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Critically evaluate one approach to organisational culture change - Essay

Fundamentally assess one way to deal with authoritative culture change - Yandex Case Study - Essay Example Legitimize your proposals with...

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Critically evaluate one approach to organisational culture change - Essay

Fundamentally assess one way to deal with authoritative culture change - Yandex Case Study - Essay Example Legitimize your proposals with supporting proof. Yandex is the main web index in Russia. The achievement of the firm is firmly identified with its vital choices and its structure. In any case, obviously certain mediations are required all together for the firm’s objectives to be completely accomplished. The update of the firm’s OD system would be an expected answer for the above issue. The OD structure created by Brown (2011), see additionally Graph 1 †Appendix, can be considered as a very successful device for building up the specific undertaking. Fundamentally, the contribution of this instrument in the rebuilding of the firm’s OD procedure ought to be fittingly defended; reference ought to be made to the firm’s objectives. ... Regardless of the way that the advancement of the above technique has helped the firm to keep its presentation at significant levels, still there is a progression of hierarchical issues, which should be properly tended to. The difference in the firm’s existing OD system would be the best route for accomplishing the above objective. This change could be founded on the OD system of Brown (2011), see Graph 1, Appendix. With regards to this system, the firm’s current technique ought to be rebuilt at the accompanying focuses: an) at the main stage, the requirement for change ought to be plainly characterized †implying that the firm’s vital directors ought to comprehend this need and ought to be eager to help it; Yandex is a firm settled in the Russian market, controlling the 57% of the particular market; the gainfulness of the firm is high, being expanded at a degree of 80% yearly (page 2, contextual analysis); besides, its workers are picked through a definite e nlistment process which ensures that solitary applicants with the fundamental abilities enter the association; starting here of view, the difference in the firm’s procedure †in at least one zones †would have numerous odds of progress, mulling over the uncommon connections among representatives and the elevated level of correspondence/participation over the association, b) accentuation ought to be given on the improvement of the connection between the workers and the customers; notwithstanding the way that correspondence and joint effort in the inner hierarchical condition is exceptionally evolved, in the firm’s outer condition the accompanying issue appears to exist: the connection between

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Publick Speaking and Me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Publick Speaking and Me - Essay Example all around considered, deliberate path so as to advise, impact, or engage the crowd and it requires the powerful utilization of language, voice, volume, eye to eye connection, signals, conversational style, and visual guides. As open talking has become a significant movement in the contemporary social settings, the proper preparing of the different procedures of open talking is fundamental. One can be successfully prepared in the utilization of voice, volume, signals, act, conversational style, nonverbal correspondence, projection, eye to eye connection and so on. The specialized preparing in building up the tone, vocal adaptability, the arrangement of words, coming to the meaningful conclusion, demonstrating qualities and relations, communicating sentiments, indicating the image, and articulation by activity and so on can help one in viably making an open talking and the preparation of these specialized components has impacted my ability in broad daylight talking. The utility of motions, stances, and nonverbal correspondence is crucial in articulation by activity and appropriate preparing is required. Essentially, introducing the subject of the discourse adequately to the crowd is one of the fundamental components deciding the achievement of open talking. For this, the speaker requires legitimate preplanning and research about the subject to be managed. Association of the substance in a coherent request is likewise essential to pass on the message adequately to the crowd. Consequently, the speaker ought to be decidedly ready with his point and be certain to introduce it in a sensible way. One of the essential intension of each discourse is influence and the speaker ought to have the option to pass on his thoughts through the powerful utilization of language, vocal adaptability with great tone and volume, nonverbal correspondence, act, motion, conversational style and so forth. A crowd of people focused disposition is likewise fundamental for the speaker to be viable and the sentiments of the crowd ought to be given incredible need. The speaker’s eye to eye connection with the crowd is major to build up

Monday, August 17, 2020

What to Do if You Think Your Identity Has Been Stolen

What to Do if You Think Your Identity Has Been Stolen What to Do if You Think Your Identity Has Been Stolen What to Do if You Think Your Identity Has Been StolenHaving your identity stolen could jeopardize your credit rating and your entire financial future for years to come. Heres what you need to do.We recently discussed how to check your credit report for errors and what to do if you find them. In that post, we noted that sometimes errors can be a sign of fraud or identity theft, so we wanted to dive a little deeper into what you do if it happens to you.Spoiler alert: It happened to this writer when reviewing her credit report on the advice of this blog! There they were: two unfamiliar hard credit checks. It really can happen to anyoneâ€"it happened to an estimated 14.4 million people last yearâ€"even if you are as careful as can be with your private information. There’s no way around giving some companies your information, and when they have giant data breachesâ€"like Equifax did in 2017â€"millions of people are more vulnerable to fraud and identity theft.Remember, unscrupulous credi t checks can negatively impact your credit, nevermind if someone is able to open accounts in your name, run up debts, and never pay them. If you already have poor credit or are just starting to build credit, these actions can be especially devastating to your finances and credit score, leaving you vulnerable to predatory no credit check loans, bad credit loans, payday loans, and more when you need to borrow money.So what do you do if it happens to YOU?1. Report fraud / ID theft to the police.Your first step when you think you might be the victim of fraud or identity theft? File a report with the police, according to Justin Lavelle, Chief Communications Officer with  BeenVerified.com (@BeenVerified).“This acts as your first official documentation that a crime has taken place,” says Lavelle. “Furthermore, many businesses and agencies require a police report as fraud-and-identity-theft proof before going through with their own investigations.”2. Alert the credit bureaus.If you found suspicious activity on one of your credit reports, you should alert the credit bureau in question as soon as possible. Remember, credit bureaus report differently, so you may see suspicious information on one report but not others. Sometimes you can file a dispute online, and sometimes you’ll have to call. This writer had to call. The service person opened the dispute immediately, the case was investigated, and the suspicious activity was removed from her report within twenty-four hours.The credit bureau followed up by mail to confirm the dispute results, and let her know that they contacted the other two credit bureaus about the incident on her behalf in the form of a fraud alert, which stays attached to the accounts for one year. However, it is advised that you contact all three bureaus directly yourself, just to be on the safe side.It also alerted her that they sent information to the vendor that requested the information from the credit bureau in the first place, instruc ting them to review the information and update their records as necessary.The credit bureau even let her know that, in addition to the three free credit reports that everyone has access to each year, she was entitled to an additional free credit report to help me monitor the situation.3. Alert related companies, if applicableThe credit bureau representative she talked to strongly recommended that she also contact the vendor who requested her information on her own, since a fraudster can exploit accounts for some time before it becomes apparent to victims or the accounts themselves.Some companies have their own portals for documenting potential fraud and identity theft. Be sure to carefully follow instructions, provide all the required documentation, and meet all deadlines to ensure your dispute is processed.4. Alert the Federal Trade Commission.Another agency to contact is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) via IdentityTheft.gov. “If you suspect you are the victim of identity thef t, immediately report it to the FTC,” says Holly Zink, a scam and identity theft expert for  Kiwi Searches  (@kiwisearches). “You just tell them what happened by following the prompts on their site, and they will initially provide you with some information on some actions you can take.”The IdentityTheft.gov website also houses lots of information and resources about identity theft. For example, if you know exactly what information, such as a social security number, was lost or stolen (not always the case)â€"or if you’ve been alerted that you may be the victim of a specific data breachâ€"the website provides tips for what to do in each situation.5. Assess your financial accounts.This includes all your bank accounts and credit cards. “Keep an eye on your bank and credit accounts for any suspicious activity,” says   Lavelle. “If you see a charge that you don’t recognize it, immediately contact your bank or credit card services to contest it.”Zink also recommends setti ng up fraud alerts with your bank. “Your bank will call, email, or text message you if there are suspicious charges on your account,” she says. This can usually be done online, and you can usually customize the dollar amount that prompts an alert.6. Consider additional protection.When you report fraud or identity theft to credit bureaus, you’ll be given the option of placing a free one-year fraud alert on your credit report. You have to do this individually which each of the three big credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.A fraud alert lets lenders (or anyone seeking information from your credit report) know that your account has been compromised and encourages them to take extra steps in order to verify your identity. In some cases, you may be able to get an extended seven-year fraud alert by filing an FTC identity theft report.Lavelle also recommends considering a credit freeze, which again, needs to be requested individually with each individual credi t reporting bureau. This will prevent any entity from accessing your credit information without your permission. “They will alert businesses and loan distributors of fraud and identity theft linked to your name and social security number. Thus, no one (including you) can request credit or loan services,” says Lavelle.If you know you are going to apply for something, such as aâ€"personal loanâ€"that requires a credit check, you will need to plan to manually unfreeze your account with a special pin number. It does not immediately unfreeze, which can be a pain, but it’s the only way to completely control who can access your credit information.You can also sign up for a credit monitoring service, which all three credit bureaus, as well as other entities, offer. Credit monitoring will alert you to any changes to your credit information, so you can verify them right away and deal with suspicious activity as soon as possible. If you have been the victim of a data breach, you may be e ntitled to free credit monitoring services.Final thoughts.Zink warns that adults are not the only victims of identity theft. “Many dont consider that a childs identity can be stolen,” she says. “With children not having a credit or job history, they are the perfect target. It usually takes many years for anyone to realize a child is a victim of identity theft.”Lavelle adds that elders can also be targets. “The elderly are at great risk for identity theft because they tend to more easily trust others with their personal information,” he says, “In addition, the fact that they didn’t grow up with the internet may make it a challenge for them to understand the steps they must take to protect their identity online.To learn more about how you can protect your identity and your money from scams and fraudsters, check out  these other posts and articles from OppLoans:8 Tips to Spot an Online ImposterAre You Haunted by Phantom Debts?10 Scams That Target the ElderlyExpert Round up: 13 Signs You’re Being ScammedDo you have a personal finance question youd like us to answer? Let us know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.  |InstagramContributorsJustin Lavelle is Chief Communications Officer for  BeenVerified.com (@BeenVerified)  and a leading expert on identity theft and scams. BeenVerified is  a leading source of online background checks and contact information. It allows individuals to find more information about people including: phone numbers, email addresses, property records, marital status, and criminal records in a way that’s fast, easy, and affordable.Holly Zink  is an online scam and identity theft expert for  Kiwi Searches  (@kiwisearches).  Kiwi Searches is an easy-to-use person search website, providing customers with information about people, phone numbers, and locations.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

