Monday, September 30, 2019

Agiesm

Myths can be considered a common way for society as a whole to develop stereotypical Judgments upon the elderly community. Myths create negative attitudes that often create discrimination within society that enhances untruths about the elderly population. In order to see the myths that hinder society as a hole taking a look at what ageism Is is in fact beneficial to bring truth to the table. What Is ageism? Ageism Is a social attitude that has created myths wealth society that have endorsed society's stereotype of aging adults within communities.Myths are can be generated by many things such as demeaning comments passed on from person to person or by simply turning on the television and seeing negative adaptations of what life Is like as an elderly person. â€Å"Many social psychologists and gerontologists cite the media as a major source of negative stereotypes of the elderly' (Martin, 2007) (up. 141). Fear of growing old can generate the social attitudes seen in ageism that brings about negative behaviors to cloud people's Judgments and ultimately result In myths. Language is one of the most pervasive ways that ageism exists and persists In our society' (Wilkinson, Ferreira, & Nelson, 2004, up. 341-342). Terms used in daily conversations such as; old people, grumpy old men, they can't do it they are to old are all types of languages that support ageism in society today. Interventions and strategies with ageism are to educate the public on the rigorousness of discrimination and taunting language directed towards our aging adults.In today's societies many options are available for the elderly to seek refuge in these times of need. According to Martin (2007), † contrary to the common belief of many in the United States, most elderly individuals remain in their homes until death and are cared for by family members† (up. 142). In some situations a family member may move their aging relative or loved one into their homes to make it easier for them to m aintain constant care needed on a twenty- four hour basis. Retirement communities offer numerous accommodations that assist ND care for aging adults in a setting that creates an active lifestyle.Some communities offer clubs, crafts, physical health classes, cooking facilities, pools, beautiful landscapes to walk in and anything else that will empower yet keep a well balanced lifestyle. â€Å"Government subsidized senior housing can make housing costs more affordable for the elderly population, whether in the form of a subsidy provided directly to the elderly in form of tax credits, loans, or rental vouchers, or subsidies provided to the housing community, which passes on this discount to the enter† (Martin, 2007) (up. 143).Finally there is assisted living facilities (ODL) designed to accommodate individuals who need around the clock care and assistance. This option of residency is an apartment typesetting that is based around structured living. In an (ODL) environment there w ill be all types of assistance to various needs from the residence in the forms of eating, bathing, walking, exercising, getting dressed and even help with taking medications on time. Most (ODL) communities will have Can's (Certified Nursing Assistants) as well as on tie Urn's (Registered Nurses) that provide most of the assistance needed for care.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Twilight 7. NIGHTMARE

