Hcs 430 Week 2 Essay

Regulatory Agency paper Name HCS/430 Legal issues in Health Care: Regulations and Compliances September 27, 2010 Instructor Regulatory Agency paper The Joint Commission is an agency that maintains partnership with the government to help improve the standards of health care within the United States. The Joint Commission accredits health care organizations and health care programs by setting standards to help improve the quality and safety of health care. The Joint Commission work closely and collaborates with government officials and legislation by ensuring health care organizations in the United States meet specific guidelines, set by The Joint Commission, which health care services provided are delivered with the highest quality and safety for the patients they service. Generally, health care organizations elect to have the joint Commission evaluate their facility through surveyors who work under a Board of Commissioners that is made up of health care experts that advocate for consumers. History The history of The Joint Commission dates back to the early 1900s. Earnest Codman M.D. created a system that would help hospitals track their patients from the beginning of admission through discharge. The proposed result system help hospitals determine if the patients care was successful. The results influenced future patient care. By 1917, the American College of Surgeons proposed a certification program for hospitals. The first minimum standards for hospitals were also developed in 1917.Very few hospitals met the proposed standards. By the 1953, the American College of Surgeons transformed their hospital certification program to the Joint Commission. The Joint Commission started accrediting hospitals in that same year. The Joint Commissions sponsors included the American College of Physicians, the American Hospital Association, and the American medical Association (The Joint Commission, 2010). Through the years, many notable changes were made, including the accreditation program for all health care organizations. Standards were developed for every accreditation program and updated each  year. In 1987, the Joint Commission organization changed to the Joint commission on Accreditation of Health care Organizations (JCAHO) to reflect the organization’s mission. During the 1990s the organization focused on performance improvement and measurement outcomes. By the early 2000s, the Joint Commission designed pathways that focused on improving the accreditation process and establishing goals for improving the patient safety and quality of care. Source and Scope of Authority The Joint Commissions main source of authority is governed by the Board of Commissioners that consists of a diverse group of health care experts. The corporate members include the American College of Physicians, the American College of Surgeons, the American Dental Association, the American Hospital Association, and the American Medical Association. The Joint commission also works closely with Congress to improve the quality and safety of health care (The Joint Commission, 2010). Structure The structure of the Joint commission is made of a diverse group of health care experts that seek to improve health care services. The Joint Commission’s Board of Commissioners and the corporate members collaborate on setting standards and requirement for health care organizations for improving health care and safety practices within the United States. The Joint Commission has set multiple standards for different health care programs. The standards and requirements must be approved by the Board of Commissioners. The Joint Commission also consists of several board committees’ that have specific areas of interest, such as executive, accreditation, performance measurement, standards, survey procedures. The Joint Commission also has a Board of directors who help provide consults to health care and focuses on global accreditation. The board members also serve as liaisons to many groups and committees that are affiliated with the Joint commission (The Joint Commission, 2010). Day-To-Day Responsibilities The responsibilities of the Joint Commission are to set standards to help improve the quality of health care services and provide safety guidelines for health care organizations. Their mission as a nonprofit organization is to continuously improve health care (The Joint Commission, 2010). The Joint  Commission accredits and certifies health care organizations by surveying facilities to ensure health care standards, performance measurements, safety guidelines have been implemented and carried out for better patient. The Joint commission sets standards and guidelines in compliance with federal laws to evaluate health care services. Health care organizations generally volunteer to seek accreditations from the Joint Commission by allowing expert surveyors evaluate their facility. The surveyors are made up of a multi-disciplinary team that spends an average of two days inspecting health care facilities. The purpose for the inspection is to evaluate a health care facilities standards, staff, regulations, policies and procedures, and quality improvement, and performance measurement. The Joint Commission surveyors generally look to see if the organizations governing board is taking part in ensuring that the facilities has facilitated safety and quality assurance program. In order for a health care organization to qualify for an accreditation, they must certain requirements. The requirements that health care facilities must meet before applying for an accreditation are, the organization must be located the United States and governed under the United States government, the facility works on improving quality of care, the facility has an indication of services provided, the facility addresses the standards set by the Joint Commission, the facility meets the requirements Medicare and Medicaid. Other responsibilities of the Joint Commission are to strengthen the safety of patients and build the trust and confidence of communities. The Joint Commission is constantly addressing specific areas to help hospitals improve their performance measurement. Effects on Health Care The Joint Commission has a direct effect on the health care system. The standards developed by the Joint Commission help health care organizations improve their care they provide. An accreditation from the Joint Commission is a seal of approval that is an indication to patients that the health care facility focuses on quality care and the safety of their patients. According to Ernest, (2009, p.48) â€Å"evaluating healthcare organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality value†, However, Ernest, (2009, p.48) also argues that The Joint Commission has placed the needs of the facility it inspects above those of  their patients. This is an indication that some of the standards set are burdensome to health care organizations and deemed unnecessary. According to (â€Å"Doctors lash out,† 2007), JCAHO requirements that become implemented are sometimes at odds with the real needs of patients even though they are supposedl y driven to ensure patient safety. They take control away from the physician/nurse-patient relationship where it should be. Example of Agency Carrying out Duties An example of an agency carrying out its duties would be the Joint Commission and their mission to improve the health care and safety for patients. Health Care organizations, such as hospitals must comply with federal and state laws to protect the health and safety of their patients. A hospital that provides different services must meet the regulations and standards set for each service provided. The duties are carried out play a role in governments funding toward health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid. These government funded programs set certain standards that hospitals and other health care organizations must adhere to in order to qualify for reimbursement. The Joint Commission has set standards that must be carried out by health care organizations compositions, structure, and daily functions. Basically, a health care organization must carry out their duties because of the responsibility that encompasses the health care system a whole. Conclusion The Joint Commission is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to improving the quality of health care and the safety of all patients. Their mission is to continuously improve the health care services within the United States. The Joint Commission has helped improve the quality of health care and how it’s delivered through a series of standards and regulations that health care organizations must comply with in order to meet the accreditation that symbolizes excellence in health care delivery. Through much collaboration with a diverse team, health care and health care safety will continue to improve through the ongoing effort and dedication from the Joint Commission.

Cabeza de Vaca

The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca: Attitude Towards the Native Indians In The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca, we follow the journey of Cabeza de Vaca to one of the earliest conquests to the New World. De Vaca's perspective was not like that of conventional conquerors, but he was rather an anthropologist who accepted other cultures and traditions. De Vaca was an advocate for better treatment of Indians, which lead to him being convicted and sent to Africa.This action alone speaks volumes about the heightened prejudice that fueled in the minds of the Europeans against the Native Indians. In The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca, we witness the superior and greedy attitude of the European conquistadors, which later evolves to a civil and sympathetic view. During the 16th Century, European attitude towards Indians was dehumanizing as they felt that the Native Indians were inferior to them because they didn't have European characteristics of blue eyes and blonde hair .The European conquistadors were looking for new land in hopes to live, seek gold and gather wealth. Europeans enslaved the Native Indians and tried to force them off the land, thus the Indians had to fight back. Religious missionaries tried to convert the Indians to Christianity, they believed that this was the right thing to do because the Indians were superstitious and savage. Due to this perception of Europeans, Cabeza de Vaca suffered greatly because of his sympathy for Native Indians. Like most European explorers, Cabeza de Vaca was inclined towards their conquest.Cabeza de Vaca expressed sympathy and somewhat superiority towards the Indians, while welcoming their hospitable nature throughout the expedition in order to justify his entitlement to their land. As him and his Spanish conquistadors made their westward journey, they encountered many obstacles, such as natural disasters and the initial captivity by the Native Indians. During his almost decade long odyssey, Cabeza de Vaca went through many transform ations from being a conquistador to a slave, then a trader, and then a spiritual healer who was regarded almost as God by the Native Indians.This shows how his perception and understanding changed over time, as he bonded more with the Native Indians. Although, initially, he was at the receiving end of brutality by the hands of the Native Indians, later he developed an amiable relationship with them, which resulted in him becoming an advocate for the better treatment of the Native Indians later on. Due to this, he faced great challenges and punishment, and was sent to Africa. Also, Cabeza de Vaca learned many valuable survival skills from the Native Indians during his journey there.The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca takes us through a voyage of transforming attitudes from the initial enslavement of the conquistadors by the Native Indians, to the creation of a pleasant relationship with them later. During this expedition, we witness the changing view of Cabeza de Vaca, from a egocentric European conqueror to an advocate for the Native Indians. The penalization of Cabeza de Vaca for speaking up for the better treatment of Native Indians demonstrates the biased and repugnant attitude of the Europeans during the 16th Century.

