Speech for Chinese Medicine

General Purpose: To inform. Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of an aspect of Chinese culture, which is is traditional Chinese medicine. Thesis: Traditional Chinese medicine is found in nearly all countries today, which I believe would be the result of intercultural communication. INTRODUCTION I. Hello! For my presentation, I am going to talk about a certain aspect of Chinese culture, which is traditional Chinese medicine. A. TCM, for short, is a practice still used in modern China and most of the United States. B. There are two types of TCM treatments commonly used today. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2009) 1. Herbs 2. Acupuncture C. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2009), herbs and acupuncture are the most common; however, other practices include 1. moxibustion 2. cupping 3. Chinese massage 4. mind-body therapy 5. and dietary therapy D. For this presentation, I will mainly talk about herbs and acupunctu re, since it is the most commonly used forms of TCM. II. Herbs and Accupuncture. A. Both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have been used and studied for a wide range of conditions. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2009) 1. Acupuncture has been used for conditions such as a. back pain b. chemotherapy-included nausea c. depression d. osteoarthritis 2. Chinese herbal medicine has been used for conditions such as a. Cancer b. Heart disease c. Diabetes d. HIV/AIDS III. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2009), TCM is considered a form of alternative medicine. A. Alternative medicine is any healing practice that isn't conventional medicine.B. Alternative medicine may be based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence. (Hesketh & Zhu, 1997) C. Alternative medicine varies from country to country. (Hesketh & Zhu, 1997) [I know that culture, especially Chinese culture may differ from tow n to town in a region as large as China. The main aspects of Chinese culture include its literature, music, cuisine, martial arts, etc. , today I am only going to speak to you about one aspect which is our alternative medicine, but their very own medicine. ) BODY I. China is the only country in the world where Western medicine and traditional medicine are . . . [practiced] . . . alongside each other at every level of the healthcare system. † (Hesketh & Zhu, 1997) A. 40% of all health care delivered in China is Traditional Chinese Medicine. (Hesketh & Zhu, 1997) II. TCM practitioners use a variety of therapies in an effort to promote health and treat disease. The most commonly used are Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2009) A. Chinese herbal medicine 1.The Chinese materia medica (a pharmacological reference books used by TCM practitioners) contains hundreds of medicinal substances- primarily plants, but also s ome minerals and animal products- classified by their perceived action in the body. 2. Different parts of plants such as the leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and seeds are used. 3. Usually, herbs are combined in formulas and given as teas, capsules, tinctures, or powders. B. Acupuncture 1. By stimulating specific points on the body, most often by inserting thin metal needles through the skin, practitioners seek to remove blockages in the flow of qi. . moxibustion (burning moxa- a cone or stick of dried herb, usually mugwort- on or near the skin, sometimes in conjunction with acupuncture) 3. cupping (appyling a heated cup to the skin to create a slight suction) 4. mind-body therapy (qi gong and tai chi) III. â€Å"In spite of the advent of Western practices, the Chinese have never completely ceased to employ their own art of healing, mainly because it continued to fit into their specific philosophy of life, but also because it appears that in frequent cases it was good medicine† (Risse, 1997, p. 7). A. Chinese traditional medicine, the Ayurvedic medicine of India, Tibetan medicine, and other Eastern medical systems evolved, for the most part, independently of Western scientific medicine. B. â€Å"Until the twentieth century the Eastern and Western medical systems were each considered particularly efficacious [,which means, successful in producing a desired or intended result; effective. ] by their own practitioners [ who are people actively engaged in a discipline, or profession, esp. medicine]† (Eisenberg, 1985, p. 2) IV. In an article from the Skeptical Inquirer, Joe Nickell (2012) explains his experience, where he learned about â€Å"Chinese healing techniques. † A. Nickell (2012) explains the origins of traditional Chinese medicine. B. Nickell (2012) learned that TCM is based on the five elements. V. Khalsa (2011) wrote an article titled Ancient Chinese Secrets, which explains the five herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. A. Ginsen g B. Dong quai C. Schisandra D. Ho shou wu E. Astragalus VI.According to a newspaper article titled Chinese herbs that hurt, not heal, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is suffering from modern China's safety troubles and quality control. A. For centuries, traders bringing their Chinese herbs into this town made sure their first stop was the Medicine King Temple. They prayed to the Han Dynasty medical expert Pei Tong, whom the temple was built to honour, asking for their roots, fungus and berries to have the potency to cure the world's ills. The practice has long ceased, especially after the Chinese Communist Party came to power in 1949.VII. Chinese clamor for herbs to fight respiratory virus- U. N. Doctors inspect Beijing hospital A. Beijing – – The World Health Organization has no evidence to suggest that traditional Chinese medicine can prevent the spread of SARS, but the people in line at Tong Ren Tang Pharmacy don't care. There's a two-hour wait to buy herbs. Eve r since the popular Beijing Evening News newspaper ran a recipe Tuesday concocted by two experts in traditional Chinese medicine, thousands of people have rushed to pharmacies to buy the supposedly immunity-boosting elixir to†¦Conclusion I. TCM follows the belief that ancient Chinese followed many years ago, which is the same as the reasoning behind Chinese Universalism. Their reasoning include: 1. the Tao 2. the Yin and the Yang 3. and finally, the 5 elements, which are water, fire, wood, metal and earth. A. Chinese traditional thinking conceives of man as composed of the same elements as the universe. II. The origins of China's medical history are usually found in legends that come from the tradition of health care over several thousand years. A. nd where contemporary communities promises further insights into the nature of the human response to illness. B. Furthermore, medical historians and medical anthropologists have begun to focus their research on China, where a wealth of written sources permits III. References Eisenberg, D. (1985). Encouners with qi. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company. Hesketh, T. , & Zhu, W. X. (1997). Health in China. traditional Chinese medicine: One country, two systems. British Medical Journal 315(7100), 115-117. Abstract retrieved April 5, 2012 from http://www. cbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles National Center for Complementary and Alternatice Medicine. (2009). Traditional Chinese Medicine. Retrieved April 5, 2012 from http://nccam. nih. gov Nickell, J. (2012). Traditional Chinese medicine: Views east and west. Skeptical Inquirer, 36(2), 18-20. Retrieved April 5, 2012, from Readers' Guide Full Text Mega on-line database (H. W. Wilson) Khalsa, K. P. S. (2011). Ancient Chinese secrets. Amazing Wellness, 3(3), 36-38. Retrieved April 7, 2012, from Readers' Guide Full Text Mega on-line database (H. W. Wilson)Risse, G. B. (1973). Modern China and traditional Chinese medicine. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas. MacQueen, K. (2001) . The best of both worlds. Maclean's, 114(11), 44-47. Retrieved April 7, 2012, from Readers' Guide Full Text Mega on-line database (H. W. Wilson) Academic honesty. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 2, 2005, from University of Saskatchewan website: http://www. usask. ca/honesty Ancient chinese medicine and mechanistic evidence of acupuncture physiology. Medline Database TCM: Made in China. Medline Database Ginseng, Panax. MedlinePlus

Impacts of the Modern Atomic Model Essay

The Bohr model is a primitive model of the hydrogen atom. As a theory, it can be derived as a first-order approximation of the hydrogen atom using the broader and much more accurate quantum mechanics, and thus may be considered to be an obsolete scientific theory. However, because of its simplicity, and its correct results for selected systems (see below for application), the Bohr model is still commonly taught to introduce students to quantum mechanics, before moving on to the more accurate but more complex valence shell atom. A related model was originally proposed by Arthur Erich Haas in 1910, but was rejected. The quantum theory of the period between Planck’s discovery of the quantum(1900) and the advent of a full-blown quantum mechanics (1925) is often referred to as the old quantum theory. The economics of our world are based around money and social status within the population. The economics of a country could cause its leaders to change, prices to skyrocket, and eventually its economic situation could affect the rest of the world. For example, Hitler came to power in Germany because the Germans were going through an economic crisis. Hitler promised them that he could get them out of that depression, and because the people of Germany believed him and gave him power, Hitler was able to start a mass assassination of people in other countries. However, the point isn’t about world domination through economics, it is about the people involved in the economy and how they are affected. It is about the people who live their life based on moving up the economic ladder, making more money, and having a higher power in the economy. In Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoevsky presents different characters who represent diverse levels in the economics of the country in which they are living. He uses Katerina Ivanovna Marmeladov to show the group of people who are on the low level of society. Dostoevsky also uses Pyotr Petrovich Luzhin to show the class of people who use their money and status to control others; these are the people on the high level of society.

Motivation case study Essay

When i ï ¬ rst heard that the manger assigned me to be the lead the Customer Relations team i was very happy. but when start to work there i found some motivation issue with the section. as we all know the motivation is the most important thing in the work environment, and the real challenge is to keep your employees always motivated. So i did so research about the best strategy and approach to use and her the result. Applying the same strategies you use with all of your employees won’t be as productive or eï ¬â‚¬ective withe every one, so we have to know what is the suitable theory and approach for each group. you have to keep the enthusiastic and motivated employees and improve their performance. in this case the most eï ¬â‚¬ected theory will be Goal setting theory. the research showed that there are a strong relationship between how speciï ¬ c and diï ¬Æ'cult was the goal and the people’s performance at the mission. And thus the more diï ¬Æ'cult and challenging are the tasks, they will have a higher rate of performance. This is What the goal setting theory all about. to achieve the best result from this theory, the goal must have ï ¬ ve principle: clear, challenging goals and commit the employees to achieving them. Provide feedback on goal performance, considerate the complexity of the task. if we apply this theory in this group of employees the overall performance will improve, because there always be some task and goal to achieve and that will keep them enthusiastic and motivated. In addition, we can apply the Job enlargement Approach and add more variety to there work by tasks. To understand the unenthusiastic and obstinate employees of your ï ¬ rm and make  them more eï ¬Æ'ciency and productivity in there performance you ï ¬ rst have to understand there needs and motivation of work. this is fundamental part between the leader and the employees (emotional control), because when the follower known that the leader is looking after them they will give their best in return. For this group of employees the best theory will be (Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory). Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory Published by psychologist Abraham Maslow. † this theory contends that as humans strive to meet our most basic needs, we also seek to satisfy a higher set of needs†. Maslow presents this set of needs as a hierarchy, consisting of: Physiological, Safety, Love, Self-esteem, Self-actualization. This theory will eï ¬â‚¬ected in this group for 2 reasons: By understanding the employees needs you will recognize that the money don’t solve everything. the people have many need you cant achieved by hard cash.Theory give the Manager the ability to satisfy the employees without costly. its not expensive to create safety environment for them or to have team social where 3 EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION they get to know each other. that will help them to be more enthusiastic and less obstinate. on the other hand we can apply Job rotation Approach and moving the unenthusiastic employees to other sections where they can be more comfortable and enthusiastic. The main reason for the high absenteeism and poor attitude toward the customer is dissatisfaction with the work environment.If we want to ï ¬ x this problem, we ï ¬ rst have to know what are the things that bother the staï ¬â‚¬. Herzberg’s Motivator theory can help us to discover what are the things that make the employees Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction. the theory said that the The opposite of Satisfaction is No Satisfaction and The opposite of Dissatisfaction is No Dissatisfaction. therefor we have ï ¬ rst to Eliminate Job Dissatisfaction (hygiene factors) such as Security, Status, Salary and Company Policies. Then Create Conditions for Job Satisfaction such as Achievement, Recognition and Responsibility. After we ï ¬ nish this two step the people will start to be more Satisfaction and motivated by the work environment. the best theory for ambitious and want to advance in the organization employees is McClelland’s Human Motivation Theory. According to the theory, each person have diï ¬â‚¬erent dominant motivators, whether these are the needs for power, achievement or aï ¬Æ'liation. by knowing which dominant motivators work for each person in your team, you can structure praise and rewards eï ¬â‚¬ectively. Also by using this theory you will help your employees to be more achievable and ambitious. In the next few lines I will explain the pest program to keep the your employees motivated and enthusiastic According to my research.  Try to make the work environment more comfortable and pleasant as possible, especially for the employees with low-skill and monotonous roles. Additionally, don’t forget to Reward your team, even by saying â€Å"thank you† for them even if they do a small job. Let them having control some time, when the people feeling that they have the control of what tasks and project they can, that give the more job satisfaction. People with low ambitious usually go for low state job, So you have to make them feel proud of what they did and treat them equally with the other employees even in the rewards. The best approach that you can use here is â€Å"Job Enrichment†, which mean simply â€Å"Increasing Job Satisfaction†.When your work assignments reï ¬â€šect task identity, a good level of skill variety, task signiï ¬ cance, autonomy, and feedback, your employees are likely be much more satisfaction, also have high work eï ¬â‚¬ectiveness and high intrinsic work motivation. EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION CONCLUSION: understanding that factors that motivate your employees is the most signiï ¬ cant part of your role as the manager. Also that will help your business to improve. More ever, providing the best environment will help you to keep them motivated and satisfaction. As a manager you have to be close to your employees and know they needs Individually. 3

