Six Items You Might Not Know Were in the Constitution

Drug Abuse Among Teens Essay - 1323 Words

A commercial once aired on television describing the effects of smoking on the brain. It began with a person holding an egg and saying, This is your brain. The person then cracked the egg into a frying pan and as the egg sizzled the voice was heard saying, This is your brain on drugs. The message was powerful while at the same time informative. Smoking not only affects a person physically, but mentally as well. However, most people do not know the severe mental damage smoking inflicts since the focus is primarily on the physical effects. Drug abuse is becoming a growing problem among teenagers. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuses 1999 survey of 2,000 teens, about 14 million teens ages 12 to†¦show more content†¦They can become very distant and quiet or loud and violent. No one can be certain how drugs will affect their behavior, but the change is not usually for the better. Many people enter a state where they stop caring about everyth ing including the things they once treasured more than anything. In as little as two weeks, nicotine can change the brains chemistry and thus change a persons behavior. In order to understand the effects of smoking, researchers have examined the change drugs impose on the brain. The brain stem controls basic functions such as heart rate, breathing, eating, and sleeping. When one of these basic needs must be fulfilled, the brain stem structures can direct the rest of the brain and body to work toward that need. While these structures may be simple, they wield powerful effects on our behavior. On top of the brain stem lies the limbic system. The limbic system deals with our emotions, motivations, feelings, and survival needs. The two largest limbic structures, the hippocampus and the amygdale, are essential for memory storage. Sensory information flows from the cortex to these brain regions, which take into account what is going on inside the brain and body and then instruct the cortex to store what is important.2 Drug abuse plays such a powerful role in a persons emotions and behavior because it acts directly on the limbic system and brain stem, which override the cortex in controlling behavior. The feeling ofShow MoreRelatedTeen Prescription Drug Abuse Among Teens1462 Words   |  6 PagesTeen Prescription Drug Abuse Doesn’t matter what age, drugs are going to be used and abuse. From the time we are born, till the day we die, prescription drugs are prescribed for doctor approved use. Most prescription drugs are given to help control a disease, an imbalance, sickness, etc. With teenage drug abuse on the rise in most US high schools, it has become a problem parents are facing amongst their children. Being a parent to a teenager who has meddled with prescription drugs has been an unbelievableRead MoreSubstance Abuse Among Teenagers : A Survey1201 Words   |  5 PagesSubstance Abuse Among Teenagers Hannah is a fifteen year old girl who was recently sent to a rehabilitation center for the result of abuse of prescription medication. 6.1 million high school students currently use addictive substances, and like Hannah, 1 in 3 of them are addicted (â€Å"National Study Reveals,†2011). Although the number of teens using these drugs are decreasing, the numbers are still dangerously high. Due to it’s high risk of addiction, dangerous consequences, and growing availabilityRead MoreTeen Abuse Prescription Drug Abuse1422 Words   |  6 Pagesthree leading drugs used and abused by teenagers in America. According to Elizabeth Larsen, â€Å"The Centers for Disease Control classifies prescription drug abuse as the worst drug epidemic in United States history† (Larsen p.4). This is the worst drug epidemic in history because of the percentage of teenage usage. Based on different studies, pills are the most commonly abused drug among twelve- and thirteen- year olds because of how easy they are to access. In fact, many teens that abuse prescriptionRead MoreTeenage Drug Use Of Drugs1560 Words   |  7 PagesElizabeth Onyiego 9/27/2014 Sociology 100 Professor Victoria Hoverman Teenage Drug Use In today’s society, one of the common problems among teenagers is the use of drugs. Teen age is probably one of the most challenging periods in life. It is a stage of self identity crisis that leads to great confusion amongst the teens. Belonging and being accepted in a group is very important in the minds of the teens; where many regard the act as cool. During these years of growth, teenagers encounter their shareRead MoreDrug Abuse1279 Words   |  6 PagesThe use of and abuse of illegal and prescription drugs are a health, social, and law enforcement problem that is affecting Americans across the country. Drug abuse is destroying the lives of many teens and adults and is also destroying families in the United States. The use of drugs is a major problem in the United States among all Americans, but drug addiction is the main cause for America s troubled teens today. Exactly what is a drug? A drug is any chemical that produces a therapeutic or non-therapeuticRead MoreThe Effects Of Substance Abuse On Teens Moods And Attitudes1029 Words   |  5 Pageseffects of substance abuse on teens moods and attitudes. With substance abuse becoming a rising concern, it is important to monitor how these change affect teens everyday. The primary research is taken by grade eleven and twelve students within Sandwich Secondary School. The secondary research comes from thirteen to eighteen year old North Americans. Over this study it will be analysed the comparison of use of substances and the way it affects a teens mood and attitude. Teens who abuse substances are likelyRead MorePrescription Drug Abuse1483 Words   |  6 Pagesaudience I will be addressing is parents, caregivers and school educators about the dangers of prescription drugs and how we can better educate teenagers and young adults on the dangers of abusing them. There are many ways that we can tea ch and educate our teenagers and young adults, but it’s important that families, schools and communities are involved. The rate of prescription drug overdose among teenagers and young adults have sky rocketed over the past several years. This has become a growing epidemicRead MorePrescription Drug Use And Drug Abuse1691 Words   |  7 PagesPrescription drug abuse is an ongoing problem in rural teens. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health suggests that 13% of teens between the ages of 12-17 have experimented with nonmedical prescription drugs at some point in their lives. Researchers have identified several factors linked with nonmedical prescription drug use such as their school enrollment status, history of depression, and a two parent household presence (Gever, 2010). Nonmedical prescription drug abuse has been the rise, inRead MoreEffects Of Marijuana Abuse On The Health Of Teens Aged 13-19 Essay1684 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is the Impact of Cannabis (Marijuana) Abuse on the health of Teens aged 13-19 in UK CONTENTS What is the Impact of Cannabis (Marijuana) Abuse on the health of Teens aged 13-19 in UK 1 Contents 1 1. Rationale 2 2. Aim 5 3. Objectives 5 4. Methodology 5 5. Data Search and Data Sources 7 6. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria 7 7. Anti-oppressive Practices and Ethical Considerations 7 8. Project Outline 8 9. Time Scale 8 References 10 1. RATIONALE According to Plant (2016) 36% of teenagersRead MorePromoting A Drug Awareness Program For Teens1695 Words   |  7 PagesPromoting a Drug Awareness Program for Teens Teen drug use/abuse is common. According to the U. S. Department of Health Human Services, the most common drugs teens use are alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and prescription drugs (2016). Other drugs used are inhalants, over-the-counter medications, and other illegal drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. The use of drugs and alcohol increase the risk of injury or death. According to WebMD, alcohol and drug abuse is a leading cause

Tort Paper free essay sample

Was established and signed by U. S. President George W. Bush in December 2003. The statement made is called defamatory statement which is A false and defamatory statement concerning a partys reputation or honesty, or a statement that subjected a party to hate, contempt, or ridicule. By doing this, WHEREWITH, Inc. , dissemination to a third party which is an element requires that the statement must somehow reach the ears or eyes of someone other than the aerators and the victim (Melvin, S.P. , 2011, p. 209). Then, it has the third element, the specificity, which means in its ad WHEREWITH, Inc. , specified the particular party, business and product (Melvin, S. P. , 2011). Janet has signed a contract with Bugs she is committing intentional tort because she is intentionally leaving one company knowing that she has an agreement. She is intentionally leaving them to go work for the competitor so that she can get more money. We will write a custom essay sample on Tort Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She can be held liable for any harm r money loss for Bugs because she has left the department with a signed contract. These employees have been targeted at their workplace and we will identify whether or not Bugs is liable. Bugbears success as a business relies on them designing state of the art microphone devices that law enforcement agencies can use to fight crime. Law enforcement as well as the FBI chooses Bugbears microphones because theyre unique and have the ability to hear through the walls of a house.