Product Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Product Innovation - Essay Example Ideation capabilities relate to organizational and managerial processes for the implementation, selection, identification and stimulation of innovation ideas. According to the results of this study, organizations adapt to distinct approaches to ideation. On the other hand, Sylvie Laforet writes an article by name â€Å"A framework of organizational innovation and outcomes in SMEs† to address innovation and its consequences in small and medium-sized enterprises (Stamm, 2005). Sylvie develops a detailed theoretical structure of the innovation’s end results, how it occurs, as well as, its effects on the financial performance of an industry. She focuses on three distinct innovations in addressing the topic of market product innovation. Sylvie states several drivers to innovation in small and middle businesses (Siddike, Amna & Kohda). For instance, quality, business, environment, a desire to succeed and improve working conditions in SMEs drive innovation. As Jennie et al des cribes the negative consequences of a resultant formalization, Sylvie focuses on the positive impacts of innovation. The positive consequences of innovation entail: improvement of SMEs’ image, reputation, cost benefits, increased financial performance, recruitment of additional labor and increase in outfitted efficiency among others. Consequently, just like Jennie et al, Sylvie states the negative outcomes of innovation. For instance, operational issues, management and financial risks: inclusive of industry’s reputation and image loss, customer and employees issues, safety, environmental and health impacts, uncontrollable industry growth and costs. Such negative outcomes of innovation are outrageous and require the large-scale, medium and small organizations to take action to manage them immediately. There are several approaches on how to overcome organizational barriers to creativity and innovation. According to Jennie et al, a firm with an explicit focus on developin g ideation practices realise that there are negative outcomes of the resultant formalization. Employees develop significant ideas for innovation and creativity. However, the extent to which an organization can involve employees in ideation is a challenging aspect, even though additional technologies make the practice realistic. Nevertheless, the management requires to identify all creative employees within the business to curb the barriers to innovation and ideation. Surprisingly, creativity within the organization might emerge from people or teams that the management least expects. It is essential for the organization to steer employees and inform them the expectations of the ideation process. When the organization identifies the creative employees and innovative ideas, the next step involves removing the confusion and create a business environment where people can utilize maximum creativity. For instance, the management can use scenarios and visualize ideas (Schottler, 2007). It i s essential to ensure that every employee and subordinate member in the business is comfortable. More so, the management should discuss the changes in the management while at the same time, work on all permissions. The SMEs or large organizations must avoid performing an act that might jeopardize the process of

'He will come again to judge the living and the dead' Why is this Essay

'He will come again to judge the living and the dead' Why is this statement in the Niceness Creed, how is it relevant and how do - Essay Example These verses that are relatively confusing about the issue include Gen 37:35, Job 7:9 and Psalms 6:6; the verses present death as the movement of a person from the plane of the living to Sheol, and notes that life and God are not remembered at Sheol (Wright, 2007). This paper will discuss the role of the statement among the creeds, its relevance and its function in today’s Christian faith. Discussion These persistent questions are answered through the Nicene Creed, which became one of the strongholds of Christian faith and the foundation of many religious groups. The better answers to the questions emerged during the 2nd century, following an increase in the belief in the resurrection and the final judgement of the living as well as the dead (Wright, 2007). The basic belief that forms the fundamental principles of many Christian groups traces its roots to the Nicene Creed, which expressly states that the judgement of God will cover both the living as well as the dead. The cree d sets the basis of the belief that the people, who die believing in God, do not lose out on their journey of faith; the believers who die will be resurrected during the judgement day, so that they can receive their reward. Together with believers, the non-believers will also receive their judgement, but will instead be sent to hell fire, where they will receive their reward for their disobedience. The believers of the present-day get the fundamentals for the interpretation of the statement contained in the Nicene Creed from the areas covered by the creed during Jesus’ time. During the time of Jesus, the accounts of the New Testament talk of the divisions that existed in the beliefs of the people of that time, especially the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The divisions in the beliefs developed about the subject are contained in different verses, including Mathew. 22:23, Mark 12: 18 and Acts 23:8 (Williams, 2007). The accounts of the gospels also contain the position of Jesus ab out the issue, where his explanation resolves the questions and the differences in the opinions of the different groups. One of these accounts is the one that talks about the end of the world, where the epistle of Mathew chapter 25 guarantees the judgement of all people – whether living or dead. Through Mathew’s epistle, Jesus explains that during his return in the company of angels, all the people of the world will be lined-up before him, so that he can judge on the ones to be rewarded and those to be sent to eternal destruction (Ashley, 2010). From the discussion contained in the passage, the position of Jesus is explicit that after the death of individuals, God will judge all and distinguish the evil from the good. The stance of Jesus, during the time of the division between the Pharisees and the Sadducees about the future of the living and the dead gives all Christians a solid base for their faith. The basic belief helps Christians to understand the fact that death is not the end of communion between God and his people; death does not separate the sinful from their judgement to eternal death (Ashley, 2010). Additionally, the stance of Jesus offers modern-day Christians the promise they need to keep their faith and observe the good values required from believers; meeting the commands of God about their relationships with others and with God, as well as serving God. The importance of faith in God is emphasized by the ultimate outcome of

Human Health and the Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Human Health and the Environment - Essay Example The differences between the two diseases are their lifetime immunity which Malaria has but the same cannot be said for yellow fever. Malaria is characterized by â€Å"uncontrollable shaking† while â€Å"Yellow fever is characterized by weakness and dizziness†.(Pinheiro & Rosa Ap, 1978) C. Why are yellow fever and malaria not threats at present in North America? The reason that both of these viruses are no longer present in United States of America is because of the fact that government has initiated vaccination programs, which has made it possible to eradicate both these diseases from the U.S and there is â€Å"strict laws for vaccination of immigrants and travelers coming from countries where malaria is still present and also for tourists travelling from US to abroad†. (Kilpatrick et al, 2006) D. Why is malaria such a significant hazard in Africa? Malaria is a serious hazard in Africa because of the fact that health care in Africa is virtually non-existent. Ther e are NGO’s and non-profit organizations working with African governments to eradicated diseases like HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Yellow Fever but to no avail because of the â€Å"corruption and lack of awareness among the African populace about these diseases†. ... E. Why does the number of West Nile virus cases in people increase in warmer weather? (1 points) Because the Mosquitoes gather the virus in early fall that is why the spread of this virus is most common in warm weather or summer. (Kilpatrick et al, 2006) 2. Write a criticism of the following proposition: â€Å"Although it is impossible to measure the gains exactly, a moderately warmer climate...†¦and reduced outlays for clothing†. It is unrealistic in a sense that climate cannot be changed until and unless the above proposition is supporting global warming. For the American people, they have become acquainted to the cold climate that befalls on the North American Continent. Even though a warmer climate would lead to fewer diseases but in the long run it is unrealistic. To decrease the ratio of sick people, it is necessary that people take vaccination, live and eat hygienically and as the saying goes, â€Å"Prevention is better than cure† should be given priority. L ooking at the concept of warm and cold weather, people in cold countries are less sick as compared to people warm countries i.e. India, China, and Pakistan etc. It’s not about how less people get sick depending on the climate it’s about the precaution and prevention they do. Most of us spend winter trying to stay heated, but a little bit of experience of cold weather may not be such a bad factor. There are two types of fat in an individual’s body: white-colored fat and brownish fat. Brown fat is the heat-producing, calorie-burning fat that infants need to control their individual body conditions. Most of it vanishes with age, but grownups maintain some brownish fat. A recent scientific research

Roman Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Roman Civilization - Essay Example In addition, military leaders won considerable popularity among the people by their impressive victories and opposition to traditional senatorial government. The most telling examples of how an influential leader could ascend to the pinnacle of power, pushing into the background the other political institutions, are Marius with his 7 consulates, Sulla, eventually becoming a dictator, unlimited by time or by law; Crassus and Pompey, repeatedly achieving their consulate, and, finally, Caesar. The reform of the army, which became a fundamentally important aspect of Roman history started at about 107 BC during the war between Rome and the Numidian king Jugurtha. This war got a particularly scandalous publicity, since the enemy was so shamelessly bribing the senators that the decline of their authority led to the fact that the Roman army came under the command of Gaius Marius. To combat a powerful enemy for the first time in the history of Rome access to the army of volunteers was opened regardless of social class (the landless, impoverished city dwellers, etc.). Service in the army turned from an honorable duty into a profitable profession; soldiers received salary and were promised land. Organization of the army was improved (Marius introduced division of the legions to cohorts, each consisting of 3 maniples of 200 people), as well as command in general, technical equipment, etc. As a result, the Roman Republic got a well-organized professional army. On the other hand the army has turned into an independent social force with its own interests, needs and requirements. Military reform has laid the conditions for the extreme increase in power of individual military chiefs, as opposed to the weakening of central authorities, which lost the competence in military sphere, and along with it power functions: The acceptance into the army of persons who had few and eventually no roots in the State would have demoralizing consequences, and enable the generals of the first ce ntury to use their armies as though they were their own (Smith 63). Due to the elevation of individual political figures the inevitable structural changes took place in the state apparatus. In particular, a number of extraordinary and ordinary magistrates appeared which have received incomparable power. The role of a military leader increased manifold; and such leader was able to use the army as a weapon in the struggle for power in the state. As the first example of this we can consider the consulates of Gaius Marius, which were received in absentia, contrary to the republican tradition, almost continuously: in 107 and since 104 to 100 BC. Other examples include series of extraordinary powers given to Pompey since 78 to 52 BC, when he got an institutionalized by the Senate sole authority over the state. The anti-Senate forces, led by Caesar, Pompey and Crassus, known as the first triumvirate depended greatly on the army. Probably, the strongest influence of the army displayed itsel f in the civil war. The war that began in 49 BC was caused exclusively by the ambitions of the colonial emperor and his troops; though â€Å"Caesar stressed throughout the willingness of his troops to support his cause† (Keppie 103) it was not justified by any social or political programs. This was the conflict between the pretenders, each of whom found

Eddie Mabo, the Indigenous Land Father Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Eddie Mabo, the Indigenous Land Father - Essay Example For almost a decade, this man fought for the rights of his people by taking a case to court with the intention of having it overturn the terra nullius land system in Australia, which alienated the indigenous people from their land. The sheer determination of this man, against all odds, ensured that he had one of the greatest wins in Australian history for an indigenous person, because the ruling made, overturning the terra nullius system, ensured that over three hundred years of injustice had almost come to an end (Pannell and Vachon 2001, p.238). The overturning of this system further granted the indigenous people the confidence of identifying themselves with the land of their ancestors and ensured that their right to it was recognized beyond doubt. Eddie Mabo was a man who rose from humble origins as a gardener to becoming one of the national icons of Australia because of the fact that he was deeply involved in fighting for the rights of his people. While he was born in the Torres Strait Islands, Mabo spent most of his life in Queensland, and was in fact not a well-known figure in his home island until after he took his case on indigenous land rights to court. It was only after his death from cancer as well as the court victory over the land issue five months later that his fellow indigenous people on the island welcomed his as one of their own. His victory did not only affect the people of his home island but also all the indigenous people of Australia and this is the reason why Mabo has become one of the most respected men among them (Burke 2007, p.240). The idea that an indigenous person could almost singlehandedly challenge the Australian status quo and gain a great victory from it was one of those instances which were unheard of in the history of this country. The indigenous people had long been suppressed by the colonial government, and later by the white settlers who dominated and continue to dominate almost every aspect of life in Australia (Furniss 2001, p.279). Mabo’s posthumous court victory ensured that the indigenous people were recognized as a legitimate part of the Australian population with the same rights as those who dominated the society (Thorner 2009, p.391). Furthermore, it may have played a role in the recognition of indigenous people as reasoning human beings who had, throughout the history of the colonization of Australia had been treated unfairly; the court case was therefore the first step in correcting the injustice done to them (Reilly 2000, p.23). The overturning of the terra nullius policy can be said to be, in reality, a policy of inclusion whose purpose is to ensure that all the Australian people have an equal chance to compete in making their dreams and aspirations come true. Previously, indigenous groups were completely excluded from the majority of economic activities in Australia except for those which were considered to be labour intensive (Nettheim 2008 p.167). Moreover, these groups were rarely ever accepted in the mainstream Australian life, therefore, Mabo’s court victory can be said to have been a step towards the inclusion of the indigenous people into the centre of Australian society. From the very beginning of the Mabo’s case in court, there has been opposition towards it with those against it stating that it is giving an unfair advantage to minority

