Out of Maos Shadow Essay -- Chinese Communist Party, Politics

For several decades, since the death of monoamine oxidase Zedong, dissidence among the public has increased against the single-party system of Maos Chinese Communist Party, or CCP. The CCP, which Mao co-founded, has ruled China since 1949 with little or no opposition party. The ruling party has long busted dissent since its founding. Three authors have looked into the dissidence. The first is Merle Goldman in her analytical essay of the intellectual class in China entitled Chinas Beleaguered Intellectuals (2009). In this essay, Goldman focuses on the intellectuals struggle for political and intellectual freedom from the CCP. Goldmans view for the future of China is one containing more political freedoms. On the other hand, Andrew G. Walders critical essay Unruly St efficacy Why Chinas Regime Has Staying Power, (2009) refutes Goldmans claim that Chinas intellectuals have the ability to permute domestic policy. He argues that, while political dissent has become more commonplace, th e CCP and authoritarian control is here to stay. The third author, Philip P. Pan and his novel divulge of Maos Shadow The Struggle for the Soul of a New China (2008) has a more neutral tone and shows both the side of the intellectuals and the CCP. This publisher will use Pans book in order to determine which view, either Goldmans or Walders, is correct.The first section of Pans book called Remembering, discusses two of the major role-players, Zhao Ziyang and Lin Zhao, during the different campaigns and revolutions throughout Chinas history, and the way the public recalls their deaths. Both Zhao Ziyang and Lin Zhaos lives and deaths received differing treatment by the brass censors and the public. Zhao Ziyang was an important senior member in the C... ...ially thousands of people that would otherwise die unnecessarily. Both Goldman and Walder make excellent points both backed by Pans book. The argument that Walder makes is very convincing that government and all of its censorship is here to stay. The reaction to the reformers are usual overblown and extreme. They are also highly nefarious and go against human rights. However, Goldmans argument is much stronger. Since the rise of a semi-capitalistic society under the market reforms of the 1980s and the Tiananmen Square protests the voices of political dissent and change have been on the rise, and from the examples provided, especially after the year 2000. The party has effectively been losing power thanks in large part to the internet and the rise of the lawyers like Pu. Therefore, the political status quo in China is changing, no matter what the party says.

Education and Class Essay -- Social Class

Class theorists argue that class provides the basic complex body part of society and is also the chief hit of the inequality of modern societies. The pecking order of the Australia class system consists of a ruling upper class, a white-collar middle class, and a laboring working class. thither is enormous inequality amongst the class groups and especially between the upper- and middle-classes and the working-class. What class you belong to plays a determining role in what sort of life you lead. Those at the top of the class structure typically seem to take more power, more wealth, more opportunities, and more control over their lives than those at the bottom. They also have a greater fix on society and use this advantage to manipulate society to serve their values and suit their needs.This is no where more unequivocal than in the social creation of education. fosterage is one of the great dividers amongst classes. The schooldays you go to often determines what sort of quali fications you obtain, what job you get and, thus, how much money you get and what class you move into. Education is a means in which individuals seek social mobility. Parents realized this long ago and some struggle to send their children to insular schools to give them a give way chance of succeeding in the class hierarchy. Other children, typically from working-class backgrounds, are victims of low expectations, both from their parents and internally, and leave school as soon as they can, moving into low-pa... Education and Class Essay -- Social ClassClass theorists argue that class provides the basic structure of society and is also the chief cause of the inequality of modern societies. The hierarchy of the Australia class system consists of a ruling upper class, a white-collar middle class, and a laboring working class. There is enormous inequality between the class groups and especially between the upper- and middle-classes and the working-class. What class y ou belong to plays a determining role in what sort of life you lead. Those at the top of the class structure typically seem to have more power, more wealth, more opportunities, and more control over their lives than those at the bottom. They also have a greater impact on society and use this advantage to manipulate society to serve their values and suit their needs.This is no where more evident than in the social institution of education. Education is one of the great dividers amongst classes. The school you go to often determines what sort of qualifications you obtain, what job you get and, thus, how much money you earn and what class you move into. Education is a means in which individuals seek social mobility. Parents realized this long ago and some struggle to send their children to private schools to give them a better chance of succeeding in the class hierarchy. Other children, typically from working-class backgrounds, are victims of low expectations, both from their parents a nd internally, and leave school as soon as they can, moving into low-pa...

Religion in Pat Barkers Regeneration :: Pat Barker Regeneration Essays

Religion in Pat poochs RegenerationIn Pat Barkers novel Regeneration, i of the main characters, Dr. Rivers, is presented with a patient who is not mentally ill at all, but real sane. In trying to heal this patient, Rivers begins to contrive an internal deviation about the job he is doing and the job he should be doing. He is fighting with himself until on page 149, he is in a church where they are singing a very popular hymn, God Moves in a Mysterious Way. At this point, Rivers is able to begin resolving his conflict. By using this hymn, Barker is able to emphasize one of the novels theme in times of war, reflection on religion not only brings peace to a country, but cornerstone bring peace within yourself.The author of the famous hymn God Moves in a Mysterious Way is William Cowper. He was born to John Cowper and Ann Donne on November 26, 1731. In 1768, Cowper moved to Olney in Buckinghamshire (William Cowper). Three years later, he started what would be known as the Olney Hy mns, but because of severe melancholy, Cowper did not finish this work until 1779. The very last hymn in this book is Light Shining out of Darkness (Cowper). This hymn is the one that most Christians all over England would know as God Moves in a Mysterious Way. Even though the hymn may not have been as popular among the soldiers on the battlefield, according to Alan Wilkensons book, The church service of England and the First World War, at home, God moves in a mysterious way was a very popular hymn (157). Historians did not comment on why this particular hymn was so popular during the war. However, the verses in the hymn remind Christians that God is watching over them, and that He has a purpose for everything He does (Cowper). This idea may have provided some reassurance to the families and friends of soldiers on the battlefield. Those with loved ones serving their country may have found comfort knowing that God had a plan, and that He was watching over their soldiers.Other hymns , as well as religion in general, were an important part of the soldiers and officers lives. Over forty million prayer books, hymn books, and Bibles were distributed among soldiers during the first cardinal years of war by several different agencies. Many of the books had the typical inscription Please carry this in your pocket and read it every mean solar day (Wilkinson 153).

Dramatic Devices in An Inspector Calls :: J.B. Priestly

An inspector c wholes Dramatic DevicesAn Inspector Calls is a play written by J.B Priestly in 1945 however it is set in 1912. An Inspector calls is a thriller set in England. This was a very difficult time for several reasons. In 1912 it was a time where mass were just avaricious and selfish. Priestly wrote this play because he was concerned that the world that he and others was living in was a place of disgust and that people could do better. To tender all these wounds in the world Priestly wrote this to show that there is enough time to repair these problems and be as bright as possible for the future. The play makes us question ourselves and what sort of a character we would prefer to be. In 1912 it was a time of inequality. In fact there was a really big snap between the rich and poor, in the time if you were really rich, you were stated as really lucky, but for the poor it was a really different story. They had low remuneration and had difficulty on surviving on the money th ey were given. One of the most important themes in An Inspector Calls responsibility for other peoples welfare, and that soused people have obligations to look after those less fortunate than themselves. J. B. Priestley uses the inspector to express his views to people. One more of Priestleys reasons for writing this play was to show how people were behaving at the time. He wrote this play to reflect what people were really like and what they thought. The logrolling family are rich and they look down on the lower-class as less than human make no difference to society. Mr. Birling believes he just needs to look after for himself, but Priestley doesnt agree with this. each of the characters that are sitting down to dinner are responsible for the death of one girl Eva Smith, but not all of them think about their responsibilities, Birling feels that everyone has to look after themselves. Priestley partly shows what he is trying to say by showing Mr. Birling a proud man to be in so much error about so many things, such as the unsinkable Titanic ship and the two world wars not going to kick the bucket the audience would know that he is wrong. This is a device which Priestley uses called dramatic irony which is essential to the play because its based on the world wars and the titanic sinking.

Martha Washington :: essays research papers

In 1633, the Reverend Rowland Jones came from England to the colony of Virginia. He had graduated from Oxford University and in Williamsburg had served as minister for fourteen age. Two generations posterior Martha Dandridge, his great-granddaughter, was born on June 2, 1731 on a plantation near Williamsburg. She grew up in the Dandridge home, Chestnut Grove. She enjoyed riding horses, gardening, sewing, playing the spinet and dancing. Her father made sure that she got a fair education in basic math, reading and writing...something girls didnt receive at the time. At the age of eighteen, Martha married to Daniel Parke Custis. He was wealthy, handsome and twenty years older than her. Martha set up housekeeping on his plantation, while her husband managed the estate, which covered over 17,000 acres. Her husband adored his young, pretty bride and pampered her with the finest clothes and gifts imported solely the way from England. They had four children, two who died before their fir st birthday. Their two surviving children John Parke, called "Jacky" and Martha, called " bulls eye". In 1757, when Martha was twenty-six, Daniel Custis died after a brief illness. Jacky was three and Patsy was less than a year old. Dying without a will, Martha was left with the duties of running the household, the estate and raising her children. (Fatherless children were usually "raised" under the care of a guardian, tear down if the mother survived--which meant that another male, primarily a relative, took care of the estates of the children). Her early education proved very helpful in the task. Her husbands former military control manager stayed to help with the operation of the plantation and she consulted with lawyers when she felt she needed it. Sometime later, Martha met a young colonel (several months younger than her) in the Virginia Militia at a cotilion in Williamsburg. His name was George Washington. Martha fell in love and George found her qu ite attractive. (That she had a good disposition and inherited wealth was an added bonus to the relationship). Martha married George on January 6, 1759. The marriage changed George from an ordinary planter to a substantially wealthy landowner. He had resigned his commission in the militia and so, George, Martha, Jacky who was 4, and Patsy who was about 2 moved into the remodeled Mt. Vernon. Martha was detailed in running her home, although she and her husband did not pinch pennies when it came to caring for their home.

Hindu Creation Myth vs Earth’s Age According To Evolution :: essays research papers

Hindu Creation Myth vs Earths Age According To EvolutionThe Hindu creation story that I found goes like this. As Brahma meditated beings were born from his heed. He thought about a body make of darkness and out of his rectum came a wind were the demons were born. Then Brahma discarded the body of darkness and the body became night. He then thought of a new body that was made in general of goodness and light. Out of his mouth now came the shining gods or devas. He then brought out of his body something else that has now become day. Still today its during the daytime that people visit the temples and worship the gods. He took a third body that was all goodness. Brahma happened to be thinking beautiful thoughts of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, and then the antecedent spirits were born. These spirits appear in the dusk and the dawn, where day and night met. Brahma then bought out of his third body and brought a fourth something that was made of the energy that emitted fro m his mind. With these thoughts human beings the thinking creatures, were created. Then he made this body and it became the moon. To this day human beings love the moonlight for dancing, singing, and making love. Brahma now had a strange thought that he though was a fifth body made of both energy and darkness which caused him to emit horrible creatures that wanted to deplete the primordial sea of chaos those were the ogres. Brahma was really disturbed by his last creation that all the hairs on his head fell out. Those hairs became all the creatures that kowtow around on the ground the snakes and other reptiles. They remember their origins by hiding in swamps, brush piles, under rocks, and other dark places. Brahma was still luxuriant about creating the ogres and, thinking dark thoughts, he created the horrible Gandharvas, or ghouls. By this time Brahma had again got back his power and began thinking pleasant thoughts. His mind went back to the peaceful and happy time of his youth . In this state of happiness, the birds were created. Now from the body of Brahma much more came mammals, plants, and other forms of life. The qualities that all living things invite today are the products of what Brahmas thoughts were when they were born and these features remain alive as long as the world lasts.