Mona Lisa`s Portrait Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mona Lisa`s Portrait Analysis - Essay Example It is often assumed that standing in front of the portrait evokes senses that also create some sort of connection with the woman in the portrait. The whole idea of standing and appreciating the beauty of the portrait is quite fascinating and alluring in every sense considering its recognition as one of the highly admired piece of artwork in the world (Claire (1999) The portrait is a fine piece of work of one of the highly admired and well-respected artist of the world, Leonardo Da Vinci. His creativity and artistic touch earned him a place in millions of hearts across the world. It is assumed that Leonardo Da Vinci never completed his artworks and used to leave them unfinished. The portrait of Mona Lisa took four years of time to emerge as one of the highly intriguing portraits of all time. This piece of art was finished in the 15th century in France that also highlight the fact of the rise of art and creativity in different parts of the world. The portrait of Mona Lisa did not grab eyeballs till the 19th century when emerging symbolist movement began to recognize its worth, beauty and relevance. The appreciation level reached new heights attracting others to appreciate the work along with identifying wide arrays of stories pertaining to the woman’s face, landscape and the whole idea of portraying a woman showcasing enigmatic emotions. Analyzing the picture gives an idea that the whole ambiance of the portrait is quite unique and appealing in nature. The folded hands of the woman highlight her reserved posture while her eyes and lips speak unheard stories and emotions. The face and emotions welcome the viewer with a smile that is enigmatic in nature yet appealing and spellbinding. The corners of the mouth and eyes have been painted brightly that enhances the beauty of the portrait.

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Macroeconomics - Essay Example The demand side basically includes the overall increase in population and the usage of grain in vehicle operated with fuel. Yearly demand has almost doubled due to the increase in population. The increase in demand of the crops used to produce oil has reduced the amount of land which could instead be used to produce wheat. Whereas, on the supply side it is the weather related issues, high land prices and the limited availability of water that are leading to less production of wheat. Moreover, hoarding of wheat is also one of the major threats (issue) that government has to face every year. It is done by flour millers, private sector, government agencies, distributors, traders, retailers, thus almost all the intermediaries involved through procurement of wheat from farmers to it selling by retailers, everyone to their extent is involved in stockpiling. Considering the above mentioned demand and supply situation, government should try to balance the competing interests of the two sides. The supply side should aim at increasing wheat productivity and output and also supporting the farmer incomes whereas the demand side should aim at increasing household food security by ensuring abundant wheat availability at affordable prices. In order increase wheat supply, the bottom line or crux of any policy pertinent to wheat should revolve around one principal that is in case there is wheat shortage in the country; the deficit could be met by the international markets where the prices of importing wheat are comparatively

Strategic management plan - Global Operations Mangement Essay

Strategic management plan - Global Operations Mangement - Essay Example Following is the PEST analysis of China. Political According to Chen Bin, head of industrial coordination at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), motivated by healthy profits and economic benefits brought by auto parts industry, government of China is making efforts to open new factories and expand capacity (Schmitt, 2010). Chinese government encourages foreign investment however, to protect domestic industry, strict policies have been imposed such as NDRC issued a policy on 15 August 2009, which states that one foreign company cannot set up more than two joint ventures of same nature unless it merges with a domestic manufacturer and with no more than 50 percent shares (Murphy, 2010). Economics China auto spare market is expected to achieve 35 percent annual growth rate and in 2010, the auto parts exports of China will reach to 40 billion U.S. dollars (Anonym, 2008). China has combated the recent financial crisis very strongly and even Americans are declaring this c entury as the â€Å"Chinese Century† (Associated Press, 2009). Chinese economy is facing a strong economic growth and the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of China is $4.985 trillion (World Bank, 2010). Social The huge difference in Chinese business culture as compared to other economies is a major obstacle for foreign companies (Runckel & Associates, 2006). The spending power of consumers in China is increasing and the average per capita national income in 2008 was $3000 and if it continues to increase at 8 percent, the per capita income will reach to $8500 by 2020 (Economy Watch). Westernization is also increasing in China which shows the changing living patterns of Chinese consumers. Technological The current expansion and investment plans exercised by China auto industry has aim to increase production capacity for 31.24 million units by end of 2015 (Schmitt, 2010). Competition China auto parts industry is increasing because of a number of foreign companies in China. T he strategies of government to protect the domestic companies are further strengthening the position of domestic companies, thereby, further boosting the competition (Yahoo, 2010). The following figure shows the structure of the Chinese auto part industry. It is interesting to note that by 2009 most of the companies are private owned. Moreover, the proportion of sales revenues of foreign companies is the highest which shows the demand of parts from foreign companies. Figure: Chinese Auto Parts Companies Source: Zhonghong, 2010 Internal Resource Analysis Based on the information given in the scenario, I have identified following strengths and weaknesses of the company. Strengths The company is holding 5 percent of the world market shares which shows a significant visibility of company in the international market The profit margin of the company is equal to the industry average which shows the financial stability of company PPQ Parts has developed significant corporate social responsi bility activities which help the companies to establish an image of socially responsible organization Weaknesses The average employee turnover of the company is 28 percent which is greater than the industry average which is 25 percent. It means that company is facing problems in satisfying its employees and retaining skilled labor. Short-term and long-term

Find causes of the problem in article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Find causes of the problem in article - Essay Example It would seem that the problem will not easily be solved because the reasons behind it are both economical and political. This quote from the same article practically sums up the causes for the problem: According to Education Department statistics, 12 percent of students at public two-year colleges reported having a disability of some type in 2007-8. Of those, 10 percent said they had a mental, emotional, or psychiatric condition, and 11.5 percent said they suffered from depression. Other studies indicate that the numbers could be higher: A fall 2009 survey by the American College Health Association found that 9.2 percent of college students at all types of institutions reported being diagnosed with depression, and 9.4 percent with anxiety. (2010) School counselors these days are faced with students who need more than just a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen to them. These are problems that require a lot more time and participation in the students everyday lives, neither of which these counselors have a lot of. The outcome? Lack of manpower and unserviced students. The first reason that he presents is that the economic recession has caused an overflow in college enrollment since there are people of far more advanced ages who find themselves without jobs and in need of career retraining. The only place that they can get their retraining is in college. So, instead of having a single counselor deal with say 10 students, that person now deals with 50 - 100 students per day. Another reason for the lack of counselors would be that these educational institutions are not recession proof either. Even though they have an influx of students, the school administration still has to deal with other bills and costs that are needed in order to run the school, causing them to retrench certain employees. These retrenched employees usually come from the Guidance Counseling department. We have to recognize

Analysis of Ice Delight Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis of Ice Delight - Case Study Example Most importantly, ICEDELIGHTS occupies its own niche in the market of ice cream, selling Italian "gelati," and company's core competence lies in ability to freeze "gelati" and sell them on the premises of each store location. From financial perspective, ICEDELIGHT constitutes a rather expensive franchise, comparing with other offers available on the market. Simultaneously, this new and unproven venture can yield significant profit in the light of the investment required. Moreover, the purchase of ICEDELIGHTS' franchise guarantees to a franchisee exclusive rights to operate in the entire state of Florida. From the critical viewpoint Rogers, Daniels and Garfield purchasing a rather unproven franchise ICEDELIGHTS risk experiencing liabilities of being new and lacking expertise in retail business. Practically, these aforementioned liabilities are characterized by the many challenges faced by new ventures, which include access to resources and knowledge capital, which larger and more established firms are more equipped to handle (Markman & Baron, 2003).

Liam and Irene live at 8 MacDuff Lane, Elgin. They have two children, Case Study

Liam and Irene live at 8 MacDuff Lane, Elgin. They have two children, Stuart and Tracy, aged 8 and 4 years respectivel - Case Study Example This is because the couple will be required to cater for the monthly mortgage fee and insurance premium before the new owners move in. Consequently, the computations below illustrated the actual amount each of the three offers will generate. Consequently, the analysis above reveals that the third offer is most preferable for the couple due to its potential of maximizing the untaxed capital gain they will accumulate (King & Carey, 2014). This implies that the couple should consider selling their house to the third buyer at the price of  £195,000. Even though the offer will cost the couple a higher maintenance, the strategy will allow a realization of a higher net value of the house. The optimal decision that Liam should undertake on the 1,000 shares he inherited from his father is to sell them at the current lower price. This is because the strategy will allow Liam to avoid capital gain tax from the sale of the inherited shares. Shares that are inherited use the market value price at the day they were inherited if they were inherited after 31st of March 1932 by the new owner (Mclaughlin, 2013). Owing to the recent sharp decline of the distillery shares, the current price is likely to be lower than the market value of the shares at the day of their inheritance. Thus, Liam will avoid paying lump sum tax amount by selling the shares at their current prices instead of keeping them in future that might attract tax (Spencer, 2013). In addition, selling the shares currently will allow Liam to claim for capital loss in his tax return. This is because the net amount that will be realized from the sale of the shares will be lower than the market value of the shares at th e day of their inheritance. Even though the price of the shares will be lower than the market value under consideration, the value of the shares has the potential of been higher to that of the original price his father acquired the shares.

