The Trial Of Jeanne DArc Essays - Joan Of Arc, Michael, Jeanne DArc

The Trial of Jeanne d'Arc Jeanne d'Arc, better known as Joan of Arc, was the Maid of Orleans. She was a great heroin of the Hundred Years War for the French and was the spirit of the army. She was only a teenager when she heard the voices of Saint Catherine, Saint Michael, and Saint Margaret. The voices told her to march with the French army to drive out the English and place Charles VII on the throne. She provided support and spirit to the troops and shaped them up into better soldiers. She had successful victories like Orleans and at Patay, but was defeated and captured by the Burgandians while defending Compiegne. The Burgundians sold her to the English who had long been after her. She would be tried for witchcraft and heresy by the ecclesiastical court of Rouen led by Bishop Pierre Cauchon. The court was judged by the Bishop along with his assessors. The trial consisted of six public examinations, 9 private examinations, and several readings of articles. In the first public examination, Jeanne made it clear to the bishop and the forty-two assessors present that she would only tell the things she was allowed to tell even if it meant death upon her own oath instead of what the English wished her to. 'Of my father and my mother and of what I did after taking the road to France, willingly will I swear; but of the revelations which have come to me from God, to no one will I speak or reveal them, save only to Charles my King; and to you I will not reveal them, even if it cost me my head; because I have received them in visions and by secret counsel, and am forbidden to reveal them. Before eight days are gone, I shall know if I may reveal them to you.' The English interrogated her until she revealed the names of herself, her father and mother and of her birthplace along with m any other personal questions. At the second public examination, Jeanne was asked to swear an oath again to which she claimed, "'I made oath to you yesterday,' she answered, 'that should be quite enough for you: you overburden me too much!' In this examination, they asked her about her childhood, of the light she sees when the voices of the Saints speak to her, and who possessed her to wear men's garments. On the third public examination, Jeanne asked for her release but was denied. She was then questioned by a doctor who asked her of her health. He asked her when the last time she had food and drink and when were the last times the voices had spoken to her. He also questioned her of what the voices were revealing to her. At the end of the examination, the doctor asked her if she wanted a woman's dress to which she said, Give me one, and I will take it and begone; otherwise, no. I am content with what I have, since it pleases God that I wear it. On the forth public examination, she w as asked mainly about what the voices tell her and of what became of her famous sword Fierbois. She told them about her revelations about Orleans and that she knew it would be a victory for the French. In the fifth public examination, when she was asked to swear upon on oath, "And in this wise did she swear, her hands on the Holy Gospels. Then she said: ?On what I know touching this Case, I will speak the truth willingly; I will tell you as much as I would to the Pope of Rome, if I were before him.'" They then questioned her of what she would say to the Pope and whom she believed was the true pope. From this, they asked Jeanne if she had received the letter from Count d'Armagnac, which was asking Jeanne which pontiff he should obey to which she replied yes. They then read the letter that the Count wrote and the letter in which Jeanne replied to the Count. They also read a letter from Jeanne to the English King, the Duke of Bedford, and other officials

Free Essays on Selective Mutism

Selective mutism is an acquired disorder, in which a child is capable of speaking, and does so in many instances, but fails to speak in select situations where communication will typically occur. (Baldwin, 1994) This behavior is most often observed when young children are put into new situations such as meeting a stranger or a speech clinic. (Cleator & Hand, 2002) Selective mutism implies that a child suffering from this disorder does not choose to be silent, but rather become mute in situations that cause him/her to be anxious. (Cummings-Stegbauer, 2002) One of the most important aspects of defining this disorder is that the failure to speak is not due to the child’s lack of knowledge of spoken language or a communication disorder, but rather the psychological aspects of socialization. (8) Tramer initially labeled the disorder â€Å"elective mutism† in 1934, a term that is still used outside of North America, and it was viewed as a defiant behavior to overprotective and/or controlling parent(s). (McInnes et al., 2004) In 1994, American Psychiatric Association, renamed the disorder â€Å"Selective Mutism† since the title was more appropriate for emphasizing that a child becomes mute in select social situations that cause anxiety and not when he/she chooses not to communicate.(McInnes et al., 2004) When exposed to new situations or overcoming a traumatic episode children often go through a phase of adjustment, where they may not speak for some period of time. (Baldwin, 1994) This will not be termed selective mutism because of its course of development and etiology is different and will be managed in another way. (Baldwin, 1994) Children whom are selectively mute do not spend their day in silence; they tend to speak within the home with some or all family members, but fail to speak with those outside the home. (Cummings-Stegbauer, 2002) Some children will not speak to any child outside their home while others will pick a select few c... Free Essays on Selective Mutism Free Essays on Selective Mutism Selective mutism is an acquired disorder, in which a child is capable of speaking, and does so in many instances, but fails to speak in select situations where communication will typically occur. (Baldwin, 1994) This behavior is most often observed when young children are put into new situations such as meeting a stranger or a speech clinic. (Cleator & Hand, 2002) Selective mutism implies that a child suffering from this disorder does not choose to be silent, but rather become mute in situations that cause him/her to be anxious. (Cummings-Stegbauer, 2002) One of the most important aspects of defining this disorder is that the failure to speak is not due to the child’s lack of knowledge of spoken language or a communication disorder, but rather the psychological aspects of socialization. (8) Tramer initially labeled the disorder â€Å"elective mutism† in 1934, a term that is still used outside of North America, and it was viewed as a defiant behavior to overprotective and/or controlling parent(s). (McInnes et al., 2004) In 1994, American Psychiatric Association, renamed the disorder â€Å"Selective Mutism† since the title was more appropriate for emphasizing that a child becomes mute in select social situations that cause anxiety and not when he/she chooses not to communicate.(McInnes et al., 2004) When exposed to new situations or overcoming a traumatic episode children often go through a phase of adjustment, where they may not speak for some period of time. (Baldwin, 1994) This will not be termed selective mutism because of its course of development and etiology is different and will be managed in another way. (Baldwin, 1994) Children whom are selectively mute do not spend their day in silence; they tend to speak within the home with some or all family members, but fail to speak with those outside the home. (Cummings-Stegbauer, 2002) Some children will not speak to any child outside their home while others will pick a select few c...

Standard English Definition and Examples

Standard English Definition and Examples Standard English is a controversial term for a form of the English language that is written and spoken by educated users. Abbreviation: SE. Also known as  Standard Written English (SWE). According to Tom McArthur in The Oxford Companion to the English Language (1992), the term Standard English resists easy definition but is used as if most educated people nonetheless know precisely what it refers to. Examples and Observations The term Standard English refers to both an actual variety of language and an idealized norm of English acceptable in many social situations. As a language variety, Standard English is the language used in most public discourse and in the regular operation of American social institutions. The news media, the government, the legal profession, and the teachers in our schools and universities all view Standard English as their proper mode of communication, primarily in expository and argumentative writing, but also in public speaking.Standard English is thus different from what is normally thought of as speech in that Standard English must be taught, whereas children learn to speak naturally without being taught.(The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style. Houghton Mifflin, 2005We need to know Standard English, but we need to know it critically, analytically, and in the context of language history. We also need to understand the regularity of non-standard variants. If w e approach good and bad grammar in this way, the study of language will be a liberating factor- not merely freeing learners from socially stigmatized usage by replacing that usage with new linguistic manners, but educating people in what language and linguistic manners are all about.(Edwin L. Battistella, Bad Language: Are Some Words Better Than Others? Oxford University Press, 2005 Tacit Conventions of Usage [T]he conventions of linguistic usage are tacit. The rules of standard English are not legislated by a tribunal but emerge as an implicit consensus within a virtual community of writers, readers, and editors. That consensus can change over time in a process as unplanned and uncontrollable as the vagaries of fashion. No official ever decided that respectable men and women were permitted to doff their hats and gloves in the 1960s or to get pierced and tattooed in the 1990s- nor could any authority with powers short of Mao Zedong have stopped these changes. In a similar manner, centuries of respectable writers have shrugged off long-forgotten edicts by self-appointed guardians of the language, from Jonathan Swift’s denunciation of banter, mob, and sham to Strunk and White’s disparaging of to personalize, to contact, and six people (as opposed to six persons).(Steven Pinker, False Fronts in the Language Wars. Slate, May 31, 2012 The Convenience of Standard English [Standard English is that] particular variety of English which is regarded by educated people as appropriate for most types of public  discourse, including most broadcasting, almost all publication, and virtually all conversation with anyone other than intimates... Standard English is not entirely uniform around the globe: for example, American users of standard English say the first floor and Ive just gotten a letter and write center and color, while British users say ground floor and Ive just got a letter and write centre and colour. But these regional differences are few in comparison with the very high degree of agreement about which forms should count as standard. Nevertheless, standard English, like all living languages, changes over time...It is important to realize that standard English is in no way intrinsically superior to any other variety of English: in particular, it is not more logical, more grammatical, or more expressive. It is, at the bottom, a convenience: the use of a single agreed standard form, learned by speakers everywhere, minimizes uncertainty, confusion, misunderstanding, and communicative difficulty generally.(R.L. Trask, Dictionary of English Grammar. Penguin, 2000 Origins of Standard English By far the most influential factor in the rise of  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Standard English was the importance of London as the capital of England...London English took as well as gave. It began as a Southern and ended as a Midland dialect. By the 15th century, there had come to prevail in the East Midlands a fairly uniform dialect, and the language of London agrees in all important respects with it. We can hardly doubt that the importance of the eastern counties...is largely responsible for this change. Even such Northern characteristics as are found in the standard speech seem to have entered by way of these counties. The history of Standard English is almost a history of London English. (Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable, A History of the English Language, 5th ed. Prentice Hall, 2002)Half-way through the 17th century, the lexicographer Thomas Blount declares that the Babel of the vernacular made England a self-stranger nation- one growing alien to itself through this diversity of available forms . He dedicates his dictionary of 1656 to the cause of having English Englished. Arguably, in this context, it is not the rise of a standard variety of language, but a new awareness of dialect and variability of discourse- the self-stranger English of the Renaissance- that best defines the linguistic culture of early modern England. (Paula Blank, The Babel of Renaissance English. The Oxford History of English, ed. by Lynda Mugglestone. Oxford University Press, 2006 Varieties of Standard English [T]here is no such thing (at present) as a Standard English which is not British or American or Australian, etc. There is no International Standard (yet), in the sense that publishers cannot currently aim at a standard which is not locally bound.(Gunnel Melchers and Philip Shaw, World Englishes: An Introduction. Arnold, 2003)