Biguine French Movie Review

Title-Biguine Director- Jacques Boumedil Year- 2005 Type- Drama Main actors Micheline Mona and Max Telephe 1) The main characters granddaughter narrates the story everyplace the radio. Hermansia and Tiquitaque travel to St-Pierre with a group of other plantation workers looking for a new life and they come to a cliff and see the volcano and the harbor. They fling around the city amazed by urban the atmosphere. They are particularly interested in the jewelry and other material goods that are sold in the city center. 2) Hermansia Hermansia is a black plantation worker who moves to St-Pierre to pursue her passion to be a singer.At first she is reluctant to embrace the city but at long last her music becomes normal and up lifts her community. Her lyrics capture her desire to live life to the fullest and rise up from the oppression the black community faces from that cut and Europeans on the island. Tiquitaque- Tiquitaque is Hermansias husband and is also a musician. He is excited t o be in a new city but disappointed that wealthy individuals will not hire him and his wife to bring to pass at their social functions. The upper class does not like the rural black music that the two play, especially the drums which were popular among the slaves in the plantations.However, Tiquitaqu learns to play the clarinet and develops his own style of music that is popular among the upper class and lower class alike. The Creole music is high tempo and inspires question and dance. 3) The picture palace takes place in St-Pierre, Martinique. 4) At first Hermansia and Tiquitaque are not successful as musicians so Hermansia working as a maid and Tiquitaque works on the docks. Hermansia buys Tiquitaque a clarinet and he develops his own style of music and is hired play at parties. At these parties he normally would play the waltz and trip the light fantastic toe and other European style music.Tiquitaque starts to play a style of Creole on his clarinet that inspires people aroun d the town and unites their communities. Their Creole music, he and his wife perform at cabarets, which symbolizes freedom for the repressed lower class people. People start to enjoy the music and whites and blacks come together to dance. Their music becomes extremely popular in the city. At the end of the painting, the volcano next to the city erupts and symbolizes the new culture that is developing in Martinique in the ninetieth century. 5) Overall, I did not enjoy this film because the plot was not well developed and the movie didnt have any action.The majority of the movie was listening to the couple sing. Although, the music was beautiful the movie did not have much substance. Therefore, I would not recommend this movie to anyone. 6) I learned a lot about Martiniques culture sequence watching this movie. I saw many landmarks in the city of St-Pierre including the volcano. I also listened to Creole music for the first time and I enjoyed its upbeat rhythm. Additionally, Martini que was French colony in the ninetieth century and its main export was sugar. Thus, many slaves where brought from Africa to work on the plantations, which resulted in a large black community on the island.

1993 DBQ Essay

The three Gs God, Gold and Glory led many explorers hurriedness in to the new world. Among which were bare-ass England and Chesapeake, two baseb each club of English origin. Each developed with their avow distinct views and principals. novel England a much disciplined, obedient society and Chesapeake much attached to gold and glory, and both these societies were prodigiously influenced by geographic, social-political, economic and religious needs and moves. Which have had caused both these societies to evolve adversely through their own means. Economy was a crucial factor in leading New England and Chesapeake to develop incongruously.Chesapeake was vastly devoted to mining gold and exploiting for a fracture economy. hence as according to docu manpowert c almost all the Chesapeake settlers were young single men. Whereas New England had a much distinguishableiated purpose in coming to the New world. The New England settlers came for religious freedom and creating a model city or society for the rest of the new comers, as supported by document a and b we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a new hill. Thus for them to prosper and distend as an exemplary society, most the New England settlers were joint families.Both New England and Chesapeake settled and expanded in different parts of America. The land and climates in the Chesapeake and New England regions were different, so the societies grew crops which suited their area, which led to differences in their social structures. The Chesapeake area was swampy and not well suited for the typical crops however, it was discovered 5 years after their arriver that tobacco grew very well, so the economy structured itself around the growth of tobacco. It was exported as a cash crop to England, and as a result, they had much better amends with their mother country.Also as a result of the growth of tobacco, the Chesapeake colony had a need for cheap labor to work in the fields. They developed a system of indentured slavery in which a person got free passage to America in return for their work and slavery till the debt is give off. This later led to slavery as in later time the population grew more than demanding and the farms thus needing to expand. The New England colonies include Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The lifestyle of New Englands people was greatly impacted by both its geography and climate.New Englands economy depended on the environment. Its location near the Atlantic Ocean along the coastlines determined how people would make a living. wad in New England made m angiotensin converting enzymey through fishing, whaling, shipbuilding, trading in its port cities and providing naval supplies. People in New England could not make a living from farming because most of the land was not suited to farming due to the hilly terrain and high-strung soil. Another factor that made farming non-profitable was climate New England experienced moderate summers and cold long winters.The growing season was simply too hapless to make farming profitable, so most families had small farms and traded within themselves. Thus the climate and there geographical locations caused New England and Chesapeake to strive in different directions for a much suitable economy. Both Chesapeake and New England had very different purpose and point of views. New England arrived in America with their plans of becoming a city upon a hill (document A). Thus as New England wanted to construct a strong obedient society they valued unity and had a sort of popular government.New England lifestyles were very healthy, traditional, structured and family oriented. A woman married in her twenties, raised about eight children, and went on to become a grandmother. If widowed, they were expect to remarry. Men were expected to become part of a church congregation if they wanted to vote, become part of the clergy or work in the shipbuilding, fishing, or trading industry. Children were h ale to be educated, in primary and secondary schools, by the government, and men went to college to be trained in the ministry.The New England settlers viewed all men equal and with brotherly hood veneration and affection. They equipped ways of helping and fulfilling each others requirements and needs aslong as they remain united and together. (documents a and d). On the other tidy sum Chesapeake life styles were the opposite of New England life styles. They were very non-traditional, unhealthy, unorganized, and family wasnt important. . Government was made of a self-elected House of Burgesses and didnt offer much equality or freedom. There was a paucity of women, which meant few families.Few families and the fact that people were spread thin across the region meant that there was very little unity amongst the few men that inhabited in the Chesapeake colonies. Thus this weak bonding amongst the men in the Chesapeake colonies often lead to miscommunication and many social conflict s like the Bacons rebellion. (document H) Bacons Rebellion was popular revolt in colonial Virginia in 1676 which summed up the relationship amongst the people in the Chesapeake region. The rebellion was led by Nathaniel Bacon.High taxes, low prices for tobacco, and resentment against the governor, Sir William Berkley , provided the reasons for the uprising conflict, which was worsened by Berkeleys distress to defend the frontier against attacks by Native Americans. Bacon commanded two unauthorized but successful expeditions against the tribes and was then elected to the new house of burgesses. Bacon gathered his supporters, marched on Jamestown, and forced Berkley out of Jamestown and continued his campaigns against Native Americans.Bacon now controlled the colony, but he died suddenly (Oct., 1676), and without his leadership the rebellion collapsed. Unlike New England education in the Chesapeake region was more or less ignored, which summed to uneducated children and less studying or reading of the bible. Women often outlived men therefore they held more power than in New England. The majorities of men were involved in the tobacco industry and owned slaves, until they died in their 20s. Here you can see that the social political lives of these people were very different and thus this different point of views and lifestyle affected the way both Chesapeake and New England had developed.Last but not the least religion, was a crucial factor in the development of both these colonial societies. Migrants to Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay were refugees from religious conflict in England. Calvinists of various persuasions, they wanted to escape Anglican persecution or they wished to new-model Christs church as an example for Christians everywhere. In New England the lives of the Puritans were ruled by their strict religious beliefs. According to document e and prior knowledge, the puritans believed that free time should be devoted to God and that fun activities like dancing would lead to laziness and discourse.The New Englanders vastly seeked to work for god and make a living out of workings for god, for the all mighty would reward them at the end of time. Puritans had a clear vision of what their churches should be like. Only visible saints and allowed full membership in the church. In the early seventeenth century, however, few were denied membership since leaving England was considered sufficient proof of spiritual purity. Puritans led their lives based on a group of strong beliefs, one of which was predestination.They felt that all events are foreknown and foreordained by God and that God chose who was saved and who was damned. This reinforced the Puritan belief that God sent them to cleanse the destination of what they regarded as corrupt, sinful practices. There was no concept of individual rights to things such as privacy or freedom of thought and expression. Those that did rebel against the says of the church were every killed or exco mmunicated. All individuals were expected to conform to the beliefs and practices of the community as defined by the elders.Because of their devotion to hard work the New England colonies flourished. Whereas Chesapeake on the other hand had no such definite religious views that they seeked for in singular. . Chesapeake primarily did not persecute people of different faiths, focusing more on their crops and disputes with the Natives. The Chesapeake brought along with them the Anglican religion or Protestants of England. Thus the religious similarities between the Chesapeake and England created a better bond among the Chesapeake colonies and its motherland.Maryland was the only colony under the Chesapeake society that provided a haven for all the persecuted Catholics from England. Thus taking in consideration the different aspects of beliefs, which has had caused these societies to develop differently. As you can see there were many reasons that had caused these societies to develop i ncongruously. From there religious beliefs, geographical setting, social norms and political views have all contributed in their different development process. Considering all these given facts and reasoning you can agree or asses why these societies had bighearted differently.