High School Education Essay Example for Free

High School Education Essay Education is perhaps the most important endeavor a person can attempt in their life. Studies show those who have a post high school degree of some kind will earn considerably more during their working years than those who don’t. Therefore the many young adults who don’t have a high school degree will be crippled in becoming successful in our workforce. In today’s society this has become a major problem in creating a better country as a whole. The ‘hard times’ that many people may have could be prevented by more preparation and education for the future simply because more education leads to greater success. Our schooling system needs to be confronted in providing a better education so that our children will bloom and create a better, more intelligent nation than today. Dropping out of high school puts people in a extenuating circumstance for the rest of their life. Without a high school education it basically cripples you in achieving success for yourself in the future. This widespread of dropouts and failures not only effects themselves but also the world around them by decreasing economic growth. â€Å"Conclusions shows that economic growth is directly related to education in each country. Investing in education rapidly grows economies and raises the average level of employment. † (Breton) Though many classes may seem inapplicable to the work force or a future career, there are skills developed such as group work, critical thinking, and exposure to disciplines that one would not otherwise study offers the potential for personal growth not found in everyday life and experience. This personal growth that is developed only through school proves that everyone must have a high school education. To create a better workforce and way of life I propose to enact federal policies and requirements for our schooling system. These policies would include more financial aid, and imply less inflexibility for high school students. â€Å"The federal role in education is limited. Because of the Tenth amendment, most education policy is decided at the state and local levels. † (Policy Overview) Changing from state to federal would be the first part of my solution. With the change in rule there would also be the policies enacted to ensure a better education. More financial aid would go to the school and students to provide a better education. From this financial you can expect higher teacher salaries, more teaching jobs, and a better learning environment. Implying less inflexibility for high school students could be many things. One would be having no states test to graduate, and instead have comprehensive exams by the school to test the knowledge and skills of their students. Also have the school to use teachers and counselors to be more involved in each students life for the struggles they may be having concerning necessities and school. Our high school education system is clearing not working and needs to be refined. The amount of people being able graduate needs to improve so that our nation as a whole can grow. By using my solution to this problem you can see a much better education system. The State role would be changed, and there would be a completely different education system to ensure everyone people graduate from high school. There would be no student failures, and dropouts from the policies enacted by a federal not state rule. From this you can see higher graduation rates leading to more economic growth for our country. â€Å"America found its growth hormone after the Second World War in the incredible educational success of the GI Bill. †(Bencini) Studies in education have proven that more education and reform leads to economic success and growth. My proposal to this problem would reform and create our society better as a whole, and make a more intelligent or sufficient world than today. Education is perhaps the most important endeavor a person can attempt, and dropping out of high school puts people in a extenuating circumstance for the rest of their life. This leads to less economic growth and higher unemployment rates that deprave our economy. To create a better workforce and way of life I propose to enact federal policies and requirements for our schooling system. This include more financial aid, and more inflexibility towards our school systems. We need to call for our politicians to improve our schooling system because the cause and effects of students not completing school leads to failure and less success. From more education leads to greater success so the key role in our nations future is our youths education. Works Cited

Should Juvenile Offenders Be Tried As Adults Criminology Essay

Should Juvenile Offenders Be Tried As Adults Criminology Essay In todays society, there are many crimes going on. Adults are not the only ones that commit crimes. One issue today is that juvenile offenses and whether juvenile offenders should be tried as adults in criminal court. A common phrase that is often used in this case of young juveniles committing crimes is Old enough to do the crime, old enough to do the time. This phrase should be cleared to people that juveniles are not adults, and with this being said it will not make them one. It has redefined juvenile offenses by treating most of them as delinquent acts to be adjudicated within a separate juvenile justice system that is theoretically designed to recognize the special needs and immature status of young people and emphasize rehabilitation over punishment (Steinberg). While juveniles should be responsible for their actions, and should be held accountable for the crime, then the juvenile justice system is design to determine the consequences. Youths are still minors and are less matur e. They often face a lot of negative peer pressure. Therefore, juveniles should not be tried in courts as adults. Even though the justice system knows perfectly well that most juveniles offenders are too young to truly understand the consequences of their actions, many juveniles are still transferred to adult courts for case hearing. A juvenile offender is someone who is too young to be tried as an adult. For instance, if a eighteen year old boy is charged as an adult with a killing of another boy, then he will be condemn to serve his sentence in an adult jail. This boy could have the mind of a younger person but he still will be placed with the adults because by law he is an adult. Just because someone is eighteen years old that does not make them an adult. An adult is considered to be someone who has reached eighteen years old by law, but some people do not have the quality that makes an adult. Adults know how to accept responsibility, have plans for the future and is financially independent. Adults generally know right from wrong just like how children do, but they know what can cause them to go to jail and what cannot. Jewish youth are declared adults in the eyes of their religion when they turn thirteen (New York Times Upfront). The age that someone is considered an adult can vary from city and based on their religion. Being considered an adult can be pretty harsh. When juvenile is sent to adult jails where he/she has an adult cell mate, then they could be badly influence. Juveniles and adults being cellmates can cause the juvenile to get into more trouble. Adults will take advantage of them and put the youth up to do things they are not suppose to do. Juveniles will not be able to mature properly because the cell mate is not on his/her age group. Rather than the juveniles being sent to a rehabilitation center where he/she would have had the companion of other children who care in similar position, and could thus be educated in interest. The purpose juveniles should go to the juvenile court because it is a treatment and guidance rather than punishment (Cliff Notes). By placing juveniles offenders in a place that was made for adults can take a toile on them. Although juveniles may know right from wrong, immaturity should be a reason for them not to be tried as adults. With that being said juveniles being charged with minor crimes should not have to go to a rehabilitation center nor jail. Criminal crime by juveniles should still be taken to juvenile justice system because they young children may be going through the stage of immaturity or negative peer pressure. Despite the severity of the crime juveniles are still children and are not developed with maturity quit yet. Holding teenagers responsible for themselves is not unique to our justice system (New York Times Upfront). Also, a rehabilitation institution has an advantage to adults prison in terms of their effect on the juvenile. When a juvenile is sent to juvenile court the main focus is what they may be able to do to rehabilitate the teen. Being that it is a teen committing a crime they called it a delinquent act rather than a criminal offense. A criminal offense can make things worse than compared to delinquent act. Although most juveniles go to rehabilitation centers they do have juvenile prisons in many states and other places they can be sent instead of a rehabilitation center. It has been found that changing the social environment in which juveniles live is a more effective way to reduce violence than punishing juvenile offenders in adult courts( CliffNotes). If the youth has been to the adult criminal court instead of the juvenile court, then they will not have the right to go to a rehabilitation institution. Juveniles who commit serious crimes are being punished for their actions, but the possible solution to juveniles crime would be rehabilitation. By them going to this institution it can help them become more of a positive person inside and out. It is cleared that older adults and children are totally not similar, so they should be treated accordingly. If they are at a rehabilitated institution they are more successful in willing to learn. As said in the article by Cliff Notes , While the denial of full constitution rights for juveniles is sometime a problem, the juvenile courts mission is benevolence- serve the best interest of children ( CliffNotes, ). So by the juveniles going to a rehabilitation institution it can be better for them. It can help better them in so many ways. Ways they can better themselves: having the right of still being able to get an education, they could possibly have a job, they will not be influence by people if so then it would be peer pressure, be around people thats around their age group so they can better relate. Being that they are teenagers they are still getting used to the surrounding so they will make mistakes regardless. When they make mistakes and are sent to a rehabilitation institution they will not have to deal with a whole lot of bullying by peers. There is something that is called a waiver. A waiver is something for juveniles who have committed serious offenses and the court waived them from a juvenile court to an adult court (Aaron Larson). Sometimes juveniles have to get mandatory waivers where they will be tried as adults. Some people may say a certain juvenile victim may need to go to the adult jail because of the crime committed and the adults can tortured them, but not too harshly. They may say this because if the child is that bad off then they could bring a lot of negative behavior in the rehabilitation institution. It should not be that way because every teenager has their times of displaying terrible behavior. Although they may not act accordingly at times they are still children. So therefore the rehabilitation will be the right place for them. The rehab is designed the help the juveniles become better positive young people. If they give the juvenile a chance then maybe it will work for them instead of just wanting to send them to the adult jail. Every household should have morals for their family. Just because a family has morals it does not mean that when teens get around their peers that they will not act a different way from home. Some families do not raise their children with morals. A lack of human morals cannot be treated or cured in rehabilitation centers. Some things have to start from home to help guide children the right way. If children do not have no guidance when they get around their peers it will be very easy to influence them, they will often find themselves following the crowd, and even doing bad things to get attention. If a teen does something and they have to go to court and end up at a rehabilitation center but does not display morals then it is a possible change that, that child will always be out of control. New York Times Upfront states trying juveniles as adults sends a clear message that crimes such as murder, rape, and assault will not be tolerated and that perpetrators must accept the consequences of their actions. Agreeing with this because if a juvenile commits one of these crimes and just have to attend a rehabilitation center for a couple of months or years, then if they are more of a rough neck juvenile with no morals they can come home and continue to do the same things. So that then makes courts systems wonder if it is a good idea to have juveniles go to a rehabilitation center with crimes like these. Some teens have the maturity and judgment to make reasoned decisions. All juvenile are not mature and can make wise decisions just as well make bad ones. Many young people get drivers licenses before they turn eighteen (New York Times). The way youths use their thinking skills to drive a vehicle they could do the same before getting involved in criminal behavior. When juveniles commit crimes it does not guarantee when they become an adult their records will be sealed. These just vary from state to state. It can also be based upon the crime committed. If a juvenile has a sex offender charger then they would have to register as a sex offender, no matter what age they are for the rest of their life. Stated by Aaron Larson In some states which automatically seal a juveniles record once he/ she passes a certain age, that record may remain unsealed if the defendant is convicted of an adult offenses before he reaches that age.

