Juli A Multi Sensory Learner That Demonstrates Average...

Julia is a 16-year-old eleventh-grade student in the Half Hollow Hills High School West. She is educated in general education classes with daily Resource Room support. Her current classification is Learning Disabled. Julia has received special education services since the 2nd grade and was classified in elementary school. Her current test accommodations include extended time (1.5), a flexible small group with limited distractions for the state test, and to start testing in class and finish in the testing room. As per IEP, Program Modification includes special seating arrangements. Previous reports indicate that Julia met all developmental milestones with normal age expectations. She lives at home with her parents and two older siblings.†¦show more content†¦She displayed appropriate verbal skills for her age and expressed herself when asked questions. Julia s motivation was high on most tasks administered. In addition, on difficult items, Julia often self-corrected her answers on some of the tasks. She maintained attention throughout the testing session. She often took an appropriate amount of time to respond to a few tasks. Throughout the testing, Julia demonstrated good verbal strategies as she often repeated the question to herself before answering. She did not request any breaks between tasks. She was observed as anxious (e.g. frequent adjusting in the chair) on harder items and her test anxiety seems to have compromised her overall IQ performance. However overall, given the good testing conditions and Julia’s effort, the current results ap pear to be an accurate estimate of her cognitive ability. Julia’s cognitive abilities were assessed through the use of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales, 4th Edition (WAIS-IV). The areas of cognitive processing ability measured include crystallized intelligence, short-term memory, visual-spatial processing, reasoning ability, and processing speed. The subtests measure different cognitive processing abilities and when combined together they form four index scores: Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory and Processing Speed which all together make up the Full-Scale IQ score. Julia obtained a Standard Score of 82 (12th

Teen Pregnancy its Prevalence and Alternatives Free Essays

Zarrilli mentioned that â€Å"Although scholars disagree on a definition, we may define ‘popular’ theatre as stage entertainment that appeals to cross class audiences in complex societies through commercial means. † (Zarrilli et al, Theatre Histories, 2006, pg 311) In this context it could be stated that a theatre is a stage where the actor and actress perform their characters according to the director script is written. But the acting on the stage and especially in front of the audience is more difficult rather than performing on the back stage. We will write a custom essay sample on Teen Pregnancy: its Prevalence and Alternatives or any similar topic only for you Order Now There is whole lot of difference between a normal theatre and a popular theatre because rather than the culture mimic and mirror it also shows disagreement for the spectators with not a single question to answer but actually gives a reflection to the audience to find the answer. Popular theatre is nothing like that, what we see on television or theatre, where the actor and actress are performing a masterpiece, but here it is only to perform and realise the situation of the script and play a stage role in a very simple manner so that everyone can understand. However, in this context it would be relevant to mention that melodrama, folk drama, festivals, calendar celebrations such as; Christmas, Easter, the harvest festival and Halloween, carnivals, clowns, reality TV as examples of popular theatre. Discussion While placing a role in front of a viewer popular theatre should tell a story and also bring a concern to the community around the issue. The content should be a potential one and it should be a theatre as a â€Å"rehearsal of life† so that the visitors can overcome the fears of mind and can build a self reliance among them selves. The act should be intense, so that the audience gets encourage and they should have the ideas without any hesitation in mind. Thus from this view point events like melodrama, folk drama, festivals, calendar celebrations such as; Christmas, Easter, the harvest festival and Halloween, carnivals, clowns, reality TV well blends into the parameter of popular theatre. Now, for the presentation it requires some time and with the chosen form of communication it can be done very quickly and easily. Sometimes the local people carry out the expenses making the production cost low. Another important part of popular theatre is to organize a very few people who have a very good understanding among themselves so that they can make their own decisions and participate to do the work. (Berkowitz, 189) An illustration of a case study would help in this context. Take for example ‘Kissa Kursi Ka’ (Trans: Tale of Throne), Directed by former parliamentarian Amrit Nahata, that originated as a folk drama, was a controversial Indian play. The plot revolved around a corrupt and evil politician, Utpal Dutt, trying to woo personified public, Shabana Azmi. It talked about evil politicians running after the ministerial throne to do anything and everything to get the so called ministry chair and ultimately shows that all politicians are of same character, leaving a question mark on the viewers about the characters of the politicians governing the country. This is what folk drama does. It reveals the public sentiment on different issues. In this case it was political satire. (Dos, 177) Now comes the performance part. It is completely an art, where the artist has to interact with spectators indirectly. Before they come in front of them they need ample practice to perform on stage with exemplary presence of mind. To make it complete, the artist should have appropriate make up, speech, to convey the message with proper skills of non verbal communication. Sometimes the interaction with audience can be direct, it becomes a testing time for the artist’s presence of mind, as different audience can behave indifferently. So folk artists of a folk drama have to work according to it. In a normal theatre the artist perform their role very professionally because it is their bread and butter for them, so they have to perform quiet confidently so that the next order or roll does not quit away from them. Therefore they have to work very sincerely on that performance act. But in the popular theatre such as folk drama the artist plays a role without any tension on the platform and they do well than the professional people. This only happens because they think that they are working for the society or for the community to grow awareness among the people, so that they do not suffer afterwards in the later part of the life. Here we can see that the normal theatre artist perform their duties for their occupation, whereas the popular theatre artist does their work for the betterment of the society. For example, in India our government has taken an initiative to do away with stigma around AIDS. While launching this type of welfare needs, the government has taken two steps to convey the message to the people of India. One is by providing awareness to the citizen by the help of television. (Border, 227-228) This type of small advertisement programs are covered by popular artist, so that the admirers of the artist gets more attracted to the message of the advertisement, which had been conveyed to them and they should follow that message from that particular day and also discuss the issue with others. With that particular topic, the government also launches small programs, like street skits, with the local people who stay in the villages and perform the role, where the awareness of the advertisement had not reach. Here popular theatre plays its part. It takes more time and hassle for the performers to do the work, but it will be sure that the message will be reach to each and every family, which is much more effective than the regular theatre. These types of popular theatre are conducted by the artist according to the village tradition, culture and language which can give a more positive effect on the minds of the audience. Artist faces many problems out here. Cost is a main factor, where most of the money comes from the government, where the rest had to be collected from the welfare trustees, who donate for the betterment of the people. For every rehearsal the artists had some expenses for make ups, dress, food, lodging, this small cost looks more visible when the artist is performing for quit along time. As the funds are very limited it also crates a negative impact while performing a role. For that the insiders and the outsiders have to talk freely and openly with the particular problem and with the help of the experiences they have to solve it. Most of the people start with his own experience and later notice or study the experience of other artist. (Deb, 323) The analysis part is done between actors, facilitators, animators and even between the insiders and the outsiders. In this type of analysis the issue information is examined in three contexts, that is economical social or political. This issue should immediately bring to light and the problem had to solve instantly so that the performance gets better. In a popular theatre, one most important point have to be notice that is to convert the major issues into entertainment and that particular entertainment can be in the form of series of work shops, or a play. This type of particular structured entertainment or activities can be done by asking people to take on the role of a group or community unfamiliar to them and then have the feeling and reflect the experience. Thus it is certain that popular theatre like melodrama, folk drama, festivals, calendar celebrations such as; Christmas, Easter, the harvest festival and Halloween, carnivals, clowns, reality TV work highly in the context of mass entertainment. (Dev, 78-81) Conclusion When the artist take on very unfamiliar roles they are forced to learn and find new feelings and experience followed by creative thoughts. Emotions of new thought can be done by incorporating the ideas into the theme. Here practice takes place and the next important stage â€Å"rehearsal for life†, which also provides an opportunity of a new perception. The contributor or audience are said to analyze or resolution of a problem or leave the stage with a provoking question in the mind of the audience so that they can separately analyse and assess the culture and work according to the political scenario. By resolving this type of contradiction the drama reach a new phase and it turns to a new disagreement and so the process becomes continuous. (Dos, 441-442) Bibliography: Zarrilli, Phillip B. McConachie, Bruce A Williams, Gary Jay and Sorgenfrei, Carol Fisher. Theatre Histories: An Introduction. New York and London: Routledge, 2006 Berkowitz, L; Theatre and Man; New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 2006 Border, S; Act I: Fire of the Mind; Wellington: National Book Trust; 2006 Deb, J; Introduction to Russian Acting: Stage for Mankind; Dunedin: ABP Ltd. 2005 Dell, S; Evaluation of UK Stage; Dunedin: ABP Ltd. 2006 Dos, M; Future of Thought Process in Theatre History; Christchurch: Alliance Publications; 2005 How to cite Teen Pregnancy: its Prevalence and Alternatives, Papers