Impact and Research Findings Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Impact and Research Findings - Assignment Example Automated processes would also eliminate or reduce product defects, which would save the company money and improve the production process. Automation would ensure that all processes are conducted effortlessly and that they would run the same way each time they are conducted. No human errors would be allowed. As a result, there would be fewer errors made and errors may not just be defects, but can be about erring that can affect the production process as a whole (Benhabib, 2003). Automation would eliminate or reduce monotony. As humans, it is normal to get bored, especially where repetitive tasks are involved. Monotony slows down performance and increases the chances of defects occurring. There is no monotony in automated processes, no matter the frequency, so productivity is not affected. Processes are conducted at the same speed each time. Automation would help the company comply with internal or external requirements, e.g. statutory requirements, and facilitate cost savings by redu cing the training of required staff. Without automation a lot of time would have been required to train staff to perform even the most repetitive of duties, especially if the duties required a high degree of precision/accuracy. With automation, however, far less training would be required, so overheads would be significantly reduced. Automation would make auditing the company a simple task in itself, so less time would be required to analyze and evaluate processes and the production process as a whole. Due to their high degree of flexibility, automated processes would make the company flexible as well. It would be easier to make changes, or at least much easier than it would be to revise tasks that involve only humans. This level of flexibility would be vital if changes are needed at short notice. The fact that defects would be reduced would mean that customer satisfaction is ensured to a high degree. Therefore, while

Fall colours Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fall colours - Essay Example Science Content The general perception is that cold weather or autumn is the predominant reason for the colour change. According to The United States National Arboretum, â€Å"while temperature may dictate the color and its intensity, it is only one of many environmental factors that play a part in painting deciduous woodlands in glorious fall colors† (par. 2). This was corroborated by Schwartz who averred that â€Å"although day length, light, temperature, ground moisture and insects all affect fall colours, scientists say that climate change might also be having an impact† (Schwartz par. 22). Source: The United States National Arboretum Source: Schwartz A simple explanation on why leaves change their colour in fall was provided in Science News. As indicated, the rationale stems from the three main pigments in leaves, identified as â€Å"carotene, anthocyanin, and the photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll, which captures the sun’s energy to make food for plantsâ €  (University of Wisconsin-Madison par. 2). The most predominantly abundant pigment was identified to be chlorophyll which is responsible for giving the leaves the color green reportedly during summer and spring. The article likewise indicated that there is another crucial component in the leaves, auxin, which was a chemical noted to control cells, specifically at the base part of the leaf: the abscission layer. During spring or summer, the abscission layer was identified to be prevented from full development by the auxin and therefore restricts the connection of the leaves to the alleged circulatory system of the tree (University of Wisconsin-Madison). Then, as explicitly noted, during fall, â€Å"cooler and shorter days trigger an end to auxin production, allowing the abscission layer to grow and cut off the circulation of water, nutrients and sugar to the leaves. When this happens, chlorophyll disintegrates rapidly, letting carotene shine through as the yellow in maple, aspe n and birch leaves† (University of Wisconsin-Madison par. 4). The roles of other environmental factors were further explained in the article published by The United States National Arboretum. Accordingly, â€Å"temperature, sunlight, and soil moisture greatly influence the quality of the fall foliage display† (The United States National Arboretum par. 8). Likewise, at its simplest narrative structure, Schwartz added that â€Å"leaves at the top and outer edges of a canopy usually have far brighter colour than the leaves that get less intense sunlight† (par. 13). Thus, the position of the leaves, the exposure to sunlight, the location and kind of trees all contribute to disparities in pigmentation and colours. The reasons why changes in colours are likewise different ensue from masking of pigments in leaves. As indicated: â€Å"Chlorophyll normally masks the yellow pigments known as xanthophylls and the orange pigments called carotenoids — both then become visible when the green chlorophyll is gone. These colors are present in the leaf throughout the growing season. Red and purple pigments come from anthocyanins. In the fall anthocyanins are manufactured from the sugars that are trapped in the leaf. In most plants anthocyanins are typically not present during the growing season† (The United States National Arboretum par. 6) Applications The change in colours of leaves during autumn affect people in terms of influencing emotions through the different colours that

Nursing Case Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing Case Studies - Essay Example Case study represents two cases in nursing practice: Ms. A. and Mr. P. Ms. A. is an apparently healthy 26-year-old white woman. Since the beginning of the current golf season, Ms. A has noted increased shortness of breath and low levels of energy and enthusiasm. These symptoms seem worse during her menses. Today, while playing in a golf tournament at a high, mountainous course, she became light-headed and was taken by her golfing partner to the emergency clinic. The attending physician’s notes indicated a temp of 98 degrees F, an elevated heart rate and respiratory rate, and low blood pressure. Ms. A states, â€Å"Menorrhagia and dysmenorrheal have been a problem for 10-12 years, and I take 1,000 mg of aspirin every 3 to 4 hours for 6 days during menstruation.† During the summer months, while playing golf, she also takes aspirin to avoid â€Å"stiffness in my joints.† Laboratory values are also presented in the essay. The question to the case 1 is as follows: Considering the circumstances and the preliminary workup, what type of ane mia does Ms. A most likely have? Mr. P is a 76-year-old male with cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure who has been hospitalized frequently to treat CHF symptoms. He has difficulty maintaining diet restrictions and managing his polypharmacy. He has 4+ pitting edema, moist crackles throughout lung fields, and labored breathing. There is no family other than his wife, who verbalizes sadness over his declining health and over her inability to get out of the house. She is overwhelmed with the stack of medical bills, as Mr. P always took care of the financial issues. Mr. P is despondent and asks why God has not taken him. The question to the case 2 is as follows: Which nursing approach to care will be the best to fit this case?RESPONSES CASE 1 Ms. A’s case and the clinical results give very symptomatic indications of the type of anemia she may be suffering from at the moment. In the first place, it is important to establish that Ms. A currently is privilege to both symptoms of her anemia in general and sign s pointing to the type of anemia she is suffering from. It is important to establish these two clear distinctions because of the rationale that a problem well identified is a problem that can get good management and subsequent cure. Firstly, quoting from various sources, Annette (2003) observes that â€Å"anemia refers to red blood cell (RBC) mass, amount of hemoglobin, and/or volume of packed RBCs less than normal.† The predetermined conditions for measuring the normalcy or otherwise of the red blood cell as given by Annette (2003) is â€Å"either as a hematocrit or hemoglobin concentration > 2 standard deviations below the normal mean for age (Abshire, 2001; Cohen, 1996; Korones & Cohen, 1997; Walters & Abelson, 1996). From this definition, it could be observed that symptoms such as shortness of breath, low levels of energy and lowered enthusiasm are actually symptoms only to the anemia she is suffering in general. Indeed there would be shortness of breath because of the i ll-functioning nature of red blood cells, which are supposed to transport blood to the heart to make the heart function in a normal way with reference to both external and internal respiration. There also exist low levels of energy and enthusiasm because there is impairment to the use of energy by the heart (Saari, 1999). The traces of clinical events and general rationale bring the discussion closer to knowing the type of anemia Ms. A was suffering from. It is reported that there exists over 400 types of anemia (Web MD, 2012). Careful consideration would however reveal that Ms. A is suffering from moderate anemia, which is highly nutritional. First, the anemia is regarded as moderate particularly because of the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit and Erythrocyte count. Annette (2003) for instance observes that in moderate anemia, hemoglobin of 8-9.5 g/dl may present. The current hemoglobin is also quoted as 8.0 g/dl. In a

Information Technology Essay Example for Free

Information Technology Essay James Price is an Information Technology consultant with specific expertise in website design. His consultancy is doing well, but he would really like to gain another client to ensure that he has enough work for the foreseeable future. One Saturday, at his brother Anthony’s 40th birthday celebration, James is approached by Mark Jackson, a store owner, who James has met previously at some of his brother’s other social functions. Mark explains to James that he is looking to revamp his store’s website and that he could use James’ expertise to complete the project. James expresses his interest in assisting and Mark tells James that he will email him on Monday with a proposal. On Monday morning, Mark sends James the following email: Dear James, After thinking further about your potential involvement in the website project for the store, I want to bring you on board as a consultant. The terms of the engagement are that you will provide your web design services exclusively for two weeks, starting on 1st February 2014, working onsite with me and the store manager. In terms of remuneration, you will be paid a flat fee of $35,000 with a parking spot to be provided for the time that you are onsite. It is important that if you want this work, you indicate your acceptance in writing by the end of the day. I look forward to hearing from you. Mark Jackson. An hour after the email is sent, James reads it and is happy with the terms  of the proposal. He goes to draft an email to Mark detailing his acceptance of the terms of the offer, but because of a sudden storm that has hit the area where he lives, James’ email stops working and he is unable to send the message to Mark. James then tries to call Mark to tell him that he wants the work, but Mark doesn’t answer, and James is not given the option to leave a message. As a last resort, James drafts a letter to Mark communicating his acceptance of the offer proposed. He then takes the letter, and a strategic map for the project that he quickly prepared, to the post office and posts them at 4.30pm on Monday afternoon. The letter and the map take a day to be delivered to Mark and he receives them late Tuesday afternoon. On Wednesday, Mark realises that he has offered to pay James $15,000 more than an award winning web design firm has quoted him for the job, and he doesn’t want to engage James anymore. He sends an email to James saying that because he didn’t receive James’ acceptance by the end of Monday, James has missed out on the work. Mark also states in his email that he never meant for the proposal to be real anyway because he was only trying to help out his friend Anthony by throwing James some work. James is upset upon receiving this email from Mark and calls his lawyer for advice on the situation. Question 1: Using the four step process, discuss the element of agreement required for the formation of a legally binding contract between James and Mark. STEP 1: Identify the principles or issues of law The principles of law here is that in addition to intention and consideration aspects, there should be the existence of a valid agreement between James and Mark which is required for the formation of a legally binding contract to be created. Step 2: Explain the rule(s) of law relevant to the principle/area/issue of law identified in step one with reference to authority. There are three main requirements for the formation of a legally binding contract; intention to create a legal contract, offer and acceptance  (agreement) of the terms of the contract and consideration (reference book P-60).