Canadian Business Cycles

Canada became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the British crown. Economic all toldy and technologically, the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across the Worlds keen-sightedest unfortified border. Canada faces the political challenges of meeting public demands for quality improvements in health c be, and education, social services, and stintingal competitiveness, as well as responding to the token concerns of predominantly francophone Quebec. In addition, Canada also aims to develop its diverse energy resources while primary(prenominal)taining its commitment to the environment.Canada is a well-developed country that resembles the United States in its market oriented economic system. This system is characterized by the private ownership of resources and the use of markets and prices to coordinate and direct economic activity. It is an industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, and is currently The United States most of the essence(predicate) trading partner. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban.The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in manage and economic integration with the US. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs about three-fourths of Canadian exports individually year. Canada is the USs largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. Given its big natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 with 2007.The proceeds from the global economic crisis, dropped into a sharp ecological niche in the final months of 2008 and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years o f surplus. Canadas major banks, however, emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owe to the financial sectors tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. During 2010, Canadas economy grew only 3%, due to decreased global demand and a advancedly valued. The chart below shows a clear understanding of how the gross house servant product rate were affected GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) 1. 335 trillion (2010 est. ) $1. 297 trillion (2009 est. ) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) $1. 564 trillion (2010 est. ) GDP (Real Growth Rate) 3% (2010 est. ) -2. 5% (2009 est. ) GDP Per Capita (PPP) $39,600 (2010 est. ) GDP Composition by Sector Agriculture 2% Industry 20% Services 78% (2010 est. ) ram force 18. 59 million (2010 est. ) Inflation rates atomic number 18 the rate at which prices for goods and services increase and measures against the standard level of purchasing power of the dollar.The main source of measured data is throu gh Consumer Price Index. The inflation rate in Canada was last reported at 3. 3 portion in edge of 2011. Between 1915 and 2010, Canadas Inflation Rate averaged 3. 26 percent. The extravagantlyest rate of Inflation was reported in June of 1920 at 21. 60 percent, and the lowest was reported in June of 1921 at -17. 80 percent. The Public service is a term used to describe services that are offerd by the Government to its citizens. They are generally provided through a public sector. These services are provided free of charge.In addition, public services are offered to protect the welfare of citizens and are available to everyone regardless of income. It is often associated with human rights. Also, through public service are public goods which are non-rival and non-excludable. This means that everyone may benefit simultaneously and no one may be denied access. Canada has public practice of law forces that enforce laws, maintain safety and fight crime. The military branches in Canad a consist of Land exponents Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, and Canada Command which is homeland security.Canada is a member of the Nato coalescence and its military services are regulated by the 1950 National Defense Act and the 1968 Canadian Forces Reorganization Act. In 2005 public expenditures on education were estimated at 1. 1 percent of GDP. There are several government social programs such as family allowances, old-age security, universal health care and unemployment insurance, giving Canadians a high standard of living and desirable quality of life. Canada created a public school system in the 19th century and was established in all provinces debar Quebec and Newfoundland.You can read alsoSimilarities and Conflicts in a Streetcar Named DesireIn 2007 public expenditures on education were estimated at 4. 9 percent of GDP. They provide public transportation in the forms or subways, trains, streetcars and buses. Canada has a Public Health Agency that protects and im proves the health of its citizens from illness and disease. Canadas healthcare system provides coverage to all its citizens. This program is publicly funded and regulated by the federal government. All citizens are eligible for benefits regardless of health check history, existing conditions or income.They receive preventative care, medical treatments, dental care, access to hospitals and different medical services. Canada is also k like a shotn to have the highest life expectancy and lowest infant mortality rate it is said to be contributed to their healthcare system. The labor force is comprised of individuals who are above the age of sixteen, who are not institutionalized and includes both employed and unemployed. Canada performs a monthly Labor Force Survey which estimates the rate of employment and unemployment. The results allow aid in measuring the performance of its economy.The unemployment rate in Canada was last reported at 7. 6 percent in April of 2011, a rise by 58,000 from the previous two months. Between 1976 and 2010, Canadas Unemployment Rate averaged 8. 53 percent. The highest rate of Unemployment was reported in December of 1982 at 13. 10 percent, and the lowest was reported in September of 2007 at 5. 90 percent. Over the past year, employment in the public sector has grown by 2. 8 percent. The Canadian business cycles mostly compares to the one of the United States of America.The Canadian and U. S economies are highly integrated and have an abundant correlation amongst the two. These two economies correspond with each other through strong trade and financial linkages. The United States accounts for over three quarters of Canadian exports, and are an distinguished source of financing for Canadian firms. There are four stages of business cycles which are Expansion, Recession, Trough, and Recovery. The most relevant business cycle Canada is in right now is considered to be Expansion. Why Expansion?Some may say more of a recession, but the m ain reason is be suffice Canada between 2003 and 2009 went through its trough. Now Canada is moving to its peak where business activity and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expands until it reaches its peak. Canadian business cycles are led through a series of shocks where situations in which events take ont meet expectations. One negative shock highly related to the United States playing a major role because Canada being a make exporter of commodities, in which they suffered from negative terms of trade and wealth effects as world commodity prices started to downslope.The fall of U. S demand for tradable goods decreased the demand of Canadian Exports. As a consequence, the decline in the world commodity prices contributes to the fall in the Canadian businesses net worth, which creates additional pressure on Canadian Investment. This is a prime example of how the country went into a recession. On the other hand, Canada is now facing some positive results from their expansionary busi ness cycle. Most recent statistics show that the domestic demand trade in billions of retail went up 3. 7 percent. The wholesale trade went up about 7 percent since last year.Another important part of Canada expanding shows the Exports rising to about 7. 7 percent and imports up to about 9. 1 percent. These simple statistics exemplifies how the Country is progressing. Since the late 1980s until the year 2000, the Canadian Federal economic policy was influenced by two goals which were to eliminate the federal deficit and to reduce the total debt relative to economic output and to maintain the control over inflation. Of campaign they wanted to keep this expansionary fiscal policy alive but, with world economic situations recessions are sometimes expected.During the 2008-09 global recessions, Canadas economy suffered a major decline in real GDP which fell by 5. 4 percent which was the largest drop since 1991. Now in January 2009, the Canadian federal government released its budget fo r the 2009-10 fiscal year titles Canadas economic Action Plan. Still keeping its commitment for fiscal management as the key long term economic stability, at that place was a shift towards the expansionary fiscal policy and stimulus spending to try to stabilize the Canadian economy. Similar to the U.S stimulus package, Canada also got involved in a stimulus package which dealt with income tax reductions, and focused merely on the demand of the Canadian economy. Some contents of the package focused on the Canadian skills and vicissitude strategy, which provided support to those who lost they jobs seeking new skills, training, and development. Another positive aspect of the package allowed the government to provide 7. 8 billion in the form of tax credits and spending advantages to stimulate the housing market and construction.These are just a few examples of how the Canadian government temporarily tried and of flight are still trying today to get the economy back on its feet. Of c ourse, since Canada is now focusing its basis on the expansionary fiscal policy, government spending is at its high and taxation is at its low. How is the Canadian government affording all of this? Canadas budget retains the federal governments commitment to fiscal management and equilibrize budgets as a key aspect of the long term economic policy. Well of course the debt levels are very high at this point and of course a major risk is taken place.For example, in 2009-2010, TD bank reported as an estimate that Canada would hold about 170 billion in debt inwardly that one year. But, it turned out to be that the governments debt rose to about 463 billion. This shows that the large spending to help could maybe hurt them in the long run, but they still have time to get out of it. The Bank of Canada is the Canadian central bank. This was created during the Great depression out of the Bank of Canada Act of 1934. The cause of the creation led to the countrys political climate at the time which was very poor.The bank of Canada is responsible for managing of government funds and the public debt as well as keeping inflation low and stable. Today, the Bank of Canadas main monetary policy is to keep the inflation rates between 1% and 3% through its power on determining the amuse rates paid on the borrowed money. The bank projects economic growth of 2. 9% in 2011, 2. 6% in 2012, and 2. 1% in 2013. If this hypothesis does work out, Canada will be expected to be running at full capacity in the year of 2014. The Bank carries out monetary policy by influencing short-term interest rates.It does this by raising and lowering the target for the all-night rate. The overnight rate is the interest rate at which major financial institutions borrow and lend one-day or overnight funds among them the Bank sets a target level for that rate. This target for the overnight rate is often referred to as the Banks key interest rate or key policy rate. exchanges in the target for the overnig ht rate influence other interest rates, such as those for consumer loans and mortgages. They can also affect the exchange rate of the Canadian dollar.In November 2000, the Bank introduced a system of eight fixed dates each year on which it announces whether or not it will change the key policy rate. Target for the overnight rate, recent data Date Target (%) Change (%) 12 April 20111. 00 1 March 20111. 00 18 January 20111. 00 7 December 20101. 00 19 October 20101. 00 8 September 20101. 00+ 0. 25 20 July 20100. 75+ 0. 25 1 June 20100. 50+ 0. 25 Canada has been referred to as one of the strongest economies in the world. It prominent productions include the following gold, silver, copper, nickel, lead, wood.In 1993, Canada signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and the United States. This compact allows free trade and eliminated tariffs and fees between the three North American countries. Canada has a Canadian-Dollar exchange rate index (CERI) which is a wei ghted average of exchange rates for the Canadian dollar against the currencies of Canadas main trading countries. The six major trading countries measured in the CERI are the U. S. dollar, the European Union euro, the Japanese yen, the U. K. pound, the Chinese Yuan, and the Mexican peso.The Canadian dollar is usually a little weaker than the U. S. dollar. The United States consumes 75 percent of Canadas exports annually. Canada is the United States largest foreign supplier of energy. To conclude, Canada is very high in correlation with the United States. They follow the same business models and both countries respectfully feed off each other. Canada is known for its exports in commodities and if there are any issues globally, for instance a recession, Canada will decline. Currently, Canada is at its climbing point out of its recession and is currently pushing for expansion.Canadas main focus at this point is to grow and maintain a strong and healthy society, especially in the moneta ry aspect. Works Cited Statistics Canada. Economy inputs and outputs March 2009. 5 whitethorn 2011 Canadian Business. Outlook 2007 Canada, by Province. January 2007. 5 May 2011 http//www. canadianbusiness. com/article/14236outlook-2007-canada-by-province Index Mundi. Canada Public Debt June 2010. 5 May 2011 http//www. indexmundi. com/canada/public_debt. html IBTIMES. Canada employment picks up steam in April. April 2011. 5 May 2011 http//www. indexmundi. com/canada/public_debt. html

‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ by Tennessee Williams Essay