1984 Not So Far Off Essay - 2551 Words

1984 Not So Far Off The year 2002 has finally arrived. This is a time to take a retrospective look at what has happened in the previous year. The same thing happened in 1984. Back then; the people decided if what George Orwell had predicted in his novel had come true. Taking a quick glance, the appearance of the society then, compared with the fictional society of 1984 was like night and day. But, on further inspection, George Orwell’s predictions were really not that far off. Now in 2002, the evidence of a 1984 like society is ever the more visible. The focus of hatred in the two-minute hate can be seen today as well. Hate is an emotion that everyone experiences. In 1984, two minutes is taken every day to focus hate on Emmanuel†¦show more content†¦The United States Army cannot locate Bin Laden, they don’t even know if he is alive. Yet, hate is still continually focused on Bin Laden. Similarly to 1984, thoughts fade quickly in this Nation. That act happened less than four months ago and people are already forgetting about the horrific deed. The past quickly gives way to the present in this nation where media is king. â€Å"Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date.† (36) The hate of the people of today is similar to the two-minute hate of 1984. The society structure of 1984 is also related to the nation of today. The proles made up 85% of the population of Oceania, but their thoughts didn’t matter. They had no connection to the government. The freedom to do whatever they wanted was also one of their rights. â€Å"They were born, they grew up in the gutters, they went to work at twelve, they passed through a brief blossoming period of beauty and sexual desire, they married at twenty, were middle aged at thirty, they died, for the most part at sixty.† (74) Most countries have 85% of their population being very poor with a low life expectancy like that of a prole. The poor, who make up the majority of the population, live in very destitute living conditions. The proles only had a 40% literacy rate which is comparable to some countries today. The proles were very comparable to the middle class American in some aspects as well. â€Å"They wereShow MoreRelatedSimilarities Between 1984 And 1984963 Words   |  4 Pages1984 Essay Although modern society may not be a totalitarian society, 1984 reflects many of modern society’s circumstances. Such as psychological understanding, surveillance technology, and wealth distribution. As a result of this, the society of 1984 may not be as far off from today as would seem, from 1984 societys wealth to standard of living, both places share many similarities. Both 1984 and modern society has developed a deep psychological understanding. 1984 expressed this understandingRead More1984 and V for Vendetta Comparing and Contrasting Essay754 Words   |  4 Pages1984 And V For Vendetta Comparing And Contrasting Essay George Orwells 1984 and the movie V for Vendetta both have similar views on how society is being run. Since The book 1984 was written before V for Vendetta, so perhaps V for Vendetta may have based some of its ideas on this book. Both 1984 and V for Vendetta have similarities like the way the themes and how the male protagonists are the one in charge of overturning the government. The first similarity between 1984 and V for VendettaRead MorePtl Case Study Essay1383 Words   |  6 Pagesresolution for a bonus. Auditors could not find necessary documents to support expenses and revenue. Compensation was excessive far beyond the regulation of IRS. (Louwers, 867-872) Enron was engaged in aggressive accounting practices. It took advantage of the deregulation to inflate energy price. It utilized off-balance sheet financing vehicle to make its financial statement look far better than it was supposed to be. Both PTL Club and Enron were very risky clients. (Shirur, 4) b) From the CPA firms’Read More1984 and Now1451 Words   |  6 Pages1984 AND NOW 1984  : Newspeak Now  : Politically Correct speech 1984  : The red sash of the Junior Anti-Sex League Now  : The red ribbon of the Anti-Aids celibacy league 1984  : Telescreens in every room. The programming runs 24 hours a day, and the proles have no way of turning their screens off. Now  : Televisions in every room. The programming runs 24 hours a day, and the proles rarely turn their screens off. 1984  : Telescreens in all public and private places, so the populace could beRead MoreGovernment Surveillance And Totalitarianism In George Orwells 19841593 Words   |  7 PagesThe Correlation of Government Surveillance and Totalitarianism in 1984 During the production of 1984, author George Orwell never envisioned a tangible reality housing the society he constructed. He wrote the novel as a warning, a cautious exposà © showing those what could happen if society lost its sense of humanity; housed in a painfully relevant satire of totalitarian barbarism. In his novel 1984, George Orwell addresses the issue of government surveillance through his strategic use of point of viewRead More A Comparison of George Orwells Totalitarian World of 1984 and America in 2004763 Words   |  4 PagesWorld of 1984 is America in 2004 Orwells allegorical critique of Stalinism in 1984 is often used in capitalist nations as a poignant literary attack on Communism and other collectivist economic and political systems. The argument often follows the lines of This is socialism, and as you can see, it doesnt work and just leads to oppression. Were in a nice capitalist democracy, therefore we are better off. But is that conclusion the truth? Orwell didnt just intend 1984 as anRead MoreFalse Truths, Life, Liberty, And The Pursuit Of Happiness1538 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican democracy. If life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the key to a long and stable governing power, then, would non-vitality, imprisonment, and censorship do the same? George Orwell’s, 1984, a bleak, yet compelling novel answers this question. In this dystopian version of 1984, asides from discos and neon leggings, Oceania, a mega-continent, is ruled by the omnipotent force called the Party. As told in the novel, the government, itself, is built entirely on hatred and fear becauseRead MoreAnalysis Of 1984 By George Orwell1163 Words   |  5 PagesEXAGGERATING IS UNDERSTATING Have you ever felt like you were being watched? In 1984 by George Orwell this was not just a feeling of the citizens in Oceania, it was their lifestyle. The plot of 1984 is over exaggerated in the sense that the citizens are not allowed to partake in any malpractice because their every move is constantly being watched, this makes 1984 a satire. 1984 is not only a satire but it is a satire of 2016. This is because people in 2016 are pressured into a stereotype, technologyRead MoreGeorge Orwell s 1984 1459 Words   |  6 PagesAt the point when George Orwell penned his new-popular tragic novel, 1984 discharged 67 years prior in June 1949, it was expected as fiction. The innovative setting is over three decades in our back window reflect, yet numerous parts of the book have come shockingly genuine today. The novel tells a socially stratified post atomic war world led by three superstrates. Luckily, there s been no worldwide atomic war, generally in light of the fact that president el ect Donald Trump hasn t assumed controlRead MoreTechnology, Educational Purposes, Communication, And Other Everyday Uses1365 Words   |  6 Pages Today technology can have many different uses. People use technology for entertainment, educational purposes, communication, and other everyday uses. In 1984, Big brother uses telescreens, a speakwrite,memory holes, microphones, and helicopters to secure control throughout Oceania. By using these technologies, Big Brother has raised fear and awareness in his citizens to keep them in line. Big Brother also uses technology to control their minds in certain ways. Telescreens are the primary

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Essay about Huck Finn - 1994 Words