Deudas, mal crédito, bancarrota y efectos migratorios

Deudas, mal crà ©dito, bancarrota y efectos migratorios Al iniciar un trmite migratorio como, por ejemplo, una peticià ³n de familiar o naturalizacià ³n para obtener la ciudadanà ­a americana es comà ºn preguntarse si las deudas pendientes, un mal crà ©dito o la bancarrota  pueden afectar negativamente a la solicitud. La razà ³n de esa preocupacià ³n nace, por una parte, del requisito de tener una situacià ³n situacià ³n econà ³mica saneada para solicitar ciertos beneficios migratorios, como por ejemplo la peticià ³n de cà ³nyuge, hijos, hermanos o padres y, por otro, porque cierto tipo de deudas impide que salgan adelante peticiones migratorias.   Por su importancia, en este artà ­culo se explica en quà © casos y  cà ³mo esas situaciones pueden afectar a los casos migratorios, destacando en primer lugar cuando son irrelevantes y, en segundo lugar, cuando sà ­ se tienen en cuenta a la hora de decidir si se aprueba o no una peticià ³n migratoria. Adems, se seà ±alan quà © beneficios recibidos del gobierno se consideran carga pà ºblica y, por lo tanto, afectan negativamente y, por otro lado, cules se pueden recibir sin problemas porque no tienen consecuencias migratorias. Casos en los que las deudas y mal crà ©dito no tienen consecuencias migratorias Si se tiene una deuda por no pagar, por ejemplo, a la compaà ±Ãƒ ­a de telà ©fono, una deuda privada, la factura de un mà ©dico, etc, no tiene generalmente efectos ni consulares ni migratorios negativas. Es decir, no afecta a lo que se resuelve con respecto a la peticià ³n. Y ello es asà ­ porque se considera que son asuntos civiles. Lo mismo sucede con el mal crà ©dito. En el caso de peticiones para un familiar de la tarjeta de residencia permanente, tambià ©n conocida como  green card,  lo que importa es que el solicitante tenga ingresos y/o patrimonio  suficientes y demostrables para cubrir las obligaciones del affidavit of support, tambià ©n conocido como declaracià ³n de sostenimiento. Si tiene mal crà ©dito o deuda pendiente, es irrelevante. Casos en los que las malas finanzas sà ­ tienen efectos migratorios Cuando la deuda se convierte en un asunto penal, como por ejemplo, en una estafa u otros semejantes entonces sà ­ que tiene efectos migratorios y puede ser causa para que nieguen visas, peticiones de residencia permanente o de ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n. Tambià ©n puede ser una causa para que se impida en el control de paso migratorio  el ingreso a Estados Unidos de un extranjero. Si la deuda es con la Hacienda de Estados Unidos (IRS), tambià ©n es un problema que hay que resolver antes de iniciar los trmites con inmigracià ³n o los consulados. Si la deuda es mà ©dica y el importe de la factura lo pagà ³ Medicaid, tambià ©n puede ser muy problemtico si se considera que fue un caso de carga pà ºblica. Por ejemplo, si una mujer extranjera tiene a un bebà © en Estados Unidos y no paga por el parto y luego se regresa a su paà ­s, tanto esa mam como el pap el bebà © pueden perder la visa de turista. Con el agravante de que no hay forma de salirse de este problema en concreto. Si se trata de una deuda por no pagar pensià ³n alimenticia (child support), segà ºn las circunstancias del caso puede tener como consecuencia que no se pueden obtener visas americanas, ni la residencia permanente y la ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n. Y, en casos extremos, puede dar lugar incluso a la deportacià ³n. Incluso, dependiendo del monto de la deuda, los ciudadanos americanos pueden encontrase con que no pueden sacar el pasaporte y, por lo tanto, no pueden viajar internacionalmente. Destacar que el child support puede ser solicitado no sà ³lo para nià ±os que viven en Estados Unidos sino tambià ©n en el caso de residir en otros paà ­ses cuando tienen a al menos el padre o la madre viviendo en Estados Unidos. En estos casos, tener en cuenta que  la Embajada americana en el paà ­s de residencia del menor no puede ayudar en estos casos. La razà ³n es que este es un tema de los estados,  no del gobierno federal. Algunos paà ­ses, como  Mà ©xico, tienen firmados acuerdos de reclamo de pensià ³n alimenticia con varios estados.  En los casos en los que no hay tales acuerdos y se desea exigir el pago de dicha pensià ³n, contactar con la agencia de  child support  del estado en el que vive el pap o la mam. O contratar a un  abogado en dicho estado. Adems, tener en cuenta que el tener un pap que es estadounidense  no da automticamente derecho a adquirir la ciudadanà ­a americana  cuando se nace fuera de los Estados Unidos. Adems  que en el caso de reclamar pensiones de alimentos en el caso de nià ±os nacidos fuera de matrimonio primero es necesario  establecer legalmente la filiacià ³n. Quà © beneficios son considerados como una carga pà ºblica Uno de los requisitos legales para ser admisible a los Estados Unidos es no ser considerado una carga pà ºblica. Y es que por esta causa se pueden negar un amplio abanico de peticiones o solicitudes migratorias como, por ejemplo, una  visa no inmigrante o una visa inmigrante o el ajuste de Estatus o para adquirir la ciudadanà ­a por naturalizacià ³n. Se considera que es una carga pà ºblica haber recibido del gobierno beneficios monetarios como, por ejemplo, el Suplemento de Ingresos de Seguridad (SSI, por sus siglas en inglà ©s), o Asistencia Temporal a Familias en Necesidad  (TANF, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). Destacar que estos beneficios pueden recibir otros nombres dependiendo del estado. Por ejemplo,   en California al programa TANF se le conoce como CalWorks. Finalmente, tener en cuenta que la regla general sobre los efectos migratorios de recibir beneficios considerados como carga pà ºblica tiene importantes excepciones. Por ejemplo, asilados y refugiados pueden recibir TANF y SSI sin problemas. Quà © beneficios no se consideran carga pà ºblica Se puede recibir del gobierno sin problemas WIC para infantes y embarazadas, cupones o estampillas de alimentos, que en California reciben el nombre de Calfresh. Asimismo, se puede aceptar ayuda a la vivienda o para guarderà ­as, Headstar o Medicaid para menores. En otras palabras, recibir este tipo de  beneficios no perjudica a peticiones o solicitudes migratorias que se realicen despuà ©s. Quà © hacer si se tiene una deuda con posibles consecuencias migratorias Si se tienen dudas sobre si una deuda puede afectar negativamente a una peticià ³n migratoria, antes de presentarla es recomendable contactar con un abogado de buena reputacià ³n o con una organizacià ³n de apoyo legal a migrantes para determinar si realmente tiene impacto migratorio y, en caso afirmativo, decidir quà © pasos tomar.   Generalmente en estos casos, lo ms recomendable es contactar con la agencia encargada del cobro de la deuda (collection agency  en inglà ©s) e intentar llegar a un acuerdo sobre la cantidad a pagar y los plazos para hacerlo. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Health organization case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Health organization case study - Essay Example This is aimed at further personalizing health care, not to mention the enormous effect of trending innovations that continue to ensure patient satisfaction such as from receiving medical attention from the comfort of their homes. United Healthcare prides itself in the latest technologies in diagnosis, treatment and data handling (storage and processing) (United Healthcare, 2015). This will ensure better quality health care and faster service to reduce ‘crowding’ and ‘overwhelming’ situations. With appointments much easier to make and health related information readily availed to patients who can access them easily, prevention is fast becoming a major ally in further enhancing the United Healthcare’s readiness to addressing the health care needs of its citizens in the next 10 years. The main strategy to ensure United Healthcare’s sustained network growth is to become and retain its spot as the best destination for health care for various ailments. United Healthcare has additionally invested in new, fast, easy and personal technologies and innovations that make access to health care easier to persons in any parts of the country, or globe. These include resources such as myuhc.com, Health4Me mobile application, my Healthcare Cost Estimator, myClaims Manager and Your 24-Hour Nurse which among other things, enable patients/ users to receive answers to their questions, receive health tips and advice, book appointments with doctors, print IDs, estimate health care costs, view and pay claims, access claim forms, locate a pharmacy and change mailing preferences (UnitedHealthcare Online, 2015). United Healthcare also plans to build more hospitals and clinics that will compliment the over 5,600 such facilities already present all over the country in bids to aid its network growth and enhance patient satisfaction (reach). The organization also continues to enter agreements with businesses to

Not Listening to a Child as a Form of Neglect Essay

Not Listening to a Child as a Form of Neglect - Essay Example However, the real challenge is the application of past findings and integrating them in the participation of children for the sustainability of their rights. It is apparent from stereotypes and perceptions that the rights of children have been neglected hence impacting on the development of children. According to Lansdown (2005), listening to children's expressions and experiences at school, home or other environmental settings helps in raising their esteem, social skills, and cognitive abilities. Therefore, the more children are involved and engaged, the more they increase their competence, confidence and acquisition of other skills. It is important as a parent or for any responsible person to positively engage them through listening them, as it will contribute positively to their mental and psychological growth. Marginalized children and those who are vulnerable in society especially the looked after face a challenge in realizing their potential, thus they should be provided with support through participatory engagement and listening to their demands and needs (Howe and Covell 2005). Listening to children also helps challenge situations of violence, discrimination, injustices or other related threats therefore serving to protect children. Silencing children means that any injustices against them are kept in the dark, while the abusers get protected rather than the children. Jones and Welch (2010) affirm that, if children are encouraged to speak and are listened to, then it will rather be easier for any violations to be exposed.

Senior Information Technology Auditor for the consulting firm of Term Paper

Senior Information Technology Auditor for the consulting firm of Comroe - Term Paper Example This paper presents a description of an independent audit conducted on security, governance and business continuity assessment of Adams Brick Communications Company’s Information Technology. Introduction As the Senior Information Technology Auditor, it is my responsibility to ensure that the audit committee undertakes reviews and conduct tests and assessments on Information Technology department of the company that will provide management assurance that the business as a whole is operating effectively. Information Technology audit is basically responsible for reviewing both the operational and technical aspects of existing and planned computer systems in addition to assessing whether the risks they pose are significant or has the ability to add to the anticipated business specific risks. Adams Brick Communications Company heavily depends on Information Technology department in order to meet its goals and objectives as a business entity given that it is a communication company which generates most of its revenue from advertisements. The normal and up to standard functioning of the information technology of the company is therefore considered vital for the company’s survival. ... Â  The corporation is located in the heart of the city, with one satellite office in a nearby suburb. Â  ABC’s primary business is a local newspaper and news website. Â  They also have multiple small niche magazines that support special interests in the community. Â  All of these assets are supported through the advertising division of Adams Brick Communications. The company has its advertising division as its backbone given that it’s the main source of revenue even though its overall goal is to provide services to the community Information Technology governance The Information Technology Group (ITG) is tasked with supporting the endeavors of Adams Brick Communications. Â  It is led by the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and a staff of ten information technology professionals. Â  The CIO reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer, and is on the same level as the other executive officers of ABC. Â   ITG, while being led by the CIO, is split into three groups. Â  A two person networking team, a five person system administration team, and a three person team focused on security. Â  While the security team is responsible for privacy and security matters, it is mostly implemented by the two other teams. Â  The IT governance is handled by the Chief Information Officer. The networking team is responsible for the connectivity of Adams Brick Communications. Â  They are first responsible for ensuring that the business has appropriate bandwidth to support all business operations. Â  As new hosts are added to the network, the networking team must give them the lines needed to connect to the intranet. Â   The system administration team handles the equipment at the host level. Â  They ensure that proper hardware and software has been deployed at each user as needed.