Reaching For Dreams A Ballet Essay Example For Students

Reaching For Dreams A Ballet Essay In watching a professional ballet one doesnt realize how much work is put into making the production come to life. Both the dancers and the choreographers put every ounce of energy and emotion into telling their story. It takes years for a ballerina to train for the labor that goes into becoming professional, however just weeks to learn a full-length ballet. Dancers can sometimes be put through months of sore muscles in order to train. Often ballet dancers are told to loose weight in order to look their part, or are only given a few minutes for break after hours of vigorous training. In the end it is all worth it though. When I checked out Reaching for Dreams: A Ballet from Rehearsal to Opening Night, by Susan Kuklin out of the library I expected to read another boring drawn out diary. Amazingly this book was difficult for me to put down because I became so enthralled by the process of putting on a ballet. At the beginning of this book the author describes the dancers coming in on a rainy Monday morning to begin warm-ups and rehearsal. This of course is the beginning of their voyage to opening night. The dancers taking part in this production were from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. The ballet that they plan to perform in seven weeks is called Speeds. The choreographer of Speeds is a world-renowned woman by the name of Jennifer Mullers. This production contains a cast of eleven dancers and five alternates. Speeds is a modern ballet that explains how one moment in time is like no other, and how often things in the world change. Throughout this book, Kuklin observes the life of a dancer. The typical day of a professional ballerina at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre consists of waking up around seven to be at rehearsal in plenty of time to warm-up. In dance warming up your muscles is the most important device to do before beginning, as it helps you stay clear of any possible injuries. After warming up Jennifer, the choreographer, teaches them the dance and makes sure that every move flows with the body of the person dancing it. She claims that the dancers must be comfortable with the shapes that they dance. After hours of strenuous practice the dancers receive a five-minute break to cool off and grab a bite to eat. Normally the meal the dancers would eat on break would consist of some fruit and maybe a small sandwich. Jennifer would then announce Okay breaks over, and the worn out bodies would slowly, but surely get up and dance their hearts out until about one oclock when they were allowed to leave. Often times some of the duets would stay after to rehearse more to make sure that everything was flowing together as if they were one. After seven months of doing this everyday one would think that it would become extremely repetitious, however to the leads, opening night is well worth the wait.Bright red curtains wave as the dancers file in back stage for the first showing of Speeds to start. The dancers are costumed in pure white linen to bring you the feeling of innocence. Everyone is extremely apprehensive about the show as the music begins to play and the curtains begin to be drawn open. Jennifer whispers one last good luck to the group as they begin to perform. The show goes on wonderfully and nothing unexpected happens for the next few showings. The last night of the show comes very quickly to the dancers as if it has all been a dream. .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 , .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .postImageUrl , .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 , .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336:hover , .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336:visited , .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336:active { border:0!important; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336:active , .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336 .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u881f61afe6e02642c9ccf6acf58f6336:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: I Know WhyThe Caged Bird Sings Essay Summary The show ends and the dancers come out on stage for their last bow. As they look out into the audience and see the crowd cheering they realize what the seven months of stressful practicing was for. For the chance to get the feeling of a lifetime that you will never forget, and to feel that you have achieved something wonderful.

On Love And Hate Essays - Love, Emotions, Discrimination, Hatred

On Love and Hate Historically, extremes in emotion and reason do not often mix. I am thus cautious of attempting to comb through love or hate with reason. My recourses are two: to (yes, using what reason I have) separate intellectual thought from emotion; and to apply as little reason as possible without ceasing to write. It seems reasonable (sorry) to assume that emotion and reason have nothing to do with each other. It also seems very likely that one cannot exist with the other. They seem capable of cohabitation within a single person, but fall upon differing objects. Are not the things we love or hate not the things we understand? Hate: Hate is one of our reactions to a lack of understanding. We cannot hate that which we understand. Hate is our frustration at failure to comprehend. The more we understand something hated, the more our hatred becomes sadness or pity, or deepens to a hatred of that which caused whatever it was that we did not understand. In the latter case, the hatred may increase with understanding, but the object of the hatred has shifted. We are given a wide range of paths for dealing with our hatred, from the altruistic to the reactionary. The altruists, wishing peace without societal discord, tell us to repress our hatred and replace it with love, a path bound eventually for emotive explosion and breakdown. The diametric path gives us a series of smaller explosions with promise of emotional stability as a result of constant expulsion of malefic urges. Neither of these, or combinations thereof, are terribly productive ways in which to deal with hate, as even the moderate paths deal with the hatred only superficially and inefficiently. I see the only way around hatred being understanding. Upon comprehension of the object of hatred, one is either better equipped for the constructive removal of said object, cooly and rationally; or no longer desirous of the removal. Either outcome is fully satisfying altruistically. In the latter case, one must accept simultaneously a bit of humility for having been mistaken as well as a bit of pride for having become a bit more correct. This leaves one emotionally balanced. The hatred is not repressed, but transformed. The same emotional energy is simply working in a different direction. Upon the removal of the object, the hatred is put to work in a positive manner instead of simply lashing out half-cocked and possibly incorrectly. The process is simply that of questioning: "why does this specific situation exist?", and "what can be done to cause this situation not to exist?". Realize that just as for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction; for every reaction, there is an equal and opposite cause; and that nothing is simply either cause or effect, but everything is both. Love: Ask the same questions, hope not to find answers, and don't be disappointed when you do. If you find understanding of the object of love, it will no longer be an object of love, as love, similarly to hate, is a reaction to a lack of understanding. The faster you find answers, the more superficial the emotion. When answers come in the form of more questions, you have a true indication of the intensity and thoroughness of the emotion, and there is more likelyhood that when love finally disappears, through comprehension, it will be replaced with respect and admiration which you will find very easy to tell yourself is the same thing. I am sorry if it seems I have advised you to processes that diminish or destroy emotions; I have not. Emotions, contrary to poetic assumption, are not permanent, but transitory (although it is certainly not impossible for them to remain for durations exceeding a human lifetime). I believe that the proper thing to do with emotions is to consummate them, not to either prolong or shorten their duration, for one is stagnation and the other repression.

Letter to the Taliban essays

Letter to the Taliban essays The people of the world and I have recently been troubled by a problem, and this problem has been caused by you. The evil word for our difficulties is called terrorism, and we will no longer tolerate such barbaric acts. Solutions are available to put an end to such atrocities, and ultimately put an end to you and any other groups or countries that aid you in your attempts to destroy our people or our way of life. In the past our country has been threatened by other incidents of terrorism; some were minor, but others were much worse. Some of the perpetrators of these crimes were apprehended and imprisoned, and others were never caught. Therefore, in retrospect, and with the present circumstances as they are, it seems that our earlier reactions to these terroristic acts and our punishment for them were never quite as severe as they possibly needed to be. However, now the times and circumstances are different. On September 11, 2001, you performed one of the most horrific and cowardly acts the world has ever known. By hi-jacking four of our commercial airliners, you broke international laws and committed acts of terrorism that cannot be dealt with so easily. By crashing two of these planes into the World Trade Center, and two others into the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, you have sealed your own fate. Early on an ordinary Tuesday morning, your dastardly operation killed thousands of freedom-loving Americans, people who were only undertaking their daily responsibilities at their work- places, others who were traveling to various destinations across the country, and even tourists who were visiting that world-famous location in lower Manhattan. Your insane purpose drove you to kill more than just any average citizen; you annihilated sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, aunts and uncles, and t ...