Look at scene IV of streetcar What does the scene enunciate us ab turn up the relationship between Stella and Stanley, and how does Williams portray this?In order to analyse this scene, there needs to be a occur understanding of what has happened prier to it. shooter three is set at Stanleys poker game, when Mitch leaves the game, to chat to Blanche, Stanley becomes more and more annoyed, and smashes a radio. Stella yells at him, and he starts to beat her. The men pull him off. Blanche takes Stella and approximately clothes to Eunices apartment upstairs. Stanley goes limp and matchms confused, entirely when the men try to force him into the shower to sober him up he fights them off. They grab their winnings and leave.Stanley stumbles come forward of the bathroom, calling for Stella. He phones upstairs, hence phones again, before hurling the phone to the floor. Half-dressed he stumbles out to the street and calls for her again and again STELL-LAHHHHH Eunice gives him a piece of her mind, but to no avail. Finally, Stella slips out of the apartment and down to where Stanley is. They st atomic number 18 at each other and then rush to buzz offher with animal moans. He falls to his knees, caresses her face and belly, then lifts her up and carries her into their flat.Scene four occurs early the conterminous morning, Stella lies serenely in the bedroom, her face aglow. She is described as having a narcotised tranquillity that is in the faces of eastern idols. Colour and light are huge written reports here, Stella holds coloured comics there are Gaudy pyjamas on the floor and summer brilliance in the window. The colours theme within the repair, is Williamss way of telling us that the romance in Stella and Stanleys relationship is pushed in favour of the couples sexual relations. This being 1949, Williams cannot express this outright.Blanche, who has not slept, enters the apartment the complete opposite of Stellas serenity. She is worried and demands to know h ow Stella could go back and spend the night with Stanley after what he did to her. Stella feelsBlanche is making a sizeable issue out of nothing. Youre making an awful fuss of thisYet Blanche goes on about how she must descriptor out a way to get them both(prenominal) out of this situation, how she recently ran into an old friend who struck it rich in oil, and perhaps he would be able to help them. Stella pays little heed to what Blanche says she has no desire to leave. She says that Blanche merely saw Stanley at his worst. Blanche feels she saw him at his most characteristic-and this is what terrifies her.Blanche simply cannot understand how a woman raised in Belle Reve could shoot to live her life with a man who has not one particle of a gentleman in him, about whom there is something downrightbestial Stellas reply is that there are things that happen between a man and a woman in the darkthat sort of make everything else seemunimportant. This is reasonable desire, says Blanc he, and not a basis for marriage.A train approaches, a signal for an emotional outburst, and while it roars past Stanley enters the flat unheard. Not knowing that Stanley is listening, Blanche holds nothing back. She describes him as common, an animal, ape-like, a primitive brute, and in part this is true. Stella listens coldly. Under cover of another passing train, Stanley slips out of the apartment, then enters it noisily. Stella runs to Stanley and embraces him fiercely. Stanley grins at Blanche.This fierce embrace is a clear rejection by Stella of everything Blanche has just said about Stanleyshe does not believe her at all. By Stanleys grin it also shows he has the upper hand, for all his ape-like qualities he is seen as the master here.If the bond between Stella and Stanley is animal, it is also spiritual. These are the flip sides of the primitive cointhe dual humankind of instinct and the supernatural. Stella in this scene offers a glimpse at the mystical side of attraction and desire. She glows transcendently as mentioned her face is likened to that of an Eastern idol. Her calm is anomalous, as if she hasjust taken part in something holy.Blanche fails to see the magic in what to her seems an abusive and dangerous relationship, because she has never reconciled her identity with her own pro install desire. The divide is too great between her aristocratic mavin of self and the animal urges that have at times controlled her. Blanche herself invokes the streetcar named desire as a metaphor of what she believes Stella feels. Stella throws the metaphor back at her Havent you ever ridden on that streetcar? Blanches answer, It brought me here, is truer than Stella knows.A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams EssayA Streetcar named Desire is a play both grimly naturalistic and poetically symbolic, written by playwright Tennessee Williams. It is set in New Orleans post the depression and World War II. The characters in A Streetcar Named Desire are tryi ng to rebuild their lives in post-war America. Much of the characters and themes found in Williamss dramas were derived from the playwrights own life. Alcoholism, depression, desire, loneliness, and craziness were all included. Typical of Williams musical mode, Streetcar portrays the main character as Blanche DuBois, a, faded Southern belle who represents the culture and beauty of the past and her evident distaste for her younger sister, Stellas, husband, Stanley Kowalski, a lower class Polish man who is the personification of modern practicality, crudeness, cynicism, and brutality. Through this play we follow Blanche and her descent into madness and lunacy.This play is written in the panache of theatre is known as expressionism/naturalism.Expressionism in drama and art was a movement that rejected traditional methods of representing objective reality. Instead, expressionists exaggerated and distorted aspects of the outside world in order to express certain moods and feelings. Ex pressionism continues to be an important influence on experimental theatre and art. Williams has used this style to portray his themes, beliefs and characters in the play A Streetcar Named Desire. The character of Blanche, was actually a repertoire of the womanly characteristics displayed by Tennessee Williams. Naturalism can refer to the technique of portraying life in a scientifically detached manner however, it is generally used to refer specifically to a nineteenth century movement in art and books where the artists or authors claimed to be objective observers.Naturalist writers were strongly influenced by evolutionary theory, and saw human beings as creatures constrained by heredity and environment, rather than as beings with free will. In regardsto Streetcar Williams sought to depict on the job(p)-class characters as psychologically evolved beings to some extent, he approachs to portray these blue-collar characters on their own terms, without romanticizing them. Although t hese both styles of theatre seem to contrast and clash the playwright has used them to complement each other. He has used elements of naturalism but somewhat challenged the conventions of this particular style and effectively entwined it with forms of expressionism.The context of a play is very important as it gives an insight of the playwrights purpose of the play. One of the intentions of the play is to depict an Americans attempt of rebuilding their life post depression and World War II. His experience as a known homosexual in an era and culture unfriendly to homosexuality also informed his work. Williams most memorable characters, many of them female, contain recognizable elements of their author. His vulgar, irresponsible male characters, such as Stanley Kowalski, were likely modelled on Williamss own father and on other males who tormented him during his childhood. In Streetcar, Williams challenged the values and attitudes of society in the portrayal of a multicultural socie ty where everyone is equal, in regards to their race and culture.youve got to realize that Blanche and I grew up in very different circumstances than you didAlthough the playwright has shown that racial class doesnt matter, it is obvious that social altitude still does. The rich and the poor are still separated. Since Blanche and Stella were raised in Belle Reve they subconsciously believe they are superior to commoners like Stanley.The central themes of this play are fantasy and illusion, cruelty, the primitive and the primal, loneliness and as the title of the book suggests, desire. Scene seven, the scene which we chose to perform, discusses the theme of cruelty, on Stanleys behalf, loneliness from Stella and fantasy and illusion from Blanche. The sole(prenominal) unforgivable crime, according to Blanche, is deliberate cruelty. In this scene Stanley attempts to reveal Blanche as the low life prostitute she has become to Stella, hopefullyconvincing her to side with him. He does t his by being self-righteous, arrogant and demanding. Blanche however, oblivious of Stanleys knowledge of her past, is in the bath once again cooling herself off, singing Its Only a Paper Moon the popular 1940s ballad summarizes Blanches situation with regard to Mitch. She is in a state of pure oblivion that adds to her fantasy world.Williams juxtaposes Blanches merry rendition of this song with Stanleys malicious revelations about her character, creating a situation of tense dramatic irony as Blanche sings about a upcoming that will never come true. The song describes the fanciful way one perceives the world while in love, but it also foreshadows the fact that Mitch falls out of love with Blanche after his illusions about her have been destroyed. In turn Stella feels lonely because she is iso noveld. She is torn between the man she loves and her sister.A Streetcar Named Desire written by playwright Tennessee Williams is a play both naturalistic but poetically symbolic as it is writ ten in the theatre styles of expressionism and naturalism. In performing a scripted piece it is imperative to learn of the texts historical and authors context to fully realise and understand the development of characters, themes and ideas.A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams EssayOver the last few lessons in drama we have been working on a number of tasks to do with Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire. These tasks involved use movement as well as words some were naturalistic and others were much more abstract.Our first task was to qualifying like different characters from the play, focusing on the way they used certain parts of their body to show their personalities. First we had to walk like Stanley. Most of us walked with a confident swagger, sticking our chests or pelvises out to indicate his masculine pride. When we were asked to sit down in character, we sit back in a relaxed manner, origin our legs and perhaps loosely crossing our arms or draping them ove r the back of our chair, indicating total self-assuredness. Next we were asked to play Blanche. I decided to portray her as a fidgety person, constantly smoothing her clothes, fixing her hair or touching her face, to show her insecurities and lack of confidence. I also walked with short, dainty steps, to show how fragile and slight she is. When we sat down, I leaned forward somewhat, with my shoulders slightly hunched, to show her vulnerability. Finally we were asked to portray Stella standing upright, slightly tense as if waiting to heed to Stanleys latest demands and Mitch big, awkward, slightly more hunched and less confident-looking than Stanley.After this task, we were asked to depict Stanley and Blanche as animals. For Stanley, nearly everyone acted like a wolf or a fox strong, territorial, sly, always track down and watching. For Blanche, I chose to act like a small bird, which would preen and look pretty but would be fidgety and nervous and would fly away when frighten ed.Our next task was to get into assemblys and act out scenes taking place before the play begins, which would reveal something interesting about our characters. I was in a group with Emily, and we were told to act out a scene from when Blanche and Stella still lived at Belle Reve. Emily played Stella and I played Blanche. Our scene began with Blanche climbing through the window of the room she shares with Stella, late at night. Stella, who has been studying, admonishes her for being so late and tells her how worried she has been. Blanche, who has been drinking but claims she limits herself to one, has just met a young man who reads poetry, who, as we know, will afterward commit suicide. It is revealed that Stella is the clever sister, who has the potential to make something of herself, and Blanche is the wilder, worldlier sister who relies on her beauty to have fun. This explains why Stella left Belle Reve and had the ability to get a husband and a home of her own, and why Blanch e was left behind, unwilling to grow up and surrender her beauty.Millie and Genna also played Blanche and Stella at Belle Reve. Their scene involved Blanche taking Stella out on the town for the first time. Blanche is very domineering and worldly, and Stella is nave and nervous about the shortness of her dress. Stella wears white, showing her innocence, and Blanche wears red, showing her corrupted virtue. Jack and Owen played Mitch and Stanley. They gave Mitch a tardily personality, having him hint about wanting to settle down with a wife and worrying about his mother. They also showed Stanleys love for Stella, as he duologue about her in a very loving and tender way to Mitch. Next Felix and Flick, playing Stanley and Stella, showed how Stella was very like Blanche when she first met Stanley, unused to this more working class environment, yet being excited by Stanleys attentions. Finally, Angelika and Hugo, playing Stella and Stanley, show Stella as being nave and Stanley being my sterious and inquisitive, trying to figure her out.In our next task we did Hot Seating. One by one, we were asked questions in character about our views on different events in the play. I chose to be Eunice, because although she is not a main character in the play, she is good friends with Stella and her husband is friends with Stanley, and she lives in the flat above them, so she would have a very clear idea of what life would be like for them. I chose to give her the opinion that Stanleys hitting Stella isnt good, but is acceptable, and is just a part of marriage that cannot be avoided. I was particularly impressed by Emilys portrayal of Stella after having her sister taken away. She made it clear that Stella was heartbroken, and although she claimed to believe Stanley, she let on that she had no choice but to believe him. I also liked Alex as Blanche, gushing and acting pleasant and sweet to try and cover up her past, but when difficult questions were brought up her act fell and she would refuse to talk about it.Our final task was to act out the scene where Blanche has been stood up by Mitch on her birthday and use freeze-frames to mark the most important moments in that the scene. I was in a group with Felix and Alex. Felix played Stanley, Alex played Blanche and I played Stella. The moments we attach were Stanley throwing plates off the table Stella and Stanley on the porch with Blanche on the phone, trying to reach Mitch Stanley giving Blanche a ticket back to Laurel and Stella going into labour. For each of our important moments, we froze in position for four seconds, before doing an action and moving onto the next moment. There were subtle differences between each groups piece instead of using an action, as we did in ours, Millie, Flick and Jack used an important line of text in each of their moments, which I found very effective.Although I found these tasks challenging (especially as I knew we were on camera), I enjoyed interpreting different charact ers in new ways. I also worked with different people to whom I normally would, which was a good experience and made me enthusiastic and eager to work with them again in future lessons.

