Imperial Rome and han China

During the classical period, many civilizations and large land bases were formed. Of these many civilizations, two main ones were Han China and Imperial Rome. Although Han China and Imperial Rome both had similar government structures and trading systems, they both had two very different militaries. Han and Imperial Rome both exercised political control through similar government structures and social hierarchies.There were many elites who supported Han China’s emperor, Wu di and the â€Å"mandate of Heaven. † In Han, their government hierarchies were based on confusium. The followers of this included many bureaucrats, common people, and peasants. Imperial rome had a had a very similar way of ranking these people. Rome had a main leader. Emperor Augustus Ceasar. The top class in Rome was then bureaucrats and politicians, much like Han China. Below them came merchants, common people, and peasants.Then even below them came Slaves used for labor, but this was only used in Imperial Rome. This ranking system was a major similarity between these two civilizations political structure, and structure both civilizations greatly. Even though Imperial Rome and Han had very similar political structures their militaries were very different. Rome's military was used to reinforce laws, and was very strong and powerful, unlike Han china. In Han China, their military is mainly used for less important issues.The emperor in Imperial Rome headed the military, and in Han China, the emperor was not the only one heading the military. Rome and Han China’s trading system was very similar. These two civilizations both traded on the silk road. The silk road was a group of trading routes that spread between Asian, European, and African civilizations. Many things would be traded on these systems including fabrics like silk, produce, and many more. Because Han China and Imperial rome both used this, there trading system became very alike.Because of the trade between many different civilizations, and generic weights and measurement system had to be made so everyone could understand. This trading system was just one of the many similarities between Han China and imperial Rome. Over all, Han China and Imperial Rome had many similarities and differences and were two very well known civilizations. Although Han and Rome both had similar political structures and trade systems, their militaries were very different. These were both well runned civilizations but both had their flaws.

Theme in ‘Shakespeare in Love’

Describe one idea worth learning about in the text. Explain why it was worth learning about. John Madden’s Shakespeare in love is a ‘romantic comedy’ set in sixteenth century England. Through its two unfortunate protagonists, Will Shakespeare ‘a lowly player’ with writer’s block and wealthy Viola De Lesseps who dreams of ‘love as there has never been in a play,’ it explores the idea of ‘the truth and nature of love’ in the Elizabethan era.Madden portrays the harsh realities of the time through filmatic techniques such as dialogue, motifs and costuming to constantly remind the viewer throughout the film that the romance that is shared by Will and Viola cannot last in sixteenth century England. This is worth leaning about because as a 21st century viewer I become more able to appreciate the struggle faced by the two protagonists, especially Viola as a woman, in the name of love.Madden makes it clear to the viewer from th e beginning of the film Shakespeare in Love, that the truth of love in sixteenth century England which is based on the idea of marriage as a method of obtaining social or financial gain divides the two protagonists who are separated by the class system. Madden enhances this key idea through the use of dialogue in Will and Viola’s conversations. Viola is quicker to come to terms with the inevitable idea that their love is ‘too flattering sweet to be substantial. The two are living in a brief ‘dream’, which can only last until Viola’s marriage to Wessex. â€Å"Master Will, poet dearest to my heart, I beseech you, banish me from yours –I am to marry Lord Wessex-a daughter’s duty. † However Will and Viola continue to pursue their risky love, getting caught up in the romance and Will boasts to Viola â€Å"for one kiss, I would defy a thousand Wessexes! † As a twenty-first century teenager, the concept of a class system preventi ng two people who love each other from being together was new to me.However I admired and appreciated the two protagonists for going against the rules of society and seeing each other in secret trying to convince themselves that â€Å"love knows nothing of rank or riverbank. † Throughout the film we are reminded through the various recurring motifs, that Will and Viola’s love is one that will not last the expectations and realities of Elizabethan England. The river Thames is a constant setting focus in the film, being the large body of water that not only divides Will and Viola, but The Rose Theatre and The Curtain Theatre.The Thames is spoken of and shown in large establishing wide shots throughout the film. This helps to remind the viewers that Will and Viola are separated, not just by the river but the laws of society that forbid one of the lower class masses to love a wealthy upper class woman. â€Å"Oh Will, as Thomas Kent my heart belongs to you but as Viola the river divides us and I must marry Wessex a week from Saturday. † Often when Will and Viola are together they are shown with the river as a background always highlighting the rift that the class system has created between them, they can never openly be together.This is also shown in the extensive use of disguise used throughout the film. Viola dresses as a boy, ‘Thomas Kent,’ so she might act in Will’s plays. Will also disguises himself as a woman so he can go with Viola to Greenwich. This motif is an allusion to the play that Will Shakespeare would later write, Twelfth Night, but its main purpose is to remind us that in order to be together in public they must appear as disguised forms of themselves, they cannot openly declare their love. The only occasion when Will and Viola can express their love for each other in public is in the opening performance of Will’s new play Romeo and Juliet.This shows the viewer that only in the theatrical world can th ese two really be together, this was interesting to see as the nature of love in sixteenth century England means that the two protagonists will fall in love but the truth of love in this era means that if they are not from the same class in society then they cannot be together. It was worth learning about the risks Will and Viola take in order to try and fit into each other’s worlds as it made me invest much more emotion into their relationship.Shakespeare in Love won an academy award for its use of costuming in the film, which is reflected when we see Viola throughout the film. She is dressed immaculately in elaborate gowns with intricate beading often shown in regal colours such as red and gold which highlight her wealth and status and remind the viewer that she is too above Will for their relationship to be acceptable in Elizabethan society. This is contrasted when we first see Will, he is clearly one of the masses in his worn workman boots, plain white hirt and ink staine d hands. He relies on his words for a living. Viola and Will are from separate worlds and are only equals in the opening performance of Romeo and Juliet where Will is dressed in equal amounts of finery as Viola. This shows that only in the make-believe world of the theatre can these two be equal and accepted. The idea that they cannot marry each other even though they are in love is hard to grasp in the modern day and is the reason why many were unsatisfied by the ending of the film.However it is worth learning that â€Å"love can spring between a queen and the poor vagabond who plays the king. † We see Will and Viola defy â€Å"rank and riverbank† in an awe-inspiring way but we learn that despite their risk taking, there is not always a happy ending. An unfortunate life is particularly likely for Viola because as a woman, during this era she had fewer rights. â€Å"Will she breed? †¦Yes, if she does not send her back. † Women also suffered greater conseque nces if they were to be caught acting in the theatre.This was a foreign idea for me to be learning about because as a twenty first century girl seeing actors regarded as ‘two-a-penny’ in the Elizabethan era was strange and hugely contrasting to the celebrity status actors enjoy today. So it can be seen that the truth of love in Elizabethan England separates the two protagonists who are without control over their own relationships and life choices, a reality for the time that is hardly seen in twenty-first century New Zealand making this theme in the film almost alien to a modern teenage girl like myself.John Madden successfully portrays the constrictions of Elizabethan England and the trials Will and Viola must undergo to be together through his use of dialogue, motifs and costuming. Even the queen ‘cannot part a couple who have been joined before God† and it is worth learning that we don’t always get a happy ending in life. Theme in ‘Shakespeare in Love’ Describe one idea worth learning about in the text. Explain why it was worth learning about. John Madden’s Shakespeare in love is a ‘romantic comedy’ set in sixteenth century England. Through its two unfortunate protagonists, Will Shakespeare ‘a lowly player’ with writer’s block and wealthy Viola De Lesseps who dreams of ‘love as there has never been in a play,’ it explores the idea of ‘the truth and nature of love’ in the Elizabethan era.Madden portrays the harsh realities of the time through filmatic techniques such as dialogue, motifs and costuming to constantly remind the viewer throughout the film that the romance that is shared by Will and Viola cannot last in sixteenth century England. This is worth leaning about because as a 21st century viewer I become more able to appreciate the struggle faced by the two protagonists, especially Viola as a woman, in the name of love.Madden makes it clear to the viewer from th e beginning of the film Shakespeare in Love, that the truth of love in sixteenth century England which is based on the idea of marriage as a method of obtaining social or financial gain divides the two protagonists who are separated by the class system. Madden enhances this key idea through the use of dialogue in Will and Viola’s conversations. Viola is quicker to come to terms with the inevitable idea that their love is ‘too flattering sweet to be substantial. The two are living in a brief ‘dream’, which can only last until Viola’s marriage to Wessex. â€Å"Master Will, poet dearest to my heart, I beseech you, banish me from yours –I am to marry Lord Wessex-a daughter’s duty. † However Will and Viola continue to pursue their risky love, getting caught up in the romance and Will boasts to Viola â€Å"for one kiss, I would defy a thousand Wessexes! † As a twenty-first century teenager, the concept of a class system preventi ng two people who love each other from being together was new to me.However I admired and appreciated the two protagonists for going against the rules of society and seeing each other in secret trying to convince themselves that â€Å"love knows nothing of rank or riverbank. † Throughout the film we are reminded through the various recurring motifs, that Will and Viola’s love is one that will not last the expectations and realities of Elizabethan England. The river Thames is a constant setting focus in the film, being the large body of water that not only divides Will and Viola, but The Rose Theatre and The Curtain Theatre.The Thames is spoken of and shown in large establishing wide shots throughout the film. This helps to remind the viewers that Will and Viola are separated, not just by the river but the laws of society that forbid one of the lower class masses to love a wealthy upper class woman. â€Å"Oh Will, as Thomas Kent my heart belongs to you but as Viola the river divides us and I must marry Wessex a week from Saturday. † Often when Will and Viola are together they are shown with the river as a background always highlighting the rift that the class system has created between them, they can never openly be together.This is also shown in the extensive use of disguise used throughout the film. Viola dresses as a boy, ‘Thomas Kent,’ so she might act in Will’s plays. Will also disguises himself as a woman so he can go with Viola to Greenwich. This motif is an allusion to the play that Will Shakespeare would later write, Twelfth Night, but its main purpose is to remind us that in order to be together in public they must appear as disguised forms of themselves, they cannot openly declare their love. The only occasion when Will and Viola can express their love for each other in public is in the opening performance of Will’s new play Romeo and Juliet.This shows the viewer that only in the theatrical world can th ese two really be together, this was interesting to see as the nature of love in sixteenth century England means that the two protagonists will fall in love but the truth of love in this era means that if they are not from the same class in society then they cannot be together. It was worth learning about the risks Will and Viola take in order to try and fit into each other’s worlds as it made me invest much more emotion into their relationship.Shakespeare in Love won an academy award for its use of costuming in the film, which is reflected when we see Viola throughout the film. She is dressed immaculately in elaborate gowns with intricate beading often shown in regal colours such as red and gold which highlight her wealth and status and remind the viewer that she is too above Will for their relationship to be acceptable in Elizabethan society. This is contrasted when we first see Will, he is clearly one of the masses in his worn workman boots, plain white hirt and ink staine d hands. He relies on his words for a living. Viola and Will are from separate worlds and are only equals in the opening performance of Romeo and Juliet where Will is dressed in equal amounts of finery as Viola. This shows that only in the make-believe world of the theatre can these two be equal and accepted. The idea that they cannot marry each other even though they are in love is hard to grasp in the modern day and is the reason why many were unsatisfied by the ending of the film.However it is worth learning that â€Å"love can spring between a queen and the poor vagabond who plays the king. † We see Will and Viola defy â€Å"rank and riverbank† in an awe-inspiring way but we learn that despite their risk taking, there is not always a happy ending. An unfortunate life is particularly likely for Viola because as a woman, during this era she had fewer rights. â€Å"Will she breed? †¦Yes, if she does not send her back. † Women also suffered greater conseque nces if they were to be caught acting in the theatre.This was a foreign idea for me to be learning about because as a twenty first century girl seeing actors regarded as ‘two-a-penny’ in the Elizabethan era was strange and hugely contrasting to the celebrity status actors enjoy today. So it can be seen that the truth of love in Elizabethan England separates the two protagonists who are without control over their own relationships and life choices, a reality for the time that is hardly seen in twenty-first century New Zealand making this theme in the film almost alien to a modern teenage girl like myself.John Madden successfully portrays the constrictions of Elizabethan England and the trials Will and Viola must undergo to be together through his use of dialogue, motifs and costuming. Even the queen ‘cannot part a couple who have been joined before God† and it is worth learning that we don’t always get a happy ending in life.

