The Antidote free essay sample

Every limb in my body turns rock hard, rigid, unable to move. My body is crumbling, falling to pieces, while I stand back and watch. Sick loneliness washes over me, darkening my once happy facade. Feeling weak and vulnerable, tears escape like prisoners from the corners of my eyes. I want to climb back into the womb and take comfort in the safety I once felt there. Masking my emotions, repeating to myself, lying to myself, I repeat silently: â€Å"I don’t care, I don’t care anymore.† I hate myself; I don’t understand myself. She’s my little sister and she’s broken yet I want to strangle her, and yell at her? Am I giving up on my best friend? It feels as if my hands and feet are bound together and my mouth glued shut but my eyes remain wide-open – watching her life crumble before me. I stand, observing, full of rage, confused at what has developed within her. We will write a custom essay sample on The Antidote or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I am trapped in my sister’s world, not able to do one damn thing. I blame myself – I am older and should be the person full of wisdom, capable of helping. But at the same time, deep down inside, I know the fault isn’t mine but in a weird way, I wish that it was. I wish I could be blamed for her crisis so that I would be capable of producing an antidote. Dropping her off at school, I ask the same questions: â€Å"Are you sad?† â€Å"Did you take anything?† â€Å"Do you have anything with you?† Sun streaming down as her eyes swallow the light, she glances down quickly before looking me in the face, eyes squinting: â€Å"No.† Slowly turning towards the school, she looks back: â€Å"I hate school.† Around 2 PM that day, I receive a phone call. She’s done it again. She’s in the hospital and they might take her away again. She looked me straight in the face, and I was stupid enough to believe her. Emotions bubble to the surface. On the verge of tears, I answer: â€Å"Ok, I’ll be there.† I used to care. I used to care about everything. Ten months ago, my life, my world was happy, blissfully happy. I was involved in clubs, I did all of my homework – I loved school. How can I devote my energy to school when my personal life is shattering to pieces? Calculus, essays – how can I think about finding the area under a curve or criticizing a critical essay when she’s not the same? Pulling aside the thin paper curtains, I peek in and see her, black covering her lips – it’s the charcoal. Only ten months ago, my sister, my partner-in-crime, was a bouncy bubbly teen. I want to pretend that I can go on living life as if nothing has happened that she’ll make the right choices but I’m afraid of leaving her. My biggest challenge lives within me and I still haven’t found the antidote.