Business - Society & Planet for Sustainability and Stakeholder

Sustainability has been an important objective of the businesses in the past decade and the core principle of the organisations is to achieve the sustainability in the long run of the business. In this reflective essay, the concepts of sustainable business including the issues, approaches and challenges have been discussed. Sustainable business can be defined as the organisation that creates a minimum negative impact on the local or global environment and the sustainable businesses are progressive in human rights and environmental aspects.   John Elkington during the time of the 1990s created a new framework to monitor the performance of the organisation regarding sustainability in America. This measure went beyond the traditional framework of the organisation and it just did not measure the profit, shareholders' values and return on investment; it also included the social and environmental dimensions. As stated by Elkington (2013), the triple bottom line is the idea that fetches to broaden the aim on the financial bottom line by the organisations to include the environmental and social responsibilities. Therefore, the triple bottom line of the organisation measures the economic value, social responsibility and environmental impact of the organisations. I did not have an idea about triple bottom line; I only knew the organisation's bottom line was only the i e statement or the net i e. Today's organisations do not run only for financial profit but the betterment of people's lives and to help the environment. The responsi bilities of the organisations e pass not only to profit; but also people and planet to make them sustainable (Caroll & Buchholtz, 2014). I was reading the framework published in the International Reporting Council, where the article focused on the capital needs of the organisations. Financial capital is about understanding the implication of the regulatory changes that provide the traditional strengths of finance (Williard, 2012). Manufactured capital is about the decision-making of the financial analysis as the manufactured capital can lead to the success of the organisation. I believe that manufactured assets are the physical distribution of the services, networks and distribution networks. These goods and services should be delivered to the customers on time to utilise the manufactured capital. Intellectual capitals are the intangible assets like patents, trademarks and brand equity of the organisation (De Visscher, 2016). Human capital is the human resources that do the intellectual work of the organisation along with the technologies. I personally think that the organisations spend on training, on-boarding and re duce the employee turnover so that the human capital can be used to increase the efficiency of the intellectual capital. In addition, social and relational capitals are the social networking media like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter that help the organisation to make relations with the customers and the external stakeholders. Finally, natural capital of the organisation is the raw materials that are used by the organisation like oil and gas, mining and other assets of the organisations. According to me, the organisations need to use these six capitals in order to improve the munity and to go towards sustainability. According to Dunphy, Griffiths & Benn (2006), there are six phases in the sustainability. The first phase is about rejection and it involves with the attitude on the part of the managers that the resources of the organisation like munity, employees and environment all should be used for the immediate economic gain of the organisations. The second phase is about non-responsiveness and it es from the lack of awareness of the organisation rather than to the active opposition of the corporate ethics (Benn, Edwards & Williams, 2014). In this phase, the organisations can ignore the sustainability and continue the business as usual form. In addition, pliance mainly focuses on the reducing the risks for failing to achieve the minimum standards of the producer or the employer. The organisations might change it to the growing legal requirements. In this stage, I think, the organisation's strategies might relate to the human sustainability that aims to legal pliance. The organisation can expect the employees' loyalty in terms of pliance. Moreover, efficiency reflects an increasing awareness of the managers and the organisations regarding the corporate social responsibilities gained through the proactively maintaining the sustainability practices. In this stage, the organisation can try to reduce the costs of the operational efficiency. The next phase is the strategic proactivity and it develops when the sustainable practices can seize the opportunities. An example of the strategic proactive can be the positioning of an organisation as the leader. In this regard, I can take the name of BP (British Petroleum) as they named it as a global leader in sustainability while they are doing the business in non-renewable resource-based products. Therefore, BP has adopted the strategic approach of sustainable practices of the business. Lastly, sustaining corporation concept reflects the internationalisation of the sustainability and the organisations can promote the developing the so ciety that would support the planet as well as the people. As stated by (Beattie & Smith, 2013), the organisations can contribute the democratic and equitable social practices.      Fuji Xerox is a joint venture pany and it moved from selling to leasing the office equipment. This organisation takes the used goods; they process their ponent and rebuild the machines. Therefore, most of the parts are recycled and zero waste. This feature of the business provides us with the example of doing the business that rebuilds the products with enhanced quality and reliability. In addition, I can provide another example of the eco-friendly supply chain of Ford Motor pany that has been using the fewer vehicles that pollute the atmosphere and it has been trying to make vehicles those would take less non-renewable fuels. Therefore, the panies are trying to be more focused on the environment to provide less carbon footprint. Movement of the organisations towards sustainability mainly depends on the organisational culture to gain the sustainability. My future aim is to a leader of a multinational organisation, I would try to bring the major transformation of organisation assumption and practices related to the sustainability. I believe science and technologies both are vital for the successful planning of the business and the organisation can implement the technologies that will depend mostly on people. Beattie, V., & Smith, S. J. (2013). Value creation and business models: refocusing the intellectual capital debate.  The British Accounting Review,  45(4), 243-254. Benn, S., Edwards, M., & Williams, T. (2014).  Organizational change for corporate sustainability. Abingdon: Routledge. Carroll, A. & Buchholtz, A., (2014).  Business and Society: Ethics, sustainability, and stakeholder management . London: Nelson Education. De Visscher, F. M. (2016).  Financing Transitions: Managing capital and liquidity in the family business. Berlin: Springer. Dunphy, D., Benn, S. & Griffiths, A. (2006). Enabling change for corporate sustainability: An integrated perspective.  Australasian Journal of Environmental Management ,  13(3), 156-165. Elkington, J. (2013). Enter the triple bottom line. In  The triple bottom line  (pp. 23-38). Abingdon: Routledge. Willard, B. (2012).  The new sustainability advantage: seven business case benefits of a triple bottom line. London: New Society Publishers.

Smoking Tobacco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Smoking Tobacco - Essay Example Parker’s article accounts for credibility in a number of ways. To start with, the article considers tobacco trade within the international market setting. In so doing, the text is characteristic of diversified perspectives surrounding tobacco trade and the underlying behaviors by the global population. In addition, the article reports progressive developments and trends that were observed across the globe for over a decade in regards to tobacco smoking. These observations make Parker’s insights relevant and credible to the study of tobacco-related topics. Finally, Parker’s text is a reliable source of information as far as tobacco smoking is concerned. In the final paper context, the insights shed by Parker will come in handy in the assessment of global tobacco use. Most importantly, the text will be useful in capturing local, regional, and international variations in tobacco smoking and related practices and/or behaviors. This is because the article has adequate statistics, data, and information relevant to the prospects of the final

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 28

Business - Essay Example Securities and Exchange Commission, â€Å"Amazon.com, Inc†). With an increasing number of internet users as well as expansion of business through e-commerce, online business has become intensely competitive. The most prominent competitors of Amazon.com majorly include other online e-commerce sites, media companies and traditional retail companies. In the online retail industry, there are many other factors which tend to create a significant impact over the competencies possessed by Amazon.com including pricing regulations, convenience, and quality assurance, time-efficient delivery of the ordered product and reliability of the systems used to execute the entire process. It is in this context that Amazon.com, being considered as one of the pioneers in the online retail industry, has witnessed steep rise in demands along with rapidly altering preferences amid customers. Hence, it becomes quite likely that competition, in the upcoming days will be increasingly intense due to the rapid advancement in information technology as well as increasing c ustomer awareness (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, â€Å"Amazon.com,