Mao

Twentieth century has brought many revolutions on the face of the world. The century have seen a list of dictatorships, some constructive and others destructive. Leader principle, has however, been recognized as a basis of dictatorship. Chinese Revolution has been one of these mega revolutions of the twentieth century. The ultimate objective of the revolution was to bring China out of the ‘liberal bourgeoisie’, and the revolution was launched by the communist party under the supervison of great Mao Zedong. While discussiong the Chinese revolution, the great leap forward and the immediate infulence of the revlotuion, the role that Mao Zedong played as a leader cannot be ignored. Mao’s career examplifies the leader principle in a variety of styles. Being trained in a Chinese classics and later receiving the modern education, Zedong has deeeply observed the oppresive conditions of the society and aimed to nip the adversities in the bud. The reason behind the fact that people of China regard him as a symbol is his philosophy. The development of Maoist ideology was based on the foreign philosophical doctrines of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. Mao, however, sinified Marxism in an attempt to ensure unrealistic future growth (Cheek, Timothy). Though, following the Marxist school of thought for the betterment of the economic structure of the country Mao’s belief of dictatorship has also some great influences on his career. Every Communist must grasp the truth: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun (Zedong Mao). This statement of Mao clearly mentions that, in order to bring a change in status quo, the importance of political power cannot be denied, and the political power lies in leader principle. Though Mao’s career has mostly been highlighted with reference to the great Chinese Revolution, but his efforts date from the foundation of Chinese Communist Party, then Mao during the Second World War, and of course the prominent figure of the Chinese Revolution. Mao’s personality following the leader principle during the Second World War has been highlighted mostly because of the policies of Chiang Kai Shek, the opposition leader who consumed all of his energies to fight the communists, instead of the invading Japanese forces. This gave a plus point to Mao in fact. After this Mao’s efforts to bring the economic equilibrium in the country with special reference to the Chinese Revolution, has emerged in the history as a milestone. Though the revolution has been aimed to nip the roots of socialism, and was certainly in the favor of masses, but it still faces some critiques. According to Timothy Cheek, The Great Leap Forward was a product of Mao’s utopian visions at the Beidaihe Conference in August 1958 (Cheek 160). The Great Leap Forward was in fact the ultimate outcome of Mao’s Marxist view. It resulted in the boost of industries on one hand pushing the production levels higher, but on the other hands the peasantry and the agriculture sector got neglected very badly, as most of the farmers and the peasants left the occupation and started making steel. Cheek further says that ‘people simply believed in Mao’ (Cheek xiv). This statement of Cheek is of contradictory nature. On one hand it gives an impression that, the policies of Mao have been much attractive for the people, and on the other hand it may reflect the essence of dictatorship, where by people have no other option. The twenty seven years of rule made Mao a different image in the history, combination of achievements and a bit flaws. One more important element in the career of Mao Zedong was the personality cult in 1968. This gave Mao the ultimate political power and according to some researches, he sent his disloyal official to the country side to work in the labour camps. In the same time Zedong ordered to the young intellectuals to move to the countryside in order to educate the masses at villages. This effort of Zedong has largely been appreciated among the Chinese and that is the reason they gave him a God-like status. The young intellectuals though ordered to move to the villages, were allowed to get back to the cities later. The Cultural Revolution, people’s access to criticize the social and cultural institutions, and the economic and the political development in China has largely been associated with Zedong’s principle leadership. His thought became the central operative guide for the people of China; they ignored the traditional art and ideas while praising his efforts. Though being so much praised, there are some other views as well. Cheek at one place says ‘Jiang and David Ashley purport that Mao’s revolutionary achievements allowed him to continue to command immense respect (Cheek, xiv). This may be true to some extent, but in general, if a leader moulds the society and the economy in a more productive way with a specific acceleration, the respect among masses is the only and biggest reward for him. Mao’s career entitled with a long list of achievements has not only led him to have the respect and a God like status, but to have his name as a great leader of the history as well. It’s reported that, on Mao’s death people have been found crying on the streets. Some experts rate Mao’s era with 70% success and 30% failure. So 70% success is not bad at all. And the leader leading the nation towards this success if given the God-like status is not a command respect in my opinion. Mao’s era entitled with the social and economic achievements, though criticized to a limited extent, makes him the best leader in the history of China. And while comparing the other dictatorships in the world during the twentieth century, he’s been the most respected and successful one. Â   Work Cited: 1- Cheek, Timothy. [2002] (2002). Mao Zedong and China's Revolutions: A Brief History with Documents. Palgrave Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 0312294298 Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â  

Analyse the data sets provided and report the results of the data Essay

Analyse the data sets provided and report the results of the data analysis in the most appropriate format - Essay Example Given that there are three dependent variables that are known to interact with each other (Bandura, 1989); the MANOVA was chosen as the ideal test of analysis. The MANOVA is best used when the dependent variables are moderately correlated; and are liable to affect each other. The omnibus test ensures that there is reduced chance of a Type I error by taking shared covariance of dependent variables into account. The null and alternative hypotheses postulated for this study are: Null Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference in the mean cognitive anxiety between the winning positions. Alternative Hypothesis 1: There is a significant difference in the mean cognitive anxiety between the three winning positions. Null Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference in the mean somatic anxiety between the three winning positions. Alternative Hypothesis 2: There is a significant difference in the mean somatic anxiety between the three winning positions. Null Hypothesis 3: There is no significant difference in the mean self confidence between the three winning positions. Alternative Hypothesis 3: There is a significant difference in the mean self confidence between the three winning positions. Data was collected from 83 athletes of both genders (40 male and 43 female participants) within the age range of 18 to 43 years. The participants were not evenly distributed across the three categories; and data was available on 36 first place holders, 29 second place holders and 18 third place holders. The mean scores, standard deviations and Standard error are noted in Table 1.1 Table 1.1 Descriptive Statistics of Psychological Variables Relative to Winning Positions Dependent Variables Wining Position N Mean SD SE Cognitive Anxiety 1 36 24.17 5.316 0.886 2 29 22.93 6.035 1.121 3 18 24.11 5.040 1.188 Total 83 23.72 5.487 0.602 Somatic Anxiety 1 36 23.56 6.068 1.011 2 29 22.69 6.077 1.129 3 18 23.28 6.515 1.536 Total 83 23.19 6.106 0.670 Self Confidence 1 36 22.61 4.777 0. 796 2 29 19.17 4.489 0.834 3 18 18.67 3.970 0.936 Total 83 20.55 4.817 0.529 The data was analyzed using MANOVA, and was tested using all four tests. The F value using the Wilks' lambda was 3.488 which was significant beyond the 0.01 level of significance [Wilks' = 0.777; F (6,156) = 3.488; p

Proposal Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proposal Design - Essay Example The instances of the observed conduct disorder (if any) will be recorded. Contrary to the requirements of the ordinary scientific studies, this type of research doesn’t require any control group. For this reason, most of the experimental designs will hardly fit in this study. The most appropriate experimental design for this kind of study would be direct observation, since the symptoms of the conduct disorders are observable (Kenneth & Bruce, 2014). The observation method supports the use of between-subjects research design. In this research, the target population is composed of the patients who underwent conduct disorder treatment, either through the group or home therapy methods. Due to the nature of the target population, each member should be given an equal opportunity of forming the sample group. This is because the treatments that each of the members underwent were similar. In this research therefore, the sampling technique will be simple random sampling. This technique will give each of the members equal chances of being selected to form the sample group. The sample size will be made up of 30 participants, in an equal number, across the two treatment methods. 15 participants will be randomly selected to as representatives, depending on the method of conduct disorder they were subjected to. The nature of this study is comparative in nature (Thorndike & E. L. 1913). For this reason, as opposed to the ordinary scientific researches, this study would not require splitting the sample group into control and experimental groups (Lacort & M. O, 2014).  . The study compares the effectiveness of the home and group treatments for the treatment of conduct disorders. For this reason, in this study, the observations will be made on the persons treated under each category of treatment. The effectiveness of each treatment option will be determined by considering the number of

Analysis of Nonobjective Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis of Nonobjective Art - Essay Example I. Introduction It is possible to use literal, design, and expressive qualities to guide one’s analysis of works such as Wassily Kandinsky’s painting Several Circles. Afterwards, a reflection on the analysis of nonobjective works will be provided, describing how this process differs from analyzing figurative or representational artwork. II. Literal Qualities Kandinsky used the circle because he thought it represented various concepts, including peace, wholeness, and perfection. He epitomized the form of the circle in this sense, his work being like a form of visual poetry. â€Å"The use of the circle occurs†¦in [several] variations†¦in Kandinsky's work†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 1 In effect, the use of circles is effective, especially because of the pleasing aesthetic placement of circles of various colors. For example, primary colors red and yellow are used with the secondary color orange in the same general perimeter. In addition, the primary color blue is used effective ly because it is close to the secondary colors green and purple. The literal qualities of the work include strong usages of primary and secondary colors to convey various effects. III. Design Qualities The circle as design was considered to be an epic and most complete shape out of all of the shapes available one could work with, in turn.

