly influenced

Do violent video games lead to violent behaviour among young people Essay

Do violent video games lead to violent behaviour among young people - Essay Example One of the reasons stated for this good fortune is the fact that the game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II topped Amazons best sellers list for the first time in 2009. Most people play video games because they are fun and challenging but research shows that for children, certain types of video games can lead to aggression and often violence. This violence can be towards other children or it can evolve into other forms of violence. As an example, the game, "Grand Theft Auto has been criticized for teaching teenagers how to kill policemen. Studies show that the reason this happens is because teens become desensitized and find that killing the police is something natural after playing the game. Another example brings the researcher to school shootings. The shootings at Columbine high school in Littleton, Colorado took place because Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were playing a version of the game Doom. Video games have been blamed for a variety of crimes. As this researcher began to study this trend, there were several questions that came to mind. Do video games really create crime? If so, what happens to create this problem and What is being done abo ut it? The literature on this topic is vast because it has been the topic of several studies, many books, and many magazine and newspaper articles. Most of this literature supports the idea that video games create aggression and over time, this aggression leads to violence. Aggression can be defined as any behaviour, be it physical, verbal, psychological or emotional, intended to cause physical, emotional or psychological injury to another human being (Kirsh, 2006 p. 10). In our society, this definition can be seen in many television programs whether they are cartoons, other childrens programs or general television shows. As an example, programs like CSI and Dexter continue to be very popular shows because people like the voyeuristic view they have of violence that these

Katz's Paradoxes of Evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Katz's Paradoxes of Evil - Essay Example Such setting may lead us to engage in evil deeds with or without our knowledge. Furthermore, our behaviors are unique; however, we are only guided by morals and principles. Contrary, morals are not universal, they are very personal for what may be right the one individual may be wrong in the beliefs and judgment of another. As such, our behavior can lead us to act in either way that is good or evil. Therefore, it is important to know that committing evil doe s not require any skills and any person can commit evil knowingly or unknowingly. In support of this paradox, the bible is quotes Jesus telling a group of people who were condemning an individual for acting wrongly. He said that if any of them clearly knew that they were absolutely clean from evil then they should be the first to reprimand that condemned individual. In the end none came forth for they all, knew that they had committed evil. According to James Waller a social psychologist, extraordinary evil is very weighty, as it may involve sins like mass murder, genocide among others. However, committing such evils may not require an extraordinary person. Most of the perpetrators of such acts have a starting point. As time passes when they are holding on small responsibility they gradually graduate to handle more and more responsibilities. In the end they have the capacity and machinery to commit the extraordinary evils (Waller n.p). In my own view, there are other factors that may lead an ordinary person to commit an extraordinary evil such as merging roles. Naturally, the basic assumption is that if an individual is good they will act or behave in a good manner and if they are evil minded then they will engage in evil ways. Conversely, this assumption may not hold if a person is given merging roles. For example if a good person if delegated for duties that require them to undertake evil acts, as time