Physical Therapy Assistant Essay Example for Free

Physical Therapy Assistant Essay Under the observation of a Physical Therapist, a Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) works to help patients recover from injuries or disabilities within the body. A few exemplifications of their line of work include balance training, exercise, electrical stimulation, massage, ultrasound therapy, and mechanical traction. However, seeing as they are still just assistants, PTA’s must very thoroughly document and report everything they do and turn in their paper work to their overseeing therapist. Although the position is one of a mere apprentice, they are not required to hold a license, but there are several other qualifications needed. Education is the first step to certification. A basic two-year Associates degree is needed. This can be obtained through Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. There are two different components that fit into the degree: classroom studies and clinicals. Under the education part of the degree, you would take several courses during your two year term, including rehabilitation, psychology, physiology, kinesiology, and terminology, and anatomy. Other courses include orthopedics, advanced physical therapy procedures, and pathology. Overall, sixty hours of educational course credits are needed. In the second section of studies, you are required to have working experience in the field. These clinicals occur within the second year of your education. Whether it is in a treatment center of some sort or a professional Physical Therapy business matters not, only that you have the experience needed, and in most cases, 2,000 working hours. Seeing as this would put you directly in contact with other people in a medical field, you would be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the basics of first aid. On a side note, since you are in the occupation of physical therapy assistance, you yourself as the therapy assistant should be in good or excellent condition. Oftentimes, the assistant has to work with the patients and help them with mobility, therefore, there is a high necessity to have a physically maintained body as well. After you have secured your Associates degree and completed your physical therapy assistant program with credits, you have become eligible to apply for and take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). This test is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. One way that you can help prepare yourself for the exam is by joining professional organizations. Not only would the groups make you look good, they would also offer many network opportunities and benefits in the future. Earning credentials also allows for more preparedness. For example, joining the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) requires a substantial number of extra experience hours and approximately a year of work before admission. This would give someone a very good head start when it comes to studying for the test. Once you feel prepared enough, you may take your exam. If passed, the graduate may then carry on with their certification of completion for the Physical Therapy Assistant. With this license, you can now go out into the medical field, get your own job as a certified physical therapist assistant, and thrive with the degree and job you love.

The Guggenheim Museum Essay -- Personal Narrative Art Essays

The Guggenheim Museum I first visited the Guggenheim Museum two weeks ago with Claus, my friend from Germany. We had the MOMA in mind but I guess talking, talking we must have passed it by. Half an hour from the MOMA we found ourselves in front of the Guggenheim, the astonishing white building that was Frank Lloyd Wright's last project. Why not? We said to ourselves. And so we walked right in. According to the pamphlet: "The Guggenheim Museum is an embodiment of Wright's attempts to render the inherent plasticity of organic forms in architecture. His inverted ziggurat (a stepped or winding pyramidal temple of Babylonian origin) dispenses with the conventional approach to museum design, leading visitors through a series of interconnected rooms and forcing them to retrace their steps when exiting. The galleries are divided like the membranes in citrus fruit, with self-contained yet interdependent sections. The open rotunda affords viewers the unique possibility of seeing several bays of work on different levels simultaneously. The spiral design recalls a nautilus shell, with continuous spaces flowing freely one into another." At the coat check, I suddenly remembered my pen. (Afterwards, Claus because old school would jump ship, for the Guggenheim mostly contained non-objective, therefore abstract art. This thing called art, this thing called art. Is this thing called art because it resists apprehension? Only what is at stake, Claus? If art forsakes literal representation, it is merely to get at the subconscious, at things that cannot otherwise be expressed - surely there is something to be said for that! Still, he said and we let it go.) Shoulder rub, ticket stub: we were in! Avant-Garde Art is Borne .. ...r je veux pas le juger, I write on the napkin. This time I want a goodbye. At least a goodbye. I am thinking back to the day before. I am thinking back to a conversation both of us had right after our visit to the Guggenheim. In this conversation, we are parting ways because I am meeting someone for an appointment I am too civil to turn down. In this conversation Claus is saying he'll go back and rest, maybe talk to Yoshi. He's like me, I'm thinking, so goddamn civil. Everyone's going to end up doing things he doesn't want to do. Everyone's going to have his hands full of social acquaintances he doesn't care for. So I say, "You don't have to talk to Yoshi if you don't want to, you know?" I don't remember how or where we are standing anymore. The only thing I remember: his gaze towards me is oblique. "I'm just making conversation." He is saying.