Performance Study of Multiphase Catalytic Monolith Reactor

Performance Study of Multiphase Catalytic Monolith Reactor Performance study of multiphase catalytic monolith reactor and its comparison with the performance of trickle bed reactor (TBR) Xiaofeng Wang Introduction Multiphase reactors are found in diverse applications such as in manufacture of petroleum-based fuels and products, in production of commodity and specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, herbicides and pesticides, in production of materials and in pollution abatement [1]. A key motivation for implementing multiphase reactor technology has largely been driven by the discovery and development of new or improved catalysts for either emerging or existing processes [2]. A wealth of products are produced in multiphase catalytic reactions. Among the multiphase reaction systems, the monolith reactor, slurry bubble column and the trickle bed reactor (TBR) (Figure 1) are being used most extensively. Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the pilot scale trickle bed reactor Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the pilot scale monolith reactor [3] In general, monolith reactors refer to reactors that contain catalysts with certain structures or arrangements (Figure 2). According to this definition, there are many different types of monolith reactors, such as honeycomb, foam, and fiber reactors, etc. Usually monolith reactors refer to those containing catalysts with parallel straight channels inside the catalyst block. Monoliths can carry active catalyst in two ways: the surface can have a washcoat of the active catalyst, or the structure can be impregnated with active catalyst. Monolith reactors offer several advantages over traditional random fixed beds or slurry reactors, such as better mass transfer characteristics, higher volumetric productivity for a smaller amount of catalyst, elimination of filtration step and lower pressure drop. In recently years, monoliths as multiphase reactors to replace trickle-bed and slurry reactors have received more and more attention. The honeycomb monolith has been very successful in gas phase reactors, most notably as the structured support for the conversion of pollutants in vehicle exhausts. The potential of monoliths to act as a catalytic support for multiphase reactions has been recognized for over 20 years and much recent work has been done to extend the application of monoliths to liquid and gas–liquid systems [4, 5]. Monoliths offer the benefits of an absence of a need for filtering catalyst from the product, low pressure drop, high geometrical surface area, safer operation and, perhaps most significantly, potentially easy scale-up. However, the latter is crucially dependent upon being able to achieve an even gas–liquid distribution across the channels. Furthermore, maldistribution can lead to a wide residence time distribution across the radial section of mon olith with consequently lower selectivity, ineffective catalyst usage and hot spots in the reactor [5, 6]. Some of the applications that have been proposed or explored include: hydrodesulphurization of oil, liquefied coal, and dibenzothiophene; hydrogenation or dehydrogenation associated with various aromatic compounds; oxidation reactions. Applications of monolith structured packed beds used for distillation and adsorption have also been reported. Now research has been done on monolith reactors in many areas, such as preparation and extruding techniques, applications and performance to various reactions, flow regime and hydrodynamics studies, mass and heat transfer, and modeling and simulation including computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation [7-10]. This report will analyze and summarize the performance of catalytic monolith reactor on the different reactions, such as hydrogenation, dehydrogenation [11-18] and oxidation [19-22] reactions, and mostly focus on the studies published in the last 10 years. Advantages Of Monolith Reactors For multiphase reaction applications, different types of conventional reactors have been used in industry. The major ones are the trickle bed reactor (TBR), slurry bubble column reactor and the stirred tank slurry reactor. Each reactor type has its own advantages and shortcomings. A TBR is a convenient reactor compared to slurry bubble column reactor and the stirred tank slurry reactor, although larger particles must be used to guarantee moderate pressure drop. However, on the catalyst surface, where the liquid is either depleted or imperfectly covers the catalyst surface, dry areas are encountered: these substantially reduce the liquid–solid contacting efficiency of the trickle-bed reactor [23]. Besides, local hot spots may develop and cause runaways. Adding to the problem are the low gas–liquid velocities required to avoid excessive pressure drop. This requirement results in high operational costs and low productivity. For the slurry bubble column reactor and stirred tank reactor, the slurry catalysts are very small, which needs the reactors offer very simple reactor geometry, high heat removal, excellent mass transfer characteristics, and a high effectiveness factor. Moreover, it is very difficult to separate product and catalyst, and catalyst attrition in these reactors. Another major drawback of conventional reactors for multiphase reactions is the difficulty of scale-up to industrial size units [24]. Monolith reactors, as novel reactors, can overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages with their excellent design. Monolith catalysts or monolith reactors have some common features in most of the applications they are used for. These features or characteristics include: (1) low pressure drop especially under high fluid throughputs; (2) elimination of external mass transfer and internal diffusion limitations; (3) low axial dispersion and backmixing, and therefore high product selectivity; (4) larger external surface; (5) uniform distribution of flow (gas phase); (6) elimination of fouling and plugging, and thus extended catalyst lifetime; (7) easy scale-up, etc [25]. Monolith reactors with these features or characteristics can make up the shortcomings of conventional reactors and can be an attractive alternative to other conventional multiphase reactors. Monolith Reactor Performance And Comparison With TBR Among the various chemical reactions occurring in broad range of industrial application areas, catalytic gas-liquid-solid reactions are widespread [10, 23]. These reactions occur extensively in chemical, petroleum, petrochemical, biochemical, material, and environmental industrial processes for a wide variety of products (such as hydrogenation, oxidation, and alkylation). Recent research has shown that monolithic reactors with a gas–liquid flow in small regular channels with an active component deposited on the walls can lead to performance enhancement in comparison with such conventional multiphase reactors as trickle bed [14, 26-28] and slurry reactors [29-31]. The performance enhancement is mainly attributed to the more intensive contact between all phases and better mass transfer inherent in the slug flow, which is characterized by the passage of elongated gas bubbles being separated by liquid slugs [32]. As a rule, research on monolithic reactors is focused on two different options with regard to practical realization. The first one is the application of monolithic systems as alternative to batch reactors, where a fixed catalyst (instead of a suspended catalyst) is used at superficial velocities needed for maximum conversion [33, 34]. The second one is the utilization of monolithic catalysts in the column type reactors, which usually employ randomly packed catalyst particles [35]. In this section, I select two different kinds of reactions to discuss the performance of a monolith reactor. And the performance is compared with that of a TBR operated at conditions typically employed for TBR. Moreover, I will point out some potential research orientations on the basis of the main problems encountered in recent research. Selective Hydrogenation of 2-butyne-1,4-diol To Butane-1,4-diol Catalytic, multiphase hydrogenation has been carried out commercially for over a century. A huge variety of reactions are accomplished via this process, using predominantly heterogeneous catalysts. In addition, product values and volumes vary enormously: by several orders of magnitude. Given this diversity it is therefore perhaps somewhat surprising that these reactions are carried out for the most part in just one reactor type: the stirred tank reactor. Furthermore, this type of reactor has been at the core of industry for over a century [36]. There are a number of other well-established alternatives used in the large-scale chemical industries [37] including the TBR, which is used almost exclusively in refinery hydroprocessing and extensively for hydrogenation in petrochemical plants. However, these reactor designs prove difficult to scaleup as key length-scales do not scale in a similar fashion. Monolith reactors, as novel reactors, can overcome the drawbacks with their distinctive design. A comparison between the monolithic reactors with traditional trickle bed reactors was reported by Fishwick et al. for a model reaction in both terms of activity and selectivity [29]. Besides, the scale-out of a single channel to larger monoliths of 1256 and 5026 channels is analyzed, demonstrating the potential for rate and selectivity enhancements whilst allowing ease of scale-out. The selective hydrogenation of 2-butyne-1,4-diol was studied as the model reaction. This is a consecutive reaction widely applied in the production of butane-1,4-diol, a raw material used in the polymers industry and in the manufacture of tetrahydrofuran (THF) [38]. Several side reactions are possible, as illustrated in Figure 3, for example the 4-hydroxybutyraldehyde and its cyclic hemiacetal, 2-hydroxytetrahydrofuran, as a consequence of double-bond isomerisation and hydrogenolysis reactions [15]. Figure 3. Reaction scheme for hydrogenation of 2-butyne-1,4-diol Conclusion The monolith reactor achieved the highest selectivity towards the alkene intermediate in the hydrogenation of 2-butyne-1,4-diol when compared to trickle bed reactors. Loss of selectivity is for the most part due to the formation of non-hydrogenation side products. The high selectivity observed in the monolith can be partly attributed to the high dispersion of palladium and small palladium particle size on the washcoat support. However, differences in product distribution between single- and two- phase modes of operation suggest that mass transfer of hydrogen to the catalyst surface also influences the selectivity. The reactor design and operating mode can therefore be optimised to achieve maximum selectivity. Additionally, a comparison of a single capillary with 5 and 10 cm monoliths (1256 and 5026 channels, respectively) indicates that initial reaction rates and selectivity are maintained. Reference 1. Dudukovic, M.P., F. Larachi, and P.L. Mills, Multiphase reactors revisited. Chemical Engineering Science, 1999. 54(13-14): p. 1975-1995. 2. DudukoviĆ¡, M.P., F. Larachi, and P.L. Mills, Multiphase catalytic reactors: A perspective on current knowledge and future trends. Catalysis Reviews Science and Engineering, 2002. 44(1): p. 123-246. 3. Cordiner, S. and G. De Simone, A new approach for modeling the thermal behavior of methane catalytic partial oxidation monolith reactors. Journal of Fuel Cell Science and Technology, 2010. 7(1): p. 0110201-01102011. 4. Nijhuis, T.A., F.M. Dautzenberg, and J.A. Moulijn, Modeling of monolithic and trickle-bed reactors for the hydrogenation of styrene. Chemical Engineering Science, 2003. 58(7): p. 1113-1124. 5. Roy, S. and M. Al-Dahhan, Flow distribution characteristics of a gas–liquid monolith reactor. Catalysis Today, 2005. 105(3–4): p. 396-400. 6. Van Gulijk, C., et al., Intrinsic channel maldistribution in monolithic catalyst support structures. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2005. 109(1): p. 89-96. 7. Navalho, J.E.P., et al., Catalytic partial oxidation of methane rich mixtures in non-adiabatic monolith reactors. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2013. 38(17): p. 6989-7006. 8. Gundlapally, S.R. and V. Balakotaiah, Analysis of the effect of substrate material on the steady-state and transient performance of monolith reactors. Chemical Engineering Science, 2013. 92: p. 198-210. 9. Vlakh, E.G. and T.B. Tennikova, Flow-through immobilized enzyme reactors based on monoliths: II. Kinetics study and application. Journal of Separation Science, 2013. 36(6): p. 1149-1167. 10. Wang, T., et al., Numerical investigation on CO2 photocatalytic reduction in optical fiber monolith reactor. Energy Conversion and Management, 2013. 65: p. 299-307. 11. Kreutzer, M.T., et al., Multiphase monolith reactors: Chemical reaction engineering of segmented flow in microchannels. Chemical Engineering Science, 2005. 60(22): p. 5895-5916. 12. Liu, W., et al., Monolith reactor for the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2002. 41(13): p. 3131-3138. 13. Nijhuis, T.A., et al., Monolithic catalysts as efficient three-phase reactors. Chemical Engineering Science, 2001. 56(3): p. 823-829. 14. Nijhuis, T.A., et al., Monolithic catalysts as more efficient three-phase reactors. Catalysis Today, 2001. 66(2-4): p. 157-165. 15. Xiaoding, X., et al., Monolithic catalysts for selective hydrogenation of benzaldehyde. Catalysis Today, 1996. 30(1-3): p. 91-97. 16. Edvinsson, R.K. and A. Cybulski, A comparison between the monolithic reactor and the trickle-bed reactor for liquid-phase hydrogenations. Catalysis Today, 1995. 24(1-2): p. 173-179. 17. Hatziantoniou, V., B. Andersson, and N.H. Schà ¶Ãƒ ¶n, Mass transfer and selectivity in liquid-phase hydrogenation of nitro compounds in a monolithic catalyst reactor with segmented gas-liquid flow. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Process Design and Development, 1986. 25(4): p. 964-970. 18. Hatzlantonlou, V. and B. Andersson, SEGMENTED TWO-PHASE FLOW MONOLITHIC CATALYST REACTOR. AN ALTERNATIVE FOR LIQUID-PHASE HYDROGENATIONS. Industrial Engineering Chemistry, Fundamentals, 1984. 23(1): p. 82-88. 19. Albers, R.E., et al., Development of a monolith-based process for H2O2 production: From idea to large-scale implementation. Catalysis Today, 2001. 69(1-4): p. 247-252. 20. Klinghoffer, A.A., R.L. Cerro, and M.A. Abraham, Catalytic wet oxidation of acetic acid using platinum on alumina monolith catalyst. Catalysis Today, 1998. 40(1): p. 59-71. 21. Klinghoffer, A.A., R.L. Cerro, and M.A. Abraham, Influence of Flow Properties on the Performance of the Monolith Froth Reactor for Catalytic Wet Oxidation of Acetic Acid. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 1998. 37(4): p. 1203-1210. 22. Crynes, L.L., R.L. Cerro, and M.A. Abraham, Monolith froth reactor: development of a novel three-phase catalytic system. AIChE Journal, 1995. 41(2): p. 337-345. 23. Roy, S., et al., Monoliths as multiphase reactors: A review. AIChE Journal, 2004. 50(11): p. 2918-2938. 24. Kapteijn, F., et al., New non-traditional multiphase catalytic reactors based on monolithic structures. Catalysis Today, 2001. 66(2-4): p. 133-144. 25. Chen, J., et al., Mathematical modeling of monolith catalysts and reactors for gas phase reactions. Applied Catalysis A: General, 2008. 345(1): p. 1-11. 26. Kapteijn, F., et al., Monoliths in multiphase catalytic processes Aspects and prospects. CATTECH, 1999. 3(1): p. 24-41. 27. Bauer, T., et al., Modelling and simulation of the monolithic reactor for gas-liquid-solid reactions. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 2005. 83(7 A): p. 811-819. 28. Yawalkar, A.A., et al., Axial mixing in monolith reactors: Effect of channel size. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2005. 44(7): p. 2046-2057. 29. Fishwick, R.P., et al., Selective hydrogenation reactions: A comparative study of monolith CDC, stirred tank and trickle bed reactors. Catalysis Today, 2007. 128(1-2 SPEC. ISS.): p. 108-114. 30. Cybulski, A., et al., Monolithic reactors for fine chemicals industries: A comparative analysis of a monolithic reactor and a mechanically agitated slurry reactor. Chemical Engineering Science, 1999. 54(13-14): p. 2351-2358. 31. Lisi, L., et al., Cu-ZSM5 based monolith reactors for NO decomposition. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2009. 154(1-3): p. 341-347. 32. Liu, W., S. Roy, and X. Fu, Gas-liquid catalytic hydrogenation reaction in small catalyst channel. AIChE Journal, 2005. 51(8): p. 2285-2297. 33. Bauer, T. and S. Haase, Comparison of structured trickle-bed and monolithic reactors in Pd-catalyzed hydrogenation of alpha-methylstyrene. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2011. 169(1-3): p. 263-269. 34. Boger, T., et al., Monolithic Catalysts as an Alternative to Slurry Systems: Hydrogenation of Edible Oil. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2004. 43(10): p. 2337-2344. 35. Enache, D.I., et al., Direct comparison of a trickle bed and a monolith for hydrogenation of pyrolysis gasoline. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, 2005. 44(25): p. 9431-9439. 36. Stitt, E., et al., Multiphase hydrogenation reactors—past, present and future. 2003: The Royal Society of Chemistry: London. 37. Mills, P.L. and R.V. Chaudhari, Multiphase catalytic reactor engineering and design for pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Catalysis Today, 1997. 37(4): p. 367-404. 38. Natividad, R., et al., Analysis of the performance of single capillary and multiple capillary (monolith) reactors for the multiphase Pd-catalyzed hydrogenation of 2-butyne-1,4-diol. Chemical Engineering Science, 2004. 59(22-23): p. 5431-5438.