7. NIGHTMARE I told Charlie I had a lot of homework to do, and that I didn't want anything to eat. There was a basketball game on that he was excited about, though of course I had no idea what was special about it, so he wasn't aware of anything unusual in my face or tone. Once in my room, I locked the door. I dug through my desk until I found my old headphones, and I plugged them into my little CD player. I picked up a CD that Phil had given to me for Christmas. It was one of his favorite bands, but they used a little too much bass and shrieking for my tastes. I popped it into place and lay down on my bed. I put on the headphones, hit Play, and turned up the volume until it hurt my ears. I closed my eyes, but the light still intruded, so I added a pillow over the top half of my face. I concentrated very carefully on the music, trying to understand the lyrics, to unravel the complicated drum patterns. By the third time I'd listened through the CD, I knew all the words to the choruses, at least. I was surprised to find that I really did like the band after all, once I got past the blaring noise. I'd have to thank Phil again. And it worked. The shattering beats made it impossible for me to think – which was the whole purpose of the exercise. I listened to the CD again and again, until I was singing along with all the songs, until, finally, I fell asleep. I opened my eyes to a familiar place. Aware in some corner of my consciousness that I was dreaming, I recognized the green light of the forest. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks somewhere nearby. And I knew that if I found the ocean, I'd be able to see the sun. I was trying to follow the sound, but then Jacob Black was there, tugging on my hand, pulling me back toward the blackest part of the forest. â€Å"Jacob? What's wrong?† I asked. His face was frightened as he yanked with all his strength against my resistance; I didn't want to go into the dark. â€Å"Run, Bella, you have to run!† he whispered, terrified. â€Å"This way, Bella!† I recognized Mike's voice calling out of the gloomy heart of the trees, but I couldn't see him. â€Å"Why?† I asked, still pulling against Jacob's grasp, desperate now to find the sun. But Jacob let go of my hand and yelped, suddenly shaking, falling to the dim forest floor. He twitched on the ground as I watched in horror. â€Å"Jacob!† I screamed. But he was gone. In his place was a large red-brown wolf with black eyes. The wolf faced away from me, pointing toward the shore, the hair on the back of his shoulders bristling, low growls issuing from between his exposed fangs. â€Å"Bella, run!† Mike cried out again from behind me. But I didn't turn. I was watching a light coming toward me from the beach. And then Edward stepped out from the trees, his skin faintly glowing, his eyes black and dangerous. He held up one hand and beckoned me to come to him. The wolf growled at my feet. I took a step forward, toward Edward. He smiled then, and his teeth were sharp, pointed. â€Å"Trust me,† he purred. I took another step. The wolf launched himself across the space between me and the vampire, fangs aiming for the jugular. â€Å"No!† I screamed, wrenching upright out of my bed. My sudden movement caused the headphones to pull the CD player off the bedside table, and it clattered to the wooden floor. My light was still on, and I was sitting fully dressed on the bed, with my shoes on. I glanced, disoriented, at the clock on my dresser. It was five-thirty in the morning. I groaned, fell back, and rolled over onto my face, kicking off my boots. I was too uncomfortable to get anywhere near sleep, though. I rolled back over and unbuttoned my jeans, yanking them off awkwardly as I tried to stay horizontal. I could feel the braid in my hair, an uncomfortable ridge along the back of my skull. I turned onto my side and ripped the rubber band out, quickly combing through the plaits with my fingers. I pulled the pillow back over my eyes. It was all no use, of course. My subconscious had dredged up exactly the images I'd been trying so desperately to avoid. I was going to have to face them now. I sat up, and my head spun for a minute as the blood flowed downward. First things first, I thought to myself, happy to put it off as long as possible. I grabbed my bathroom bag. The shower didn't last nearly as long as I hoped it would, though. Even taking the time to blow-dry my hair, I was soon out of things to do in the bathroom. Wrapped in a towel, I crossed back to my room. I couldn't tell if Charlie was still asleep, or if he had already left. I went to look out my window, and the cruiser was gone. Fishing again. I dressed slowly in my most comfy sweats and then made my bed – something I never did. I couldn't put it off any longer. I went to my desk and switched on my old computer. I hated using the Internet here. My modem was sadly outdated, my free service substandard; just dialing up took so long that I decided to go get myself a bowl of cereal while I waited. I ate slowly, chewing each bite with care. When I was done, I washed the bowl and spoon, dried them, and put them away. My feet dragged as I climbed the stairs. I went to my CD player first, picking it up off the floor and placing it precisely in the center of the table. I pulled out the headphones, and put them away in the desk drawer. Then I turned the same CD on, turning it down to the point where it was background noise. With another sigh, I turned to my computer. Naturally, the screen was covered in pop-up ads. I sat in my hard folding chair and began closing all the little windows. Eventually I made it to my favorite search engine. I shot down a few more pop-ups and then typed in one word. Vampire. It took an infuriatingly long time, of course. When the results came up, there was a lot to sift through – everything from movies and TV shows to role-playing games, underground metal, and gothic cosmetic companies. Then I found a promising site – Vampires A-Z. I waited impatiently for it to load, quickly clicking closed each ad that flashed across the screen. Finally the screen was finished – simple white background with black text, academic-looking. Two quotes greeted me on the home page: Throughout the vast shadowy world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but yet who partakes the dark natures and possesses the mysterious and terrible qualities of both. – Rev. Montague Summers If there is in this world a well-attested account, it is that of the vampires. Nothing is lacking: official reports, affidavits of well-known people, of surgeons, of priests, of magistrates; the judicial proof is most complete. And with all that, who is there who believes in vampires? – Rousseau The rest of the site was an alphabetized listing of all the different myths of vampires held throughout the world. The first I clicked on, the Danag, was a Filipino vampire supposedly responsible for planting taro on the islands long ago. The myth continued that the Danag worked with humans for many years, but the partnership ended one day when a woman cut her finger and a Danag sucked her wound, enjoying the taste so much that it drained her body completely of blood. I read carefully through the descriptions, looking for anything that sounded familiar, let alone plausible. It seemed that most vampire myths centered around beautiful women as demons and children as victims; they also seemed like constructs created to explain away the high mortality rates for young children, and to give men an excuse for infidelity. Many of the stories involved bodiless spirits and warnings against improper burials. There wasn't much that sounded like the movies I'd seen, and only a very few, like the Hebrew Estrie and the Polish Upier, who were even preoccupied with drinking blood. Only three entries really caught my attention: the Romanian Varacolaci, a powerful undead being who could appear as a beautiful, pale-skinned human, the Slovak Nelapsi, a creature so strong and fast it could massacre an entire village in the single hour after midnight, and one other, the Stregoni benefici. About this last there was only one brief sentence. Stregoni benefici: An Italian vampire, said to be on the side of goodness, and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires. It was a relief, that one small entry, the one myth among hundreds that claimed the existence of good vampires. Overall, though, there was little that coincided with Jacob's stories or my own observations. I'd made a little catalogue in my mind as I'd read and carefully compared it with each myth. Speed, strength, beauty, pale skin, eyes that shift color; and then Jacob's criteria: blood drinkers, enemies of the werewolf, cold-skinned, and immortal. There were very few myths that matched even one factor. And then another problem, one that I'd remembered from the small number of scary movies that I'd seen and was backed up by today's reading – vampires couldn't come out in the daytime, the sun would burn them to a cinder. They slept in coffins all day and came out only at night. Aggravated, I snapped off the computer's main power switch, not waiting to shut things down properly. Through my irritation, I felt overwhelming embarrassment. It was all so stupid. I was sitting in my room, researching vampires. What was wrong with me? I decided that most of the blame belonged on the doorstep of the town of Forks – and the entire sodden Olympic Peninsula, for that matter. I had to get out of the house, but there was nowhere I wanted to go that didn't involve a three-day drive. I pulled on my boots anyway, unclear where I was headed, and went downstairs. I shrugged into my raincoat without checking the weather and stomped out the door. It was overcast, but not raining yet. I ignored my truck and started east on foot, angling across Charlie's yard toward the ever-encroaching forest. It didn't take long till I was deep enough for the house and the road to be invisible, for the only sound to be the squish of the damp earth under my feet and the sudden cries of the jays. There was a thin ribbon of a trail that led through the forest here, or I wouldn't risk wandering on my own like this. My sense of direction was hopeless; I could get lost in much less helpful surroundings. The trail wound deeper and deeper into the forest, mostly east as far as I could tell. It snaked around the Sitka spruces and the hemlocks, the yews and the maples. I only vaguely knew the names of the trees around me, and all I knew was due to Charlie pointing them out to me from the cruiser window in earlier days. There were many I didn't know, and others I couldn't be sure about because they were so covered in green parasites. I followed the trail as long as my anger at myself pushed me forward. As that started to ebb, I slowed. A few drops of moisture trickled down from the canopy above me, but I couldn't be certain if it was beginning to rain or if it was simply pools left over from yesterday, held high in the leaves above me, slowly dripping their way back to the earth. A recently fallen tree – I knew it was recent because it wasn't entirely carpeted in moss – rested against the trunk of one of her sisters, creating a sheltered little bench just a few safe feet off the trail. I stepped over the ferns and sat carefully, making sure my jacket was between the damp seat and my clothes wherever they touched, and leaned my hooded head back against the living tree. This was the wrong place to have come. I should have known, but where else was there to go? The forest was deep green and far too much like the scene in last night's dream to allow for peace of mind. Now that there was no longer the sound of my soggy footsteps, the silence was piercing. The birds were quiet, too, the drops increasing in frequency, so it must be raining above. The ferns stood higher than my head, now that I was seated, and I knew someone could walk by on the path, three feet away, and not see me. Here in the trees it was much easier to believe the absurdities that embarrassed me indoors. Nothing had changed in this forest for thousands of years, and all the myths and legends of a hundred different lands seemed much more likely in this green haze than they had in my clear-cut bedroom. I forced myself to focus on the two most vital questions I had to answer, but I did so unwillingly. First, I had to decide if it was possible that what Jacob had said about the Cullens could be true. Immediately my mind responded with a resounding negative. It was silly and morbid to entertain such ridiculous notions. But what, then? I asked myself. There was no rational explanation for how I was alive at this moment. I listed again in my head the things I'd observed myself: the impossible speed and strength, the eye color shifting from black to gold and back again, the inhuman beauty, the pale, frigid skin. And more – small things that registered slowly – how they never seemed to eat, the disturbing grace with which they moved. And the way be sometimes spoke, with unfamiliar cadences and phrases that better fit the style of a turn-of-the-century novel than that of a twenty-first-century classroom. He had skipped class the day we'd done blood typing. He hadn't said no to the beach trip till he heard where we were going. He seemed to know what everyone around him was thinking†¦ except me. He had told me he was the villain, dangerous†¦ Could the Cullens be vampires? Well, they were something. Something outside the possibility of rational justification was taking place in front of my incredulous eyes. Whether it be Jacob's cold ones or my own superhero theory, Edward Cullen was not†¦ human. He was something more. So then – maybe. That would have to be my answer for now. And then the most important question of all. What was I going to do if it was true? If Edward was a vampire – I could hardly make myself think the words – then what should I do? Involving someone else was definitely out. I couldn't even believe myself; anyone I told would have me committed. Only two options seemed practical. The first was to take his advice: to be smart, to avoid him as much as possible. To cancel our plans, to go back to ignoring him as far as I was able. To pretend there was an impenetrably thick glass wall between us in the one class where we were forced together. To tell him to leave me alone – and mean it this time. I was gripped in a sudden agony of despair as I considered that alternative. My mind rejected the pain, quickly skipping on to the next option. I could do nothing different. After all, if he was something†¦ sinister, he'd done nothing to hurt me so far. In fact, I would be a dent in Tyler's fender if he hadn't acted so quickly. So quickly, I argued with myself, that it might have been sheer reflexes. But if it was a reflex to save lives, how bad could he be? I retorted. My head spun around in answerless circles. There was one thing I was sure of, if I was sure of anything. The dark Edward in my dream last night was a reflection only of my fear of the word Jacob had spoken, and not Edward himself. Even so, when I'd screamed out in terror at the werewolf's lunge, it wasn't fear for the wolf that brought the cry of â€Å"no† to my lips. It was fear that he would be harmed – even as he called to me with sharp-edged fangs, I feared for him. And I knew in that I had my answer. I didn't know if there ever was a choice, really. I was already in too deep. Now that I knew – if I knew – I could do nothing about my frightening secret. Because when I thought of him, of his voice, his hypnotic eyes, the magnetic force of his personality, I wanted nothing more than to be with him right now. Even if†¦ but I couldn't think it. Not here, alone in the darkening forest. Not while the rain made it dim as twilight under the canopy and pattered like footsteps across the matted earthen floor. I shivered and rose quickly from my place of concealment, worried that somehow the path would have disappeared with the rain. But it was there, safe and clear, winding its way out of the dripping green maze. I followed it hastily, my hood pulled close around my face, becoming surprised, as I nearly ran through the trees, at how far I had come. I started to wonder if I was heading out at all, or following the path farther into the confines of the forest. Before I could get too panicky, though, I began to glimpse some open spaces through the webbed branches. And then I could hear a car passing on the street, and I was free, Charlie's lawn stretched out in front of me, the house beckoning me, promising warmth and dry socks. It was just noon when I got back inside. I went upstairs and got dressed for the day, jeans and a t-shirt, since I was staying indoors. It didn't take too much effort to concentrate on my task for the day, a paper on Macbeth that was due Wednesday. I settled into outlining a rough draft contentedly, more serene than I'd felt since†¦ well, since Thursday afternoon, if I was being honest. That had always been my way, though. Making decisions was the painful part for me, the part I agonized over. But once the decision was made, I simply followed through – usually with relief that the choice was made. Sometimes the relief was tainted by despair, like my decision to come to Forks. But it was still better than wrestling with the alternatives. This decision was ridiculously easy to live with. Dangerously easy. And so the day was quiet, productive – I finished my paper before eight. Charlie came home with a large catch, and I made a mental note to pick up a book of recipes for fish while I was in Seattle next week. The chills that flashed up my spine whenever I thought of that trip were no different than the ones I'd felt before I'd taken my walk with Jacob Black. They should be different, I thought. I should be afraid – I knew I should be, but I couldn't feel the right kind of fear. I slept dreamlessly that night, exhausted from beginning my day so early, and sleeping so poorly the night before. I woke, for the second time since arriving in Forks, to the bright yellow light of a sunny day. I skipped to the window, stunned to see that there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and those there were just fleecy little white puffs that couldn't possibly be carrying any rain. I opened the window – surprised when it opened silently, without sticking, not having opened it in who knows how many years – and sucked in the relatively dry air. It was nearly warm and hardly windy at all. My blood was electric in my veins. Charlie was finishing breakfast when I came downstairs, and he picked up on my mood immediately. â€Å"Nice day out,† he commented. â€Å"Yes,† I agreed with a grin. He smiled back, his brown eyes crinkling around the edges. When Charlie smiled, it was easier to see why he and my mother had jumped too quickly into an early marriage. Most of the young romantic he'd been in those days had faded before I'd known him, as the curly brown hair – the same color, if not the same texture, as mine – had dwindled, slowly revealing more and more of the shiny skin of his forehead. But when he smiled I could see a little of the man who had run away with Ren? ¦e when she was just two years older than I was now. I ate breakfast cheerily, watching the dust moats stirring in the sunlight that streamed in the back window. Charlie called out a goodbye, and I heard the cruiser pull away from the house. I hesitated on my way out the door, hand on my rain jacket. It would be tempting fate to leave it home. With a sigh, I folded it over my arm and stepped out into the brightest light I'd seen in months. By dint of much elbow grease, I was able to get both windows in the truck almost completely rolled down. I was one of the first ones to school; I hadn't even checked the clock in my hurry to get outside. I parked and headed toward the seldom-used picnic benches on the south side of the cafeteria. The benches were still a little damp, so I sat on my jacket, glad to have a use for it. My homework was done – the product of a slow social life – but there were a few Trig problems I wasn't sure I had right. I took out my book industriously, but halfway through rechecking the first problem I was daydreaming, watching the sunlight play on the red-barked trees. I sketched inattentively along the margins of my homework. After a few minutes, I suddenly realized I'd drawn five pairs of dark eyes staring out of the page at me. I scrubbed them out with the eraser. â€Å"Bella!† I heard someone call, and it sounded like Mike. I looked around to realize that the school had become populated while I'd been sitting there, absentminded. Everyone was in t-shirts, some even in shorts though the temperature couldn't be over sixty. Mike was coming toward me in khaki shorts and a striped Rugby shirt, waving. â€Å"Hey, Mike,† I called, waving back, unable to be halfhearted on a morning like this. He came to sit by me, the tidy spikes of his hair shining golden in the light, his grin stretching across his face. He was so delighted to see me, I couldn't help but feel gratified. â€Å"I never noticed before – your hair has red in it,† he commented, catching between his fingers a strand that was fluttering in the light breeze. â€Å"Only in the sun.† I became just a little uncomfortable as he tucked the lock behind my ear. â€Å"Great day, isn't it?† â€Å"My kind of day,† I agreed. â€Å"What did you do yesterday?† His tone was just a bit too proprietary. â€Å"I mostly worked on my essay.† I didn't add that I was finished with it – no need to sound smug. He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. â€Å"Oh yeah – that's due Thursday, right?† â€Å"Um, Wednesday, I think.† â€Å"Wednesday?† He frowned. â€Å"That's not good†¦ What are you writing yours on?† â€Å"Whether Shakespeare's treatment of the female characters is misogynistic.† He stared at me like I'd just spoken in pig Latin. â€Å"I guess I'll have to get to work on that tonight,† he said, deflated. â€Å"I was going to ask if you wanted to go out.† â€Å"Oh.† I was taken off guard. Why couldn't I ever have a pleasant conversation with Mike anymore without it getting awkward? â€Å"Well, we could go to dinner or something†¦ and I could work on it later.† He smiled at me hopefully. â€Å"Mike†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I hated being put on the spot. â€Å"I don't think that would be the best idea.† His face fell. â€Å"Why?† he asked, his eyes guarded. My thoughts flickered to Edward, wondering if that's where his thoughts were as well. â€Å"I think†¦ and if you ever repeat what I'm saying right now I will cheerfully beat you to death,† I threatened, â€Å"but I think that would hurt Jessica's feelings.† He was bewildered, obviously not thinking in that direction at all. â€Å"Jessica?† â€Å"Really, Mike, are you blind?† â€Å"Oh,† he exhaled – clearly dazed. I took advantage of that to make my escape. â€Å"It's time for class, and I can't be late again.† I gathered my books up and stuffed them in my bag. We walked in silence to building three, and his expression was distracted. I hoped whatever thoughts he was immersed in were leading him in the right direction. When I saw Jessica in Trig, she was bubbling with enthusiasm. She, Angela, and Lauren were going to Port Angeles tonight to go dress shopping for the dance, and she wanted me to come, too, even though I didn't need one. I was indecisive. It would be nice to get out of town with some girlfriends, but Lauren would be there. And who knew what I could be doing tonight†¦ But that was definitely the wrong path to let my mind wander down. Of course I was happy about the sunlight. But that wasn't completely responsible for the euphoric mood I was in, not even close. So I gave her a maybe, telling her I'd have to talk with Charlie first. She talked of nothing but the dance on the way to Spanish, continuing as if without an interruption when class finally ended, five minutes late, and we were on our way to lunch. I was far too lost in my own frenzy of anticipation to notice much of what she said. I was painfully eager to see not just him but all the Cullens – to compare them with the new suspicions that plagued my mind. As I crossed the threshold of the cafeteria, I felt the first true tingle of fear slither down my spine and settle in my stomach. Would they be able to know what I was thinking? And then a different feeling jolted through me – would Edward be waiting to sit with me again? As was my routine, I glanced first toward the Cullens' table. A shiver of panic trembled in my stomach as I realized it was empty. With dwindling hope, my eyes scoured the rest of the cafeteria, hoping to find him alone, waiting for me. The place was nearly filled – Spanish had made us late – but there was no sign of Edward or any of his family. Desolation hit me with crippling strength. I shambled along behind Jessica, not bothering to pretend to listen anymore. We were late enough that everyone was already at our table. I avoided the empty chair next to Mike in favor of one by Angela. I vaguely noticed that Mike held the chair out politely for Jessica, and that her face lit up in response. Angela asked a few quiet questions about the Macbeth paper, which I answered as naturally as I could while spiraling downward in misery. She, too, invited me to go with them tonight, and I agreed now, grasping at anything to distract myself. I realized I'd been holding on to a last shred of hope when I entered Biology, saw his empty seat, and felt a new wave of disappointment. The rest of the day passed slowly, dismally. In Gym, we had a lecture on the rules of badminton, the next torture they had lined up for me. But at least it meant I got to sit and listen instead of stumbling around on the court. The best part was the coach didn't finish, so I got another day off tomorrow. Never mind that the day after they would arm me with a racket before unleashing me on the rest of the class. I was glad to leave campus, so I would be free to pout and mope before I went out tonight with Jessica and company. But right after I walked in the door of Charlie's house, Jessica called to cancel our plans. I tried to be happy that Mike had asked her out to dinner – I really was relieved that he finally seemed to be catching on – but my enthusiasm sounded false in my own ears. She rescheduled our shopping trip for tomorrow night. Which left me with little in the way of distractions. I had fish marinating for dinner, with a salad and bread left over from the night before, so there was nothing to do there. I spent a focused half hour on homework, but then I was through with that, too. I checked my e-mail, reading the backlog of letters from my mother, getting snippier as they progressed to the present. I sighed and typed a quick response. Mom, Sorry. I've been out. I went to the beach with some friends. And I had to write a paper. My excuses were fairly pathetic, so I gave up on that. It's sunny outside today – I know, I'm shocked, too – so I'm going to go outside and soak up as much vitamin D as I can. I love you, Bella. I decided to kill an hour with non-school-related reading. I had a small collection of books that came with me to Forks, the shabbiest volume being a compilation of the works of Jane Austen. I selected that one and headed to the backyard, grabbing a ragged old quilt from the linen cupboard at the top of the stairs on my way down. Outside in Charlie's small, square yard, I folded the quilt in half and laid it out of the reach of the trees' shadows on the thick lawn that would always be slightly wet, no matter how long the sun shone. I lay on my stomach, crossing my ankles in the air, flipping through the different novels in the book, trying to decide which would occupy my mind the most thoroughly. My favorites were Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. I'd read the first most recently, so I started into Sense and Sensibility, only to remember after I began three that the hero of the story happened to be named Edward. Angrily, I turned to Mansfield Park, but the hero of that piece was named Edmund, and that was just too close. Weren't there any other names available in the late eighteenth century? I snapped the book shut, annoyed, and rolled over onto my back. I pushed my sleeves up as high as they would go, and closed my eyes. I would think of nothing but the warmth on my skin, I told myself severely. The breeze was still light, but it blew tendrils of my hair around my face, and that tickled a bit. I pulled all my hair over my head, letting it fan out on the quilt above me, and focused again on the heat that touched my eyelids, my cheekbones, my nose, my lips, my forearms, my neck, soaked through my light shirt†¦ The next thing I was conscious of was the sound of Charlie's cruiser turning onto the bricks of the driveway. I sat up in surprise, realizing the light was gone, behind the trees, and I had fallen asleep. I looked around, muddled, with the sudden feeling that I wasn't alone. â€Å"Charlie?† I asked. But I could hear his door slamming in front of the house. I jumped up, foolishly edgy, gathering the now-damp quilt and my book. I ran inside to get some oil heating on the stove, realizing that dinner would be late. Charlie was hanging up his gun belt and stepping out of his boots when I came in. â€Å"Sorry, Dad, dinner's not ready yet – I fell asleep outside.† I stifled a yawn. â€Å"Don't worry about it,† he said. â€Å"I wanted to catch the score on the game, anyway.† I watched TV with Charlie after dinner, for something to do. There wasn't anything on I wanted to watch, but he knew I didn't like baseball, so he turned it to some mindless sitcom that neither of us enjoyed. He seemed happy, though, to be doing something together. And it felt good, despite my depression, to make him happy. â€Å"Dad,† I said during a commercial, â€Å"Jessica and Angela are going to look at dresses for the dance tomorrow night in Port Angeles, and they wanted me to help them choose†¦ do you mind if I go with them?† â€Å"Jessica Stanley?† he asked. â€Å"And Angela Weber.† I sighed as I gave him the details. He was confused. â€Å"But you're not going to the dance, right?† â€Å"No, Dad, but I'm helping them find dresses – you know, giving them constructive criticism.† I wouldn't have to explain this to a woman. â€Å"Well, okay.† He seemed to realize that he was out of his depth with the girlie stuff. â€Å"It's a school night, though.† â€Å"We'll leave right after school, so we can get back early. You'll be okay for dinner, right?† â€Å"Bells, I fed myself for seventeen years before you got here,† he reminded me. â€Å"I don't know how you survived,† I muttered, then added more clearly, â€Å"I'll leave some things for cold-cut sandwiches in the fridge, okay? Right on top.† It was sunny again in the morning. I awakened with renewed hope that I grimly tried to suppress. I dressed for the warmer weather in a deep blue V-neck blouse – something I'd worn in the dead of winter in Phoenix. I had planned my arrival at school so that I barely had time to make it to class. With a sinking heart, I circled the full lot looking for a space, while also searching for the silver Volvo that was clearly not there. I parked in the last row and hurried to English, arriving breathless, but subdued, before the final bell. It was the same as yesterday – I just couldn't keep little sprouts of hope from budding in my mind, only to have them squashed painfully as I searched the lunchroom in vain and sat at my empty Biology table. The Port Angeles scheme was back on again for tonight and made all the more attractive by the fact that Lauren had other obligations. I was anxious to get out of town so I could stop glancing over my shoulder, hoping to see him appearing out of the blue the way he always did. I vowed to myself that I would be in a good mood tonight and not ruin Angela's or Jessica's enjoyment in the dress hunting. Maybe I could do a little clothes shopping as well. I refused to think that I might be shopping alone in Seattle this weekend, no longer interested in the earlier arrangement. Surely he wouldn't cancel without at least telling me. After school, Jessica followed me home in her old white Mercury so that I could ditch my books and truck. I brushed through my hair quickly when I was inside, feeling a slight lift of excitement as I contemplated getting out of Forks. I left a note for Charlie on the table, explaining again where to find dinner, switched my scruffy wallet from my school bag to a purse I rarely used, and ran out to join Jessica. We went to Angela's house next, and she was waiting for us. My excitement increased exponentially as we actually drove out of the town limits.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management Essay

Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management - Essay Example 91-92). There are several other functions that the human resource department of the company has to monitor along with recruitment and selection of the employees. These functions includes job analysis, training the employees, monitoring performance of the employee for appraisal, ascertaining the remuneration for the particular job position or employee, allotting incentives for good performance, taking care of the employee benefit policies of the company, acting as a communication channel between the employees and the top level management, developing employee welfare, safety and health care plans, taking care of promotions, transfers, maintaining industrial relationships, handling the issues of the Trade Union, solving disputes within the employees or departments, assessing the ethical issues in the department or organization, etc (Aswathappa, 2007, p. 5-6). The study aims at mainly focusing on the contemporary issues involved in human resource management, such as job stress, discrimin ations, diversity, safety issues, emotional labour, and employee burnout. In this study the issues of skill shortage, diversity management and emotional labour has been considered with the help of journal articles, and newspaper editorials to capture the latest discussions on these issues. Skill Shortage Newspaper Article by - Coventry Evening Telegraph (England); July 5, 2011 Tuesday Nuneaton Edition: In the article, â€Å"Skills shortage for city's small firms; business briefing†, it has been highlighted that nowadays companies are struggling to find really skilled employees to meet the requirements of the organization. These major concerns compelled Lloyds TSB Commercial to conduct a survey, which revealed that there was a skill short of about 43 percent in the small business industry. The owners of these firms believed that there was major scarcity of skilled workforce in most of the region. Gary Saxon, a representative of Lloyds TSB Commercial accepted the fact that ther e is short supply of skills; so on job training or hands on experience would surely solve the problem of shortage (Perry, 2011, p. 42). Journal Article by- Sussman, Dan: The journal article â€Å"Skills Shortage†, focuses on the shortage of skilled employees in the manufacturing industry. According to CIA World Factbook, 29 percent of the global production was derived from US, but this statistics has fallen to 21 percent. Though there are many reasons for such situation, such as enormous layoff in the automobile sector, advent of automation in manufacturing segment, etc. The National Association for Manufacturers (NAM) has revealed that 80 percent manufacturer agreed to the shortage of skilled personnel in their organization. Another important reason is that nowadays education and training is very important even in manufacturing industry. Gone are the days when people with less education could also gain good jobs in manufacturing industry. One needs to have the ability to sol ve problems, communicate, understand statistics and utilize brain (Dan, 2006, p. 2-3). Newspaper Article by- Coventry Evening Telegraph (England); February 20, 2012 Monday Nuneaton Edition: In this news article, â€Å"Credit Easing Can Boost Employment†, UK’s labour market is considered and has been analyzed that, the situation has become very