Are we heading for a world currency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Are we heading for a world currency - Essay Example Local markets are the key factors that created such zones. They seem to prosper economically if they are trading in one regional currency. Personally, I agree with the idea of a SGC, but, currently, the vastly varying political and economic landscapes of sovereign countries around the world are posing barriers to it. This paper will list and describe some of the factors, both for and against a SGC, and discuss why it is unlikely to achieve one in the near future. Presently, there exist some economic forces that favor the amalgamation of currencies. Below are some of the influencing factors. Troubled Currencies Since trade is so vibrant and persistent among nations, it is critical for the nations to have confidence in their local currencies and those of their business partners (Volcker 10). A confidence decline in a country’s currency will spread fear among all other countries that share trade relationships and interests with it, further leading to a currency pandemic. An examp le of this scenario is the currency calamity that befell Mexico, Argentina, Russia and Thailand. The then United States President, Bill Clinton, remarked that solving Mexico’s problems was not only significant to the rest of Latin America, but also developing countries in the whole world (Volcker 11). The fact that the Mexican catastrophe could stretch to neighboring countries in the region and affect their currencies informed this idea. Countries in Debt Countries that have lent money to other countries worry about the possibility of depreciating of the debt owed to them due to the occurrence of a currency crisis or devaluation (Hellyer 43). They seek assurance that their debts will be repaid in currencies that have not depreciated in value. This makes currency stability a worldwide concern and aim. Furthermore, countries that have previously experienced currency crisis stand to benefit if their currencies are converted to regional units (Hellyer 43). This has an effect of r educing fears of currency problems in the future. Multinational Companies Multinational companies face challenges in an attempt to price their products and record profits while working in many currencies (Hellyer 44). A currency consolidation is a welcome relief to financial officers of such enterprises. Online Banking With its already worldwide and well established infrastructure, online banking is a trend poised to last for long. Through it, money is constantly moving across borders without passing through conventional banking systems, making it a contributing economic factor favoring currency consolidation (Bonpasse 127). Factors Inhibiting Creation of a World Currency The factors above have contributed favorably towards the need for a SGC. They, however, raise questions as to how a SGC would be governed (Volcker 4). There seem to be two intertwined, key factors working against them, and they appear to carry the day; world political and economic platforms (Volcker 4). A third fac tor, religion, poses its own class of difficulty. A combination of all the factors put forward against a SGC has a general suggestion that the current world setting is simply not ready for it (Volcker 6). Religion Some religions, especially Islam, outlaw the amassing of interest on loan principal (Mustaqim 1). Religion forbids the faithful to charge interest to other faithful or the poor. Currently, large populations of religious faithful opposed to the paying of interest are

If a company sells its products only from an online website, which is Essay

If a company sells its products only from an online website, which is accessible to customers all over the world, does it still need to worry about having a specific target market. Explain your answer - Essay Example The paper therefore focuses on whether a company that makes online sales through a website that is accessible to clients across the world still needs to focus on maintaining a particular target market. Like it happens in life that an individual will never appeal all human beings, the same is witnessed with businesses. Despite having a website accessible to customers around the world, an organization needs to create value for defining who it requires using the goods or services it provides. Defining expected buyers remains important due the following reasons. First, through identification of a target market, a company becomes precise in its marketing as well as advertising efforts. Having an ideal client helps in strategizing specific tactics of reaching them. Specific strategies remain important during the decision-making process as decision making becomes easier and more focused saving in time as well as resources (Mooradian and Matzlerz 2012). Secondly, customers will find the business quickly. Although the website serves a global purpose where everyone can learn about the existence of an individual company, majority of individuals may fail to learn about the enterprise’s life. Customers need to have greater assurance from products and service providers that their needs and desires, as well as challenges, will be considered once they arise. The aspect of developing a virtual or physical location where customers will meet the providers of goods and services creates more confidence in customers prompting more use of products and services offered. Lastly, although referrals are made through the internet, having a particular target market establishes close association with existing clients making it easier for them to make referrals. Consequently, irrespective of the above benefits of having a target market, reaching customers throughout the

What patriotism mean to me Essay Example for Free

What patriotism mean to me Essay Loading Older Messages (11) Sunday Antahlia Napier 10/13, 9:08pm Antahlia Napier yea Monday Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:01pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Wyd Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:09pm Antahlia Napier chillen now Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:15pm Nate Young Migo Thompson In woodland? Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:15pm Antahlia Napier yea im in da house Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:16pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Who Im woodland *in Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:16pm Antahlia Napier ion no im in the HOUSE Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:20pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Lol who was out there Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:26pm Antahlia Napier i dont no i seen jarmed them when i was oming home like and hour ago but ion no i dont go outside so idk Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:43pm Nate Young Migo Thompson If i come out there yhu gone come out lol Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:43pm Antahlia Napier im fiinna come out there well nvm yea ill come out Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:45pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Where to? Where you gone be? Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:45pm Antahlia Napier Da pool Nobody there anyways Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:46pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Meet me where we use to be? Antahlia Napier 10/14, 5:48pm Antahlia Napier and where is tt u dont even be doing nunthing anyways so what we meeting for? Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/14, 5:50pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Oh well never mind then if you dont want to Tuesday Nate Young Migo Thompson 10/15, 5:23pm Nate Young Migo Thompson Aye Today Antahlia Napier 5:03am Antahlia Napier Wessuhhpp? Nate Young Migo Thompson 5:04am Nate Young Migo Thompson Wyd today