Design & Architecture in Britain Essay -- Architecture in the UK

One of the essential roles that architects are trained to fulfil is taking a clients brief and developing it creatively. Developing a brief is a crucial starting point of design to achieving a clear objective, well structured and financed plan of work. When architects are involved early in the planning stage they have an opportunity to create a much more enriched brief as they will have a greater understanding of the clients needs and the nature of the project Setting out a development/design brief: Before any design work is undertaken it is important that a development/design brief is in place. A good design brief provides a platform for buildings to be used; -More Efficiently – so that space can be utilised in the best approach possible with minimum wasted space. -Effectively – in a way that allows the building to be socially sustainable. -Expressively – within the built environment to the value of society. -With Purpose –giving the building’s function and placement significant, accessible and prosperous. Good briefing provides all involved professionals with a greater understanding of the desired outcomes and the responsibilities towards achieving those. Briefing – A six step process 1. Scope Definition of breadth, focus, scope and parameters of the briefing project 2. Role Statement describing what the user organisation (public, community, city authority, etc.) is for 3. Activities -Activity statement is a description of what will go on in the building 4. Draft requirements Includes a space budget listing functional requirements, also spatial... ... Process’,Dawe.L.2014 Part B: Lecture 4 - ‘Practice Management’,Dawe.L.2014 Lecture 5 - ‘An introduction to BIM’- Past Present and future, Comiskey.D.2014 Lecture 6 - ‘Plan of Work 2013’,Dawe.L.2014 Lecture 7 - ‘Procurement&Construction process’,Dawe.L.2014 Books Greenhalgh, B (2011). Introduction to Building Procurement. London: Spon Press Ostime, N (2013). Architects Job Book. London: RIBA Publishing. Websites RIBA. RIBA Plan of Work 2013. Available: http://www.architecture.com/TheRIBA/AboutUs/Professionalsupport/RIBAOutlinePlanofWork2013.aspx#.Uz5Cm_ldUgQ. Last accessed 2nd April 2014. placeni. Summer Urban design school. Available: http://www.placeni.org/. Last accessed 2nd April 2014 The Joint Contracts Tribunal. (1998). Contracts. Available: http://www.jctltd.co.uk/home.aspx. Last accessed 2nd April 2014. Design & Architecture in Britain Essay -- Architecture in the UK One of the essential roles that architects are trained to fulfil is taking a clients brief and developing it creatively. Developing a brief is a crucial starting point of design to achieving a clear objective, well structured and financed plan of work. When architects are involved early in the planning stage they have an opportunity to create a much more enriched brief as they will have a greater understanding of the clients needs and the nature of the project Setting out a development/design brief: Before any design work is undertaken it is important that a development/design brief is in place. A good design brief provides a platform for buildings to be used; -More Efficiently – so that space can be utilised in the best approach possible with minimum wasted space. -Effectively – in a way that allows the building to be socially sustainable. -Expressively – within the built environment to the value of society. -With Purpose –giving the building’s function and placement significant, accessible and prosperous. Good briefing provides all involved professionals with a greater understanding of the desired outcomes and the responsibilities towards achieving those. Briefing – A six step process 1. Scope Definition of breadth, focus, scope and parameters of the briefing project 2. Role Statement describing what the user organisation (public, community, city authority, etc.) is for 3. Activities -Activity statement is a description of what will go on in the building 4. Draft requirements Includes a space budget listing functional requirements, also spatial... ... Process’,Dawe.L.2014 Part B: Lecture 4 - ‘Practice Management’,Dawe.L.2014 Lecture 5 - ‘An introduction to BIM’- Past Present and future, Comiskey.D.2014 Lecture 6 - ‘Plan of Work 2013’,Dawe.L.2014 Lecture 7 - ‘Procurement&Construction process’,Dawe.L.2014 Books Greenhalgh, B (2011). Introduction to Building Procurement. London: Spon Press Ostime, N (2013). Architects Job Book. London: RIBA Publishing. Websites RIBA. RIBA Plan of Work 2013. Available: http://www.architecture.com/TheRIBA/AboutUs/Professionalsupport/RIBAOutlinePlanofWork2013.aspx#.Uz5Cm_ldUgQ. Last accessed 2nd April 2014. placeni. Summer Urban design school. Available: http://www.placeni.org/. Last accessed 2nd April 2014 The Joint Contracts Tribunal. (1998). Contracts. Available: http://www.jctltd.co.uk/home.aspx. Last accessed 2nd April 2014.

A Society of Unequal’s Just Won’t Do Essay -- Literary Analysis, Jan

Everyone has the right to govern oneself in how to act, where to live, and who to associate with. In Jane Eyre, Jane is controlled and structured by an underlying social and economic critique of conventional patriarchal authority. First, we will examine the various patriarchs that Jane encounters with John Reed, Mr. Brocklehurst, Mr. Rochester, and St. John. Then, we can turn our attention to the economics of social class and how Jane conducts herself where she resides rather it be at Gateshead, Lowood or Thornfield and then we will look at how Jane becomes an equal. Upon receiving a vast fortune from her uncle, Jane abandons her role of inferiority and travels to Ferndean to reunite with Rochester as equals. Jane Eyre’s mother decided to marry into a lower social class than her own and consequently did not inherit any of her family’s wealth. John Reed, Jane’s maternal cousin, however did inherit the family’s wealth and therefore thought he was superior to Jane. John made it apparent that his position as sole male heir gives him absolute power to harass his dependent female cousin. One can see this when he finds her hidden behind curtains reading a book, John Reed tells Jane, â€Å"You are a dependent, mama says; you have no money; your father left you none; you ought to beg, and not live here with gentlemen’s children like us†¦I’ll teach you to rummage my book-shelves: for they are mine; all the house belongs to me† (Bronte 23). John then proceeds to demand Jane to go and stand by the door, which she complied to because she is considered his inferior. John then threw the book that he found Jane reading at her. She fell and struck her head against the door, causing it to bleed. Jane verbally lashes out against John Reed, and ... ...ction, Volume 31, No. 4. (March 1977) 397-420 JSTOR. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. . Wyatt, Jean. â€Å"Patriarch of One’s own: Jane Eyre and Romantic Love.† Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature, Volume 4, No. 2. (1985) 199-216 JSTOR. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. . Roy, Parama. â€Å"Unaccommodated Women and the Poetics of Property in Jane Eyre.† Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, Volume 29, No. 4. Nineteenth Century (Autumn 1989) 713-727. JSTOR. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. . Monahan, Melodie. â€Å"Heading out Is Not Going Home: Jane Eyre.† Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, Volume 28, No. 4. Nineteenth Century (Autumn 1988) 589-608. JSTOR. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. . Bronte, Charlotte. â€Å"Jane Eyre† Boston: Bedford of St. Martin’s, (1996) Print.