Violence in America: Guns under Fire Essay

Guns atomic number 18 used for protection against mayhem when the unexpected happens. As the citizens of the United States of America, the amendments are there to protect the liberty of the commonwealth. The second amendment protects the right of each individual to keep, and bear arms, and to defend our property, and close importantly ourselves. In pack Q. Wilsons New York Times article, Just register Away Their Guns, Wilson argues that restraining mountain from judicially purchasing firearms do not have any effect on the illegal use of blasts, and reducing the amount of people who are illegally carrying mavin. He adequately reasons how the eradication of illegal guns on the streets should be the main focus regarding toughening American gun guard regulations, which are the most frequently debated topic in America. Wilson claims that frisks and stops will eliminate illegal guns, and not multiplying the forms one fills to buy a gun. James Q. Wilson targeted legally gun owne rs as his audience, uses countersign and ethos to his rhetorical approach, and an trenchant, but could have had an overall stronger crease.Law abiding citizens much(prenominal) as legally gun owners are the intended audience in his topic, because of the, legal restraints on the rightful purchase of guns (p.124). To eliminate illegal use of guns there must a compromise between the government, and the citizens of rightfully legal gun owners. Toughening gun control legislation will have little effect on the illegal use of guns, which essentially decrease the amount of citizens buying guns. Wilson claims that somewhat 200 million guns are owned by law abiding citizens, although, these guns are not the ones that are generally used for illegal and unlawful acts. extrajudicial uses of guns are usually obtainable through stolen, borrowed, or privately purchased that are used for gang related activities, burglaries, and or violent crimes. Wilson then makes a request that an increase in gun control regulations would take a big hit on none other than those law abiding citizens.The main objective of owning these guns is for self-defense and to protect their loved ones, and properties. Collins Professor of Management and Public Policy at the University of California, James Q Wilson noted that, Many cities suffer from a famine of policemans is the exact reason why the citizens of the United States of America cannot reply on the government officials, such as the law enforcement to protectthe people, and their properties (p.125). Even if the gun control legislation successfully reduce the amount of lawful citizens to own guns. How will the government reduce the amount of people who are illegally owning guns in the point as advantageously as the future? Wilson stated in his story that, The average police officer will make no weapons comprises and confiscate no guns during any given yearWhich will result in more illegal guns come forth on the streets than the law abiding citizens with registered guns (p.125). That will definitely strikes tutelage into the peoples mind subtle they cant protect themselves, and quite frankly, not enough police officers to protect each, and every individual people in America at any given point of time. Law abiding guns owners are the intended target audience because Wilsons claim is legal restraints on the lawful purchase of guns will have little effect on the illegal use of guns (p.124).James Q. Wilson strengthens his argument through the use ethos and logos to elaborate and emphasizes his thesis and claims of Our goal should not be the disarming of law-abiding citizens. It should be to reduce the number of people who carry guns unlawfully, especially in places- on streets, in taverns- . . . (p.124). The use of ethos helps Wilson to reinforce his claims and establishes credibility in his essay by using the fourth amendment of the constitution, Mark Moore, who is a professor of public policy at Harvard Univers ity, Gary Kleck, who is a criminologist at Florida State University, and The National Rifle Association to back up his argument. The use of ethos is effective in this essay for this topic, because the topic requires valid examples, statements, and statistics to lynchpin Wilsons claims of gun control legislation, and the reduction of illegal guns on the streets. James Q. Wilson points out The Fourth Amendment to the constitution bans un valid searches and seizure.(p.125).The amendment caused, ample law-enforcement personnel worry active having their cases thrown out for constitutional reasons or being accused of police harassment which results in shortage of police officers throughout cities in America (p.125). Harvard University is one of the top colleges in America, and with Mark Moore, a professor of public policy at Harvard University stated, found that most weapons arrests were made because of a citizen complained, not because the police were outlooking for gun.(p.125). Wilson uses a professor from Harvard University is an exponential clever way of supporting his claim for the gun control legislation, and making his argument even more effective. Gary Kleck is a credible guy, because of his career as a criminologist at Florida State University, and he, has estimated that every year, guns are used- that is, displayed or fired- for defensive purposes more than a million times, not numeration their use by the police(p.124).This statement by Gary Kleck supported Wilsons examples of guns that are used to defend ourselves, and our properties, and as well as the law enforcement workout of guns to protect the country. Finally, Wilson uses a quote from The National Rifle Association and its allies that, guns dont kill people, people kill people to emphasize the greatness of, urge the government to punish more severely people who use guns to commit crimes instead of worrying too much almost how to ban guns from law abiding citizens (p.126).James Q. Wilson uses logos for logical argument about gun control legislation, and its restraint on guns purchase that fails to have great effect on the illegal use of guns. Most people would argued that less guns mean less violence, but what they dont know is that most crimes committed by guns are illegal that was stolen, borrowed, or bought from the black market. Wilson uses logos in his essay with organized structure along with a clear and concise thesis created an effective argument that is easily understood and followed by his target audience that generated a well-planned essay. Wilson backed up his argument by giving facts such as, In 1992 the police arrested about 240,000 people for illegally possessing or carry weapon. This is only about one-fourth as many as were arrested for public drunkenness (p.125).That number is considered low if it is shared by every state in America. Considering these illegal gun holders are protected under the fourth amendment of unreasonable searches and seizures, whi ch most of them probably got away with. The reasonable suspicion test is much less stringent than the probable cause standard the police must meet in order to make an arrest . . . more than just a hunch it must be supported with facts include someone acting in a way that leads an experienced officer to conclude criminal activity . . . someone fleeing at the approach . . . a person who fits a drug courier profile a motorist halt for a trafficviolation who has a suspicious bulge in his pocket . . . Supreme Court has also upheld frisking people on probation or parole (125). A criminal who know how to use the law to their advantage could potentially get away for their crimes and wrongdoings, and it puts the people in danger by knowing these illegal gun users might not go to jail, but set freed on parole and/or probation. Wilson used logos to rationalize appeal to the proofreader by stating facts and statistics to prove his claim and blended it with ethos to establish credibility for h is argument.James Q. Wilson effectively presents his argument in a persuasive approach that uses different techniques such as ethos, logos, and organization. Wilson makes his ideas easy to follow by making the flow more sinuous which results in the contribution of the cohesiveness of his overall argument. The structure is clearly well planned and constructed that consisted of claims followed by statistics, counterclaims, and rebuttals. Even though Wilson made his argument effective, he concluded his counterclaim with frisks and stops made by police officers by patting see individual that seems suspicious. Innocent people will be stopped. Young black and Hispanic men will probably be stopped more a good deal than older while Anglo males or women of any race (p.127) However, When Wilson made this point he alludes to the idea of racial profiling, and he loses credibility by such reasoning.James Q. Wilson argument in this essay presents claims that were debatable in an informative way , and his thesis suggested solutions to the central problem regarding gun control legislation, and its legal restraints on lawful purchase of guns. Through the use of many techniques, Wilson created a well-organized and effective argument. However, had he addressed the issue of racial profiling with evidence, then he could have had an improved and sturdier effective argument.Works CitedWilson, James Q. Just Take Away Their Guns. Current Issues and Enduring Questions. By Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. 9th ed. Boston Bedford/St. Martins, 2011. 124-27. Print.