Chocolate Research Paper Essay Example for Free

Chocolate Research Paper Essay Chocolate is a key ingredient in many foods such as milk shakes, candy bars, cookies and cereals. It is ranked as one of the most favourite flavours in North America and Europe. Despite its popularity most people do not know the unique origin of this popular treat. Chocolate is a product that requires complex procedures to produce. The process involves harvesting cocoa, refining coca to cocoa beans, and shipping the cocoa beans to the manufacturing factory for cleaning, coaching and grinding. These cocoa beans will then be imported or exported to other countries and be transformed into different types of chocolate products. Cocoa beans grow in countries like Cote dIvoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Malaysia, but the highest cocoa producing country is Cote dIvoire. The production process of cocoa beans include: first, cocoa is harvested manually. The seed pods of cocoa are collected and the beans are selected and placed in piles. These cocoa beans are then ready to be shipped to the manufacturer for production. Cocoa grows in pods that sprout off the trunks and branches of cocoa trees. The pods have the shape and almost the size of football. The pods start out green and turn orange when they are ripe. When the pods are ripe they are harvested gently with machetes. Machines can damage the trees or the clusters of flowers and pods that grow on the trunk, so workers have to harvest the pods by hand, using short, hooked blades mounted on long poles to reach the highest fruit. The cocoa seeds then undergo a process of fermentation by placing them in large, shallow, heated trays or by covering them with large banana leaves. If the climate is right, they may be simply heated by the sun. Workers mostly women come along periodically and stir them up so that all of the beans come out equally fermented. This process may take up to five or eight days. After fermentation, the cocoa seeds are dried before they can be scooped into sacks and shipped to chocolate manufacturers. Farmers simply spread the fermented seeds on trays and leave them in the sun to dry. The drying process usually takes about a week and results in seeds becoming reduced to about half of their original weight. During the production process, labor is not equally divided between men and women who work in the planation; this brings us to the issue of gender division. The gender divide that exists on the cocoa plantation is that most farm work is conducted by men, although most certainly there are tasks where women are very active, such as scooping the beans from the already opened husks, turning the beans during the fermentation and drying process, and sewing the jute sacs needed for the packaging of the dried beans. Women in the farms normally tend to the needs of the family. When female labor is hired during the harvesting time the wages given to them are not the same as those for men. Perhaps another reason why men are preferred is because of their assumed higher productivity rate compared to that of women. Due to different practices followed in individual regions, even within countries, the participation of women and their assigned tasks vary enormously. For instance, because of the popular method of sun drying cocoa beans in Ecuador, it is necessary to â€Å"clean† the beans. This job is mostly undertaken by women. This is not the case in Ghana or Brazil where sun drying is accomplished while protecting the beans from foreign matters and waste. It is interesting to note however that there is no specific pattern for the assignment of tasks to women, except during the harvest when the scooping of the beans from the opened pods is primarily performed by women in most cocoa producing countries. Given the great differences in the systems of production in producing countries it is difficult to find a common percentage that reflects the average participation of the female work force. It is worth mentioning that unlike the coffee agricultural sector, there are no associations or specific groups that house ‘women only’ involved in the cocoa sector at any level, although all associations and cooperatives are open to all who qualify. Due to fluctuation of cocoa prices in the world market, farmers have no long-term security, and in some situations, they do not have enough funds to support their farming business. Cocoa farmers are always faced with financial hardship; they are not able to provide for their families as they would want nor have enough funds to start up their own farming business because they only receive a fraction of the proceeds from the selling of the beans on the world market and there are many people in the trading chain. Cocoa farmers around the world face many challenges. It is estimated that about one-third of global cocoa crops are destroyed by pests and diseases every year. Many cocoa farmers have limited access to the latest agricultural technologies or methods of cultivation and few of them have business backgrounds to help them effectively market their products and manage their operations. Many of the farming communities live in poverty and are infected with diseases. Industry groups, governments and consumers worldwide have raised concerns about the use of pesticides and child labor on West African cocoa farms. An interview conducted by Christophe Koffi showed that one major problem that women in cocoa production encounter is the lack the of financial capability or backing due to the fact that most of these women find themselves in a male dominated occupation. It is very difficult for them to secure financial aid or loans to manage their farms. For instance, â€Å"Women cannot inherit or even create a cocoa plantation under our patriarch-dominated tradition,† said Vanie, criticising what she called a â€Å"backwards and misogynist† practice† (Koffi, 2008) because we still live in a patriarchal dominated society where women do not have the right to own lands and properties. This paper further talks about the sustanability in the production process of cocoa. We will be looking at Lindt Sprungli’s which is a family company and a major producer of chocolate and other cocoa products with a headquaters in Kilchberg, Switzerland. Lindt Sprungli is one of the few chocolate makers that have complete control over every step of the production chain starting with the precise selection of the finest cocoa varieties from the best growing areas in the world right on through the careful and expert processing until ending with the elegant packaging. Lindt gets its cocoa beans mostly from Ghana and Central and South America. Lindt has been very conservative in the amount of energy its invests in the chocolate production process. Each existing and future facility and investment undergoes very detailed analysis to determine how much energy can be saved. Through better insulation and energy recovery, Lindt Sprungli was able to cut down on energy consumption by more than 13% per ton produced between 2004 and 2010. The company intends to continue reducing the energy consumption rate per ton produced by an average over the coming years. According to the Lindt publication, The company’s efforts: since 1999, Lindt Sprungli’s Swiss subsidiary, Chocoladefabriken Lindt Sprungli (Schweiz) AG, has been an active member of the Lake Zurich Energy Model Group†¦The Swiss government and independent engineers have audited the progress and as a result, the Swiss subsidiary has been granted the official certificate. (Kilchberg, 2012) Since 2007, Lindt Sprungli under water conservation has been participating in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)†¦Since then, the measurements of water emissions and energy consumption have been largely based on the concept of the ‘Methodology Fossil Fuels’ set out in the CDP Protocol†¦Waste water, Lindt Sprungli continuously monitors and analyses the use of water and the output of wastewater in the production process and intends to further reduce the use of fresh water in this process, which, in turn will impact the output of wastewater (Kilchberg, 2012). The major people that benefit from cocoa production are mostly the big corporations. The corporations exploit cocoa farmers in the sense that they do not pay them the true worth of their labour. Women who work on the farms are underpaid and marginalized. There is also the issue of child labor where children of school going age are forced to work on the farms instead of going to school thereby denying them the right to education. The big corporations are not forth coming in releasing information as to how and where they get their cocoa beans from. Most of these African countries where these big corporations get their raw materials from do not have access to good roads, health care facilities, schools, electricity, and there is poverty in most of the communities. These big corporations buy the cocoa beans at a very cheap rate and then import them to the western society and the refined product is processed into different kinds of chocolates (e. g. chocolate drink, chocolate bars of different shapes and sizes and chocolate candies etc. ) . Which are sold consumers at exorbitant prices considering the price at which the cocoa beans are bought from the cocoa farmers. This explains how capitalism and big corporation exploit cheap labour. Almost everyone enjoys a bit of chocolate every now and again. But if you take a closer look at how cocoa is produced, it may well leave a bitter taste in your mouth. The conditions under which the cocoa farmers in many producer countries live and work are worrying: Despite the fact that cocoa is usually their main source of income, the families struggle to make a living from it. Child labour is not uncommon. As consumers we can work with NGOs to find means of helping the farmers to adapt to new systems of cocoa farming that result higher yields, under socially more acceptable and environmentally friendly conditions, to meet market demands and hence ensure a stable flow income. As a major part of the global cocoa industry which has remained inactive and invisible for so long, consumers of chocolate can demonstrate that they want slavery in the cocoa sector stamped out, and your pressure can highlight their lack of commitment and make them more accountable. Finally all cocoa products, including chocolate, run the risk of being tainted by child labour and slavery. To achieve a satisfactory standard of ethical production in chocolate consumers must help to ensure that companies commit to credible and sufficient actions against such things as use of child labour and the exploitation of cocoa farmers and not make false and unsustainable promises to consumers of being â€Å"slavery- free†. The consumers can liaise with government bodies and NGOs to negotiate fair prices for the purchase of cocoa products and this will in turn help the farmers to gain access to basic social amenities of life. Reference Page Archer, D. (2012). ADM’s commitment to sustainable cocoa. Milwaukee: Copyright 2012 Archer Daniels Midland Company . Clarkson, T. (1998). Anti-slavery. Retrieved November 15, 2012, from www. antislavery. org: http://www. antislavery. org/english/privacy_policy. aspx Kilchberg. (2012, April 22). The environment in the Production Process. Retrieved November 13, 2012, from www. Lindt. com: http://www. lindt. com/swf/eng/company/social-responsibility/lindts-sustainable-cocoa-supply-chain/ Koffi, C. (2008, November 7). Ivory Coast women defy taboos. Retrieved November 11, 2012, from iol News: http://www. iol. co. za/news/africa/ivory-coast-women-defy-taboos-1. 423405.