African Philosophy Essay

INTRODUCTION The problem is that we have a learner who has come from a different province to attend our school and has a problem socialising with the other children. She does not have any friends and is always alone. As a teacher, I believe it is my duty to try and help her. Nobody should have to be left feeling alone and out of place. She needs to fit in with the other learners. I would have to show them that they need to treat one another with kindness. African philosophy teaches us to build communities so I decided to use it in trying to solve this problem. It also teaches us to treat others with respect and dignity. I will focus on the central ethical idea in traditional thought which is Ubuntu. It encourages us to be humble human beings. CONTENT African philosophy stems from tradition and emphasises on the community and puts that at the centre of life. It is a way of thinking. It promotes  African identity and provides cultural unity. It is the response of the troubles of Africa, where intellects rejected the westerner’s domination by proving them wrong with regards to their belief that Africans were unable to develop a rational and scientific thought. African philosophy instils decent values in people and teaches us to love our neighbours and that we have a duty towards them. It consists of four different methods. Firstly, Ehtnic philosophy –also defined as â€Å"the philosophy of Africa â€Å", consists of religious and moral beliefs and contains people’s view of life and the experience of human beings. Secondly, Sage (wisdom) philosophy- focuses on individuals who are wise and far sighted and can think critically. Thirdly, Political philosophy -is very unique and different from the others. It is expected to be an African political philosophy, unlike capitalist, socialist or communist politics. Lastly, Pure philosophy -is philosophy done in areas such as empiricism, critical rationalism and existentialism. African philosophy also includes the principles of Ubuntu. Ubuntu, meaning â€Å"humanity† is related to well being and happiness. It is about caring and sharing, and forgiveness and reconciliation. It promotes peace and unity, and discourages discrimination. A fuller meaning of ubuntu is â€Å"I am because you are†. This means that we exist and develop only in relationships with others. It teaches us to live in harmony irrespective of our differences. Everybody should be made to feel important. Ubuntuism is meant to instil good values in a person, where you put the needs of other people before your own. African philosophy and ubuntuism emphasises on the importance of being kind and considerate to others. By making the learners aware of the ubuntu principles, I most certainly believe that it would make a huge difference in the way they behave and react towards the new learner. A community is expected to make any person feel welcome and in the same way, so should the learners. They need to make her a part of the group. She should be able to fit in comfortably and feel a sense of belonging. CONCLUSION The advantages of African philosophy are that it encourages the building of communities. It gives us a deeper understanding of ourselves. It teaches us the importance of culture and tradition and the need for it in our life. It shows us that we should love and appreciate all human beings. We should treat everyone equally. It promotes African identity and makes us feel proud to be Africans. However, there are also disadvantages to the African philosophy. It does not encourage critical thinking. It does not challenge power structures. It is unable to accept women and men as equals. It also tends to ignore the needs of the individual. It tolerates superstitious practices and is not widely accepted. It relies too much on tradition. Children should be taught from an early age to show love and respect to all people irrespective of colour and creed. I would make the children aware of how important it is to follow the ubuntu principles so that everyone can be happy and feel more relaxed. African philosophy would be the best method indeed to solve this problem as it promotes peace and harmony and should be practiced by every human being. BIBLIOGRAPHY Higgs, P. & Smith, J. 2012. Rethinking our World. Cape Town: Juta. Theoretical Frameworks in Education. Study Guide. Pretoria Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

The Controversy over Athlete Salaries

Athlete Salaries The salaries of professional and collegiate athletes have always been a matter of debate. How much or how little athletes are being paid, and how it affects the sport, has been in countless discussions between players, fans, reporters, agents, and sports analysts. Some believe that players don’t deserve huge contracts, and most players that have huge contracts are overpaid and it hurts the sport. Then again, others feel that players work hard for their contracts and most athletes deserve their money. My stance on the issue is probably the same as most fans, and different from most owners.The sports industry racks in huge sums of money every year and if athletes aren’t receiving that money, most likely the owners and commissioners are collecting most of the money. I personally feel that the athletes are doing the most work therefore; they should be getting paid the most. I understand that a lot of work goes on behind the scenes when it comes to sports, b ut it’s unfair to athletes to give most of the money to owners while the athletes are doing all of the hard work. Today more people are attending sporting events than ever before.Sports have a unique ability to bring people of all races, social classes, and genders together and shape one common goal, the wellbeing of their home team. Sports also give people a sense of excitement and hope. When fans see their favorite sports star hit a home run, score a basket or touchdown it gives them belief that they can do well in their own endeavors, it gives confidence to kids that they have the potential to be in their position one day. If sports do this much for the people of our country, then the players should be paid accordingly. Apparently most owners and commissioners don’t believe so.Recently in the NBA David Stern, the NBA commissioner, has been reported saying, â€Å"the league is losing money, and the league office says a new economic plan is needed for future viabilit y†. That new economic plan is a new salary cap and potentially a soon to be lock out. A lock out in the NBA would hopefully put pressure on the NBA players union to work with the NBA owners on lowering the pay of most players. A lock out for the NBA would be extremely detrimental. It would mean that the players and games that NBA fans desire to see every year won’t be there.Players would be without a job, and most of them would ponder going overseas to play where the fan base is just as prevalent as in the US. They are two sides to this story, Owners rely on star players to sell tickets and paraphernalia, having a lockout would essentially decrease ratings, ticket sells, and the overall happiness of the players. With the threat of players having the option of going overseas, NBA fans have to be concerned. Players have never been hesitant to go overseas, especially when they don’t get what they want from the NBA.Allen Iverson has been one of the most notable athle tes to go to the European Basketball League. After most teams in the NBA refused to sign a contract with him, he went to play for a team in turkey and signed a two-year $4 million contract at the age of 35, and this was the year after Iverson was voted in to the all star team by fans. Obviously some of the actions that NBA owners decide to take are not compatible with their fans. All four of the teams that Iverson played with saw increased revenues in ticket sales and paraphernalia when Iverson played with them, but when he left there was a decrease in all revenues.It’s Obvious that fans of the NBA disagree with most of the decisions of the NBA and implementing a lockout would ultimately be damaging and unfavorable for the future of the NBA. Other sports have seen lockouts in the past. The MLB had a lockout between the 1994 and 1995 seasons, it concluded in the cancelation of 948 games and the entire 1995 post season, and in the end the players received their money and thatâ €™s not what the NBA wants to see. Another topic of controversy is if college players should be paid, and the punishments that are received when a player has received or even asked for any form of money.This problem escalated when Heisman voters became hesitant of voting for Cam Newton because his father was accused of asking for money for his son to play in college. Cam Newton eventually won the Heisman but during the process his was held out of one game and constantly question by reporters and investigation agents. Along with receiving improper benefits from colleges, there is the constant hazard of agents on campuses attempting to persuade players to go pro and offer them money to become a client. The N. C. A. A. have implemented a policy in which agents an’t come to practices and on campuses if not permitted by the school, but the temptation is always there for the player and for the parents of players. Most star collegiate athletes come from lower class back grounds and since they’re not getting paid in college they look to be professional as soon as possible and colleges don’t have the opportunity to reap the benefits of players when their star players are leaving after their freshmen year, and the idea of paying college athletes to keep them is unfortunately unrealistic.While most colleges draw big crowds and perform on TV, which makes money for their school, there is simply not enough money to pay every college player. Imagine over 2,500 athletes on every campus receiving money for playing. The school would soon go bankrupt especially smaller schools that don’t have the opportunity to play on TV. Then if a college was to pay their athletes there would be the problem of how much to pay them and whether or not a quarterback is to be paid the same as a girl’s softball pitcher.In court this case would have a strong argument but to fans a quarterback is going to bring more revenue than a softball pitcher but is it fair that she gets paid less even though her position is just as important. Even though most people believe that college players deserve to be paid there is simply not enough money to do so, and consequently this is the stance that the N. C. A. A. has to take to ensure that every player is receiving the same benefits as another.It’s because of this certain collegiate have suffered, but it’s better that every player has the same opportunities than for them to paid concerned about how one player in a different sport is being paid more than them when they are not performing as well. It’s true that some athletes are overpaid and that some college players deserve to be paid but these are some things that will never change. As long as players are giving their all when playing and putting on a good show every night the fans will be happy.The fact that some players have more money than they deserve is one price that owners have to pay to keep the fans happy, after all isnâ €™t that what really matters. As long as players have the support of the fans then the owners and commissioners of each sport will have to find alternate conclusions to meet their needs and satisfy everyone. Bibliography 1. Ellis, Vince. â€Å"Players, Owners Try to Prepare for Lockout at Season's End. † Detroit Free Press. 03 Oct 2010: C. 7. SIRS Researcher. Web. 27 Jan 2011. 2. Associated Press. â€Å"Allen Iverson Agrees to 2-year Deal with Turkish Club Besiktas – ESPN. ESPN: The Worldwide Leader In Sports. 29 Oct. 2010. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. ;http://sports. espn. go. com/nba/news/story? id=5739651;. 3. Garrett, Mike. â€Å"How to Keep Agents Off the Field. † New York Times. 30 Oct 2010: A. 23. SIRS Researcher. Web. 27 Jan 2011. 4. Dunning, Al. â€Å"Paying Athletes Would Bankrupt Most Colleges. † Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN). 09 Jan 1995: p. D. 1. SIRS Researcher. Web. 31 Jan 2011. ————————à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ [ 1 ]. Ellis, Vince [ 2 ]. Associated Press [ 3 ]. Garrett, Mike [ 4 ]. Dunning, Al

Book Review: Heartland the Darkest Hour

My book was Heartland the Darkest Hour. It was written by Lauren Brooke and was 152 pages long. This book was about a girl named Amy who tries to prove to everyone that she can be as good as a professional horse racer. Throughout the book she meets people, that teach her a lesson about how winning isn’t everything. Even though winning is fun, that shouldn’t be why you want to compete. You should have passion in what you’re doing, instead of waiting for fame and fortune. Amy doesn’t realize that you should have passion in what you love to do.She thinks that she is the best horse racer in the world, but that changes when a certain horse and a certain person came into her life and taught her about passion. Ty a friend of hers, had a horse that was the best Amy had seen in her life! It had every trick that had ever been in horse racing history perfected. It had the most amazing speed, and it was very rare. Amy wanted that horse so bad, because she knew she cou ld win with it. She wanted to buy it off of Ty, but he wouldn’t let her. One day Amy asked Ty why she couldn’t buy the beautiful horse, but then Ty asked her a very important question.He said â€Å"Why do you want this horse? † Amy stood there for a minute and thought about what he had asked her. The next day she felt bad because she had been selfish and only wanted the horse for fame and money, not because she loved the horse. At the end of the book, Amy realizes that she needs to have passion in all she does, because without passion â€Å"You’ll never love what your doing. † I think Amy was changed at the end because her attitude was different from the way she treated others in the beginning.At the end of this book, Amy is more kind and doesn’t think to much about her self. I would recommend this book to others because it teaches you not be bratty and selfish, but to be humble and passionate. If you like books about horses, this series wou ld be awesome for you to read. I loved this book because, I started to read it in the beginning, but I didn’t get the story. Towards the middle I finally figured out what the author was trying to say, and it was a very good inspirational message throughout the book. The End