Onion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Onion - Essay Example This onion is generally known by the name Vidalia. This species of onion is derived from Texas Grano 502. It reaches maturity early. Granex are normally available in yellow, red and white colors. Among all varieties of onions, the yellow onion matures the earliest, but it can not be stored for long. The white Granex onion is generally known as Miss Society and resembles the yellow onion in characteristics. Immature Granex onions, generate green onions upon harvesting. It is possible to thin the onion plantings by over-planting them from their seeds. 2. Texas Super-Sweet onions: Like Granex onions, Texas Super-Sweet onions are also derived from Texas Grano 502. Also, they are a short-day onion variety. As the name implies, Texas Super-Sweet onions are mildly sweet in taste. Large bulbous yellow onions having the shape of the globe can be seen in this variety. Unlike the Granex onions, Texas Super-Sweet onions have a large period of storage. Although it is derived from the Texas Grano 502, its resistance to disease is marvelous unlike many other varieties of onions that are derived from the same specie. They are far less likely than other varieties of onions to be bruised while being transported.

Question Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Question - Personal Statement Example in the environment both in and out of class but hope to stretch more especially out of class so as to fit in the diverse student body and learn from the challenge of diversity so as to as to graduate as a world citizen. As part of the my growth and student life, I have come to appreciate the importance of giving equal opportunities to all people despite of the social class, ethnicity of origin. Having come from China and studied mostly out of my home country, I came to experience instances where opportunities for instance to lead in student organisations could be denied to me because largely because of my origin. In order to overcome the situation I stood high and rose against discrimination of any kind, proved my ability to both teachers and fellow students hence finally won the confidence of both. This is a strength I will be carrying with me to Delaware. One accomplishment that has taken a great deal of my time and effort was learning a second language, fitting in a new learning environment and keeping the pace of native students. As a foreign student in America, I have encountered challenges to do with communication and as such had to put a lot effort towards overcoming the same. My motivation has always been never giving up my academic success and thus I became a friend of teachers as well as other students who assisted me a great deal in learning the new language. Being close to teachers and being able to quickly befriend other students was quite helpful as I was able to overcome the fear of being laughed

Coporate finace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Coporate finace - Essay Example Macquarie group limited 2014 financial report, the share price as at 30 December 2014 was $57.93. The company’s last ten years average total dividends, the return on equity and the payout ratios were $3.76, 11.1% and 66.8%. Dividend in the next period = dividend in the current period * (1+ the growth rate) = $3.76* (1+3.69%) = $3.89. now the three fundamental inputs are available and we can now punch into the equation below to get the return on equity: It is assumed that all investor do aim at maximizing the economic utilities and the asset quantities are fixed. The investors are risk- averse and rational. The investors are price takers and there is no way they can influence market prices. The investors have the same expectations that are related to the market. From the finance point of view, the cost of debt is calculated by using the following formula Kd= where I is the annual interest while P is the current market value of a debenture. The Macquarie group limited had an annual interest of $359m4. However, the market price of the debenture was $3507m. The cost of debt can, therefore, be computed by punching in the above inputs into the formula (359/3507) = 0.1023 hence 10.24%. This is where Re= cost of equity, Rd= cost of debt, E= the market value of the company’s equity, D= the market value of the firms debt, V= total value of debt and equity (E+D). Percentage of financing equity = E/V while the percentage of finance by debt = D/V and Tc = corporate tax rate6. The corporate tax for the company is 30%. From Modigliani miller irrelevant theory, the tax deductibility increases the value of the firm. This is by increasing the cash flows to respective equity shareholders. The tax deductibility of the debt down scales the weighted average cost of capital hence increasing the value of the firm. The cost of equity, Re, is higher than the cost of debt, Rd, but the saving in the cost of debt Rd is more hence making up for it

Oil Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oil Markets - Essay Example The most important and active exchanges where such transactions take place are the New York Mercantile Exchange and the International Petroleum Exchange, London. Spot and futures prices are transparent, and are available on the internet and a host of other media sources. All Physical trade in oil is through 'contract arrangements' that are formal contracts drawn up between the buyer and the seller for a specified quantity and quality of oil delivered at a fixed place and time and at a fixed price. Usually the spot and futures prices benchmark the contract price, to explain, the delivered price of the oil depends upon the spot market at the agreed time of delivery plus or minus an agreed amount depending upon the other conditions of the contract, such as credit terms, quantity and quality. In the US, some sale of the domestic production of oil is at a 'Posted Price', a different method of pricing of the indigenous product (Transactions). Futures prices of crude are $ 69.59 per barrel for May 2006 delivery and $ 70.22 per barrel, for June delivery. These are the closing prices of May 8th trading on the NYMEX for Brent crude (Trading Quotes). 2. Some oil producing nations have formed a cartel to control the production, shipments and prices of crude. This organisation called the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Appendix-1 shows the countries that form part of OPEC and their average production over the past three years (2003-05). Appendix-2 provides details of countries that produce significant quantities of crude but who are no a part of the OPEC and their average production over the past three years (2003-05). Appendix 3 gives details of the major Exporters, Consumers and Importers of Oil (International Petroleum Monthly). Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran and North Sea operations are the major producers of oil. The US is the largest consumer and importer of oil followed by China and Japan. 3. The world oil market is a Homogenous Co-operative Oligopoly. A broad definition of an oligopoly is a 'monopoly of many'. "The distinguishing characteristic of an oligopoly is that there are a few mutually interdependent firms that produce either identical products (homogeneous oligopoly) or heterogeneous products (differentiated oligopoly)" (Bookrags). Oil has no substitute. The consumer, has no alternative for the product, has no way of increasing total utility and with the supply and prices being controlled by a handful of suppliers has absolutely no way of influencing prices. This is a classic case of a monopolistic market. As is evident from the figure presented in Appendix 3, the largest exporters in the world, other than Russia, Norway, Mexico, Kazakhstan, and Qatar, are a part of the OPEC. The OPEC decides upon the levels of production and exports all with a view to control prices by maintaining a scarcity in the market. The non-availability of natural resources restricts e ntry of new players into the market. Since the product of all the players is essentially the same - crude petroleum oil, with only small variations in quality, the term Homogenous Oligopoly applies perfectly to this

Analysis of Paediatric Gastroenteritis Case Study

Analysis of Paediatric Gastroenteritis - Case Study Example   It shall consider the case of Kane, who is a young boy presenting to the emergency department with his parents. Upon admission, the records establish that Kane is a four-year-old male child who has been suffering for 24 hours (prior to consultation) from diarrhea and vomiting. He is also: pale with peripheral warmth; with RR of 30/min (without wheezing on auscultation); HR of 140/min at rest; temperature of 39.4 degrees Celsius; with the dry tongue; tearfulness; lethargy; and with weight at 15.4 kg. He has mild intermittent asthma managed with salbutamol. Parents express that the child has been vomiting sporadically, is not able to keep fluids down, and refuses to drink. He also has had four episodes of watery offensive stool in the last 12 hours PTC. The physician diagnosed the child with possible gastroenteritis, and the plan of care was to try fluids orally if tolerated and if not, to consider IV cannula. The child was admitted to the children’s ward and scheduled for r eassessment after 12 hours. This study shall now consider two clinical guidelines related to pediatric gastroenteritis. ... Australian sources were excluded in the search. Literature which matched the current case was reviewed and the specific journal was chosen based on relevance, reliability, and validity. Immediate Priorities for Kane’s care: To assess and manage the patient’s level of dehydration To reduce or totally end his diarrhoea and vomiting Plan and intervention for patient’s care Assessment and management of patient’s level of dehydration Based on the NSW Clinical Guidelines, the assessment of patient’s level of dehydration is based on three levels: mild, moderate, and severe. The care of the dehydrated patient subsequently follows based on the level of dehydration. Based on the patient’s symptoms, Kane is moderately dehydrated based on his following symptoms: elevated heart rate, elevated breath rate, pallor, dry mucous membrane, and lethargy (NSW Health, 2010, p. 7). These are all symptoms which signal moderate dehydration. The replacement fluid rate shall, therefore, be nasogastric therapy: one Oral Rehydration Solution (Gastrolyte); or it may be intravenous through (rapid or standard speed). The IV shall be 0.9% NaCl + 2.5% Glucose or 0.9% NaCl + 2.5% Glucose or 0.45% NaCl + 2.5% Glucose (NSW Health, 2010, p. 7). The Canadian Clinical Guidelines presented with slightly different details. Firstly, the child is also moderately dehydrated under these guidelines as assessed from the child’s exhibited symptoms, including dry mucous membrane, elevated heart rate, and lethargy (Gysler, 2011, p. 3).  Ã‚  