Child Friendly Schools In Kenya Education Essay

Child Friendly Schools In Kenya Education Essay The purpose of this essay is to explore the contribution of Comparative and International Research in the successful implementation of Child Friendly Schools (CFSs) in Kenya. Emphasis will be placed on the background of CFSs, current practices and emerging critics, success stories, problems and pitfalls and what CIR can do to subjugate some of these challenges. I will start by examining the rationale for exploring CFSs, based on literature and my professional experience. Following this background will be literature surrounding the concepts of CIR and CFS in relation to global agendas, exploring how CFS came into existence and the driving forces behind it. I then go on to focus on a case study of CFS in Kenya, discussing the role of CIR in the Kenyas CFS, arguing that CIR is used as a political tool in creating educational policy, rather than a research method or an intellectual inquiry. I will further critically analyze challenges facing CFS and how knowledge on CIR can contribute mo re effectively to successful implementation of CFS. A conclusion based on the literature and authors experience will then be drawn. Throughout the essay, I build a case in favour of CIR arguing that CIR stimulates critical reflections about our educational systems by investigating commonalities and differences across national borders. Background and Rationale Perhaps, one of the growing fields in education in the modern age is comparative and international education, judged by the volume of studies reported in the literature. Central to this is that many countries around the world have formulated some of their educational policies based on scholarship in CIR. With the current wave of globalization, researchers and experts, especially in the field of education, are always trying to find ways of streamlining their educational policies with the global trends. According to Giddens (1990:64), globalization is the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distance localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Global forces therefore have an impact on shaping local practices at grass root levels. In order to do this tactically and critically, comparative and internal research remains cutting edge in informing people about the realities, the challenges and the possible effects of uncritical transfer of ideas. Interestingly, global agendas in matters related to education are prioritized towards basic education as opposed to adult education or higher education. In Africa, this would be probably because, as Oketch (2004) points out, basic education yields higher rates of returns compared to higher education. This has subsequently caused government and non-governmental organizations to focus more on improving the quality of basic education. Child-friendly schools (CFSs) in Kenya is an example of a initiative sponsored by UNICEF with the aim of not just providing children right to education but the right to the right education. In other words, CFSs are more concerned with the quality of basic education in addition to its access. The emergence of CFSs in Kenya was catapulted by the forces of agendas 1 and 2 of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which emphasizes on the provision of basic education. The World Education Forum (2000) agreed on six Education For All (EFA) goals. The sixth goal conce rned Education quality, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. The term quality in education is dynamic because of the social, political and economic context at which it is used. Because of differences in contexts, it is imperative that knowledge of comparative and international research be used in designing policies and pedagogy in CFS that fit that particular context. Furthermore, with the fear that some countries may lag behind as others move forward, sub-Sahara countries are now engaging in various practices in order to achieve this goal, a race against the 2015 set deadline for attainment of EFA goals. As the clock ticks towards the year 2015, priority goals in education may change for post-2015 and the worry is further elevated. One of the efforts the government of Kenya is doing to improve the quality of education is by integrating CFS model into the basic education system. Two major questions arise here: First, how is CFS realistic considering myriad challenges facing the FPE policy in Kenya? Secondly, if CFS model is the best practice to go by, what is the role of CIR in successful implementation of the CFSs? It is against this background that the purpose of the essay hinges. Literature Review In this section, I will look at the concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) based on the literature and merge them with the global forces that catapulted the emergence of CFS with an attempt to unveil the voices behind the introduction of CFS in Kenya. In addition, I will use an example of PRISM experience in Kenya to reinforce the understanding as to the role of international bodies in promoting quality through well strategized and executed projects, arguing that lessons from PRISM experience can be used as insights to successful implantation of CFSs. Concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) CIR is a fusion of two broad areas of research: Comparative Research and International Research. To understand its full meaning, it is important we define the two areas of research separately. In his definition of comparative research, Mills et al (year) argue that: Comparative research is a broad term that includes both quantitative and qualitative comparison of social entities. Social entities may be based on many lines, such as geographical or political ones in the form of cross-national or regional comparisons. (p. 621) A similar perception was echoed by Noah and Eckstein (1969: 127), who described comparative education as an intersection of the social sciences, education and cross-national study [which] attempts to use cross-national data to test propositions about the relationship between education and society and between teaching practices and learning outcomes. In light of this definition, comparative research in the context of education can be defined as a study of two or more entities or events (Crossley Watson 2003) with the underlying goal of searching for similarity and variance. Cross-national or regional comparisons may include comparing educational policies, pedagogy, educational leadership and so on. According to Mills et al (2006: 621), the search for variance places more emphasis on context and difference in order to understand specificities. International education, on the other hand, can be defined as the application of descriptions, analyses and insights learned in one or more nations to the problems of developing educational systems and institutions in other countries (Wilson 2000a: 116). Thus, international research is concerned with research carried out across two or more countries, often with the purpose of comparing responses between them. This might be done in order to devise strategies that work well across both or all these cultures or to suggest local adjustments to a global strategy There is a close relationship between comparative and international education. Epstein (1994: 918) points out, that international educators use findings derived from comparative education to understand better the processes they examine, and thus, to enhance their ability to make policy. We can therefore draw from the above two definitions that CIR in education as a method of comparing both qualitative and quantitative entities in education across different countries, societies or cultures with the aim of identifying similarities and differences. It is however important to note that not all international research is comparative, and not all comparative research is international or cross-national. According to UNICEF, a child-friendly school is both a child seeking school and a child-centred school: It is child seeking because it actively identifying excluded children to get them enrolled in school. It is a child-centred school because it acts in the best interests of the child leading to the realization of the childs full potential, is concerned about the whole child: her health, nutritional status, and well-being and concerned about what happens to children before they enter school and after they leave school. A CFS system recognizes and respects childrens right and responsibilities; it provides the enabling environment to realize childrens right not only in schools, but also in childrens home and their communities. These include children from conflict zones, street children and children with disabilities. The Child-Friendly Schools model (see fig 1) is based on simple, rights-based concepts that would have all schools be: Rights Based School: CFS proactively seeks out-of-school children and encourages them to enrol, irrespective of gender, race, ability, social status, etc. Gender Sensitive School: CFS promotes equality and equity in enrolment and achievement among girls and boys. Safe and Protective School: CFS ensures that all children can learn in a safe and inclusive environment. Community Engaged School: CFS encourages partnership among schools, communities, parents and children in all aspects of the education process. Academically Effective School: CFS provides children with relevant knowledge and skills for surviving and thriving in life. Health Promoting School: CFS promotes the physical and emotional health of children by meeting key nutritional and health care needs within schools. (UNICEF, 2007) Fig 1: Model of the Child-Friendly School Source: UNICEF( 2007. The CFS model provides a framework for planning (and monitoring the effectiveness of) strategies for increasing access to quality basic education with the specific focus on the development of strategies to include those children hitherto excluded from education (UNICEF, Global Education Strategy, 2007). It is important to note that there is no one-way to make a school child-friendly. The model may differ from country to country depending on the context. International and Local Pressures and their influences to formation of CFS in Kenya Education in sub-Sahara Africa, and indeed in Kenya, is crafted from both influences by global trends in education and the legacies of colonialism. Chisholm and Leyenderker (2008) observe that: Since 1990, the goals and purpose of education in sub-Sahara Africa has been reshaped by four interconnected developments: globalisation, the changed focus of international aid agencies towards development assistance, the adaptation of sub-Sahara African countries to the new world order with its new political emphases, and the spilling over of new pedagogical ideas from the USA and Europe into sub-Sahara Africa. (p 198) Kenya is a signatory to a number of conventions in education, including the Convention to the Rights of the Child (1989), the World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien, 1990), the Dakar accord and the Millenium Development Goals (2000). In achievement of education development goals, Kenya is bound to, among other things, quality education by MDGs. The Jomtien call for access for access, equity, quality and democracy in education appeared to promise both social and economic development (Chisholm and Leyenderker, 2008). Social and economic development, and continues to be believed, requires educational change and educational change is necessary for social and economic development (ibid:). Educational change, in turn, is perceived to depend on, amongst other things, the input from relevant development assistance projects. These projects, in the arena of education, are typically formulated with reference to internationally negotiated development agendas (like the MDGs) and priority (Crossley Watson, 2003). An example of these projects in Kenya is CFSs which are supported by United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). The Education Section of UNICEFs Programme Division introduced the Child Friendly Schools (CFS) framework for schools that serve the whole child in 1999 (Chabbott, 2004). Rationale for introducing CFS framework in Kenya The increased reliance of foreign aid to support education reform in Kenya has been accompanied by a transition, from understanding education as a human right and the general good to viewing it primarily in terms of its contribution to national growth and well-being through the development of the knowledge and skills societies are deemed to need. (Arnove Torres 2007:359). Occasional voices continue insisting that education is liberating, that learning is inherently developmental (ibid: 359). With the global concern that Sub-sahara Africa countries may not achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 unless the progress is accelerated (Carceles et al., 2001; Bennel, 2002), Kenya responded by introducing Free Primary Education (FPE) policy in 2003 with both local and global pressure. The rationale behind introducing FPE was (apart from the pressure from global and international agendas) to alleviate poverty attributed to lack of literacy skills. The success story behind implementation of FPE policy is the increased enrolment at primary schools by nearly 50%, from 5.9 million in 2003 to 9.38 million pupils according to the Kenya Economic Survey 2011. However, there are myriad challenges facing the implantation of FPE policy: there are not enough textbooks, classrooms are overcrowded and the infrastructure in many schools is inadequate for the numbers of pupils attending. Many of the schools do not have sanitation facilities. The teacher-pupil ratio is quite high: accor ding to UNESCO there are more than 40 pupils per teacher, on average. All of these factors militate against the provision of quality teaching. There is no magic wand for fixing this problem of quality in education. In response to this CFS were introduced in Kenya by UNICEF. According to UNICEF (2006:1): The challenge in education is not simply to get children into school, but also to improve the overall quality of schooling and address threats to participation. If both quality and access are tackled, children who are enrolled in primary school are likely to continue, complete the full cycle, and achieve expected learning outcomes and successfully transition to secondary school. The CFS framework (see appendix 3) aims at promoting child-seeking, child-centred, gender-sensitive, inclusive, community-involved, protective and healthy approaches to schooling and out-of-school education with a general goal of improving the quality of learning. Since CFSs are concerned with the quality of learning, it is important we look at the meaning of quality. The national examinations to obtain the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at the end of primary cycle and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at the end of secondary cycle are designed to evaluate the extent to which the primary and secondary graduates master the curriculum content. In other words, the national test scores are used as the indicators of quality. The limitation of this indicator is that it does not take into account the context at which learning takes place i.e. the learning environment, learners unique characteristics etc. There are many definitions of quality but one of the descriptions of quality which emphasizes on the context was by Tikly (2011:10) who argued that: A good quality education is one that enables all learners to realise the capabilities they require to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods, contribute to peaceful and democratic societies and enhance wellbeing. The learning outcomes that are required vary according to context but at the end of the basic education cycle must include threshold levels of literacy and numeracy and life skills including awareness and prevention of disease. In his description, Tikly believes that a good quality education arises from interactions between three overlapping environments, namely the policy, the school and the home/community environments. In his perception of quality education, Tikly puts context into consideration i.e. needs of the learner, cultural and political contexts. In addition, he emphasizes on the relevance of what is taught and learned and how it fits the nature of particular learners in question. This encourages policy makers to take cognisance of changing national development needs, the kinds of schools that different learners attend and the forms of educational disadvantage faced by different groups of learners when considering policy options'(ibid:11). The fact that CFS emphasizes on learner-centered pedagogy and puts the child at the centre or focal point in the learning process raises the idea of what is regarded as valuable knowledge and how this knowledge is acquired in this particular context. This leads us to the inquiry on the school of thought or paradigm behind introducing a contextualized CFS framework. CFS as an approach to education is premised on constructivism, a theory of knowledge arguing that humans generate knowledge and meaning from interaction between ideas and real experiences. According to constructivists, the notions of reality and truth are socially constructed and in different context with the understanding that knowledge is subjective and embedded in multiple realities. Thus, quality of learning should be viewed in the context in which it is occurs. Towards Quality Basic Education In Kenya: Developing Research Capacity and Evaluation Before we acknowledge the contribution of CFS in providing quality education to the children at Primary school level, it will be prudent to review some of other contributions that has been made by international organizations in collaborations with the local governmet in promoting quality of education at grassroot levels by building research capacity. Kenya has had a history of benefiting from international assistance in its education sector. One of the programmes is the Primary Schools Management (PRISM), an initiative of DfID through the Ministry of Education, which places a lot of emphasis on participatory approaches and emphasis on mobilising community support, resource management and utilisation, supporting learning of pupils and developing action plans. It targeted teacher training and management and the impact of this is overall effectiveness of an education system which has a direct bearing on quality of education. According to Otieno Colclough (2009:26), PRISM is regarded as one of donor-funded programmes which had most positive impact on quality of basic education and CFS can learn from it. As Crossley et al notes, the main objective of PRISM was to improve the quality of primary education through the training and support of head teachers in practical management skills. Borrowing from the PRISM experience it is worthy l earning that well planned and organized CFSs projects involving community participation at grass root level could help tap local voices and lead to successful implementation of educational policies not only in Kenya but also other parts of African contexts. Challenges in implementing CFS in Kenya In this section I will explore common challenges associated with the CFSs concept with an aim of illuminating and critiquing the gap between policy and practice in CFSs. Access and Quality Dilemma: Which one should be first priority? As I mentioned earlier, one of the role of CFS in Kenya is to improve the quality of learning. But the access to education is still a challenge in Kenya and there is fear that Kenya will not have achieved EFA goals 1 and 2 by the year 2015. As we near the 2015 set deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, at a time when hopes should be high, universal access to primary education in Kenya seems to be slipping away. Many comparative researchers argue that different countries have different educational problems and it is the countrys obligation to identify what should be the priority and why. Aksoy (2008: 218) observes that: While developed countries are mainly engaged in activities to increase the quality of education, or they practice and seek new techniques and methods of learning and teaching, developing countries struggle to provide equal opportunities for education, trying to increase the rate of participation of all citizens in basic education, which is actually compulsory. To deal with its educational problems, each country works out countrywide or local solutions, depending on the nature of the problem. The tone of such statement is more closely allied to the question of priority. Priority in one country may not be a priority in another. In Kenya, the major problem basic education is facing is of access while higher education is facing the problem of quality. CFS focus more on quality, but in the Kenyan context, access to education is still a problem in basic education even after the introduction of FPE. The CFS concept of quality can however suit very well in small state commonwealth countries which have almost universal access to basic education. It has been noted that small sates have now shifted education priorities towards focus in school effectiveness, quality and inclusion (Crossley Watson 2003) and CFS in Kenya should learn from small states that the priority should now be on access to basic education before shifting to quality. Atomizing the child: is child-centred the solution to quality CFS? A key feature of a right-based, CFS system is that it is linked tightly to the child-centred learning process. CFS advocates for child-centred learning where a child is treated as a single entity or an atom in learning processes. The idea of atomizing a child has its drawbacks derived from child-centred learning. First, there is an oversight on early year development behaviour of the child. Psychologists believe children undergo various levels of development and their learning behaviours are different at each level. For instant, Vygotskys (1978) concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) implies that a child cannot ordinary create ZPD by himself; he needs the more expert individual to bridge the gap between his current development level and his proximal level of development. Secondly, a child-friendly, democratic learning environment may not work successful in overcrowded classrooms and school with limited resources like it is the case in Kenya. Thirdly, child-centred learning weakens the role of the teacher. The idea that a child must be active in construction of knowledge is often understood to imply a diminishing role for the teacher in learning process who now becomes a coach or a facilitator. A call for paradigm renovation, from an exclusively child-centred learning to a combination of both child-centred learning and teacher-centred learning approach is important so that the weakness of one method is complemented by the other method. What Lessons can Kenya learn from other Countries in Implementing CFS? A Review on the Contribution of Comparative Research Kings (2007) emphasizes the need to explore the tension between the national and the international policy agendas in Kenya in order to make informed decisions when crafting educational policies. Clearly, this is a view that underscores the contribution of CIR researchers in bridging theories, policies and practices with both local and global minds (Crossley, 2000) in trying to identify betters grounds to critically reflect and determine appropriate course of action. Apparently, the term that is commonly used in Kenya and indeed many Africa countries in the initial processes of designing an educational policy is benchmarking. Essentially, this is usually a comparative study which is carried out either locally and/or internationally in trying to compare different models of policy framework with the aim of critical adaption or adoption. Lessons are well learnt when a comparisons are made, and this underscores the strength and significance of comparative research. Moreover, since problems transcend national borders, it is prudent to seek possible solutions from a similar experience in another country, and this explains why international research is important. Kenya can learn from other countries that are either progressing or failing to implement CFS because lessons can either identify opportunities or gaps, based on comparative analysis. In these respect therefore, I have identified two key elements of CIR which could help implementation of CFS. The first element is on identification of the gap between policy and practice. Documenting the emerging good practices and lessons learned within the regions is useful in informing evidence based programming and advocacy to enable us to achieve better results. For example, a Global Evaluation Report published by UNICEF in 2009 on comparative studies of how to six countries (Guyana, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand) with different experiences implementing CFS, demonstrated the following: CFSs in varying contexts successfully apply the three key principles of CFS models-inclusiveness, child-centredness and democratic participation. Schools operating in very different national contexts, with different levels of resources and serving populations with different needs have succeeded in being child-centred, promoting democratic participation, and being inclusive. Schools that had high levels of family and community participation and use of child-centred pedagogical approaches had stronger conditions for learning, that is, students felt safer, supported and engaged, and believed that the adults in the school supported the inclusion and success of each student. (UNESCO, 2009) Kenya can use this success report to assist in providing a broader perspective on the ways in which CFSs can contribute to quality in the countrys unique context. The caution should however be that any steps taken should have hindsight of the current context in the country to avoid uncritical transfer of practice which may end up opening a Pandoras box. Secondly, through CIR, studies of educational systems that share similar problems can provide information for learning possible consequences. A recent comparative evaluation research conducted by UNESCO in Nigeria, Gunaya, Thailand and the Philippines on CFS pedagogy gave different findings. While teachers in Nigeria and Guyana mainly focused on meeting basic instructional material needs (textbooks, paper), many teachers in Thailand and the Philippines focused on having greater access to information and communication technology (UNESCO 2009). Kenya experiences the same challenge as Nigeria and Gunaya, and data from these countries can be used to learn how they coping with inadequate basic instructional material. The caution here should be, that common problems may prevail in different countries, but common model cannot be applied because each country has different culture/context (Crossley Watson, 2003:39). This provides invaluable information of what to adopt, modify or avoid. Conclusion It is worthy reiterating Crossley'(2003) emphasis that context matters and different countries have different needs and priorities even if they are faced with the same challenges. The value of CIR is studying foreign systems of education in order to become better fitted to study and understand our own (Sadler 1900, reprinted 1964:310) and CIR can be used as a lense to focus on adaptable or adoptable practices. UNICEF repeatedly emphasises that CFS is a pathway to educational quality rather than a blueprint and that it is counterproductive to regard the CFS model as rigid, with a present number of defining characteristics or key components (2009c, Ch. 1, p. 9). Thus, the essay sought to present an overview in favour of the contribution of CIR in improving successful implementation of CFSs in the Kenyan context. As such, the essay acknowledges the role of CIR in stimulating critical thinking and reflections about CFSs system by evaluating its success and failures, strengths and weaknes ses. This critical reflection facilitates self evaluation in our own context and the basis for determining appropriate courses of action. The article also hints that CIR helps us understand global agendas and how they shape educational development projects from organizations and development agencies.