Racism and Slavery in Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn Throughout Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, racism and slavery are two major thematic concepts pulsing through the novel. Through incidents, comments made by the characters, and statements by the narrator, Twain enables the readers to observe the attitudes of the people concerning discrimination and involuntary servitude before the Emancipation Proclamation. Not only does his use of language and comments help the reader better comprehend the social attitudes of the time period, it also enlightens the audience of Twain’s attitude towards slavery and racism. Twain is known for voicing his opinions and observations through characters, and in this novel it is no different. The audience is†¦show more content†¦Twain uses Pap’s stupidity to show how racism was for the uneducated. Huck does not describe Jim as harshly as Pap suggesting, through traits and characteristics, he is a better person that Pap. H e does not say anything negative about his physical appearance. He does call him a â€Å"nigger,† however that was socially acceptable at that time. In fact, Twain makes Jim a better, more caring father figure to Huck. Jim actually cares for Huck’s well-being when he says, â€Å"Goodness gracious, is dat you, Huck? †¦ Its too good for true, honey, its too good for true. Lemme look at you chile, lemme feel o you. No, you ain dead! yous back agin, live en soun, jis de same ole Huck—de same ole Huck, thanks to goodness! (63). Twain makes Jim the good guy and Pap the bad guy to show how African- Americans are not all bad and whites are not all good. He expresses through these two characters that blacks can actually be better people than whites, going against most beliefs back then. Next, when Jim escapes from Miss Watson and finds Huck, Huck is happy he has someone to pass time with. Forgetting about the moral standards of society he says, â€Å"I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn’t lonesome now†¦Then I says, ‘It’s good daylight. L’es get breakfast. Make up your campfire good’† (31). Again Twain used the relationship between Huck and Jim to show true caring. Also, according to the normal standards of societyShow MoreRelatedHuck Finn1657 Words   |  7 Pageswished I was dead (221). Mark Twains, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is a tale about a boy in search for a family and a place he can truly call home. Through his adventure, he rids himself of a father that is deemed despicable by society, and he gains a father that society hasnt even deemed as a man. This lonely and depressed young boy only finds true happiness when he is befriended with a slave named Jim. Although Huck Finn was born and raised into a rac ially oppressive society, it is throughRead MoreEssay on Huck Finn822 Words   |  4 Pages Huck Finns relationship with slavery is very complex and often contradictory. He has been brought up to accept slavery. He can think of no worse crime than helping to free a slave. Despite this, he finds himself on the run with Jim, a runaway slave, and doing everything in his power to protect him. Huck Finn grew up around slavery. His father is a violent racist, who launches into tirades at the idea of free blacks roaming around the countryside. Miss Watson owns slaves, including Jim, so thatRead More Huck Finn Essay892 Words   |  4 PagesHuck Finn I recently read the book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. This story deals Mainly with a lost boy escaping his harsh existence, and a slave trying to reach freedom. During the course of this book, the slave Jim, and the Boy Huck Bond with each other. I enjoyed this book immensely for a couple different reasons. While I liked the story, and the plot kept me interested, the real reason I found myself enjoying this book so much, was Mark Twain’s use of the underlying theme of racismRead More Huck Finn Essay568 Words   |  3 Pagesuses his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, to explore and makes fun of many problems facing American society. Huck, the main character, is considered a boy who is under pressure to conform to the aspects of society. Jim, who comes along with Huck, is a runaway slave seeking freedom from the world that has been denied it to him for so long. Throughout the entire novel Twain uses satire to show problems with society. Early in the novel, Huck scampers away with his good friend Tom and hisRead More Huck Finn Essay900 Words   |  4 Pages Tim Lively Critical Analysis: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Setting: Late 1800’s along the Mississippi River Plot: When the book begins, the main character, Huck Finn possesses a large sum of money. This causes his delinquent lifestyle to change drastically. Huck gets an education, and a home to live in with a caring elderly woman (the widow). One would think that Huck would be satisfied. Well, he wasn’t. He wanted his own lifestyle back. Huck’s drunkard father (pap), who had previouslyRead MoreEssay on Huck Finn941 Words   |  4 Pages Huckleberry Finn nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the greatest, most daring novels in the world. Mark Twain’s style helps to realistically portray early America. Mark Twain tells the story through the voice of Huck, the very kindhearted main character. Everything that Huck says reflects the racism and black stereotypes typical of the era. This has lead to many conflicts from readers since the novel was first printed. HoweverRead MoreHuck Finn Essay1835 Words   |  8 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain By Brenda Tarin British Literature 2323 Lois Flanagan January 27, 2009 Tarin ii I. Introduction II. Biographical sketch of author A. Past to present B. Experiences and achievements III Plot analysis A. analysis of plot structure 1. Exposition 2. Complication 3. Crisis 4. Climax 5. Resolution B. Theme of plot IVRead MoreRacism In Huck Finn1867 Words   |  8 PagesIn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the main character Huck encounters many racist people and ideas. As Huck goes on his adventure, he learns about society, it’s people and it’s beliefs. He then has to take what he has learned about society’s people which includes slaves, and decide if society’s beliefs are correct or incorrect. Throughout the novel, he sees how assimilated the people are with the racist ideas of society. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain uses satire to suggestRead MoreEssay on Huck Finn2499 Words   |  10 Pages Throughout the Mark Twain (a.k.a. Samuel Clemens) novel, The Adventures of HuckleBerry Finn, a plain and striking point of view is expressed by the author. His point of view is that of a cynic; he looks upon civilized man as a merciless, cowardly, hypocritical savage, without want of change, nor ability to effect such change. Thus, one of Mark Twains main purposes in producing this work seems clear: he wishes to bring to attention some of mans often concealed shortcomings. While the examplesRead MoreArgumentative Essay Huck Finn958 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Argumentative Essay: Should The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn be taught in school? Daniel Perez Period 1 10/30/14 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel based on the journey Huck, a young boy with an abusive father, and Jim, a runaway slave, have down the Mississippi River to Free states for an end goal of freedom. Freedom means different things to both of them, to Huck freedom means to be able to do what he wants and not be â€Å"sivilized†, while Jim’s definition of freedom is