Mentoring Research Paper

Mentoring Research Paper The Rational Criteria for Success Mentorship is a personal developmental relationship between two individuals where one individual usually the mentor, offers guidance and advice through training, counseling and coaching to another individual who is usually less experienced and knowledgeable the mentee (Brounstein, 2000). The process of mentorship is continuous and involves the exchange of information between the mentor and mentee all in an effort to equip an individual with the capacity to perform better at his or her job or progress in her/his career. A good mentor knows where to start and has a deep understanding of the problem at hand based on his or her past experiences and the wealth of knowledge he has (Eigenmann, 2001). A good case scenario will be an individual who has been kicked out of university for failing to pass his university examination and failing twice. The most important question that a mentor asks is what is the problem? Could it be that the individual is not interested, is there an underlying problem like problems at home, peer pressure etc. The reason could be a combination of any of these factors or a single one of them. The role of a mentor is to offer relevant, practical advice and critical support to the mentee in order for him to overcome the problem (Fletcher, 2000). A good mentor sets a road map which consists of small and achievable targets that can be easily evaluated for progress and advice given (Harrington, Terry, 2008). The mentor has to predetermine the standards and benchmarks against which he or she evaluates for objectives achievement and effectiveness of the advice given. Again key performance indicators are predetermined and reevaluated every time the mentor feels that the mentee has achieved the set targets. A good success and rational criteria for evaluation consists of performance indicators, predetermined standards by which to assess whether objectives have been met and an array of benchmarks as a measure of effectiveness. Some of key performance indicators include: personal satisfaction by the mentee with what he has achieved, good academic performance, mentee starts to have future plans with his school work and career, engages the knowledge gained from school in real life situations, develops interest in his field and is aware of the current developments in his field of study. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated by use of certain benchmarks that include: Self esteem of the mentee, his confidence levels, self perception of mentee, his perception towards school and his studies etc. In this case the benchmark will be an individual who has the capacity to talk to any person at any time with confidence and without fear. This individual has start up a conversation with anyone anytime is influential to other people. Objectives that are achievable can be set e.g. to enroll for a degree program he likes, to perform well during in his academics, to enroll in a university that is affordable, to improve self esteem and confidence, . Standards set will basically be evaluating whether this has been achieved. It is critical that all these key indicators, benchmarks and objectives be set because they form the framework for the evaluation of progress of the mentee and indicate when a next decision is to be made (Clutterbuck, Meginson, 2005). A report on Mentorship Process As any mentor worth his salt will tell you, you have to know the etiology of the problem before any form of action is taken. This kind of information is obtained from the mentee through a series of questions that may span several weeks or just in a single session aimed at making the mentee open up (Colley, 2003). In this case, a pre-existing good relationship between the mentor and the mentee was of great value as the mentee was comfortable with sharing information that he considered very personal. The mentor sought to know what the mentee thought was the cause of his inability to perform well in school that resulted in his expulsion from the school. The mentee cited a major lack of interest, too much work, unfriendly lecturers, and inability to adapt to the environment. The mentee sought to know whether there was any other problem by asking questions on family background, peer pressure and drug use. The mentee stated that the family was supportive of him and were never a problem. He also mentioned that he had never used drugs but had a problem with some of his peers. He mentioned that the peers looked down upon him for his poor performance in school and eventual expulsion from school. This made him find it very difficult to make friends in school and this frustrated him further. He felt that he was so stupid and lacked the ability to even face them especially in the school. This led to his continuous deterioration and poor performance. This continued poor performance and deterioration resulted in the loss of self esteem and confidence. It was by now clear what was ailing the mentee. The mentor then asks if he would like to go back to school, and what was his attitude towards school was. The mentee was affirmative that he wanted to go back to school. He also mentioned that he felt school wasn’t the place to be, but thought that he had no choice. That he just had to go to school because everyone around him expected him to and he did not want to let them d own. This was good progress for the first session. The mentor then sought to know what the mentee’s interests, talents, passion were. The mentee’s main interest was in nursing thought he mentioned that he also loves listening to music and swimming. The mentor sought to know whether if the mentee was a given a chance today join a university and start a fresh would he do it ? The mentee was reluctant to join the university but thought he might as well just do it. He was asked then if nursing was his preferred choice degree or if he had any other degree he would enroll in. The mentee mentioned that nursing was the only degree he thought that his brain could handle and that he has always been interested since his childhood to become a nurse. Then the mentor sought to know why he took another career direction. The Mentee mentioned that his parents insisted that he do a computer science course so that he could take over the parents business which was computer related. At this point he mentor noted a lack of support from the p arents of the mentee and an unwillingness to support the mentee achieve his dream of becoming a nurse. The mentor made arrangements to meet the mentees parents and give advice that would be in the interest of the mentee. The session ended after a period of one and a half hours with an agreement to search for universities that offered nursing, were affordable, gave awards or scholarships to students who perform well all in an effort to minimize the cost of education. The next meeting was scheduled for the next weekend and with the mentee’s parents present. On the next weekend, the mentee arrived in company of his parents and made a formal introduction. I informed the parents of the problem that their son had and gave them ample time to express their feelings in response. The mentee’s mother was moved by the son’s problem and mentioned that she was not aware that the son’s poor performance was related to being forced to take a degree program that he had no interest in and was under intense pressure to perform. The mentee’s father claimed that the mentee was his only son and was looking at who will take care of the family business when he can no longer be in charge. The mentor acknowledged these responses and informed the parents that their son lost his confidence and self esteem as a result of the poor performance he had in school and the challenges he faced arising from his peers who looked down upon him for failure to perform well in school and also being expelled from school. The mentor went ahead to infor m them that the only way their son could perform well in school and essentially recover his self esteem and confidence , was if he was allowed to make his choice regarding his career path and took a degree in something he had an interest in and allowed to pursue it. The mentee’s mother supported the idea and promised to support the son in whatever he chooses to do. The father was a bit skeptical but felt that he would support him any way, if whatever he chooses to do made him happy. The mentor then informed the parents that their son (mentee), was interested in becoming a nurse and that he has always wanted to become a nurse. The parents were happy to hear that and promised to support him in the best way possible. Although the parents supported the mentee, the father of the mentee was a bit reluctant and requested to be given time to think about it. The mentor agreed to his request but informed them that there was an objective set to identify a university that offered nursing degree and scholarships that may aid in the fee payment. The parents had no problem with that and the mentee was also happy for once his parents were going to allow him to do a degree course on something that he liked. The next meeting with the mentee was set for the next week and the mentee given the week to look for the most appropriate university. During the following weekend, the mentee arrived and was in a positive mood. The mentor could feel the energy in the mentee’s voice. He was walking straight and was generally happy. The mentor was concerned, why the sudden change. The mentee mentioned that he had identified a university that was willing to admit him to a nursing course. He went further to state that they could not offer him a scholarship but if he performed well in his studies, then he may be lucky to be awarded an annual fee waiver for being the best student. He also mentioned that he feared that the father might not support his decision but that morning he actually gave him his full support. The idea of breaking down large tasks into small tasks with easily achievable goals and objectives set, is a very useful approach of tackling large issues that may appear insurmountable (Hay, 1995). The mentor noted a positive change in the mentee’s self esteem and attitude. The mentor sought to know when the ment ee was going to start school. The mentee mentioned that in fact he was starting the next week and couldn’t wait. The mentor wanted to know if he was anxious and how he felt about being in school again. The mentee mentioned that he was happy to be able to go back to school but feared that there was going to be a repeat of what had happened previously. He feared that he may be unable to perform well resulting in his expulsion and or stigmatization by peers for poor performance. The mentor noted a need to assist improve the mentees attitude towards school and eliminate the performance anxiety. The mentor then asked if there any other problems that the mentee feared might arise with him being back in school. The mentee was optimistic that he may be okay and that he will know when he joins the school. At least by now the objectives to identify a suitable university and enrolling for the nursing program had been achieved and this gave a sense of satisfaction to both the mentor and the mentee. The mentor was concerned with the mentees anxiety and his self esteem and confidence levels. They were still rather low. He issued the mentee with a note book and told him to note down anything he f elt while at school, in class, interacting with other colleagues, anything he saw that reminded him of this past experience, how he felt to be in a learning institution, how he felt about the teachers. At this point addressing the mentees self esteem and confidence problem was of great importance. It would be the key to unlocking all his potential and recovering all his lost confidence, personality, self esteem and purpose in life. This session was not as long as the previous two it lasted an hour and the mentee was out to go and prepare for school. After a week in school, the next meeting the mentee had a lot of mixed reactions. The mentee was glad that he had met people who did not brush him of. He mentioned that although he felt that the new people were friendly towards him, he still feared a lot speaking out his mind and also feared that they were going to judge him. He mentioned that the university has also established a mentorship program and anyone was free to join. He mentioned that some teachers were a bit intimidating and that he was not sure how he felt about them. He was however happy that he was finally doing something that he has always wanted to do and that he was finally going to make his dream a reality. The mentor