A Dirty Job Chapter 20

20 ATTACK OF THE CROCODILE GUY It was a brutally hot night in the City, and everyone had their windows open. From the roof across the alley, the spy could see the little girl happily splashing away in a tub full of suds, the two giant hounds sitting just outside the tub licking shampoo from her hand and belching bubbles as she screeched with glee. â€Å"Sophie, don't feed the puppies soap, okay?† The shopkeeper's voice from another room. â€Å"Okay, Dad. I won't. I'm not a kid, you know,† she said, pouring more strawberry-kiwi shampoo into her palm and holding it out for one of the dogs to lick. A cloud of fragrant bubbles burped out of the beast, through the bars of the window, and out into the still air over the alley. The hounds were the problem, but if the spy had his timing right, he'd be able to take care of them and get to the child without interference. In the past he'd been an assassin, a bodyguard, a kickboxer, and most recently a certified fiberglass-insulation installer – skills that could serve him well in his current mission. He had the face of a crocodile – sixty-eight spiked teeth and eyes that gleamed like black glass beads. His hands were the claws of a raptor, the wicked black nails encrusted with dried blood. He wore a black silk tuxedo, but no shoes – his feet were webbed like those of a waterbird, with claws for digging prey from the mud. He rolled the large Persian rug to the edge of the roof and waited; then, just as he had planned, he heard, â€Å"Sweetie, I'm going to take the trash out, I'll be right back.† â€Å"Okay, Dad.† Funny how the illusion of security can make us careless, the spy thought. No one would leave a young child alone in the bath unattended, but the company of two canine bodyguards wouldn't make her unattended, would it? He waited, and the shopkeeper emerged from the steel door downstairs carrying two trash bags. He seemed momentarily thrown off by the fact that the Dumpster, which was normally right outside the door, had been moved down the alley twenty feet or so, but shrugged, kicked the door wide, and while it hissed slowly shut on its pneumatic cylinder, he dashed for the Dumpster. That's when the spy sent the rug off the roof. The rug unrolled as it fell the four stories. Unfurled, it hit the shopkeeper with a substantial thud and drove him to the ground. In the bathroom, the huge dogs perked up. One let out a woof of caution. The spy already had the first bolt in his crossbow. Now he let it fly – nylon line hissed out and the bolt hit the rug with a thump, penetrating the rug and probably the shopkeeper's calf, effectively pinning him under the rug, perhaps even to the ground. The shopkeeper screamed. The great hounds dashed out of the bathroom. The spy loaded another bolt, attached it to the free end of the nylon line attached to the first bolt, then fired it through another section of the rug below. The shopkeeper continued to shout, but with the heavy rug pinned over him, he couldn't move. As the spy loaded his third bolt the hounds burst through the doorway into the alley. The third bolt wasn't attached to a line, but had a wicked titanium-spiked tip. The spy aimed at the pneumatic cylinder on the door, hit it, and the door slammed shut, locking the hounds in the alley. He'd practiced this a dozen times in his mind, and it was all going exactly as planned. The front doors to the shop and the apartment building had been Super Glued shut before he'd come up on the roof – no easy job getting that done without being seen. His fourth shot put a bolt in the window frame over the hall window. The bars on the bathroom were too narrow, but he knew that the shopkeeper would have left the door to the apartment open. He attached a carabiner to the nylon line and slid silently down the line to the window ledge. He unclipped, then squeezed through the bars and dropped to the floor in the hallway. He kept close to the hall walls, taking careful, exaggerated steps to keep his toenails from catching on the carpet. He could smell onions cooking in a nearby apartment and hear the child's voice coming from the door down the hall, which he could see was open, if only a crack. â€Å"Dad, I'm ready to get out! Dad, I'm ready to get out!† He paused at the doorway, peeked into the apartment. He knew the child would scream when she saw him – his jagged teeth, the claws, his cold black eyes. He would see to it that her screams were short-lived, but nobody could remain calm in the face of his fearsomeness. Of course, the fearsome effect was somewhat reduced by the fact that he was only fourteen inches tall. He pushed the door open, but as he stepped into the apartment something grabbed him from behind, yanking him off his feet, and in spite of his training and stealth skills, he screamed like a flaming wood duck. Someone had Super Glued the key slot in the back door and Charlie had snapped his key off trying to get it open. There was some kind of arrow stuck on a string through the back of his leg and it hurt like hell – blood was filling up his shoe. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew it wasn't good that the hellhounds were bouncing around him whimpering. He pounded the door with both fists. â€Å"Open the goddamn door, Ray!† Ray opened the door. â€Å"What?† The hellhounds knocked them both down going through the door. Charlie jumped to his feet and limped after them, up the steps. Ray followed. â€Å"Charlie, you're bleeding.† â€Å"I know.† â€Å"Wait, you're dragging some kind of line. Let me cut it.† â€Å"Ray, I've got to go – â€Å" Before Charlie could finish his sentence, Ray had pulled a knife from his back pocket, flicked it open, and cut the nylon line. â€Å"Used to carry this on the job to cut seat belts and stuff.† Charlie nodded and headed up the steps. Sophie was standing in the kitchen, wrapped in a mint-green bath towel, shampoo horns still protruding from her head – she looked like a small, soapy version of the Statue of Liberty. â€Å"Dad, where were you? I wanted to get out.† â€Å"Are you okay, honey?† He knelt in front of her and smoothed down her towel. â€Å"I needed help on the rinse. That's your responsibility, Dad.† â€Å"I know, honey. I'm a horrible father.† â€Å"Okay – † Sophie said. â€Å"Hi, Ray.† Ray was topping the steps, holding a bloody arrow on the end of a string. â€Å"Charlie, this went through your leg.† Charlie turned and looked at his calf for the first time, then sat on the floor, sure that he was going to pass out. â€Å"Can I have it?† Sophie said, picking up the arrow. Ray grabbed a dish towel from the counter and pressed it on Charlie's wound. â€Å"Hold this on it. I'll call 911.† â€Å"No, I'm okay,† Charlie said, pretty sure now he was going to throw up. â€Å"What happened out there?† Ray said. â€Å"I don't know, I was – â€Å" Someone in the building started screaming like they were being deep-fried. Ray's eyes went wide. â€Å"Help me up,† Charlie said. They ran through the apartment and out into the hall – the screaming was coming from the stairwell. â€Å"Can you make it?† Ray said. â€Å"Go. Go. I'm with you.† Charlie steadied himself against Ray's shoulder and hopped up the stairs behind him. The harsh screaming coming from Mrs. Ling's apartment had dwindled to pleas for help in English, peppered with swearing in Mandarin. â€Å"No! Shiksas! Help! Back! Help!† Charlie and Ray found the diminutive Chinese matron backed against her stove by Alvin and Mohammed, swinging a cleaver at them to keep them at bay while they barked salvos of strawberry-kiwi-flavored bubbles at her. â€Å"Help! Shiksas try to take supper,† said Mrs. Ling. Charlie saw the stockpot steaming on the stove, a pair of duck feet sticking out of it. â€Å"Mrs. Ling, is that duck wearing trousers?† She looked quickly, then turned and took a swipe at the hellhounds with the cleaver. â€Å"Could be,† she said. â€Å"Down, Alvin. Down, Mohammed,† Charlie commanded, which the hellhounds ignored completely. He turned to Ray. â€Å"Ray, would you go get Sophie?† The ex-cop, who felt himself the master of all situations chaotic, said, â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"They won't back off unless she tells them to. Go get her, okay.† Charlie turned to Mrs. Ling. â€Å"Sophie will call them off, Mrs. Ling. I'm sorry.† Mrs. Ling had been considering her dinner. She tried to shove the duck feet under the broth with her cleaver, but to little effect. â€Å"Is ancient Chinese recipe. We don't tell White Devils about it so you don't ruin it. You hear of paper-wrap chicken? This duck in pants.† The hellhounds growled. â€Å"Well, I'm sure it's delicious,† Charlie said, leaning against her fridge so he didn't fall over. â€Å"You bleeding, Mr. Asher.† â€Å"Yes, I am,† Charlie said. Ray arrived, carrying the towel-wrapped Sophie. He set her down. â€Å"Hi, Mrs. Ling,† Sophie said, then she stepped out of her towel, went to the hellhounds, and grabbed them by their collars. â€Å"You guys didn't rinse,† she said. Then, buck naked, her hair still in shampoo spikes, Sophie led the hellhounds out of Mrs. Ling's apartment. â€Å"Uh, someone shot you, boss,† Ray said. â€Å"Yes, they did,† said Charlie. â€Å"You should get medical attention.† â€Å"Yes, I should,† Charlie said. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slid down the front of Mrs. Ling's refrigerator. Charlie spent the entire night in the emergency room of St. Francis Memorial waiting for treatment. Ray Macy stayed with him the whole time. While Charlie enjoyed the screaming and whimpering from the other patients waiting for treatment, the retching and pervasive barf smell began to wear on him after a while. When he started to turn green, Ray tried to use his ex-cop status to gain favor with the head ER nurse, whom he had known in that old life. â€Å"He's hurt bad. Can't you sneak him in somewhere? He's a good guy, Betsy.† Nurse Betsy grinned (which was the expression she used in lieu of telling people to fuck off) and scanned the waiting room to make sure that no one seemed particularly attentive. â€Å"Can you get him to the window?† â€Å"Sure,† Ray said. He helped Charlie out of his chair and got him to the little bulletproof window. â€Å"This is Charlie Asher,† Ray said. â€Å"My friend.† Charlie looked at Ray. â€Å"I mean my boss,† Ray added quickly. â€Å"Mr. Asher, are you going to die on me?† â€Å"Hope not,† Charlie said. â€Å"But you might want to ask someone with more medical experience than me.† Nurse Betsy grinned. â€Å"He's been shot,† Ray said, ever the advocate. â€Å"I didn't see who shot me,† Charlie said. â€Å"It's a mystery.† Nurse Betsy leaned into the window. â€Å"You know we have to report all gunshot wounds to the authorities. Are you sure you don't want to take a veterinarian hostage and have him sew you up?† â€Å"I don't think my insurance will cover that,† Charlie said. â€Å"Besides, it wasn't a gunshot,† Ray added. â€Å"It was an arrow.† Nurse Betsy nodded. â€Å"Let me see?† Charlie started to roll up his pant leg and lift his leg up on the little counter. Nurse Betsy reached through the little window and knocked his foot off the shelf. â€Å"For Christ's sakes, don't let the others see I'm looking.† â€Å"Ouch, sorry.† â€Å"Is it still bleeding?† â€Å"No, I don't think so.† â€Å"Hurt?† â€Å"Like a bitch.† â€Å"Big bitch or little bitch?† â€Å"Extra large,† Charlie said. â€Å"You allergic to any painkillers?