Okra Mucilage on Handmade Recycled Paper Essay Example

Okra Mucilage on Handmade Recycled Paper Essay Simple properties of rocks for field-testing. ? Classification * Common rock minerals. These are the building blocks of rocks and precious stones. * Clay layer structures. Clay is one of the most important minerals for mankind. * Igneous rocks. Molten rock comes from deep in the earth and transforms into various rock types. * Classification of igneous rocks. One type smoothly grades into the next; intrusive and extrusive rock. * The processes inside a magma chamber. Inside gigantic cauldrons, many kinds of rock are formed. * Mineral formation from solid solution, describes part of the process in a magma chamber. Sedimentary rocks. Erosion by water and wind, transport and sort soil components. * Particle sizes: definitions for names of particles from boulder to silt. * Sediment composition triangle: defining sedimental rock type from sand, clay and carbonate content. * Metamorphic rocks. Under pressure and heat, sedimentary rock transforms into new forms. ? Soils of the world. Soils a re the most variable of minerals, but there are some general classes. * Classification of soils: their names, structures and properties * Carbon fluxes and pools in terrestrial ecosystems, compares productivity and carbon pools. Properties of soil: texture, structure, moisture, etc. * Soil degradation: a systematic classification of the many ways soil is lost. * Soil timescales: time scales in the history of soils ? Rock and soil chemistry. * Properties of soil: soil components, texture, structure, pore space, moisture, pH, CEC and more. * Soil degradation: a comprehensive summary of the many ways soil degrades and is lost in both quantity and quality * Soil time scales: tectonic movement, profile formation, soil formation, and more. * Rock and soil chemistry: Bowen series, solid solution, cation exchange capacity and more. Rocks Rocks are all around us. They make up the backbones of hills and mountains and the foundations of plains and valleys. Beneath the soil you walk on and the deep layers of soft mud that cover the ocean basins is a basement of hard rock. What are rocks made of? Rocks are made up mostly of crystals of different kinds of minerals, or broken pieces of crystals, or broken pieces of rocks. Some rocks are made of the shells of once-living animals, or of compressed pieces of plants. We can learn something about the way a rock formed from by looking carefully at the evidence preserved inside. We will write a custom essay sample on Okra Mucilage on Handmade Recycled Paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Okra Mucilage on Handmade Recycled Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Okra Mucilage on Handmade Recycled Paper specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer What a rock is made of, the shapes of the grains or crystals within the rock, and how the grains or crystals fit together all provide valuable clues to help us unlock the rock’s history hidden within. Where do rocks come from? Rocks are divided into three basic types, igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic , depending upon how they were formed. Plate tectonics provides an explanation for how rocks are recycled from igneous to sedimentary to metamorphic and back to igneous again. Igneous rocks Igneous rocks (from the Greek word for fire) form from when hot, molten rock (magma) crystallizes and solidifies. The melt originates deep within the Earth near active plate boundaries or hot spots, then rises toward the surface. Igneous rocks are divided into two groups, intrusive or extrusive, depending upon where the molten rock solidifies. Extrusive igneous rock Extrusive , or volcanic, igneous rock is produced when magma exits and cools outside of, or very near the Earth’s surface. These are the rocks that form at erupting volcanoes and oozing fissures. The magma, called lava when molten rock erupts on the surface, cools and solidifies almost instantly when it is exposed to the relatively cool temperature of the atmosphere. Quick cooling means that mineral crystals dont have much time to grow, so these rocks have a very fine-grained or even glassy texture. Hot gas bubbles are often trapped in the quenched lava, forming a bubbly, vesicular texture. Pumice, obsidian, and basalt are all extrusive igneous rocks. The cinder cone above and the close up at right are made of basalt . TYPES OF ROCKS Igneous Rocks Igneous rocks are crystalline solids which form directly from the cooling of magma. This is an exothermic process (it loses heat) and involves a phase change from the liquid to the solid state. The earth is made of igneous rock at least at the surface where our planet is exposed to the coldness of space. Igneous rocks are given names based upon two things: composition (what they are made of) and texture (how big the crystals are). Andesite is a gray to black volcanic rock. It is generally erupted from stratovolcanoes as thick lava flows. It can also generate strong explosive eruptions to form pyroclastic flows. * Andesites erupt at temperatures between 900 and 1100 ° C. * Andesite contains crystals composed of plagioclase feldspar, pyroxenes, and hornblende. The word andesite comes from the Andes Mountain Range where andesite is common. Pumice is light and porous. It forms during explosive eruptions. Pumice is full of holes caused by expanding volcanic gases. It is composed of volcanic glass and minerals, and can form in all types of magma: basalt, andesite, dacite, and rhyolite. Sedimentary Rocks In most places on the surface, the igneous rocks which make up the majorit y of the crust are covered by a thin veneer of loose sediment, and the rock which is made as layers of this debris get compacted and cemented together. Sedimentary rocks are called secondary, because they are often the result of the accumulation of small pieces broken off of pre-existing rocks. There are three main types of sedimentary rocks: Clastic: your basic sedimentary rock. Clastic sedimentary rocks are accumulations of clasts: little pieces of broken up rock which have piled up and been lithified by compaction and cementation. Chemical: many of these form when standing water evaporates, leaving dissolved minerals behind. These are very common in arid lands, where seasonal playa lakes occur in closed depressions. Thick deposits of salt and gypsum can form due to repeated flooding and evaporation over long periods of time. Organic: any accumulation of sedimentary debris caused by organic processes. Many animals use calcium for shells, bones, and teeth. These bits of calcium can pile up on the seafloor and accumulate into a thick enough layer to form an organic sedimentary rock. Examples of Sedimentary Rocks: | Bauxite| | Sand| | Coal| | Sandstone| | Conglomerate| | Shale| | Gravel|    |   | GRAVEL COAL SANDSTONE Metamorphic Rocks The metamorphics get their name from meta (change) and morph (form). Any rock can become a metamorphic rock. All that is required is for the rock to be moved into an environment in which the minerals which make up the rock become unstable and out of equilibrium with the new environmental conditions. In most cases, this involves burial which leads to a rise in temperature and pressure. The metamorphic changes in the minerals always move in a direction designed to restore equilibrium. Common metamorphic rocks include slate, schist, gneiss, and marble. Blueschist, a metamorphic rock derived from basalt at high pressure and low temperature Mudstone thoroughly invaded by siliceous fluids, disrupted by brittle fracture at depth Large staurolite crystal in matrix of mica schist Ito palang labong Kung bagaong tutubo Langit na mataas Ang itinuturo; Kung lumakit Masunod ang anyo Lupang tinubuan Doon din ang yuko Ito palang asin Sa tubig nanggaling At sa tubig din naman Madaling tunawin; Kaya ang sabi ko Sa sino mat alin, Ang bait ng bata Sa matanda nanngaling Ito palang labong labong Kung bagong tutubo langit na mataas ang itinuturo kung itoy lumakit masunod ang anyo lupang tinubuan doon din ang yuko Ito palang labong labong Kung bagong tutubo angit na mataas ang itinuturo kung itoy lumakit masunod ang anyo lupang tinubuan doon din ang yuko akoy may kwintas ito`y gawa sa perlas binili ko ito sa pilipinas ang bayad ay dosenang mansanas akoy nagluluto ng pansit guisado ipinunta ko sa baryo nawala na ito ngayon ay pasko may hawak si tito malaking regalo mabilis kong tinanong sa akin ba to? akoy may kwintas itoy gawa sa perlas b inili ko sa pilipinas bayad ay dosenang mansanas ang aso ko ay nawawala ang pangalan ay tipa ngipin ay parang bwaya kaya natatakot ang mga bata pati mga matatanda isang buwan na wala parin siya pagising ko sa umaga y hayun na pala ang aking lola ay sobrang makata kaya siya ay ka hanga hanga kaya kami y laging masaya ang aso ko ay nawawala ang pangalan ay tipa ngipin ay parang bwaya kaya natatakot ang mga bata pati mga matatanda isang buwan na wala parin siya pagising ko sa umaga ay hayun na pala Ito palang gugo Ang bungay bayugo; Ibong siyete kolores Balahiboy pito Bukod ang pangaraw-araw Iba ang pangliggo Bukod ang pamista At iba ang pamasko Ito palang asin Sa tubig nanggaling At sa tubig din naman Madaling tunawin; Kaya ang sabi ko Sa sino mat alin, Ang bait ng bata Sa matanda nanngaling Ito ay isang kuwentong bayan ng Tinggiyan Noong unang panahon ay may mag-asawang may mabuting pagpapasunuran at pagmamahalan. Silay sina Adlaw at Bulan. Nagkaanak sila ng maraming bituin. Napansin ni Adlaw na lubha ng masikip sa kanilang bahay sapagkat patuloy na nag-aanak si Bulan. Kinausap ni Adlaw si Bulan at sinabi sa asawa na pagpapatayin nila ang iba nilang mga anak upang lumuwag ang kanilang tirahan. Tinutulan ni BUlan ang mungkahi ni Adlaw at ito ang naging dahilan ng mainit nilang pagkakagalit. Wala nang katahimikan sa kanilang bahay sapagkat halos araw-araw ay nag-aaway sila. Hindi na nakatiis si Bulan at ipinasya niyang makipaghiwalay sa asawa na lalo namang ikinagalit ni Adlaw. Hindi nagtagal ay pumayag na rin si Adlaw na makipaghiwalay sa kasunduang isasamang lahat ni Bulan ang mga anak na bituin at hindi na pakikita sa kanya ang mag-iina. Kaya mula noon, makikitang nag-iisang sumusikat si Adlaw (Araw) sa araw at sa gabi naman ay lumilitaw si Bulan (Buwan) kasama ang mga anak na bituin. Kapag ang dating mag-asaway nagkakatagpo ay lalong tumitindi ang poot ni Adlaw kay Bulan kaya hinahabol niya ito na nagiging dahilan ng eclipse. AKOY NAKAUPO SA TAPAT NG BINTANA NARINIG KO ANG HUNII NG IBONG MATABA NA PARANG ANG PALIGID AY PAYAPANG-PAYAPA AT ANG MGA TAO SY BIYANG-BIYAYA AKOY NAKAUPO SA TAPAT NG BINTANA NARINIG KO ANG HUNII NG IBONG MATABA NA PARANG ANG PALIGID AY PAYAPANG-PAYAPA AT ANG MGA TAO SY BIYANG-BIYAYA | 1 : 1 | 50% AC | | | | | | | | |   Ã‚   Categories| Arts Entertainment | Art| | Books| | Cartoons and Animation| | Celebrities| | Comics| | Events| | Food and Beverages| | Movies and TV Shows| | Music| | Performance| | Poetry and Literature| | Restaurants| | Song Title and Author| | Academic | History| | Languages| | Literature| | Math| | Psychology| | Research| | Science| | Teaching| | Wika at Panitikan| Business and Money | Accounting| | Advertising| | Business| | Economics| | Employment| | Finance| | Marketing| | Health | Alternative| | Beauty| | Child care| | Conditions| | Diseases| | Fitness| | Medicine| | Nutrition| | Pregnancy| | Miscellaneous | Others| | Reference | Cultures| | Current Events| | Geography| | Government| | Jobs and Careers| | Law| | Politics| | Relationships and Beliefs | Philosphy| | Relationships| | Religion| | Sexuality| | Science and Mathematics | Astronomy| | Biology| | Math| | Physical Sciences| | Social Sciences| | Sports and Leisure | Cars| | Gaming| | Hobbies| | Outdoors| Pets| | Sports| | Toys| | Travel| | Technology | Computers| | Graphics| | Internet| | Machines| | Programming| | Security| | Software| | |   | | | | | | | | |   Ã‚   Share| Facebook| Twitter| Plurk| | |   | | | | | | | | | Top of Form   Ã‚   Search | JobTitle, Company, Skills, Industry, etc. | | | | | | Bottom of Form|   | | | | | | | | | | | | | PRESIDENT BENIGNO SIMEON COJUANGCO AQUINO III RIVER OCEAN BAYVALLEY MOUNTAIN ISLAND PLATEAU BROOK Go foods BREAD CARROTS BANANA GROW FOODS MEAT fish chicken GLOW FOODS MILK EGG YOGURT Educational progressivism is the belief that education must be based on the principle that humans are social animals who learn best in real-life activities with other people. Progressivists, like proponents of most educational theories, claim to rely on the best available scientific theories of learning. Most progressive educators believe that children learn as if they were scientists, following a process similar to John Deweys model of learning: 1. Become aware of the problem. 2. Define the problem. 3. Propose hypotheses to solve it. 4. Evaluate the consequences of the hypotheses from ones past experience. 5. Test the likeliest solution. Given this view of human nature, a progressivist teacher desires to provide not just reading and drill, but also real-world experiences and activities that center on the real life of the students. Typical progressivist slogans are Learn by Doing! and Learn by Discovery. * | [edit] Philosophy Progressive education is a pedagogical movement that began in the late nineteenth century and has persisted in various forms to the present. More recently, it has been viewed as an alternative to the test-oriented instruction legislated by the No Child Left Behind educational funding act. The term progressive was engaged to distinguish this education from the traditional curriculum of the 19th century, which was rooted in classical preparation for the university and strongly differentiated by socioeconomic level. By contrast, progressive education finds its roots in present experience. Most progressive education programs have these qualities in common: * Emphasis on learning by doing – hands-on projects, expeditionary learning, experiential learning * Integrated curriculum focused on thematic units * Strong emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking * Group work and development of social skills Understanding and action as the goals of learning as opposed to rote knowledge * Collaborative and cooperative learning projects * Education for social responsibility and democracy * Integration of community service and service learning projects into the daily curriculum * Selection of subject content by looking forward to ask what skills will be needed in future society * De-emphasis on textbooks in favor of varied learning resources * Emphasis on life-long learning and social skills * Assessment by evaluation of child’s projects and productions Progressivism is based on pragmatism. It aims to promote democratic and social living. Emphasizes change as the essence of reality. It views knowledge as something tentative that may explain present reality . Knowledge leads to growth and development and it focus on active and relevant learning. Saint Justin Martyr St. Lorenzo Ruiz JESUS JESUS BOY PRAYING ALTAR BOY BOYS WASHING THE DISHES BOY SWEEPING THE FLOOR BOY KISSING HIS MOTHER BOY GIVING FLOWERS TO HIS MOTHER I Left My Meeting With Mike Velarde A Changed Man I had a special blessing from God this morning. I spent 3 beautiful, spiritually enriching hours with Bro. Mike Velarde, Founder of El Shaddai. (Thanks to my friend Chona Velasco for linking us together. ) I know. When some people think of Bro. Mike, they think of him only as that funny TV preacher with an accent wearing a red bowtie who makes his audience jump up and invert their umbrellas under the rain. Don’t be fooled. God is using him to bless the world in a mighty way. You may not agree with his style, his accent, his wardrobe, or even his theology—but millions are drawn to God because of him. Believe me, I can’t express how much he inspired me this morning. Finally, I now know why millions gather at his feet every Saturday night (either physically or through his Radio and TV broadcast) to listen to him. It was Cardinal Sin who asked Bro. Mike in one Luneta Grandstand El Shaddai prayer rally, â€Å"What do you have that I don’t have? I can’t draw this crowd, but you can. † His answer to the Cardinal: â€Å"This is pure grace from God, your Eminence. † And I experienced that powerful grace this morning. As he spoke to me, telling me simple stories of faith, I felt drawn to the Lord. I wanted to trust God more, to serve God more, and to love God more. That was the effect he had on me. And yes, the same effect on millions of others. Next month, you’ll be able to watch a video of our entire conversation together—here in www. kerygmafamily. com (If you’re not yet a member of the kerygmafamily. com, just sign in, and you’ll be able to watch all these great videos. Membership is free anyway, because donations are totally optional. ) But let me summarize what I learned from Bro. Mike: 1) People need to know that God cares for us—body, soul, and spirit Bro. Mike believes that God is interested not only with our spiritual needs, but also with our next meal. He cares for our material and physical needs as well. This comes out in his talks. I use a different approach, but I totally agree with him and preach in the same way. 2) People need rest in God’s Presence He told me that the only time he heard God’s audible voice was when God told him, â€Å"Build a center where my people can rest. † At first, he thought it was a physical center. So he designed it, even had the Pope bless the plans, even had Cardinal Sin in the groundbreaking ceremony—but soon, he realized it wasn’t a physical center. It was El Shaddai where people would get their rest. Because the crowd would never fit any enclosed building anymore! Here’s what I picked him from him: From a very tiring week of work, people need to go to happy place with God. And that’s what happens in El Shaddai—people go home from these meetings refreshed and happy. I’ve noticed that my gatherings (The FEAST) have the same effect in people too. Church should be a place of rest and joy! 3) You need simple faith to do His work Bro. Mike has a simple faith. I feel that it’s because of this simple faith that he can do all that he does. I need to cultivate this kind of faith in God if I want to be used more by Him. Sometimes, I get too complicated. I need to learn from him. 4) Be generous if you want to succeed in life Bro. Mike is extremely generous. At one point in 1981, he gave his seed money (P50,000) to fund a huge charismatic gathering. He wasn’t preaching yet at that time. He just gave away his money. Until God asked him to form El Shaddai. I believe God is blessing him because of his generosity. 5) Love people—like really! Bro. Mike loves people from the heart. I felt it. He welcomes both the poor and the rich in his office. Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, Senators, and Generals seek his advice almost everyday. But in that same room, he also welcomes the poor, the sick, and terminally ill who need his prayer. Bro. Mike Velarde is already 67 years old, but doesn’t look like it at all. He still jogs everyday. Even when he travels, he sees to it that his hotel is beside a park for his daily exercise. After 28 years of serving God, I asked him, â€Å"Do you ever feel tired? † He smiled, â€Å"I feel that it’s just my first day with the Lord. I feel like I’m still 18. † ut he also explained to me his weekly regimen, which is very sensible. On Mondays and Wednesdays, he does his business—which is real estate. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he does his ministry work. On Fridays and Saturdays, he hides in Tagaytay to pray and prepare his weekly talk. On Saturday night, he delivers that talk to a massive crowd in El Shaddai. On Sunday, he rests at home—totally drained by the work he did the night before. He adds, â€Å"Life is a choice. We can choose to be miserable, or we can choose to be happy in the midst of miserable circumstances. † I had to laugh. We almost use the exact words! It was as though I was hearing myself preach. Hey, I’ve got to stop writing now. It’s 11:20pm and I’ve got sleep. I have four meetings tomorrow. (Tell you about it. ) But watch for that video, okay? See ya!