Anabolic Steroids Essay -- Drugs, Sports

When you are presented an easier way to achieve a goal its first nature to automatically be interested correct? When you feel overwhelmed with a task and the saying â€Å"you did your best† doesn’t apply to you its safe to say that most people would do anything they can to succeed. Maybe as a child you were instructed by your p.e. teacher to run two timed laps but you found a way to cheat and you only ran one. Imagine having to live up to the expectations of signing a multimillion dollar contract most people would do anything legal or not to make sure that they are not considered failures. It’s considered human instinct to cheat or to take an easy way out when you there is one presented and that is one of the main reasons why steroids are such a problem in sports today. Anabolic steroids, also know as steroids or â€Å"roids† are synthetic versions of testosterone. The word anabolic comes from the Greek word â€Å"anabole† which â€Å"means to build up.† Steroids are drugs that are used to stimulate the growth of the human body. The use of steroids without medical approval is strictly prohibited as congress classified the drug as a controlled substance in the late 1900s. The discovery of steroids came in the early 1930’s. Leopold RuÃ… ¾iÄ ka born in Vukovar, Croatia, was the chemist who created the drug. He received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1939 and is considered one of the brightest biochemists during the 1900’s. At first scientists pronounced the drug as medicine. It was used to help find ways to cure aids, cancer, and other terminal diseases. It was also given to men who have not yet gone through puberty because it was discovered that steroids help produce testosterone. Men who lacked the ability to produce enough naturally were given as a ... ...heir success through hard work and determination have to now worry that they will be perceived as cheaters due to the fact that there are so many athletes on steroids. Sports are all about testing your physical abilities and pushing your body to it’s furthest limits but when you are under the influence of steroids. Your performance is rigged and that eventually will be the reason as to why Barry Bonds achievements are no longer considered. Steroid abuse also hurts professional leagues, after the steroid era in baseball, many beloved fans, retired players, owners, analysts felt ashamed when it came to how baseball had turned into a laughingstock. As a fan I was embarrassed that I believed in and encouraged the athletes who were criminals. I followed their careers and cheered when they broke the records of some of the greatest players in the history of baseball.

Comparing George Orwell’s 1984 and Our World Today Essay -- airstrip on

George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984, set in Airstrip One, originally named Great Britain, is a fictional story that describes a time where England is overruled by English Socialism. The story’s point of view is through the main character, Winston Smith, who is an intelligent member of the middle class. The audience is walked through the later stages of his life, where his intellectual thought is most prominent. Throughout the book, Winston goes through everyday life, as well as visits many places that are described in great detail. Every place he goes has varying effects on him and other individuals surrounding him. The place that has them most effect on Winston is his home in the Victory Mansions, which ironically, are just apartments. This particular space affects how he walks, talks, and even thinks. Fortunately, in comparison to our world today, we don’t have to be as precautious about our every move. In Winston’s home, there is a â€Å"telescreen†, which is actually in every resident’s home. This device is embedded with a surveillance camera that watches every move made, and can hear every sound made. This is how â€Å"Big Brother† (BB) is always watching, and if someone does something that BB doesn’t approve of, they have the ability to arrest and completely erase their existence. Winston has to be careful in his own home and can’t make any sudden movements that may attract negative attention. Therefore Winston is very delicate in his movements just so he can avoid any trouble. In a particular scene, all the citizens had to participate in morning exercises, while the instructor watched from the screen. All of a sudden, â€Å"Smith! 6079 Smith W! Yes, you! Bend lower please! You can do better than that. You’re not trying. Lowe... ...hough we have the freedom of speech, we should still be wary of how we say or write things to avoid any unnecessary trouble. In conclusion, Winston’s home made him a very cautious and careful person, who felt the need to sneak to do anything. This is a very scary feeling to have in one’s own home, because a home is normally where someone has the right to relax, sit back, and enjoy their freedom. In Winston’s situation, it is the complete opposite circumstance; he is nervous, peace less, and has feelings of entrapment, except for the little area that provides him with some form of liberation. Luckily this isn’t the circumstance for our society and hopefully it will never be the circumstance. We gratefully have been granted amendments that give us many rights to live and thrive freely amongst the world. Works Cited http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Orwell/1984

Prayers in Schools Essay

My name is Ericka Jaid Laurett heil. I have long brown hair and I have blue eyes and I am 5’6. My interests are drawing, playing Xbox, babysitting, watching family guy, and sleeping. My expectations for myself are to pass high school not failing any classes. I was close to failing my expectation because I failed math. But I took credit recovery and got the credit! I wish to be a pediatrician because I love kids and helping them and making them happy. Activities that I enjoy are volleyball, basketball and I used to play soccer but my knees and ankles are bad. My mom’s name is Janda-lynn laurett heil, my dad’s name is Adam Jack Heil, my older sister’s name is Devon Brooke Heil, and my younger sister’s name is Emily Mable Clara Heil. I am the middle child of the family. My family grew up around Bobbi and Tom pitkanen. I called them auntie and uncle all the time. We used to go camping every year at a little campsite we made on an island down the Dryden highway. I actually thought that we were related but recently I found out they are just a close family friend. Also, my best friend’s grandmother lives beside me and I talk to her about everything! Sometimes I just go there and talk to her, and sometimes she comes by my house and chats for a bit. My best friend’s grandmother knows more about me than my mother. Well I have a very strong relationship with my dad’s mom. My mom’s mom left and turned against my family because of something personal that happened in the past. My grandma heil has always been there for my mom and me and my sisters and my dad and even our family friends! She has great advice and is such a nice woman. A couple years ago she was on the phone with my uncle and she had a brain aneurism and collapsed while she was on the phone. She got shipped to Winnipeg and had surgery†¦ Everyone in my family was so upset. She is probably the only grandparent or person in my mom and dad’s side of the family that was actually there for our family and helped us through rough times. She is my bestfriend. My relationship with my sisters is okay at times. I love my sisters but they both bother me. My little sister gets me so mad you don’t even know. I beat her up all the time and when I say beat†¦ I actually mean beat. : P I can kinda tap her with my shoulder and I’m being dead honest she screams and runs to my mom or dad. Its like she’s scared of me or something. My older sister always waits till I leave the house and she steals all my clothes and says there hers. She’s lucky she has a child, I would never beat her up in front of her baby. She is my only sister that I actually trust and can tell stuff to. I was always there for her when she needed help when we were younger, so I trust her with a lot. They are important to me because they are family. If anyone were to hurt them I would honestly beat the person up. I have done that for my little sister already. I don’t like her friends and they know not to do that kind of stuff to my family. My family has helped me with my volleyball sport choice. They have paid for all my volleyball travels and my shirt’s and all that fun stuff. They were the ones that told me about the viper’s volleyball team in grade 8. I tried out and made both cuts so I was on the team! We travelled to Kenora and to a town outside of Winnipeg. I was with a lot of my friends and it was so much fun. We competed in tournaments again kids nowhere near here. I have been told I am great at playing volleyball and that I should try out for the volleyball team. I wanted to but I never had the good grades and the perfect attendance for that. They helped me to become the person I am today. To be strong and stick up for what I believe. That’s why I’m such a smart mouth. I get it from my daddy. Well before I came into high school my family and a close family friend’s family would go to a campsite thing that we made on an island down the Dryden highway. We would stay there and camp for at least a week. Other then that I don’t really know any other things that my family does together. I don’t socialize with my family and if I do it’s Devon or it’s because I want something. I don’t really ever leave my bedroom unless I have to go to the washroom, I’m hungry, I have to do the dishes, I’m babysitting, or I leave the house. Well in my future family I’m going to continue to go camping every year and I don’t really know what else to do. I kind of keep to myself in my house so I don’t really know what my family does that I could continue in my future family. That is all I have to say about my family and my life really. I love my family and my friends and I don’t know what I would do without them.

Needle Exchange Program Essay

The needle exchange program provides sterile needles in exchange for used dirty needles. Research has stated that with a program in place will reduce HIV and hepatitis C. The program will provide counseling and help educate the drug users. I am against the needle exchange program. The needle exchange program supports drug users in giving sterile needles. Needle exchange program’s are telling our children it is acceptable to use drugs because the government will supply clean needles. The legislation should not support the needle exchange program. The program will send the wrong message to our children if legislation in which to fund such a program. The exchange will use our tax dollars and will increase the amount of drug paraphernalia. If the legislation were to support a program, it will change the morals of our country. The pros of the program are the cost-effective way to reduce needle sharing among drug addicts. This program will help user’s obtain drug treatment, detox, and some health screening. The users will receive HIV education and counseling for their addiction. The disadvantages of the needle exchange program are more significant then having the program. The program would allow tax dollars to fund such a program. The tax dollars can be used for other programs. The program would increase drug paraphernalia in areas in which it is already high. The location of the needle exchange sites will hurt our communities and there will be more drug addicts in these areas. This will show the wrong message to our children. Drug addicts transfer HIV in many other ways then the use of dirty needles. Sharing the water mixture for heroin and having unsafe sex are examples if other ways to transmit HIV. Addicts choose to take drugs and have to accept the disease risks that follow drug use. It states that drug dealers sell drugs near needle exchange sites. This will increase crime in these areas. Needle exchange will create undesirable communities and will discourage new residents from the community. Needle exchanges will make the community unsafe. The programs bring in drug addicts, which are not clean individuals. The community will become less clean with needles on the streets and community parks. Drug-addicts are unstable and commit crimes. This will jeopardize the safety of the community. Treatment is low at needle exchange sites. The needle exchange programs do not make efforts to change drug-addicts. The counseling given is not effective treatment. Drug addicts are told ways to go cold turkey, which isn’t effective way to treat the addicts. Increasing treatment is a better solution then needle exchange. In conclusion the needle exchange programs will not decrease drug use or HIV. This is not an effective way to help drug addicts. Giving sterile needles to drug addicts is telling them it is alright to do drugs. We need to take tax dollars for rehab clinics. The government needs to give health care to the uninsured drug users and they can receive counseling to get off the drugs which ruin their lives. All of these programs will help reduce HIV. It is important to ensure that our young children know that drugs will kill drug addicts and should not be promoted with these programs on our streets.