The Battle Against Human Trafficking in Europe : Policy Evaluation

The Battle Against Human Trafficking in Europe: Policy Evaluation Samira Misra Webster University Abstract This paper seeks to evaluate the policies of the European Union directed at combatting human trafficking in all its forms. The current plans of the European Commission and the United Nations are presented, and the rationale behind them is scrutinized. Research shows that the European Union recognizes the problem of human trafficking as a complete denial of human rights, and proposes action to bring to justice the responsible persons.The European Unions perspective is one based on the pillars of democracy: freedom, transparency, the law, and security. This paper argues that the aforementioned perspective is not sufficient in ameliorating the situation. It proposes a broader approach to the construction and design of a comprehensive strategy, encompassing the root causes underlying human trafficking, as well. The chief weaknesses of current policy appear to be its implementation, and EU wide co-ordination.With the identification of these weaknesses, this paper proposes significant reform by regulatory agencies for tangible action against the catastrophic reality of the trafficking trade. Ana, a girl from Quito, Ecuador fell in love with her husband at the young age of 20. What she thought would be the best decision of her life, ended up leading her to living in a nightmare. Her husband worked at a brothel in Quito, hiding his profession from Ana. Ana left her husband, along with her toddler, and moved in with her mother jobless. She soon met the owner of a small salon, a lady who would talk about Europe, and the lifestyle of the people there.Ana quickly became starry-eyed and accepted an offer to move to Paris to make money. She was completely unaware of what lay ahead. When she reached Paris, she came to know that no job awaited her, other than prostituting herself on the streets to pay back her debts for her trip to Paris. Her pimps collected most of the m oney she made, and escape was too risky as the trafficking networks were systematic and even connected with law enforcement. Ana did not return to Ecuador for three years, and lived her life, risking it every single day just to make ends meet. This is only ne of thousands of horror stories of the victims of human trafficking (Knierim, 2012). According to the United Nations Office of Drugs & Crime (UNODC), human trafficking is defined as the: The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, s lavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs. (UNODC, 2012). The sex trafficking industry has become the fastest growing industry in the world, and offenders continue to slip between the cracks of the legislative system (UNHCR, 2010). Data indicates that the number of trafficked victims detected in 2006, in West and Central Europe was 7,300 (UNODC, 2006, p. 229).Transcrime suggests a multiplier of 20 for every victim detected, which means that it is estimated that the actual statistic is 20 times what is known, This leads to a possible statistic of 140,000 victims in Europe. It is hard to say what should cause greater concern, the staggering numbers (which are a conservative estimation), or the fact that the trafficking industry continues to boom. Most trafficked victims in Europe come from Balkan countries, and from Russia. Europe also shows the largest number of nationalities of victims than any other region of the world.Victims are recruited into the sex trafficking trade through force, misrepresentation, false promises and coercion. Young, vulnerable women are lured into traps through promises of opportunities such as jobs, study abroad programs, modelling careers, vacations and the like. Research shows that acquaintances, friends or relatives largely conduct recruitment within Europe. (UNODC, 2010, p. 225) Human trafficking is a deeply complex, and multi-faceted issue. It has three main dimensions: criminal, human rights, and socio-economic.In order to effectively combat human trafficking in the European Union, measures that tackle all aspects need to be devised and implemented. This essay will seek to illustrate that the European policies thus far have taken a very limited viewpoint to the challenges of trafficking, and need to extend their vision to incorporate solutions to the root causes of the sex trade. In the first part of this paper, the policies (to date) to fight trafficking will be examined, as well as the rational e they stem from.The second part will identify the main problems with these policies, and propose changes necessary for the EU to effectively confront the prevalence of trafficking. European Union Policy European Commission In the past decade, the widespread problem of human trafficking has gained increasing media attention. However, this rise in media coverage does not imply an increased effort for measures to be taken. Rather, it triggers a false sense that enough is being to combat trafficking. Yet still, few nations remain immune to its adverse effects. Most countries are source countries, transit countries, or destination countries.It is important to note that within Europe, every nation has its own policy framework against the issue, but scrutinizing each system is beyond the scope of this research paper. For the argument, which this essay seeks to propose, it is more useful to examine the policies of European organizations dedicated solely to trafficking. The discussion will be a chronological presentation of the steps taken by the European Union. The role of the European Commission (EC) is to propose legislation in the collective interest of the EU, as well as assist in its implementation.Usually, the commission initiates legislation to meet requirements under EU treaties. In May 2003, under the Brussels Declaration on human trafficking, a policy framework was introduced, which recognized the importance of addressing the human rights violations of trafficking that threatened the freedom and security of victims. It called for cooperative action on regional, national, and international levels by governments, regulatory bodies and NGOs. Thereafter, in 2004 a EU directive was issued Directive2004/81), and introduced a â€Å"reflection period† in which victims could recover without being deported for illegal migration. If they decided to cooperate with enforcement officials and provided concrete information about their traffickers, they would be gran ted a temporary residence permit through which they could pursue education and career opportunities (European Commission, 2004, p. 261). Although the EC released some policy statements between 2004 and 2011, there were very few noticeable changes in strategy. More recently, the EC has taken a supposedly comprehensive initiative against this phenomenon.In 2011, the European Parliament established a framework outlining legal punitive measures concerning trafficking offences, as well as preventive measures to aid victims (Directive2011/36/EU). Under this policy, offenders of trafficking (including partial participants aiding in the process) were subject to five to ten years of imprisonment depending on the crimes they committed. Furthermore, the Directive stated, â€Å"Member States may decide not to prosecute or impose penalties on victims  of trafficking in human beings for their involvement in criminal activities which they have been compelled to commit. † (European Commiss ion, 2011, p. 01). The aftercare procedures consisted of the possible provision of accommodation, medical care, and interpretation and translation services. Children were required to receive psychological assistance and access to education. All victims were required to be protected sufficiently from abusers and trauma. Preventive measures highlighted by Directive2011/36/EU included education and awareness initiatives, and training for police in identification of offenders and victims. The main improvement in this directive from the last version was that it had broadened the definition of trafficking to include more forms of exploitation.The Directive2011/36/EU demonstrates an approach largely concerned with the criminal and human rights violation aspects of human trafficking, but ignores the circumstantial aspect (the socio-economic conditions which lead people to trafficking). According to the Directive’s understanding, trafficking of persons is first and foremost an absolut e negation of basic human rights for the immense physical and psychological abuse endured by victims. Secondly, it is a criminal offense (or several) on the part of the ffenders, as they partake in heinous crimes of violence, oppression, and cruelty, which trivialize the worth of a human life. The latest strategy was released in June 2012, when the EC adopted the, â€Å"EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-2016). † This strategy essentially puts forward detailed concrete steps to meet the aims of the previous Directive2011/36/EU. Main objectives of the agenda are identification and protection of victims, increased legal action against offenders, enhanced coordination and cooperation of states in policy implementation, and increased preventive measures.The EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings can only be analyzed conceptually for shortcomings as it has just been put into place. However, despite periodic revision s, it is clear that the EC’s view remains essentially unchanged. The outlook continues to be concerned with law enforcement and organized crime (European Commission, The EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings, p. 4-6). United NationsOther than the EC, the United Nations also recognizes human trafficking as a pressing concern for the international community, and acknowledges its duty to mobilize Member States to act against it. In 2002, the UN TIP Protocol (also known as Palermo Protocol) was adopted by the United Nations to â€Å"†¦prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children† (U. N, 2002, p. 1). In December 2003, this protocol came into effect, signed by 117 countries. The UNODC is responsible for upholding the Palermo protocol.Additionally, the UNODC launched its Blue Heart Campaign, directed at increasing awareness and involvement in combatting the trafficking trade. Evaluation Sex trafficking i s a complex issue, which requires an in-depth analysis and understanding of the various dimensions of the problem. The phenomenon of trafficking is immoral and unethical on numerous counts, and therefore the fight against it must confront them all. After a closer insight into the sex trade, it can be reiterated that there are socio-economic, criminal and uman rights standards our society is based on, all of which human trafficking neglects. This section identifies the key loopholes in current anti-trafficking procedures. Data Collection A rather significant issue, which inherently cripples the efficiency of policy-making, is the lack of data on human trafficking. This expresses a concern not with the content of the policies, but rather with the construction of policies, as knowledge of the nature of trafficking remains incomplete. â€Å"Concrete, reliable data on human trafficking is an essential basis for all good programs, interventions, policy and legislation.Without this data i t is not possible to know the extent or the true nature of the trafficking problem, nor understand the complexity of the issues involved. As a result, practitioners and policy-makers are unable to act and react appropriately and effectively†(International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2008, p. 205). There are several reasons for the dearth of empirical data and statistics. Perhaps the most noteworthy reason is the unwillingness of victims to come forward and report the crimes committed against them.This is because they fear for their personal safety, or fear being prosecuted for crimes such as illegal immigration, prostitution or drug abuse. In extreme cases, victims are monitored by offenders and do not have the access to law enforcement. Other contributing factors are obstacles in legal frameworks, poor data collection methodologies, and reluctance of agencies to share their information. This undermines the foundation upon which policies are devised. Approach to c ombatting trafficking EC policies against trafficking largely ignore problems such as gender inequality, race and class differences.The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 43% of trafficking victims are used for forced commercial sexual exploitation, of which 98% are female (ILO, 2008, p. 3). Although Europe has long recognized the importance of gender equality, it does not view the problem of human trafficking as representative of gender inequality. Trafficking predominantly