Reflection Paper Essays

Reflection Paper Essays Reflection Paper Essay Reflection Paper Essay Reflection Paper Name: Institution: Reflection Paper Introduction This topic is important because it will help me know more about my behavior. I may not always be aware of how I am behaving towards others, and this can affect my relationship with other people. My purpose for writing the paper is to have a greater awareness of myself and in so doing, know more about how this affects my relationship with other people in different capacities such as personal and professional life. By writing the paper, I will be able to know more about the positive and negative aspects of my behavior. I wish to enhance the positive attributes and improve on the shortcomings and other weaknesses of my behavior. I will start by conducting self-awareness based on the Enneagram. This will involve determining my style and knowing more about my behavior when working with other people. I will demonstrate action learning by identifying the practical steps I will take to enhance my behavior. I will conclude the paper by giving a brief summary, and by noting how the self-awaren ess exercise will affect my behavior. Self-Assessment The Enneagram identifies several styles, and I have identified two of which I can most relate. I am a number two based on the Enneagram. I like helping others and I care for them to the point of over giving. I appreciate and support other people. I am a number 7 because I tend to see possibilities where most people see none. I come up with many ideas and I am imaginative. I am playful, easily distracted, and easily bored, to the extent that I cannot do the same thing for a long time. We are often assigned different projects in class, where we have to work together in groups. In most cases, people have equal participation in the project. I always tend to have different ways of looking at the situation we are facing. I will often come up with five or more ideas of completing the project, while most people will have a single idea, or at most, two ideas. This is usually beneficial for the group because it ensures that our project is unique compared to other groups. My group likes my imagination and creative thinking. Moreover, I am always looking for the positive side of a situation, especially when we have a challenging project to complete. The fact that I am imaginative and easily distracted sometimes works against me. This is because I am not patient enough to let the members consider the feasibility of the project before coming up with a different idea. Since I am easily bored, I am not able to work on long projects. This can be frustrating to the other group members, and it has sometimes led to conflicts in the group. This often means that I am the most important person in the group when we are starting the project, but I tend to be the least favorable by the time the group is completing the project. I would like to change this behavior to ensure that I have a better relationship with the people I work with in future. Action Learning During the next 6-8 months, I will work towards ensuring that I understand and appreciate myself better. I will work towards enhancing my self-confidence, and having a firm belief and conviction in the things that I believe are true and right. I will create a situation, similar to the projects that we work in at school, and I will try to complete the project. I will identify a small business that is near the school, and I will try to formulate a plan of coming up with long term strategies, which will include identifying ways that the business can expand. This will take a lot of time, and it will require much dedication on my part. I will make sure that the project is long-term. Since I will do the project alone, I will set a period by which time I will have completed the project. This will mean working with one possible solution. By the end of the project, I hope I will have solved the problem of being easily distracted and bored when handling a task. Conclusion The purpose of the paper was to learn more about my behavior and interactions with others. I have identified the styles that suit my personality best. I have identified my areas of strengths and weaknesses. I have identified how I am able to benefit people, and the measures I can take to improve my relationships and interactions with other people. Because of this evaluation, I am now in a better position to understand people’s feelings and attitudes regarding my behavior. I will be able to rectify my behavior whenever I realize that I have become a distraction to the others. I will look for ways of ensuring that I continue contributing to the group whenever I sense boredom, especially when handling long projects.