noted that major invention was needed to be able to mitigate the anxiety that the mentee had and also to help him start to regain his confidence and self esteem. Confidence and self esteem are interrelated an increase in one often results in a concurrent increase in the other. Measures taken in order to increase one will often result in a concomitant increase in the other (Fanning, McKay, 2000). The mentor suggested a series of actions that were practical to the mentee and would yield the kind of self esteem and confidence that the mentee aspired to have. The mentor asked the mentee to list all the good qualities he possesses, abilities and talents. This activity took about ten minutes and the mentee was surprised that he could do so much. He realized that he could indeed do a lot and wondered why he often thought he was useless, stupid and lacked the ability to perform anything well. This mentor noted was the beginning of self realization and actualization of the mentee. The next task was to find out the activities among his list that he enjoyed doing or participating in. The mentee indentified nursing, swimming as the key activities that he loves participating in. The mentor then advised that the mentee be very enthusiastic about this activities and speak out in any forum that he can get. This was going to give him an opportunity to speak and be heard and because this are activities that he finds pleasure in doing he will most of the time find that people will listen to him because of the passion that he has and in the process his confidence and self esteem will rise. In time he will be able to speak to people on other aspects without fear. The mentor set targets for the mentee for the next week at school. The mentee was to participate in as many activities of the school that related to nursing and swimming. During these activities, he was to take an active role and in the process talk to five people about the event. The next activity was to identif y a role model that he had. The mentee had no role model. Then the mentor sought to know whether the mentee had any particular teacher at the university who had achieved something that he had always wanted or any particular nurse that he knows that he admires for the work that she does. The mentee could only remember of one nurse who had treated his dad while at hospital. The mentor advised the mentee that he could take that nurse to be his role model. The role model is a figure that he mentee looks at when evaluating his progress and the role model inspires him in his quest to become a nurse. This inspiration derived from the role model increases his confidence. The mentor felt that that was enough to work on for three weeks consecutively. This session was the longest so fat because it sought to find ways of increasing the mentee’s self esteem and confidence. The following weekend the mentee reported quite a few things that he felt, liked and disliked. The mentee found it difficult to face people and to talk to them. He gathered confidence to go talk to someone but felt worried that the person he was talking to was going to judge him. He kept trying and did not give up. He managed to speak to seven people on each event. He felt that some people were harsh to him and that really scared him. There were those that were friendly and were really interested in what he had to say. There are others who were indifferent. To begin with the mentor noted that the mentee had surpassed the target. He was also happy that the mentee was making an effort to improve. The mentor advised the mentee to be confident even when he did not feel like and that he should act in a confident manner. He can start by looking into the eyes of the people he is talking to, talking clearly and coherently and having an upright posture. The mentor went further and advised the mentee to take care of himself and to try and look good by eating healthy and correct exercise. This has an effect of putting an individual in a positive mind frame and boost’s his confidence. The mentee was also to be assertive while speaking. He should know what he wants to say and say it with confidence and people will listen. The mentee’s targets were reviewed and the forthcoming week he was to engage in the same activities but this time he was to speak to at least twenty people. He was to be confident and assertive while he spoke. He was also to identify other activities that he could participate in. He was also to start talking to his classmates concerning the course the teachers the new environment. The following session the mentee reported that he had better responses from the people that he talked to. He realized the importance of talking with confidence and being assertive. Speaking with confidence, being assertive and looking directly into the eye of the person you are talking to increases the overall appearance of the person talking and in most instances the listener is inclined to listen to the person talking (Hermann, 2004). The mentee stated that this time he had spoken to more than thirty people and was somehow happy with his progress. He felt that he was beginning to recover the old self that he used to be before he lost it all. At this point the mentee was still far from being the person who was confident and could start conversations with anyone and any person without fear. The intervention procedures were fruitful but it took time for the mentee to start showing positive growth. The mentor sought to know in general how he felt after talking with the people, were peo ple who scared him, was he facing any challenges, while interacting with new people, did he meet some people that he had talked to previously, and how different was the feeling of talking to a new person from that of talking to someone he met previously. The mentor also sought to know if he had made any friends in his class and how were they relating to him. The mentee stated that he was a bit scared initially as the crowds were large and with lots of activity going on, but when he saw how people were chatting and just dived in. He also started chatting not caring what anyone was going to say about him and that is what helped him beat the preset target of twenty people to chat with. He was happy that many people were good to him and paid attention to him as he spoke. The mentee was thrilled by the fact that some of the people that he had met in the previous week were happy to meet him again and were even inquiring on how his week has been and showed genuine interest in him. This really made him look forward to the university events. He noted that the more he talked he easier it became. When it came to his class work the mentee was a bit skeptical. He wasn’t sure what he felt and thought that it was mainly because of the setting in the class and the seriousness inside. The teachers were serious with what they were doing and it was difficult to find context of interacting. The classmates were social but he still feared what they would say about him. The Mentor reminded the mentee the importance of being assertive and talking to whoever he wanted with confidence. The mentor was satisfied with the progress of the mentee and went ahead and broadened the scope of the targets. This time the mentee was to engage in two activities that provided a forum for interaction. One of the activities was to be related directly to his academics and the other was to be a an ongoing session that would expose him to a totally new experience. Interestingly, the sessions were becoming more interesting with the mentee doing most of the speaking as the mentor did the evaluations and made new targets. The weekend that followed the mentee had a lot to say. Firstly he was very happy with his progress. One of the activities that he had joined was a nursing student’s mentorship program run by the faculty in an effort to mentor new students into the nursing profession. During this forum students were allowed to express their feelings about the course, they were to speak freely and exchange ideas as relates to the profession and the faculty. He was surprised that there were people who were finding it hard to adjust to the environment and that they needed guidance. They were all advised accordingly and for the first time he felt free to talk to his peers. He realized that they all faced similar problems. The mentee also joined a dance class. This was the second activity that was not related to his course. On that day he was assigned a dance partner who was a lady and was very friendly. In fact after the dance the lady took him around the campus and they shared a lot. The mentee fe lt that he had connected with a woman something that has never happened in his life. He actually considered it to be an important milestone in his life. The mentor was pleased with the mentees progress especially with the new girl in the picture. The mentor advised the mentee to continue being confident and assertive. He should speak out his mind and fear no one as he was entitled to his own opinion. This time the mentor gave the mentee more challenging targets. He was to engage in at least five different activities and interact, speak out his mind and make at least twenty friend s from each event. The mentee mentioned that there were many assignments that had been given by the different teachers and a forthcoming CAT (Continuous Assessment Test). He would find it hard to achieve all that. The mentor gave him three weeks and advised him that he had to plan his time well and be organized. He was to read hard and consult the teacher where he had difficulty. He was to prepare for the CAT and do the assignments with the utmost seriousness that was required. After the three weeks the mentee came in full of energy. He was so enthusiastic with his studies and was happy with his progress. He reported that the teacher scored the CAT that they had done and was the third best student. He was very happy about this performance. He could not believe that this was happening. He was also very happy that he was now able to interact with new people without fearing and was happy that they took him seriously. The mentee mentioned something about the girls that he had met. He was happy that the girl told him that she likes him because of his confidence. He had made other friends in the dance classes that he noticed that his girl did not like it. This to him was a very powerful thing, he could not believe that he had done it. He also mentioned that he had realized that the teachers were friendly unlike what he thought. From the many sessions that he had attended of the nursing students group, he made new friends who took him seriously and some thought he was great especially that he had a woman at freshman and was performing well in class. Having a session of peers and sharing information significantly improves the adaptability of a person and performance as these forums are highly educative and beneficial to the students who attend them (Roger, Susan, Trembley, Paul, 2003). The mentor noticed that the mentee was finally achieving the major objective and sole goal of recovering his confidence and self esteem. The mentee also mentioned that he had attended two parties. One organized by the nursing faculty for its freshmen and another organized by friends of his girlfriend. He noted that in both he made so many friends and now realizes that he has so many friends in campus. This was an indication that the mentee had performed well, he had succeeded in meeting our targets and primary objective which was to improve the self esteem and confidence of the mentee. The benchmark in this case was an individual who had the ability to approach anyone in campus and initiate a conversation leaving a lasting impression. The mentor’s intervention technique was effective as the mentee was able to recover his confidence and self esteem. The mentee was later in the semester selected for position of a student leader in the university. This opened up his world and was now in direct contact with so many people and was this further strengthened his confidence and self esteem. He performed well in his studies and won an scholarship for the next academic year. The parents of the mentee were forever grateful to the mentor for his role in enabling their son recover his confidence and self esteem and for the good performance that the mentee achieved to the extent of being warded with a scholarship. In conclusion mentorship is a powerful tool that can be employed by an individual or an organization such that they are able to inspire, guide their employees to perform better at work and even take career growth opportunities that arise within the organization (Hay, 1995).