The Impact of the Institute of Medicine Report Essay Example for Free

The Impact of the Institute of Medicine Report Essay The impact of The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010 has a major influence on nursing education. The first issue addressed in the report is an increased emphasis on public and community nursing. In the past, only nurses holding a bachelors degree were experienced and trained in community and public health, and the IOM wants to change that. One particular area of change is that now associate degree nurses are being trained in these areas in order be able to transition into these fields more smoothly and directly from nursing school. Another area that is addressed in this report is to increase the number of BSN degree nurses to 80% of all nurses by the year 2020. There are many reasons that this would benefit nurses and patients alike. Overall, nurses with higher degrees have a stronger foundation in their knowledge. Also, studies have also shown that they adapt to changes in the ever changing healthcare system, much better. A number of hospitals, especially teaching hospitals, prefer BSN to ADN. Teaching hospitals have a goal of at least 90% of their nursing staff to be bachelor degree nurses. Thus, more education will only help a nurse to obtain and retain employment and give him/her the tools needed to more capably care for their patients. The American Association of Nurses stated, The need to increase the number of BSN prepared nurses will deliver safer and more effective care. As the baby-boomers get older and sicker, the care that nurses offer is becoming more complex, thus requiring nurses to have excellent critical thinking skills, in hospitals and clinics alike. However, in order for more nurses to become bachelorette licensed, a number of things must take place. First, nurses need to step up to the plate and take the initiative to go back to school and continue their education. Secondly, employers need to make continuing education 2 ore appealing to theiremployees, possibly by offering higher tuition reimbursement, incentives for obtaining a BSN, and onsite classes. Therefore, in my opinion, nurses that have a higher education, will also have a broader range of skills, such as; more comprehensive critical thinking skills, leadership skills, management experience, and research tools. Ultimately, it is up to each and every nurse, to make the choice to apply themselves, and go after a higher education. The next area of great concern is the nurses role as a leader. Improved and concise leadership will be a necessity, in order to fulfill the growing number and needs of patients, and the ever changing healthcare system. According to the IOM report, Strong leadership is required, to realize the vision of a transformed health care system. This can be achieved by a close evaluation of the system as a whole, and looking at nursing specifically. Also, ongoing reform of the healthcare and nursing system will need to be a priority. Advocacy from nurses and organizations alike is a key factor in making this work. Lastly, implementing the above area is critical to making the entire program work as a whole. Another area that holds priority in nurses as leaders is research. Research is a very important part of leadership, in relation to research that is applied to practice and policies. This can be done with reform and experience, and needs to be developed and shaped by nurses with years of experience, and by nurses that belong to committees and advocacy groups that have strong beliefs in changing nursing and the healthcare system for the better. One other area that needs to be addressed in order for nurses to become strong leaders is competencies. First, the entire multi-disciplinary team of nurses, 3 doctors, pharmacy, physical therapy, etc. , need to work together as a true team and collaborate for the patients’ best interest, best outcome, and overall health. This can be achieved, according to the American association of colleges of nursing, by having a generalized set, as well as a distinct set, of competencies. Having generalized competencies will be helpful in creating a strong foundation for all nurses to have the same basic skills. The distinct set of competencies will be more geared towards specific areas of nursing in order for nurses to be experts in their specific field of nursing. In conclusion, leadership in nursing can be achieved by evaluating the nursing practice as a whole and by making changes when necessary. Also, nurses continuing to be on the frontline of research is key to maintaining leadership. Lastly, by making sure that nurses collaborate well within the multidisciplinary team, in order to provide the best patient care possible. The last area that needs to be addressed is the portion of the IOM report that discusses the impact of nursing practice, particularly primary care. The American Association of Colleges of Nurses defines standards of practice as an outline to better guide nurses skills, judgment, knowledge, and attitudes, in order for nurses to practice cautiously and safely. (AACN 2010). Therefore we as nurses need to maintain the high level of practice that we took an oath to, upon graduating nursing school. One of the first areas that nurses can be invaluable in the community and in primary care is to be an advocate for education related to diseases and the disease process. By educating our patients upon discharge, at a level that they fully understand, will help the patient to be healthier, feel better, live longer, and prevent hospital re-admission. By educating our patients about chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure and diabetes, our patients will benefit overall and the hospital will also be able to decrease the number of re-admissions. I believe that each and every patient that becomes admitted to a hospital, nursing home, rehab, or any other facility, deserves individualized care, that is specific to them and them alone, not the cookie-cutter approach so many of us nurses have become accustomed to in the years we have worked in these settings. I will work to change and improve my nursing practice to meet the IOM’s requirements by refining my patient education. I plan to accomplish this by meeting with my manager to implement a new and improved discharge education plan that will be specific to each patients needs and at a level that my patients can comprehend. In conclusion, I believe that The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010 is a well written and well thought out, report that needs to be achieved in order for our patients to receive the best possible nursing care available to them, and for nurses to be able to practice to their full potential. The biggest barrier in the above mentioned areas of change; education, leadership, and nursing practice, is government regulation. Education requirements vary from state to state and even from one nursing school to another. This needs to be rectified, and a general set of standards needs to be put into place for all states, in order for nurses graduating from nursing schools and going out into the workforce, to achieve these goals smoothly. Also, a general set of competencies needs to be agreed upon so that ADN nurses can seamlessly transition to a BSN degree. As for leadership, the same challenge faces each state as to what the definition of a nursing leader is. A clear and concise plan needs to be in place to promote nurses into leadership positions. Lastly, the federal trade commission, the board of nursing, congress, the AACN, and other advocates and committees, need to determine national standards for nursing education, nursing leadership and nursing scope of practice, and clear up the state by state regulatory differences.