Just Deserts vs. Just Desserts

Just Deserts vs. Just Desserts Just Deserts vs. Just Desserts Just Deserts vs. Just Desserts By Maeve Maddox The use of the expression â€Å"just deserts† in a recent DWT exercise brought some reader objections. Here are two: She got her just deserts really? â€Å"Desert†Ã‚  like an arid place? Isnt it desserts? You are surely incorrect. The correct form of the expression is â€Å"just desserts.† Many speakers think that people who get what they deserve get dessert, unaware that there’s another noun pronounced like dessert but spelled with one s: desert [deh-ZERT]. Here are three kinds of desert: desert [DEZ-ert] (noun): an arid place desert [deh-ZERT] (verb): to abandon desert [deh-ZERT] (noun): worthiness of recompense Desert [DEZ-ert] in the sense of a wasteland or wilderness came into English by way of French from Latin  desertum, â€Å"thing abandoned.† Desertum is used in the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible to translate the word for â€Å"wilderness.† Dessert [deh-ZERT] in the sense of the last course of a meal is from French  desservir, â€Å"to clear the table,† literally, â€Å"to un-serve.† The dessert comes at the end of the meal when the table has been cleared of everything that went before. Desert [deh-ZERT] in the sense of consequences comes from French  deservir, â€Å"to be worthy to have,† or â€Å"to deserve,† from Latin  deservire, â€Å"to serve well.† One reader explained why she’s reluctant to accept the correct spelling of the expression: My interpretation of â€Å"just desserts† was that â€Å"dessert† was the sweet stuff at the end of a meal†¦cake, ice cream, etc. So â€Å"just desserts† was you got the dessert you deserved, meaning you didn’t get the sweet stuff or you got something less than sweet. The expression â€Å"Just Desserts† is often used deliberately as a marketing pun for the selling of baked goods, but there are plenty of unintentional errors among the examples that come up in a Web search: In the end she turns on him, but also gets her just desserts when the mob’s lawyer finally sees the light. –The Rotarian (magazine). Woman driver gets her just desserts –Video blog A serial Czech  prankster got his just desserts  after pals spooked him with a hilarious specter stunt.  Ã¢â‚¬â€œNY Daily News The error even appears in books from reputable publishers: He should have been pleased that Ralph Standishhad got his just desserts. –A Parliament of Spies, Cassandra Clark, Minotaur 2012, p. 221. Note: The character Standish is a bad man who has been found murdered. Corrected examples: In the end she turns on him, but also gets her just deserts when the mob’s lawyer finally sees the light. Woman driver gets her just deserts A serial Czech  prankster got his just deserts  after pals spooked him with a hilarious specter stunt.   He should have been pleased that Ralph Standishhad got his just deserts. Although the expression is most frequently used to refer to a deserved punishment, it can also refer to a deserved reward. For example the following headline from the Oye! Times (Toronto) uses the expression in a positive sense. [The actor mentioned has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame]: CHRISTOPH WALTZ GETS HIS JUST DESSERTS [sic] Bottom line: Ice cream and chocolate cake are desserts. People who get what’s coming to them get their just  deserts. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)In Search of a 4-Dot EllipsisThe Difference Between "Shade" and "Shadow"

Ride along with a Police Officer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ride along with a Police Officer - Term Paper Example After checking the vehicle registration, the driver would then be requested to provide the driver’s license. The police officer would then request the driver to step out of the car as he communicates to the station confirming the arrest of the traffic offenders. Moreover, we could sometimes ask random cars to pull over hence checking their vehicle condition and their registration numbers. If the vehicle is found to be in bad condition, or the registration expired, the driver would be asked to accompany the police officer to the station. Even though the night was lonely and boring, I got the chance to interact with Officer Ottey. He explained that he has been in the police force for about 5 years. With a smile on his face, I could tell he was proud to be a police officer. Officer Ottey’s father and grandfather were both police officers who died in the line of duty hence he had to join the police in honor of his father and grandfather. Apart from the police is a well-paying job, the officer explained that he is proud to be of service to the society. In the course of our discussion, I found out that the police are one of the diligent and humble people in the society. They are trained to exercise humility and patience when handling criminals. In their department, every police officer is treated with respect from their department heads and their seniors. This is because the training of the police instills discipline and respect to the colleagues and other members of the society. After the lengthy explanations, I was curious to know the qualifications for one to join the police academy. Officer Ottey explained that a person willing should be above eighteen years of age and must possess a high school diploma. In addition, some states require 60 college credits with a clean criminal record for the last 5years.  

Issues in Retailing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Issues in Retailing - Essay Example Apart from the above issues there are ethical issues specific to particular retailers that also have a major role to play in the development of the respective businesses. This paper makes a report on the ethical issues being faced by Tesco, a major retailer in the UK. One of the key elements that have been identified in the ethical implications of the retail industry in the UK is with respect to the issues in the supply chain management especially those encountered by them in sourcing from overseas markets. Several groups of stakeholders have evinced greater interest in this phenomenon. "This interest by the media, investors, consumers, employees, the Government and NGOs has led companies to explore how they can best control and manage the ethical implications of increased sourcing from overseas markets."2 In order to ensure that the supply chain management of the retailers is an effective social compliance model from the ethical point of view the retailers specify that the manufacturers' facilities meet the local regulations concerning the compliances or they follow the codes of conduct specified by the retailers in this connection. For monitoring this, the retailers make use of the external agencies specialized in this area or some of them even employ their own full time specialist executives. This issue can as well be related to the term 'Ethical Trading'. Though there is no consensus on the definition of ethical trade at least in the UK context ethical trading refers to sourcing of products from companies that ensure better labour and human rights standards to their workforce which are part of the social compliance. Another key element in the ethical sphere that has a close connection with the retail industry can be identified in 'Fair Trading'. Fair trade has more development oriented specific aim of "[contributing]towards change in international relations in such a way that disadvantaged producers can increase their control over their own future, have a fair and just return for their work, continuity of income and decent working conditions through sustainable development."3 Though fair trading started with increased focus on the socio economic issues, with the passage of time there has been a shift in the focus towards meeting the environmental standards. Although the Ethical Trading Initiative (UK) does not mention anything about the environmental standards, several retailers have started to monitor the environmental performance of their suppliers. "For instance, through the Assured Produce scheme used in British agriculture and supported by many multiple retailers also involved in the Ethical Trading Initiative."4 It is often stressed that the ethical trading should not only focus on the socio-economic issues but also should cover the environmental

Ideal Leaders In Lord Of The Flies Essay Example for Free

Ideal Leaders In Lord Of The Flies Essay Ralph, Jack and Piggy all possess unique qualities. Are any of them ideal leaders? What important qualities do each of them possess (and lack) as regards leadership? Who is the natural leader in Lord of the Flies? This is the question that Golding is making us consider. There is no right or wrong answer, as all of the boys possess unique leadership qualities. This essay will explore what qualities of leadership Ralph, Piggy and Jack possess (and lack), and eventually come to a conclusion (if one can be found) as to which boy is the natural leader of the band of boys on the island. A leader is somebody who guides a group in whatever they do. They make policies, rules and, if necessary, decisions for the group that they lead, which the group should then follow. Ralph has a number of ideal leadership qualities. He is fair, maybe sometimes too fair, and believes in the idea of everyone having a chance to have their say (Ill give the conch to the next person to speak. He can hold it when hes speakingAnd he wont be interrupted. Except by me.' [31]) However, the rule of freedom of speech is overturned by Jack (Jack was the first to make himself heard. He had not got the conch and thus spoke against the rules, but nobody minded. [94]) and Ralph does not do anything about it. This is one of the qualities that Ralph lacks. He makes rules, but is not willing to enforce them because he fears that they may be ignored (You got to be tough now, make em do what you want. If I blow the conch and they dont come back, then weve had it' [99]) unless something happens to spur him to action, such as when Jack let the fire out (So Ralph asserted his chieftainship and could not have chosen a better way if he had thought for days. Against this weapon, so indefinable and so effective, Jack was powerless and raged without knowing why [77]) Ralph believes in everyone having responsibility and everyone working together and helping each other to build a successful community. He offers the groups long term solutions such as shelters and a signal fire so that they would be rescued, however, he does not do enough to make these ideas attractive, and as a result he ends up doing most of the work while the hunters and littluns disappear to have fun (And they keep running off. You remember the meeting? How everyone was going to work hard until the shelters were finished?, When the meeting was over theyd work for five minutes then wander off or go hunting. [51]) This lack of acceptance of responsibility annoys him and makes him hostile (As they danced, they sang. Kill the pig. Cut her throat. Bash her in. Ralph watched them, envious and resentful. [79]) towards Jack and the hunters. As a result, he is not as tolerant of them as he should have been and eventually insults that part of the group (What above my hunters? Boys armed with sticks.' [137]) This makes Jack angry enough to attempt to rebel against Ralphs leadership, and straight after he leaves to start a tribe of his own. He is very good at communication. He says what he thinks rather than trying to hide his own opinions and feelings (Better Piggy than Fatty, Ralph said with the directness of genuine leadership., I was chief, and you were going to do what I said. You talk. But you cant even build huts-then you go off hunting and let out the fire- [21/22]) This is essential, because if you do not let others know your feelings, then they will not understand why you are acting the way you are, or your reasons for making decisions, and might think you are being unreasonable. He can make his speeches simple for the littluns to understand, yet powerful by using repetition and explanation (He had learnt as a practical business that fundamental statements likes this had to be said at least twice, before everyone understood themHis mind was searching for simple words so that even the littluns would understand what the assembly was about. [84]) However, as events spiral out of his control, his speeches become less and less inspiring as he loses confidence in himself and his abilities, and eventually his followers desert him and he is left on his own, running for his life. Though Ralph is a natural leader (There was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him outand most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. The being that had blown thatwas set apart [19]), able to reassure and offer comfort (The assembly was lifted towards safety by his words. They liked and now respected him. [36]), the values and goals that he presents as part of his leadership do not offer the security that the group needs when their morale is low as a result of fear of the beast. As a result, he is only able to lead when times are good. He clings to the same ideals that he had when he first came to the island: the idea of rescue, keeping civilisation intact and having rules, and is unable to adapt to the changing feelings on the island about those ideals when they are overtaken by more immediate and attractive offers (Because the rules are the only thing weve got! Bollocks to the rules! Were strong we hunt! If theres a beast, well hunt it down! Well close in and beat and beat and beat-!' [99]) Piggy supports Ralph in his leadership, but does not have the popularity to be a leader himself. He possesses a number of leadership qualities, but because of his unpopularity, he is often ignored (There had grown up tacitly among the biguns the opinion that Piggy was an outsider, not only by accent, which did not matter, but by fat, and ass-mar, and specs, and a certain disinclination for manual labour. [68]) Because of this, when important matters needing his input occur, his valuable ideas are often disregarded (We ought to be more careful. Im scared- Youre always scared. Yah Fatty!' [45]) He is intelligent, and most of the sensible, good ideas come from him (what intelligence had been shown was traceable to Piggy [18/19] Ralph! We can use this [the conch] to call the others. Have a meeting. [12] Piggy moved among the crowd, asking names and frowning to remember them. [14] We havent made a fire whats any use. We couldnt keep a fire like that going if we tried. [41] The first thing we ought to have made was shelters down on the beach. [45]) He is also a very good judge of character, though he seems blind when it comes to seeing that the others, Ralph included, do not like him (He hates me [Jack]. I dunno why. If he could do what he wanted youre all right, he respects youI tell you what. He hates you too, RalphHe cant hurt you, but if you stand out of the way hed hurt the next thing. And thats me. [100/101) However, his pessimism (Theyre all dead an this is an island. Nobody dont know were here. Your dad dont know, nobody dont know We may stay here till we die. [9]), his complaining and his dislike of manual labour leads to the other boys regarding him as being no use to the group, so they shout him down whenever he tries to speak (His voice lifted into the whine of virtuous recrimination. The others stirred and began to shout him down. [43]) If Piggy and Ralph had worked together right at the beginning, with Ralph listening to Piggys ideas instead of regarding him as an irritation (Piggy was a bore; his fat, his ass-mar and his matter-of-fact ideas were dull: but there was always a little pleasure to be got out of pulling his leg, even if one did it by accident. [68]), then Piggys intelligence and Ralphs popularity and dedication to work would have combined to make an excellent joint leadership which most of the group would have accepted.