affects women, and it is because women are disadvantaged compared to men in society, that they are more susceptible to becoming victims. The leading cause of trafficking is the desperate need of potential victims to flee from poor standards of living.Presently, the EU is not taking sufficient measures to support the empowerment of disadvantaged (impoverished, uneducated, ethnic minorities, etc. ). The harsh EU migration and border laws limit the options women have for better prospects. This ca n (sometimes) be the reason for women seeking illegitimate and unregulated forms of escape. The argument propositioned here, is that thus far, the EU has taken a closed view of trafficking, and has designed policies aimed at short- term â€Å"band aid† solutions, and has failed to devise long term strategies to eliminate the conditions which cause people to resort to risky and life-threatening behavior.In addition, these short- term policies are not gender responsive either, and lack mechanisms to help women (specifically) overcome their susceptibility to such crimes. Human trafficking is a result of a chain of events based on unjust social and economic environments, to which women frequently fall victim. Women are physically weaker and hence more vulnerable to physical harm. In addition, the cultural and societal norms (e. g. gender stereotypes, and social roles) that surround most women aggravate the likelihood of the exposure to crimes against them.As of now, gender equali ty policies apply mainly to EU citizens, whereas most victims of trafficking are non- EU citizens. It is counterproductive to have policies seeking to ensure equal rights, which fail to extend to outsiders (even illegal immigrants). Current anti-trafficking measures have been said to be â€Å"collateral damage†, as they explicitly authorize government action against victims such as deportation, and prosecution for petty crimes (Uhl, 2010, p. 122). These ostensibly supportive measures are in effect punitive for women and discourage them from seeking help.Surprisingly, nearly half of trafficking recruiters are also women. Female victims, desperate to find an escape from the unfathomable abuse, become exploiters over time (UNODC, 2010, p. 227). Policies addressing the socio-economic problems faced by women in areas of unemployment, welfare, education, immigration etc. would empower them, and prove more productive in tackling the issue from preventive, punitive and rehabilitative aspects. In essence, the European Union fails to recognize that human trafficking is partially the end result of societal gender inequalities.Although there are separate initiatives battling gender inequality, under social agendas, the European Union can ‘kill two birds with one stone’ by incorporating these measures in fighting trafficking as well. Rathgeber (2002) asserts, â€Å"Integrated and operational structures need to be developed†¦to counteract the feminization of poverty (p. 163). Academic critics of European trafficking policies (such as Rathgeber and Askola) endorse integration of strategy and procedures to overcome social gaps such as economic class, gender, or race. LegislationThe next key shortcoming in the European policy is the implementation of legislation. Although laws have been passed deeming trafficking of humans as punishable, few nations have used them to convict perpetrators. The implementation of the law so far has been lacks, which coul d only have further discouraged victims to come forward and testify. Despite the European Commissions view of trafficking from a crime and justice standpoint, enforcement officers are not equipped with the proper tools for identification and protection of victims, and not all legal institutions are equipped with legislative frameworks.Frequently, victims are offered through front businesses such as beauty salons, massage parlors or escort services, which make it hard for police officers to diagnose as trafficking rings. The United States Department of Health & Human Services (2008) reports that often victims do not consider themselves to be victims, because they are unaware of their rights and are kept too isolated from communication to be informed of the action they can take. In addition, in Eastern European countries, as well as a few others, trafficking rings are so well connected, that they branch as far out as law enforcement authorities.This could mean that police officials ar e willing to either turn a blind eye to, or participate in criminal activity. In order to have legislation actually serve its purpose, European policies must categorize concrete ways for the identification of offenders and victims. Law enforcement agencies assume that there are clear, visible signs of trafficking activity such as locked doors, low sanitary standards, same working and living space, etc. Rather than relying on superficial symptoms like these, Uhl (2010) suggests that victims can be better detected through a profile, or characteristics based on demography and behavior (p. 23). Identification ties back into being able to recognize that particularly vulnerable slice of society- uneducated and poverty stricken. Legal measures should also guarantee the protection of victims from criminal prosecution and not leave it to the judgment of the enforcement officer, or circumstances. The current Directive does not state this as a requirement, and these grey areas are considerable obstructions to effective execution of justice. According to the UNODC, law enforcement bodies also do not place sufficient priority on charging offenders, as they are aware that it rarely results in a conviction.A large majority of victims and witnesses are deported, or locked up for crimes, which makes their statements unusable in court proceedings. In addition, offenders disappear under the radar and are known to flee the country as well. The failure of legislation is result of other shortcomings, rather than a shortcoming in itself. Each inefficiency snowballs to make the presence of legislative tools futile. Harmonization It seems sound to assume that the European Commissions policies reflect uniform standards between nations because they claim to act in the interest of the European Union.However, this is not the case. Although, the EC has the same anti-trafficking strategy for all its members, different states interpret and enforce the policy differently, and some states simp ly do not uphold the EU standard. The absence of co-ordination and co-operation is yet another way in which convicted offenders escape investigation in court. The initial intention of the strategy is lost across borders, as states continue to pick and choose slices of strategy to administer.This is principally dependent on the level of regulation in each country, as well as on national priorities. In several source countries, especially in the Balkans, corruption is widespread and dishonest officials often work with traffickers or turn a blind eye to unlawful acts (Rathgeber, 2002, p. 153). By definition, what constitutes trafficking also varies from country to country. Some definitions include several forms of exploitation (e. g. bad labor conditions), while others only deal with more severe forms.Therefore, the Directive, which is supposed to tackle the same form of trafficking in a dependable way across nations, ends up being translated to suit specific national standards such as border control, labor conditions, migration law, and sexual morality (Askola, 2007, p. 214). A tentative solution is the establishment of a regulatory legislative body in charge of enforcing the correct application of strategies of the European Commission. Its branches should be established in Member States to regularly monitor execution in accordance with the EU standards.Moreover, the strategies need to avoid ambiguities, which encourage nations to modify implementation. The Directive2004/81 allows for authorities to determine whether temporary residence should be granted or not, based on specific circumstances. In having such loopholes, enforcement bodies become more occupied with the determination of these circumstances, and less with the primary objective of assistance and rehabilitation. European countries have shown limited understanding of trafficking as an issue in itself, despite all the research and analysis there is available on the subject.When examining European Commi ssion approaches to social and economic discrepancies across EU nations, it is evident that there are programs in place, which are built with the primary purpose of establishing equality, and eradicating hierarchy based on gender and class. However, these steps have been relatively ineffective, and lack synchronization across borders. Trafficking is one of the outcomes of the failure of the EU’s measures against poverty, income inequality, lack of welfare and benefit programs, and social services for children, education opportunities, psychotherapy and medical assistance, and rehabilitation.It is these dire circumstances that create desperation for money and through it, the prospect of an improvement in living standards. Conclusion Human trafficking is a problem, interlinked to several existing social, political, geographical and economic disadvantages. In order to formulate a comprehensive response to control the proliferation of trafficking, and the tragic outcomes on victi ms, the European Union must pay heed to the social and economic root causes.The strategies of the past decade reflect a generally conservative approach, as well as one that deals with trafficking as a problem in it, rather than a problem resulting from several other problems. There is little real improvement in the progressive refinement of EU policies. The European Commission has recognized the scope of the problem, and urgency to combat human trafficking, yet the measures are proving unsuccessful. Rather than portraying human trafficking as merely a variation of organized crime, it is critical to acknowledge its social, political, economic and criminal aspects as well.Human trafficking is an outcome of failed social measures, ones that are not directed to fighting the conditions from which it arises. Synchronization and coordination between European nations are the first steps to remodeling strategy design and enhancing the influence of legislation. Gender sensitivity and assistan ce to women should be a top priority in EU policy, to help women shift from their underprivileged position in society. From an evaluative perspective, until these actions are taken, we are likely to see iterative adjustments to current EU policies with little advancement in the right direction.References Askola, H. (2007). Violence against women, trafficking, and migration in the European Union. European Law Journal, 13(2), 204-217. Doi:10. 1111/j. 1468-0386. 2007. 00364. x Cochintu, I. , Tutunaru, L. , Stoicu, N. , & Valea, D. (2011). International cooperation against human trafficking. Juridical Current, 14(2), 78-86. Nieuwenhuys, C. , & Pecoud, A. (2007). Human trafficking, information campaigns, and strategies of migration control. American Behavioral Scientist, 50(12), 1674-1695. Rathgeber, C. (2002). The victimization of women through human trafficking – An aftermath of war?.European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law & Criminal Justice, 10(2/3), 152-163. doi:10. 1163/15718 1702401475340 Skrivankova, K. (2006). Combating trafficking in human beings. International Review of Law, Computers & Technology, 20(1/2), 229-232. doi:10. 1080/13600860600705135 Surtees, R. (2008). Handbook on anti-trafficking data collection in south-eastern Europe: Developing Regional Criteria. Uhl, B. (2010). Lost in implementation? Human rights rhetoric and violations — A critical review of current European anti-trafficking policies. Security & Human Rights, 21(2), 119-126. Action against trafficking in human beings. † 47 Countries – 800 million citizens – Council of Europe. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. . Communication from the commission to the European parliament, the council, the European economic and social committee and the committee of the regions. (2012). European Commission Strategy Directive 2011/36/EU of the European parliament and of the Council: On preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its Victims and repl acing Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA. 2011). Official Journal of the European Union. â€Å"Europe & Me – Human Trafficking in Europe†. Europe & Me Magazine . N. p. , n. d. Web. 14 Dec. 2012. . â€Å"La Strada International. † La Strada International. N. p. , n. d. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. . Trafficking in persons to Europe for sexual exploitation. (2011). Trends in Organized Crime, 14(2/3), 224-234. doi:10. 1007/s12117-011-9136-y