Study Guide Literary Terms Essay Example for Free

Study Guide Literary Terms Essay

Is Abortion Considered The Taking Of Human Life Philosophy Essay

Is Abortion Considered The Taking Of Human Life Philosophy Essay An abortion refers to the premature termination of a pregnancy. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p254). Many ethical issues arise from abortion, however the main ones to be discussed are regarding whether or not abortion is considered the taking of human life, and whose decision is it to determine whether or not they should be permitted. Ultimately, the most significant concepts surrounding abortion relate to the Value of Human Life and The Principal of Individual Freedom. The Value of Life refers to the idea that our lives are a basic possession. Every person experiences their own lives in a unique way, and no-one can truly live anothers life. Each individual must be treated as unique, however this does not discard the concept that ending of a human life cannot be justified, rather it is believed it should not be ended without very strong justification. Consequently, it is deemed morally wrong to end a persons life against their will. The Principal of Individual Freedom basically states that as individuals, we must possess the freedom to choose our own ways and means of being moral within the framework of the other four principals. Because no person or situation is exactly like another, there must be some freedom for those people to deal with these different circumstances in a manner that best suits them (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Pro-Life and Pro-Choice There are two extreme views concerning abortion, and these are the ones of pro-life (against abortion), and pro-choice (permit abortion). The first view is that of Pro-Life, who ultimately believes that the conceptus has an absolute right to life, and this is where the Value of Life Principal arises. There are certain key stages in the conceptuss development which reinforce this belief, these include the following; By the third week, the embryo is developing various parts and a week later its heart begins to beat. Continuing to week five, divisions of the brain occur and the development of eyes and limb buds appear. By the seventh and eight week, sexual characteristics can be recognised, there is some lower brain anatomy and the fetus has developed some reflex reactions. Therefore, since ultimately their genetic view that life begins at conception, abortion is associated with murder, as it is the act of taking human life. Pro-lifes arguments are based on the value of life, that is, the right to life is absolute, especially the right of unborn life and its innocence. Thus, every unborn child should be regarded as human and receive all rights deserved from the moment of conception onwards (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Whether we believe that the fetus is a person or not, its debatable that a woman has some sort of ethical responsibility to the fetus. Also, abortions further along in the pregnancy are even more heavily concerned with the assumption of taking a human life because they feel there is something very human about the fetus as its development has continued (Ethics of Abortion 2010). There are a number of other issues concerning abortion, for instance, the medical and psychological effects of abortion on women are harmful, the dangers of pregnancy are almost irrelevant because of technological advances therefore abortions are unnecessary, there are alternatives to an abortion such as adoption, and the belief that women must accept full responsibility for their actions and innocent life cannot be sacrificed if they fail to do so through their own carelessness. Even when it comes to rape, destruction of innocent unborn human life is still not justified. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p262). Pro-life believe that if women want complete control over their body, then control should include using contraceptives to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Therefore, if a woman fails to use these measures and falls pregnant, she must bear the responsibility and consequences for her actions, rather than sacrificing human life (Women Issues 2010). The second extreme view is that of Pro-Choice, who are greatly in favour of abortion on request by the woman. Pro-choice believe that woman have absolute rights over their bodies, and the conceptus is part of a womans body until birth. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p272). Therefore, how can the conceptus be considered a human life before birth? This is where The Principal of Individual Freedom arises, where people should have a choice to determine what is best for them in their own circumstances. The argument continues with concerns of those fetuss which have been diagnosed with deformities, and therefore pro-choice believes that deformed children should not be brought into the world because of their burden on the health care system and ultimately society. This is also relative to children who are unwanted. Why bring a child into the world who is unwanted? What benefit does that place on the mother and also society? Especially if a woman is potentially an unfit mother, what kind of life would that leave for the child? (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Adoption is considered an alternative to abortion by pro-life, however adoption is not always a solution and certainly are not as honourable as depicted. There are a number of adoption agencies that are down-right inhumane and surely no place for young children. In addition, when pregnancy results from rape or incense, the woman should never have to go through the birth because of the circumstances of the conception. Forcing a woman to go through the pregnancy as a result of such a violent act will just cause more psychological harm, and the child may be neglected and a reminder of the trauma endured (Women Issues 2010). It is difficult to relate to why people choose abortion if you dont have personal experience, or are personally associated with someone who does, therefore who are you to say they cannot have one? Pro-life are basically asking us to consider real life situations rather than vote on abstract potentially uninformed beliefs. (The Sydney Morning Herald 2010). Ultimately, abortion must be totally a matter of the womans choice and private decision and no one else should be able to interfere (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Utilitarianism Applied to Abortion Utilitarianism refers to the ethical theory that everyone should perform that act or follow that moral rule that will bring about the greatest good (or happiness) for everyone concerned. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p42). When concerning abortion, it would seem to best apply the rule-utilitarianism, which refers to setting up a series of general morals and rules which can be applied to every moral question based, and when followed, yield the greatest good (Abortion: Ethical Analysis 2010). When this is applied to abortion, it can be argued that abortion is a completely ethical entity that will provide the most amount of happiness for the majority of people. This is reinforced by the statistics from the related newspaper article, which states, A survey of 1050 Australians investigating attitudes to early and late abortion published in the Medical Journal of Australia shows remarkably strong public support for women being able to access abortion at all stages of pregnancy, including after 24 weeks. (The Sydney Morning Herald 2010). An example of this view, is relative to a woman who may end up being an unfit mother to a child. If a 16-year old drug-addict were pregnant, would it not be in everyones best interest protect the child from the possibility of psychological and physical abuse, and ultimately a suffering lifetime? Pro-life views the situations concerning the fetus, where an abortion causes pain to the fetus and ultimately results in killing. However, from a utilitarian viewpoint, this focus on the fetus is unnecessary because its believed that the suffering involved can be avoided by an early abortion, that is before the fetus can develop the capability to undergo pain. Generally, the suffering of the fetus cannot be considered a strong argument against abortion (Utilitarian Org. 2010). In contrast, another view of utilitarianism is that the future life of the fetus would have had a probable balance of happiness over suffering, which is a definite argument against abortion, although not a dominant one. Another contrasting aspect is concerned with population size. If population decreases, utility will prescribe reproduction in order to increase it once again. This would create a shift will create the greatest of happiness to the most people. In this case, utility will generally oppose abortion. As a result of the views of a utilitarian, a general prescription either for or against abortion is extremely difficult to justify, as each case has its own significant and specific features (Utilitarian Org. 2010). Kants Categorical Imperative Kants Categorical Imperative basically emphasises that an act is immoral if the rule that would authorise it cannot be made into a rule for all human beings to follow. (Thiroux Krasemann 2009, p58). This is the belief that an act is considered to be moral solely because it adheres to a rule, therefore creating some sort of moral authority (Inquisitive 2010). A relative aspect of this theory concerns killing another human being. According to Kant, a person cannot kill another person being without violating a moral absolute. Therefore, killing is immoral and contradicts the Categorical Imperative, because essentially the meaning of life is to live (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Kant also believes there must a universal morality that must be capable of being applied to every situation without exception (Inquisitive 2010). When Kants Categorical Imperative is applied to abortion, it is looking for the moral authority. According to this theory, Kant would state that, abortion is murder, rather than if you have an abortion, you are committing murder. However, Kant also believes in Good Will, which emphasises in doing the right thing, and consequences are irrelevant (Inquisitive 2010). Therefore, who is it to say that abortion is not doing the right thing under certain circumstances? In a number of different circumstances, as noted before, there are a number of situations where abortion may be the best and/or right thing to do. This may be relevant to women who are in danger if they continue with the birth, and the safer option would be to have an abortion. However, through this theory it is believed that if we condone abortion, then we are ultimately suggesting that killing is moral. Consequently, Kant is in favour that killing is moral and only under extreme consequences can it be justified (Thiroux Krasemann 2009). Conclusion In conclusion, the issues surrounding abortion are vast and there will always be those strongly opposed and in favour of the practice of it. With Kants Categorical Imperative, if everyone considered that abortion is moral, then we are condoning that essentially murder is moral. However, this encroaches on the rights we have as humans. Ultimately we believe we have control over our own bodies, therefore, who is it to say what we choose and believe is the best in our own interests? In my personal belief, I am ultimately on the side of pro-choice, as there could be detrimental effects if it ever became illegal. From a moral view, it is seen to be killing another person, however, there are certain circumstances that abortions are necessary or would be the best option concerning those involved. Especially with the circumstances of rape, I believe no one has the right to force an unwanted pregnancy that resulted from a traumatic experience. In addition, The Principal of Individual Freedom has the most effect as we all have our individual lives and what we consider to be most beneficial to us, should ultimately be established and not influenced or forced otherwise.