Cheese report :: essays research papers

String Cheese Place of Origin: Although snack-size sticks of mozzarella are now sold under this name, true string cheese originated in Syria, and often comes in a braided rope. The flavor is similar to mozzarella, but saltier. Ingredients: String cheese is usually made from Mozzarella cheese. The ingredients used to make Mozzarella cheese consists of: pasteurized part-skimmed cow's milk with starter cultures, enzymes, and salt. It can also come in smoked and unsmoked versions, often with garlic and onion added. Methods of Making: String cheese is mainly made from mozzarella cheese. The only difference is it’s molded rather than extruded, but otherwise the cheeses are very similar. Mozzarella is made with pasteurized part-skimmed cow's milk with starter cultures, enzymes, and salt. Ripening of Curing Time: String cheeses are domestic products, which are sold as fresh cheese without aging. String cheese belongs in the Italian category of ‘pasta filata’, for which the typical procedure involves a heat treatment of a cheddared curd at temperatures between 65-70 °C. Such cheese is often made from un-pasteurized milk with high acidity; the heat treatment of the curd assures that the cheese is safe to eat and generally has a shelf life of several weeks if kept in proper cold storage. Smoked String cheese has prolonged shelf life due to the preservative effect of smoking. Description of Cheese: Sting cheese has is pale yellow/white with a smooth texture. It is roughly cylindrical, about 6 inches long and less than 1 inch in diameter. It has a sweetly mild flavor with almost no odor or aftertaste. Uses: It is nearly always mozzarella but can be another semi-soft cheese instead. String cheese is eaten by pulling "strings" of cheese from the cylinder along its length and eating these strings. It is considered a â€Å"snack food.† It is also known to be added to salads and pizzas. Proper Storage: Soft cheeses spoil quickly and must be refrigerated until used. To prevent drying out, cheese should be carefully covered with a moist cloth, waxed paper or foil. Whenever possible, the original wrapper or cover should be left on the cheese. This cheese may also be frozen, but this may cause the cheese to become dry and crumbly. The cheese should be packaged in small pieces weighing a pound or less and used as soon after thawing as possible. Interesting Information: Cheddar may come in first, but Mozzarella is runner-up when it comes to per capita consumption in the U.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 12

The next few days drifted by, chock-full of wedding planning and menu sampling. At night, the Sutherlands settled into a steady routine. Mrs. Sutherland took to the sewing room, teaching Lydia to make quilts and bonnets. Bridget indulged in a late-night beauty regime that involved brushing her hair in one hundred strokes and lathering herself in cream that I could smell all the way from the parlor. Winfield always retired to his study with a tumbler of brandy, perusing the paper or going over his accounting books. I'd taken to pacing the first floor, coming up with plans to ferry the Sutherlands to safety only to shoot down most of my ideas. I also now needed to plan my feedings. My steady diet of city animals was harder to keep up now that I was under the watchful eye of every Sutherland and servant. It was almost like they expected me to try and make a break for it, though it was impossible to know how much of that was genuine wariness versus Damon compelling them to follow me. Sometimes I managed to slip away, whether up to the roof or silently down to the backyard to try and find a rat or pigeon or even a mouse to satisfy my needs. Hazel, the house cat, was off limits of course, but fortunately her wild tomcat friends were not. Damon had no such nutritional problems. Nor did he care much about secrecy. He came and went as he pleased, doing God knows what in the darkest corners of the city. I often saw a maid or manservant summoned to his suite in the coldest hours of the night as I skulked about tending to my own needs. For my brother, life with the Sutherlands was like living in a grand hotel – he attended dinners in his honor and was feted all around town at the top establishments. He was a prince and New York was his adoring kingdom. When Damon arrived home on Thursday, Winfield poked his head out of the study. â€Å"Oh, good. I'm glad you're here,† Winfield said, holding out two glasses of whiskey. â€Å"Please come join me.† There was a stray drop of blood carelessly smeared on the corner of Damon's mouth. Anyone else would have assumed it was a shaving cut. Suddenly the cozy study seemed suffocating and the corners darker. Damon casually wiped his lips, his eyes on me, then threw himself down on the couch next to his future father-in-law, less like an Italian count and more like†¦ well, Damon. â€Å"Good evening, sir.† The fact that he dropped his fake accent in their presence highlighted just how under his thrall this family was. â€Å"I wanted to have a chat with the two of you about your futures,† Winfield began, chomping on his cigar. â€Å"Oh, I have big plans, I'm thinking long-term,† Damon said. â€Å"Living here with the family, of course. I love close kin.† My throat went dry and I ran a hand through my hair, beginning to panic, reminded once again that I had no idea what Damon really wanted. â€Å"I think I should like to go into business for myself,† Damon began to say. But then the door of the study slammed open and Margaret came striding in. â€Å"Papa!† Without a word to either of us she threw a copy of the day's Post down into her father's hands and tapped at an article. â€Å"Read this.† Winfield fished around in his pockets for his glasses and slid them on, peering at the paper. â€Å"Sutherland house is scandalized as two penniless suitors sweep away the last of the eligible Sutherland girls. Heartbroken sons of bankers, politicians, and empires of capital complain bitterly about the sudden move. Is it blackmail, some wonder? An unnamed source close to the family claims that†¦ Oh, rubbish,† he said, throwing the paper aside and taking off his glasses. â€Å"People talk about the silliest things.† â€Å"We will be ruined,† Margaret said, almost pleading. She completely ignored Damon's and my presence. â€Å"At the very least, can't you see how it would be bad for business?† â€Å"Don't you think you should leave that sort of talk for the menfolk?† Damon asked lazily, returning to his accented English. But his ice-blue eyes bored straight into her head, as if he wished he could put a bullet there. I stood up, placing myself between Margaret and him. She didn't seem to notice his hatred, or the danger she was in. â€Å"I understand your concerns,† I said quickly. I had to convince her to drop this, for her own sake. â€Å"But believe me, I want nothing but the best for your family.† â€Å"And in fact, we menfolk were just talking about business,† Winfield added. â€Å"Damon, you were saying?† â€Å"All I need is a small sum of cash,† my brother said, turning his head and effectively cutting Margaret out of the conversation. â€Å"Which will allow me to travel to my home country and start picking out vendors for exports†¦.† Margaret let out a gasp. â€Å"You're not actually thinking of giving him more than his dowry?† â€Å"Don't be greedy, pet,† Winfield said, shushing her with a patronizing gesture. â€Å"It's just seed money to get him on his way†¦.† â€Å"Have you gone crazy?† she demanded. â€Å"You don't even know this man. Let him work for you first. Or give him one of your smaller businesses to run.† Damon rose from his seat, coldly furious. I tried to take Margaret's arm, but she shook me off. She pulled herself up to her full height, staring straight back into his eyes. Though she wasn't quite as pretty as either of her younger sisters, she was certainly imposing. â€Å"You all have been acting completely mad since he showed up,† she said to her father, not looking away from Damon. â€Å"Letting him – and him† – she gestured at me – â€Å"become practically members of this family, live under our roof, share our bread, and then offer them cash and your daughters and everything else! Doesn't anyone think this is strange besides me?† Winfield looked upset, but confused. Damon widened his eyes. â€Å"Stop,† he compelled her. â€Å"Just accept Stefan and me – we're here to stay.† She looked at him for a long moment. I waited for her eyes to glaze over, for her pupils to dilate ever so slightly. But all she did was shake her head in disgust. â€Å"Your phony ‘count' act might work with other people, but not me. I want no part of this.† I stared at her, stunned, as she stormed out. I'd never seen Damon fail to compel someone, not even when he'd been young and weak. I inhaled deeply, searching for hints of vervain, anything to explain what had just happened. But there was nothing there. All I could do was hope that whatever it was, it would continue to keep Margaret safe.

Biography of Mother Theresa

Sabreena H. February 5, 2013 Challenge II Biography of Mother Theresa Jesus in Disguise Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, now known as Mother Teresa, was born in Skopje, Macedonia on August 26, 1910. Her family was of Albanian descent and devoutly Catholic. Her parents, Nikola and Dranafile Bojaxhiu, did their absolute best to raise her and her two older siblings in a Godly, respectable way. Nikola was a hard working, successful businessman and her mother, Dranafile, stayed at home to devotedly tend to the children.Devastatingly, Mother Teresa’s father died when she was only eight years old, leaving their family completely torn apart. Grieving Dranafile suddenly became a single mother of three struggling to make ends meet, selling textiles and hand-made embroidery to earn a meager income. Deeply broken over the unexpected loss of her father, Mother Teresa turned to the Lord for comfort and made the decision, at an early age, to truly devote her life to following the will of God. Similar essay: Mother of a TraitorFour years later, at the age of twelve, she felt heavily called to serve God as a nun. She knew in her heart that she had to be a missionary to spread the love of Christ to the lost. Although she battled this decision for five years, she completely surrendered and left her home, at the age of eighteen, to join the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. Following a few months of training and preparation in Dublin, she was irrevocably sent to India, where she arrived on January 6, 1929.After serving for two years, as somewhat of an apprentice, Mother Teresa took her official vows as a Loreto nun on May 24, 1931. She settled in to the Loreto Entally convent in Calcutta to begin teaching History and Geography at St. Mary’s High School. The the immense amount of suffering and severe poverty she saw outside the newly entered convent walls made such a profound impression on her, that in 1948 she sought and gained permis sion from her understanding superiors to depart from the school and fully devote herself to ministering among the nfortunate, underprivileged people in Calcutta. Mother Teresa devoted herself to serving others. She used every second of her life to fulfill her purpose. She faithfully lived out the commandment, â€Å"love your neighbor as yourself. † She lived in the slums of Calcutta for a few years, and then went on to found the Missionaries of Charity. She was doing what she did best, loving those around her. She taught small children by drawing letters in the sand with a stick, when she had no other supplies.When she was given the opportunity to rent a small hut, she turned it into a classroom. In March 1949, Mother Teresa was united with a helper, a former pupil from Loreto. Soon she had ten pupils assisting her. She petitioned to form her own order of nuns, the Missionaries of Charity, and her request was joyfully granted by Pope Plus XII. The Missionaries of Charity was established on October 7, 1950. She opened a home for the dying called Nirmal Hriday (Place of the Immaculate Heart) on August 22, 1925.This home was a safe haven to the dying people who were brought in by the nuns. Mother Teresa loved and cared for the people and wanted them to be given the chance to die with dignity. In 1959, the Missionaries of Charity established their first children’s home, which cared for the many orphans in the area. Here the children were fed, given medical aid, but most of all, loved. Mother Teresa also established a leper colony called Shanti Nagar (Place of Peace) after seeing the large amount of people that were infected with the widespread sickness.This colony was a place where lepers could live and work, which was quite a blessing, considering the mass amount of ostracized people plagued with the crippling disease. Mother Teresa was awarded copious honors, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979; yet, she never took any acknowledgement for her r emarkable accomplishments. She gave every ounce of glory to God. She was a constant inspiration and advocate for those in need. In the 1980s, she opened the Gift of Love homes in New York, San Francisco, Denver, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for those suffering with AIDS.Although her health was slowly deteriorating, she never ceased to share the message of Christ and pour out love on the people around her. She passed away on September 5, 1997 at the age of 87. She left behind over 4,000 Missionary of Charity Sisters, in 610 centers, in 123 countries around the world. Her incredible kindness, selfless love, and obedience in following God’s will, were all qualities that made her admirable. She was a living example of Christian love and believed that everyone was Jesus in disguise.