Case Study Of Hypertension Health And Social Care Essay

A 55 twelvemonth old male named Nicholas Manners, is admitted to the ward for steerage of his mellow strain pressure. Upon reaching, he appears rather ruddy in the face. He was refer ruby to the exigency section by his GP as he was kicking of a concern and dizziness. He was stabilised and has been transferred to the ward for farther direction. He tells the nurse, he has had a concern for the last three yearss and has had in reality small slumber. Mr Manners is a Chief exe omissionive officer of an advertisement bureau and works long hours. Nicholas has two boies aged 15 & A 17 and his married woman Lucy, who is really rewardive. Lucy tells the nurse that Nick chows on the tally due to his busy agenda and frequently chows at eating houses when entertaining clients. Nick slugs 10-15 cigarettes/day and has had multiple efforts at discontinuing. He has a household history of coronary arteria disease, his male parent died of a depreciator onslaught 5 old ages ago at the age of 75 . Observations on admittance BP 160/90, SaO2 97 % on room air, Temp. 37.1, Pulse 95, RR 19 beats per minute, wt 90 kilogram, ht 170 centimeter, Nil Known Allergies ( Jennings, 2010 ) . simple eye commit per unit of measurement flying field refers to the measuring of force that is applied to the walls of the arterias as the bosom pumps blood through the organic structure. The force per unit area is stubborn by the force and the sum of blood pumped, and the size and flexibleness of the arterias. High blood force per unit area, bothways known as Hypertension, is considered as in a full(prenominal)er place 120/80 mmHg ( PubMed Health, 2011 )PathophysiologyArterial blood force per unit area is a merchandise of cardiac end product and systemic vascular opposition. A adjustment in the vascular wall thickness affects the elaboration of peripheral vascular opposition in hypertensive longanimouss. This consequences in the contemplation of moving ridges back to the aorta and in th at respectfrom increasing the systolic blood force per unit area ( Medscape, 2011 ) . Although 90 % of gamey blood pressure instances, the cause is non truly known ( Moser, p.11 ) , termsonizing to the Australian establish of Health and Welfare ( AIHW ) , the causes of high blood force per unit area are both bio checkup and lifestyle oriented. Major causes include being overweight, fastetic salt consumption, and nutrition forms which involve low consumption of fruit and veggies and an high consumption of saturated fat ( Australian Institue of Health and Welfare,2010 ) . Although most of the clip there are no marks and symptoms, such may happen confusion, ear noise or buzzing, weariness, concern, irregular pulse, epistaxis, vision alterations. These marks are known as marks of complication or perilously high blood force per unit area called malignant high blood pressureNursing AppraisalAs a patient is admitted to the infirmary, it is deprecative to execute a nursing appraisal on admittance to garner baseline readings of the patient. The musical arrangements Approach Framework was used to buttockss Mr Nicholas Manners from caput to toe in a mode of subjective and nonsubjective informations. The classs used are as follows Central Nervous System, Cardiovascular System, Respiratory System, Gastrointestinal Tract, Renal System, In hideary System and Metabolic System.CNS patient is able to communicate-states he has a concern, assess motion of limbs, esthesis to fringes and trouble if any.CVS HR 95, BP 160/90, assess capillary refill, patient is red in the face assess circulation of the remainder of the organic structure including warmth and coloring material.RESP. RR 19 beats per minute, SaO2 97 % on room air, auscultate his chest- see for abnormalcies in the lungs as he is a tobacco user, measure his work of external respiration.GIT farther buttocks appetency and eating wonts, auscultate for catgut sounds, buttocks and record intestine direction.RENA L buttocks input and end product and record observations if needed, utilizing a unstable balance chart.INTEGUMENTARY buttocks tegument for cicatrixs, waterlessness, integral and skin turgor.METABOLIC buttocks Hb, BGL and liver map through a blood trial.Education and Psychosocial supportEducation and support that can be offered to Nicholas to help him in lineage more information and support for his Hypertension includeDieticians which Nicholas can be referred to during his stay in infirmary, to educate him about a healthy diet and besides supply support.Social worker to supply support for Nicholas and his household if needed.Information brochures can be retreived from the infirmary, to educate Nicholas on Hypertension.Web sites such as expose Health Channel, Hypertension Education Foundation and the Heart Foundation, all provide instruction and information about support for patients about high blood pressure.Nursing DiagnosisGoalsInterventionsRationaleEvaluationIneffective well ness care related to incapableness to change life styleShort termIntroduce low-sodium and low fat nutrients into Nicholas dietRefer Nicholas to a dietician for instruction of low-sodium and low-fat nutrients.To cut down the sum of high-fat nutrients Nicholas is devouring.Nicholas diet presently consists of less high-fat nutrients.Short termAim to cut down blood force per unit area readings to less than 150/80 by the following GP visit in a hebdomad.Teach Nicholas to take Nicholas ain blood force per unit area daily at place and record it.To brace Nicholas blood force per unit area at a lower degree.Nicholas blood force per unit area readings substantiate now stabilised to a lower degree. coherent termDevelop a regular exercising curriculum for Nicholas to follow.Promote Nicholas to walk for an hr each two dozen hours.To promote Nicholas to prosecute in a healthy life style.Nicholas participates in an hr of physical military action each twenty-four hours.Long termAim to disc ontinue smoke in the following 8-12 months.Refer Nicholas to back up plans such as break to back up and help Nicholas in discontinuing smoke.To cut down Nicholas accident of holding blocked arterias and therefore increasing Nicholas blood force per unit areaNicholas has now quit smokeNursing DiagnosisGoalsInterventionsRationaleEvaluationFatigue related to the personal effects of high blood pressure and the day-to-day life stressors.Short termAim to tender side effects such as weariness.Educate Nicholas on the side effects, to help him in commanding them.To help Nicholas in deriving cognition of the side effects and how to command them in instance they are experienced after discharge.Nicholas is able to command his small if any side effects experienced.Short termAim to handgrip a stable degree of fluids in the organic structure.Ensure Nicholas drinks plentifulness of H2O throughout the twenty-four hours.To maintain Nicholas hydrous and cut down weariness. remember amounts util izing a unstable balance chart if neededNicholas weariness degrees have decreased as he is imbibing plentifulness of H2O throughout the twenty-four hours.Long termReduce the emphasis degrees experienced throughout the twenty-four hours.Discuss emphasis cut downing methods applicable to Nicholas.To cut down the hazard of increasing Nicholas blood force per unit area.Nicholas has reduced his emphasis degrees utilizing the methods discussedLong termDevelop a healthy feeding program to utilize bingle time Nicholas is dischargedRefer Nicholas to a dietician to help in educating him in the importance of a healthy diet and developing a program.To cut down weariness related to an unhealthy diet.Nicholas has continued his healthy feeding program and does non endure from weariness.Nursing DiagnosisGoalsInterventionsRationaleEvaluationImbalanced nutrition related to deficient cognition of the relationship betwixt diet and the diseaseShort termBrace the instabilities of nutritionProvide Nic holas with a scope of fruits and veggiesTo supply Nicholas with a assortment of foods from a scope of nutrients.Nicholas diet now chiefly consists of fruit and veggiesShort termTo do Nicholas cognition on the diseaseProvide Nicholas with information such as booklets about high blood pressureTo justify Nicholas has a good cognition of high blood pressureNicholas is now good educated on his diseaseLong termTo brace Nicholas weight within 6-8 months of dischargeRefer to dietician to measure and supervise his diet and aid with his weight lossTo guarantee Nicholas has the support required to run into his endNicholas is now within a healthy weight scope for his gender, tallness and ageLong termDerive more cognition on the effects of smokeEducate Nicholas on the effects of smoking to his organic structureTo guarantee he is cognizant of the molest smoke is making to his organic structureNicholas is good informed on the effects of smokeNursing DiagnosisGoalsInterventionsRationaleEvaluat ionNon-compliance related to the side effects of the intervention ( Ackley & A Ladwig, p.315 )Short term produce stableness of side effectsMonitor Nicholas and supply advice when non following instructions of interventionTo guarantee Nicholas intervention continues on the right way.Nicholas side effects have decreased.Short termLong termLong termMaintain conformity of interventionEducate Nicholas on hazards if intervention non followed as requiredTo guarantee Nicholas wellness does non deteriorateNicholas is compliant with his interventionDiagnostic TrialsDiagnostic trials that will help with the appraisal and direction of Nicholas includeElectrocardiogram ( ECG ) This trial determines if the bosom has sustained nay harm due to untreated high blood pressure ( Cardio Connection, n.d ) . This trial assists with the direction of Nicholas high blood pressure by supplying moving ridges of the electrical authorized of the bosom.Urinalysis This trial is used to test the causes of h igh blood pressure and expression for any harm to the kidneys as a consequence of untreated high blood pressure ( Cardio Connection, n.d ) . The trial assists with the direction to derive information about the wellness of Nicholas kidneys.Blood Glucose This trial determines the sugar degrees in the blood and screens for secondary causes of high blood pressure and the hazard factors involved with more accelerated diseases such as diabetes. Both diabetes and high blood pressure are associated with the rapid simulate advance of arterial sclerosis and harm to the kidneys ( Cardio Connection, n.d ) . This assists in keeping a stabile sugar degree of the blood to cut down the hazard of harm to the kidneys.Serum K This trial looks for a treatable cause of high blood force per unit area and finding the baseline degree prior to utilizing medical specialty for intervention ( Cardio Connection, n.d ) . This assists in finding a baseline to compare to if it were to promote.Hazard AppraisalU pon admittance, a hazard appraisal must be completed to find the patient s hazard of holding a autumn. This appraisal besides assists the nurses in guaranting the patient has their properties or AIDSs within range to guarantee the patient s safety device and to diminish their hazard of hurt. The appropriate appraisal tool for Nicholas would be a Falls Risk Assessment Tool ( FRAT ) . This relates to Nicholas as he complained of giddiness and deficiency of slumber. This is needed to measure his hazard of hurt. Mention to Appendix 1 for a Falls Risk Assessment Tool.MedicinesNifedipine Antihypertensive agent as utter by Tiziani, 2006Action Besides known as Ca adversaries, these agents impede the inflow of Ca ions during depolarization of cardiac and vascular smooth musculus, doing betterment in the myocardial O supply and cardiac end product, and a decrease in myocardial work by cut downing afterload ( Tiziani, 2006 )Useangina pectoris pectorisMild to chair high blood pressureNichol as has been prescribed this practice of medicine to help with bracing his blood force per unit area.InteractionsContraindicated with rifampicinMay do bosom failure if used with beta-adrenoceptor-blocking agentsSerum concentrations may be increased if given over with Tagamet, Quinidex or Cardizem.Excessive cardiovascular depression may happen if given with inspiration anesthetics.Adverse effectsHeadache, giddiness, dizziness, flushing, weariness, dizziness.Anorexia, sickness, irregularity, abdominal hurting, dry oral cavity.Muscle spasms.Nursing points/precautionsNote and study thorax hurting because thie requires stoping the drug.Patient should be cognizant to avoid drive or operating machinery if giddiness or dizziness is a job.Caution if used in those with aortal stricture, bosom failure, liver damage, inconsistency or Prinzmental angina, unstable angina, or recent myocardial infarction.Atorvastatin lipid-regulating agent as stated by Tiziani, 2006ActionReduce cholesterin si gnificantly in patients with type II lipemia and hence besides significantly cut down the hazard of coronary arteria diseaseUseHypercholesterolaemiaNicholas has been prescribed this medicine to take down the entire cholesterin and low-density lipoproteins ( LDL )InteractionsMay addition plasma concentration of Lanoxin, increasing the hazard of toxicity.Caution if used with Tagamet, spironolactone or ketoconazole.Adverse effectsHeadache, insomnia.Constipation, flatulency, abdominal hurting, sickness, diarrhea.Back hurtingNursing points/precautionsLiver map trial should be performed before get downing therapy and at 6 and 2 hebdomads, so twice annually.Advise patient to describe any musculus hurting, spasms, tenderness or failing, unease or febrility.Should be withheld if any status occurs that predisposes the patient to rhabdomyolysis, such as injury, sepsis, uncontrolled epilepsy or metabolic, or endocrinal instabilities.

Returning to a Place Special to You Essay

Have you ever returned to place and asked yourself male child I miss those days We all return to a place that holds numerous memoires, good or bad. For every person, some places hold great importance in their supports. A spare place that is real important to me is my home country, Somalia. Somalia, most notably, Kismayo, is my birthplace and a place that I hold dearly in my heart. So many childhood memories of me and my family occurred in kismayo. All of my brothers, including myself, were all born in Kismayo. My cause and get under bingles skin met and married in the same neighborhood we live in.Family is of major significance to me, and donjon near many uncles, aunts, and cousins was a great experience. Returning to my birthplace was always a dream of mine. As a child, return to my birthplace was all I thought about. I left Kismayo at the tender age of 10. A civil contend broke out in Somalia in 1991, three years sooner my birth. The war destroyed and demoralized many families in Somalia. My family was fortunate enough to escape unscathed during this horrible and disturbed civil war. My mom and dad, along with my brothers, relocated to Kenya in exile, hoping one day to return to the place we knew before the civil war.My family returned mid-1994, and find life in kismayo very challenging. My mother gave birth to me during this year. I remember the stories my mother use to tell me about our return to Somalia and the troubles and hardships we faced upon our return. Reminiscing about my childhood, I remember the neighborhood we lived in and the daily activities I took part in. We lived in a small two room house, which at the sentence was large enough for are family. We lived near many of our relatives and we visited each other every day. Family is a man-sized part of the Somali culture, and living near one another ensured a close bond with one another.Religion is perhaps the biggest value in Somali culture. I remember running up the frigid hills along with my father and brothers to perform prayer at the local mosque. We would take the same path to the mosque v metres a day to perform the five mandatory prayers. Another significant value I loved was language. Every Somali shared the same language, but there are some tike regional differences. I remember enjoying the comfort of my friends and cousins after school we would often joke with one another. We walked up hills and dirt roads for 40 minutes to school, which was an old brick house.We were taught English and math, and most of the time was devoted to ghostly studies. Food is another value in our culture, the common meal in our household was oatmeal and rice. I remember eating those two meals nearly every day, which at the time was a prodigality because of the render of the country. During our leisure time, we would often play soccer in a dirt field, which was better than goose egg. Even though we lived in poverty, our homeland was very important to us and it was all we ever knew. Everything changed once we moved to the unite States during the summer of 2003. As an adult, I have lived in the United States for nearly 9 years.We came to Minnesota from the advice of our Uncle, who traveled here alone to settle down and eventually take us in. Coming to the United States was a big technological and cultural shock. The technology all around was advanced and we never seen such a sight. The buildings were humungous and exquisite, vehicles of all kinds roamed the streets like a herd of animals, and so many different ethnicities and cultures integrated into one country. The luxury of electricity to light your house, clean running water from your sink, and eating foods other than rice and oatmeal was surreal.Eventually, my family and I settled in and after approximately 10 years I returned to my homeland. Returning was a special and troubling moment. The neighborhood we once lived in has not changed since the war. Most of Somalia is still underdevelo ped and many live in extreme poverty. We once lived in these conditions and my mother always reminds us of where we came from and the conditions we once lived in. Many of my family members relocated to the United States, but some stayed preserving the way of life the always knew. It was rewarding seeing them after so many years I left a child and returned as a man.Almost nothing changed and I was somewhat elated to see my homeland, and saddened by the lack of progress made to better the lives of the ones living in poverty. In the end, returning to my homeland taught me a life lesson. Even though it was some time ago, I fondly remember the conditions we lived in and it has made me more appreciative for what I have today. diversion from the difficult moments, Ive many extraordinary childhood memories from my childhood. Returning to my homeland fulfilled a womb-to-tomb dream of mine. I will always look back at those memories with great pride and joy.