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 7

I turned and saw Roman sitting over in a corner of the small lobby. He looked striking in a deep green turtleneck, his dark hair brushed away from his face. He smiled at me when I caught his eye, and I walked over to sit near him. â€Å"Jesus, you really are a stalker.† â€Å"Well, well. Aren't you presumptuous. I only came for my coat.† â€Å"Ah.† I blushed, feeling foolish. â€Å"How long have you been waiting?† â€Å"Not too long. I actually tried the bookstore first, thinking that might be a little less stalker- ish.† â€Å"It's my day off.† I looked down at the riotously colored blossoms in my arms. â€Å"Thanks for the flowers. You didn't need to bring them to get your coat back.† Roman shrugged, those blue-green eyes wreaking havoc with me. â€Å"True, but I figured they might induce you to go out for a drink tonight.† So he did have another motive. â€Å"Not this again – â€Å" â€Å"Hey, if you'd wanted to avoid ‘this,' you shouldn't have lured me in last night. Now it's too late. You might as well avoid the long, drawn-out pain and get it over with quickly. Sort of like taking off a Band-Aid. Or cutting off a limb.† â€Å"Wow. Who says there's no romance left in the world?† In spite of my sarcasm, I found Roman's easy repartee a refreshing change from the halting atmosphere with Seth. â€Å"So, what? Does that mean you finally concede, general? Truly, you've fought a worthy battle in eluding me thus far.† â€Å"I don't know. You showed up at my home. I apparently didn't do that much eluding.† When he only waited expectantly, my smile faded. I sighed, studying him and trying to figure out his motivations. â€Å"Roman, you seem like a nice guy and everything – â€Å" He groaned. â€Å"No. Don't start that with me. It's never a good sign when a woman says ‘you're a nice guy' It means she's getting ready to let you down easy.† I shook my head. â€Å"I'm just not interested in getting serious with anyone right now, that's all.† â€Å"Whoa, ‘get serious'? Slow down there, sister. I'm not asking you to marry me or anything. I just want to go out with you sometime, maybe catch a movie, have dinner and drinks, that's it. Kiss at the end of the night if I'm lucky. Hell, if that still freaks you out, we'll just shake hands.† I leaned my head back against the wall, and we stayed like that a moment, each of us sizing up the other. I knew it was perfectly possible for men and women to go out on dates without automatic sex, but my dates generally didn't work that way. My instincts drove me to seek sex out, and looking at him, I realized that urge might be strong independent of any sort of succubus need to feed. I liked the way he looked, the way he dressed, and the way he smelled. I especially liked his goofy attempt at courtship. Unfortunately, I couldn't turn off the destructive succubus absorption, even if I wanted to. It would happen of its own volition, probably strongly with him. Even the kiss he joked about would still steal some of his life away. â€Å"I don't know anything about you,† I said finally, realizing I'd been quiet too long. He smiled lazily. â€Å"What do you want to know?† â€Å"Well†¦ I don't know. What do you like to do? Do you even have a job? You must have lax hours to be able to hang around me all the time.† â€Å"All the time, huh? You're being presumptuous again, but yes, I do work. I teach a couple of community college linguistics classes. Short of when I'm there, I get to make my own hours with grading and stuff.† â€Å"Okay. What's your last name?† â€Å"Smith.† â€Å"No way.† â€Å"Way.† â€Å"That hardly goes with Duke Roman.† I tried to think of another appropriate screening item. â€Å"How long have you lived in Seattle?† â€Å"A few years.† â€Å"Hobbies?† â€Å"I've got some.† He paused and cocked his head toward me when no more questions came. â€Å"Anything else you want to know? Should I dig out my college transcripts perhaps? A full curriculum vitae and background check?† I waved a hand of dismissal. â€Å"I have no use for inconsequential information like that. I only need to know the really important stuff.† â€Å"Like?† â€Å"Like†¦ what's your favorite song?† The question obviously caught him by surprise, but he recovered immediately, just as he had last night. I loved that. â€Å"The last half of the Beatles' Abbey Road.' â€Å"The last half of Abbey Road?† â€Å"Yeah, there are a bunch of songs, but they sort of blend into one song – â€Å" I cut him off with a quick gesture. â€Å"Yeah, yeah, I know the album.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So, that's a pretty good answer.† I tugged at my ponytail, wondering how best to navigate this. He nearly had me. â€Å"I – no. I'm sorry. I can't. It's just too complicated. Even the one date. It'll turn into a second date, then another, then – â€Å" â€Å"You really do jump ahead. What if I gave the super-secret Boy Scout promise to never bother you again after one date?† â€Å"You'd agree to that?† I asked skeptically. â€Å"Sure, if that's what you want. But I don't think you will once you've spent an evening with me.† A suggestive tone in his voice did something to my stomach I hadn't felt in a very long time. Before I could fully process this, my cell phone rang. â€Å"Sorry,† I apologized, digging it out of my purse. Glancing at the Caller ID display, I recognized Cody's number. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Hey, Georgina. Something weird happened tonight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Lord. That could mean anything from another death to Peter shaving his head. â€Å"Hang on a second.† I stood up and looked at Roman, juggling the vase of flowers as I did. He rose with me, looking concerned. â€Å"Is everything okay?† â€Å"Yeah, I mean, no. I mean, I don't know. Look Roman, I need to go upstairs and take this call. I appreciate the flowers, but I just can't get involved right now. I'm sorry. It's not you, it's me. Honestly.† He took a few steps toward me as I started to walk away. â€Å"Wait.† He dug in his pockets, pulled out a pen and piece of paper. Hastily he scrawled something and handed it to me. I looked down and saw a phone number. â€Å"For when you change your mind.† â€Å"I won't.† He simply smiled, inclined his head slightly, and left the lobby. I watched him only a moment before heading upstairs, anxious to hear Cody's news. Once inside, I set the flowers on my counter and put the phone back to my ear. â€Å"Still there?† â€Å"Yeah. Who's Roman and why'd you use the old ‘it's not you, it's me' line on him?† â€Å"Never mind. What's going on? Is someone else dead?† â€Å"No†¦ no. It's just, something happened, and Peter doesn't think it's a big deal. Hugh said you thought there might be more going on than we think.† â€Å"Tell me what happened.† â€Å"I think we were followed last night.† Cody related how, not long after leaving my place, he'd kept hearing footsteps following him and Peter on the street. Whenever he'd turned around, no one was there. Peter had written the matter off, as they had sensed no other being present. â€Å"Maybe you don't know what a vampire hunter feels like.† â€Å"I'd still have felt something. And Peter certainly would have. Maybe he's right, and I was imagining things. Or maybe it was just a regular mortal, wanting to mug us or something.† I doubted that. We couldn't sense mortals the same way we could sense immortals, but one would be hard-pressed to sneak up on a vampire. â€Å"Thanks for telling me. You did the right thing.† â€Å"What should I do now?† A strange, anxious feeling played through me as I thought about some freak stalking Peter and Cody. Dysfunctional they might have been, but I loved them. They were the closest I had to family anymore. I couldn't let anything happen to them. â€Å"What Jerome said. Be careful. Stay with others. Let me know immediately if anything happens.† â€Å"What about you?† I thought of Erik. â€Å"I'm going to clear things up, once and for all.†