Friday, September 27, 2019

Module 3 SLP Assignment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Module 3 SLP Assignment - Coursework Example This information is compiled in the form of a report. When the full record of the report has been compiled together, the decision of acquiring the inputs, their marketing, financial costs, tablets production and even how to handle competitors in the market place is determined. This is done through different approaches that are based on the costs, volume and profit margins so as to give greater focus on the features of the products that will meet the desires and need of most customers. These set of decisions will ensure that the company maximizes production of products that is mostly needed by the customers while at the same time minimizes cost as the profit margins are maximized. According the cost and profit aspects, the company decided to change the value of the brand so as to exercise a different strategy that will help the company to minimise the cost of manufacturing the products as the increase their profit margin. Following the need and desire of the potential customer, the company revised and set the values of each and every brand. The value of X5 was set at $300 while that of X6 and X7 was set at $450 and $ 200 respectively. This change of price will also reduce the R&D by about 10% that eventually will cause an increase in the volume of the products so that the profit margin to increase by the same value. These set of values can be very useful in the generation of the profits of the year 2016. To make effective strategies in marketing of the products, the department that is in char of marketing must make some improvement so that the strategies can be set in such a way that they ensure profitability. The table below shows the results of the revised strategies These decisions are majorly based on the cost, revenue and profits of the company. The main contributing factor will be profit margins as this is the unifying set of goals and objective

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Veolia Environment and Global Compact Principle Assignment - 3