Construction And Understanding Of Childhood Social Work Essay

Construction And Understanding Of Childhood Social Work Essay In order to consider how child protection policy and practice has been shaped, a definition of child protection and significant harm and abuse is required. The Department for Education (DFE, 2011) defines child protection as the action that is carried out to safeguard children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. Furthermore the Children Act (1989) defines harm as ill-treatment including neglect, emotional, sexual and physical abuse. Interestingly, Parton et al (2012) suggested that determinations of what should be considered child abuse are socially constructed, and are therefore reflective of the culture and values at a specific moment in time. To begin, childhood is a status that is documented worldwide and throughout history, which sometimes sees the child as innocent ,vulnerable, a consumer, a worker alongside other household earners, a threat to society and it is a construction that changes over time and place (Prout, 2005). Historians of childhood have argued over the meaning, such as Aries (1960) cited by Veerman (1992, p5) stated the concept of childhood didnt exist before the seventeenth century; therefore children were mini adults with the same rights, duties and skills. This idea was supported by the poor law (1601) which was a formalised system of training children in trades to contribute to society when they grew up (Bloy, 2002). Another example came from Locke (1632-1734) and the Tabula Rasa model. This proposes that children were morally neutral and were the products of their parents (Horner, 2012). The nineteenth century showed it was the parents responsibility to offer love and pertinent correction, to bring out the good in their nature thus helping them to become contributing members of society. This could easily lead to blaming the parents as good or bad based on the behaviours of their child, since the child was not considered as his own agent. The 1834 Poor Law Reform Act would support Lockes idea and children who were sent to workhouses, would participate in schooling to imprint knowledge. Although this incurred a number of scandals, for example inmates eating the rotting flesh from bones, the governments responded by introducing sterner rules for those operating workhouses, along with regular inspections (cited by Berry 1999, p29). Fox Harding (1997) described this era as laissez faire which was bas ed on family privacy and minimal state intervention that allowed families lives to remain private and behind closed doors. An alternative concept from Rousseau (1712) suggested the idea of innocence; a child was born angelic until the world influenced them. This was significant in terms of child protection with the implementation childrens charities such as Save the Children (founded in 1919). They portrayed children in a variety of adult situations and as poor victims worthy of being rescued (Macek, 2006) using contemporary ideas of childhood. Interestingly the Children and Young Persons Act (1933) was introduced to protect the welfare of the child, including any person legally liable to have neglected them in a manner likely to cause injury to his health. Nonetheless it could be argued that the cause of injury may not have been fully understood considering caning in schools was common until 1987. However some may argue this was legalised abuse, and in direct contradiction to legislation put in place to protect children. Moving into the twentieth century took a wide shift from the laissez faire approach and along with the concept of childhood, became the notion of state paternalism. Child protection practice was based on extensive state intervention to protect children from poor parental care (Fox Harding, 1997). These changes led to a sharing of blame with their parents for children becoming anti-social (a demon) or a great achiever (an angel) in society. The demonic model illustrated by Pifer (2000) was already seen in childhood construction but blamed society, not the child, when as Rousseau noted is the romantic discourse that becomes tainted with the corrupt outside world. These historical concepts still dictated that children should be seen and not heard and every aspect of the childs life should be determined by their parents or guardians. Although the shift is evident, it could be argued that the laissez faire and paternalist perspective shared a common view of children having limited capacit y for independence and decision making. Pollock (1983) would argue that children were not miniature adults as Aries (1960) claimed, but actually were at a significantly a lower level of development and so had distinctive needs from adults. This suggests as immature people they could make mistakes and be excused from full responsibility for their actions. Given the current high profile debates on children, it is public outrage and moral panics in the media that frequently changes the way things are seen. The research into child deaths has prompted changes in legislation (Parton et al, 2012). Key events such as the death of Maria Coldwell (1974), led to specialist workers instead of generic workers who dealt with the elderly. They were specific to the child and encompassed the needs of the whole family. Serious case reviews in to a childs death was undertaken as a way of discovering how the tragedy occurred, who was responsible, what professionals were involved, rationalising individual actions and learning lessons for future practice (Rose and Barnes, 2008). The publics perception of social workers placed more pressure on the notion of identifying risk before the child died which developed many theories and models for the professional to practice. In contrast to the numerous child deaths, the Cleveland case in 1988 evidenced the over enthusiasm of state intervention. Children were removed from their families based on an anal reflex test to diagnose sexual abuse. The inquiry recommended greater rights for parents and children and suggests the separation from families was seen as abuse itself (Ashden, 2004). This, and proceeding enquires into the deaths of children, offered dilemmas for social workers representing the most visible agencies within the child protection system, in terms of whether a child should be removed or not. This event was a major policy driver and is reflected in the Children Act 1989, where parents rights have been replaced with responsibility in ensuring children turn out to be good citizens of society. However it could be argued that in practice today the Cleveland event still carries stigma with parents believing their children are going to be taken into care. Given the models of childhood outlined in previous paragraphs it is quite predictable that children appear to fit within a particular construct. However children such the murderers of Jamie Bulger in 1993 were children carrying out unthinkable, far from innocent acts. These children had a dual status; they committed a crime as an adult yet still a child in need of protection. Society wanted to look at their background to decide if watching horror movies or having divorced parents or poor discipline made them kill a little boy. The thought in the media flowed from born bad, to being made bad which is the nature nurture debate. Moral panic through media fed into this case and although historically the view had been to protect children, society shifted to the concept of demonising children, newspaper headlines branding them as wicked and evil (Bracchi, 2010). It is interesting that throughout history, legislation was implemented to protect children yet it conflicts with criminal law, as it does not recognise them as children over ten years of age (Molan, 2008). It could be argued that criminal law agrees with Aries and children are mini adults, yet social workers guidance refers to children up to the age of seventeen. One could question how professionals can work in a multiagency way when conflicting legislation cannot agree what age a child is. Further spotlight cases such as Victoria Climbie (2003) highlighted failings of multi-agency workers (Lamming 2003) and facilitated to shape the next change in legislation. The Every Child Matters green paper which outlined five outcomes to be achieved by all children was enshrined in law as part of The Childrens Act (2004). These were defined as, stay safe, be healthy, enjoy and achieve, achieve economic wellbeing, and make a positive contribution (Knowles, 2006) which gave professionals direction on the minimum requirements for every child, and allowed social workers to intervene to meet these needs in child protection practice. Nonetheless, the coalition government in 2010 abolished this agenda (McDermid, 2012) suggesting that families are not as important, even though it has underpinned social work practice for a number of years. Nevertheless child deaths continued to be a growing problem, the Baby Peter case (2008) indicated that individuals are failing children and again multi-agency communication is poor in assessing risk. Another case that followed approximately a year later was the Edlington boys (2009) who tortured two young boys. Society then blamed foster placements and care systems suggesting they do not work and foster placements are as bad as the families they were removed from. Cases such as these developed blame culture, where children were perceived as being failed by the government workers; usually the social workers less often the police and the politicians (Community Care, 2012). The public outcry and criticisms of social services which followed high profile cases of child abuse make social workers practice to err on the side of caution. This suggests the romantic concept of childhood (i.e. protection of innocence), came to the forefront and children were seen as vulnerable and in need of pro tection. It appears that each disaster that happens the social construct of children changes. Indeed, researchers into twenty-first century childhood such as Sue Palmer (2006) refers to a Toxic Childhood which is the harm society is causing to children through a competitive, consumer driven, screen-based lifestyle. The media and internet evidence how much it has made it possible for children to consider adult ideas and behaviours, alcohol, sexual activity, drug use and teenage violence that show that distinctions between adulthood and childhood are fading. Nevertheless it could be debated that contradictory attitudes remain commonplace with children being constructed as innocent little angels and little devils, innately capable of the most awful types of crime until the adults in society influenced them. Despite these criticisms the families that children live in are also judged to be secretive and deliberate abusers. As a result children may grow into poor citizens due to not being protected from their families. There is a notion of good families and bad families and very often poor families are classed as poor parents and certain constructions take place without the family even being assessed. To exemplify Tucks (2002) identified a connection between all forms of abuse and social deprivation, but a possible explanation for this is that perpetrators target vulnerable children or women to secure access to children; socially deprived neighbourhoods are characterised by relatively large numbers of lone parents. Through the pressures of their circumstances and in family crisis, parents had become caught up in a child protection system that was more attuned to assessing risk than to bringing out the best in parents struggling in adversity (DoH, 1995). Moreover Owen and Pritchard (1993) identified the difficulties in classifying at risk in terms of the criteria for assessing the levels of risk and what constitutes abuse. The role of professionals holding varying opinions and attitudes towards what constitutes abuse and risk could be argued that this in itself reduces the identification of risk to a child. Nonetheless professionals are still expected to protect children by the Children Act 1989 which outlines significant harm, but is very ambiguous and there is broad scope for authorities to further define what constitutes a child in need (Brandon et al 1999). The Munro report (2011) on Child Protection agrees that social work involves working with this uncertainty and not able to see what goes on in families which suggests little shift . The defensive practice comes from workers who are expected to manage this uncertainty and the issue is that evidence of abuse and neglect is not clearly labelled. Since the implementation of the Children Act 1989 more emphasis was placed on the childs rights but has become very controversial. The idea of protecting children and giving them rights may become problematic for adults in terms of taking childrens rights seriously. This could be that children have been under-represented in social theory and policy for many years). It could also be, that adults may be reluctant to relinquish power to the children because they still assume they know what is best for children as the early historians suggest. Franklin (2002) suggests a conflict between adults rights and childrens rights could offer explanations for demonization of children. Another idea could be that giving children rights takes away a childs childhood. This may have been viewed from the idealistic construction of childhood as a time of innocence where they consider that children should not be concerned with important decision-making and responsibility. To further support childrens rights, the children Act 2004 updated the legislation to include the abolishment of physical punishment (NSPCC, 2012). However, Owen and Pritchards (1983) idea of cultural relativism whereby specific behaviours in some families is attributed to cultural practice, question the concept of what how significant harm can actually be measured. In cases of child abuse, black and ethnic minority children are therefore at a higher risk because warning signs that would otherwise have been picked up are ignored and accepted to cultural practices and norms. For instance Rogers, Hevey and Ash (1989) state that the beating of West Indian children can be viewed as traditional use of chastisement within that culture, rather than observed as physical abuse of children. Owen and Pritchard (1983) propose this aspect to racist beliefs and stereotyping, where culture is considered deviant rather than the actions of a caregiver. Conversely Munro (2008) considers Effective Child Protection and points out the significance on the value of relationships between families and the worker and suggests this leads to better outcomes by understanding the families and cultures. An effective assessment and intervention in child protection draws from having good interactions and in turn aids parents to disclose information and collaborate with authorities. It could be argued if a worker does not believe in certain cultural practices that children could become at risk when maybe they are not. Another point to consider is the risk posed by professionals that work with children; previously society has created an assumption that the rich, social workers, teachers and other professionals that work in child focused roles follow the legislation on protecting our children from significant harm. Yet through the power of trust professionals appear to abuse safe spaces designed for children. For example the police report in to the murder of Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells by the school caretaker in 2002, identified significant failings with regard to police vetting procedures (HMIC, 2004). The Sexual Offences Act 2003 which included offences of grooming and abusing positions of trust was incorporated with a vetting and barring system to adults working with children and introduced into the safeguarding vulnerable groups Act 2006 (NSPCC, 2012). Equally Nursery manager Vanessa George in 2009 abused children in her setting. The review found a systemic failure in communication throughout and highlighted a common theme of assumption provided a fruitful environment in which to abuse, a point that has been proficiently highlighted by the mainstream press. The child protection policies and procedures were inadequate and rarely followed, as she feared children would be moved to other settings. The report highlighted how culture had within the nursery preventing staff from challenging Georges inappropriate behaviour. Cases such as this called for a review of vetting adults who work with children and formed a piece of legislation, the protection of freedoms Act (2012) which focuses on roles working closely with vulnerable groups. Some children related posts such as governors and school inspectors were being removed from the lists although they require having contact with children (Kelly, 2012). Additionally supervised volunteers will no longer be classed as working in regulated activity. Therefore, individuals barred from working in regulated activity can still volunteer at your school, as long as they are supervised. It could be argued that although the government is keen to scale back the cost of vetting, it does not take into account the risk of grooming which is not negated by supervision. Furthermore, the new process does not allow schools to check the barred list when recruiting volunteers which suggests it is providing a false sense of security for all. A further report into child protection by Munro A child centred practice in 2011, established that a universal approach to child protection is preventing the main focus of the child. Munro recommended that the Government and local authorities should continually learn from what has happened in the past, however this could be difficult when cases such as Jamie Buglers that buried the hatchet to protect the boys. One could question what professionals can learn from such secretive cases. Additionally, it could be argued that Munros child centred approach offers a potential negative impact on children and professionals. For instance, if the government removes the prescriptive practice that professionals may be using as guidance, this could create the potential to miss the signs of a child being abused based on judgement alone. Having considered this idea, future risks assessment needs to change a theoretical and practical model for possible state intervention in cases where a caregivers ability to care for a child is questioned. The British government will be pivotal to play a major role in reforming existing legislation and constructing new strong legislation to allow involvement by care services in the most high risk cases of child abuse. This request upon the government is an outcome of the philosophy of risk now prevalent in the UK, where it is assumed that the government has the ability to foresee and prevent abuse and maltreatment which holds the government when this does not happen. In conclusion, the historical views of childhood can be seen throughout the numerous ideological discourses and demonstrate how societys constructions of childhood can, has and will carry on to influence laws and legislation regarding the ways in which child protection is shaped. Although it is recognised that childhood warrants some degree of protective status, socioeconomic and cultural circumstances do affect young childrens behaviour and the way professionals practice. Those changed conditions also influence adult beliefs about rearing children and how protecting children should be. The emphasis on risk and assessing risk has changed over time, what was a risk in the 1980s is very different to what is a risk today. As outlined there are some recurrent issues such as the recognition of significant harm, taking appropriate action, effective communication and achieving an appropriate balance between supporting families and disruptive intervention to safeguard and promote childrens welfare. Nevertheless child protection has been around for a number of years and indicates that there is a correlation between legislation, society and the construct of childhood which continually mirrors each other.