Trip to Japan Essay -- essays research papers

It was May 25, 2001. What was clear however, was the fact that I was soon going to be on my own in a country where I did not know the language or the people that I would be meeting there and staying with. The adrenaline rushed through me as I packed the last of my things and ran out of the door. I closed the door to my house and jumped in the car. The idea of leaving America and going to Japan seemed to really not have hit me yet, but now that I look back I know that I had to feel it. I think that the things that I was feeling was such a blob of mixed emotions that I really did not know how to feel so I will just say that I was excited. At the airport I met my best friend and two other friends of mine from school. We would all be traveling together, most all the time. The only things th...

Ecstasy and the Youth :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rave as a Post- Modern Phenomena is continuing to increase is size. Every year more teenagers discover the potential of this way to have fun. They suddenly feel part of something, which they enjoy. However, the rave phenomena primarily depended of taking the drugs. Unfortunately, like any other culture, or cult hippies is self-stupefying. This means that the ignorance of the Ravers maintains as the existence of Raves. Those who become part of such drug taking culture, the problem often intensified, due to the lack of sport with in the raving community, who are still having too much fun. This is made worse because, there is also a lack of support in the community for the victims of recreational drug abuse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rave culture is highly attractive to the youth audience in general, regardless of class or ethnic background. Raves are non-elitist, and are primarily for the working class. This makes Raves quit different from all other postmodern sub-cultures. The legalization of a Rave has not prevented the illegal taking of the drugs. This means that there are a lot of young people indulging in Rave culture and recreational drug taking every weekend.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rave has provided an environment where drugs like ecstasy are socially acceptable. Rave like other cult is self-stupefying and refuses to question the taking of the drugs affecting its continual and successful existence. â€Å"Recreational drug users often see only benefits only from drug use and at this stage will have control over the drug taking, despite using drug on regular basis. However recreational drug use does not mean problem free drug use. For this reason it is vital to raise awareness about some of the known effects of the drug use. Both within the raving community and the general public, after all the young Ravers of today a whole generation, who will ultimately affect the future of the country?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many young people feel Ecstasy allows them to stay in control unlike alcohol. In an article by Sheila Henderson she particularly emphasis’s the attraction of Ecstasy and the E-culture for young women. She suggests that women felt that being in an environment where every one was on Ecstasy, rather than say alcohol, freed from unwanted sexual attention from men. She state, â€Å"Instead of being tied to a boyfriend, having to stick close to friends, feeling self-conscious about appearance or dace style or intimidated by attention from men, the young women occupied this social space with confidence, circulating and meeting new people independently.