Veolia Environment and Global Compact Principle - Assignment Example Veolia Water has developed many strategies to deal with environmental issues. Veolia Water has prepared innovative systems such as wireless meter reading which can monitor the water consumption and control the wastage of water. The good performance of Veolia Environment ensures that it is well positioned towards making recommendations to Local Network (Howard & Mas 2005). Veolia Environnement has played an active role in fighting against the GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emission and has successfully reduced the direct emission. Veolia Environnement converts fossil energy into thermal energy. Veolia Environnement is striving to improve the efficiency of energy facilities. It has developed waste to energy process and decreased usage consumption. It has evaluated the design of the system to recover energy in electric buses and tramways. The company created a modeling tool which enumerates the air renewal rate in a refrigerating warehouse and also can regulate cold air generation according to th e requirement. Veolia Environnement had developed projects to improve the maintenance of water supply systems that can prevent the leakage of water and also reduce the energy consumption related to excess–production of drinking water. In the year 2006, Veolia Environnement developed a custom-built ‘Pilot Biomass Boiler’. The main aim of this machine is to evaluate the energy and environmental relevance of different biofuels. The ‘Pilot Biomass Boiler’ has the capacity of producing warm water for approximately 40 families. The local network can be benefitted by the various solution of Veolia Environment regarding drinking water and GHG emission (Veolia Environnement Research & Development 2008). Veolia Environnement is the only company which can deal with solid as well as liquid, hazardous and nonhazardous waste. It offers an effective solution for the collection of waste, treatment, and recovery. It services produce electricity and heat from non†“recyclable waste. Its energy recovery plants and landfills can produce renewable energy which can decrease the requirement of fossil fuel for producing electricity. Over the years, Veolia Environnement developed ‘new solutions’ in order to produce bioenergy, and biogas which can be generated by waste fermentation. Veolia can also transform and recycle the cooking oil into biofuel which can be used as industrial production. The biogas which is derived from waste can fulfill the energy need of people and industry. Veolia can provide energy through the removal of waste in local networks which can fulfill the energy needs as well as purify the environment through decreasing the waste (Veolia Environnement Communication Department 2009). Veolia Environnement’s wastewater treatment focuses on to evade water contagion, combat the deterioration in ecological balances and meet the requirement of fresh water (Veolia Water 2010). Veolia Water recycles the wastewater from sewage plants. It supports as well as produces and operates the widest possible range of water solution for people needs. Veolia’s recycling of water involves elucidation, bio cure, filtration, membrane, disinfection, and wastewater recovery installation.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Public Policy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Public Policy - Assignment Example The social acceptability of a policy proposal is the most important criteria for evaluating public policy proposal or programs. All the policies developed in a society should have the ultimate welfare of the society as the motivating factor. For example, the government of a country that is 70% Muslim realizes that prostitution, being an illegal business, is being conducted in secret. Some of the legislators propose legalization of prostitution so that the government can benefit by getting revenue from the business through taxes (Julnes 124). Some of the legislators argue against it on the grounds that the Muslim culture does not accept prostitution. In an effort to analyze the public policy proposal, the individuals involved are faced with two options; to choose the need for the government to increase revenue or to choose the social acceptability of the policy to the society. In the end, the social acceptability aspect of the policy is the most important; since the welfare of the people should take center stage in such an analysis (Vedung 15). In conclusion, the issue of evaluating and passing judgment on public policies is a complex process that requires taking into consideration all the criteria for the evaluation process. Even so, public policies should be developed such that it benefits the

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Effects of Cocaine Abuse, its Prevention and Treatment Research Paper

Effects of Cocaine Abuse, its Prevention and Treatment - Research Paper Example A recent survey of 17 countries revealed that United States has the highest level of illegal cocaine use with nearly 16.2% of people in the United States having used cocaine in their lifetime (Science Daily, 2008). Cocaine is available in two chemical forms – hydrochloride salt which is taken intravenously (by vein) or intra-nasally (through the nose) and freebase which is smoked (Psychology Today, 2008). Issues Related to Cocaine Abuse Cocaine addicts are usually introduced to the drug after they have abused ‘gateway substances’ like alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. According to the national center on addiction and substance abuse (1994), 90 % of the people who tried cocaine had used all three gateway substances before moving on to cocaine. Impact on physical functioning Cocaine use can lead to some immediate physical consequences such as restlessness, euphoria and alertness (WebMD, 2008). These effects are felt within minutes of taking the drug and continue for a bout 20 to 120 minutes. Other physical effects include insomnia, vomiting, pupil dilation, nosebleeds, increased temperature and pulse rate and rapid breathing (WebMD, 2008). These effects are temporary and mostly disappear after a couple of hours. Studies reveal that prolonged use of cocaine can have an overwhelming effect on the ‘pleasure centers’ in the brain (Chen, et. al., 1996). The drug interferes, alters, damages and takes control of specialized cells that regulate pleasure, well-being and mood. Therefore, regular use can destroy the brain’s ability to feel normal without cocaine. Long term use can even cause permanent biological drug addiction. Since cocaine increases blood pleasure, heart rate, breathing and body temperature, long term use of the drug can cause cardiac and respiratory failures, strokes, coma, convulsions and death. The drug can damage the liver’s ability to detoxify blood and can reduce the production of critical enzymes needed for normal body functioning (WebMD, 2008). It can also cause liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. Cocaine use results in the constriction of the blood vessels of the heart resulting in increased blood pressure. This can trigger heart attack, heart failure, irregular heart beat and sudden death. Use of non-sterile needles among cocaine users can result in contracting Hepatitis – a highly contagious disease resulting in serious liver damage and AIDS. Users may also pass these diseases to their sexual partners, unborn babies and others. Regular users of cocaine experience loss of interest in sex, decreased sexual performance and risk of impotence and infertility (WebMD, 2008) . In women, the drug use can result in miscarriages, developmental disorders and complications during birth. It can also cause premature separation of placenta from uterus leading to premature births or stillbirths. Smoking cocaine damages the ability of the cells in the lung to process gases. This results in the user experiencing constant cough and shortness of breath. Regular use can result in respiratory failure because the brain stops sending signals to the lung muscles that control breathing and they stop working (WebMD, 2008). Impact on psychological functioning Cocaine has been found to be

Monday, September 23, 2019

Strategic analysis of a company and its competitive environment Essay

Strategic analysis of a company and its competitive environment - Essay Example Tesco offers almost 40,000 food products, including clothing and no-food items there product range includes their own labeled products that account for almost 50% of the total sales of the company (Finance.yahoo.com. 2013). Tesco labeled products are of three grades value, normal and finest thus targeting and offering products all range of customers offering them products of different price ranges. Many of the Tesco stores have gas stations that makes it the UK's largest independent petrol retailer. Tesco has almost 530,000 employees that according to the company policy are called their colleagues and it operates almost 6,780 stores around the world with 3,146 stores in UK thus making UK its largest market and it largely depends upon the UK market as 75% of the revenues of Tesco are from UK market. Tesco also operates online store through its subsidiary Tesco.com (Tescoplc.com. 2013). Tesco is one of the largest retailers in the world and was held responsible for 5.4 million tons of Carbon Dioxide emission in 2010-11. However in 2011 Tesco was named the top retailer globally in the Carbon Disclosure. It was the recognition given to the company for its Carbon reporting and reduction measure that made it the top FTSE 350 Company (Eurofound.europa.eu. 2013). Tesco recognized its responsibility towards environment in 2007 and since then had adopted the climate change strategy to curb the carbon emission from its business and ultimately aims to become the zero carbon emission company. Industry Environment and Competitors Following below are the industry and the competitor analysis of the Tesco: Industry Analysis UK along with Germany, France, Spain and Italy is the largest food and drink producer in the EU. The food and drink manufacturing industry is the single largest manufacturing sector in the UK with almost ? 70 billion turnover in the last year while more then 500,000 people are employed by the food and drink manufacturing industry that represents around 13% o f the total manufacturing workforce in UK (SOFHT, 2013). Besides the manufacturing industry food and drink retail sector is the largest industry in UK that employees almost 3 million people. The retail food and drink industry has always witnessed the growth in the UK economy as it is believed that 20% of all consumptions are relating to the food. However the year 2013 brought the growth of revenues at the fastest pace for the retail food and drink industry. Retail sales in July 2013 were 3% higher than of sales in July 2012. The major reason of this increase in revenues is thought to be the heat wave that as the longest period of hot weather that the UK has witnessed since 1997. It was thus due to the weather that people were spending more on food, drinks (alcohol), clothing and other out-door items. The surveys revealed that the grocery stores and the supermarkets dominated the UK retail industry and with every ? 1 spent 42 pence were on food. Especially in July 2013 it was seen th at the consumers spent almost ?7bn per week that is an increase from ? 6.8bn in June 2013 and ?6.7bn in July 2012 (Financial Times. 2013). The food and drink retail industry in the UK has been associated to the supermarkets or the grocery retail stores that along with the traditional stores also provide their products online. UK witnesses one of the world’