Fluke, or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings Chapter 34

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR Necrophiliacs Anonymous, Gooville Chapter Amy was carrying two stoppered porcelain bottles of beer when she entered the Colonel's chambers. The ruler of Gooville came sliding out of the pink wall as if it had given birth to him. He extended his arms to hug her, but instead of returning his embrace, Amy held up a beer. â€Å"I brought you a beer.† â€Å"Amy, you know I don't really eat anymore.† â€Å"I thought you might like a beer, for old times' sake.† â€Å"Why are you here?† â€Å"I hadn't seen you since I got back from Maui. I thought you'd want to debrief me or something.† â€Å"I've talked to Nathan Quinn.† â€Å"You have?† â€Å"Don't be cute, Amy. I know what's going on between you two.† â€Å"I really don't have any choice, Colonel, I am cute. It's the burden I have to bear.† â€Å"He doesn't know what you are, does he?† â€Å"Drink your beer, it's getting warm. Why do you keep it so steamy in here anyway?† The Colonel accepted the beer from her and took a long pull. When he came up for air, he stared at the beer bottle with a look of surprise, as if it had just spoken to him. â€Å"My, that's good. That's really good. I'd forgotten.† Amy toasted him with her own bottle and took a drink. â€Å"Colonel, we've known each other a long time. You've been like a father to me, but you are out of touch. I'm worried about you. I think you need to come out of here occasionally, like you used to. Walk around. Have some interaction with the people in town.† â€Å"Don't try to get in the way of what I'm doing, Amy.† â€Å"What are you talking about? I'm just worried about you.† The Colonel looked at the beer bottle in his hand again, as if it had just been teleported there, then he looked back to Amy with a little panic in his eyes. â€Å"Nate didn't tell you, then?† â€Å"Tell me what? Nate doesn't have anything to do with this. You have lost touch.† The Colonel nodded, then leaned back into the wall of Goo behind him. It cradled him and formed a chaise longue, which he sat down on as he rubbed his temples. â€Å"Amy, did you ever do anything for a purpose greater than your own ambition? Did you ever feel a duty to something beyond yourself?† â€Å"You mean, like persuading people that I'm something that I'm not to gain their trust so they could be kidnapped or killed in order to preserve my community? Yes, I have some concept of the idea of serving the greater good.† â€Å"I guess you do. I guess you do. Forgive me. Perhaps I do spend too much time alone.† â€Å"You think?† â€Å"Could you leave me now? I do have to think.† â€Å"So you want to be alone now? That's what you're saying? This is how you're going to address the problem of spending too much time alone?† â€Å"Go, Amy, and please don't interfere with Nate.† â€Å"Not yet.† â€Å"What do you mean, ‘not yet'?† â€Å"There's a deposit on that bottle. I'm not leaving without it.† â€Å"Then, Nate, he's not a problem? You're sure?† Here the Colonel forced a smile that looked much more like something menacing than an actual smile. â€Å"Because I will tell him about you if I must.† â€Å"The greater good,† Amy said, returning the forced smile with a real one. â€Å"Good,† said the Colonel, draining the last of his beer. â€Å"Come back. And bring me another of these.† â€Å"You got it,† Amy said. Then she took the bottle from him and left the chamber. Thin line between genius and full-blown batshit, she thought. Very thin line. For two weeks the Colonel didn't send for Nate. Cielle Nuà ±ez had stopped by the third morning that Amy was at Nate's apartment. â€Å"Well, you don't need me anymore,† Cielle had said. â€Å"I'd just as soon get back to my ship anyway, although it doesn't look like we're going anywhere soon.† Nate was disappointed that she hadn't been jealous. â€Å"He's afraid of the cupboards, the fridge, and the garbage disposal,† Cielle told Amy, as if she were talking to the dog sitter. â€Å"And you'll need to take him to get his clothes cleaned. You know he's going to be terrified of the washing machines.† â€Å"I'm right here,† Nate said. â€Å"And I'm not afraid of the appliances. I'm just cautious.† â€Å"Your mother will be thrilled for you two, Amy. Her ship should be back at base soon.† â€Å"No, she's not due in for another six weeks,† Amy said. â€Å"Not anymore. The Colonel's called all the ships back to base.† â€Å"All of them? Why?† Cielle shrugged. â€Å"He's the Colonel. Ours is not to question why. Well, Nate, it's been a pleasure, really. I'll probably see you around. You're in good hands.† She hugged Nate quickly and started out the door. â€Å"Cielle, wait. I want to ask you something. If you don't mind.† She turned. â€Å"Ask away.† â€Å"When did your husband's yacht sink?† Cielle raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Amy. â€Å"It's okay,† Amy said. â€Å"He knows.† â€Å"Nineteen twenty-seven, Nate. In retrospect it was a blessing of sorts. He died doing what he liked doing, and two years later he would have been wiped out when the stock market crashed. I'm not sure he would have survived that.† â€Å"Thanks. I'm sorry.† â€Å"Don't be. Cal and I have a really good life.† â€Å"Cal? Cal from the ship? You didn't tell me that – ; â€Å"He's my husband? The Colonel thought you might be more comfortable with a single woman to orient you. Women down here have never taken their husband's surname, Nate.† â€Å"Females run the show in a whale society,† Amy explained. â€Å"You know, as it should be.† Cielle Nu;ez looked from Amy to Nate and smiled. â€Å"Oh, Nate, what have you gotten yourself into?† And then she snickered like a whaley boy and left. â€Å"She wanted you,† Amy said. â€Å"She hides it really well, but I could tell.† From then on they went out together every morning. Nate insisted that Amy take him far into the catacombs during the day. There they found Gooville's underground farms: tunnels where grains of wheat grew right on the walls – no stalks – others where you could pick tomatoes from two-inch stems that seemed to grow directly out of rock. â€Å"How does any of this ripen without photosynthesis?† Nate asked, handling an apricot that was growing not on a tree but on a broad stem like a mushroom. â€Å"Don't know,† Amy shrugged. â€Å"Geothermal heat. The Colonel says the Goo extends deep under the continent, where it draws heat from the earth. I'll show you the kitchens where they prepare most of the food – it's all geothermal. The old-timers say that at first there was only seafood to eat, but over the years the Goo has provided more and different foods.† â€Å"What are these? Chicken nuggets?† He plucked one from the ceiling. A whaley boy working nearby whistled and clicked harshly. â€Å"He says not to pick them, they're not ripe.† Nate tossed the nugget to the floor of the cave, where a softball-size multilegged thing scurried out of a hatch, retrieved it, and scurried back into its trapdoor. â€Å"I've seen enough here,† Nate said. In the afternoon they did errands and shopping, but still no one asked Nate for any form of payment, and he'd stopped offering. In the evening they usually had dinner in his apartment. After they had shared two meals out at Gooville cafs, Amy had insisted that they eat in. â€Å"You're studying them,† she said, meaning the whaley boys. â€Å"No I'm not. I'm just looking at them.† â€Å"Who are you kidding? You have that look, that researcher look, that lost-in-your-theories look. You think I don't know that look? I worked with you, remember?† Nate shrugged. â€Å"It's what I do. I study whales.† He'd been trying to learn the whaley boys' whistle-and-click language. Emily 7 had come by his apartment a couple of afternoons when Amy was away, and while he thought she might have come for amorous reasons, he managed to channel her energies into lessons on whaleyspeak. They'd become friends of sorts. He hadn't mentioned the lessons to Amy, afraid that she might tease him about Emily the way the whale-ship crew had. â€Å"I observe. I collect data and try to find meaning in it.† Amy nodded, thinking about it, then said, â€Å"So if rescuing manatees and dolphins got you into the field, why didn't you do something more active to help the animals? Veterinary medicine or something.† â€Å"I always wonder. I've thought about the people at Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd, putting themselves in harm's way, ramming whaling ships, running Zodiacs in front of harpoon guns to try to protect the animals. I've wondered if that was the way to go.† â€Å"And you thought you could do more as a scientist, studying them?† â€Å"No, I thought that being a scientist was something that I could do. There's a path to becoming a biologist – an educational process. There isn't for being a pirate.† â€Å"No, you're wrong, there is a school for that. I saw it on a matchbook when I was in Maui. I'm sure it said you could learn to be a pirate if you passed a simple test.† â€Å"That's learn to draw a pirate.† â€Å"Whatever. So you compromised?† â€Å"Did I? I think what we – what I do has value.† â€Å"So do I. I'm not saying that. I'm just wondering, you know, now that you're dead, do you feel your life was wasted?† â€Å"I'm not dead, Amy. Jeez, that's an awful thing to say.† â€Å"You know, effectively dead, I mean. Your life being over. Jeepers, does that make me a necrophiliac? When we get out of here, maybe I'll have to go to a meeting or something. Do they have those?† â€Å"Amy, I'm wondering if maybe I don't want to get out of here.† He'd been thinking about it a lot. Life here really wasn't bad, and since he'd been looking for a way out on their daily excursions (only to be reminded that he'd have to go through the miles of pressure locks only to emerge six hundred feet below the sea), maybe he and Amy could make a future together. The whole Gooville ecosystem would certainly keep him interested. â€Å"Hi, my name's Amy, and I hump the dead.† â€Å"Maybe, if I can talk the Colonel out of his plan, I can stay here with you. You know, adapt.† â€Å"I can't imagine that they'd get up at a meeting and say, ‘Hi, my name's so-and-so, and I like to bone the dead. It's sort of crude. Although strangely appropriate.† â€Å"You're not listening to me, Amy.† â€Å"Yes I am. We're not staying here. I'll find a way out, but we can't stay. You have to convince the Colonel not to try to hurt the Goo, but then we're leaving. As soon as possible.† Nate was a little shocked at how adamant she was. She seemed to be staring at nothing, concentrating, thinking about something she didn't want to share, and she didn't seem happy about. But then she brightened. â€Å"Hey, you're going to get to meet my mother.† A week later it happened. â€Å"Well, you always said that the jazz of what you do was knowing something that no one else in the world knows,† Amy said. â€Å"You jazzed?† She took his arm and draped it around her neck as they walked. They had just left the Gooville apartment of Amelia Earhart. â€Å"She looks good, doesn't she?† Amy asked. Amelia was a beautiful, gracious woman, and after sixty-seven years in Gooville, the aviatrix didn't look a day over fifty. She'd been just under forty when she disappeared in 1937. In her presence Nate had felt as if he were fifteen again, out on his first date, stuttering and stumbling and blushing – blushing, for Christ's sake – when Amy mentioned that she'd been spending nights at his place. Amelia made Nate sit next to her on the couch and took his hand as she spoke to him. â€Å"Nathan, I hope what I'm about to say to you doesn't sound racist, because it's not, but I want to put your mind at ease. I have had a very long time to get used to the idea of my daughter's being a sexually active adult, and, frankly, if after all these years you are the one that she has chosen to fall in love with, which appears to be the case, I can only tell you how relieved I am that you are of the human species. So please relax.† Nate had shot a look to Amy. She shrugged. â€Å"Every girl has her adventurous period.† â€Å"Thank you,† Nate said to Amelia Earhart. Now, out on the street, to Amy he said, â€Å"I shouldn't have asked how the flight was.† â€Å"She's still a little sensitive about that. Even after all these years. My dad was her navigator. He didn't survive the crash.† â€Å"But you said you were born in 1940. How could that be if your father died in 1937?† â€Å"Robust sperms?† â€Å"Three years? That's really robust.† She punched his arm. â€Å"I was rounding up. Give me a break, Nate, I'm old. You never grilled the Old Broad for accuracy like this.† â€Å"I wasn't sleeping with the Old Broad.† â€Å"But you wanted to, didn't you? Admit it? You were hot to get into her muumuu.† â€Å"Stop.† Nate glanced at some whaley-boy males who were hanging out in front of the bakery (they always seemed to be there) doing a synchronized display wave with their willies, and he was about to defend himself with a comment about Amy's past, but then he decided that there was just no need to watch that little brain movie, let alone use it as some kind of weapon against what was essentially just Amy-style teasing – one of the things he found he adored about her as soon as he'd allowed himself to admit that he could adore someone again. The whaley boys snickered at him as they passed. â€Å"You guys are all just big, squeaky bath toys,† Nate said under his breath, knowing they could hear him anyway. Nate had been insulting them every time he and Amy went by for a week or so, just to irritate them. Maybe Amy was rubbing off on him. The whaley boys blew a collective sputtering raspberry. â€Å"Sentient? You guys can't even spell sentient,† Nate whispered. And then the reward. He loved watching creatures with four digits try to flip him the middle finger. â€Å"Yeah, I'm the immature one,† Amy said. Life is good, Nate thought. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he was happy. Kinda. In the morning a brace of whaley boys came to take him to the Colonel. Amy wasn't even there to kiss him good-bye. Fluke, or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings Chapter 3~4 CHAPTER THREE A Little Razor Wire Around Heaven The gate to the Papa Lani compound was hanging open when Nate drove up. Not good. Clay was adamant about their always replacing the big Masterlock on the gate when they left the compound. Papa Lani was a group of wood-frame buildings on two acres northeast of Lahaina in the middle of a half dozen sugarcane fields that had been donated to Maui Whale by a wealthy woman Clay and Nate affectionately referred to as the â€Å"Old Broad.† The property consisted of six small bungalows that had once been used to board plantation workers but had long since been converted to housing, laboratory, and office space for Clay, Nate, and any assistants, researchers, or film crews who might be working with them for the season. Getting the compound had been a godsend for Maui Whale, given the cost of housing and storage in Lahaina. Clay had named the compound Papa Lani (Hawaiian for â€Å"heaven†) in honor of their good fortune, but someone had left the gate to heaven open, and from what Nate could tell as he drove in, the angel shit had hit the fan. Before he even got out of the truck, Nate saw a beat-up green BMW parked in the compound and a trail of papers leading out of the building they used for an office. He snatched a few of them up as he ran across the sand driveway and up the steps into the little bungalow. Inside was chaos: drawers torn out of filing cabinets, toppled racks of cassette tape – the tapes strewn across the room in great streamers – computers overturned, the sides of their cases open, trailing wires. Nate stood among the mess, not really knowing what to do or even what to look at, feeling violated and on the verge of throwing up. Even if nothing was missing, a lifetime of research had been typhooned around the room. â€Å"Oh, Jah's sweet mercy,† came a voice from behind him. â€Å"This a bit of fuckery most heinous for sure, mon.† Nate spun and dropped into a martial-arts stance, notwithstanding the fact that he didn't know any martial arts and that he had loosed a little-girl shriek in the process. The serpent-haired figure of a gorgon was silhouetted in the doorway, and Nate would have screamed again if the figure hadn't stepped into the light, revealing a lean, bare-chested teenager in surfer shorts and flip-flops, sporting a giant tangle of blond dreadlocks and about six hundred nose rings. â€Å"Cool head main ting, brah, cool head,† the kid almost sang. There was pot and steel drums in his voice, bemusement and youth and two joints' worth of separation from the rest of reality. Nate went from fear to confusion in an instant. â€Å"What the fuck are you talking about?† â€Å"Relax, brah, no make li'dat. Kona and I come help out.† Nate thought he might feel better if he strangled this kid – just a little frustration strangle to vent some of the shock of the wrecked lab, not a full choke – but instead he said, â€Å"Who are you, and what are you doing here?† â€Å"Kona,† the kid said. â€Å"Dat boss name Clay hire me for the boats dat day before.† â€Å"You're the kid Clay hired to work with us on the boats?† â€Å"Shoots, mon, I just said that? What, you a ninja, brah?† The kid nodded, his dreads sweeping around his shoulders, and Nate was about to scream at him again when he realized that he was still crouched into his pseudo combat stance and probably looked like a total loon. He stood up, shrugged, then pretended to stretch his neck and roll his head in a cocky way he'd seen boxers do, as if he had just disarmed a very dangerous enemy or something. â€Å"You were supposed to meet Clay down at the dock an hour ago.† â€Å"Some rippin' sets North Shore, they be callin' to me this morning.† The kid shrugged. What could he do? Rippin' sets had called to him. Nate squinted at the surfer, realizing that the kid was speaking some mix of Rasta talk, pidgin, surfspeak and†¦ well, bullshit. â€Å"Stop talking that way, or you're fired right now.† â€Å"So you ichiban big whale kahuna, like Clay say, hey?† â€Å"Yeah,† Nate said. â€Å"I'm the number-one whale kahuna. You're fired.† â€Å"Bummah, mon,† The kid said. He shrugged again, turned, and started out the door. â€Å"Jah's love to ye, brah. Cool runnings,† he sang over his shoulder. â€Å"Wait,† Nate said. The kid spun around, his dreads enveloping his face like a furry octopus attacking a crab. He sputtered a dreadlock out of his mouth and was about to speak. Quinn held up a finger to signal silence. â€Å"Not a word of pidgin, Hawaiian, or Rasta talk, or you're done.† â€Å"Okay.† The kid waited. Quinn composed himself and looked around at the mess, then at the kid. â€Å"There are papers strewn around all over outside, hanging in the fences, in the bushes. I need you to gather them up and stack them as neatly as you can. Bring them here. Can you do that?† The kid nodded. â€Å"Excellent. I'm Nathan Quinn.† Nate extended his hand to shake. The kid moved across the room and caught Nate's hand in a powerful grip. The scientist almost winced but instead returned the pressure and tried to smile. â€Å"Pelekekona,† said the kid. â€Å"Call me Kona.† â€Å"Welcome aboard, Kona.† The kid looked around now, looking as if by giving his name he had relinquished some of his power and was suddenly weak, despite the muscles that rippled across his chest and abdomen. â€Å"Who did this?† â€Å"No idea.† Nate picked up a cassette tape that had been pulled out of the spools and wadded into a bird's nest of brown plastic. â€Å"You go get those papers. I'm going to call the police. That a problem?† Kona shook his head. â€Å"Why would it be?† â€Å"No reason. Grab those papers now. Nothing is trash until I look at it, eh?† â€Å"Overstood, brah,† Kona said, grinning back at Nate as he headed out into sun. Once outside, he turned and called, â€Å"Hey, Kahuna Quinn.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"How come them humpies sing like dat?† â€Å"What do you think?† Nate asked, and in the asking there was hope. Despite the fact that the kid was young and irritating and probably stoned, the biologist truly hoped that Kona – unburdened by too much knowledge – would give him the answer. He didn't care where it came from or how it came (and it would still have to be proved); he just wanted to know, which is what set him apart from the hacks, the wannabes, the backstabbers, and the ego jockeys in the field. Nate just wanted to know. â€Å"I think they trying to shout down Babylon, maybe.† â€Å"You'll have to explain to me what that means.† â€Å"We fix this fuckery, then we fire up a spliff and think over it, brah.† Five hours later Clay came through the door talking. â€Å"We got some amazing stuff today, Nate. Some of the best cow/calf stuff I've ever shot.† Clay was still so excited he almost skipped into the room. â€Å"Okay,† Nate said with a zombielike lack of enthusiasm. He sat in front of his patched-together computer at one of the desks. The office was mostly put back in order, but the open computer case sitting on the desk with wires spread out to a diaspora of refugee drive units told a tale of data gone wild. â€Å"Someone broke in. Tore apart the office.† Clay didn't want to be concerned. He had great videotape to edit. Suddenly, looking at the fans and wires, it occurred to him that someone might have broken his editing setup. He whirled around to see his forty-two-inch flat-panel monitor leaning against the wall, a long diagonal crack bisected the glass. â€Å"Oh,† he said. â€Å"Oh, jeez.† Amy walked in smiling, â€Å"Nate you won't believe the – † She pulled up, saw Clay staring at his broken monitor, the computer scattered over Nate's desk, files stacked here and there where they shouldn't be. â€Å"Oh,† she said. â€Å"Someone broke in,† Clay said forlornly. She put her hand on Clay's shoulder. â€Å"Today? In broad daylight?† Nate swiveled around in his chair. â€Å"They went through our living quarters, too. The police have already been here.† He saw Clay staring at his monitor. â€Å"Oh, and that. Sorry, Clay.† â€Å"You guys have insurance, right?† Amy said. Clay didn't look away from his broken monitor. â€Å"Dr. Quinn, did you pay the insurance?† Clay called Nate  «doctor » only when he wanted to remind him of just how official and absolutely professional they really ought to be. â€Å"Last week. Went out with the boat insurance.† â€Å"Well, then, we're okay,† Amy said, jostling Clay, squeezing his shoulder, punching his arm, pinching his butt. â€Å"We can order a new monitor tonight, ya big palooka.† she chirped, looking like a goth version of the bluebird of happiness. â€Å"Hey!† Clay grinned, â€Å"Yeah, we're okay.† He turned to Nate, smiling. â€Å"Anything else broken? Anything missing?† Nate pointed to the wastebasket where a virtual haystack of audiotape was spilling over in tangles. â€Å"That was spread all over the compound along with all the files. We lost most of the tape, going back two years.† Amy stopped being cheerful and looked appropriately concerned. â€Å"What about the digitals?† She elbowed Clay, who was still grinning, and he joined her in gravity. They frowned. (Nate recorded all the audio on analog tape, then transferred it to the computer for analysis. Theoretically, there should be digital copies of everything.) â€Å"These hard drives have been erased. I can't pull up anything from them.† Nate took a deep breath, sighed, then spun back around in his chair and let his forehead fall against the desk with a thud that shook the whole bungalow. Amy and Clay winced. There were a lot of screws on that desk. Clay said, â€Å"Well, it couldn't have been that bad, Nate. You got it all cleaned up pretty quickly.† â€Å"The guy you hired showed up late and helped me.† Nate was speaking into the desk, his face right where it had landed. â€Å"Kona? Where is he?† â€Å"I sent him to the lab. I had some film I want to see right away.† â€Å"I knew he wouldn't stand us up on his first day.† â€Å"Clay, I need to talk to you. Amy, could you excuse us a minute, please?† â€Å"Sure,† Amy said. â€Å"I'll go see if anything's missing from my cabin.† She left. Clay said, â€Å"You going to look up? Or should I get down on the floor so I can see your face?† â€Å"Could you grab the first-aid kit while we talk?† â€Å"Screws embedded in your forehead?† â€Å"Feels like four, maybe five.† â€Å"They're small, though, those little drive-mount screws.† â€Å"Clay, you're always trying to cheer me up.† â€Å"It's who I am,† Clay said. CHAPTER FOUR Whale Men of Maui Who Clay was, was a guy who liked things – liked people, liked animals, liked cars, liked boats – who had an almost supernatural ability to spot the likability in almost anyone or anything. When he walked down the streets of Lahaina, he would nod and say hello to sunburned tourist couples in matching aloha wear (people generally considered to be a waste of humanity by most locals), but by the same token he would trade a backhanded hang-loose shaka (thumb and fingers extended, three middle fingers tucked, always backhand if you're a local) with a crash of native bruddahs in the parking lot of the ABC Store and get no scowls or pidgin curses, as would most haoles. People could sense that Clay liked them, as could animals, which was probably why Clay was still alive. Twenty-five years in the water with hunters and giants, and the worst he'd come out of it was to get a close tail-wash from a southern right whale that tumbled him like a cartoon into the idling prop of a Zodiac. (Oh, there were the two times he was drowned and the hypothermia, but that stuff wasn't caused by the animals; that was the sea, and she'll kill you whether you liked her or not, which Clay did.) Doing what he wanted to do and his boundless affinity for everything made Clay Demodocus a happy guy, but he was also shrewd enough not to be too open about his happiness. Animals might put up with that smiley shit, but people will eventually kill you for it. â€Å"How's the new kid?† Clay said, trying to distract from the iodine he was applying to Nate's forehead while simultaneously calculating the time to ship his new monitor over to Maui from the discount house in Seattle. Clay liked gadgets. â€Å"He's a criminal,† Nate said. â€Å"He'll come around. He's a water guy.† For Clay this said it all. You were a water guy or you weren't. If you weren't†¦ well, you were pretty much useless, weren't you? â€Å"He was an hour late, and he showed up in the wrong place.† â€Å"He's a native. He'll help us deal with the whale cops.† â€Å"He's not a native, he's blond, Clay. He's more of a haole than you are, for Christ's sake.† â€Å"He'll come around. I was right about Amy, wasn't I?