Brothers Grimm Fairytales

Introduction: I know that fairy tales are strange and even realistic. There are animals, magical foods, and mothers of the gods in a fairy tale. They are also used as a basis for entertainment and most children begin in childhood. Almost all fairy tales are always happy even after the end, starting with Zeng Geshi. Personally, my experience with fairy tales is that I like certain fairy tales and stories that I can not see. I like Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. As a child, the fairy tale has given me hope for happiness forever. Many of the fairy tales that you read or watched over the years are not original versions of fairy tales. Walt Disney World and many other companies have adopted a lot of Grimm Brothers fairy tales and have changed them to fit the eyes of many young viewers. The Grimm Brothers is one of the most influential scholars in the world. Grimm's fairy tale is the source of the most famous work dating back to prehistoric times. They gathered most of the stories fr om children and family stories. INTRODUCTION: I decided to study a fairy tale, especially the Grimm brothers' fairy tale. A fairy tale is a short story, composed of fantasy characters, places, objects. Many of them are made of fairies and mysterious creatures. Most fairy tales start with Fairy Land or Remote Land. In many cases, in fairy tales, things become addictive and can talk and move. The most common characters in a fairy tale are the prince and the princess. Many fairy tales have been repeated over generations. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were famous writers at the beginning of 1800, and they changed the way fairy tales are observed forever. The Grimm Brothers are best known for their creative interpretation of popular fairy tales, such as Rapunzel, Snow White, Hansel, Gretel. Dark and tragic themes were used to create Grimm's fairytale, and the use of these themes changed dramatically from the normal 1800 fairy tale. The Grimm brothers are responsible for creating a new dark sid e for the children 's story, and their creativity can be seen with their early life, work and fame. When the Grimm brothers in their era began to write stories, they became known with the dark and unforgetable themes they wrote. Amazingly, the stories of Brothers Grimm are the first fairytale (candlelight) not for children. Brothers Grimm often rewrites old folklore to better adapt to their times. (Candlelight) Another unique point of the Grimm Brothers story is the ability to begin with a verbal narrative of children's literature. Long ago, the story was sketched on the wall of the cave so that people could find a story. The children were talked about seeing the drama as a form of songs, stories, and literature. Many traditional stories are based on culture and ethics. These stories have always preserved the culture and have been handed down to each generation. Like other oral stories, these stories are changing throughout the year. of

How were the pyramids at Giza Constructed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How were the pyramids at Giza Constructed - Essay Example The great pyramids consist of huge stone blocks, carefully measured out and carved, and then slotted in to fit a perfect geometric shape on a truly colossal scale. Scientists today are still trying to figure out how a nation without modern lifting equipment and mechanized transportation could possibly have had the technical skill and physical power to construct these tall edifices in the sandy ground. The fact that the Egyptians possessed such a capability is undeniable, since the pyramids are still standing there as evidence. How these people managed this great feat is, however, a deep mystery. It has long been recognized that the ancient Egyptians used ramps and wooden sleds to transport huge blocks of stone from the quarries to the building site, and that there is no evidence that they knew about the wheel, the pulley or the derrick (Dunham, 1956, p. 161). It seems that they just built ramps and used many thousands of workers, and this simple explanation is widely accepted. Another, much more radical theory has been advanced by Danish scholar Erich von Dà ¤niken who argues that it would have taken human beings some 600 years to build the great pyramid of Cheops, the largest of the pyramids at Giza, shifting more two and a half million blocks of stone (Von Dà ¤niken, 1970, p.96) and using tens of thousands of workers at any one time. He theorized that there was insufficient food and shelter for such a number of workmen in the largely desert land around the area, and that therefore the ancient Egyptians must have had help from some supreme god-like beings from outer spac e. Assembling arguments gathered from other massive structures across the planet, and from legends about Egyptian gods such as Ra, who â€Å"travelled through the heavens on a bark† (Von Dà ¤niken, 1970, p. 94), the theory of ancient aliens helping to build the pyramids emerged. The two theories outlined above argue on very different principles. Von Dà ¤niken’s argument is based on vivid

Drugs and adolescents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Drugs and adolescents - Essay Example The environment where the discussion occurs is calm, quiet and discrete enough to facilitate a fruitful and engaging interview. Drug abuse generally refers to the use of illegal drugs or misuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs with negative consequences (Conner, Bradley, Gerhard, Terry, and Ernest, 178). Our interview however does not dwell on the aspect of drug abuse that pertains to poor dosage from medical prescription and prescriptive drugs, but instead focuses on this use of drugs for such purposes as pleasure and fun among adolescents. From the onset, the impression I get from my interviewee is that adolescents get entangled in drug abuse for varied reasons, as are their perceptions of the act. A section of adolescents considers drugs abuse safe, depending on how much you consume and how you can handle yourself during and after consumption, others do not see any harm in having a good time anywhere, anyhow and anytime, while others consider drug abuse injurious to one’s wellbeing and long-term health. Some of the most commonly abused drugs amongst adolescents are valium, cocaine, crystal meth, glue, vapors, heroin, marijuana, tobacco, ether, steroids and alcohol. Students who abuse these drugs often obtain them from friends, fellow students who abuse and /or peddle the drugs or from the streets. Drug abuse among the youth and adolescents is common in un-parented parties and raves, with rates of consumption highest in the evenings and the morning after to lift off the hangovers (Conner, Bradley, Gerhard, Terry, and Ernest, 180). Some adolescents try drugs out of sheer curiosity. â€Å"These are the ones who have for instance, heard stories of fabulous experiences that are often associated with drug abuse from friends and acquaintances and so they crave to get a feel of it,† he adds. Others are not so much influenced by curiosity but by their peers who urge them to take a sip which after all will not kill. Eventually, the initiates are

Crushing Plant in Ethiopia Essay Example for Free

Crushing Plant in Ethiopia Essay It is reported that DSMAC mobile crusher for Ethiopia was installed and debugged successfully last week. The Philippines customer uses this mobile crusher for crushing construction waste, and after installation the customer sent DSMAC technicist local specialities to express appreciation. At the beginning of January 2013, the whole set of mobile crusher with capacity of 100tph was completed from DSMAC production base in Jinzhai Town, Xingyang City. The after-sale service engineer Mr. Jin and Mr. Ren was sent to Ethiopia being in charge of the installation and debugging. When the equipment was operating at the working site, the customer called DSMAC to praise the two engineers’dedicated attitude and sent some local specialities to Mr. Jin and Mr. Ren. With the development of urbanization, the city reconstruction is going on. There are a lot of construction waste piled at the same time. It not only occupies land resource, but also brings pollution for environment. However, construction waste is not just the waste, but an effective and recycling resource if used properly. The recycled construction waste can be used as coarse or fine aggregate, which is the substitution for natural aggregate for making concrete, road base material and bricks, and so on. In this process, the choose of crushing equipment plays a critical role. [pic] DSMAC Mobile Crusher for Construction Waste Crushing Plant In DSMAC, the mobile crusher can be divided into mobile jaw crusher, mobile cone crusher, mobile impact crusher, mobile VSI crusher, mobile screening plant, MP portable crawler crusher, etc. The mobile crusher can be easily moved to any position in the work site without the limitation of topographic condition. At the same time, it is controlled by wireless remote manipulation, and easier to be driven to the trailer, saving much time. The crushed aggregate can be divided into the following types: 1, 0mm to 2.5mm aggregate, used in mortar for plastering wall. 2, 0mm to 4.5mm aggregate, used in mortar for brick making. 3, 2.5/4.5mm to 10mm aggregate, used for brick raw material. 4, 10mm to 32mm aggregate, used for road construction material. 5, above 32mm aggregate, sent back into crusher for further crushing. The mobile crusher is the effective crushing equipment for construction waste disposition. Looking back the production of mobile crusher for Ethiopia, it is related closely with salesman’s striving, technical section’s supporting, workman’s overtime working, etc. Under these employee’s joint effort, there will be more advanced crushing equipment and all-around service for customers. More information about DSMAC is available at http://www.dscrushers.com Contact Information