Management Techniques For The Red-cockaded Woodpecker On Federal Lands :: essays research papers

Management Techniques For The Red-Cockaded Woodpecker On Federal Lands ABSTRACT The red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) has been listed as an endangered species since October, 1970. This species inhabits pine forests in the southeastern United States where the majority of prime timberland is privately owned. Private ownership of preferred habitat and historically destructive silvicultural practices create unique problems for federal wildlife managers. This report analyzes three management techniques being used to assess and augment red-cockaded woodpecker populations on federal lands in the region, primarily military installations. Seeking cooperation between diverse government agencies, wildlife managers attempt to accurately assess species abundance, alter woodpecker nesting cavities, and construct nest sites in an effort to enhance red-cockaded woodpecker habitat on limited federal holdings in the American southeast. Key words: Picoides borealis, Global Positioning System, Geographic Information System, cavity trees, cavity restrictors The red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) is an endangered species that inhabits pine forests in an historical range from Texas to the Atlantic coast (Jackson, 1986; Reed et al., 1988). Picoides borealis nest in clans or family groups that usually consist of one breeding pair and 2 non-breeding male helpers (Jackson, 1986 ). This group establishes and defends a territory that includes foraging habitat and nesting "cavity trees" (Copeyon et al., 1991; Jackson et al., 1986; Rossell and Gorsira, 1996). Red-cockaded woodpecker clans excavate cavities in living pines, and have established a living and foraging routine in conjunction with the southeastern pine forests and the historical occurrence of fire, which reduces hardwood understory while sparing fire-resistant pines (Jackson, 1986). Much of the prime nesting and foraging habitat for this species has been systematically eliminated due to development, timber harvest and intensive fire suppression (Jackson, 1986). The emergence of dense hardwood understory and midstory as a result of fire suppression in red-cockaded woodpecker habitat has resulted in the abandonment of many otherwise undisturbed areas (Jackson, 1986; Kelly et al., 1993). The red-cockaded woodpecker has been listed as endangered since 1970 (Federal Register, 1970 as cited by Ertep and Lee, 1994). Four requirements for sustained red-cockaded woodpecker populations that are lacking in the species historical range are identified as critical to species stabilization and recovery: 1.) Open pine forests with shade tolerant understory controlled by cyclical fire seasons; 2.) Old growth Pinus palustrus aged > 95 years and Pinus taeda aged > 75 years; 3.) Approximately 200 acres for nesting group or clan; 4.) Multiple clans per area to maintain genetic stability and variability (Jackson, 1986). The opportunity to establish or preserve these habitat qualities on private timberland is largely lost due to historical harvest practices and development, and research on expanding populations on federal

Government’s Expenditures during the Cold War

Even though the Cold War era is a distant memory, encased in glass forever like some museum piece, our government is still spending as if the Soviet Union was in its prime. If the arms race is a forgotten memory, then why is the military still spending 86% of what it was spending during the Cold War. It†s not that us Americans do not want a solid military, we just believe that our military is wasting billions of dollars at the expense of our children†s education and well being. 50 years ago our country, and the entire world was in disparate need of a strong U.S. military. We inflated our military budget, and gave the government and private businesses an enormous appetite. Without a major threat to the United States since the collapse of the Soviet Union, our government seems to be in competition with itself. 50 years ago we sent tons and tons of troops overseas to fight in a foreign land, while we pumped private businesses up with the manufacturing of military equipment. The need for such products and the need for an over-healthy military allowance is long gone. While we sunk billions after billions of taxpayer†s money on wars that we were boisterously proud to spend (it gave us all the prestige we could ever ask for), our Allies were investing in their children†s education and well being. The result now is that while we have the most elite military capabilities, our children†s educational level is extremely under developed. European and Japanese children significantly outperform American children in math and upper-level reading. This should not be too surprising, our children are studying history books that are from a decade ago. This creates difficult obstacles for our children to keep up on current politics and other global events. Also the over crowding of classrooms makes it extremely difficult for your child to get that personalized learning which may determine his or her ability to learn at all. Every child learns at a different rate and possibly in different ways, this makes it virtually impossible for teachers to tap into every child†s full learning potential. If your child needs that extra, personalized attention, but is not â€Å"defined† as handicapped their specific learning needs will most likely be overlooked and that may be the beginning of your child†s inability to learn. According to a study done by the state of Tennessee, reducing classroom size in early grades (K-3rd) can improve a child†s performance even after being placed back into their regular sized class. Another major problem hindering our children†s education is the fact that the teachers with the priceless responsibility of developing our child†s mind are absolutely underpaid. Teachers barely make an honest living and are often subliminal role models to our young students. Although there are countless exceptionally dedicated teachers in America, a significantly higher salary would ensure the quality of almost all teachers. Remember what we were taught about incentives at a young age, the carrot in front of the rabbit, well that would definitely apply for these individuals we need to count on everyday. So, where is all of the money going to come from to improve our children†s education, well, remember our friend with that uncontrollable appetite? During the Cold War†s prime the U.S. was spending $325 billion a year. And today, with the Cold War boxed up and put on a shelf, the military is still spending $290 billion a year (NCR,1999). This is an alarming figure that we are spending on a military without any outside threat to contend with, in fact it seems to be their only real mission is to play servant to the United Nations, fighting little skirmishes in countries that don†t want our help. One would be hopeful that since we are in an era of peace time that we could enjoy â€Å"peace dividends.† However, the military and those private sector businesses that created such an enormous appetite refuse to exercise a Post-Cold War diet. Maybe we need to e-mail the pentagon, they might be reading our children†s decade old history books, in that case they wouldn†t know that the Berlin Wall is down and the Soviet Union has collapsed. Another astonishing fact is that our country has become the world†s largest arms dealer, selling to almost any country with the money to do business. And if they can†t afford them, our government will put them on a payment plan, acting much like a scene right out of The Godfather. Is this our government, or is this Don Corleone, striking deals with some pretty shady characters. One can†t help wondering where all of this cold hard cash is going from these deals. It is no mystery that our government budgets are in desperate need of reform, well, there are active groups lobbying to change the spending habits of our government. One of the most effective of these groups is the Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, which is comprised of influential individuals like Ben Cohen, cofounder of Ben & Jerry†s; and former assistant secretary of state, Lawrence Korb, along with a cabinet of ex-military and big business leaders. The group is most certainly not an anti-military faction, however they are dedicated to refocusing the military†s useless spending (NCR, 1999). They are not opposed to our military having the best equipment possible, that is if someone were to donate it to them. If the decision is for the military to have a great new ship, or for our children to have a better education, of course the military is going to have to make due. Currently the federal government only participates in 7% of the funding for our schools, while the state and the local community split the rest. This is an raises enormous concerns due to the fact that poorer communities are at a significant disadvantage. Some communities can spend up to five times as much as less fortunate ones (NATIONAL PTA, 1996). To achieve these goals for a better future for our kids and further more, our country, we need to make education our biggest priority. Adding up the military†s inflated $290 billion a year, and comparing it to what†s left over for all other spending, including education, a meager $246 billion (NCR, 1999). This is an insult to our children†s development as growing intellectuals. 6% of the entire budget is allocated for our children†s education, this states the true fact that their education is not important. The money is truly there, we simply need to redirect it and our governments priorities. Like stated by Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, † The winners and losers are not going to be determined by the size of their gunboats, but by the level of their children†s level of education.†