Household Behavior and Consumer Choice Essay Example for Free

Household Behavior and Consumer Choice Essay Issues of household behavior and consumer choices, lie in the field of microeconomics. Microeconomics, sometimes called the price theory is a branch of economics that concerns itself with the study of how households, individuals, and firms make their own private decisions on how to allocate scarce resources. In this research paper, I will seek to apply economic theories and mostly the consumer theory to analyze these decisions and their effects on consumption, interests and wages. ANALYSIS: DEFINITIONS: HOUSEHOLD BEHAVIOR: Household behavior is principally viewed and analyzed as the theory of consumer demand of various commodities or generally household consumption. In addition to this household behavior also concerns itself with production of commodities or services and the supply of labor by households. Consumer demand on the other hand concerns itself with how demand functions for various commodities are derived. This derivation is done considering the rational choice model based on utility maximization. In this analysis, economic constraints like budgets, income and commodity prices are considered for specific households. The consumer theory studies the issue of household likes and preferences applying indifference curves as well as budget constraints and relates these preferences to consumes demand curves. There are many economic variables that are used in the analysis of these preferences. Among the major variables, include the price per unit of a certain good and the money incomes of the specific consumers. A change in the price of a good usually has two major effects. Firstly, there is the substitution effect and secondly there is the income effect. The substitution effect usually arises from the relative change in prices of consumer goods. On the other hand, the income effect arises from changes in the purchasing power of the available money wage or income. The diagram below depicts the relationship between consumer demand and prices through indifference curves given budget constraints. When the price of good Y increases, the budget line will shift from BC2 to BC1. This is because when the price of good y increases households will buy less of the good but they will still buy the same quantity of good X as long as they wish. In order to maximize his or her utility the consumer will have to move from indifference curve I2 to I1. By doing this the consumer will be able to enjoy his/her preferences as normal. Incase the price of commodity Y decreases the budget line or the budget constraint will move from BC1 to BC2. This is because the consumer will now be able to purchase more of commodity y while at the same time enjoying the same amount of good X. in the same case, the consumer in order to maximize his/her utility will move from indifference curve I1 to I2. The same scenario will be applicable for price changes of good X. The income effect: The income effect is depicted in the diagram below. An increase or decrease of the consumer’s disposable income will cause a parallel shift of the consumer’s budget constraint. An increase in the disposable income will cause the budget constraint to shift to the right while a decrease in the income will cause the budget constraint to shift to the left. This applies for normal goods since the indifference curves will react differently for inferior goods and Giffen goods (goods with a snob appeal). For inferior goods as the income increases, less of the commodity will be consumed. This is because the increased income will cause the consumers to seek higher or better goods. For Giffen goods as the income, increases the amount of goods purchased may either increase or remain the same. Generally, the effects can be summed up to the substitution effect and the income effect. The substitution effect usually is a price change that affects the slope of the budget line (constraint), but leaves the consumer on the same equilibrium indifference curve. In cases where the good in question is a normal good then the price effect will outweigh the substitution effect, but in cases where the good is an inferior good then the substitution effect will outweigh the price effect. Leisure-labor tradeoff: The time that any consumer has to allocate for different purposes is called time endowment. The price of leisure is analyzed using the consumer theory, with some slight adjustments. In this case, leisure is assumed to be a good and consumption is considered to be another good. Since consumers have scarce and finite time then they will have to choose between leisure, which earns no money, and consumption of labor that earns an income. Regardless of this trade off the change in the unit price of leisure will have a huge effect on the working time since a reduction or an increase in the price of labor will lead to less work and more work respectively. Wage and interest rates: Wages can be analyzed both as a cause and as effect of consumer behavior. They are a cause in the sense that as wages increase so does the consumption of households increase. On the other hand, wages can be viewed as an effect of consumption behavior since they are indirectly determined by the consumer price index. Both real and nominal interest rates are affected by consumer behaviors. Depending on the liquidity within the economy, the consumption behavior of households can cause an increase or decrease in the level of interest rates. Conclusion: Many variables that are dealt with in microeconomics usually have an indirect effect in the field of macroeconomics. The determination of the national income do consider the value that households contribute either in the form of consumption or services that they render. In addition to this, the level of inflation is also slightly affected by the consumption and expenditure behaviors of the households. Consumer theory plays a very important role in explaining household behaviors. However, the field of macroeconomics also needs to be keenly looked at since it deals with economic aggregates. References: Mankiw, N. G. (2004), Principles of economics (3rd Ed. ), Chicago, ILLIOIS: Thomson South-Western McWilliams Gary. Analyzing Customers the wall street journal,Monday, November 8, 2004. Available at:http://online. wsj. com/article/SB109986994931767086. html Philip Hardwick (1982), an Introduction to Modern Economics, Longman, U. K

Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Menstrual Cycle

Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Menstrual Cycle Evaluation of oxidative stress and antioxidant status during  normal menstrual cycle Abstract: Background Objectives: Oxidative stress has been investigated to explain various physiological as well as pathological basis of many medical conditions. But very few data concerning the oxidative stress during normal menstrual cycle of eumenorrheic women are available. Thus, the purpose of study was to examine the physiological role of oxidative stress during normal menstrual cycle. Methods: 120 young healthy female subjects of reproductive age group (17-27 yrs), having regular menstrual cycle, were examined. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA), an oxidative stress biomarker and serum ascorbic acid (vitamin-C), an antioxidant vitamin were assessed in the follicular phase (on 7th day) and in the luteal phase (on 21st day) of normal menstrual cycle. Results: In the present study, significant higher (p0.05) levels of ascorbic acid were observed in the luteal phase when compared to the follicular phase. Non-significant negative correlations were also observed between MDA and ascorbic acid in both the phases of normal menstrual cycle. Significant increase in serum MDA level coincided with the increased progesterone and estrogen levels during the luteal phase. High levels of estrogen may be the initiator of lipid peroxidation process which eventually ends up with cellular injury during the luteal phase. Interpretation Conclusion: Oxidative stress has an important role to play in physiological phenomenon of the menstruation. Keywords: Antioxidants, ascorbic acid, malondialdehyde (MDA), menstrual cycle, oxidative stress. Abbreviations: MDA, malondialdehyde. Introduction Menstrual cycle is the result of complex interacting processes involving interaction of the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovaries, uterus, prostaglandins and neuroendocrine factors1. The normal menstrual cycle is a twenty eight day period which is divided into two phases i.e. follicular phase and luteal phase. The follicular phase is characterised by a low level of estrogen and progesterone which is followed by rise in estradiol, lutenizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone at the time of ovulation, while the luteal phase is associated with increased levels of progesterone and estrogen. These phases are associated with various changes in blood parameters along with variations in the sex hormones. Several powerful reactive oxygen species or free radicals or oxidants are produced during the course of metabolism in blood cells and most other cells of the body. These oxidants are very reactive molecules that can react with proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and other molecules which changes physicochemical status of the cell to alter their structure and cause tissue damage. Lipid peroxidation is a well established mechanism of cellular injury in human and is used as an indicator of oxidative stress in cells and tissues. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is one of the important byproduct of lipid peroxidation process which is widely used as an indicator of lipid peroxidation2. These free radicals are the target for the enzymatic and non-enzymatic scavenging systems3, which includes the antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, vitamin-A, vitamin-C, vitamin-E etc. that scavenge the free radicals and protect the tissues from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been implicated in various physiological as well as pathological bases of many medical conditions including reproductive system. Evidences have shown the dual effects of oxygen radicals in the physiological reproductive processes such as oocyte maturation, ovulation, menstruation, luteolysis, luteal maintenance in pregnancy, implantation and blastocyst development4,5,6, as well as in the pathological conditions like spontaneous abortions and infertility in females7. The imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants resulting from either an overproduction of free radicals or a deficit in antioxidant protection leads to oxidative stress8. Although, reports regarding variations of oxidative stress across the normal menstrual cycle in eumenorrheic women have been published, specially in reference to MDA (a marker of oxidative stress and an important byproduct of lipid peroxidation), but these are sparse and have conflicting trend. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the role of oxidative stress during the different phases of normal menstrual cycle by measuring the MDA which is served as an oxidative stress biomarker and ascorbic acid (vitamin-C), served as an antioxidant. Materials and Methods The present study was carried out on 120 normal healthy and regular menstruating female subjects aged between 17 and 27 years (mean age 20.53 + 2.9 years) selected from thexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Study was carried out in the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxPermission was also obtained from institutional ethical committee for carrying out the research work. After seeking an informed written consent and recording the detailed menstrual history (i.e. age at menarche, date of last menstruation, cycle length and days of bleeding), the subjects were then subjected to sample collection. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and serum ascorbic acid (vitamin-C) levels were assayed during their monthly menstrual cycle. All subjects were neither obese nor on any medication of any known pathologies. 5 ml of fasting blood samples were drawn from antecubital vein from each subject during the follicular phase (on 7th day of the cycle) and luteal phase (on 21st day of the cycle) after taking full antiseptic precautions. The MDA levels were measured by thiobarbituric acid assay method9. The principle of the method was based on the spectrophotometric measurement of the colour developed during the reaction of thiobarbituric acid with MDA. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances was calculated by the absorbance coefficient of malondialdehyde-thiobarbituric acid complex. Serum ascorbic acid was estimated spectrophotometrically, by using 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine10. The underlying principle was based on the oxidation of ascorbic acid to dehydroascorbic acid followed by coupling with 2,4- dinitrophenyl hydrazine under controlled conditions, in the presence of Thiourea as a mild reducing agent which gives red coloured osazones. The data thus obtained was subjected to statistical analysis using the PRIMER OF BIOSTATISTICS software. The comparison of variables was done using the Student paired ‘t’ test and correlation between variables was estimated by using Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The significance level was considered at p Results The mean serum MDA and serum ascorbic acid levels during the follicular and luteal phases of menstrual cycle are presented as in Table 1. In the present study, the mean serum MDA (nmol/ml) level was greater during the luteal phase (4.294+1.60 nmol/ml) as compared to follicular phase (2.119+0.83 nmol/ml). The difference between MDA levels in the luteal phase was highly significant (p Lower values of serum ascorbic acid were found in luteal phase when compared to follicular phase. The mean values observed were 0.9399+0.40 mg/dl 0.8963+0.37 mg/dl in follicular phase and luteal phase, respectively. But, the changes were not significant statistically (p>0.05). In this study, a negative correlation was also observed between serum ascorbic acid (mg/dl) and serum MDA (nmol/ml) levels in both follicular and luteal phases but the correlation was found to be non-significant in both follicular phase (r value=-0.026, p>0.05) as well as in luteal phase (r value=-0.010, p>0.05). Table 1: Mean+SD levels of serum Malondialdehyde (MDA) and serum Ascorbic acid during follicular and luteal phases of menstrual cycle. Data expressed as mean and SD, * Highly significant, ** Non-significant. Discussion Present study has revealed the role of oxidative stress in the physiology of menstruation. We observed a significant higher levels of MDA while a non-significant lower levels of ascorbic acid in the luteal phase when compared with the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Previous studies also have correlated increased serum MDA levels during the luteal phase with the physiological phenomenon of menstruation in the healthy normal menstruating females which support our study results6,11. While, no significant differences in MDA levels throughout the normal menstrual cycle also have been reported12,13,14. Unlike our study results, a progressive significant rise in plasma ascorbic acid levels has been reported from menstrual to ovulation15. Similarly, â€Å"a sharp increase in the fasting level of plasma Vitamin C† also has been showed in some women during the middle of the menstrual cycle16. Whereas, some other researchers found no evidences of unusual variability of plasma ascorbic acid values throughout the menstrual cycle, which supports our study17. The significant rise of MDA and depletion of ascorbic acid levels during the luteal phase of menstrual cycle coincides with the increased levels of estrogen and progesterone, which is a characteristic feature of this phase18. Increased levels of estrogen and progesterone cause the proliferation of uterus while the initiation of sloughing of the endometrium is mainly due to the rise in the estrogen levels18,19,20. Thus, the high estrogen level from developing follicles may be the initiator of lipid peroxidation process21, which eventually causes the cellular injury followed by release of cytokines especially tumour necrosis factor-alpha, which generates reactive oxygen species from the tissues which in turn causes lipid peroxidation22. The generated free radicals may play an important role in spasm of the highly vascularised vessels leading to vascular necrosis and menstrual flow, when hormonal support for the endometrium is diminished. High levels of oxidative stress have been coincided with high levels of female sex hormone such as estradiol in previous studies also6,21,23. While, in other studies a significant negative correlation between these parameters in regularly menstruating females also have been established24. Whereas, some evidences show no significant correlation between ovarian hormones and oxidative stress during the follicular and luteal phases of menstrual cycle25. Present study perhaps therefore suggests that the high MDA level in the luteal phase may play an important role in the initiation of menstruation which is a well established cellular injury based phenomenon. Conclusion In conclusion, these results suggest that increase of serum MDA levels may play an important role in the physiological phenomenon of menstruation. References 1. Joseph L. Mayo. A healthy menstrual cycle. Clinical Nutrition Insights 1997; 5(9): 1-8. 2. Raharjo S, Sofos JN and Schmitt GR. Solid-phase acid extraction improves thiobarbituric acid methods to determine lipid oxidation. J Food Sci 1993; 58: 921-932. 3. Grunert RR and Phillips PH. A modification of nitroprusside method of analysis for glutathione. Arch Biochem 1951; 30(2): 217-225. 4. Sawada M and Carlson J. Superoxide radical production in plasma membrane samples from regressing corpora lutea. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 1989; 67(5): 465-471. 5. Harvey AJ, Kind KL and Thompson JG. REDOX regulation of early embryo development. Reproduction 2002; 123: 479-486. 6. Akande AA and Akinyinka AO. Serum malondialdehyde levels during menstrual cycle. Afr J Biotechnol 2005; 4(11): 1297-1299. 7. Agarwal A, Aponte-Mellado A, Premkumar BJ, Shaman A, Gupta S. The effects of oxidative stress on female reproduction: a review. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2012; 10: 49. 8. Terada LS. Specificity in reactive oxidant signaling : Think globally, act locally. J Cell Biol 2006; 174: 615-623. 9. Satoh K. Serum lipid peroxide in cerebrovascular disorders determined by a new colorimetric method. Clin Chim Acta 1978; 90(1): 37-43. 10. Natelson S. Determination of ascorbic acid by using 2,4 – dinitrophenyl hydrazine. Techniques of Clinical Chemistry. 3rd ed. Springfield, USA: Charles C. Thomas. 1971: 165-166. 11. Karowicz-Bilinska A, Plodzidym M, Krol J, Lewinska A, Bartosz G. Changes of markers of oxidative stress during menstrual cycle.Redox Rep 2008; 13(5): 237-240. 12. Serviddio G, Loverro G, Vicino M, et al. Modulation of endometrial redox balance during the menstrual cycle: relation with sex hormones. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002; 87(6): 2843-2848. 13. Elhadd TA, Neary R, Abdu TA, et al. Influence of the hormonal changes during the normal menstrual cycle in healthy young women on soluble adhesion molecules, plasma homocysteine, free radical markers and lipoprotein fractions. Int Angiol 2003; 22(3): 222-228. 14. Browne RW, Bloom MS, Schisterman EF, et al. Analytical and biological variation of biomarkers of oxidative stress during the menstrual cycle. Biomarkers 2008; 11: 160-183. 15. Michos C, Kiortsis DN, Evangelou A, Karkabounas S. Antioxidant protection during the menstrual cycle : The effects of estradiol on ascorbic – dehydroascorbic acid plasma levels and total antioxidant plasma status in eumenorrhoic women during the menstrual cycle. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2006; 85(8): 960-965. 16. Mickelson O, Dippel AL and Todd RL. Plasma Vitamin C levels in women during the menstrual cycle. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1943; 3(11): 600-602. 17. Hauck HM. Plasma levels and urinary excretion of ascorbic acid in women during the menstrual cycle. J Nutr 1947; 33(5): 511-514. 18. Ganong. William F. Gonads: Development and function of the reproductive system. In: Review of Medical Physiology. 13th ed. USA: Prentice-Hall Int. Inc. 1987: 364-369. 19. Llewellyn-Jones D. Everywomen A gynaecological guide for life. 4th ed. The Chancer press. Great Britain: 1986: p-48. 20. Whitley RJ, Wayne M and Nelson BW. Endocrinology. In: Teitz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry. Carl Burtis and Edward Ashwood (editors). Philadephia: Saundera company. 1992: p-1879. 21. Schisterman EF, Gaskins AJ, Mumford SL, et al. Influence of Endogenous Reproductive Hormones on F2-Isoprostane Levels in Premenopausal Women. Am J Epidemiol 2010; 172(4): 430-439. 22. Romero FJ, Bosch-Morell F, Romero MJ, Jareno EJ, Romero B, Roma MN. Lipid peroxidation products and antioxidants in human diseases. Environ Health Perspect 1998; 106: 1229-1234. 23. Sowers M, McConnell D, Jannausch ML, et al. Oestrogen metabolites in relation to isoprostanes as a measure of oxidative stress. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2008; 68(5): 806-813. 24. Bednarek–Tupikowska G, Bohdanowicz–Pawlak A, Bidzinska B, Milewicz A, Antonowicz–Juchniewicz J, Andrzejak R. Serum lipid peroxide and superoxide dismutase activity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Gynecol Endocrinol 2001; 15(4): 298-303. 25. Lutoslawska G, Tkaczyk J, panczenco-– kresowska B, Hubner – Wozniak E, Skierska E, Gajewski AK. Plasma TBARS, blood GSH concentrations, and erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities in regularly menstruating women with ovulatory and anovulatory menstrual cycles. Clin Chim Acta 2003; 331(1-2): 159-163.