Incident By Countee Cullen Essay -- Poetry Racism

Literary Appreciation #1- â€Å"Incident† by Countee Cullen   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Incident†, is a poem that was written to make us as readers think, not only about racism but also about how one occasion can allow us to judge a race, or a place. Racism is an issue that plagues not only African-Americans but also other creeds, genders, and races. In this essay I will discuss the poem and the role that racism took within it, by using personal knowledge, the text, and obtained research.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem in its self takes on a rhyme scheme that allows you the reader to feel the narrator, so that you can not only imagine that you were there, but you can also almost gather the same feelings as the narrator. In the begin he talks about how he first rode through Baltimore happy, and filled with glee. Unti...

The Stars Are My Destination :: essays research papers fc

The Stars My Destination Introduction '...The key turned in the lock of his soul and the door was opened. What emerged expunged the Common Man forever.'; The Stars My Destination ~pg 22 Gully Foyle. Uneducated. No skills. No merits. No recommendations. A short description given by the author Alfred Bester of his main character as the stereotypical Common Man of humanity. A man who later motivated himself to become something more than just a 'mere' man. Within the few pages of just the first chapter, Bester had pulled me into the diluted, freakish mind of Gully Foyle. the Story... As the story began, Gulliver Foyle was awaiting death aboard the wreckaged ship NOMAD in deep space. It's been six months since the NOMAD was left out to rust. Foyle just happened to be the sole survivor. Until one day, a sister ship to the NOMAD, VORGA managed to cross paths with the wreckage. Foyle did everything he could to send out rescue signals. But alas, his actions were wasted time and effort, for she had rejected him. And thus began his quest for vengeance upon the VORGA. As his ship drifted out further into space, Foyle had spent his entire time aboard not welcoming death anymore. Instead he was now obsessing himself with the destruction of VORGA. For the first time in his life, Foyle was now motivated. He felt the need to punish and there was nothing anybody could do. He had vowed to himself to fight anything that was a threat towards his plans to destroy the ship that could have saved him. While floating, into an asteroid belt, he was saved by the Scientific People of the Sargasso Asteroid. A tiny planet that was built by man. Primarily made of rock and two hundred years of salvaged ships. The tiny planet had made a new addition to their planet and population. It's rather ironic that of all people, Bester had decided to reverse the psychological role of scientists on this planet. He had turned the scientists into our definition of uncultivated savages in society. During his stay with the Scientific People, Foyle was forced into their society whether he liked it or not. They had given him a new name and tattoo across his face: NOMAD. Foyle knew he couldn't stay. He still had a score to settle and so he busted off the asteroid with a vengeance burning higher. After escaping the Sargasso Asteroid, Foyle was then picked up by the Navy and

The Unjustified War in Iraq Essay -- Politics Political Essays

The Unjustified War in Iraq History has many times been tainted with the blood of war. Lives have been lost, homes have been destroyed, and families have been torn apart. Once again, our nation is about to witness a terror that no one can really comprehend. We are on the threshold of an unjustifiable war. The United States should refrain from war with Iraq because of the lack of concrete evidence in regards to weapons of mass destruction. Instead, they should be working towards peace. Following September 11, Bush claimed Iraq to be connected with Al Qaeda in Prague or Kurdistan (Alter 29). This was played up even though the CIA and FBI determined that "evidence is fragmentary and inconclusive and that the administration is exaggerating information to make a political case for war." (Heuvel) Later, the Bush Administration stated that Iraq possessed terrible weapons of mass destruction. Secretary of State Colin Powell was sent to the United Nations, to make the Bush administration's case for preemptive war against Iraq. His case presented several accusations but very little new information or proof that weapons of mass destruction are actually present in Iraq. "Nearly all of his evidence was largely circumstantial or speculative"(Heuvel). Not only will this war take the lives of a nation where over 50% of the population is children under the age of 15, but it will also endanger our own troops because of inexcusable negligence by our government. The pentagon was finally forced to admit, last October, that 250,000 faulty battle-dress over garments (BDO) suits have been lost among 800,000 usable BDO suits, and they are unable to determine which are the damaged suits. With the type of chemical warfare our soldie... ...st option but as a distant final option. "Let us declare peace a civil right in a democracy, and a human right in this world." (Kucinich) Works Cited Alter, Jonathan. " 'Trust Me' Isn't Good Enough." Newsweek 3 Feb. 2003: 29. Byrd, Robert. Senate Floor Speech. U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 12 Feb. 2003. Dickey, Christopher. "Perils of Victory." Newsweek 3 Feb. 2003: 30-32. Heuvel, Katrina Vanden. "Powell Fails to Make Case." The Nation. 6 Feb. 2003. 10 Feb. 2003 <http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml> Kucinich, Dennis. Peace as a Civil Right. Martin Luther King Day Celebration. Ministerial Alliance. Lakewood Presbyterian Church, Lakewood, OH. 19 Jan. 2003. Wolfe, Richard and Hirsh, Michael. "War and Consequences." Newsweek 3 Feb. 2003: 22-28. Zakaria, Fareed. "Looking on the Bright Side." Newsweek 3 Feb. 2003: 33