buy custom Letter of Advice on Constitutional Law essay

buy custom Letter of Advice on Constitutional Law essay I hope you are doing well. Before, we begin our discussion I will shed some light on the constitutional law. Constitutional Law is the body of law defining the relationship of different entities within a state. This includes the cabinet, legislature and the judiciary. The Stop the Bill (2012) put up by the Federal Opposition provides in section 5 that: if any marine vessel with persons aboard who do not possess valid documentation for lawful entry into Australia, approaches Australian territorial waters with the intent to enter Australian territory, or enters Australian territory, that vessel shall be forcibly removed from Australian waters by Australian military vessels, or other military equipment which may be deemed necessary. This is bill majorly tries to stop any entry to the country irrespective of the reasons behind the need for entry. It is important to analyze this bill as it goes to the House of Representatives and the senates given that there have been disastrous cases as a result of in-admission and consequently drowning which has been comprehensively covered in this letter. It has further covered aspects of refugee seeking asylum in Australia which are related to the bill. Discussion According to Douglas (2009, p.142), Australia has a yearly quota of some 13,700-refugee admissions, which, in proportion to its population, is one of the highest in the world. Just like in all other countries, entry into the country is granted on basis of having valid documentation which includes visas or Electronic Travel Authorization. The policy of the Australian Government is that, despite this distinction in law, asylum seekers who arrive in excised offshore places, namely asylum seekers who arrive by boat will also be subject to mandatory detention (Linda, 2011, p.1) However, looking at a case of August 2002, a boat with 400 refugees on board sunk after allegedly being denied entry to Australia by the government reulting to the death of 353 of the refugees after they drowned (Catherine, 2005, p.26). These were people seeking their democratic right to seek refuge in Australia (Bede, 2009, p.1). Taking up responsibilities for such catastrophes is imaginable and everyone will try to clear themselves without considering that human rights have been infringed with loses of lives. According to Stanley (2010, p.12), powerful circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the drowning were the direct result of deliberate political decisions taken by the government. In 2010 a total of 82 boats were identified transporting an average of 47 illegal immigrants (UNHCR, 2010, p.1). The total estimates a total of 3,934 people. With the cost of illegal movement to Australia estimated at between US$5,000 and $10 000 per person, these, by the standards of the region were the super affluent who could afford the expense and the queue jumping that it provided (Douglas, 2009, p.42). It could be because of such reasons that the opposition is putting forward this bill. It is evident that both the cases of illegal movement to Australia by boats are not acceptable. However, proper analysis will indicate that at times it is necessary to grant asylum as shown by the case of the drowned refugees (United Nations, 2009, p.2). With the fundamental International human rights currently in place, it is most likely that the court would give a ruling against the bill considering the implications and relations with the international states (UNHCR, 2001, p.1). This means that the bill could be challenged in a court of law citing disasters that may result in cases of denied entry. Talking of section 5(b) of the bill, should there be a person who directly tries to offer assistance to any person on board a vessel which would be subject to section 5(1), then this will change the case from refugees seeking asylum to smugglers trying to enter Australia illegally (Global Detention, 2011, p.2). It is therefore important to put clearly establish the reasons ffor those on board and seeking entry. It should be noted that in cases of refugees seeking asylum, the claims must be verified as is usual and proper protocols in offering asylum followed. Referring to initial cases of refugees seeking asylum, according to Schneider a nd Daley (2011, p.1), the court in August 2011 ruled against the governments decision to send the refugees who had arrived to Malaysia signifying its illegality. Conclusion After the analysis given, it is important to state that the bill is unconstitutional according to the Australian laws and also considering the International treaties regarding refugees. Australian constitution provides for Refugees protection and rights as outlined by Stanley and should the bill get through, it will be possible to successfully challenge it before a court of law. However, it is important to outline that section 5(2) of the bill suggests smuggling as it involves a second party who is involved in helping out. The two sections of the bill are distinct therefore, section 51(xxix) does not support section 5 in a case of refugees seeking asylum but may be admissible in a case of an individual trying to smuggle a person(s) which would then be illegal and pose a threat to all Australians, United Nations. The cases of smuggling have been rampant with smugglers trying to use all loopholes available not only via the sea but via land and air as well. Therefore, in order not to co mpromise the security of Australians nor put the lives of refugees at stake, it will be important to put clear the reasons as to why people would want to gain access to the country. This means that it will be important to will be wise to have the bill amended before being passed to the House of Representatives and the senate for adoption if it is to successfully go through the House of Representatives and the senate without opposition. I strongly believe that the facts highlighted in this case will be of great help to you. Buy custom Letter of Advice on Constitutional Law essay

Why it is good to be good or why it is Goodness Constructive Essay

Why it is good to be good or why it is Goodness Constructive - Essay Example Evil is differentiated from good in this essay, because it creates injustice and comes from violating the virtues of the soul, according to Book II of The Republic. I agree with Plato that being good is good in itself, and it is also good because of its virtuous individual and social consequences, and these arguments support the claims that a just soul is good and a just city is also good. In order to understand what is good, it is important to examine the meaning of justice, because this essay shows that justice is good for humanity. One of the ways to establish what justice means is through defining what it is not. In Book I, the Sophist Thrasymachus argues: â€Å"justice is nothing else than the interest of the stronger.† He says this to undermine the need for justice, since Sophists are known to lambast virtues as useless to society. He feels that justice does not serve the needs of the whole, and instead, it only preserves the interests of whoever is in power. Socrates counters that injustice is the one that is wrong because it opposes wisdom. He explains how people pursue their talents, since they have the wisdom to do so, but when they stop pursuing their talents, then there is injustice. In this sense, justice does not serve the strong only, but also every individual who knows that what is just is to do achieve their specialized potential (Plato Book IV ). Socrates also shows through his arguments that certain rules which allow a group to act in common help them reach their goals and there is justice in that. Thrasymachus already praised before the need to follow a set of rules. Lastly, Socrates argues that if justice is a virtue of the soul, and the virtue of the soul refers to the health of the soul, justice is attractive because it contributes to the health of the soul. Socrates asks: â€Å"Then the just is happy, and the unjust miserable?† Indeed, this essay agrees that the just is happy,

The Importance of Accounting Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Importance of Accounting Standards - Essay Example They are the ones responsible for listing and analyzing every figure that comes in and out of the company's pocket. The main tool used by company's to determine their financial condition is the financial statement. It aims to supply important information concerning a company's financial position. Accounting practitioners have recognized the need to formulate accounting standards to be followed by every organization. They realized that it is of utmost importance not only to them but to all individuals who are engaged in business Part I Purpose and Significance of Financial Accounting Standards There are three considerations that Accounting Practitioners refer to when asked about the purpose of Accounting Standards. First is that it aids in sustaining the effectiveness of various accounting policies by getting rid of the discrepancies in financial statements. Second, it provides assistance to efficiently present credible and comparable data found in the financial statement of companies . Lastly it functions as an accounting alternative that lessens the notion of subjectivity in financial statements (Chandra, 2011). Accounting practitioners follow a set of guidelines while in the process of gathering financial information. They refer to it as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). In the United States, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) prepared by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) serve as the primary basis for entries that are required to be present in financial statements of private companies (Kuppapally, 2008). So that organizations can sustain and expand their operation, internationally accepted accounting standards were formulated, also known as the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The existence of IFRS in the global market made possible the reduction of incompatibilities in capital flows, leading to an increasing rate of investment in the global market. The International Accounting Standards Board (I ASB) is the body in charge of regulating the standards that are listed under IFRS (Chandra, 2011). Last October 29, 2002, FASB and IASB entered into a covenant known as "The Norwalk Agreement," which has recognized their duty to establish accounting standards that are adaptable to both domestic and international financial reporting. The two standard governing bodies of financial accounting made a deal to finally reconcile their differences in order to attain the objective of the agreement, which is to establish internationally accepted standard suited to the needs of the different companies in nations around the world. The signed memorandum of understanding focused on the convergence of the two. The gradual process of eliminating the differences with the help of joint projects will eventually result to an enhanced comparability of financial statements not only in the US but also in other nations (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 2002). Independent auditors strictly follow the G enerally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS). These auditing standards supply the benchmark on the quality of audit that auditors must comply with. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) made possible the implementation of GAAS in auditing nonpublic companies. Auditors are obliged to know all the statements on auditing standards (SAS) because the basis of making the final decision in auditing financial reports is their judgment on what standard