Benjamin Franklin: Americas Model for Servant Leadership :: American History

Benjamin Franklin: Americas Model for Servant Leadership In Benjamin Franklin's civic pride and his projects for the improvement of Philadelphia, we see another aspect of the philosophy of doing good. At the same time we may recognize the zeal for reform that has long been a characteristic of American life. In his attention to the details of daily living, Franklin shows himself as the observant empiricist. As the successful engineer of ways to make the city he loved cleaner, safer and more attractive he continually sponsored new institutions that were proof that the applications of reason to experience were fruitful in the real world. "Human felicity," he wrote, "is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day." Franklin typifies that aspect of the American character that is attentive to small details as well as over-all great plans. The practical idealism of America lies in our capacity to work for our ideals step by step, to recognize that the perfect world is never achieved but that we may approach it gradually by a creative attentiveness to each aspect of life around us. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S religious creed held that the best service to God is to be good to man. He leaned to the views of the "Dissenters" of his day, notably Joseph Priestley and Richard Price, who preached a doctrine somewhat like present Unitarianism. A moralist, he taught that man's soul is immortal and that man's conduct in this world will determine his condition in the next; so he made a creed of virtue, based on integrity and good deeds-man must help himself and others. In the American tradition Franklin stands as a man who preached thrift, frugality, industry and enterprise as the "way to wealth." He grew to maturity in an American tradition that was older than he was, according to which such virtues as thrift and industry were not enough to bring a man success; he had also to practice charity and help his neighbor. Wealth was a token of esteem of the Divine Providence that governs men's affairs, and thus the accumulation of riches was not sought for its own sake alone. Furthermore, wealth and position, being marks of the divine favor, conferred an obligation; a successful man was a "steward," holding the world's goods in trust for the less fortunate. This "Protestant ethic" was a common denominator of Calvinistic Boston where Franklin spent his boyhood and of Quaker Philadelphia where he grew to young manhood. Benjamin Franklin: Americas Model for Servant Leadership :: American History Benjamin Franklin: Americas Model for Servant Leadership In Benjamin Franklin's civic pride and his projects for the improvement of Philadelphia, we see another aspect of the philosophy of doing good. At the same time we may recognize the zeal for reform that has long been a characteristic of American life. In his attention to the details of daily living, Franklin shows himself as the observant empiricist. As the successful engineer of ways to make the city he loved cleaner, safer and more attractive he continually sponsored new institutions that were proof that the applications of reason to experience were fruitful in the real world. "Human felicity," he wrote, "is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day." Franklin typifies that aspect of the American character that is attentive to small details as well as over-all great plans. The practical idealism of America lies in our capacity to work for our ideals step by step, to recognize that the perfect world is never achieved but that we may approach it gradually by a creative attentiveness to each aspect of life around us. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S religious creed held that the best service to God is to be good to man. He leaned to the views of the "Dissenters" of his day, notably Joseph Priestley and Richard Price, who preached a doctrine somewhat like present Unitarianism. A moralist, he taught that man's soul is immortal and that man's conduct in this world will determine his condition in the next; so he made a creed of virtue, based on integrity and good deeds-man must help himself and others. In the American tradition Franklin stands as a man who preached thrift, frugality, industry and enterprise as the "way to wealth." He grew to maturity in an American tradition that was older than he was, according to which such virtues as thrift and industry were not enough to bring a man success; he had also to practice charity and help his neighbor. Wealth was a token of esteem of the Divine Providence that governs men's affairs, and thus the accumulation of riches was not sought for its own sake alone. Furthermore, wealth and position, being marks of the divine favor, conferred an obligation; a successful man was a "steward," holding the world's goods in trust for the less fortunate. This "Protestant ethic" was a common denominator of Calvinistic Boston where Franklin spent his boyhood and of Quaker Philadelphia where he grew to young manhood.

Dingo Makes Us Human: Life and Land in an Australian Aboriginal Culture: A Book Review