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 3-4 Free Essays

3 TRAVIS Travis O’Hearn was driving a fifteen-year-old Chevy Impala he had bought in L.A. with money the demon had taken from a pimp. We will write a custom essay sample on Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 3-4 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The demon was standing on the passenger seat with his head out the window, panting into the rushing coastal wind with the slobbering exuberance of an Irish setter. From time to time he pulled his head inside the car, looked at Travis, and sang, â€Å"Your mother sucks cocks in he-ell, Your mother sucks cocks in he-ell,† in a teasing, childlike way. Then he would spin his head around several times for effect. They had spent the night in a cheap motel north of San Junipero, and the demon had tuned the television to a cable channel that played an uncut version of The Exorcist. It was the demon’s favorite movie. At least, Travis thought, it was better than the last time, when the demon had seen The Wizard of Oz and had spent an entire day pretending to be a flying monkey, or screaming, â€Å"And that goes for your little dog, too.† â€Å"Sit still, Catch,† Travis said. â€Å"I’m trying to drive.† The demon had been wired since he had eaten the hitchhiker the night before. The guy must have been on cocaine or speed. Why did drugs affect the demon when poisons did not phase him? It was a mystery. The demon tapped Travis on the shoulder with a long reptilian claw. â€Å"I want to ride on the hood,† he said. His voice was like rusty nails rattling in a can. â€Å"Enjoy,† Travis said, waving across the dashboard. The demon climbed out the window and across the front, where he perched like a hood ornament from hell, his forked tongue flying in the wind like a storm-swept pennon, spattering the windshield with saliva. Travis turned on the wipers and was grateful to find that the Chevy was equipped with an interval delay feature. It had taken him a full day in Los Angeles to find a pimp who looked as if he were carrying enough cash to get them a car, and another day for the demon to catch the guy in a place isolated enough to eat him. Travis insisted that the demon eat in private. When he was eating he became visible to other people. He also tripled in size. Travis had a recurring nightmare about being asked to explain the eating habits of his traveling companion. In the dream Travis is walking down the street when a policeman taps him on the shoulder. â€Å"Excuse me, sir,† the policeman says. Travis does a slow-mo Sam Peckenpah turn. â€Å"Yes,† he says. The policeman says, â€Å"I don’t mean to bother you – but that large, scaly fellow over there munching on the mayor – do you know him?† The policeman points toward the demon, who is biting off the head of a man in a pinstriped polyester suit. â€Å"Why, yes, I do,† Travis says. â€Å"That’s Catch, he’s a demon. He has to eat someone every couple of days or he gets cranky. I’ve known him for seventy years. I’ll vouch for his lack of character.† The policeman, who has heard it all before, says, â€Å"There’s a city ordinance against eating an elected official without a permit. May I see your permit, please?† â€Å"I’m sorry,† Travis says, â€Å"I don’t have a permit, but I’ll be glad to get one if you’ll tell me where to go.† The cop sighs and begins writing on a ticket pad. â€Å"You can only get a permit from the mayor, and your friend seems to be finishing him off now. We don’t like strangers eating our mayor around here. I’m afraid I’ll have to cite you.† Travis protests, â€Å"But if I get another ticket, they’ll cancel my insurance.† He always wondered about this part of the dream; he’d never carried insurance. The cop ignores him and continues to write out the ticket. Even in a dream, he is only doing his job. Travis thought it terribly unfair that Catch even invaded his dreams. Sleep, at least, should provide some escape from the demon, who had been with him for seventy years, and would be with him forever unless he could find a way to send him back to hell. For a man of ninety, Travis was remarkably well preserved. In fact, he did not appear to be much over twenty, his age when he had called up the demon. Dark with dark eyes and lean, Travis had sharp features that would have seemed evil if not for the constant look of confusion he wore, as if there were one answer that would make everything in life clear to him if he could only remember the question. He had never bargained for the endless days on the road with the demon, trying to figure out how to stop the killing. Sometimes the demon ate daily, sometimes he would go for weeks without killing. Travis had never found a reason, a connection, or a pattern to it. Sometimes he could dissuade the demon from killing, sometimes he could only steer him toward certain victims. When he could, he had the demon eat pimps or pushers, those that humanity could do without. But other times he had to choose vagrants and vagabonds, those that would not be missed. There was a time when he had cried while sending Catch after a hobo or a bag-lady. He’d made friends among the homeless when he was riding the rails with the demon, back before there were so many automobiles. Often a bum who didn’t know where his next roof or drink was coming from had shared a boxcar and a bottle with Travis. And Travis had learned that there was no evil in being poor; poverty merely opened one up to evil. But over the years he had learned to push aside the remorse, and time and again Catch dined on bums. He wondered what went through the minds of Catch’s victims just before they died. He had seen them wave their hands before their eyes as if the monster looming before them was an illusion, a trick of the light. He wondered what would happen now, if oncoming drivers could see Catch perched on the front of the Chevy waving like a parade queen from the Black Lagoon. They would panic, swerve off the narrow road and over the ocean-side bank. Windshields would shatter, and gasoline would explode, and people would die. Death and the demon were never separated for long. Coming soon to a town near you, Travis thought. But perhaps this is the last one. As a seagull cry dopplered off to Travis’s left, he turned to look out the window over the ocean. The morning sun was reflecting off the face of the waves, illuminating a sparkling halo of spray. For a moment he forgot about Catch and drank in the beauty of the scene, but when he turned to look at the road again, there was the demon, standing on the bumper, reminding him of his responsibility. Travis pushed the accelerator to the floor and the Impala’s engine hesitated, then roared as the automatic transmission dropped into passing gear. When the speedometer hit sixty he locked up the brakes. Catch hit the roadway face first and skidded headlong, throwing up sparks where his scales scraped the asphalt. He bounced off a signpost and into a ditch, where he lay for a moment trying to gather his thoughts. The Impala fishtailed and came to a stop sideways in the road. Travis slammed the Chevy into reverse, righted the car, then threw it into drive and screeched toward the demon, keeping the wheels out of the ditch until the moment of impact. The Impala’s headlights shattered against Catch’s chest. The corner of the bumper caught him in the waist and drove him deep into the mud of the ditch. The engine sputtered to a stop and the damaged radiator hissed a rusty cloud of steam into Catch’s face. The driver’s side door was jammed against the ditch, so Travis crawled out the window and ran around the car to see what damage he had done. Catch was lying in the ditch with the bumper against his chest. â€Å"Nice driving, A.J.,† Catch said. â€Å"You going to try for Indy next year?† Travis was disappointed. He hadn’t really expected to hurt Catch, he knew from experience that the demon was virtually indestructible, but he had hoped at least to piss him off. â€Å"Just trying to keep you on your toes,† he said. â€Å"A little test to see how you hold up under stress.† Catch lifted the car, crawled out, and stood next to Travis in the ditch. â€Å"What’s the verdict? Did I pass?† â€Å"Are you dead?† â€Å"Nope, I feel great.† â€Å"Then you have failed miserably. I’m sorry but I’ll have to run you over again.† â€Å"Not with this car,† the demon said, shaking his head. Travis surveyed the steam rising from the radiator and wondered whether he might not have been a little hasty in giving way to his anger. â€Å"Can you get it out of the ditch?† â€Å"Piece of cake.† The demon hoisted the front of the car and began to walk it up onto the berm. â€Å"But you’re not going to get far without a new radiator.† â€Å"Oh, you’re all of a sudden an expert mechanic. Mr. help-me-I-can’t-change-the-channel-while-the-magic-fingers-is-on all of a sudden has a degree in automotive diagnostics?† â€Å"Well, what do you think?† â€Å"I think there’s a town just ahead where we can get it fixed. Didn’t you read that sign you bounced off of?† It was a dig. Travis knew the demon couldn’t read; in fact, he often watched subtitled movies with the sound off just to irritate Catch. â€Å"What’s it say?† â€Å"It says, ‘Pine Cove, five miles.’ That’s where we’re going. I think we can limp the car five miles with a bad radiator. If not, you can push.† â€Å"You run over me and wreck the car and I get to push?† â€Å"Correct,† Travis said, crawling back through the car window. â€Å"At your command, master,† Catch said sarcastically. Travis tried the ignition. The car whined and died. â€Å"It won’t start. Get behind and push.† â€Å"Okay,† Catch said. He went around to the back of the car, put his shoulder to the bumper, and began pushing it the rest of the way out of the ditch. â€Å"But pushing cars is very hungry work.† 4 ROBERT Robert Masterson had drunk a gallon of red wine, most of a five-liter Coors minikeg, and a half-pint of tequila, and still the dream came. A desert. A big, bright, sandy bastard. The Sahara. He is naked, tied to a chair with barbed wire. Before him is a great canopied bed covered in black satin. Under the cool shade of the canopy his wife, Jennifer, is making love to a stranger – a young, muscular, dark-haired man. Tears run down Robert’s cheeks and crystallize into salt. He cannot close his eyes or turn away. He tries to scream, but every time he opens his mouth a squat, lizardlike monster, the size of a chimpanzee, shoves a saltine cracker into his mouth. The heat and the pain in his chest are agonizing. The lovers are oblivious to his pain. The little reptile man tightens the barbed wire around his chest by twisting a stick. Every time he sobs, the wire cuts deeper. The lovers turn to him in slow motion, maintaining their embrace. They wave to him, a big home-movie wave, postcard smiles. Greetings from the heart of anguish. Awake, the dream-pain in his chest replaced by a real pain in his head. Light is the enemy. It’s out there waiting for you to open your eyes. No. No way. Thirst – brave the light to slake the thirst – it must be done. He opened his eyes to a dim, forgiving light. Must be cloudy out. He looked around. Pillows, full ashtrays, empty wine bottles, a chair, a calendar from the wrong year with a picture of a surfer riding a huge swell, pizza boxes. This wasn’t home. He didn’t live like this. Humans don’t live like this. He was on someone’s couch. Where? He sat up and waited in vertigo until his brain snapped back into his head, which it did with a vengeful impact. Ah, yes, he knew where he was. This was Hangover – Hangover, California. Pine Cove, where he was thrown out of the house by his wife. Heartbreak, California. Jenny, call Jenny. Tell her that humans don’t live this way. No one lives this way. Except The Breeze. He was in The Breeze’s trailer. He looked around for water. There was the kitchen, fourteen miles away, over there at the end of the couch. Water was in the kitchen. He crawled naked off the couch, across the floor of the kitchen to the sink, and pulled himself up. The faucet was gone, or at least buried under a stack of dirty dishes. He reached into an opening, cautiously searching for the faucet like a diver reaching into an underwater crevice for a moray eel. Plates skidded down the pile and crashed on the floor. He looked at the china shards scattered around his knees and spotted the mirage of a Coors minikeg. He managed a controlled fall toward the mirage and his hand struck the nozzle. It was real. Salvation: hair of the dog in a handy, five-liter disposable package. He started to drink from the nozzle and instantly filled his mouth, throat, sinuses, aural cavity, and chest hair with foam. â€Å"Use a glass,† Jenny would say. â€Å"What are you, an animal?† He must call Jenny and apologize as soon as the thirst was gone. First, a glass. Dirty dishes were strewn across every horizontal surface in the kitchen: the counter, stove, table, breakfast bar, and the top of the refrigerator. The oven was filled with dirty dishes. Nobody lives like this. He spotted a glass among the miasma. The Holy Grail. He grabbed it and filled it with beer. Mold floated on the settling foam. He threw the glass into the oven and slammed the door before an avalanche could gain momentum. A clean glass, perhaps. He checked the cupboard where the dishes had once been kept. A single cereal bowl stared out at him. From the bottom of the bowl Fred Flintstone congratulated him, â€Å"Good kid! You’re a clean-plater!† Robert filled the bowl and sat cross-legged on the floor amid the broken dishes while he drank. Fred Flintstone congratulated him three times before his thirst abated. Good old Fred. The man’s a saint. Saint Fred of Bedrock. â€Å"Fred, how could she do this to me? Nobody can live like this.† â€Å"Good kid! You’re a clean-plater!† Fred said. â€Å"Call Jenny,† Robert said, reminding himself. He stood and staggered through the offal toward the phone. Nausea swept over him and he bounced back through the trailer’s narrow hallway and fell into the bathroom, where he retched into the toilet until he passed out. The Breeze called it â€Å"talking to Ralph on the Big White Phone.† This one was a toll call. Five minutes later he came to and found the phone. It seemed a superhuman effort to hit the right buttons. Why did they have to keep moving? At last he connected and someone answered on the first ring. â€Å"Jenny, honey, I’m sorry. Can I-â€Å" â€Å"Thank you for calling Pizza on Wheels. We will open at eleven A.M. and deliveries begin at four P.M. Why cook when-â€Å" Robert hung up. He’d dialed the number written on the phone’s emergency numbers sticker instead of his home. Again he chased down the buttons and pegged them one by one. It was like shooting skeet, you had to lead them a little. â€Å"Hello.† Jenny sounded sleepy. â€Å"Honey, I’m sorry. I’ll never do it again. Can I come home?† â€Å"Robert? What time is it?† He thought for a moment then guessed, â€Å"Noon?† â€Å"It’s five in the morning, Robert. I’ve been asleep about an hour, Robert. There were dogs barking in the neighborhood all night long, Robert. I’m not ready for this. Good-bye, Robert.† â€Å"But Jenny, how could you do it? You don’t even like the desert. And you know how I hate saltines.† â€Å"You’re drunk, Robert.† â€Å"Who is this guy, Jenny? What does he have that I don’t have?† â€Å"There is no other guy. I told you yesterday, I just can’t live with you anymore. I don’t think I love you anymore.† â€Å"Who do you love? Who is he?† â€Å"Myself, Robert. I’m doing it for myself. Now I’m hanging up for myself. Say good-bye so I don’t feel like I’m hanging up on you.† â€Å"But, Jenny-â€Å" â€Å"It’s over. Get on with your life, Robert. I’m hanging up now. Good-bye.† â€Å"But-† She hung up. â€Å"Nobody lives like this,† Robert said to the dial tone. Get on with your life. Okay, that’s a plan. He would clean up this place and clean up his life. Never drink again. Things were going to change. Soon she would remember what a great guy he was. But first he had to go to the bathroom to answer an emergency call from Ralph. The smoke alarm was screaming like a tortured lamb. Robert, now back on the couch, pulled a cushion over his head and wondered why the Breeze didn’t have a sleeper button on his smoke alarm. Then the pounding started. It was a door buzzer, not the smoke alarm. â€Å"Breeze, answer the door!† Robert shouted into the cushion. The pounding continued. He crawled off the couch and waded through the litter to the door. â€Å"Hold on a minute, man. I’m coming.† He threw the door open and caught the man outside with his fist poised for another pounding. He was a sharp-faced Hispanic in a raw silk suit. His hair was slicked back and tied in a ponytail with a black silk ribbon. Robert could see a flagship model BMW parked in the driveway. â€Å"Shit. Jehovah’s Witnesses must make a lot of money,† Robert said. The Hispanic was not amused. â€Å"I need to talk to The Breeze.† At that point Robert realized that he was naked and picked an empty, gallon wine bottle from the floor to cover his privates. â€Å"Come in,† Robert said, backing away from the door. â€Å"I’ll see if he’s awake.† The Hispanic stepped in. Robert stumbled down the narrow hall to The Breeze’s room. He knocked on the door. â€Å"Breeze, there’s some big money here to see you.† No answer. He opened the door and went in and searched through the piles of blankets, sheets, pillows, beer cans, and wine bottles, but found no Breeze. On the way back to the living room Robert grabbed a mildewed towel from the bathroom and wrapped it around his hips. The Hispanic was standing in the middle of a small clearing, peering around the trailer with concentrated disgust. It looked to Robert as if he were trying to levitate to avoid having his Italian shoes contact the filth on the floor. â€Å"He’s not here,† Robert said. â€Å"How do you live like this?† the Hispanic said. He had no discernible accent. â€Å"This is subhuman, man.† â€Å"Did my mother send you?† The Hispanic ignored the question. â€Å"Where is The Breeze? We had a meeting this morning.† He put an extra emphasis on the word meeting. Robert got the message. The Breeze had been hinting that he had some big deal going down. The guy must be the buyer. Silk suits and BMWs were not the usual accouterments of The Breeze’s clientele. â€Å"He left last night. I don’t know where he went. You could check down at the Slug.† â€Å"The Slug?† â€Å"Head of the Slug Saloon, on Cypress. He hangs out there sometimes.† The Hispanic tiptoed through the garbage to the door, then paused on the step. â€Å"Tell him I’m looking for him. He should call me. Tell him I do not do business this way.† Robert didn’t like the commanding tone in the Hispanic’s voice. He affected the obsequious tone of an English butler, â€Å"And whom shall I say has called, sir?† â€Å"Don’t fuck with me, cabron. This is business.† Robert took a deep breath, then sighed. â€Å"Look, Pancho. I’m hung over, my wife just threw me out, and my life is not worth shit. So if you want me to take messages, you can damn well tell me who the fuck you are. Or should I tell The Breeze to look for a Mexican with a Gucci loafer shoved up his ass? Comprende, Pachuco?† The Hispanic turned on the step and started to reach into his suit coat. Robert felt adrenaline shoot through his body, and he tightened his grip on the towel. Oh, yeah, he thought, pull a gun and I’ll snap your eyes out with this towel. He suddenly felt extremely helpless. The Hispanic kept his hand in his coat. â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"I’m The Breeze’s decorator. We’re redoing the whole place in an abstract expressionist motif.† Robert wondered if he wasn’t really trying to get shot. â€Å"Well, smart ass, when The Breeze shows up, you tell him to call Rivera. And you tell him that when the business is done, his decorator is mine. You understand?† Robert nodded weakly. â€Å"Adios, dogmeat.† Rivera turned and walked toward the BMW. Robert closed the door and leaned against it, trying to catch his breath. The Breeze was going to be pissed when he heard about this. Robert’s fear was replaced by self-loathing. Maybe Jenny was right. Maybe he had no idea how to maintain a relationship with anybody. He was worthless and weak – and dehydrated. He looked around for something to drink and vaguely remembered having done this before. Dj vu? â€Å"Nobody lives like this.† It was going to change, goddammit. As soon as he found his clothes, he was going to change it. RIVERA Detective Sergeant Alphonso Rivera of the San Junipero County Sheriff’s Department sat in the rented BMW and cursed. â€Å"Fuck, fuck, and double fuck.† Then he remembered the transmitter taped to his chest. â€Å"Okay, cowboys, he’s not here. I should have known. The van’s been gone for a week. Call it off.† In the distance he could hear cars starting. Two beige Plymouths drove by a few seconds later, the drivers conspicuously not looking at the BMW as they passed. What could have gone wrong? Three months setting it all up. He’d gone out on a limb with the captain to convince him that Charles L. Belew, a.k.a. The Breeze, was their ticket into the Big Sur growers’ business. â€Å"He’s gone down twice for cocaine. If we pop him for dealing, he’ll give us everything but his favorite recipe to stay out of Soledad.† â€Å"He’s small time,† the captain had said. â€Å"Yeah, but he knows everybody, and he’s hungry. Best of all, he knows he’s small time, so he thinks we wouldn’t bother with him.† Finally the captain had relented and it had been set up. Rivera could hear him now. â€Å"Rivera, if you got made by a drugged-out loser like Belew, maybe we should put you back in uniform, where your high visibility will be an asset. Maybe we can put you in P.R. or recruitment.† Rivera’s ass was hanging out worse than that drunken jerk in the trailer. Who was he, anyway? As far as anyone knew, The Breeze lived alone. But this guy seemed to know something. Why else would he give Rivera such a hard time? Maybe he could pull this off with the drunk. Desperate thinking. A long shot. Rivera memorized the license number of the old Ford truck parked outside The Breeze’s trailer. He would run it through the computer when he got back to the station. Maybe he could convince the captain that he still had something. Maybe he did. And then again, maybe he could just climb a stream of angel piss to heaven. Rivera sat in the file room of the sheriff’s office drinking coffee and watching a videotape. After running the license number through the computer, Rivera found that the pickup belonged to a Robert Masterson, age twenty-nine. Born in Ohio, married to Jennifer Masterson, also twenty-nine. His only prior was a drunk-driving conviction two years ago. The video was a record of Masterson’s breathalyzer test. Several years ago the department had begun taping all breathalyzer tests to avoid legal-defense strategies based on procedural mistakes made by arresting officers during testing. On the television screen a very drunk Robert W. Masterson (6 ft., 180 lbs., eyes green, hair brown) was spouting nonsense to two uniformed deputies. â€Å"We work for a common purpose. You serve the state with your minds and bodies. I serve the state by opposing it. Drinking is an act of civil disobedience. I drink to end world hunger. I drink to protest the United States’ involvement in Central America. I drink to protest nuclear power. I drink†¦Ã¢â‚¬  A sense of doom descended on Rivera as he watched. Unless The Breeze reappeared, his career was in the hands of this tightly wound, loosely wrapped, drunken idiot. He wondered what life might be like as a bank security guard. On the screen the two officers looked away from their prisoner to the door of the testing room. The camera was mounted in the corner and fitted with a wide-angle lens to cover anything that happened without having to be adjusted. A little Arab man in a red stocking cap had come through the door, and the deputies were telling him that he had the wrong room and to please leave. â€Å"Could I trouble you for a small quantity of salt?† the little man asked. Then he blinked off the screen as if the tape had been stopped and he had been edited out. Rivera rewound the tape and ran it again. The second time, Masterson performed the test without interruption. The door did not open and there was no little man. Rivera ran it back again: no little man. He must have dozed off while the tape was running. His subconscious had continued the tape while he slept, inserting the little man’s entrance. That was the only viable explanation. â€Å"I don’t need this shit,† he said. Then he ejected the tape and drained his coffee, his tenth cup of the day. How to cite Practical Demonkeeping Chapter 3-4, Essay examples