Essay on Japanese Kanji

Essay on Japanese Kanji Essay on Japanese Kanji I thought i would never meet her again in my life since that day when I left Korea, my homeland. It was 4 years ago; I was going far away from her because I had to go abroad for my studies. The feeling i had that day; i could never ever forget how heartbroken and blue i was feeling. She was like an older sister to me; we were best friends since kindergarten and promised we always would be one. I guess you would imagine how I and she felt during my departure. We were both crying our hearts out; we tried our very best to stay strong with our emotions because we know that one cannot revolve one’s destiny. Thanks to God that we met yet again after 4 years. We certainly did not convey our goodbyes to each other; I assume that our faith was tied here in UK already. She called me and said that she was here in UK too. I was just too surprised to hear her voice again after those long years. The moment I heard her voice, it felt as if I was dreaming. All I could do was be speechless. We both were so full of happiness; we badly wanted to meet each other and decide to meet soon. The distance between our places was only about 2 hours from train but we could not care less. We talked from day to night during the weekends and said everything that happened in our life like how we used to talk back then. There were all sorts of stories: good, bad, hilarious, and miserable. Finally, we confirmed a place to meet in Christmas and celebrate together. However, due to some other family outing plans, we could not accomplish that plan but still we were happy and said there will always be another time. Later in our summer holidays, my mom told me that we were visiting our aunty and her family. I found that my relatives lived where she lived so I called her and said I will come over with my mom and dad. Now it was not long before I meet her. I arrived there. I did not tell her the date

The Battle of Ayn Jalut, 1260 - Mongols vs. Mamluks

The Battle of Ayn Jalut, 1260 - Mongols vs. Mamluks At times in Asian history, circumstances have conspired to bring seemingly unlikely combatants into conflict with one another. One example is the Battle of Talas River (751 A.D.), which pitted the armies of Tang China against the Abbasid Arabs in what is now Kyrgyzstan. Another is the Battle of Ayn Jalut, where in 1260 the seemingly unstoppable Mongol hordes ran up against the Mamluk warrior-slave army of Egypt. In This Corner: The Mongol Empire In 1206, the young Mongol leader Temujin was declared the ruler of all the Mongols; he took the name Genghis Khan (or Chinguz Khan). By the time he died in 1227, Genghis Khan controlled Central Asia from the Pacific coast of Siberia to the Caspian Sea in the west. After Genghis Khans death, his descendants divided the Empire into four separate khanates: the Mongolian homeland, ruled by Tolui Khan; the Empire of the Great Khan (later Yuan China), ruled by Ogedei Khan; the Ilkhanate Khanate of Central Asia and Persia, ruled by Chagatai Khan; and the Khanate of the Golden Horde, which would later include not just Russia but also Hungary and Poland. Each Khan sought to expand his own portion of the empire through further conquests. After all, a prophecy predicted that Genghis Khan and his offspring would one day rule all the people of the felt tents. Of course, they sometimes exceeded this mandate - nobody in Hungary or Poland actually lived a nomadic herding lifestyle. Nominally, at least, the other khans all answered to the Great Khan. In 1251, Ogedei died and his nephew Mongke, Genghiss grandson, became the Great Khan. Mongke Khan appointed his brother Hulagu to head the southwestern horde, the Ilkhanate. He charged Hulagu with the task of conquering the remaining Islamic empires of the Middle East and North Africa. In the Other Corner: The Mamluk Dynasty of Egypt While the Mongols were busy with their ever-expanding empire, the Islamic world was fighting off Christian Crusaders from Europe. The great Muslim general Saladin (Salah al-Din) conquered Egypt in 1169, founding the Ayyubid Dynasty. His descendants used increasing numbers of Mamluk soldiers in their internecine struggles for power. The Mamluks were an elite corps of warrior-slaves, mostly from Turkic or Kurdish Central Asia, but also including some Christians from the Caucasus region of south-eastern Europe. Captured and sold as young boys, they were carefully groomed for life as military men. Being a Mamluk became such an honor that some free-born Egyptians reportedly sold their sons into slavery so that they too could become Mamluks. In the tumultuous times surrounding the Seventh Crusade (which led to the capture of King Louis IX of France by the Egyptians), the Mamluks steadily gained power over their civilian rulers. In 1250, the widow of Ayyubid sultan as-Salih Ayyub married a Mamluk, Emir Aybak, who then became sultan. This was the beginning of the Bahri Mamluk Dynasty, which ruled Egypt until 1517. By 1260, when the Mongols began to threaten Egypt, the Bahri Dynasty was on its third Mamluk sultan, Saif ad-Din Qutuz. Ironically, Qutuz was Turkic (probably a Turkmen), and had become a Mamluk after he was captured and sold into slavery by the Ilkhanate Mongols. Prelude to the Show-down Hulagus campaign to subdue the Islamic lands began with an assault on the infamous Assassins or Hashshashin of Persia. A splinter group of the Ismaili Shia sect, the Hashshashin were based out of a cliff-side fortress called the Alamut, or Eagles Nest. On December 15, 1256, the Mongols captured Alamut and destroyed the power of the Hashshashin. Next, Hulagu Khan and the Ilkhanate army launched their assault on the Islamic heartlands proper with a siege on Baghdad, lasting from January 29 to February 10, 1258. At that time, Baghdad was the capital of the Abbasid caliphate (the same dynasty that had battled the Chinese at Talas River in 751), and the center of the Muslim world. The caliph relied on his belief that the other Islamic powers would come to his aid rather than see Baghdad destroyed. Unfortunately for him, that did not happen. When the city fell, the Mongols sacked and destroyed it, slaughtering hundreds of thousands of civilians and burning down the Grand Library of Baghdad. The victors rolled the caliph inside a rug and trampled him to death with their horses. Baghdad, the flower of Islam, was wrecked. This was the fate of any city that resisted the Mongols, according to Genghis Khans own battle plans. In 1260, the Mongols turned their attention to Syria. After only a seven-day siege, Aleppo fell, and some of the population was massacred. Having seen the destruction of Baghdad and Aleppo, Damascus surrendered to the Mongols without a fight. The center of the Islamic world now drifted south to Cairo. Interestingly enough, during this time the Crusaders controlled several small coastal principalities in the Holy Land. The Mongols approached them, offering an alliance against the Muslims. The Crusaders erstwhile enemies, the Mamluks, also sent emissaries to the Christians offering an alliance against the Mongols. Discerning that the Mongols were a more immediate threat, the Crusader states opted to remain nominally neutral, but agreed to allow the Mamluk armies to pass unhindered through Christian-occupied lands. Hulagu Khan Throws Down the Gauntlet In 1260, Hulagu sent two envoys to Cairo with a threatening letter for the Mamluk sultan. It said, in part: To Qutuz the Mamluk, who fled to escape our swords. You should think of what happened to other countries and submit to us. You have heard how we have conquered a vast empire and have purified the earth of the disorders that tainted it. We have conquered vast areas, massacring all the people. Whither can you flee? What road will you use to escape us? Our horses are swift, our arrows sharp, our swords like thunderbolts, our hearts as hard as the mountains, our soldiers as numerous as the sand. In response, Qutuz had the two ambassadors sliced in half, and set their heads up on the gates of Cairo for all to see. He likely knew that this was the gravest possible insult to the Mongols, who practiced an early form of diplomatic immunity. Fate Intervenes Even as the Mongol emissaries were delivering Hulagus message to Qutuz, Hulagu himself received word that his brother Mongke, the Great Khan, had died. This untimely death set off a succession struggle within the Mongolian royal family. Hulagu had no interest in the Great Khanship himself, but he wanted to see his younger brother  Kublai  installed as the next Great Khan. However, the leader of the Mongol homeland, Toluis son Arik-Boke, called for a quick council (kuriltai) and had himself named Great Khan. As civil strife broke out between the claimants, Hulagu took the bulk of his army north to Azerbaijan, ready to join in the succession fight if necessary. The Mongolian leader left just 20,000 troops under the command of one of his generals, Ketbuqa, to hold the line in Syria and Palestine. Sensing that this was an opportunity not to be lost, Qutuz immediately gathered an army of roughly equal size and marched for Palestine, intent on crushing the Mongol threat. The Battle of Ayn Jalut On September 3, 1260, the two armies met at the  oasis  of Ayn Jalut (meaning The Eye of Goliath or Goliaths Well), in the Jezreel Valley of Palestine. The Mongols had the advantages of self-confidence and hardier horses, but the Mamluks knew the terrain better and had larger (thus faster) steeds. The Mamluks also deployed an early form of firearm, a sort of hand-held cannon, which frightened the Mongol horses. (This tactic cannot have surprised the Mongol riders themselves too greatly, however, since the Chinese had been using  gunpowder weapons  against them for centuries.) Qutuz used a classic Mongol tactic against Ketbuqas troops, and they fell for it. The Mamluks sent out a small portion of their force, which then feigned retreat, drawing the Mongols into an ambush. From the hills, Mamluk warriors poured down on three sides, pinning the Mongols in a withering cross-fire. The Mongols fought back throughout the morning hours, but finally the survivors began to retreat in disorder. Ketbuqa refused to flee in disgrace, and fought on until his horse either stumbled or was shot out from under him. The Mamluks captured the Mongol commander, who warned that they could kill him if they liked, but Be not deceived by this event for one moment, for when the news of my death reaches Hulagu Khan, the ocean of his wrath will boil over, and from Azerbaijan to the gates of Egypt will quake with the hooves of Mongol horses. Qutuz then ordered Ketbuqa beheaded. Sultan Qutuz himself did not survive to return to Cairo in triumph. On the way home, he was assassinated by a group of conspirators led by one of his generals, Baybars. Aftermath of the Battle of Ayn Jalut The Mamluks suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Ayn Jalut, but nearly the entire Mongol contingent was destroyed. This battle was a severe blow to the confidence and reputation of the hordes, which had never suffered such a defeat. Suddenly, they did not seem invincible. Despite the loss, however, the Mongols did not simply fold their tents and go home. Hulagu returned to Syria in 1262, intent on avenging Ketbuqa. However, Berke Khan of the Golden Horde had converted to Islam, and formed an alliance against his uncle Hulagu. He attacked Hulagus forces, promising revenge for the sacking of Baghdad. Although this war among the khanates drew off much of Hulagus strength, he continued to attack the Mamluks, as did his successors. The Ilkhanate Mongols drove towards Cairo in 1281, 1299, 1300, 1303 and 1312. Their only victory was in 1300, but it proved short-lived. Between each attack, the adversaries engaged in espionage, psychological warfare and alliance-building against one another. Finally, in 1323, as the fractious Mongol Empire began to disintegrate, the Khan of the Ilkhanids sued for a peace agreement with the Mamluks. A Turning-Point in History Why were the Mongols never able to defeat the Mamluks, after mowing through most of the known world? Scholars have suggested a number of answers to this puzzle. It may be simply that the internal strife among different branches of the Mongolian Empire prevented them from ever throwing enough riders against the Egyptians. Possibly, the greater professionalism and more advanced weapons of the Mamluks gave them an edge. (However, the Mongols had defeated other well-organized forces, such as the Song Chinese.) The most likely explanation may be that the environment of the Middle East defeated the Mongols. In order to have fresh horses to ride throughout a day-long battle, and also to have horse milk, meat and blood for sustenance, each Mongol fighter had a string of at least six or eight small horses. Multiplied by even the 20,000 troops that Hulagu left behind as a rear guard before Ayn Jalut, that is well over 100,000 horses. Syria and Palestine are famously parched. In order to provide water and fodder for so many horses, the Mongols had to press attacks only in the fall or spring, when the rains brought new grass for their animals to graze on. Even at that, they must have used a lot of energy and time finding grass and water for their ponies. With the bounty of the Nile at their disposal, and much shorter supply-lines, the Mamluks would have been able to bring grain and hay to supplement the sparse pastures of the Holy Land. In the end, it may have been grass, or the lack thereof, combined with internal Mongolian dissension, that saved the last remaining Islamic power from the Mongol hordes. Sources Reuven Amitai-Preiss.  Mongols and Mamluks: The Mamluk-Ilkhanid War, 1260-1281, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995). Charles J. Halperin. The Kipchack Connection: The Ilkhans, the Mamluks and Ayn Jalut,  Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 63, No. 2 (2000), 229-245. John Joseph Saunders.  The History of the Mongol Conquests, (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001). Kenneth M. Setton, Robert Lee Wolff, et al.  A History of the Crusades: The Later Crusades, 1189-1311, (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2005). John Masson Smith, Jr. Ayn Jalut: Mamluk Success or Mongol Failure?,  Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 44, No. 2 (Dec., 1984), 307-345.