â€Å"Dingo Makes Us Human: Life and Land in an Australian Aboriginal Culture† written by Deborah Rose Bird (1990) is considered to be the first in a probable series of three books regarding the Australian aboriginal people of Lingara and Yarralin. These places are both from the Victoria River valley in the Northern Territory of Australia. Bird lived for two years in these communities. Bird’s work is an original ethnography that indigenous people's experiences into conversations about disturbing issues of environmental care and social justice.The author’s involvement with the people's experiences and their action in the world brings her to this examination of a multi-centred poetics of land and life. The Research Bird undertook the research because she wanted to share her experiences and contemplations with the Australian aboriginal people of Lingara and Yarralin on – a two-year period, from 1980 to 1982. Theoretical/Practical Impetus to the Research Birdà ¢â‚¬â„¢s work is practically significant due to its social and environmental applications. Moreover, Bird has also discussed in detail the Dreamings.According to Penrith (1996), the Dreaming has diverse meanings for various Aboriginal people. She asserted that Dreamings is a multifaceted system of knowledge, practices and faith that originate from stories of creation, and that controls every physical and spiritual facet of Aboriginal life. Moreover, the Dreaming embarks the rules for social behaviour, the structures of society, and the ceremonies carried out so as to preserve the life of the land (Morny, 1995). The Dreaming directed the manner people lived and how they must conduct themselves since those who defy the rules were penalized.According to Penrith (1996), the Dreaming is frequently utilized to portray the time when the earth, humans and animals were formed or created. In addition, the Dreaming is likewise employed by people to talk about their personal dreaming or their c ommunity's dreaming. Penrith (1996) claimed that during the Dreaming, ancestral spirits came to earth and formed the landforms, plants, and the animals. The stories portray how the ancestral spirits moved through the land forming mountains, lakes, and rivers.Nowadays, we are already aware regarding the places where the ancestral spirits have been and where they came to rest. I think that there are reasons of how people came to Australia and the connections between the groups all over Australia. Furthermore, there are also reasons concerning how people learnt languages and dance and how they came to know regarding fire. Essentially, as what we will learn from Bird’s work, the Dreaming originates from the land. This means that in Aboriginal society people did not own the land it was part of them and it was part of their duty to esteem and take care of mother earth.Upon reading Bird’s work, I can say that the Dreaming did not end with the arrival of Europeans but basicall y entered a new phase. I think that it is an influential living force that should be cared for and maintained. Approach in doing the research and presentation of the results of the study The book is not simply a typical anthropological reading for specialists. Bird wrote this account in an appealing and handy manner such that it can be read and enjoyed by scholars specializing or interested in other fields.Apart from her anthropological studies, the author imparts knowledge and experiences from ecology and religion and provides references to the concepts of Paul Ricoeur, Stanley Diamond, and Gregory Bateson. Nevertheless, this is not to say that anthropologists themselves will not discover much interesting material here as well. In her work, the anthropologists Bird mentions as important and powerful are Marcus, Fisher, and Geertz, Tedlock, Rabinow, Fabian, and Clifford. Mainly important in Bird’s work is the figure or role of the anthropologist as the narrator.In my opinion, Bird seems to be self-conscious regarding her role as spokesperson and interpreter for the people she has examined and with whom she has lived. I think that Bird’s general purpose that evades needless idealization or proselytizing is nevertheless to persuade the reader to contemplate on the tangled nature of ecological justice and social justices Bird depicts as reflected in the lives of these people. She believes readers can learn from this. Nevertheless, I can say that Bird is no starry-eyed romantic.Furthermore, she is not a follower of New Age philosophies, nor does she suppose that a structure of interrelationship necessarily instills peace, harmony and caring creatures. Personally, I can say that Bird does not waver to portray the personal abuse, beatings, malign sorcery and murder that happen. In fact, Bird even narrates her personal vulnerability in one such condition. Nevertheless, Bird does not pursue in detail how far European power could have worsened such behavi or. In her work, a quote from Stanner would appear to signify that Bird considers some conflict as an intrinsic part of the human situation in any quest for balance (p. 24). I also think that Bird hopes to encourage thought and reasonable discussion concerning what kind of system can best generate ecological justice. I believe that this is not merely an anthropological issue, but one of tremendous significance to all concerned life on this earth. All in all, I think that Bird’s book has a boldly direct and personal approach that is illuminating to general readers, while also of great value to knowledgeable and skilled anthropologists. Ethical Issues in the research â€Å"Dingo Makes us Human† is about concerns that are of pressing concern today.This includes kinship between humans and other living things, customary ecological knowledge, sacred geography, environmental history, and colonising history. According to Bird (1990), the question of how I, or we, or all of us in the world, rely on Victoria River Aborigines concerns. She said that from a professional viewpoint, it matters to her for the reason that what she learn is intensely reliant on who I am. In her work, she tackled the American facet of her identity. She emphasizes that it matters more significantly, though, since these people have a great many things of importance to articulate.Michaels (1986) claimed that eversince the year 1883 when Europeans first established the Victoria River district, a huge part of their historical conditions and environmental facts have been decided by others. Bird (1990) said in her book that their own construction of intersubjectivity, grounded in multi-centred systems, and their survival within a system of extreme domination have provided them unique understandings. Bird said that Yarralin people categorised or labeled her as an American mainly because of her accent and her personal declaration of her nationality.She added that it took some time for her to realise that this categorisation brought an extremely exact moral valence and that in marking this characteristic of her identity they were making several determinations regarding the kind of person they expected or hoped her to be. Bird said that the confirmation was there long before she became completely aware of it. In the book, Bird said that during the first week or so of her two year residence at Yarralin one of the old men asked her to write to the President of America and tell him to send him some forty-four gallon drums of mange soap for his dogs.When Bird said that she didn't know the President, the man told her to write to her father. Then when she said that she didn't know what mange soap was, the man said to her that even if she was unaware, other Americans would know how to heal or treat dog mange. Significance of the study to the community In writing the book, Bird surveyed the system in the communities and she emphasized the focal nature of relationships – cultural, spiritual, physical, and genealogical– that pervade every aspect of aboriginal life.These intricate patterns indicate an interconnecting worldview in which time combines and the ideal is balance instead of truth or goodness. In her work, the organizing matrix upholding the concepts of knowledge, identity, and practice which are vital to this system is that of country. The standard that informs the proper relationship to country is that of â€Å"care. † â€Å"To take care of country is to be responsible for that country. And country has an obligation in return- to nourish and sustain its people† (p. 109). In her book, it was Dreaming beings who initiated these concepts that are essential to supporting the balance of life.In my opinion, when she talked about Dreaming, Bird is predominantly grateful to the work of Stanner, quoting with approval his terms of reference: â€Å"a kind of logos or principle of order† (p. 44); â€Å"a poetic key to rea lity† (p. 44); and â€Å"every when† (p. 205). These are predominantly all-inclusive terms, talking about the original beings, their excellent acts, and the period of their existence. However, this time is coterminous with the present, and access offers a synchronous corroboration of that which must endure. Aboriginal culture is nevertheless not confined to rigid replicas of an aboriginal blueprint.The aboriginal world is not static but dynamic. There are various types of adaptations that take place. One of the most interesting discussions in this regard concerns the inroads of Christianity and the fate of the High God hypothesis, here place in the context of Otherness (pp. 229-232). Stories regarding Dreamings derive from Victoria River peoples' experience of being invaded, conquered, and massively controlled. It is important to remember that until the 1967 referendum which allowed Aboriginal people unrestrictedly to become citizens in their own country, people on catt le stations were classed as inmates of institutions.The institutions were the stations, and within that circumscribed world European managers and owners enforced a reign of terror through the massive and brutal excercise of power (Berndt & Berndt, 1987). It is also important to remember that millions of dollars have been ‘made' over the years from these peoples' land and labour, and through an indifference to government regulations and a manipulation of government subsidies which is best labelled criminal (Stevens, 1974).According to Bird (1984), all over the Victoria River district Aboriginal people identify the source of the injustices under which they have lived, and continue to live, in the personage of Captain Cook, and more generally with English people. Yarralin people also tell stories that place the kinds of power they are seeking to understand right in Australia. Some stories indicate in passing that the Unions were here before Captain Cook ever came, and that Europe an settlers followed the wrong book or law. The stories of Ned Kelly's travels in the Victoria River district tell of an indigenous European passion for justice (Bird, 1988).The power to dominate includes, and may be dependent upon, the power to construct living subjects as objects. It is a distancing that takes a dual form; people come from the outside in order to kill and steal, and they deny that this is what they are doing. And while the killing and stealing have been moderated (not eradicated) over the past two centuries, denial persists in a particularly pungent form: the successors to the invaders can and do refuse to listen. They turn stories back on the speakers, not by denying them for that would at least be a form of engagement, but more simply and with greater devastation, by not listening.The most important of the reflexive relationships essential for life is that between people and country (Morny, 1995). The Yarralin people inherit cognatic (non-gender-specific) rights to country both by birth and by marriage. Because a person’s Dream countries come separately from both father and mother, there are thus two lines of descent that establish identity: patrilineal (kuning) and matrilineal (ngurlu). Kuning also designates Dreaming beings associated with one’s father’s country, while ngurlu indicates one or several plant species or animals.Marriage can also confer other rights. All these relationships are played out by means of an intricate system of social categories, most specifically those of subsections (pp. 75-79) and generation moieties (pp. 79-89). Bird does not view her exploration as providing a solution to the definitional debate surrounding term kinship (p. 117)); her aim is instead to describe the purpose and meaning of families against the backdrop of the country as the â€Å"nexus of individuals, social groups, Dreamings, nourishings, relationships, birth and death† (p. 119).In turn, country, posited as a self- enclosed system, provides a model of singular instances that are part of an interlocking process where each part is simultaneously unique and yet necessarily interconnected (p. 223). Dualism as a modality of imposing hierarchical order is thus eliminated; each part can be appreciated as both similar and different. This lack of preferential distinction is best illustrated by the relationships between men and women, which Bird depicts in various contexts. It is characterized in the rituals, laws, and Dreamings as one of â€Å"symmetrical complementarity† (p. 21).Like the sun and rain, both men and women are vital for life. At times one will supplant the other, but the destruction of one results in the destruction of the other and, by implication, of the cosmos. Summary All in all, it is the enormous perspective that I believe represents the major interest of Bird’s study. It provides the basis of an ecological system or web of relationships that, if maintained, reinforce s a state of self-sustaining, self-corrective balance. There is no omnipotent or centralized force in control. There are instead, many centers, none of which dominates.Bird does not explicitly state her preference for this worldview, but both in her allusions to monism and monocentrism as a less than flattering Western proclivity (p. 219) and in her use of an aboriginal’s assessment that â€Å"Europeans have constructed relationships such that different types of beings, and different categories of people, live under different laws, and the laws are altered to suit the winners† (p. 221), her implications are clear. Her invocation in the final chapter, titled â€Å"This Earth,† suggests that â€Å"it is a matter of life† and leaves no doubt about where her symphaties lie.Lastly, who is Dingo referred to in the title? Dingo is the wild dog of Australia. His primordial battle was with the moon. He lost, forfeited eternal life, and was condemned to a life that must inevitably end. We are in Dingo’s image, full of erratic desires. Yet the moon who dies but revives with each passing month is caught in a sterile pattern. Therefore, to be alive as Dingo, even if the lifespan is limited, gives access to that dynamic force which makes life worth living in all its complexity of disruptive and generative energies