Monday, May 4, 2020

Dominicans And AfroAmericans Essay Research Paper In free essay sample

Black friars And African-americans Essay, Research Paper In America today, there is a big and diverse Afro-american population. Within this population, there are several cultural groups. The other cultural group similar to Afro-Americans is Dominicans. Not merely are they both minorities, but they besides look similar every bit good. Both Dominicans and African-americans are originally from Africa, but their slave Masterss separated them into two different civilizations. African americans was African slaves of Americans, and Dominicans were African slaves of the Spanish. Hevesi of the New York Times says, # 8220 ; Dominican and Afro-Americans civilization was formed from one ethnicity, Africans # 8221 ; ( Hevesi 86 ) . As a individual of these two cultural groups, I have two perceptual experiences of my double ethnicity. Among Afro-Americans? and Dominicans? civilization, linguistic communication, history and values, there are big differences, but there are besides several similarities. I will compare and contrast these two ethnic groups which are within me. Black friars and African americans are similar in their African beginning, but they are different in their newfound slavery-induced civilizations. Dominicans were Africans assorted with Spanish civilization. Through slave colonies, Dominicans were settled in Hispanola. In Hispanola, Dominicans were influenced between two cultural groups. As a new cultural group formed, their African traits were assorted with Spanish traits ( Saillant-Torres 131 ) . African America history was African civilization assorted with American civilization. As a group, slave Masterss made their ocean trip to Africa, took slaves, and formed a group called Afro-Americans. African civilization was integrated into Western civilisation. Most Africans were slaves in the Southern portion of North America. Arnold Rose points out ; # 8220 ; Negro? s are non accepted in America # 8221 ; ( 94 ) . Some Dominicans were settled in America. Many live in New York in a metropolis called Spanish Harlem. Today, over 100 million Dominicans live at that place. The histories of these two ethnic groups have really small similarity, but the African influence is one consolidative force. The linguistic communications of these two cultural groups are wholly different. Dominicans speak Spanish and Afro-Americans speak English. Dominicans don # 8217 ; t talk insouciant Castillan Spanish. They speak Spanish with a turn of African influences. Gleijeses says, # 8220 ; Dominicans don # 8217 ; t talk true Spanish, so they are non treated as Spanish ( 7 ) . African-Americans speak English with a different type of turn. Some African Americans don # 8217 ; t talk proper English. They speak English with slang and do up some words. In a manner Dominicans and African-american linguistic communications are the same because of the content of their linguistic communication. As being African slaves, Dominicans and African-Americans don # 8217 ; t talk their 2nd linguistic communication right. In the United States today there are Dominicans and Afro-Americans. Some American Dominicans speaks English, with slang as the Afro-Americans do. The African slaves couldn # 8217 ; t artic ulate the words of their newfound linguistic communication. They made other words that they could associate to with one a nother. Both Dominicans and Afro-Americans did this. African-americans and Dominicans have different values and different manners of life. Most Dominicans are racist towards African-Americans because America perceives them as the same cultural group. I think that because of this, Dominicans feel insulted that they can? t be viewed as Hispanics. Even though Dominicans have African influences merely as Afro-Americans do, they don? T want to be accepted as inkinesss. For illustration, some Black friars don? T want other Dominicans to day of the month Blacks and have interracial relationships. They are non recognizing how similar their civilizations are. Black friars believe that they have a full Spanish heritage and they try to bury about their African beginnings. Dominicans value life as Spaniards. Dominicans were wholly brainwashed off from their African background that is truly difficult for them to get away from. Dominicans eat different types of nutrient and they listen to different types of music than African Americans do. In worl d there are still African influences in their music and their nutrient. On the other manus, African Americans value life as Americans. They have the same imposts as Americans, but they are still minorities. African-americans consider themselves as black Americans and they want to be accepted as black Americans. Afro-Americans still have an apprehension of their heritage. Some African-americans feel they are still Africans. Some Don? T want to be accepted as Americans. In a manner some Dominicans and African-americans have the same feelings towards how America views them. In New York Times Magazine it says, Dominicans protested to go a individual race ( Sontag, Dugger 28 ) . Even though Dominicans were immigrants, they wanted their individual ethnicity rights. Both African Americans and Dominicans struggle between keeping their cultural individuality and going portion of American civilization. I view Dominicans and Afro-Americans likewise because I am a individual of these two cultural groups. Most of the clip people perceive me as Black and other clip? s people call me Puerto Rican. I know I shouldn? t get angry, but I feel like others don? T regard me and are seeking to label me. My female parent is Black and my male parent is Dominican. Most Dominicans think that it is an uneven mixture, but they don? t realize that they have the same beginnings from Africa. In a manner it is difficult to be a portion of two cultural groups, but it is really interesting. In my life, I had a batch of unfavorable judgment from both sides of my household. My female parent doesn? T like my male parent? s household and the feeling is common. So, I have many jobs with my race, but I am still really proud. I ever try to unify my household to go equal. In America today, I feel every cultural group should see themselves as equal. Regardless of their heritage, they are still Americans. So, I feel any racism between Americans is really nescient. In decision, I think difference is good, but similarities are better, because you find out the things that you portion and how you can associate to one another.