† Clay said. He liked the new kid, Kona, despite the employment interview, which had gone like this: Clay sat with the forty-two-inch monitor at his back, his world-famous photographs of whales and pinnipeds playing in a slide show behind him. Since he was conducting a job interview, he had put on his very best $5.99 ABC Store flip-flops. Kona stood in the middle of the office wearing sunglasses, his baggies, and, since he was applying for a job, a red-dirt-dyed shirt. â€Å"Your application says that your name is Pelke – ah, Pelekekona Ke – † Clay threw his hands up in surrender. â€Å"I be called Pelekekona Keohokalole – da warrior kine – Lion of Zion, brah.† â€Å"Can I call you Pele?† â€Å"Kona,† Kona said. â€Å"It says on your driver's license that your name is Preston Applebaum and you're from New Jersey.† â€Å"I be one hundred percent Hawaiian. Kona the best boat hand in the Island, yeah. I figga I be number-one good man for to keep track haole science boss's isms and skisms while he out oppressing the native bruddahs and stealing our land and the best wahines. Sovereignty now, but after a bruddah make his rent, don't you know?† Clay grinned at the blond kid. â€Å"You're just a mess, aren't you?† Kona lost his Rastafarian, laid-backness. â€Å"Look, I was born here when my parents were on vacation. I really am Hawaiian, kinda, and I really need this job. I'm going to lose my place to live if I don't make some money this week. I can't live on the beach in Paia again. All my shit got stolen last time.† â€Å"It says here that you last worked as a forensic calligrapher. What's that, handwriting analysis?† â€Å"Uh, no, actually, it was a business I started where I would write people's suicide notes for them.† Not a hint of pidgin in his speech, not a skankin' smidgen of reggae. â€Å"It didn't do that well. No one wants to kill himself in Hawaii. I think if I'd started it back in New Jersey, or maybe Portland, it would have gone over really well. You know business: location, location, location.† â€Å"I thought that was real estate.† Clay actually felt a twinge of missed opportunity, here, for although he had spent his life having adventures, doing exactly what he wanted to do, and although he often felt like the dumbest guy in the room (because he'd surrounded himself with scientists), now, talking to Kona, he realized that he had never realized his full potential as a self-deluded blockhead. Ahhh†¦ wistful regrets. Clay liked this kid. â€Å"Look, I'm a water guy,† Kona said. â€Å"I know boats, I know tides, I know waves, I love the ocean.† â€Å"You afraid of it?† Clay asked. â€Å"Terrified.† â€Å"Good. Meet me at the dock tomorrow morning at eight-thirty.† Now Nate rubbed at the crisscrrossed band-aids on his forehead as Clay went through the Pelican cases of camera equipment under the table across the room. The break-in and subsequent shit storm of activity had sidetracked him from what he'd seen this morning. It started to settle on him again like a black cloud of self-doubt, and he wondered whether he should even mention what he saw to Clay. In the world of behavioral biology, nothing existed until it was published. It didn't matter how much you knew – it wasn't real if it didn't appear in a scientific journal. But when it came to day-to-day life, publication was secondary. If he told Clay what he'd seen, it would suddenly become real. As with his attraction for Amy and the realization that years' worth of research was gone, he wasn't sure he wanted it to be real. â€Å"So why did you need to send Amy out?† Clay asked. â€Å"Clay, I don't see things I don't see, right? I mean, in all the time we've worked together, I haven't called something before the data backed it up, right?† Clay looked up from his inventory to see the expression of consternation on his friend's face. â€Å"Look, Nate, if the kid bothers you that much, we can find someone else –  » â€Å"It's not the kid.† Nate seemed to be weighing what he was going to say, not sure if he should say it, then blurted out, â€Å"Clay, I think I saw writing on the tail flukes of that singer this morning.† â€Å"What, like a pattern of scars that look like letters? I've seen that. I have a dolphin shot that shows tooth rakings on the animal's side that appear to spell out the word ‘zap.  » â€Å"No it was different. Not scars. It said, ‘Bite me. â€Å" â€Å"Uh-huh,† Clay said, trying not to make it sound as if he thought his friend was nuts. â€Å"Well, this break-in, Nate, it's shaken us all up.† â€Å"This was before that. Oh, I don't know. Look, I think it's on the film I shot. That's why I came in to take the film to the lab. Then I found this mess, so I sent the kid to the lab with my truck, even though I'm pretty sure he's a criminal. Let's table it until he gets back with the film, okay?† Nate turned and stared at the deskful of wires and parts, as if he'd quickly floated off into his own thoughts. Clay nodded. He'd spent whole days in the same twenty-three-foot boat with the lanky scientist, and nothing more had passed between the two than the exchange of â€Å"Sandwich?† â€Å"Thanks.† When Nate was ready to tell him more, he would. In the meantime he would not press. You don't hurry a thinker, and you don't talk to him when he's thinking. It's just inconsiderate. â€Å"What are you thinking?† Clay asked. Okay, he could be inconsiderate sometimes. His giant monitor was broken, and he was traumatized. â€Å"I'm thinking that we're going to have to start over on a lot of these studies. Every piece of magnetic media in this place has been scrambled, but as far as I can tell, nothing is missing. Why would someone do that, Clay?† â€Å"Kids,† Clay said, inspecting a Nikon lens for damage. â€Å"None of my stuff is missing, and except for the monitor it seems okay.† â€Å"Right, your stuff.† â€Å"Yeah, my stuff.† â€Å"Your stuff is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, Clay. Why wouldn't kids take your stuff? No one doesn't know that Nikon equipment is expensive, and no one on the island doesn't know that underwater housings are expensive, so who would just destroy the tapes and disks and leave everything?† Clay put down the lens and stood up. â€Å"Wrong question.† â€Å"How is that the wrong question?† â€Å"The question is, who could possibly care about our research other than us, the Old Broad, and a dozen or so biologists and whale huggers in the entire world? Face it, Nate, no one gives a damn about singing whales. There's no motive. The question is, who cares?† Nate slumped in his chair. Clay was right. No one did care. People, the world, cared about the numbers of whales, so the survey guys, the whale counters, they actually collected data that people cared about. Why? Because if you knew how many whales you had, you knew how many you could or could not kill. People loved and understood and thought they could prove points and make money with the numbers. Behavior†¦ well, behavior was squishy stuff used to entertain fourth-graders on Cable in the Classroom. â€Å"We were really close, Clay,† Nate said. â€Å"There's something in the song that we're missing. But without the tapes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Clay shrugged. â€Å"You heard one song, you heard 'em all.† Which was also true. All the males sang the same song each season. The song might change from season to season, or even evolve through the season somewhat, but in any given population of humpbacks, they were all singing the same tune. No one had figured out exactly why. â€Å"We'll get new samples.† â€Å"I'd already cleaned up the spectrographs, filtered them, analyzed them. It was all on the hard disks. That work was for specific samples.† â€Å"We'll do it again, Nate. We have time. No one is waiting. No one cares.† â€Å"You don't have to keep saying that.† â€Å"Well, it's starting to bother me, too, now,† Clay said. â€Å"Who in the hell cares whether you figure out what's going on with humpback song?† A kicked-off flip-flop flew into the room followed by the singsong Rastafarian-bruddah pomp of Kona returning, â€Å"Irie, Clay, me dready. I be bringing films and herb for the evening to welcome to Jah's mercy, mon. Peace.† Kona stood there, an envelope of negatives and contact sheet in one hand, a film can held high above his head in the other. He was looking up to it as if it held the elixir of life. â€Å"You have any idea what he said?† Nate asked. He quickly crossed the room and snatched the negatives away from Kona. â€Å"I think it's from the ‘Jabberwocky, † Clay replied. â€Å"You gave him cash to get the film processed? You can't give him cash.† â€Å"And this lonely stash can to fill with the sacred herb,† Kona said. â€Å"I'll find me papers, and we can take the ship home to Zion, mon.† â€Å"You can't give him money and an empty film can, Nate. He sees it as a religious duty to fill it up.† Nate had pulled the contact sheet out of the envelope and was examining it with a loupe. He checked it twice, counting each frame, checking the registry numbers along the edge. Frame twenty-six wasn't there. He held the plastic page of negatives up to the light, looked through the images twice and the registry numbers on the edges three times before he threw them down, checked the earlier frames that Amy had shot of the whale tail, then crossed the room and grabbed Kona by the shoulders. â€Å"Where's frame twenty-six, goddamn it? What did you do with it?† â€Å"This just like I get it, mon. I didn't do nothing.† â€Å"He's a criminal, Clay,† Nate said. Then he grabbed the phone and called the lab. All they could tell him was that the film had been processed normally and picked up from the bin in front. A machine cut the negatives before they went into the sleeves – perhaps it had snipped off the frame. They'd be happy to give Nate a fresh roll of film for his trouble. Two hours later Nate sat at the desk, holding a pen and looking at a sheet of paper. Just looking at it. The room was dark except for the desk lamp, which reached out just far enough to leave darkness in all the corners where the unknown could hide. There was a nightstand, the desk, the chair, and a single bed with a trunk set at its end, a blanket on top as a cushion. Nathan Quinn was a tall man, and his feet hung off the end of the bed. He found that if he removed the supporting trunk, he dreamed of foundering in blue-water ocean and woke up gasping. The trunk was full of books, journals, and blankets, none of which had ever been removed since he'd shipped them to the island nine years ago. A centipede the size of a Pontiac had once lived in the bottom-right corner of the trunk but had long since moved on once he realized that no one was ever going to bother him, so he could stand up on his hind hundred feet, hiss like a pissed cat, and deliver a deadly bite to a naked foot. There was a small television, a clock radio, a small kitchenette with two burners and a microwave, two full bookshelves under the window that looked out onto the compound, and a yellowed print of two of Gauguin's Tahitian girls between the windows over the bed. At one time, before the plantations had been automated, ten people probably slept in this room. In grad school at UC Santa Cruz, Nathan Quinn had lived in quarters about this same size. Progress. The paper on Nate's desk was empty, the bottle of Myers's Dark Rum beside it half empty. The door and windows were open, and Nate could hear the warm trades rattling the fronds of two tall coconut palms out front. There was a tap on the door, and Nate looked up to see Amy silhouetted in the doorway. She stepped into the light. â€Å"Nathan, can I come in?† She was wearing a T-shirt dress that hit her about midthigh. Nate put his hand over the paper, embarrassed that there was nothing written on it. â€Å"I was just trying to put a plan together for – † He looked past the paper to the bottle, then back at Amy. â€Å"Do you want a drink?† He picked up the bottle, looked around for a glass, then just held the bottle out to her. Amy shook her head. â€Å"Are you all right?† â€Å"I started this work when I was your age. I don't know if I have the energy to start it all over again.† â€Å"It's a lot of work. I'm really sorry this happened.† â€Å"Why? You didn't do it. I was close, Amy. There's something that I've been missing, but I was close.† â€Å"It will still be there. You know, we have the field notes from the last couple of years. I'll help you put as much of it back together as I can.† â€Å"I know you will, but Clay's right. Nobody cares. I should have gone into biochemistry or become an ecowarrior or something.† â€Å"I care.† Nate looked at her feet to avoid looking her in the eye. â€Å"I know you do. But without the recordings†¦ well – then†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged and took a sip from the rum bottle. â€Å"You can't drink, you know,† he said, now the professor, now the Ph.D., now the head researcher. â€Å"You can't do anything or have anything in your life that gets in the way of researching whales.† â€Å"Okay,† Amy said. â€Å"I just wanted to see if you were okay.† â€Å"Yeah, I'm okay.† â€Å"We'll get started putting it back together tomorrow. Good night, Nate.† She backed out the door. â€Å"Night, Amy.† Nate noticed that she wasn't wearing anything under the T-shirt dress and felt sleazy for it. He turned his attention back to his blank piece of paper, and before he could figure out why, he wrote BITE ME in big block letters and underlined it so hard that he ripped the page.