Assess Different Indicators Used to Measure Development Essay

Development is a process of change that affects people’s lives, which may involve an improvement in the quality of life as perceived by the people undergoing change. As development is such a wide category, it can be split into social and economic factors as well as simple and composite indicators. To start with, many economic indicators are used to measure a country’s development. GDP (Gross Domestic Product), this is the total value of goods and services produced in a country. GNP (Gross National Product) includes income from investments abroad and PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) takes into account local cost of living and is usually expressed per capita. These are the three main economic indicators. Many advantages appear when using economic measurement as an indicator, such as it is a useful figure for comparing countries and often used to rank countries to establish a fair system of aid payments. Also, each country can be easily compared and calculated so that patterns can be seen quickly. However, this way of measurement does come with a lot of problems. For example, the distribution of wealth is unequal I most/all countries but when studying the indicator results, it shows that supposedly the country has an equal distribution. This results in inequality being ‘covered up’ and a true picture is not shown which therefore makes the result lack in validity. Countries have different currencies, which is an issue within itself but this is enlarged when countries have different currency fluctuations. This makes it hard to then compare each countries results to one another as the values shown have different rates of wealth. Although, this problem is being tackled by converting all the currencies to US$ so easy comparisons can be made, and patterns can be easily shown when comparing countries. Other problems that come from using economic indicators are they can be manipulated by governments who want to appear poor to collect more aid and it does not take into account informal economies which are very important in less developed countries. To try and eliminate the economic problems, social indicators are also used to make the results as accurate as possible. Social indicators are used mainly to give an idea about the peoples quality of life in that country, although this can be significantly hard to actually categorise. The main indicators for the social categories are Life Expectancy (the average lifespan of someone born in that country), Birth Rate (number of babies born per thousand people per year). This allows a clear indicator of a countries level of development, as well as being able to predict the future situation to plan accordingly. BR can be affected by population policies (e.g. China’s one child policy) and figures in LEDCs are not necessarily accurate. Literacy Rate (percentage of the population able to read and write) also has negatives such as when used on its own it doesn’t tell us whether the figure is a consequence of too few schools or the fact that children are having to work. The other issue is that it takes no notice of other skills (agricultural for example) the people may have which are equally valuable (e.g. a good understanding of farming techniques). Literacy rates is used as an indicator because it does show the amount of education on offer and tells us how many children could or couldn’t attend school. Finally, Infant Mortality (the number of children who die before they reach the age of one for every thousand live births per year). An advantage of using these four social indicators to ‘measure’ a country as a general point is that more patterns are shown by comparing economic and social factors. For example, the higher the GDP per person the higher the life expectancy showing a positive correlation between the two. As stated in the opening paragraph, the development of a country can also be measured by using simple and composite indicators. The indicators discussed above in both economic and social categories are classed as simple indicators (excluding GDP). The composite indicator definition is as follows: ‘Composite indicators measures are used when single indicators cannot adequately capture such multi-dimensional concepts. Ideally, a composite indicator should be based on a theoretical framework / definition, which allows individual indicators/variables to be selected, combined and weighted in a manner which reflects the dimensions or structure of the phenomena being measured’. Simplified, composite indicators combine a number of single component indices to give a combined score. A frequent composite indicator that is often used is the HDI (Human Development Index). this combines PPP, life expectancy, adult literacy and average number of years in schooling. Other composite indicators include GEM (Gender Empowerment Measure) and GDI (Gender-related Development Index) to measure gender inequality. Other quality of life indicators could measure a variety of social and economic fac tors. Composite indicators are often considered more reliable as they combine a number of simple indicators to give one average score. The problem with this however is having only an average result. As previously discussed, by having an average score the result lacks validity as it doesn’t show a true picture. In conclusion, the method that gives the most accurate and true representation of a country, in my opinion, is to use a combination of social and economic simple indicators. Many positives and negatives come from using simple and composite indicators, but the key problem with using composite is that it only gives an average. The main point of creating and using indicators is to get the true representation of a countries development, and composite indicators often do no prove this where as simple indicators are more likely to. View as multi-pages