The Hot Zone Essay -- essays research papers

In 1980 a man named Charles Monet went on a trip with a girlfriend up to Mountain Elgon in West Kenya. They spent the night there and went to a large cave called Kitcum cave. Three days after his return home, Charles began to have a headache. A few days later he went to the doctors and they told him he should go to a bigger/better hospital in Nairobi. So Charles flew to Nairobi. During the flight to Nairobi Charles found himself vomiting blood with a black liquid. Charles finally reached the hospital only to wait. While he was waiting and he lost all sense of balance. Charles started to go into shock. He started to throw up even more blood. The people who were there said the only sound was the choking in his throat from his constant vomiting. Then the horrid sound of his bowels opening up was also heard by the witnesses. Blood mixed with his intestinal lining then leaked out of his body. This was a dying process which happens to nine out of ten people who come in contact with the deadly disease is called â€Å"crashing and bleeding†. Samples of his blood were flown to all the major disease labs in the world. The disease was identified as Marburg Strain. In Sudan the same type of virus was wiping out whole tribes. So Gene Johnson (the one in charge of the Reston operation, and discoverer of Ebola Sudan) flew over there and worked with the sick members of the tribes to try and find a cure. This strain of Marburg was called Ebola Sudan because of where it was found. Later on in Zaire, missionaries would give vaccine shots and penicillin to local tribes to help reduce the number of outbreaks. One of the nuns whose name was unknown there became sick with a similar disease. She had the very first recorded case of Ebola Zaire which is the most dangerous of the three strains. She died and her blood was sent to disease labs all over the world as well. The strain was called Ebola Zaire since it was discovered in Zaire. In Reston, Maryland there was a monkey house that would ship monkeys all over the United States to labs for medical experiments. Suddenly the monkeys started dying. Peter JahlringHe was a disease expert at Fort Detrick from fort Detrick came and took a look at the monkeys and took some blood samples. Jahlring and Tom Geisbert then looked the samples, thinking it was just a monkey virus and accidentally exposed themselves to the virus. They looked at it un... ...tely be a very large panic. The virus would also spread so quickly and do so much damage in a very short period of time. The virus would basically wipe out our population if it weren’t contained/controlled properly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book presented this problem, with the virus being dormant for a while, and then starting to contaminate a population. The book also has the virus being spread within a lab holding monkeys (used for experiments) that was located in the United States. This creates fear in the reader’s mind, because one would think it is just a matter of time before the virus gets out into the â€Å"real† world. The book deals with the problem by locking up the lab and getting rid of the virus by placing chemicals into the building with the monkeys. Because this is a true story, I believe that this would be the most logical solution to the problem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Overall, I felt this was a very interesting book to read. It was able to keep my attention and kept me from putting the book down. Some of the parts seemed to be a little graphic and were gross. I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to read a good true story about viruses.

The Most Imporanf The Tsars Fall From Power. :: essays research papers

Although some of the causes of the Tsar's fall from power seem more important than others, it is hard to choose a most important cause because each cause links into another, which leads into another. However I have come up with two causes which I think were the most important in the downfall of the Tsar. One was a long-term cause, the foundations of all the other causes, without which the country would not have been in such a bad state. The second one is a short-term cause, which tipped the balance into the Revolution and subsequently the Tsar's fall from power. The long-term cause is, Rominov mis-rule, and the short-term trigger is the 1st World War. The mis-rule of Russia by the Rominov's had been going on for many, many years, coming to a head with the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Rominovs especially Nicholas 2nd believed that they were appointed by G-d to rule the country, and that whatever they thought, must be right. This led them to rule the country for their own interests and for the interests of the rich and important, not for the interests of most of the population, the peasants. The Tsar didn't listen to the peasants or most of his ministers, appointing and firing them at will. The Tsar, by not listening to his people or caring about their needs, helped Russia to stay very economically backwards when compared to the rest of the world. This helps to link into the cause of social and economic hardships, another important cause. Many people believe that the influence of Rasputin was the reason that the Tsar fell from power, but I don't agree. Rasputin was an important factor in the lead upto the revolution and consequently the downfall of the Tsar. He was a rough, smelly peasant, who indulged in lots of sexual acts. The peasants resented him because he seemed to represent what was wrong with Russia. He was uncouth, showing the poor economic state of Russia and the poorness of the majority of its population. He was wild, showing the way that the Cossacks kept order and he was suspected of having an unfair with the Tsarina, degrading the royal family. However it was not Rasputin alone as some people think, that was the problems. It was the way that the media and Opposition groups portrayed him. However these still lead back to my original cause, Rominov mis-rule.