Monday, March 30, 2020

The poem How Do I Love Thee Essay Example

The poem How Do I Love Thee? Paper In what ways, and how, does Elizabeth Barrett Browning convey deep and eternal love in the poem How Do I Love Thee? from the Sonnets from the Portuguese XLIII? The poem How Do I Love Thee? from the Sonnets from the Portuguese XLIII is a Petrarchan sonnet of fourteen lines, consisting of an octave and a sestet. It was written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-61) in 1845 and was composed for her husband, the renowned Romantic poet, Robert Browning. At the time of writing, Barrett Brownings life had been one of seclusion from the world, as she was the daughter of an overprotective, archetypal Victorian Father. And, although she was a published poet at the time of writing the sonnet, Barrett Browning had spent the majority of her early adult life as a recluse, forbidden by her father any moderate contact with the outside world. Following the death of her mother when she was 22, and the drowning of her brother in 1838 in Torquay, Devon during a visit to aid Barrett Brownings ailing health, the poet became bed bound with poor health and a nervous disposition. We will write a custom essay sample on The poem How Do I Love Thee? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The poem How Do I Love Thee? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The poem How Do I Love Thee? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Her sickness in her mid twenties, which is considered to be anorexia, combined with a bronchial complaint, restricted her adult life and she had little contact with possible suitors other than the poet Robert Browning who, along with John Kenyon, a friend of the arts, visited her in her home. As Barrett Browning lived most of her life in the confines of her room, her poetry does not reflect, or usually reference, the outdoors as, say, Wordsworths poems do; but her poems are usually figurative, relating to the world outside as she saw it through reading literature and she was very well read. This poem was written when she was forty years old and she writes with a certain innocence, mixed with a mature, womanly outlook. Elizabeth Barrett Browning secretly married Robert Browning, who was six years her junior and the two set out for Italy to escape her domineering father. The poem How Do I Love Thee? is part of a sequence written by Barrett Browning during this period of her life and the poem is a declaration of love to her new husband. It was written soon after their elopement and remains one of the most famous love poems, containing in the opening the rhetoric question How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Barrett Browning goes on to declare her love in no less than eight ways in the poem. The first way the poet shows her love is in the lines 2, 3 and 4: I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. Barrett Browning declares her love to be unconditional. She loves with her all her soul, reaching out beyond Being, as far as her soul can reach, to both her creator and to her Love. This line contains a quotation from the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Ephesians, and as the poet was a devout reader of the bible, the reference reflects her knowledge and understanding of the scriptures. The length, breadth and height she mentions conveys the shape of a crucifix: as high as Gods love, as deep as Christs love and sacrifice and as long lasting as infinity. Her love, she is saying, is as deep, broad and long as her soul can reach and is as great as the length, breadth and height of Gods love. Her love is as unconditional as, and is part of, the love Christ has for man. The reference to Being and Grace in line 3 relate to the Great Chain of Being which links God with man via the angels right down to the animals, plants and the Earth itself. Grace is the link within the chain, connecting God with all of his creation. As Gods love is infinite, Barrett Browning is declaring her love as the same, unconditionally reaching out to the length, breadth and height of Being and Grace. Her love reaches beyond her life, beyond Being and Grace, to the end of her life to her salvation.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Brunelleschis dome and the Greek Pantheon

Brunelleschis dome and the Greek Pantheon Free Online Research Papers Although Brunelleschi never duplicated classical features, he borrowed ideas from the ancient ruins and incorporated them into the desighn of his dome† (1). When a revival of classical styles became popular, new edifices in the classical style were built alongside or added to buildings of older styles. This is how the renaissance revived the classical past. The Ancient Greek Pantheon has a long history and has undergone extensive damage and restoration. The Greek Pantheon is divided into two distinct architectural sections, having height and diameter of equal dimensions. At the top of the dome is an opening, through this opening is the only way external light may enter. The Ancient Greek Pantheon used heavier material at the bottom and lighter materials at the top, this produced a self-buttressing system. The dome of the Ancient Greek Pantheon was heavy and was made out of solid concrete. It is the largest non reinforced concrete dome. The gothic masons that worked on the Ancient Greek Pantheon â€Å"built with pointed arches to create vaults that were reinforced with ribs† (2). Also during the time when the Ancient Greek Pantheon was constructed the masons used tall granite columns. This type of column was used in a lot of classical styles. In looking at the measurements of the ancient greek pantheon the whole interior would fit exactly within a cube. Also the height of the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same. These things show that ancient roman units of measurement are used, and almost certainly had symbolic meaning, â€Å"either numerical, geometric, or lunar† (3). The symbols here show the peoples worshipping of a higher power. The cathedrals 44 windows also have a symbolic meaning. The construction of the dome on top of the cathedral of Florence marks the begining of Renaissance architecture. The cathedral of Florence was built over many years as well. Filippo Brunelleschi traveled to Rome to study the classical construction of arches and columns, and incorporated his findings in his studies into the dome on top of the cathedral of Florence. In the mass sacristy the chamber has inlaid wood panels by Florentine masters of the 15th. Century. The artists used linear perspective that was invented in the early 1400s. Brunelleschi’s dome was 45 meters wide, and was originally made out of wood. The usual way to build arches or domes in these times was to use scaffolding. Brunelleschi made the decision to build his dome without scaffolding, in a way that it would support itself similar to the Pantheon. Even today 600 years after it was built the dome is still the tallest building in Florence. In conclusion you can see the same type of construction methods in both the pantheon and the dome. Such as the way both structures were built to be self supporting. Both structures are meant to be places of worship and have very specific measurements and symbols of worship and of a higher power. The pantheon and the dome are built on land that is raised higher than the land around it and both structures have stairs leading to them. The pantheon holds the record for the largest non reinforced concrete dome and the dome of Brunelleschi is the tallest building in Florence to this day. As you can see a lot of the quality’s and ideas of the classical style is apparent in the dome and the dome was the mark of the start of the renaissance. We could admire the pantheon for all its wonder and history and for the time that it was constructed, we can admire the dome for its new outlook on the classical style either way we stand back in awe. Research Papers on Brunelleschi's dome and the Greek PantheonMind TravelCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThree Concepts of PsychodynamicRiordan Manufacturing Production Plan19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Effects of Illegal Immigration

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) - Essay Example Prior to the 1970s, such risks were left to the companies to handle and there was minimal intervention from the federal government by way of work safety-related policies and regulatory standards. By the late 1960s, workplace accidents resulted to the death of an average 14,000 workers per year while an estimated two million more were harmed or disabled. Furthermore, there was too little known about the health effects of the variety of chemicals that were being churned out of factories even as environmental advocates have been raising the alarm on the possible dangers of exposure. This disturbing rates and figures prompted President Nixon to sign the Occupational Safety and Health Act in Dec. 17, 19701. The enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) marked the first time that a federal program was established to protect and ensure the health and safety of the entire country’s work force by reducing job-related illness, injury, disability, accidents, and death. Then-Secretary of Labor James Hodgson’s first step was to establish the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a special agency within the United States Department of Labor tasked to implement and enforce the said Act; OSHA was established effective April 28, 19712. In order to carry out the mission which it was set out for, OSHA had to start from scratch, using the Bureau of Labor Standards as the nucleus from which to build up the program3. The OSH Act also established the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as the agency to conduct researches on known and possible work-related safety and health problems and to recommend regulatory standards which OSHA should consider based on their findings; as well as that, NIOSH was also to provide technical assistance to OSHA4. OSHA’s principal client groups are mainly organized labor and the business community; as such, they have played active roles

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Degeneration of Free Enterprise Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Degeneration of Free Enterprise Systems - Essay Example Free enterprise systems trace their roots way back in the 18th century when governments restricted individuals from owning and starting their own businesses. In a free enterprise system, the control of goods and services is through demand and supply, as well as competition. There are laws in place that encourage free market competition and avoidance of monopolies. A free enterprise system is self-regulating, where all parties are free to transact with each other. The only government intervention carried out is punishment on frauds. Competition within a free enterprise ensures production of excellent goods. In a free enterprise system, individuals enjoy the freedom of owning private property. Businesses and individuals are free to engage in contracts (Elijah 41). Therefore, the agreement to sell or buy goods, whether oral or written, is legally binding. On the other hand, individuals enjoy the freedom to make personal choices. They communicate those choices throughout the pricing syst em. In addition, people are free to participate in free competition and enterprise (Elijah 42). They do this by choosing a place they will work and manage their own business. If they desire so, they are free to choose the type and amount of services and goods they are willing to produce. According to Adam Smith, self interest acts as a force that dictates the behaviors of businesses and individuals. Therefore, people are free to search for their own self-interest. Fascism is a form of authoritarian and nationalistic government organization (Leon 5). In a fascist system, the government may not own businesses but does control them. The government controls what is produced, who is to produce it, when to produce it, what prices to charge, where to find raw materials and labor. Labor becomes largely suppressed under fascist forms of governments. The government makes the owners of business to believe they still own their business, yet they control them through regulations and taxations. F ascist governments are defined as governments that control large corporations. Fascism advocates for war and political violence as means of achieving nationalism (Leon 5). A fascist state is controlled by a leader who becomes viewed supreme and practices dictatorship on the government and other government enterprises. It is also defined as a government form characterized by authority centralization under a dictator. Fascism is a government system where all forms of business enterprises become regimented under a dictator who emphasizes on the need for nationalism. Fascism may also be coupled with racism. An oligarchy is a form of government where a limited number of people control power. Normally, such people may be in control of a country’s government, they can also be wealthy individuals. Degeneration of a Free Enterprise system Degeneration of free enterprise happens when there is a decline of effectiveness of power, essential quality or power itself. Degeneration of a free enterprise system if not controlled can lead to systems associated with fascist oligarchs. A free enterprise may crumble either because of forceful government intervention or market forces. In case a free enterprise system degenerates as a result of market forces then the government may intervene, but if it is through forceful intervention, then the most likely outcome may be a fascist oligarch. Fascism presents the first step of degeneration of a f