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 10

The next morning Elena got up and dressed quietly in the motel room, grateful for the extra space. Damon was gone, but she had expected that. He usually got his breakfast early while they were on the road, preying on waitresses at all-night truck stops or early-morning diners. She was going to discuss that with him someday, she thought as she put the packet of ground coffee in the little two-cup percolator the motel provided. It smelled good. But more urgently, she needed to talk to someone about what had happened last night. Stefan was her first choice, of course, but she'd found that out of body experiences weren't just to be had for the asking. What she needed to do was call Bonnie and Meredith. She had to talk to them – it was her right – but now, of all times, she couldn't. Intuitively, she felt that any contact between her and Fell's Church might be bad. And Matt had never checked in. Not once. She had no idea where he was on the road, but he had better be in Sedona on time, that was all. He had deliberately cut off all communication between them. Fine. As long as he showed up when he had promised. But†¦Elena still needed to talk. To express herself. Of course! She was an idiot! She still had her faithful companion that never said a word, and never kept her waiting. Pouring herself a cup of scalding black coffee on the way, Elena dug her diary out of the bottom of her duffel bag and opened it to a fresh, clean page. There was nothing like a fresh page and an ink pen that ran smoothly to start her writing. Fifteen minutes later there was a rattle at one window and a minute later Damon was stepping through. He had several paper bags with him and Elena felt unaccountably pleased and homey. She had provided coffee, which was rather good even if it came with dried cream substitute, and Damon had supplied†¦ â€Å"Gasoline,† he said triumphantly, raising his eyebrows significantly at her as he set the bags on the table. â€Å"Just in case they try to use plants against us. No, thanks,† he added, seeing she was standing with a full cup of coffee held in his direction. â€Å"I had a garage mechanic while I was buying this. I'll just go wash my hands.† And he disappeared, walking right past Elena. Walking right past her, without a glance, even though she was wearing her only clean pair of clothes left: jeans and a subtly colored top that looked white at first glance and only in the brightest light revealed that it was ethereally rainbow-shaded. Without a single look, Elena thought, feeling a strange sensation that somehow her life had just lapped itself. She started to throw the coffee away but then decided she needed it herself and drank it in a few scalding gulps. Then she went and stood by her diary, reading over the last two or three pages. â€Å"Are you ready to go?† Damon was shouting over the sound of running water in the bathroom. â€Å"Yes – in just a minute.† Elena read the diary pages from the previous entry, and began skimming the one before that. â€Å"We might as well go straight west from here,† Damon shouted. â€Å"We can make it in one day. They'll think it's a feint for one particular gate and search all the small ones. Meanwhile we'll go on heading for the Kimon Gate and be days ahead of anyone tracking us. It's perfect.† â€Å"Uh-huh,† Elena said, reading. â€Å"We ought to be able to meet Mutt tomorrow – maybe even this evening, depending on what kind of trouble they cause.† â€Å"Uh-huh.† â€Å"But first I wanted to ask you: do you think it's a coincidence that our window is broken? Because I always put wards on them at night and I'm sure – † He passed a hand over his forehead. â€Å"I'm sure that I must have done that last night, as well. But something got through and broke the window and got away without a trace. That was why I bought all the the gasoline. If they try something with trees, I'll blast them all back to Stonehenge.† And half the innocent residents of the state, Elena thought grimly. But she was in a state of such shock that not much could make an impression on top of it. â€Å"What are you doing now?† Damon was clearly ready to get up and going. â€Å"Getting rid of something I don't need,† Elena said, and flushed the toilet, watching the torn-up bits of her diary swirl round and round before disappearing. â€Å"I wouldn't worry about the window, though,† she said, coming back into the bedroom and slipping her shoes on. â€Å"And don't get up for a minute, Damon. I've got to talk to you about something.† â€Å"Oh, come on. It can wait until we're on the road, can't it?† â€Å"No, it can't, because we've got to pay for that window. You broke it last night, Damon. But you don't remember doing it, do you?† Damon stared at her. She could tell that his first temptation was to laugh. His second temptation, to which he gave in, was to think that she was nuts. â€Å"I'm serious,† she said, once he had gotten up and started to pace toward the window with a distinct look of wanting to be a crow flying out of it. â€Å"Don't you dare go anywhere, Damon, because there's more.† â€Å"More stuff I did that I don't remember?† Damon lounged against the wall in one of his old, arrogant poses. â€Å"Maybe I smashed a few guitars, kept the radio on until four A.M.?† â€Å"No. Not necessarily things from – last night,† Elena said, looking away. She couldn't look at him. â€Å"Other things, from other days – â€Å" â€Å"Like maybe I've been trying to sabotage this trip all along,† he said, his voice laconic. He eyed the ceiling and sighed heavily. â€Å"Maybe I've done it just to be alone with you – â€Å" â€Å"Shut up, Damon!† Where had that come from? Well, she knew that, of course. From her feelings about last night. The problem was that she also had to get some other things settled – seriously, if he would take them. Come to think of it, that might be a better way to go about this. â€Å"Do you think that your feelings about Stefan – well, have changed at all recently?