Impact of Effective Leadership upon Store Performance Coursework

Impact of Effective Leadership upon Store Performance - Coursework Example The case study findings were then related to the existing theories and models of leadership process described in scholarly literature in an attempt to determine the most appropriate model which would help elucidate the key principles of effective leadership. The attempt largely failed: neither of model or theory fully fitted the set of effective leadership qualities retrieved from the case study. Consequently, neither of them could be used to effectively predict or reason behaviour of an effective leader. One implication is that the traditional management and leadership dimensions are supplemented rather than different as many leadership studies claim. This conclusion was found to be consistent with contemporary scholarly tendencies in leadership and management research. Demographic changes, developments in technology and market strategies that occurred throughout the 1990s - early 2000s resulted in vast change in the food retail industry both globally and domestically (RNCOS, 2006). Businesses turned increasingly globalised and, as a result of acquisitions and, the main players in the food retail market became larger, their number decreased and they became more dominant then ever before. Unprecedented continuing competitive pressure ... References Appendix 1. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Demographic changes, developments in technology and market strategies that occurred throughout the 1990s - early 2000s resulted in vast change in the food retail industry both globally and domestically (RNCOS, 2006). Businesses turned increasingly globalised and, as a result of acquisitions and, the main players in the food retail market became larger, their number decreased and they became more dominant then ever before. Unprecedented continuing competitive pressure is one of the most vital challenges facing retailers in the UK. As a result of severe price competition, prices tend to squeeze while food inflation has consistently been running below the general rate of inflation (TNS, 2006). The food inflation causes the so-called 'Wal-Mart effect' i.e. downward pressure on prices from Asda/Wal-Mart's aggressive 'Every Day Low Price (EDLP)' strategy (Arnold & Fernie, 2000). The recent demographic trends such aging population and increase in working women, coupled with declining meal preparation force the UK retailers to increasingly focus on added-value products such as the 'food-to-go' sector, and premium products. Increasing own-label's share of the their business mix and other improvements (such as supply chain consolidation) meant to drive costs out of the business has become another distinct trend in the UK food retail industry (Huxley, 2006). Overcapacity in the food retail industry, which adds to the difficulties associated with intense cost/price competition, represents another vital challenge to be dealt with. Therefore, value growth is expected to remain slow for the major UK retailers (RNCOS, 2006). Such developments in the food retail industry highlight

Comment on three minor characters such as Maria, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, Essay - 1

Comment on three minor characters such as Maria, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew, or Feste. Why is each one important in the play - Essay Example Firstly, when the character of Sir Toby is taken into consideration, it is clear that it (the character) has been created for the purpose of humor. But here, it needs to be specifically highlighted that this character is a one having negative shades. Sir Toby resides in the house of his niece, even though he is in no way entitled to do so. Also, he treats all servants of the household in an extremely abusive manner. As a matter of fact, Sir Toby believes in using people for meeting his own interests. This is evident not just by the fact that he makes the home of his niece as his permanent residence, but also by the way in which he interacts with Sir Andrew, another comical character of the play. On one occasion in the play, Sir Toby states â€Å"What a plague means my niece, to take the death of her brother thus? I am sure cares an enemy to life.† These lines vividly focus on the fact that he has no sympathy for his niece, who is grieving the death of her brother. The fact tha t this focuses on his inhuman nature warrants no special mention. In another situation of the play, Sir Toby is unhesitant while remarking â€Å"With drinking healths to my niece: Ill drink to her as long as there is a passage in my throat and drink in Illyria: hes a coward and a coystrill that will not drink to my niece till his brains turn o the toe like a parish-top. What, wench! Castiliano vulgo! for here comes Sir Andrew Agueface.† Even a superficial reading of these lines is enough to convince anyone that, Sir Toby believes solely in drinking and making merry, even at others’ expense! Likewise, there are numerous examples in the play that stress on the negativity of Sir Toby’s character. (1) (2) Next, the focus needs to move on to the character of Maria, who is another member of Olivia’s household. In fact, it is in no way an overstatement in maintaining that the character of Maria is very much similar to the one of Sir Toby, having all the related negative traits.

Business and Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business and Society - Essay Example resent day intend to contribute to a situation of equitable position in the society, a balanced environment and the development of a sustainable economy. Although most of the large corporations are chiefly engaged in these types of social activities, the smaller houses are also not beyond the scope of CSR. The smaller manufacturing and production companies are equally responsible for the exhaustion of the environmental resources and therefore it is also a part of their duty to give back some thing to nature and the society. If the present generation makes complete use of the existing resources there would be nothing left for the future generations to sustain in the long run. Therefore the companies that are operating in any economy should think beyond the interest of the shareholders and maximisation of profit but should formulate their policy that would add to the social welfare by and large. The ideal mission and vision of a particular company has remained a topic that has been discussed and deliberated on at length. The stakeholder theory is often used to talk about the corporate social responsibility activities of the organisations. The corporations have legal obligations towards the shareholders of the businesses. Since the stakeholders are people belonging to the society contribution by the corporations in the CSR activities would contribute to the welfare of those shareholders implicitly. The organisations also have a moral and social responsibility which encourages them to take up social projects. The environmental impact that entails in the activities of the companies makes it a mandatory responsibility of them to take part in the contribution to social welfare. Thus as the companies move towards a goal of sustainability in the society the businesses are benefitted. It adds to the welfare of the businesses. On the other hand, the company board of directors are considered to be only employees of the shareholders (Manne, 1972). The shareholders invest in