Education of the Henry Adams

â€Å"The Education of the Henry Adams† reviews Adams' and the United States's education and growth during the 19th century. Adams was an old man who had Puritan beliefs about sex and religion. In this autobiography, Adams voices his skepticism about man's newfound power to control the direction of history, in particular, the exploding world of science and technology, where all certainties of the future have vanished (anb.org, 1). Adams grew up in the United Stated where he was a Puritan. Puritans believed that sex (women especially) was just a form of fertility and reproduction; otherwise â€Å"sex was a sin† (Adams, 384). â€Å"American art, like the American language and American education, was as far as possible sexless† (Adams, 385). The only sculptures and paintings of women that Adams viewed with understanding were those like the Virgin Mary, who was always seen as non-sexual. For example, â€Å"America was ashamed of her†¦have strewn fig-leaves so profusely all over her† (Adams, 384). However, during this time of the technology revolution, women were beginning to be viewed differently, especially in Europe. Women were viewed as beautiful and mortal beings. People such as Rodin were representing women in paintings and sculptures sexually. Sex was becoming something more than just a means of reproduction. Suddenly Adams was far, far away from his Puritan custom-bound life. People were no longer motivated by religion, being saved by God, and going to heaven; science, technology, money, and power had taken over the drives of man. Religion (a common â€Å"scale† of the past) had taken the backseat to science, technology, money, power, and the new ideas and art of sex (all new â€Å"scales† of the present and the future). â€Å"In opposition to the medieval Virgin, Adams saw a new godhead-the dynamo-symbol of the modern history†s anarchic energies† (anova.org, 1). Adams desperately wanted to learn about the new world of technology, the â€Å"dynamos†, yet he felt helpless to find this new knowledge and to comprehend it. Adams was overwhelmed by the technology of the dynamos. When Adams saw the dynamo, it became a symbol of the future, of infinity (Adams, 380). â€Å"He began to feel the forty-foot dynamos as a moral force, much as early Christians felt the cross† (Adams, 380). Like the changes in art and sexuality, the technology was overtaking religion. The dynamo, to Adams, has become a symbol of the unknown, of the future without God and religion. This was Adams†s greatest uncertainty; going against all of his past and beliefs and moving on into the unpredictable future.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 8