Marketing Plan Executive Summary Essay

Insert Name Here provides the best in patient role relate healthc are North Decatur has to offer. Insert allow for provide quality health rush in a scrap of specialties, having a primary focus on our Heart and Vascular focalize function. As our hospital continues to grow, we are devoted to staying up to date and providing our patients with cutting edge technology options, while caring for them wholeheartedly. Many of our postmortem examination services we offer to our patients are those in our Heart and Vascular Center, where interventional procedures are taking place every(prenominal) day in order to prevent our patients from having to undergo open-heart surgeries and being transferred to tertiary facilities. The Heart & Vascular Center is equipped with state-of-the-art procedure rooms that offer patients the most advanced form of cardiovascular resource in the area. We employ the latest heart care and vascular technology which provides the ability to perform both(prenomi nal) cardiac and peripheral vascular procedures on a single system.Our technology gives detailed diagnostic education that leads to effective treatments of heart and vascular diseases. This up to date equipment is at the fingertips of our physicians allowing them to perform intricate procedures such as placing balloons, stents and other therapeutic agents in vessels requiring treatment. By informing our service area and the general public of our fitted and well educated cardiology specialists and elegant state-of-the-art amenities through grassroots outlets and direct contact, Insert will quickly gain more market share. We will in like manner provide benchmarked customer service and flexibility.Targeted consumers of our services will be those individuals and families in nearby communities at higher risks of contracting cardiovascular diseases due to modus vivendi choices, family history, and certain demographics. These patients are usually referred after admittance to our facilit y or by other health care professionals such as primary care physicians, outside specialists, or extended care facilities. Our hospital has already developed an excellent reputation with many of these professionals, but plans to align ourselves with even more companionship health providers in order to attract more patrons in our service area. We also will also utilize data obtained from the Georgia Hospital Association to solicit consumers in our service areadirectly. at that place are currently two other hospitals that serve North Decatur. One is a research found hospital located less than ten miles away from our location. Due to the lack of highly skilled physicians specializing in interventional cardiovascular procedures, we believe that once this is communicated with our service network, interest in their cardiovascular services will disapprove greatly. The other hospital currently operating in our area only markets in to small bit of our targeted zip codes they also do not offer the unique blend of specialty care and patient engagement which Insert will be providing.ObjectivesIncrease brand awareness, evidenced by an increase in unsolicited requests for services. Increase customer referrals by 7% per quarter.80% of Customer Satisfaction Surveys returned indicating satisfaction with services. near gross sales by the end of first year.Keys to SuccessProfessional quality of services offered reliability being available through on-call, and adequate staffing Effective collaboration with other community professionals (physicians, extended care facilities, and other organizations) Steadfast engagement with our home community, organizations, and clubs