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Cloud security, DATA LOSS and HIJACKING Literature review

Cloud security, DATA LOSS and HIJACKING - Literature review Example Users can upload and access uploaded pictures, documents, music files. www.dropbox.com cloud computing site offers possible free 18 gigabytes of memory to its users (Blaisdell, 2012). Further, the users of cloud computing can choose between public or private computing types. The public computing type allows anyone to access the data saved in the remote server (Howell, 2012). Under the private type computing, unauthorized persons are not allowed to access the data saved on the remote server. The term cloud equates to being invisible. Cloud computing entails outsourcing data storage to another location, cloud (Shor, 2011).The cloud is user-prioritized, filling the computing needs of the users (Gillam, 2010). The persons using the cloud service do know the hardware or software used by the cloud service providers. Likewise, the cloud service clients do not know where the files are saved, the location of the cloud service providers being â€Å"hidden† from the cloud service users. People using internet –capable cell phones, tablets, and computers can save their files in the cloud computing sites. They can then access their files from the cloud server sit es from any available computer, tablet, or internet- capable cell phones. Consequently, the users of the cloud computing sites do not need unnecessarily high gigabyte capacity memory cards or drives to save their huge files on their cell phones, tablets, or computers. To ensure high quality cloud computing service, data loss and hijacking must be reduced to allowable levels. In addition, the above picture shows how the basic cloud computing setup works. One cloud computing person can access the same files from the same cloud computing site from a tablet, cell phone or any computer terminal. Some cloud computing sites offer either the free or paid membership its users (Jamsa, 2011). One cloud computing service provider offers the file saving privileges to many clients.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Spiritual Autobiography Essay Example for Free

The Spiritual Autobiography Essay One of the fascinating characteristics of Japanese religion is the syncretism of its traditional religions, foremost of which are Zen Buddhism and Shinto. In Journey In Search of the Way: The Spiritual Autobiography of Satomi Myodo, Satomi gives a mesmerizing look into the spirituality of Japan, through the eyes of what seems at first an unlikely witness. Satomi’s experiences are untypical for a Japanese woman in the Meiji era, considering that she was the only daughter of her parents. Petty (2004) argues that by being an only child, Satomi received her parents’ whole investment of expectations and dreams, a burden of responsibility in any society. Thus she was subjected to experiences that a village girl at that time would normally not have, such as her education in Tokyo, her subsequent unwed pregnancy or her arrangement as a Kageki actress. Her unique encounters as both a Shinto miko and a Zen nun are an insight to the mixture of the two religions in modern Japan. When Satomi first engaged in ascetic practices, she was doing it to prepare herself to become a miko. Initially, she was not satisfied with her experience, rather describing herself afterwards as no better off than she was before. This purification process is not unique to the Shinto religion, but her struggles can be classified as more of a shamanistic nature reflecting her encounters with the kami. Satomi continued to engage in an ascetic lifestyle afterwards, in her discovery of Zen. According to Nixon (2000) â€Å"At this point Satomi’s asceticism is less severe, and she consciously relates it to her practice of meditation, but it serves a similar function – i. e. , one of deliberately frustrating a lower level structure of dependency, in order that the dynamisms of a higher level of personality might emerge, as indeed they do with her first kensho experience. † (par. 14). Although she found true enlightenment and spiritual invigoration in the practice of Zen, her initial experience in purifying the spirit with Shinto has given her prior introduction to the life she will lead as a Zen nun. Additionally, Satomi’s failures and accomplishments in her role as a woman in the Meiji-era society gave her the character and persistence needed in her pursuit of satori. By practicing zazen, Satomi found great peace and joy, something she was searching for since the very beginning. It can be argued, however, that her Shinto preparation was a stepping stone towards finding enlightenment. Her first kensho experience, at fifty-nine years old came late in life, and her dedication towards this experience made her a model of achievement in any religious path. Zen and Shinto were at the time of Satomi separated, with Shinto following the Kannagara no michi tradition that was used in pre-war Japan to instill a nationalistic spirit on the Japanese. From the start however, the influence of Buddhism on Shinto is apparent and the best example would be the description of Kannagara no michi as teaching a primal state of natural and spontaneous harmony with the kami, to which one might return by abandoning human desire and artificiality. This incorporation of beliefs is characteristic of the faith of modern Japanese people today, which take Shinto and Buddhist teachings as part of the culture and spirituality of Japan. Satomi’s account is clear and vivid, giving justice to the setting and context of her life’s story. The Journey In Search of the Way: The Spiritual Autobiography of Satomi Myodo is a very good reading on the religions of Japan, and especially in relation to the role given to women. R E F E R E N C E Nixon, Laurence. (2000). A Dabrowskian Analysis of a Japanese Buddhist Nun [Electronic Version]. The Dabrowski Newsletter, 6(2). Petty, Genevieve. (2004). A Wild Woman in Buddhism: A Critique of the Life of Satomi Myodo. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from http://poeme. memory-motel. net/academic/satomi. pdf