The Theme of Power in Yellow Wallpaper and Bartleby -- The Yellow Wallp

The Theme of Power in Yellow Wallpaper and Bartleby   Ã‚  Ã‚   Many texts written in the nineteenth century have a very apparent theme of power. Authority can be seen very differently depending on the view of the transcript the audience is presented with. By looking at different transcripts within the text the reader has more realistic exposure to the resistance of power in that text. This paper will prove that transcripts of differing views allow for different interpretations of the power struggle itself. Using James C. Scott this paper will examine the transcripts of both Charlotte Perkins Gilman's, "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Herman Melville's "Bartleby." These two texts are opposite in many ways, which make them fascinating to study through Scotts eyes, because together they extensively cover the four situations he focuses on. The first transcript which Scott discusses is that of the public's view. He describes that "the public transcript is to put it crudely, the self-portrait of dominant elites as they would have themselves seen"(18). Since the narrator of "Bartleby" is a member of the "dominant elite" this text is a great example of how the public transcript is used to show resistance and power. Text written from this point of view, focus on trying to make the elite seem good, just, and noble. The narrator of this text did a wonderful job at doing just that. At one point while talking about Bartleby he told the audience "Not only did there seem to lurk in it a certain calm disdain, but his perverseness seemed ungrateful, considering the undeniable good usage and indulgence he had received from me"(Melville 18). The narrator was basically saying, I was so good to Bartleby, how dare he not appreciate all my kindness. It is... ...isplay, how within texts there could be many different forms of resistance and views of authority, depending on the transcripts used to understand them. Each text read in this class, on the surface value, provides an entertaining story, however the same text through deeper reading are able to decode much more complex plots. On the surface Bartleby is just a very strange employee, and the narrator of Gilman's story is just an insane woman, but by digging further this paper was able to display much more intensity to them both. Works Cited Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper" and other Stories. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 1997. Melville, Herman. Bartleby and Benito Cereno. 3rd ed. NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 1990. Scott, James C. Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcripts. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1990.

A Letter for My Future Husband Essay

After reading â€Å"Why I Want a Wife†, I disagree with Syfers’ opinion when she created an example of a perfect wife who has the responsibilities to meet her husband’s needs. I am looking for a husband, but it seems too early and so far away for a high-school girl who wants to get into a holy matrimony. However, the real question is if a wife has all the responsibilities to do everything, what would a husband do? If I am a wife, I will not expect my husband to be handsome or rich. Instead, I do expect my husband to have a good personality so that we can have a healthy relationship. I want a husband who will respect me, share responsibilities with me, and be honest with me. I want a husband who will respect me the way I respect him. However, I have a right to keep my own private space, and I do not want my husband force me into talking about things that I do not want to say. On the other hand, I am glad to listen to my husband’s complaints, because it is a way to show respect and it will also help me learn more about him. I want a husband who will never scold at me in front of other people even though I may be difficult. For instance, when my friend and I are talking in the living room, my husband should not directly walk in and order me to prepare a meal for his friends. Even if I refuse, my husband should not yell at me in front of my friend. Instead, he should be kind and respectful. I want a husband who can comfort me when I am not in a good mood, and listen carefully when I am talking. While he is listening, it should not be in one ear and out the other because he should be attentive. Just like Syfers’ point,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦I want a wife who will listen to me when I feel the need to explain a difficult point†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I want a husband who will share the family’s responsibilities with me. Women nowadays are becoming economically independent, so taking care of the children is not only a wife’s responsibility. â€Å"I want a wife to keep track of the children’s doctor and dentist appointments†¦I want a wife to make sure my children eat properly and are kept clean. I want a wife who will wash the children’s clothes and keep them mended. I want a wife who is a good nurturant attendant to my children and who a rranges for their schooling†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I disagree with Syfers’ opinion that a wife should be the one to take care of the children, because a husband could also take care of the children when his wife is at work. I do not want  my husband to stand around and do nothing when I am cooking. Since I am not a good cook, I want a husband who can â€Å"Plan the menus, prepare the meals† when I am not in the mood for it. I want a husband who is good with technology so he can fix electronics, and also be good with chores so he can help me to keep the house clean. I want a husband who is always be honest with me. Honesty can bring a couple closer to each other, and prevent misunderstandings. I want a husband who will not betray me, and he will not say one thing in front of me and then do the opposite behind my back. I am woman who always tend to be sentimental, and because of that, I want my husband to be a straight shooter who is devoted to me and will not lie to me. I believe that men and women are equal, so I can not accept the husband that Syfers describes, â€Å"If, by chance, I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, I want the liberty to replace my present wife with another one.† I want a husband who will unconditionally love and trust me, like the â€Å"Star-Crossed Lovers†, who loved each other to the point where they died for one another. I expect my husband to have a good personality that who can support my emotional, physical and mental needs. However, I want a husband who will not lose his temper easily when I flare up in an unreasonable manner. I want a responsible husband who can do things that I cannot do. I want an honest husband who can read my thoughts and promise me he will not be a liar. If love is an apple, then I am a girl who is searching the other half of the apple. My future husband, where are you?

The 7 Key Differences Between Business-to-Business

The 7 Key Differences Between business-to-business and consumer marketing by Robert W. Bly When asked if he could write an effective direct mail package on a complex electronic control system, a well-known direct response copywriter replied, â€Å"No problem. It doesn’t matter what the product is. You are selling to people. And people are pretty much the same. † He’s wrong. Yes, there are similarities. But there are also differences in selling to business and professional buyers vs. the general public. In fact, here are six key factors that set business-to-business marketing apart from consumer marketing: . The business buyer wants to buy. Most consumer advertising offers people products they might enjoy but don’t really need. How many subscription promotions, for example, sell publications that the reader truly could not live without? If we subscribe, we do so for pleasure – not because the information offered is essential to our day-to-day activit y. But in business-to-business marketing, the situation is different. The business buyer wants to buy. Indeed, all business enterprises must routinely buy products and services that help them stay profitable, competitive, and successful.The proof of his is the existence of the purchasing agent, whose sole function is to purchase things. 2. The business buyer is sophisticated. Business-to-business copy talks to a sophisticated audience. Your typical reader has a high interest in – and understanding of – your product (or at least of the problem it solves). Importantly, the reader usually knows more about the product and its use than you do. It would be folly, for example, to believe that a few days spent reading about mainframe computers will educate you to the level of your target prospect – a systems analyst with six or seven years experience. This realization makes business-to-business writers somewhat more humble than their consumer counterparts. ) The sophist ication of the reader requires the business-to-business copywriter to do a tremendous amount of research and digging into the market, the product, and its application. The business audience does not respond well to slogans or oversimplification. 3. The business buyer will read a lot of copy. The business buyer is an information-seeker, constantly on the lookout for information and advice that can help the buyer do the job better, increase profits, or advance his career. Our prospects are turned off by colorful, advertising-type sales brochures,† says the marketing manager of a company selling complex ‘systems’ software products to large IBM data centers. â€Å"They are hungry for information and respond better to letters and bulletins that explain, in fairly technical terms, what our product is and how it solves a particular data-center problem. † Don’t be afraid to write long copy in mailers, ads, and fulfillment brochures. Prospects will read your message – if it is interesting, important, and relevant to their needs.And don’t hesitate to use informational pieces as response hooks for ads and mailers. The offer of a free booklet, report, or technical guide can still pull well – despite the glut of reading matter clogging the prospect’s in-basket. 4. A multistep buying process. In consumer direct response, copywriters’ fees are geared toward producing the â€Å"package† – an elaborate mailing that does the bulk of the selling job for a publication, insurance policy, or other mail order product. But in business-to-business direct marketing, the concept of package or control is virtually non-existent.Why? Because the purchase of most business products is a multistep buying process. A vice president of manufacturing doesn’t clip a coupon and order a $35,000 machine by mail. First he asks for a brochure. Then a sales meeting. Then a demonstration. Then a 30-day trial. Then a proposal or contract. Thus, it is not a single piece of copy that wins the contract award. Rather, it takes a series of letters, brochures, presentations, ads, and mailers – combined with the efforts of salespeople – to turn a cold lead into a paying customer. 5. Multiple buying influences.You don’t usually consult with a team of experts when you want to buy a fast-food hamburger, a soda, bottle of shampoo, or a pair of shoes, do you? In most consumer selling situations, the purchase decision is made by an individual. But a business purchase is usually a team effort, with many players involved. For this reason, a business purchase is rarely an â€Å"impulse† buy. Many people influence the decision – from the purchasing agent and company president, to technical professionals and end-users. Each of these audiences has different concerns and criteria by which they judge you.To be successful, your copy must address the needs of all parties involved wit h the decision. In many cases, this requires separate mailings to many different people within an organization. 6. Business products are more complex. Most business products – and their applications – are more complex than consumer products. (For example, clients I now serve include a commercial bank, a manufacturer of elevator control systems, a data processing training firm, a database marketing company, a mailing list broker, a general contractor, and a semiconductor manufacturer. Business-to-business copy cannot be superficial. Clarity is essential. You cannot sell by â€Å"fooling† the prospect or hiding the identity of your product. Half the battle is explaining, quickly and simply, what your product is, what it does, and why the reader should be interested in it. â€Å"In high-tech direct mail, the key is to educate the prospect,† say Mark Toner, who manages the advertising program for Amano, a manufacturer of computerized time-clock systems. †Å"With a product like ours, most customers don’t even know of its existence. In short, in business-to-business marketing, the rules are different. In the months to come, we’ll explore ways to increase response and profits in this exciting and challenging marketplace. Business buyers are looking for personal benefits by Robert W. Bly In a column titled â€Å"The 7 Key Differences Between Business-To-Business And Consumer Marketing,† I described the six key factors that set business-to-business marketing apart from consumer marketing. They are: The business buyer wants to buy. The business buyer is sophisticated.The business buyer is an information seeker who will read a lot of copy. Business-to-business marketing involves a multistep buying process. The buying decision is frequently made by a committee and not by an individual. Business products are generally more complex than consumer products. Recently, I have formulated a seventh principle which I would like t o add to the list The business buyer buys for his company’s benefit – and his own. There are two parts to this principle. Let’s take them one at a time. The Business Buyer Buys For His Company’s BenefitThe business buyer must acquire products and services that benefit his company. This means the product or service saves the company time or money, makes money, improves productivity, increases efficiency or solves problems. Let’s say, for example, that you sell a telecommunications network and your primary advantage over the competition is that your system reduces monthly operating expenses by 50 percent. If a prospect is spending $40,000 a month for your competitor’s network, you can replace it and provide his company with the same level of service for only $20,000 a month.The company benefits because it saves $240,000 a year in communications costs – more than $1 million in a five-year period. Yet, despite this tremendous benefit, you find that prospects are not buying. They seem interested, and you get a lot of inquiries. But few sales are closed. Why? Because in addition to buying for his company’s benefit, the prospect also buys for himself. The Business Buyer Buys For His Own Benefit The second part of principle #7 is that, while the buyer is looking to do right by his company, he has an equal (if not greater) concern for his own well-being and selfish interests.Although the idea of saving $240,000 a year with your telecommunications system is appealing to your prospect, his thought process is as follows: â€Å"Right now I have an AT&T system. Your system sounds good but I don’t know you or your company. If I switch and something goes wrong, I will be blamed. I may even get fired. My boss will say, ‘You shouldn’t have gambled on an unproven product from an unknown vendor – why didn’t you stick with good ole reliable AT&T? ’ He will say this even though he appr oved my decision. So to be safe, I will stick with my current system†¦ ven though it costs my company an extra $240,000 a year. After all, I’d rather see them spend an extra $240,000 a year than me lose my $60,000-a-year-job! † This play-it-safe mentality is only natural, and it affects buying decisions daily in corporations throughout the country. Data processing professionals are fond of saying, â€Å"Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM. † Buying IBM ensures the prospect that no one can criticize his decision, even if brand X is the better choice from a business and technical point of view.A corporate pension fund manager, writing in Money magazine, noted that no money manager ever got fired for losing money invested in a blue-chip stock. A different example, but the principle remains the same. The Business Buyer Is For Himself Concern for making the safe, acceptable decision is a primary motivation of business buyers, but it is not the only reason why bu siness buyers choose products, services and suppliers that are not necessarily the best business solution to their company’s problem. Avoiding stress or hardship is a big concern among prospects.For example, a consultant might offer a new system for increasing productivity, but it means more paperwork for the shipping department†¦ and especially for the head of the shipping department. If he has anything to say about it, and thinks no one will criticize him for it, the head of shipping will, in this case, work to sway the committee against engaging the consultant or using his system†¦ even though the current procedures are not efficient. The department head, already overworked, wants to avoid something he perceives as a hassle and a headache, despite its contribution to the greater good of the organization.Fear of the unknown is also a powerful motivator. A middle manager, for example, might vote against acquiring desktop publishing and putting a terminal on every m anager’s desk because he himself has computer phobia. Even though he recognizes the benefit such technology can bring to his department, he wants to avoid the pain of learning something he perceives to be difficult and frightening. Again, personal benefit outweighs corporate benefit in this situation. Fear of loss is another powerful motivator. An advertising manager in a company that has handled its advertising in-house for the past decade may esist his president’s suggestion that they retain an outside advertising agency to handle the company’s rapidly expanding marketing campaign. Even if he respects the ad agency and believes they will do a good job, the ad manager may campaign against them, fearing that bringing in outside experts will diminish his own status within the company. In these and many other instances, the business buyer is for himself first; and his company, second. To be successful, your copy must not only promise the benefits the prospect desi res for his company; it should also speak to the prospect’s personal agenda, as well.