Monday, January 27, 2020

Effect of Communication on Collaborative Working

Effect of Communication on Collaborative Working Discuss how communication within an inter-professional team could affect collaborative working. Inter-professional learning and collaborative working in healthcare are two significant practices that must be understood as health care practitioners and trainee health professionals, to deliver high quality of patient-centred care in National Health Service (NHS) through effective communication. Thus, the aim of this essay is to critical discuss and analyse how communication within an interprofessional team could affect collaborative working to reduce medical errors, decrease workloads, reduce mortality rate, conflict and lack of trust. Two specific key points will be addressed throughout this essay; collaboration with staff and students, effective communication such as verbal and non verbal which entails active listening. In accordance to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2015) codes of conduct on confidentiality, personal information and trust identifiers will be anonymous in the essay and service users (SU) will signify patients. Buring et al (2009) explained Inter-professional teamwork as the extent of which an array of several healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists and many more work together successfully to influence the quality of care being provided, improve collaboration, enhance quality of patient care, lower costs, decrease patient length of stay and overall reduction in medical errors in health care setting. Negatively, poor communication within a team of health professionals might lead to conflict, lack of trust and may impact on patient care and safety (Vincent, 2011). Collaborative working in healthcare is the process whereby professionals from different disciplines work and support each other as a team cohesively, whilst balancing their roles, sharing responsibility towards making difficult clinical evidence based decisions appropriate enough for the best interest of the SU (McCabe Timmins, 2013). The NMC (2015) stated that to promote a dynamic collaboration among health and social care professionals, effective communication must be established and demonstrated within respective teams, at the same time respecting individual professional’s knowledge, skills and contribution. Flin (2009) defines communication as ‘the transfer of information, ideas or feelings’ (p. 16). However, Emmitt and Gorse (2009) articulate that the transmission of information from sender to receiver may be distorted, therefore, in order for communication to be successful within collaboration, professionals have to utilise this skill effectively. Daly (2004) affirms that effective communication between healthcare professionals is the cornerstone to successful collaboration. Furthermore, Stukenberg (2010) states that once effective communication has been implemented within collaborative working, improved knowledge, work interactions, and positive environment for professionals to work cohesively is established, subsequently, improving the delivery of patient care (Chatman, 2008). The two method of communication that has been commonly cited by numerous literatures are, verbal and non-verbal communications which are widely used by health and social care practitioners in various settings. A study of Purtilo and Haddad (2009) highlighted that verbal communication is vital to health professionals in forming professional relationship through the form of team meetings. The study further emphasised that regular meetings of interprofessional team linked by a common care pathway help to enforce verbal communication and activate effective team collaboration. An example of this was during the author’s placement in a hospice (palliative care), a multidisciplinary meeting was held regularly every week consisting of an array of professionals from different department such as nurse specialists, consultants, social workers, student nurses, doctors, occupational therapist, spiritual and psychological specialist to discuss and up-date members of the team regarding patien ts care. As observed, effective communication was utilised and initiated throughout the course of the meeting as ideas from this group of professionals were put forward in an orderly manner as each professionals took it in turn to contribute towards the decision-making process. Communication observed was clear and concise among the health professionals. Bach and Grant (2012) concurs that clarity of conservation among professionals will aid the process of information being transmitted accordingly thus leading to understanding, as it ensure vital information are not misheard in turn reduces the risk for confusion among individuals within the team. Burnard and Gill (2014) further explained that communication is the art and process of creating and sharing ideas from different individuals, therefore, when this is demonstrated within a group of professionals, they are able to contribute ideas drawing from their own knowledge, experience and expertise as suggested by Baatrup (2014). Tindall, Sedrak and Boltri (2013)also articulated that effective communication will warrant that each members of the team are kept up-to-date which is vital when key decisions are made regarding a patient’s care. They further elaborate that communication forms relationship where trust and respect are instilledthereby enhancing job satisfaction and wiliness of health professionals to join forces with one another as a team in order to deliver a care that is of high quality. Rost and Wilson (2013) maintains that active listening should also be incorporated within communication as it an invaluable tool that sustains collaborative working among healthcare professionals. However, communication failures among health care professionals have been highlighted as the leading cause of unintentional patients harm with many leading to permanent injuries and even deaths (The Joint commission, 2006). An example will be the devastating case of Victoria Climbie (UK Department of Health (DoH), 2003) which demonstrated the effects of ineffective team work and poor communication among health professionals. The recommendation from Lord Laming’s report on the Victoria Climbie inquiry stress the need for health care professionals to improve interprofessional communication and collaboration. As emphasised by UK DoH (2013), effective communication is crucial among health professionals to enhance care delivery, develop therapeutic relationships and it is known to be one of the 6C’s approved by government and NHS to support the values and ethics in health care delivery. Ineffective collaborative working can be as a result of lack of understanding, poorly defined roles and responsibilities, poor communication challenges among health care professionals, which evidently has a negative impact on clinical outcomes. As seen in the Francis report (2013) of the Mid Staffordshire hospital where SU were left to suffer as a result of poor communication and collaboration among interprofessional team. For this reason, the DoH (2013) emphasise the need for all health care professionals to work together collaboratively, communication effectively among each other and have an increased knowledge of the role of each member of the team. Interprofessional team must possess active listening skills which is an important tool in improving discussion and help building trusting relationships between health care professionals (Stainton et al, 2011). Aitken (2013) recognised good listening skills as an important tool for effective communication that can consolidate collaborative working among health professional especially for student analysis and learning. In terms of collaboration between staffs and students, this allows students to be able to gain insights into the varieties of language used such as terminologies commonly used within health and social care, in turn enhances understanding as students are aware of how best to communicate with other professionals within clinical practice building up their interprofessional skills paving away for effective collaboration (ref). REF) put fort the notion that where there is effective communication between staff and students, a strong relationship is formed where there is mutual respect and trust, even though there is differing competence between this specific group of individuals (Hamilton, 2010). Morgan, (2013) also states that effective communication will improve staff and students experiences. Collaborative working through effective communication facilitates professionals from a diverse range of other expertise to help achieve single aim, decrease work load, share ideas on how to deliver highest quality of care through understanding of information communicated. In addition, NMC (2015) recommends that professionals should have the necessary skills to communicate effectively with colleagues and other professionals in order to improve patient care. Hence, working collaboratively has been widely stimulated as the best approach in improving health outcomes (UK DoH, 2010). Furthermore, to support collaborative practice individuals need to utilise interpersonal skills to promote effective teamwork and communication. Therefore, Combined Universities Inter-professional Unit (CUILU) (2010) recommended a guideline designed to help students and different professionals understand how the development of a collaborative worker is evaluated by applying the inter-professional capability fr amework. This consists of four domains which are Collaborative working (CW), Reflection (R), the Cultural Awareness and Ethical Practice (CAEP) and the Organisational Competence. In conclusion, effective communication and collaboration has a huge impact on the lives of SU and health professionals either positively or negatively. It is the role of health professionals to address this and collaboratively maintain continuity of care where there is high quality patient centred care, promote good working relationship with members of a team, thereby enhancing job satisfaction for professionals and quality of life for patients. A good listening skills, mutual respect and value for team members irrespective of their discipline will also facilitate an effective collaboration and patient safety. REFERENCES Aitken, J.E. (2013). Cases on Communication Technology for Second Language Acquisition and Cultural Learning. United States: IGI Global. Baatrup, G. (2014). Multidisciplinary Treatment of Colorectal Cancer:Staging – Treatment – Pathology – Palliation. United Kingdom: Springer. Bach, S. A. Grant, (2012). Communication and Interpersonal skills in nursing. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. Buring, S.M., Bhushan, A., Broeseker, A., Conway, S., Duncan-Hewitt, W., Hansen, L. Westberg, S. (2009). Interprofessional Education: Definitions, Student Compentencies, and Guidelines for Implementation. American journal of pharmaceutical education, 73 (4), 1-8. Burnard, P. Gill, P. (2014). Culture, Communication and Nursing. United States: Routledge. Chatman, I.J. (2008). Medical Team Training:Strategies for Improving Patient Care and Communication. United States: Joint Commission Resources. CUILU (2010) Interprofessional Capability Framework: a framework containing capabilities and learning levels learning to Interprofessional capability. The Combined Universities Interprofessional Unit. Sheffield Hallam University and The University of Sheffield. Daly, G. (2004). Understanding the barriers to multiprofessional collaboration. Nursing Times, 1(9), 78 -79. Emmitt, S. Gorse, C.A. (2009). Construction Communication. United Kingdom: John Wiley Sons. Flin, R. et al (2009) Human factors in patient safety: review of topic and tools. Report for Methods and Measures Working Group of WHO Patient Safety. Geneva: World Health Organization. Retrieve April 7th 2015, from http://www.who.int/patientsafety/research/methods_measures/human_factors/hu man_factors_review.pdf Francis, R. (2013). Report of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry. The Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry. London: TSO Hamilton, C. (2010). Communicating for Results: A Guide for Business and the Professions. (9th ed.). United States: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. McCabe, C. Timmins, F. (2013). Communication Skills for Nursing Practice. (2nd ed.). United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. Morgan, M. (2013). Improving the Student Experience:A Practical Guide for Universities and Colleges. United Kingdom: Routledge. Nursing Midwifery Council. (2015). The code professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives. London: NMC Purtilo, R. Haddard, A. (2009). Health professional and patient interaction. (7th ed.). United States: Rost, M. Wilson, J. (2013). Active Listening. United States: Routledge. Stainton, K., Hughson, J., Funnell, R., Koutoukidis, G. Lawrence, K. (2011). Tabbners Nursing Care:Theory and Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences. Stukenberg, C.M. (2010). Successful Collaboration in Healthcare:A Guide for Physicians, Nurses and Clinical Documentation Specialists. United States: CRC Press. The Joint Commission (2006). Root causes of sentinel events, all categories. Oakbrook, IL Retrieved April 4th , from http://www.jointcommission.org/NR/rdonlyres/FA465646-5F5F-4543-AC8F-E8AF6571E372/0/root_cause_se.jpg Tindall, W.N.,Sedrak,M., Boltri, J. (2013). Patient-Centered Pharmacology:Learning System for the Conscientious Prescribe. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis. United Kingdom. Department of Health (2010). Modernising Scientific Careers: The England action plan. Retrieved April 10th, 2015 from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/139529/dh_115144.pdf United Kingdom. Department of Health and NHS Commissioning Board (2013). Compassion in practice. Nursing, midwifery and care staff: our vision and strategy Redditch: NHS Commissioning Board. United Kingdom. Department of Health. (2003). Laming Report. The Victoria Climbià © Inquiry-Report of an inquiry by Lord Laming. Retrieved April 4th , 2015 from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/273183/5730.pdf Vincent, C. (2011). Patient Safety.(2nd ed.). United Kingdom: Wiley Blackwell.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Longevity research Essay