Friday, September 20, 2019

Packaging Material Analysis for Food Preservation

Packaging Material Analysis for Food Preservation Troullinos Yannis Packaging Report In this practical class, different films for food packaging were examined as far as their physical properties and their ability to preserve grapes, cheese, meat and potatoes. Appropriate measurements and tests we done on specific time intervals. Results Table 1. Results for the rapid tests for the identification of packaging materials * Materials were identified using the â€Å"packaging materials identification chart for films† in the practical booklet. Table 2. Results of the mechanical and physical properties of the packaging material Discussion Calculations and Questions: 1. Calculate the tensile strength of the three packaging materials tested. Table 3. Physical properties of different packaging materials * More than 25% difference from the mean By using N =  ±100 g, Force mean values for each of the materials can be found. Also, Area = Width (m) x Gauge (m) = X m2. Tensile strength = Force (N) / Area (m2) so for the above materials we have: Cellulose 340 DMS Tensile strength = 25.6 / 2.125 x 10-6 = 12.0 x 106 N/m2 = 12.0 x 106 Pa = 12.0 MPa, as 1 N/m2 = 1 Pa, while 1 MPa = 1,000,000 Pa Polypropylene Tensile strength = 108.7 / 2.5 x 10-6 = 43.5 MPa Polyethylene Tensile strength = 12.5 / 0.75 x 10-6 = 16.7 MPa 2.Define tensile strength and discuss what factors will affect the tensile strength of the packaging material Tensile strength is the maximum load that a material can support without fracture when being stretched, divided by the original cross-sectional area of the material. Generally, as tensile strength increases, the tougher the material is considered (Hui, 2008). Factors affecting the tensile strength are (Yam, 2010; Fellows, 2009): Plasticiser levels (increased values give less tensile strength and more elasticity Degree of crystallinity (crystal structure) Density of the material (increasing density gives more tensile strength) Manufacturing process (orientation, treatment, coatings) Temperature Physical properties of the material (branching, side groups, chain length, molecular weight) Duration of the time that the force is applied 3.Compare your tensile strength results to those found in literature. According to Goodfellow Cambridge Ltd. tensile strength for regenerated cellulose is 50 MPa, which, as mentioned, is affected by a lot of different factors. In our experiment, tensile strength of the cellulose used is a lot lower (12MPa). Paine (1990) gives values of 30 MPa for polypropylene, while in this experiment a value of 43.5 MPa was calculated. Finally, polyethylene gave an experimental value of 16.7 MPa, while Goodfellow Cambridge Ltd. reports 5-25 MPa for low density polyethylene (LDPE) and 15-40 MPa for high density polyethylene (HDPE). In this experiment it is unknown which exactly was the type of PE used, as there are many different types in market. As explained, duration of the force applied affects the tensile strength, so different testing machines give different results. There are numerous more factors as noted in question 2, which greatly affect the measurements and results. Thus, comparing values to literature cannot give objective judgement of the experiment. 4.Calculate the moisture vapour transmission rate (g m-2 day-1) for each of the films tested Table 4. Results of the water vapour permeability test Circle area = Ï€ r2 = 0.005 m2 (r = 40mm = 0.04m) Number of Days = 4, as Day 1 is the day we started the storage Cellulose 340 DMS 1st measurements: Total moisture gained = Weight of Day 5 – Weight of Day 1 = 84.8 – 83.9 = 0.9 g Moisture gained per day = Total moisture gained (g) / Nr Days = 0.9/4 = 0.225 g day-1 Water vapour permeability per 24h = Moisture gained per day / Circle Area = 0.225 / 0.005 = 45 g/m2 24h (1) 2nd measurements: Total moisture gained = 87.6 – 87.1 = 0.5 g Moisture gained per day = 0.5 / 4 = 0.125 g day-1 Water vapour permeability per 24h = 0.125 / 0.005 = 25 g/m2 24h (2) Mean value of water vapour permeability per 24h = [(1) + (2)] / 2 = 35 g/m2 24h Polypropylene 1st measurements: Total moisture gained = 86.0 – 85.9 = 0.1 g Moisture gained per day = 0.1/4 = 0.025 g day-1 Water vapour permeability per 24h = 0.025 / 0.005 = 5 g/m2 24h 2nd measurements: Total moisture gained = 87.1 – 87.1 = 0.0 g Moisture gained per day = 0.0 / 4 = 0 g day-1 Water vapour permeability per 24h = 0 g/m2 24h Mean value of water vapour permeability per 24h = 2.5 g/m2 24h Polyethylene 1st measurements: Total moisture gained = 84.6 – 84.5 = 0.1 g Moisture gained per day = 0.1/4 = 0.025 g day-1 Water vapour permeability per 24h = 0.025 / 0.005 = 5 g/m2 24h 2nd measurements: Total moisture gained = 84.6 – 84.5 = 0.1 g Moisture gained per day = 0.1/4 = 0.025 g day-1 Water vapour permeability per 24h = 0.025 / 0.005 = 5 g/m2 24h Mean value of water vapour permeability per 24h = 5 g/m2 24h 5.Discuss the results of the water vapour permeability test. Water vapour permeability is a measure for breathability or for a textiles ability to transfer moisture. The results show that PP and PE have relatively low water permeability, while cellulose has a lot more. These values agree with literature (Brennan and Grandison, 2012), which states that PP has lower permeability than PE. Cellulose is also stated as a low barrier of water vapour permeability. These results show that using cellulose to pack food sensitive to humidity such as powders is not considered wise. 6.Discuss the results of the packaging and storage of fresh fruit experiment. Explain what is causing the observed changes in the fruit and how the different packaging/storage conditions influence the shelf life of the fruit. Table 5. Fresh fruit (grapes) 3 days interval observations Firstly, the tissues of fruits are alive after harvest and they only die through natural senescence, rotting or when they are consumed, cooked or similarly processed. All these tissues â€Å"breath†, a phenomenon called respiration with obvious relations to maintenance of the quality and prolonging the shelf life of the product. Specifically, grapes do not respire very intensively and this is the reason they get harvested when they are ripe. Reducing respiration can extend the shelf life but stalling it will make tissues senesce and die. Cooling temperatures can also lower undesirable effects on fruits (Jongen, 2002). As far as grapes concerned, mould is primarly because of the fungus Botrytis cinerea. Browning spotted is a chemical process caused by specific enzymes changing the tissues colour to brown, while shrinkage is caused by increased respiration (tissues eventually lose water as shown in the weight measurements causing them to lose volume). Sweating is caused once again because of the respiration in packages where gas permeability is low or very low. In the above experiments, it is shown that when using MS and heat seal, grapes got sweaty in day 2 and 3, while in the same packaging with 2 holes, sweating was only slight. This makes sense as the 2 holes allowed the air transfer between package and the environment, lowering the humidity because of the respiration in the package. In PE and heat seal, sweating was even more obvious as PE has lower gas permeability than MS. Finally, in the open tray, sweating was absent but mould started to show at day 3, as it partially did in the package with 2 holes. This was caused by a microorganism, probably fungus since grapes have low pH. Another change which was spotted in the open tray was the soft, dried and oxidised appearance of the grapes because of the large amounts of respiration. Room temperatures and total contact with the environment allowed this level of respiration, lowering shelf life dramatically. 7.What changes would you make to the packaging/storage conditions to extend the shelf life of the grapes? The most important change to the storage conditions would be to lower the storage temperature, as it would significantly reduce respiration. The package should not have holes, as they allow environmental air to get in allowing microorganisms to grow faster. 8.Discuss the results of the packaging and storage of cheese experiment. Explain what is causing the observed changes in the cheese and how the different packaging/storage conditions influence the shelf life of the cheese. Table 6. Cheese 3 days interval observations Browning of cheese is significant in high storage temperatures (37 °C), less in medium (20 °C) and absent in low temperatures of 5 °C. Light causes the formation of lipid peroxides in medium temperatures, while compounds such as riboflavin are affected by light unrelated to storage temperature (Kristensen et al., 2001). Cheese tend to produce free oil when they melt and sweats during storage in relatively high temperatures because of the high humidity of it. When in open air sweating is more and drying out occurs (Wang and Sun, 2004). From the above, it becomes more obvious in ours experiments why cheese dried out during storage in open tray and why this drying out is more than in aluminium foil (which was not folded enough to keep air from contacting cheese). Another way to see the above is the greater loss of weight in open tray rather in aluminium foil. On the other hand, in both MS and cryovac packages no drying out was noted, as can be seen from the differences in initial and final weight (≠¤0.1g). Relatively high storage temperatures (about 25 °C) caused the oiling and sweating of the cheese. 9.What changes would you make to the packaging/storage conditions to extend the shelf life of the cheese? The storage temperature should be as low as about 5 °C (refrigerator) in dark and should be kept either in MS or cryovac packaging. Ideally, a modified atmosphere packaging should be used (Khoshgozaran et al., 2012), extending shelf life even more than the usual packages. 10.Discuss the results of the packaging and storage of fresh meat experiment. Explain what is causing the observed changes in the meat and how the different packaging/storage conditions influence the shelf life of the meat. Table 7. Fresh meat 4 days intervals observations Film Day Weight (g) Changes In colour Clouding over Moistening Internal and external appearance of package Storage temp. Type of spoilage General appearance of product Storage humidity Other change and/or notes PP And Heat seal 1 21.0 4 °C 75% 2 21.0 slight green Ñ ´ slight 4 °C colour changes 75% 3 21.0 slight green Ñ ´ slight 4 °C colour changes 75% 4 21.0 slight green and browning

Thursday, September 19, 2019

How to Write a Synthesis Essay :: Synthesis Essays, Argumentative Essays

A synthesis is a written discussion that draws on one or more sources. It follows that your ability to write syntheses depends on your ability to infer relationships among sources - essays, articles, fiction, and also nonwritten sources, such as lectures, interviews, observations. This process is nothing new for you, since you infer relationships all the time - say, between something you've read in the newspaper and something you've seen for yourself, or between the teaching styles of your favorite and least favorite instructors. In fact, if you've written research papers, you've already written syntheses. In an academic synthesis, you make explicit the relationships that you have inferred among separate sources. The skills you've already been practicing in this course will be vital in writing syntheses. Clearly, before you're in a position to draw relationships between two or more sources, you must understand what those sources say; in other words, you must be able to summarize these sources. It will frequently be helpful for your readers if you provide at least partial summaries of sources in your synthesis essays. At the same time, you must go beyond summary to make judgments - judgments based, of course, on your critical reading of your sources - as you have practiced in your reading responses and in class discussions. You should already have drawn some conclusions about the quality and validity of these sources; and you should know how much you agree or disagree with the points made in your sources and the reasons for your agreement or disagreement. Further, you must go beyond the critique of individual sources to determine the relationship among them. Is the information in source B, for example, an extended illustration of the generalizations in source A? Would it be useful to compare and contrast source C with source B? Having read and considered sources A, B, and C, can you infer something else - D (not a source, but your own idea)? Because a synthesis is based on two or more sources, you will need to be selective when choosing information from each. It would be neither possible nor desirable, for instance, to discuss in a ten-page paper on the battle of Wounded Knee every point that the authors of two books make about their subject. What you as a writer must do is select the ideas and information from each source that best allow you to achieve your purpose. Your purpose in reading source materials and then in drawing upon them to write your own material is often reflected in the wording of an assignment.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Ivory Coast Overview and Media Analysis Essay -- essays research p