Bohemia and The Final Problem Essay

When he reaches the Englischer Hof, the innkeeper has no idea about any sick Englishwoman. Realizing at last what has happened, Watson rushes back to Reichenbach Falls only to find no-one there, although he does see two sets of footprints going out onto the muddy dead-end path, but none coming back. There is also a note from Holmes, explaining that he knew the report Watson was given to be a hoax and that he is about to fight Moriarty, who has graciously given him enough time to pen this last letter. Watson sees that towards the end of the path, there are signs that a violent struggle has taken place. It is all too clear: Holmes and Moriarty have both died, falling to their deaths down the gorge whilst locked in mortal combat. This bit is so sad and shows Sherlock Holmes’ respect for Dr Watson as he lets him go back. Sherlock Holmes is a noble man in this scene and tries to protect Dr Watson from the pain of his death. However Dr Watson is left clearly upset saying he will forever regard Sherlock Holmes was â€Å"the best and the wisest man whom I have ever known†. This did choke me up a little as I read the last words of the story. I think overall the 1st person narrative by Dr Watson really works. There are a few problems but they have been solved by the way that the stories are written. For a setting to be typical of that of a detective story it needs to be a little scary and quirky, with the most successful murder mysteries taking place in dilapidated and isolated old houses. There is one striking resemblance of all the villains in the stories we have studied, they are all very noticeable. Dr Roylott and Dr Moriarty both tall and imposing, Irene Adler is beautiful and dainty and Hugh Boone is ugly and repulsive. The two most evil villains, Dr Roylott and Dr Moriarty it says have both inherited their evil tendencies. The literary pairing of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson works well because they are different, two vivid characters, so different in their functions and needs and as all partnerships should be, based on a great friendship. I think generally there is only one story which we have read which could be described as a typical murder mystery or detective story and that is The Speckled Band. This is the only one with a typical setting, villain and story sequence. The others are not so, with A Scandal in Bohemia not having a typical setting, The Man with the Twisted Lip having a villain who is the same person as the victim and The Final Problem resulting in the death of the detective. So I think that you can categorize stories into genres but it is much harder to say â€Å"this is a typical detective story† or â€Å"this isn’t because †¦ † In the end each story is different. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.

The Copenhagen Zoo killed Marius the giraffe and four lions.