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Antibiotics?† â€Å"Nope.† Nurse Betsy reached into her uniform pocket and pulled out a handful of pills, picked out two round ones and one long one, and slid them through the little window. â€Å"By the power invested in me by Saint Francis of Assisi, I now pronounce you painless. The round ones are Percocet, the oval one is Cipro. I'll put it on your chart.† She looked at Ray. â€Å"Fill out his papers for him, he's going to be too fucked up to do it in a few minutes.† â€Å"Thanks, Betsy.† â€Å"You get any Prada or Gucci bags in that store where you work – they're mine.† â€Å"No problem,† Ray said. â€Å"Charlie owns the store.† â€Å"Really?† Charlie nodded. â€Å"Free,† Betsy added. She slid another round pill across the counter. â€Å"For you, Ray.† â€Å"I'm not hurt.† â€Å"It's a long wait. Anything could happen.† She grinned in lieu of telling him to fuck off. An hour later the paperwork was done and Charlie was heaped in a fiberglass chair in a posture that seemed possible only if his bones had turned to marshmallow. â€Å"They killed Rachel here,† Charlie said. â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"I still miss her.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"How's your leg?† â€Å"But they gave me Sophie,† Charlie said, ignoring the question. â€Å"So, you know, that was good.† â€Å"Yeah, I know,† Ray said. â€Å"How are you feeling now?† â€Å"I'm a little concerned that growing up without a mother, Sophie won't be sensitive enough.† â€Å"You're doing a great job with her. I meant how are you feeling physically?† â€Å"Like that thing where she kills people, just by looking at them. That can't be good for a little girl. My fault, all my fault.† â€Å"Charlie, does your leg hurt?† Ray had opted not to take the painkiller Nurse Betsy had given him, and now he was regretting it. â€Å"And the thing with the hellhounds – what kid has to deal with that? That can't be healthy.† â€Å"Charlie, how do you feel?† â€Å"I'm a little sleepy,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, you lost a lot of blood.† â€Å"I'm relaxed, though. You know, blood loss relaxes you. You suppose that's why they did leeches in the Middle Ages? They could use them instead of tranquilizers. ‘Yes, Bob, I'll be right in to the meeting, but let me stick a leech on, I'm feeling a little anxious.' Like that.† â€Å"Great idea, Charlie. You want some water?† â€Å"You're a good guy, Ray. Did I ever tell you that? Even if you are serial-killing desperate Filipinas on your vacation.† â€Å"What?† Nurse Betsy came to the window. â€Å"Asher!† she called. Ray looked pleadingly at her through the window – a few seconds later she was coming through the door with a wheelchair. â€Å"How's Painless doing?† she said. â€Å"Oh my God, he's incredibly irritating,† Ray said. â€Å"You didn't take your medicine, did you?† â€Å"I don't like drugs.† â€Å"Who's the nurse here, Ray? It's the circle of meds, not just the patient, but everyone around him. Haven't you seen The Lion King?† â€Å"That's not in The Lion King. That's the circle of life.† â€Å"Really? I've been singing that song wrong the whole time? Wow, I guess I don't like that movie after all. Help me get Painless into the chair. We'll have him home by breakfast.† â€Å"We got here at dinnertime,† Ray said. â€Å"See how you are when you're off your meds?† Charlie had a foam walking cast and crutches when he got home from the hospital. The painkillers had worn off to a level where he was no longer painless. His head was throbbing like tiny twin aliens were going to burst out of his temples. Mrs. Korjev came out of his apartment and cornered him in the hallway. â€Å"Charlie Asher, I am having bone to pick with you. Last night am I seeing my little Sophie run by my apartment naked and soapy like bear, pulling giant black dogs around singing ‘not in butt'? In old country we have word for that, Charlie Asher. Word is nasty. I still have number for child service from days when my boys were boys.† â€Å"Soapy like bear?† â€Å"Don't change subject. Is nasty.† â€Å"Yes, it is. I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I was shot and wasn't thinking straight.† â€Å"You are shot?† â€Å"In the leg. It's only a flesh wound.† Charlie had waited his entire life to say those words and he felt very macho at that moment. â€Å"I don't know who shot me. It's a mystery. They dropped a rug on me, too.† The rug diminished the machismo somewhat. He vowed not to mention it henceforth. â€Å"You come in. Have breakfast. Sophie will not eat toast Vladlena make. She say is raw and have toast germs.† â€Å"That's my girl,† Charlie said. Charlie was no sooner in the door and on his way to rescue his daughter from toast-borne pathogens, when Mohammed grabbed the tip of one of his crutches in his mouth and dragged a hopping Charlie into the bedroom. â€Å"Hi, Daddy,† Sophie said as her father went hopping by. â€Å"No skipping in the house,† she added. Mohammed head-butted the hapless Beta Male to his date book. There were two names there under today's date, which wasn't that unusual. What was unusual was that they were the names that had appeared before: Esther Johnson and Irena Posokovanovich – the two soul vessels he'd missed. He sat down on the bed and tried to rub the pain aliens back into his temples. How to even start? Would these names keep coming back until he got the soul vessels? That hadn't happened with the fuck puppet. What was different here? Things were obviously getting worse – now they were shooting at him. Charlie picked up the phone and dialed Ray Macy's number. It took Ray four days to come back to Charlie with the report. He had the information in three, but he'd wanted to be absolutely sure that all the painkillers had worn off and Charlie wasn't going to be crazy anymore – going on all night about being the big death, â€Å"with a capital D.† Ray also felt a little guilty because he'd been holding out on Charlie about breaking some rules in the store. They met in the back room on a Wednesday morning, before the store opened. Charlie had made coffee and taken a seat at the desk so he could prop his foot up. Ray sat on some boxes of books. â€Å"Okay, shoot,† Charlie said. â€Å"Well, first, I found three more crossbow bolts. Two had barbed-steel tips like the one that went through your leg, and one had a titanium spike. That one was stuck in the pneumatic closer on the back door.† â€Å"Don't care, Ray. What about the two women?† â€Å"Charlie, someone shot you with a deadly weapon. You don't care?† â€Å"Correct. Don't care. It's a mystery. Know what I like about mysteries? They're mysterious.† Ray was wearing a Giants cap and he flipped it around backwards for emphasis. If he'd been wearing glasses he would have whipped those off, but he wasn't, so he squinted like he had. â€Å"I'm sorry, Charlie, but someone wanted you and the dogs out of the house at the same time. They threw that rug on you from the rooftop across the alley, then, when you were pinned down and the dogs were outside, they shot the closer on the door so it would slam shut. They sabotaged the back door's lock and glued the front doors shut, probably before they even started with the rug, then they slid down a line to the hall window, slipped between the bars, and – well, then it's unclear.† Charlie sighed. â€Å"You're not going to tell me about the two women until you finish this, are you?† â€Å"It was highly organized. This wasn't a random assault.† â€Å"The hall window upstairs has bars on it, Ray. No one can get in. No one got in.† â€Å"Well, that's where it gets a little crazy. You see, I don't think it was a human intruder.† â€Å"You don't?† Charlie actually seemed to be paying attention now. â€Å"In order to get through those bars, an intruder would have to be under two feet tall, and less than, say, thirty pounds. I'm thinking a monkey.† Charlie put down his coffee so hard that a java geyser jumped out of the cup onto some papers on the desk. â€Å"You think that I was shot by a highly organized monkey?† â€Å"Don't be that way – â€Å" â€Å"Who then slid down a wire, broke into the building, and did what? Made off with fruit?† â€Å"You should have heard some of the stupid shit you were saying the other night at the hospital, and did I make fun of you?† â€Å"I was on drugs, Ray.† â€Å"Well, there's no other explanation.† To Ray's Beta Male imagination, the monkey explanation seemed completely reasonable – except for lack of motive. But you know monkeys, they'll fling poo at you just for the hell of it, so who's to say – â€Å"The explanation is that it's a mystery,† Charlie said. â€Å"I appreciate your trying to bring this†¦this furry bastard to justice, Ray, but I need to know about the two women.† Ray nodded, defeated. He should have just shut up until he'd figured out why someone would want to get a monkey into Charlie's apartment. â€Å"People can train monkeys, you know. Do you have any valuable jewelry in your apartment?† â€Å"You know,† Charlie said, scratching his chin and looking at the ceiling as if remembering. â€Å"There was a small car parked across from the shop all day on Vallejo. And when I looked the next day, there was a pile of banana peels, like someone had been staking the place out. Someone who ate bananas.† â€Å"What kind of car was it?† Ray said, his notepad ready. â€Å"I'm not sure, but it was red, and definitely monkey size.† Ray looked up from his notes. â€Å"Really?† Charlie paused, as if thinking carefully about his answer. â€Å"Yes,† he said, very sincerely. â€Å"Monkey size.† Ray flipped his notebook back to the pages in the front. â€Å"There is no need to be that way, Charlie. I'm just trying to help.† â€Å"It might have been bigger,† Charlie said, remembering. â€Å"Like a monkey SUV – like what you might drive if you were transporting – I don't know – a barrel of monkeys.† Ray cringed, then read from the pages. â€Å"I went to the Johnson woman's house. No one is living there, but the house isn't on the market. I didn't see the niece you talked about. Funny thing is, the neighbors knew she'd been sick, but no one had heard that she'd died. In fact, one guy said he thought he saw her getting into a U-Haul truck with a couple of movers last week.† â€Å"Last week? Her niece said that she died two weeks ago.† â€Å"No niece.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Esther Johnson doesn't have a niece. She was an only child. Didn't have brothers or sisters, and no nieces on her late husband's side of the family.† â€Å"So she's alive?† â€Å"Apparently.† Ray handed Charlie a photograph. â€Å"That's her latest driver's-license photo. This changes things. Now we're looking for a missing person, someone who will leave a trail. But the other one – Irena – is even better.† He handed Charlie another picture. â€Å"She's not dead either?† â€Å"Oh, there was a death notice in the paper three weeks ago, but here's the giveaway – all of her bills are still being paid, by personal check. Checks she signed.† Ray sat back on his stool, smiling, feeling the sweetness of righteous indignation over the monkey theory, and a little guilt alleviation for not telling Charlie about the special transactions. â€Å"Well?† Charlie finally asked. â€Å"She's at her sister's house in the Sunset. Here's the address.† Ray tore a page out of his notebook and handed it to Charlie.