A Dirty Job Chapter 8

8A STREETCAR NAMED CONFUSIONInto the breech of the Castro district Charlie Asher supercharged, an antique sword- washbasine from the store on the van seat beside him, his jaw set like a bay singlet, his visage a study in fearsome intensity. Half a block, fractional a block, half of a block onward into the V whollyey of Overpriced Juice Bars and Outlandish Hair Highlights rode the stainless important Male. And woe be unto the foolish neer-do-well who had d ard to fuck with this secondhand death dealer, for his raggedy life would be fast for the bargain table. Theres going to be a show follow out in Gay Town, Charlie thought, and I am gunning for adeptice.Well, non re solelyy gunning since he had a sword concealed in a walking stick, non a gun more of a poking for justice which didnt re everyy constitute the avenging angel intension he was looking for he was mad, and ready to kick ass, thats on the whole. So, you k like a shot, just watch out. (Coinciden ganglingy, Pok ing for Justice was the title currently second in popularity at Castro Video Rentals, closely edging out A brain Is Born The Directors Cut, and outranked only by Cops Without Pants, which was number mavin with a bullwhip.)Charlie turned remove market place highway and just around the corner on Noe Street he saw it wise to(p) Music, the sign through with(p) in blocky, Craftsman-style stained glass, and he felt the hair at the back of his neck bristle and an goad in his bladder. His body had gone into fight-or-flight mode, and for the second metre in a week, he was going against his Beta Male nature and choosing to fight. Well, so be it, he thought. So be it. He would confront his mystifier and lay him low, as soon as he found a parking place which he didnt.He circled the block, bowdlerizeting between cafs and bars, both of which were in abundance in the Castro. He drove up and down the side pathways, lined with rows of immaculately kept (exorbitantly priced) Victorians and found no quarter for his trusty steed. after a half hour of orbiting the neighborhood, he headed back uptown and found a spot in a parking garage in the Fillmore, and so took the antique streetcar back down Market Street to the Castro. A cute lightentle green, Italian-made antique streetcar, with oak benches, brass railings, and mahogany window frames a charming brass bell and a top speed of close to twenty miles per hour this is how Charlie Asher charged into battle. He tried to imagine a horde of Huns hanging off the sides, waving wicked blades and fervour arrows as they passed the murals in the Mission district, perhaps Viking raiders, shields fastened to the sides of the car, a great drum pounding as they rowed in to pillage the antique shops, the leather bars, the sushi bars, the leather sushi bars (dont ask), and the art g totallyeries, in the Castro. And here, charge Charlies redoubtable imagination failed him. He got off the car at Castro and Market and walked bac k a block to fresh Music, thusly pa apply outside the shop, wondering what in the hell he was going to do now.What if the caller had just borrowed the phone? What if he stormed in screaming and threatening, and in that respect was just some conf utilise kid can the counter? But then he looked in the door, and there, rest behind the counter, all alone, was an extraordinarily stately black man dressed completely in mint green, and at that point Charlie lost his mind.You killed her, Charlie screamed as he stormed by the racks of CDs toward the man in mint. He drew the sword as he ran, or tried to, hoping to bring it out in a star fluid movement from the cane example and across the throat of Rachels killer. But the sword-cane had been in the back of Charlies shop for a long metre, and except for troika quantify when Lilys friend Abby tried to leave with it (once essay to buy it, when Charlie refused to sell it to her, then twice assay to steal it), the sword hadnt been dra wn in geezerhood. The little brass stud that you pushed to release the blade had stuck, so when Charlie delivered the deathblow, he swung the entire cane, which was heavier and slower than the sword would have been. The man in mint green cursorily for his size ducked, and Charlie took out an entire row of Judy Garland CDs, lost his balance, bounced off the counter, spun around, and again tried for the single draw-and-cut move that he had seen so many times in samurai movies, and had practiced so many times in his head on the way here. This time the sword came free of the scabbard and slashed a foul arch three feet in front of the man in mint, completely decapitating a life-sized cutout of Barbra Streisand.That is un-unfucking called for thundered the steep man.As Charlie recovered his balance for a backhand slash, he saw something large and dark sexual climax down over him and recognized it at the last instant, as the antique cash register slammed down on his head. There wa s a flash, a ding, and eitherthing got dark and gooey.When Charlie came to, he was tied to a chair in the back room of the script store, which looked remarkably like the back room of his own store, except all the stacked boxes were full of records and CDs instead of all variety of used jetsam. The tall black man was standing over him, and Charlie thought at first that he might be turning to mist or smoke, scarce then he realized it was just that his vision was going wavy, and then pain lit up the inside of his head like a strobe light.Ouch.Hows your neck? asked the tall man. Does your neck feel broken? Can you feel your feet?Go ahead, kill me, you fucking coward, express Charlie, bucking around in the chair, exhausting to lunge at his captor and aspect a little like the Black Knight in Monty Pythons Holy Grail after his arms and legs had been hacked off. If this guy cable took one step closer, Charlie could head-butt him in the nads, he was sure enough of it.The tall man st omped on Charlies toes, a size-eighteen glove-leather loafer driven by two hundred and lxx pounds of death and used-record dealer.Ouch Charlie hopped his chair in a little circle of pain. Goddammit OuchSo you do have feeling in your feet?Get it over with. Go ahead. Charlie stretched his neck as if offering his throat to be cut his strategy was to lure his captor into range, then sever the tall mans femoral artery with his teeth, then vaunt as the blood coursed all over his mint-green slacks onto the floor. Charlie would laugh long and sinister as he watched the life drain out of the evil bastard, then he would hop his chair out to the street and onto the streetcar at Market, transfer to the number forty-one tidy sum at Van Ness, hop off at Columbus, and hop the two blocks home, where soul would untie him. He had a plan and a bus pass with four more days left on it so this son of a squawk had picked the wrong guy to fuck with.I have no intention of killing you, Charlie, say the tall man, keeping a safe distance. Im sorry I had to hit you with the register. You didnt really leave me any options.You could have tasted the fatal sting of my blade Charlie glanced around for his sword-cane, just in case the guy had left it within reach.Yeah, sure, there was that one, but I thought Id go with the one without the stains and the funeral.Charlie strained against his bonds, which he realized now were plastic shopping bags. Youre messing with expiry, you turn in? I am Death.Yeah, I know.You do?Sure. The tall man spun some other wooden chair around and sit down on it reversed, facing Charlie. His knees were up at the level of his elbows and he looked like a great green tree frog, crouched to pounce on an insect. Charlie noniced for the first time that he had golden eyes, stark and striking in contrast to his dark skin. So am I, say the evil mint-green frog guy.You? Youre Death?A Death, not THE Death. I dont sound off there is a THE Death. not anymore, anywa y.Charlie couldnt grasp it, so he struggled and wobbled until the tall man had to reach out and steady him to keep him from toppling over.You killed Rachel.I did not.I saw you there.Yes, you did. Thats a problem. Will you please stop thrashing around? He agitate Charlies chair. But I wasnt instrumental in Rachels death. Thats not what we do, not anymore, anyway. Didnt you even look at the bear?What nurse? You state something to the highest degree a book on the phone.The considerable Big Book of Death. I sent it to your shop. I told a woman at the counter that I was sending it, and I got oral communication confirmation, so I know it got there.What woman Lily? Shes not a woman, shes a kid.No, this was a woman about your age, with New Wave hair.Jane? No. She didnt say anything, and I didnt stay put any book.Oh, shit. That explains why theyve been showing up. You didnt even know.Who? What? They?Mint putting green Death sighed heavily. I guess were going to be here a firearm. Im going to rat some coffee. Do you deficiency some?Sure, try to lull me into a false sense of security measure, then spring.Youre tied the fuck up, motherfucker, I dont need to lull you into shit. Youve been fucking with the fabric of human existence and soul needed to shut your ass down.Oh, sure, go black on me. Play the ethnic card.Mint Green climbed to his feet and headed toward the door to the shop. You want cream?And two sugars, please, Charlie express.This is really cool, why are you giving it back? said Abby Normal. Abby was Lilys best friend, and they were sitting on the floor in the back room of Ashers Secondhand, looking through The Great Big Book of Death. Abbys real mark was Alison, but she would no longer tolerate the ignominy of what she called her daylight-slave name. E genuinelyone had been oft more responsive to calling her by her chosen name than they had been to Lilys, Darquewillow Elventhing, which you always had to spell for people.Turns out its Asher, not me, Lily said. Hell be really pissed if he finds out I took it. And hes Death now, I guess, so I could get in trouble.Are you going to tell him you had the book? Abby scratched the silver spider stud in her eyebrow it was a fresh piercing and still healing and she couldnt stop messing with it. Abby, like Lily, was dressed all in black, boots to hair, the difference being that she had a black-widows red hourglass on the front of her black T-shirt and she was bladed and more waiflike in her affected creepiness.No. Ill just say it got misfiled. That happens a lot here.How long did you deliberate it was you?Like a month.What about the dreams and the names and stuff it dress downs about, you didnt have any of that, proficient?I thought I was just growing into my powers. I made a lot of lists of people I wanted gone.Yeah, I do that. And you just found out yesterday that it was Asher?Yeah, said Lily.That sucks, said Abby. lifetime sucks, said Lily.So, what now? asked Abby. Junior coll ege?They both nodded, woefully, and looked into the depths of their respective nail polishes to avoid sharing the humiliation of one of them having gone from dark demigod to local loser in an instant. They lived their lives hoping for something grand and dark and supernatural to happen, so when it had, they took it more in stride than was probably healthy. Fear, after all, is a survival mechanism.So all these things are soul objects? asked Abby, as cheerfully as her integrity would allow. She waved to the piles of stuff Charlie had marked with Do not Sell signs. Theres like a persons soul in there?According to the book, said Lily. Asher says he can see them glow.I like the red Converse on the whole Stars.Take them, theyre yours, said Lily.Really?Yeah, Lily said. She took the All Stars off the shelf and held them out. Hell neer miss them.Cool. I have the perfect pair of red fishnets I can wear with them.They probably have the soul of some sweaty jock in them, Lily said.He whitethor n worship at my feet, said Abby, doing a pirouette and an arabesque (remnants, along with an eating disorder, of ten years of concert dance lessons).So Im like a Santas Helper of Death? Charlie said, waving his coffee cup. The tall man had untied his one arm so he could drink his coffee, and Charlie was baptizing the stockroom floor with French roast with every gesture. Mr. snappy frowned.What in the hell are you talking about, Asher? sweet-scented felt bad about smash Charlie Asher with a cash register and fasten him up, and now he was wondering if the blow hadnt caused some anatomy of brain damage. Im talking about the Santa at Macys, zippy. When youre a kid, and you notice that the Santa Claus at Macys has a fake beard, and that there are at least(prenominal) six Salvation Army Santas working Union Square, you ask your parents about it and they tell you that the real Santa is in the North Pole, and hes really busy, so all these other guys are Santas helpers, who are out h elping him with his work. Thats what youre saying, that were Santas helpers to Death?Mr. wise(p) had been standing by his desk, but now he sat down again across from Charlie so he could look him in the eye. Very softly he said, Charlie, you know that thats not true now, estimable? I mean about Santas helpers and all?Of course I know that theres no Santa Claus. Im using it as a metaphor, you tool.Mr. Fresh took this opportunity to reach out and shot Charlie upside the head. therefore immediately regretted it.Hey Charlie put down his cup and rubbed one of his receding-hairline inlets, which was going red from the blow.Rude, said Mr. Fresh. Lets not be rude.So youre saying that there is a Santa? Charlie said, cringing in anticipation of other smack. Oh my God, how deep does this conspiracy go?No, theres no goddamn Santa. Im just saying that I dont know what we are. I dont know if there is a big Death with a capital D, although the book hints that there used to be. Im just saying t hat there are many of us, a dozen that I know of right here in the city all of us picking up soul vessels and seeing that they get into the right hands.And thats based on someone randomly coming into your shop and buying a record? Then Charlies eyes went wide as it hit him. Rachels Sarah McLachlan CD. You took it?Yes. Fresh looked at the floor, not because he was ashamed, but to avoid seeing the pain in Charlie Ashers eyes.Where is it? I want to see it, said Charlie.I exchange it.To who? Find it. I want Rachel back.I dont know. To a woman. I didnt get her name, but Im sure it was meant for her. Youll be able to tell.I will? Why will I? he asked. Why me? I dont want to kill people.We dont kill people, Mr. Asher. Thats a misconception. We simply facilitate the ascendance of the soul.Well, one guy died because I said something to him, and another had a heart attack because of something I did. A death that results from your actions is basically killing someone, unless youre a politici an, right? So why me? Im not that highly skilled at bullshit. So why me?Mr. Fresh considered what Charlie was saying, and felt like something sinister had crawled up his spine. In all his years, he didnt remember ever having his actions at present result in someones death, nor had he heard of it happening with the other Death Merchants. Of course you occasionally showed up at the time when the person was passing, but not often, and never as a cause.Well? Charlie said.Mr. Fresh shrugged. Because you saw me. Surely youve noticed that no one sees you when youre out to get a soul vessel.Ive never gone out to get a soul vessel.Yes, you have, and you will, at least you should be. You need to get with the program, Mr. Asher.Yeah, so you said. So youre uh were invisible when were out getting these soul vessels?Not invisible, so to speak, its just that no one sees us. You can go right into peoples homes and theyll never notice you standing right beside them, but if you speak to someone on the street theyll see you, waitresses will take your order, cabs will stop for you well, not me, Im black, but, you know, they would. Its sort of a will thing, I conceive. Ive tested it. Animals can see us, by the way. Youll want to watch out for dogs when youre retrieving a vessel.So thats how you got to be a what do they call us?Death Merchants.Get out. Really?Its not in the book. I came up with it.Its very cool.Thanks. Mr. Fresh smiled, relieved for a moment not to be thinking about the gravity of Charlies unique transition to Death Merchant. Actually, I think its a component from an album cover, guy behind a cash register, eyes glowing red, but I didnt know that when I came up with it.Well, it chooses perfect sense.Yeah, I thought so, said Mr. Fresh. More coffee?Please. Charlie held out his free cup. So, someone saw you. Thats how you became a Death Merchant?No, thats how you became one. I think that you may, uh Fresh didnt want to corrupt this poor guy, but on the oth er hand he didnt actually know what had happened. I think you may be different from the rest of us. No one saw me. I was working security for a casino in Vegas when that went sour for me I have a problem with authority, Im told so I came to San Francisco and opened this shop, started dealing in used records and CDs, mostly jazz at first. After a while it just started happening the glowing soul vessels, people coming in with them, finding them at estate of the realm sales. I dont know why or how, it just did, and I didnt say anything about it to anyone. Then the book came in the mail.The book again. Dont you have a copy around?Theres only one copy. At least that I know of.And you just mailed it out?I sent it certified mail Fresh boomed. Someone at your store signed for it. I think I did my part.Okay, sorry, go on.Anyway, when I got to the Castro it was a very sad place. The only guys you saw on the street were very old or very young, all the ones in the middle were either dead or sick with HIV, walking with canes, towing oxygen cylinders. Death was everywhere. Its like there needed to be a soul way station, and I was here, trading records. Then the book showed up in the mail. There were a lot of souls coming in. For those first few years I was picking up vessels every day, sometimes two or three times a day. Youd be surprised how many gay men have their souls in their music.Have you sold them all?No. They come in, they go out. Theres always some inventory.But how can you be sure the right person gets the right soul?Not my problem, is it? Mr. Fresh shrugged. Hed worried about it at first, but it seemed to all happen as it should, and hed gotten into the rhythm of trusting whatever mechanism or power was behind all of this.Well, if thats your attitude, why do it at all? I dont want this job. I have a job, and a kid.You have to do it. Believe me, after I got the book, I tried not doing it. We all did. At least the ones Ive talked to did. Im guessing youve alrea dy seen what happens if you dont. Youll start hearing the voices, then the shades start coming. The book calls them Underworlders.The hulk ravens? Them?They were just indistinct shadows and voices until you showed up. Theres something going on. Starting with you, and continuing with you. You let them get a soul vessel, didnt you?Me? You said theres a bunch of Death Merchants.The others know better. It was you. You fucked up. I thought I saw one fast(a) over earlier in the week. Then today, I was out walking, and the voices were bad. Really bad. Thats when I called you. It was you, wasnt it?Charlie nodded. I didnt know. How could I know?So they got one?Two, Charlie said. A hand came out of the sewer. It was my first day.Well, thats it, said Fresh, cradling his head in his hands. We are most certainly fucked now.You dont know that, Charlie said, trying to look on the bright side. We could have been fucked before. I mean, we run secondhand stores for dead people, thats sort of a defi nition of fucked.Mr. Fresh looked up. The book says if we dont do our jobs everything could go dark, become like the Underworld. I dont know what the Underworld is like, Mr. Asher, but Ive caught some of the road show from there a couple of times, and Im not interested in finding out. How bout you?Maybe its Oakland, Charlie said.Whats Oakland?The Underworld.Oakland is not the Underworld Mr. Fresh leapt to his feet he was not a violent man, you really didnt have to be when you were his size, but The Tenderloin? Charlie suggested.Dont make me smack you. Neither of us wants that, do we, Mr. Asher?Charlie shook his head. Ive seen the ravens, Charlie said, but I havent heard any voices. What voices?They talk to you when youre on the street. Sometimes youll hear a voice coming out of a heating vent, a downspout, sometimes a storm drain. Its them, all right. Female voices, taunting. Ive gone years without hearing them, Ill almost forget, then Ill be going to pick up a vessel, and one will call to me. I used to phone the other merchants, ask them if theyd done something, but we stopped that right away.Why?Because thats part of what we think brings them up. Were not supposed to have any contact. It took us a while to figure that out. I had only found six of the merchants in the city back then, and we were having lunch once a week, talking about what we knew, comparing notes thats when we saw the first of the shades. In fact, just to be safe, this will be the last time that you and I have contact. Mr. Fresh shrugged again and began to untie Charlies bonds, thinking It all changed that day at the hospital. This guy has changed everything, and Im sending him out like a lamb to the slaughter or maybe hes the one to do the slaughtering. This guy might be the one Wait, I dont know anything, Charlie pleaded. You cant just send me out to do this without more background. What about my daughter? How do I know who to sell the souls to? He was panicked and trying to ask all the questions before he was set free. What are the numbers after the names? Do you get the names like that? How long do I have to do this before I can retire. Why are you always dressed in mint green? As Mr. Fresh untied one ankle, Charlie was trying to tie the other back to the chair.My name, said Mr. Fresh.Pardon? Charlie stopped tying himself up.I dress in mint green because of my first name. Its Minty.Charlie completely forgot what he was worried about. Minty? Your name is Minty Fresh?Charlie appeared to be trying to stifle a sneeze, but then snorted an explosive laugh. Then ducked.