† Elena asked. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Do you think† – oh, this was so difficult looking into black eyes the color of endless space. Especially when last night they had been full of myriads of stars – â€Å"do you think that you've come to think of him differently? To honor his wishes more than you used to do?† Now Damon was openly examining her, just as she was examining him. â€Å"Are you serious?† he said. â€Å"Completely,† she said, and, with a supreme effort, she sent her tears back where they were supposed to go. â€Å"Something did happen last night,† he said. He was looking intently at her face. â€Å"Didn't it?† â€Å"Something happened, yes,† Elena said. â€Å"It was – it was more of a – † She had to let out her breath, and with that almost everything went. â€Å"Shinichi! Shinichi, che bastardo! Imbroglione! That thief! I'm going to kill him slowly!† Suddenly Damon was everywhere. He was beside her, his hands on her shoulders; the next minute he was shouting imprecations out the window, then he was back, holding both her hands. But only one word mattered to Elena. Shinichi. The kitsune with his black, scarlet-tipped hair, who had made them give up so much just for the location of Stefan's cell. â€Å"Mascalzone! Maleducato – † Elena lost track of Damon's cursing again. So it was true. Last night had been completely stolen from Damon, taken from his mind as simply and completely as the interval when she had used Wings of Redemption and Wings of Purification on him. The latter he had agreed to. But last night – and what other things had the fox been taking? To cut out an entire evening and night – and this evening and night in particular, implied that†¦ â€Å"He never shut down the connection between my mind and his. He still can reach inside me any time he chooses.† Damon had finally stopped swearing, and stopped moving. He was sitting on the couch opposite the bed with his hands drooping between his knees. He looked singularly forlorn. â€Å"Elena, you have to tell me. What did he take from me last night? Please!† Damon looked as if he might fall on his knees in front of her, without melodrama. â€Å"If – if – it was what I think – â€Å" Elena smiled, although tears were still running down her face. â€Å"It wasn't – what anyone would think, exactly, I suppose,† she said. â€Å"But – !† â€Å"Let's just say that this time – was mine,† Elena said. â€Å"If he's stolen anything else from you, or if he tries to do it in the future, then he's fair game. But this†¦will be my secret.† Until maybe someday you break into your huge boulder of secrets, she thought. â€Å"Until I tear it out of him, along with his tongue and his tail!† snarled Damon, and it was truly the snarl of an animal. Elena was glad it wasn't directed at her. â€Å"Don't worry,† Damon added in a voice so chilling that it was almost more frightening than the animal fury. â€Å"I will find him, no matter where he tries to hide. And I will take it from him. I might just take his entire little furry hide off with it. I'll make you a pair of mittens out of it, how's that?† Elena tried to smile and did a pretty good job. She was just coming to terms with what had happened herself, although she didn't believe for a minute that Damon would really leave her alone on the subject until he forced the memory back out of Shinichi. She realized that on some level she was punishing Damon for what Shinichi had done, and that was wrong. I promise no one will know about last night, she told herself. Not until Damon does. I won't even tell Bonnie and Meredith. This made things a lot harder on her, and therefore probably more equitable. As they were cleaning up the debris from Damon's most recent fit of fury, he suddenly reached up to brush a stray tear from Elena's cheek. â€Å"Thank you – † Elena began. Then she stopped. Damon was touching his fingers to his lips. He looked at her, startled and a little disappointed. Then he shrugged. â€Å"Still unicorn bait,† he said. â€Å"Did I say that last night?† Elena hesitated, then decided that his words didn't fall within the crucial time limits of secrecy. â€Å"Yes, you did. But – you won't give me away, will you?† she added, suddenly anxious. â€Å"I've promised my friends not to say anything.† Damon was staring at her. â€Å"Why should I say anything about anybody? Unless you're talking about the little redheaded one?† â€Å"I told you; I'm not saying anything. Except that obviously Caroline isn't a virgin. Well, with all the ruckus about her being pregnant – â€Å" â€Å"But you remember,† Damon interjected, â€Å"I came to Fell's Church before Stefan did; I just lurked in the shadows longer. The way you talked – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, I know. We liked boys and boys liked us, and we already had reputations. So we just talked any way we felt like talking. Some of it may have been true, but a lot of it you could take two ways – and then of course you know how boys talk – â€Å" Damon knew. He nodded. â€Å"Well and so pretty soon everyone was talking about us as if we'd done everything with everyone. They even wrote stuff about it in the paper and the yearbook and on the bathroom walls. But we had a little poem, too, and sometimes we even wrote it with our signatures on it. How did it go?† Elena cast her mind back a year, two years, more. Then she recited: â€Å"Just because you heard it, doesn't make it true. Just because you read it, doesn't make it so. The next time that you hear it, it may be about you. Don't think that you can change their minds, just 'cause you know – you know!† As Elena finished, she looked at Damon, suddenly feeling the urgent need to get to Stefan. â€Å"We're almost there,† she said. â€Å"Let's hurry.†