Today, a great amount of people have learned to enjoy life once again as a senior in the community. This would speak of those in the 70’s and beyond. Life expectancy for Americans, which was a mere 49 years in 1900, has now increased to around 76 years. This we can say is due to improvements in health care, nutrition, and the overall standard of living. Not only are people living longer, but they are becoming more active in their older age, relative to elderly of the past. More older Americans are able carry out their own â€Å"instrumental activities of daily living† (Hodes 2003) As such, the desire for life has grown and billions have been poured into longevity research, an undertaking meant to discover ways and means to extend life. A vast motivation in science has been well-funded to discover how to keep man alive longer, with its aim toward more and more years. (Douglas 2006) There are concerns however one must view in light of this, namely, will a society with many living over a hundred years be actually as beautiful as it seems to present? The first concern would be the quality of life given that although the body may be kept health, the brain will be aging. Surely, the mind at the age of 110 is not as lucid as that of one at the age of 60. There are many diseases that correlate with the aging brain, but let us use the more common Alzheimer’s disease as an example. This is a devastating condition that has been seen to have a profound impact on individuals, families, the health care system, and society as a whole. Demographic studies suggest that if the current trends maintain themselves, the annual number of incident cases of this disease will begin a sharp increase in the year 2030 thereabouts. (Alzheimer’s association 2009) This will be a time that people born between 1946 and 1964 will all be over 65 years. Studies further show that by the year 2050, the number of Americans with the disease could double. Imagine these implications. It’s true that people live longer, but then what quality of life can one have if he lives 20 years more but has lost memory of his family and friends. This disease accounts for around 50-50% of cases of dementia. With increase longevity, there will be a large increase in the prevalence of the disease as people will be living to be older. It can be such difficulty to the individual to live in a condition where for years he is grasping at memories that he cannot recall. It’s an incredible burden to the family as well, as they will now be responsible for more elderly, living longer lives, incapable of self care, and maybe even incapable of recognizing kin. Imagine a scenario where a parent is 110 years old, their child being 85 and their grandchild at 60, how would it be feasible for the turn of care to pass from parent to child in such a scenario where all are classifiable as aged. A second concern is that apart from the aging mind, there is also the aging body. It is true that the individual will be living long, but then there are multitudes of risks that will accompany this. The wear and tear from all the years will now set in as he will now be more prone to multitudes of disease as years go by. Sicknesses like arthritis of the joints, a heart attack, stokes, cataracts, diabetes and many more will all now be factors that come into play. Even worse, should the person gain a long-playing debilitating condition, one with no cure such as the case of Alzheimer’s previously mentioned, then again what kind of quality of life can he sustain? Let’s take a stroke for example. Currently, a stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Statistics show that over 143,579 people die each year in the United States from this condition. Now in terms of long term disability, stroke is the leading cause as people may live on with their life span after a completed stroke. Furthermore, having a stroke does not mean that a person cannot have another one to further cause disability. Now, it is seen that nearly three-quarters of all strokes occur in people over the age of 65. It is also noted that the risk of having a stroke more than doubles each decade after the age of 55. (Internet Stroke Center 2009) This is not even accounting for those who go through strokes at a young age. Now, given this data, imagine the risk for one who is to live until 120 years old. Imagine if a large bulk of population were to live this long, then the worldwide prevalence of stroke survivors would be high. After a stroke, it is very possible for one to lose control of speech, of movement in half a body, of mobility, and sometimes even requiring full time nursing care. The implications on a person and a family would be immense. Given that strokes occur generally in people over 65, imagine having one at 70 and then living for 40 more years. How would one survive that lone without the capacity to communicate. It’s true that one can live with the heart beating, but the question is in terms of quality of life. Another concern that also affects health will be the incidence of depression. A longer life for one spouse would mean having to live through the death of loved ones. Longevity increases the number of years one would live past the death of a spouse and family. Studies can increase life but imagine a scenario where a parent has to live past his spouse children and grandchildren. Again, the concern regarding quality of life comes in play is emotional makeup is indeed a very important aspect of human life. Rebecca Utz, a sociologist at ISR stated: â€Å"While only about 6 percent of widowed persons had serious financial problems since their spouse died, 63 percent reported less income and 34 percent said their financial strain increased significantly after they were widowed. The negative economic consequences are even more pronounced for women than they are for men, and the declines are lasting, not a temporary drop associated with funeral expenses or estate planning. † (About. com 2009) This itself is proof of how one’s death can affect an individual, not only in terms of health and emotion, but in terms of capability to function as well. Increasing longevity means increasing the chances that people will outlive one, or even more spouses, and have to deal with many deaths for many years. Depression rates will increase as a consequence of spouses living well past their mates, their children and maybe even their grandchildren. A study conducted showed that eighty-four (24%) of 350 widows and widowers met criteria for depressive episodes at 2 months, 72 (23%) of 308 did so at 7 months, and 46 (16%) of 286 did so at 13 months, further supporting this claim that depression and emotional consequences of too much longevity should be of concern. (Zisook, S & Shuchter, S. 1991) A fourth point that should raise concern for biologic implications for longevity revolve around care for the elderly. Today, families turn to nursing homes and assisted living to give the elderly the care and attention they need. The alarming factor now revolves around what actual care they are receiving in these places, as a congressional report made by CBS news correspondent Bill Whitaker previously stated that around 1,600 U. S. nursing homes, nearly one-third of all in total, have been cited for abuse. These reported abuses were of various types, spanning from physical, sexual and verbal. All abuse in all these forms is on the rise. The report further noted that that more than twice as many nursing homes were cited for abuse in 2000 than in 1996. It was further seen that in 1,601 nursing homes , around 1 in 10 abuse citations were made in serious incidents. By serious, it was meant that they either put residents at great risk of harm, injured them or killed them. (CBS news 2001) Imagine how greatly the health of these poor elderly could be affected by increased longevity. Already at this current time with our elderly, society is unable to provide adequate care for them, and resorting to nursing homes and various assisted living environments that have led to elderly abuse. What more an increase can be expected if people were to live into the hundreds. The population would have a drastic increase in the aged, thus increasing the burden on society to care for them. If at this current day and age, society already is unable to manage the abuse problem, then the health implications of longevity are grave in that they will aggravate the abuse by increasing the number of elderly left alone. Investigators have further said that many violations are neither detected nor reported, which leads officials to conclude that the problem is even underestimated. Surely, if society cannot currently manage the elderly and provide a good, healthy and safe environment for them, then there is no way that society can do so after a further increase in the aged that longevity research will bring. My fifth and final concern regarding longevity lies in the fact that it will now place a large amount of population that has needs to be fulfilled but cannot fulfill them on its own. Increasing longevity will increase the number of senior citizens and the number of non-working elderly dependent. The health concerns for this are immense, as the question that can now be raised is regarding who in society will provide for the health of these individuals who cannot earn a living for themselves. CDC research concerns states that the increased number of people with ages over 65 will potentially lead to increased health-care costs. The health-care cost per capita for persons from the age group over 65 years in the United States is three to five times greater than the cost for persons below that age. (CDC 2003) Imagine how this will increase if people were to live 20 years longer. Currently, the number of persons aged >65 years is expected to rise from around 35 million in 2000 to an estimated 71 million in 2030. Longevity will even increase this number. Eventually, as resources will decline, then there will not be enough economic support to support the aged, leading to substandard healthcare and health risks. There may not be enough to provide them with medical needs, particularly because the working population may be outnumbered by the dependent elderly non-working populous. As such, in conjunction with many other previously discussed claims, the promise of longevity, although seemingly tempting, may not exactly be as, wonderful as it seems to be. WORKS CITED About. com:Mental health (2009) ‘Losing a Spouse: What Hurts and What Helps [online] Available from [April 6, 2009] Alzheimers association (2009) ‘What is Alzheimer’s’[online] Available from [April 6, 2009] CBS news (2001) ‘Nursing Home Abuse Increasing’ [online] Available from [April 6, 2009] CDC (2003) ‘Public Health and Aging: Trends in Aging — United States and Worldwide’ MMWR weekly[online] Available from [April 6, 2009] Douglas, J. (2006) ‘New longevity research center launched to study supercentenarians’ Natural News [online] Available from < http://www. naturalnews. com/020701. html> [April 6, 2009] Hodes, R. (2003) ‘Human Longevity and Aging Research’. Special Committee on Aging [online] Available from [April 6, 2009] Internet Stroke Center (2009) ‘Stroke Statistics’ [online] Available from [April 6, 2009] Zisook, S & Shuchter, S. (1991) ‘Depression through the first year after the death of a spouse ’ Am J Psychiatry [online] Available from [April 6, 2009]