The Copenhagen Zoo killed Marius the giraffe and four lions. When the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark  killed Marius the giraffe  on February 9, 2014, the public outrage was instantaneous and worldwide. Marius was dissected in front of a public audience, including children, and then fed to the zoos lions. The furor had barely cooled down when, on March 24, 2014, the same zoo  killed four healthy lions, including some who had feasted on Marius remains.   Unfortunately, animals born at zoos do not always get to live their lives out fully.  David Williams-Mitchell, a spokesperson for the  European Association of Zoos and Aquaria,  told CNN that approximately  3,000 to 5,000 animals are killed each year at EAZA zoos. Of these, several hundred are large animals like giraffes and lions, while the majority are smaller animals, including insects and rodents. According to The Independent, five giraffes have been killed in Danish zoos since 2012, as well as  22 healthy zebras, four hippos and two Arabian Oryx throughout Europe. Although policies of the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums are different from those of the EAZA, the animals in American zoos do not always live out their lives at the zoo. Marius the Giraffe    Marius was a healthy, two year old giraffe who was killed by the Copenhagen Zoo  to prevent inbreeding. Although other zoos had offered to take in Marius, one already had Marius brother (making Marius genetically redundant at that zoo), and the others were not accredited by the EAZA. Lesley Dickie, Executive Director of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, explained in a CNN op ed that Marius would be unlikely to survive in the wild; sterilization for male giraffes can lead to undesirable side-effects  and contraception for female giraffes is difficult, in its infancy, can can be irreversible. Dickie and Copenhagen Zoo officials have repeatedly pointed out that the killing of Marius was within EAZA guidelines.   The zoo and their staff have received death threats and threats to burn down the zoo. Four Lions Killed at Copenhagen Zoo    A few weeks.after killing Marius, the Copenhagen Zoo killed a family of four healthy lions - two parents and their cubs. The zoo had brought in a new, young male to mate with the 18-month-old females who had been born at the zoo, and did not want the young females to mate with their own father.  The zoo argues that the new male would have killed the adult male and two young cubs, as part of a male lions natural behavior of killing all the cubs  and killing the adult male when he takes over a new pride of lions.   The zoo claims that no other zoos were interested in taking the lion family. The justifications for killing the lions have focused on the animals natural behavior, but killing the lions is hardly natural. In the wild, the new male would have to oust the male head of the pride before taking over. This would happen only if the new male were stronger.  Survival of the fittest keeps the species strong as it continues to evolve.   While a new, stronger male would have killed the existing male and the young cubs,  this explanation fails to  address why the older female lion was killed. Controversy . While animal rights activist oppose keeping animals in zoos regardless of their breeding and killing policies, the practice of killing excess animals is especially objectionable and draws public outrage. If thousands of animals are killed every year, why did Marius death garner so much media coverage? It may have been because Marius was dissected and butchered in front of a public audience, and then fed to lions. The controversy, however, was not centered around the dissection and butchering, but on the reasons the giraffe was killed. As Dickie points out, a zoos resources are finite. They knew or should have known in advance that Marius would be genetically undesirable for breeding and yet they allowed Marius parents to breed. The arguments against sterilization or transferring Marius are unconvincing. The British zoo that wanted Marius is capable of making their own determination as to whether Marius was valuable, and the problems with sterilization cannot be worse than death. The whole problem appears to stem from the zoos desire to feature baby animals, even if allowing the animals to reproduce leads to overbreeding, overcrowding and killing.   Supporters of the zoo point out that lions are regularly fed meat from dead animals, and many critics of the zoo are not vegetarian. However, whether some critics of the zoo are hypocrites is a separate issue from whether the zoo was right in killing Marius. Animal rights activists do not believe in keeping any animals in zoos (not be confused with sanctuaries), and are vegan, so there is no inconsistency in the animal rights position.   After the four lions were killed, humor website The Global Edition published a satirical  piece,  Copenhagen Zoo Kills Four Healthy Staff Members To Make Space For New Employees. American Zoos and Aquariums While European zoos would rather allow the animals to naturally reproduce and kill excess animals, American zoos prefer contraception. Regarding Marius killing,  the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums stated in a press release,  Incidents of that sort do not happen at AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, pointing out that AZA-accredited zoos minimize overbreeding. AZA zoos do sometimes overbreed, leading to animals being sold to unaccredited zoos, circuses, and even canned hunting operations.   Jack Hanna,  director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, called the killing of Marius the most abominable, insensitive, ridiculous thing Ive ever heard of. What is the solution?    Many have argued that Marius could have been sterilized, that his parents could have been sterilized, or that Marius should have been transferred to another zoo. The lions could have also gone to another zoo, the zoo could have built a second lion enclosure,  or the zoo could have passed on bringing in the new lion. While these solutions may have saved these five lives, the issue is bigger than these five animals. Keeping animals in captivity, regardless of whether they are bred, overbred, or intentionally killed,  violates the animals rights  to live their lives free of human use and exploitation. From an animal rights viewpoint, the solution is to boycott zoos and all animal cruelty, and go vegan.

Advanced Financial Reporting and Regulation Essay - 1

Advanced Financial Reporting and Regulation - Essay Example The problem with this approach arises when the market for the asset becomes illiquid. This sets in the use of complex models that the company must come up with through the help of a specialist. These assets are grouped as Level three assets. During the financial crisis, there was a fall in the prices of mortgage and related securities. The result was illiquid markets for them and banks marked down their assets largely. This made banks have a great problem in meeting up their capital requirement. The critics claim that money could have helped solve the crisis that existed at that time. However, banks obtained cash through the sale of assets that further made a downward trend in the prices of assets. This led to an economic downturn and became a cycle. This is the main reason, critics of fair value accounting claim that it had a hand in the financial crisis that occurred. Most critics have distinguished mark- to-market accounting a mechanism through which fair accounting can contribute to the financial crisis. There is a link between bank regulation and fair value accounting when trying to evaluate how fair value accounting can lead to a crisis. Fair value depends on the market prices, which are not consistent and sometimes can deviate due to some reasons. The distorted prices can cause a bank to write down its assets to match the distorted prices. As a result, the regulatory capital of the bank would be depleted and it may force the bank to sell assets at lower prices. If the lower prices in the distressed bank become relevant to other banks, it can result to regulatory capital problems and write-downs even for sound banks (Laux and Leuz, 2009). Laux and Leuz (2009) found out that by the management paying attention to the company’s earnings might create the contagion problems. The management can sell their assets at relatively low prices that result to a contagion effect to the other banks. This makes other banks price their assets

Mortgage Backed Securities and their role in the economic crisis Essay

Mortgage Backed Securities and their role in the economic crisis - Essay Example This will normally lead to a fall in the countries’ GDP, a rising and falling of prices because of inflation and deflation and a drying up of liquidity. It normally can take a form of recession or a depression. The economic crisis began with bursting of the united states housing bubble and high default rates on subprime adjustable rate mortgages (ARM),and variable rate mortgages beginning around 2005 to 2006(Wall Street Journal, December 4, 2007). Prior to the crisis, the government policies and competitive pressures encouraged high risk lending practices for several years. The role of Mortgage Backed Securities in the economic crisis The financial crisis was highly felt in the market in 2008. The civil fraud charges was filed against several major credit rating agencies for their role in developing mortgage bond that helped bring about the financial crisis in 2008. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S.  Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) is currently looking at t he role these companies played in the crisis and exploring the possibility of holding them accountable. The crisis began to affect the financial sector in February 2007, when HSBC, the world's largest (2008) bank, wrote down its holdings of subprime-related MBS by $10.5 billion, the first major subprime related loss to be reported. During 2007, at least 100 mortgage companies either shut down, suspended operations or were sold. Top management has not escaped unscathed, as the CEOs of Merrill Lynch and Citigroup resigned within a week of each other. As the crisis deepened, more and more financial firms either merged, or announced that they were negotiating seeking merger partners. (Wall Street Journal. Online, May 2008). Credit risk arises because the borrower has the option of defaulting...This paper outlines the role of the mortgage backed securities (MBS) in the surfacing of financial crisis Mortgage backed securities are loans that are normally purchased from mortgage companies, banks and originators and then assembled into groups by a private entity, a governmental or a quasi governmental. The securities are then offered by the entity. These securities are offered through the securitization, that represents the claims on the principal and interest payments made by borrowers on their loans in the group. Most of the mortgages are offered by a U.S. Government agency known as the National Mortgage Association or government-sponsored agencies which comprises of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and the Federal National Mortgage Association Mortgage bonds or mortgage-backed securities were secured by a mortgage on one or more assets. They are generally backed by real property or real estate holdings. The mortgage bondholder has a claim to the underlying property and can sell it off to compensate for the default if the homeowner paying their mortgage defaults. Economic crisis refer to a situation where the economy of a nation or a country undergoes a sudden downturn which is brought about by financial crisis. The financial crisis was highly felt in the market in 2008 The civil fraud charges was filed against several major credit rating agencies Credit risk arises because borrower has the option of defaulting on the loan one owes. In the real sense, lender is the one who bore the credit risk on the mortgages issued. It was made possible for lenders to sell the right to receive the payments on mortgages they issue through securitization. This led to several risks in the financial sector