Paige was al superstar(a) and sole(prenominal)(a) grinnings when I went in for the early campaign the future(a) day judgment of conviction.Nice work with lot Mortensen, she t emeritus me, glancing up from the neatly stacked paperwork on her desk. The desk Doug and I sh atomic number 18d in the rememberings screening moodyices t completioned to nip kindred an apocalyptic warfare zone.How so?In convincing him to deliver here.I blinked. With our assorted U district and Krystal Starz adventures, Id n incessantly said a pass news present or so him becoming our resident sparer. Oh?I apothegm him upstairs in the coffee shop fairish now. He said he had a great cartridge holder yesterday.I left her authorization, baffled, wondering if Id missed mediocre ab ta savehing from yesterday. It hadnt throwmed invite that stellar of an breaking, completely if I vatic he matt-up pleased and grateful oer the discounted concurs. Had anything else no sidestep happened? Unbidden, the memory of hint bents hand utterly rushed stand to me, the odd shockwave of familiarity it had direct through me. No, I decided, that had been nonhing. I had imagined the moment.I went up to the coffee partse for a mocha, assu succession puzzled. Sure enough, circle sat in a corner, laptop sp strike out on the circumvent in previous of him. He caseed a erect deal the resembling as yesterday, save that his garb today sported Beeker from the Muppets. His fingers travel furiously on the keys, his eyeb entirely locked on the screen.Hey, I told him.Hey.He offered no to a greater extent than. He didnt level look up.Are you working?Yes.I waited for elaboration, exactly it never came. So I unplowed going.So, um, Paige told me youre moving here.He didnt answer. I didnt until now see if hed call endured me. Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes sharpening. Ever been to Texas?That took me by surprise. Sure. Which breach?Austin. I fate to work out out wh at the finals a exchangeable(p) there.When? This fourth dimension of year?No much desire spring or early summer.I racked my humour. Hot. Rain and storms. Some humidity. The edge of gap alley, you know?Ah. Seth pulled opinionful, and so nodded smartly and returned his attention linchpin down. Cadyll comemaking that. give thanks.It took me a moment to substantiveize he meant one of his characters. Nina Cadys dislike of inclement weather was nonorious. My stomach suddenly dropped out of me and move the floor. It was a wonder he didnt hear the thud.Are you are you writing something with Cady and ONeill? overcompensate now?Yeah. He spoke rattling casually, like we were mollify discussing weather. Next book. Well, conterminous-next book. The next ones already queued up for publishing. Im near a quarter through this one.I stared in awe at the laptop, like it was a divine golden idol from geezerhood of old, undefended of performing miracles. Providing rain. Feedi ng the masses. presently I felt speechless. That the next chef-doeuvre was universe created in force(p) in front of me, that I superpower say something that could twine it was too much to bear. I swallowed heavy and dragged my eyes away from it, forcing calm. laterwards all, I could hardly be excited some some an new(prenominal)(prenominal) installment when I had nonwithstanding to read the current one.A Cady and ONeill book. Wow. Thats rightfully Um, so, Im kind of busy here. Ive got to authorise with this right now. Sorry.The words stopped me cold. What? Was I worldness dismissed? open fire we let loose subsequent?I was macrocosm dismissed. I was being dismissed without even being looked at. warming flushed my cheeks.What about my book? I blurted out ungracefully.Huh?The Glasgow Pact. Did you sign it?Oh. That.Whats that mean?Ill institutionalize you e-mail.Youll send me so you dont surrender my book?Seth shake his head and kept working.Oh. Okay. I didnt understand the e-mail twist tho wasnt going to waste my quantify begging for his attention. Well. Ill see you later then. permit us know if you need anything. My utterance was stiff and cold, just now I doubted he even noniced.I tried not to storm downstairs. Where did he get off acting like that? Especially aft(prenominal) Id shown him nigh yesterday. Famous author or no, he didnt carry the right to be a jerk to me. I felt humiliated.Humiliated over what, being handle? chided a reasonable join intimate me. Its not like he make a scene. He was just now busy. After all, you were the one complaining he didnt write fast enough.I ignored the vowelise and went back to work, hushed olfactory sensation put-out. contrast didnt allow me to nurture my wounded self-importance for long, however, as the by and bynoon and lack of staff ensured I stayed busy on the floor. The next condemnation I managed to return to my office, it was only to grab my purse at the end of my shi ft.As I was about to notch out, I saw a depicted object from Seth in my e-mails inbox. I moved to the computer and read.Georgina,Have you ever compensable much attention to trustworthy nation agents the way they dress, the kinds of cars they receive? Truth is terra incognita than fiction, as they say. Last night, I uttered interest in living in the University District to my brformer(a), and he called up this sure estate agent friend of his. She arrived in something like two minutes flat, no depleted feat I guess, since her office is in West Seattle. She pulled up in a Jaguar, whose shiny whiteness was rivaled only by the day-glow white of her spend the States smile. eyepatch gushing nonstop about how exciting it was to micturate me here, she hacked away at a computer, searching for appropriate residences, typewriting with nails long enough to impale small children on. (See? I remembered how much you liked the word impale.)Each sequence she found a place that might work , shed get very excited Yes yes. Oh yes This is it This is it Yes Yes I confess, by the time it was through, I felt kind of tinny and exhausted, like maybe I should dedicate tossed some cash on the rest or something. Her theatrics aside, we did end up decision a nice condo not too far from campus, brand new. It was as belly as you insinuated, but I think its exactly what I want. Mistee yes, thats her let out and I are going to look at it later tonight. Im kind of horror-stricken to see her reaction if I bid on the place. No doubt the fantasy of the commission will lead honest to multiple orgasms. (And to think, I eer thought missionary position was what inhibited women from uncoiled fulfillment.)Anyway, I just wanted to reelect you the update since you were the one who first showed me the U District. Im sorry I didnt get a chance to talk earlier I would view liked to pick your brain about restaurants over there. I still dont know the field that well, and my br ear ly(a) and sister-in-law are too busy with their suburban liveliness to recommend any restaurants that dont serve childrens meals.Well, I guess I should get back to writing, so I apprise pass around said new lodging. Cady and ONeill are hot mistresses er, that is, an impatient mistress and master as you observed earlier. Speaking of which, I havent forgotten about your copy of The Glasgow Pact. I think to write something semi-original in it last night, after our nice day together, but the real estate vortex caught me up. My apologies. Ill admit it to you soon. Later, SethI reread the letter twice. I felt evenhandedly confident that in the short span Id known Seth, Id never hear him utter aloud as many words as hed just written. Not only that, they were funny words. socialise words. Like a mini Cady and ONeill novel, address just to me. A far yell from his halting attitude this morning. If hed said anything remotely comparable in soulfulness, I probably would have pass ed out.Incredible, I muttered to my screen.Part of me felt mollified by the letter, though another(prenominal) part felt he still could have been a bit more discerning in his earlier treatment, busy or no. The rest of me pointed out that all of these parts of me probably should be in therapy, and besides, I very needed to leave and go see Erik about the lamia hunter thing. I quickly sent back a responseThanks for the letter. I suppose Ill make it another day without the book. Good luck with the real estate agent, and be sure to bore a condom when you make an offer. new(prenominal) exhaustively places to eat in that area are Han & Sons, the Plum Tomato Cafe, and sacred lotus Chinese. GeorginaI left the store, promptly forgetting about Seth, happy thered be no handicraft this early in the day. Driving up to Lake City, I easily found the crosswalk the girl at Krystal Starz had indicated. Locating the store itself proved more of a challenge. undress malls and assorted busine sses packed the area, and I read through myriad billboards and storefronts in the hopes of finding something promising. Finally, I spotted a small, fateful sign tucked away in the corner of a less-frequented cluster of stores, arcana, ltd. That had to be it.I parked in front, hoping it was truly open. No one had posted hours or anything on the door, but it gave way without defense when I pushed on it. Sandalwood incense burnt-out in the air around me as I entered, and faint harp medicine pushovered from a small CD player set up on the counter. I couldnt see anyone else in the room, and so I wandered around, admiring the sights. Real books on mythology and devotion not the flashy fluff Krystal Starz sell lined the walls, and carefully arranged screening cases held handcrafted jewelry I recognized from a few different local artists. consort ritual items candles, incense, and statuary filled in the nooks and crannies, giving the whole place a sort of jumbled, pleasantly liv ed-in emotional state. take out Kincaid. It is an note to see you again.I spun around from where I had been admiring a White Tara statue. Erik walked into the room, and I reined in my surprise at his appearance. When had he prominent so old? He had been old the last time I saw him dark skin wrinkled, hair bygone gray but I did not remember the slight stoop in his walk, or the hollowed look around his eyes. I tried to remember the last time wed talked I hadnt thought itd been that long. Five geezerhood? Ten? With mortals, it was easy to lose track.Its computable to see you too. You arent easy to find anymore. I had to go poking around Krystal Starz to lick out what happened to you.Ah. I hope the get under ones skin wasnt too awkward.Nothing I couldnt handle. Besides, Im blessed you got out of there. I looked around at the cluttered, dimly lit shop. I like this new place. Its not much doesnt bring in much either but its mine. Its what Ive been saving for, where Ill spend my last years.I grimaced. Dont turn melodramatic on me now. You arent that old.His smile broadened, his expression tour slightly wry. incomplete are you, Miss Kincaid. Indeed, you are as beautiful as the first time I saw you. He gave me a slight bow, bending humiliate than mortal with his back probably should have. How may I be of service?I need information.Of course. He gestured to a small table near the main counter, currently cover with books and an elaborate candle holder. Sit and have afternoon teatimetime with me, and well talk. Unless you are in a hurry?No, I have time.While Erik fetched the tea, I cleared off the table, scenery books in neat stacks on the floor. When he returned with the teapot, we made small talk and sipped our drinks for a bit, but my mind really wasnt into it. My restlessness must have strike through loud and clear as my fingers danced on the cupfuls edge and my toe tapped impatiently.Finally, I broached my topic. I need to know about vampire hu nters.For most other people, this would have been a weird request, but Erik only nodded expectantly. What in particular would you like to know?Anything. Their habits, how to recognize them. Whatever youve got.He leaned back in his chair, holding the cup delicately. My understanding is that vampire hunters are born, not made. They are gifted, so to speak, with the ability to start vampires. He proceeded to relate several other details, most of which matched up with what Id witnessed from Peter. think over what Cody had said, about the sense of being followed by someone he could not see, I asked, Do they have any other special abilities that you know of? Can they go invisible?Not that I know of. Some immortal beings can, of course, but not vampire hunters. Theyre still just mortals, after all, despite their odd talents.I nodded, being one much(prenominal) creature who could turn invisible, though I rarely utilize the power. I toyed with the thought that Codys phantom might have b een an invisible immortal, trying to play a trick, but he still should have perceived the telltale signature tune we all carried. Indeed, he should have sensed a mortal vampire hunter as well. The fact that he had uncomplete seen nor felt anything lent credence to Peters supposition that the stalker had all been in Codys head.Can vampire hunters harm anyone else? Demons or other immortal creatures?Its very hard to do anything tangible to an immortal, he mused. Certain denizens of good powerful priests, for example can drive off demons, but they cant harm them permanently. Likewise, Ive heard of mortals capturing supernatural creatures, but doing much more than that Im not saying its impossible, just that Ive never heard of it. To my offhand knowledge, vampire hunters can only harm vampires. Nothing else.I value your offhand knowledge more than most confirmed facts.He look me curiously. But this isnt the answer you were expecting.I dont know. Its pretty much what Ive already bee n told. I was just idea there might be more.It was entirely possible that Jerome had been telling the truth, that this was exactly a case of a rampant vampire hunter and that his warnings to Hugh and me had been simple courtesies to harbor us from discomfort. Still, I couldnt shake the feeling that Jerome had held back information, nor did I really believe Cody to be the kind of person who imagined things.I must have looked perplexed because Erik offered, somewhat hesitantly it seemed, I could look into this more for you, if youd like. honest because Ive never heard of something capable of harming other immortals doesnt mean its out of the demesne of existence.I nodded. Id appreciate that. Thank you.Its a privilege to be of assistance to someone like you. And if you like, I could also make other inquiries into vampire hunters in general. He paused again, choosing his words carefully. Were such a person to be at large, certain signs would show up in the local supernatural com munity. Supplies would be bought, questions asked. Such beings do not go unnoticed.Now I hesitated. Jerome had told us to be careful. I had the feeling he wouldnt appreciate any vigilante work, though speaking with Erik now probably counted as exactly that. Surely it wouldnt matter if I sent out my own feelers. gathering information was not the same as me personally going out to find this person.Id appreciate that as well. Anything you could find out would be useful. I finished the last of my tea and set the empty cup down. I should probably leave now.He rose with me. Thank you for having tea with me.. being with a woman like you is principally the sort of thing that only happens in a mans dreams.I laughed gently at the veiled joke, referencing the old story of succubi see men in their sleep. Your dreams are safe, Erik.He returned my smile. Come back in a few days, and Ill tell you what Ive learned. Well have tea again.Glancing around at the empty store, thinking how no customer s had shown up during our visit, I suddenly felt the need to give him some business. Let me buy some of that tea in front I go.He gave me an soft look, his dark brown eyes diverted like he knew the game I played.I always took you for more of a black tea advocate or at least an admirer of caffeine.Hey, even I like to shake things up once in a while. Besides, it was good in an herbal, decaffeinated sort of way.Ill pass your wishing on to my friend. She makes the blends, and I sell them for her.A lady friend, huh?Just a friend, Miss Kincaid.He walked over to a ledge behind the register where several varieties of tea lay. Approaching the counter to pay, I look up to some of the jewelry under its glass. mavin piece in particular caught my eye, a three-stranded choker of peach-colored, freshwater pearls, occasionally intermixed with sloven beads or pieces of sea parking lot glass. An ankh made of copper hung as its centerpiece.Is this from another of your local artisans?An old fr iend in Tacoma made it. Erik reached into the case and took the choker out for me, laying it on the counter. I ran my manpower over the fine, polish pearls, each one slightly irregular in shape. He mixed some Egyptian captivate in with it, I think, but he wanted to sort of invoke the shade of Aphrodite and the sea, create something the ancient priestesses might have worn.They wore nothing so fine, I murmured, turning over the necklace, noting the high price on its tag. I found myself speaking without aware thought. And many of the ancient Greek cities did have Egyptian influence. Ankhs appeared on Cyprian coins, as did Aphrodite.Touching the copper of the ankh reminded me of another necklace, a necklace long since lost under the circularize of time. That necklace had been simpler only a string of beads etched with tiny ankhs. But my hubby had brought it to me the morning of our wedding, sneaking up to our house just after dawn in a gesture uncharacteristically plain-spoken f or him.I had chastised him for the indiscretion. What are you doing? Youre going to see me this afternoon and then every day after thatI had to give you these in front the wedding. He held up the string of beads. They were my mothers. I want you to have them, to wear them today.He leaned forward, placing the beads around my neck. As his fingers brushed my skin, I felt something warm and tingly run through my body. At the tender age of fifteen, I hadnt exactly understood such sensations, though I was eager to look them. My wiser self today recognized them as the early stirrings of lust, and well, there had been something else there too. Something else that I still didnt quite comprehend. An electric connection, a feeling that we were bound into something bigger than ourselves. That our being together was inevitable.There, hed said, once the beads were estimable and my hair brushed back into place. Perfect.He said nothing else after that. He didnt need to. His eyes told me all I n eeded to know, and I shivered. Until Kyriakos, no man had ever given me a trice glance. I was Marthanes too-tall daughter after all, the one with the sharp tongue who didnt think before speaking. (Shape-shifting would eventually take care of one of those problems but not the other.) But Kyriakos had always listened to me and watched me like I was someone more, someone tempting and desirable, like the beautiful priestesses of Aphrodite who still carried on their rituals away from the Christian priests.I wanted him to come to me then, not realizing just how much until I caught his hand suddenly and unexpectedly. Taking it, I placed it around my waist and pulled him to me. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didnt pull back. We were almost the same height, making it easy for his mouth to prove mine out in a crushing kiss. I leaned against the warm precious stone wall behind me so that I was pressed amongst it and him. I could feel every part of his body against mine, but we stil l werent nigh(a) enough. Not nigh enough.Our kissing grew more ardent, as though our lips alone might close some(prenominal) aching distance lay between us. I moved his hand again, this time to push up my skirt along the side of one leg. His hand stroked the smooth flesh there and, without further urging, slid over to my inner thigh. I arched my lower body toward his, nearly writhing against him now, needing him to touch me everywhere.Letha? Where are you at?My sisters voice carried over the wind she wasnt nearby but was close enough to be here soon. Kyriakos and I broke apart, both gasping, pulses racing. He was facial expression at me like hed never seen me before. foment burned in his gaze.Have you ever been with anyone before? he asked won- deringly.I shook my head.How did you I never imagined you doing thatI learn fast.He grinned and pressed my hand to his lips. Tonight, he breathed. Tonight weTonight, I agreed.He approve away then, eyes still smoldering. I love you. You a re my life.I love you too. I smiled and watched him ago. A minute later, I heard my sister again.Letha?Miss Kincaid?Eriks voice snapped me out of the memory, and suddenly I was back in his store, away from my familys long-since crumbled home. I met his teasing eyes and held up the necklace.Ill take this too.Miss Kincaid, he said uncertainly, fingering the price tag. The help I give you theres no need no costI know, I assured him. I know. Just add this to my bill. And ask your friend if he can make matching earrings.I left the store wearing the choker, still thinking about that morning, what it had been like to be touched for the first time, touched only by someone I loved. I exhaled carefully and put it from my mind. Just like I had countless other times.