Virtual Reality in Todays Society

Virtual Reality in Todays Society Virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of the real world. This simulation is not static, instead it responds to the user’s input, whether vocal or tactile, in real time. In order to achieve this interactivity, the computer must constantly monitor the user’s movements or verbal commands and react instantaneously in order to change the synthetic world experienced by the user and in response to him or her. [1] By making use of all of a human’s sensory experience in this way, virtual reality takes the quality of interactivity achieved, say in a computer game, one stage further. Users of virtual reality can see and move objects, they can also touch and feel them. [2] This essay explores the evolution of virtual realities and the many uses of virtual reality in society today, as well as considering its ethical implications. Burdea, and Coiffet comment that the history of virtual reality dates back more than forty years. The Sensorama Simulator virtual reality video arcade game was invented by Martin Heilig in 1962. This game had the capability to simulate a motorcycle ride through a city, using 3-D effects, seat vibrations, appropriate smells, sounds and wind effects using fans. [3] Head-mounted displays were introduced in 1966 by Ivan Sutherland, but were heavy and uncomfortable. In 1985, Michael McGreevey of NASA developed a cheaper and lighter version of the helmet, fitted with mini display screens and sensors to track movement. The sensory glove had been designed in the early 1980s, but it was in 1986 that Jaron Lanier designed a new glove to fit in with the helmet to create a full virtual reality. [4] Advancements continued to be made in graphics and then in 1993 virtual reality became the theme for a major conference of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in Seattle, makin g it clear that virtual reality had entered the main stream scientific community. [5] Since the end of the 1980s, new interfaces communicate three-dimensional images using the head-mounted display (HMD), using video cameras to track the image of the user in a virtual world where he can manipulate objects. More recently there has been a development called CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment), where the user is enclosed in a six sided environment surrounded by projection screens which they view wearing light stereoglasses, giving the impression of 3-D. [6] The suggestive impression is one of one of immersing oneself in the image space, moving and interacting there in â€Å"real time†, and intervening creatively’. [7] However, Burdea and Coiffet point out that with the swift advancements in technology, ‘virtual reality today is done mostly without head-mounted displays, by using large projection screens or desk top PCs’, and sensing gloves are now regularly replaced with joysticks. [8] The world of computer games has become a major area of importance for virtual reality, where the sense of immersion is important for gaming excitement. This creation of interactive virtual worlds has used grand, sweeping cinematic sequences and other techniques used in traditional cinema, such as ‘the expressive use of camera angles and depth of field, and dramatic lighting of 3-D computer generated sets to create mood and atmosphere’. [9] Actors could be used, superimposed over 3-D backgrounds, or as the games became more advanced, synthetic characters were created moving in real time. [10] This means that the space in which the characters move can now change over time, rendering the same space different when visited at a later time during the game. These changes enabled computer designers to integrate the player more deeply into the gaming world cinematically and to create a sense of visual reality. The immersion experienced when playing a computer game is made a much more total and intense experience when the player becomes a part of the game, that is, physically enters a virtual world. Virtual reality ‘provides the subject with the illusion of being present in a simulated world.’ [11] This virtual world, unlike the purely visual engagement of a computer game, allows for bodily engagement with the synthetic world. Virtual reality also allows the user to change elements of this simulated world: it gives an added feeling of control. Virtual reality allows people to experience elements of life without any physical commitments, possible dangers or general inconveniences of a real experience. Lev Manovich comments that virtual worlds are sometimes put forward as the logical successors of cinema, that they are ‘the key cultural form of the twenty-first century just as cinema was the key cultural form of the twentieth century’. [12] Indeed, Grau and Custance compare virtual reality with film, saying: ‘virtual reality now makes it possible to represent space as dependent on the direction of the observer’s gaze: the viewpoint is no longer static or dynamically linear, as in the film, but theoretically includes an infinite number of possible perspectives.’ [13] Technically, virtual reality ‘utilises the same framing’ as a cinema rectangular frame. This kind of frame only allows a partial view of a wider space. The virtual camera, as with a cinema screen, moves around in relation to the viewer in order to reveal different parts of the shot. [14] This framing device is vital to the virtual reality world in that it gives a small shot of a larger world, thereby providing a wholly subjective and totally personal viewing experience. While Manovich looks to cinema as a basis for virtual technology, Grau and Custance look to art. They argue that the idea of virtual reality ‘rests firmly on historical art traditions, which belong to a discontinuous movement of seeking illusionary image spaces’. [15] Taking into account the lack of technology further back in history, Grau and Custance believe that ‘the idea stretches back at least as far as classical antiquity and is alive again today in the immersive visualization strategies of virtual reality art.’ [16] Indeed, for Grau and Custance, this basic idea of finding these ‘immersive spaces of illusion’ is threaded through the history of art. Grau and Custance also point out the lack of natural involvement with the world through the technological illusion of power and control. They say, ironically that ‘the adherents of virtual reality †¦ have often reiterated their claim that immersion in virtual reality intensifies their relationship with nature’. [17] Indeed, an experience so totally reliant on technology and devoid of anything natural can bring about this feeling of connection to nature due to its resemblance of the real world. Manovich too comments on the illusive quality of any ‘natural’ involvement or control. He says that the user is only altering things that are already inside the computer, the data and memory of the virtual world. [18] The realm of virtual reality is driven by the desire to find a perfect recreation of the real world, a perfect illusion. The ideal interface seems to be one in which the interface or computer itself is entirely invisible, it seeks to block out the very means of creation of the virtual world, making the existence of the user in the virtual world seem totally ‘natural’. [19] The experience means that the user is totally isolated from the actual world whilst at the same time given this feeling of total ‘natural’ immersion in a new world as well as a sense of omnipotence. The user in effect becomes a kind of fictional character that they have themselves created, doing whatever they like, whenever they like, always with a sense of immortality. There are ethical problems relating to the potential decrease in real physical interaction and normal human relationships as people may potentially come to prefer their virtual world to their real life. Indeed, in virtual reality, the physical world no longer exists at all, as all ‘real’ action takes place in virtual space. [20] There is another ethical concern, that of the possibility of children accessing unsuitable experiences in a virtual world, as censorship would be difficult. This is similar to the problem of violence and adult themes in films and on the internet being available to chi ldren today. Virtual reality is an area of even greater concern, however, as children will have the opportunity to take part in the action themselves. Another concern is that criminals could practice their crimes in a virtual world before acting in reality. There are many positive uses for virtual reality today in areas such as: medicine, education, entertainment and psychology. For example, virtual reality can provide flight and driving simulation, operation simulation, it can help with architectural design or treatment of phobias. These things can be practised realistically without the fear of anything going wrong with flying training, driving experience or surgery. Virtual reality can also potentially be used in medicine to evaluate a patient and diagnose problems as well as possibly aid in operations. Disabled people have the opportunity to join in activities not usually available to them. An architect can use the method to plan out a building before starting work constructing it: using virtual reality avoids the need to build several different prototypes. Someone afraid of spiders can meet one in a virtual world under careful programming to reduce sensitivity over a period of time, indeed, any phobia could be treated using this kin d of virtual reality exposure therapy. The field of education is a huge potential area of use for virtual reality; it can even be used to practice sport. There is another important use for virtual reality that is not related to entertainment or education. Telepresence is an ever-increasing part of the digital and virtual world. Telepresence combines three kinds of technology: robotics, telecommunications and virtual reality. With telepresence, ‘the user of a virtual environment, for example, can intervene in the environment via telecommunication and a remote robot and, in the opposite direction, to receive sensory feedback, a sensory experience of a remote event .’ [21] Manovich calls telepresence a ‘much more radical technology than virtual reality, or computer simulations in general’. [22] Indeed, Manovich explains that with virtual reality, the user controls a simulated world, that is, the computer data. In contrast, ‘telepresence allows the subject to control not just the simulation but reality itself’ because it allows the user to ‘manipulate remotely physical reality in real time through its image’, [23] that is, the user’s action affect what happens right then in separate place, useful for tasks such as, Manovich suggests, ‘repairing a space station’; [24] the technique can also be used successfully in battle to direct missiles. [25] So, virtual reality operates on two very opposing grounds. On the one hand it allows great freedom for the user, as he feels he can move anywhere through space with the camera, but at the same time, virtual reality totally confines the body in its simulated world. Manovich recognises that the physical world is subordinated in this way as he says virtual reality renders ‘physical space †¦ totally disregarded’, [26] However, with telepresence, the physical world is very much regarded. Indeed, Mark Hansen thinks Manovich’s comment on the lack of physicality overlooks the experience of space in the potential of virtual reality, even if the body is actually confined. [27] Hansen uses the example of telepresence to explain how simulation and space can coincide to be effective. Indeed, with telepresence, the physical actions, although limited in the space where the user resides, do have an effect at another location. In this way space has been found and used, if not in the same location as the user, their movements have still had a physical effect somewhere else. [28] It seems that virtual reality has many uses in society today, from entertainment to medicine; from psychology to architecture. Telepresence is now a powerful and extremely useful part of the virtual and digital world. With the continuing advancement of technology and the many great uses virtual reality can surely have in society, it is important to bear in mind the negative consequences if virtual reality techniques are not closely monitored, especially as they become more widely available. The ethical implications of a society plugged always into their private, virtual worlds would not be a positive development for human relationships; children also need to be protected from an environment where anything and everything can appear real and personal to the user. However, as long as we are aware of the potential negative implications, the development of advanced virtual reality has great potential benefits for society. Sources Used Burdea, G. C. and Coiffet, P. (2003). Virtual Reality Technology. Chichester: Wiley-IEEE Grau, O. and Custance, G. (2004). Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion. Cambridge: MIT Press Hansen, M. B. N. (2004). New Philosophy for New Media: A New Philosophy for a New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press Heim, M. (1994). The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality. Oxford: Oxford University Press Manovich, L. (2002). The Language of New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press Sherman, W. R. and Craig, A. B. (2003). Understanding Virtual Reality: Interface, Application, and Design. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann http://library.thinkquest.org/26890/virtualrealityt.htm Footnotes [1] Burdea, G. C. and Coiffet, P. (2003). Virtual Reality Technology. Chichester: Wiley-IEEE, p. 2 [2] ibid. p. 3 [3] ibid. [4] http://library.thinkquest.org/26890/virtualrealityt.htm [5] Burdea and Coiffet, op. cit. p. 8 [6] Grau, O. and Custance, G. (2004). Virtual Art: From Illusion to Immersion. Cambridge: MIT Press, p. 18 [7] ibid. p. 3 [8] Burdea and Coiffet, op. cit. p. 1 [9] Manovich, L. (2002). The Language of New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press, p. 83 [10] ibid. [11] ibid. p. 166 [12] Manovich, op. cit. p. 82 [13] Grau and Custance, op. cit. p. 16 [14] Manovich, op. cit. p. 81 [15] Grau and Custance, op. cit. p. 339 [16] ibid. [17] ibid. p. 201 [18] Manovich op. cit. p. 166 [19] ibid. p. 178 [20] ibid. p. 114 [21] Grau and Custance, op. cit. p. 278-279 [22] Manovich, op. cit. p. 166 [23] ibid. [24] ibid. p. 167 [25] ibid. [26] Manovich, op. cit. p. 114 [27] Hansen, M. B. N. (2004). New Philosophy for New Media: A New Philosophy for a New Media. Cambridge: MIT Press, p. 40 [28] ibid.