Rationality and the Ethical Life-Aristotle and Kant

What is rationality and the ethical life? According to Aristotle and Kant, they have different views on what these two things mean. Aristotle explained that a virtuous activity has an intermediate position of excess and deficiency and also a mean relative to us. The definition of virtue is a mean, insofar, as it aims at what is intermediate. Aristotle listed ten virtues in his book that he saw as being most important in becoming a virtuous human being. Aristotle also explained that we must become who we are on our own. Kant explained that humanity is defined as being rational. It is our duty by nature to act morally because we are rational. We have absolute worth because we are human beings. Aristotle and Kant have many similarities and differences in their understandings of the ethical life. Aristotle explained that the virtuous life is the excellent life, which is the happy life, which is the rational life. To be rational, we must practice the ten virtues. Rationality is rooted in our actions. If we see someone doing something out of the norm, we usually conclude that they are irrational. Our actions play a huge role on what we believe in society to be rational or irrational. Aristotle’s understanding of the rational person is someone who practices the ten virtues in a public life because you cannot lead an excellent life if it is a private life. I agree with Aristotle because in order to become rational, you must practice these virtues while interacting with others. Aristotle also believes that the highest good is happiness. Happiness is the human function Happiness is the ultimate end for human beings and happiness alone makes life worth living. However, we must achieve our own happiness by doing something with excellence. Aristotle explains that in order to lead an ethical life, we must leada rational life. Humans are born with the capabilityof becoming virtuous. We must become who we are. Kant explains that because we are human we are rational. All human beings are rational so it is universally shared. Categorical imperative explains tat we must act morally. Our intensions are to be moral when acing and it is our duty, by nature, to act morally. When we act, our intentions are always for goodwill. Kant understood that with rationality comes freedom. When one is rational and free, then one is moral, which explains moral law. Because we are humans, we have absolute worth. I cannot use someone as a means to my ends. Slavery is an example of using humans as a means to some sort of ends. The law of humanity explains that we have absolute worth because we are humans and you cannot put a price on human beings. Kant believes that human beings have absolute dignity and worth because we are human. While studying both the philosophers, I found more differences than similarities in their works. I believe that both philosophers make interesting arguments in what it really means to lead the ethical life. While Aristotle explained that we must become virtuous throughout our lives by interacting with others and leading an excellent life to find happiness. Kant explained that we are born with absolute dignity and worth because we are human. Aristotle and Kant both argue that because we are human, we are rational people. They both believe that because we are human, we have the capability of becoming rational.

Wilderness Bradley Watker

I hobbled as fast as I could across the moor. I didn't look back and I didn't look down – the former because I didn't want to know just how close it was, the latter because I didn't want to see the blood spurting from my foot. It was chasing me. I didn't turn round, but with each limped and painful step I knew it was right behind me, ready to pounce and end any futile hope of survival. It was so near, at my shoulder, on top of me, right through my brain. I could feel its breath pushing against my neck, salivating in hunger. Why didn't it just finish me off? Maybe it wanted me to turn, maybe the moment I looked it would be there. Its red eyes shining into mine, its wide mouth ready to make an aperture of my throat. The temptation to turn was immense. If I turned it would be over, I wouldn't have to run – hobble, limp, stagger – anymore. I heard it growl, ready to pounce. My arms flailed, my mangled foot slipped in a coating of my own blood – but still I ran, still I refused to look back. I kept thinking of survival, thinking there'd be a future, thinking I'd live – and it was with that thin slice of hope that my legs disappeared from under me. I screamed, but it was a sound of surprise rather than pain – and it was lost in a terrible scream from across the moor. Who was that? Was it Mark? Was it Pete? We'd run together, separated – thinking it couldn't hunt down all three of us across these moors. But was that right? It was a long way to run and we had no idea how swift it was. I closed my eyes and listened. It was Mark. It was Mark screaming into the night. It was Mark being torn apart. I opened my eyes, slowly, and looked behind me. There was nothing. There were no red eyes, there were no bloodied teeth. Yet I could hear its breath so close, smell its disgusting raw hunger. But it wasn't there, Mark's cries told me that. It had followed Mark – the fattest one – meat on the carcass for a good feast. But I could still hear its breath, trapped in my mind, telling me it was near, that despite Mark's cries it was still hunting me. I steadied myself and looked around. I'd tumbled into a crimson ditch, a jagged hole covered in blood. Every inch of grass, every patch of mud was smeared red. I blinked a couple of times and gagged as the stench beat its way through my nostrils – and then, under the moonlight, I saw them. There were a dozen rabbit carcasses in the hole with me, each of them dissected and eviscerated by teeth. This is where it was before the bar, this is where it started before it came to us for the main course. I pulled myself up, scared I'd vomit. Mark's cries had stopped. Mark had been stopped. It was silent again, so I couldn't retch. If I threw up it would know where I was, it would find me easy. I crawled from the ditch, away from the blood and the smell. I lay on the grass, keeping my face pressed down, hoping the aroma of night time freshness would remove all others. I was tempted to just stay there, but the pain in my heel was too much. I had a knife in my shack, a good sharp blade. I could cut out the wound, remove the infection. The shack wasn't far. I knew this land, knew how to navigate these moors – I just prayed I could move fast enough it wouldn't catch me. I stood up, putting my weight on my right foot, only gingerly using my left. I took my bearings. Mark's cries had come from the east. What was it doing now? Was it feasting? Was it burrowing its nose into Mark's blubber? Or was it going to use the darkness to hunt down me and Pete as well? It had started in the bar – what? Half an hour earlier? A life time ago? ‘The Bar At The End Of The World' we called it. There had been three of us in, and Paul the bar-keep. No matter who else was there, the three of us – and Paul the bar-keep – were always there. We were single men, away from civilisation, glad – in the absence of any other human companionship – to have a kind of family to go to of an evening. It wasn't exclusive, we never made anyone feel an outsider. When others came in from the moors they were welcomed, they were old friends. Even strangers received a cheery greeting. We'd had lost English motorists, Scotsmen in kilts, even once a Japanese coach party. We always treated strangers kindly, we always wanted the stranger to leave as a friend. We weren't a bar which looked shifty and suspicious at every unknown who walked in. We smiled, we cheered, we brought another round. The stranger who walked in that night was different. He looked cold, distant, unfriendly. He looked like a man who wouldn't appreciate smiles or cheers or any warm welcome. He was huge, the size and shape of a bear – near seven foot of him. He lowered his head through the doorway and then straightened, standing dead still, staring at us on our bar-stools. Pete – the friendliest, youngest and lithest – tended to pounce forward and shake the hand of whoever came in, he didn't with this guy. This man just stood and glared at us, like he was ready to growl if we came near. We were in the wild, we ourselves were part of the wild – but he looked like he was born of it. His hair was greasy and matted to his simian shaped skull, his beard was torn and tangled, his skin was red and lined from exposure. His long jacket was the brown of every kind of dirt, his trousers were stained and short on his bruised calves, his torn shirt was only buttoned once – showing off a scarred and lined torso. It was Paul who spoke. Paul was the custodian and was never scared of confronting the unruly elements – his shotgun was never far from reach below the bar. â€Å"Can I help you?† he asked. The man did nothing, just continued to stare with passive venom. â€Å"Can I help you?† said Paul. The man moved. He turned his head, slowly, towards the bar-keep. â€Å"Whisky.† said the man, his voice as dark as earth. â€Å"You got money for that?† asked Paul. It was never usually a problem. Once or twice we'd had a tramp stray out that far and we'd brought them drinks – tramps have stories too. No one seemed willing to volunteer this time. The man took three strides, three strides which seemed to dent and echo against the floor. He grabbed a bar stool and swooped it under him. It was amazing those rickety old stools could take such a weight. â€Å"Whisky.† said the man. â€Å"You got money for that?† said Paul. They stared at each other. Paul kept his hand beneath the bar, clutching the gun. There was music on the jukebox, an old pop hit of the nineteen-seventies, but even though it played it was like silence had come and crushed it. The man brought his hand up, a brutal weapon of a fist – huge, scarred and red. He opened it, dropping a dozen coins down onto the bar. He smiled at Paul, or gave what passed for a smile on that face. Paul let go of the gun and pulled out a clean glass. â€Å"What kind?† he asked. â€Å"Whisky.† Paul shrugged and reached for a bottle – the cheapest – and poured out a measure. The whisky made itself at home at the bottom of the glass, but the man just stared at it in disapproval. â€Å"Whisky.† he said. Paul poured another measure. Again the man stared at it with disgust strained across his wrinkled, bruised face. â€Å"Whisky.† Paul shrugged again and poured it so the glass was brimming with brown liquid. Helicopters! I could suddenly hear choppers. They were up there, more than one – patrolling the night-sky. I dropped to the grass and looked up, but couldn't see them despite the moonlight. How did they know about it? Who had called them? It took a long time to get a helicopter out here – helicopters were city. They must have been hunting this thing awhile, must have tracked it down here. But what were they going to do now? It was an animal, it had natural senses – they didn't know this moor, they didn't know where things were. It was ridiculous, what were city men in helicopters going to do against a beast like that? I lay still. They were on my side. The police, the army, the protection authorities – whoever they were – we all wanted the same thing, we wanted it gone. But I knew they wouldn't be as careful as I would. They'd come to the moors before looking for things, other animals roaming these parts. They'd found them, they'd got them – and so what if a local got in the way of their sharpened bullets? It was collateral damage, it didn't matter. After all, we were too far away from the cities and the towns and the newspapers and the television cameras for anyone to care what actually happened. We were too far away for the death of a few yokel innocents to matter. But we knew. We knew it was as just as dangerous encountering a city man sent with a gun as it was encountering a beast. I got up slowly. What would I look like to them? A man limping in darkness across the moor, smeared with dirt and remains – how was I going to appear to them? I tried to figure out where they were – the sound of propellers said they were close, but I could also hear that breathing. I shuddered. I had to keep moving, I had to get safe. My shack, with heavy bolts on the doors and windows, was still a mile away. There was nowhere else though. Nowhere between where I stood and my shack. Nowhere in that direction between the bar and my shack. It was all so desolate. I had to get home – I could lock himself in, I had weapons, I'd be able to treat my ankle and give myself a chance of a tomorrow. I just had to get off the moor. I didn't want to die out there from either sharpened teeth or sharpened bullets. The man had just stared at that glass of whisky. Rain fell, records changed on the jukebox and still the man watched that glass with slow contemplation. All human sound had died. Before the man walked in Pete was regaling us with a childhood story we'd all heard three hundred times, Mark nevertheless could not stop sniggering at it – now there was only silence. We stared at the man – anxious of what he was going to do, scared of what he was going to do. Paul's hand was below the bar, tight on the gun. Maybe the man would just drink and leave. Maybe he'd drink and start a conversation. Maybe. His hand reached quick for the glass. One moment it was lying still in his lap, the next it was dropping the brown liquid down his throat. He took it in one gulp, then slammed the glass back to the bar and stared at it disappointed. He seemed to wonder if that was it. Paul reached his free hand to the bottle, to offer a refill, when the man jerked himself over the glass. He hunched his body over as if about to vomit the contents back in, his head so close he could have snapped the rim with his teeth. But he didn't. Instead he unfurled his tongue, pushing it into the empty glass so it curled at the bottom and piled up on itself. The tongue was long, dark, thick – it had two black veins running and pulsing up the back. He pushed it into the glass and filled it. The receptacle crammed full with purple flesh spilling over the top Then he made a slurping sound, like his tongue was a paper-straw reaching for the last drop of liquid. He slid it out, but stayed hunched forward and unfurled it again, wrapping his tongue around the base of the glass. He lifted it from the bar, tilting his head back and shaking whatever atoms of whisky might be left into his wide eager mouth. He dropped the glass back to the bar carelessly, so it landed on its side and rolled. The man grunted as it came to a stop right at the edge. I wasn't far now, but still far from safe. The helicopters had moved away, but there were men on the moors. I could hear them communicating, I could hear the static of their walkie-talkies. They were armed and scared in the moonlight, and it didn't matter what they saw – man, sheep, deer, great big beast – they'd all get the same treatment. I kept moving, conscious of them, conscious of the salivating breath, conscious that one wrong turn and I'd be exposed for all in the moonlight. I rounded a ridge, and there – close enough to see – was my shack. I felt so much relief I nearly wept, but then I heard them on the bank right above me. I hit bank-side and listened, they were chatting about vectors and shut downs and containing the area. All the time the beast was getting nearer. It was so dark out there – even with the moon – that it could have pounced from five feet and surprised me. Even with armed city men so close, it would still have time to tear out my throat before taking them too. They were above me so I couldn't move, but I could hear the beast and knew I had to move. The sound of its hunger was louder when I stopped. It seemed like it could attack from all sides, like I could be ripped apart by more than one of them. It was everywhere. What were those idiots doing? Why were they advertising themselves? I held my breath and listened to them and listened to it, and figured I was in for a bloody death. Then there were screams. From across the moor came dreadful cries, that even through the wind I recognised as Pete. I lurched forward from the bank, but then reality knocked me back again. Even if I knew where to run it would be too late. The screams swirled in the wind, they echoed, so it seemed that each death throe was repeated again and again across the moors. The men primed their weapons, but what were they going to fire at? It could be miles off, it could be bursting up from just over the next hillock. Finally there was movement, orders were given, the men raced away. I could still hear the breathing, rattling between my ears even with the screams. I could hear the helicopters swooping back. The men had gone, the helicopters weren't near enough yet and it was as close as it had ever been. If I looked to my left I could make out the brickwork of my shack. I moved hastily towards it. With the empty glass in front of him, the man closed his eyes and became still. Why hadn't Paul shot him then? Why didn't he just blast him one? What had gone through Paul's mind to make him wait? But then the opportunity was gone, his eyes opened and he spoke. â€Å"I get so lonely,† he said. â€Å"I get so very, very lonely.† His voice was quiet, a growled monotone. â€Å"I know the kind of life I lead isn't meant to have company, but still I am lonely. I think it's an odd thing for me to have become lonely – I wasn't born lonely, I didn't grow up lonely, there was nothing in my life that suggested loneliness. But now I am alone. I don't miss the people I knew, I don't miss the people who loved me – some of them I can't even remember – but I do miss the sensation of somebody else, I do miss there being another. I talk to myself a lot, I talk to myself and try to make sense of it, because after all – who else is there to talk to? Sure, there are people like you. There's the welcome of strangers when I can get it. But you're not my friends, you're not even my friends for the hours I spend here. You're just people I meet. You don't like me and you don't trust me – and I'll be honest with you, you have no reason to do either. You know what I am, or you have a good idea what I am. You know what I have to do, you know what will happen next. And later on when I'm alone I might regret it, but for now†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And there it was – an angry mass of hair, claws and teeth. It went for Mark first – the most meat – but Mark was strong and pushed it back. It was only for a second, knocking it off balance, but enough for the three of us to get passed. We scrambled, had almost reached the outside, when it clamped me in a hungry vice. I looked to my foot and saw its horrible mutated face, growling and supping at my flesh. I screamed and it was answered by a gunshot. Paul put both barrels into its back. It roared and let go of my heel, and I hobbled out as fast as I could. There was another shot, and then a scream from Paul. I reached my shack, fumbling in the darkness as I tried to open the door. I had to be quicker – my blood was in the air, surely I was going to be next. It was so near, its breath seemed to bruise the back of my neck. Finally the door opened. I slammed it behind me, bolted it, pushed furniture to block the windows. Outside were choppers, men running – but they weren't going to get near it. It was coming for me, stalking me. I opened the table drawer and pulled out my revolver, then went to my book shelves and cracked open a little box. It was a present, given to me as a keepsake, a lucky charm, in case I ever needed it. A silver bullet. I looked to the door and with shaking fingers slipped it into the chamber. The full moon shone on me despite the furniture. I could hear growling, panting, a nearby and desperate salivating. But then I heard a chopper, I heard men. It receded, cowering, taking a tactical retreat. The sound of breathing softened in my head. I took a gulp of relief and vomited on the floor. The vomit was blood red. I sat down, shaking with tears. I reached to the drawer and pulled out a carving knife, bringing it to my heel. But it was no good. The wound was deeper than I'd realised, the teeth had sunk in further than I thought, meeting below my flesh. There was no way I could just cut it out, the infection was in me, rampant in my blood. I put the gun to my temple. Why not? Anyone who passed as my friend had already died that night. But then the moonlight touched me and I realised just how powerful I felt. I could hear the breathing again, friendlier now though. There was a new smell in the night air – warm, welcoming. The beast was just the other side of the door, I could sense it. I could smell it, it could smell me. I put the gun down and smiled. I guessed neither of us would be lonely for a little while.