Part 1: Country Background The Rà ©publique de Cà ´te d'Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast, is a country in West Africa bordering Liberia and Guinea to the west, Mali and Burkina Faso to the north, Ghana to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The location now known as the Ivory Coast was made a protectorate of France during the era of imperialism by a treaty in the 1840's, and became a French colony in 1893. The country gained its independence in 1960, at which point it was led by Fà ©lix Houphouà «t-Boigny until 1993. During these years, the country was closely tied with its' West African neighbors economically and politically, but also maintained trade with the Western world, furthering the nations economic development. However, since the end of Houphouà «t-Boigny?s rule the countries stability has been in serious decline, brought on by a number of coups vying for power. Following the takeover by two militia groups in 1999 and 2001 that served to replace the preexisting political pow ers, the country has been subject to a civil war since 2002. Today, the government is identified as a republic with strong executive power embodied by the president, President Gbagbo. The nation?s current state of unrest has greatly hampered its economic development and social and political stability, and the violent state of the country poses a serious threat for those wishing to do business with the Ivory Coast. Part 2: Country Profile ? Population: According to UN census data in 2005, Cà ´te d'Ivoire has a population of 17.1 million individuals. According to data in 2003, 43.6% of the population is female. The largest city in the country is Abidjan, which is the center for most of the countries economic activity and host t... ...urces receive pressure from parties in power to present a specific point of view. Additionally, I believe that the widespread poverty throughout the country further inhibits the local freedom of press. My findings of limited internet access and low literacy rates suggest a lack of social mobility that may correlate with people?s inability to demand truth from local media forces. It is clear that the powers in charge have not accepted the responsibility to place value on a high standard of media, and therefore it is the role of the citizens to pursue such freedoms. Because local citizens have not been able to express these wishes, perhaps it is at this point that Western influences must intervene. Although Western influence has been hampered in the Ivory Coast by civil war, our global awareness of the situation in the country provides grounds for intervention.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Crew Resource Management Essay

Military flying differs considerably from commercial aviation due to the special circumstances and restrictions involved. Military discipline revolves around utter obedience whereas CRM aims to foster a culture with encouraging the freedom to respectfully question authority. The primary goal of CRM is enhanced situational awareness, self awareness, leadership, assertiveness, decision making, flexibility, adaptability, event/mission analysis and communication. It recognizes that a discrepancy between what is happening and what should be happening is often the first indicator that an error is occurring. The complexity of military aviation environment demands a foundation of solid airmanship and a healthy, positive approach to combating errors. Aim To learn about the importance of CRM vis-Ã  -vis military aviation CRM – Definition CRM can be defined as a management system which makes optimum use of all available resources – equipment, procedures and people – to promote safety and enhance the efficiency of flight operations. CRM – Overview Crew (or Cockpit) Resource Management training originated from a NASA workshop in 1979 that focused on improving air safety. The NASA research at that time found the primary cause of the majority of aviation accidents to be human error, and further showed the main problems to be failures of interpersonal communication, leadership, and decision making in the cockpit. Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) has gained increased attention from the airline industry in recent years due to the growing number of accidents and near misses in airline traffic. Cockpit Resource Management is a far-reaching discussion of crew coordination, communication, and resources from both within and without the cockpit. CRM concepts have endured by not only integrating themselves into the fabric of training, but also expanding the team concept, evolving into new applications, and possibly most important to the original operators, inspiring development and integration of CRM into safety and quality assurance goals at the corporate level. A variety of CRM models have been successfully adapted to different types of industries and organizations, all based on the same basic concepts and principles. Crew Resource Management still continues to focus on CRM in the cockpit, but also emphasizes that the concepts and training applications provide generic guidance and lessons learned for a wide variety of ‘crews’ in the aviation system as well as in the complex and high-risk operations of many non-aviation settings. Characteristics – Military Aviation The military is a non-homogenous organization. Throughout military aviation there are variations in the type of aircraft, missions performed, number of crew, automation levels and much more. Military flyers are by nature rule based i.e they are bound by policies, procedures and regulations that are often complex and overlapping from multiple origins. Therefore there are four principle characteristics that entail the reason for variety in military CRM training. 1. The Man Civilian pilots are highly experienced in terms of flying hours contrary to the military pilots who are motivated and smart but must account for this large difference in experience. In commercial aviation, most pilots are hired on to airlines after they have achieved significant aviation milestones. In military flying, the pilots are cadets or young officers with almost no flying experience at all. They gain experience and proficiency on job. There are a large number of senior pilots and aircrew who garner substantial experience in their career. Another important factor is the age difference. In comparison, military pilots are exposed to demanding situations at an earlier age and do not have the liberty to make decisions based on experience. The rank and experience gradient causes pilots and aircrew to move away for career progression duties other than flying. The learning styles, attributed to age, also differ from commercial aviation. 2. The Machine The complexity of the machines operated by the military pilots is another factor in the training equation. A modern military aircraft requires that an aircrew member often make split second decisions regarding weapons and other automated systems. Several incidents have resulted in inadvertent weapon release, even resulting in the unintentional shooting down of a friendly aircraft. Military CRM must place additional emphasis on man/machine interface. 3. The Mission Military machines have multidimensional roles. They range from super-sonic fighters in high skies to anti-submarine operations dipping helicopter sonar into the sea. From air assault and combat teams skimming the earth’s surface to anti-ship missile firings, military aviation missions are diverse. At the same time, military aviators apply different set of rules to different missions such as higher HQ missions, ORIs, check rides, standard training missions, and ofcourse combat. This often creates a level of urgency in the operators mind about the set of rules to be followed for flying each day. CRM not only tackles this dilemma, it creates a cultural approach towards safety and operational efficiency. 4. The Environment The military is a fertile ground for hazardous attitudes to manifest themselves in young and aggressive aviators. Its only through effective CRM training that these aircrew members are shaped into safer and more effective aviators. Airline flight crews battle the environment, with safety the paramount concern. In contrast, in addition to the environment, the military aircrews must also engage a clever human enemy, armed with missiles and guns, who knows the fight is coming and constantly changes the rules. The relative importance of the mission must therefore be factored into the military CRM equation. Decision making by a young crew member in a combat environment, strapped inside a complex piece of military hardware while engaging a clever human enemy, is different than airline instructions. Therefore, training must be different and requires well deliberated modules in line with CRM practices. Ideology of Military CRM training The concepts which underpin CRM are not new; rather they are an attempt to distil old axioms into a more coherent management style across the flight regime. Safe and efficient military flight operations depend for their success not merely on the acquisition of sound technical knowledge and skills but also on the mastery by aircrew of the cognitive and interpersonal skills which form the basis of good CRM. Cognitive skills not only allow for the development and maintenance of good situational awareness but also underpin high quality problem solving and decision making techniques. In addition, interpersonal skills, which depend for their effectiveness on good communications, encourage the creation of synergy and the development of successful teamwork. Both cognitive and interpersonal skills are enhanced by a good emotional climate amongst the crew, but they are also easily degraded by stress, so management of the emotional climate and stress becomes an integral and important element of good CRM. CRM is not, therefore, merely an abstract management concept; it embraces principles and proficiency which, if combined with a high degree of technical knowledge and skill, will enable the crew to make best use of all available resources to achieve optimum efficiency in the conduct of operations while at the same time maximising the safety of the flight. Organizational benefits of military CRM efforts There are many prominent organizational benefits that have been realized from the military CRM efforts. Some of these are as follows: 1. Improved mission effectiveness 2. Improved aircrew-maintenance co-ordination and co-operation 3. Improved morale 4. Improved training efficiency 5. Better care and use of valuable hardware Conclusion CRM evolved as a program concern with only emphasizing on changing individual styles and correcting deficiencial behaviour in the first generation, to the second generation with more core skills like decision-making. The term cockpit was changed to crew at this point of era as they realised that other aviation community require CRM training as well. The third generation has major development such as including human factors concepts into its program. The fourth generation integrated organizational culture into its context. Till today, the fifth generation of CRM training is still evolving and consistently monitored for any changes to improve in safety. CRM training now shifted its focus to limitation of human performance as compared to the first generation which is psychological in nature. The prime focus of military CRM is on the quality of judgement rather than the quality of skills. CRM is not and never will be the only mechanism to eliminate error and assure safety in a high risk endeavor such as aviation. Error is an inevitable result of the natural limitations of human performance and the function of complex systems. CRM is one of an array of tools that organizations can use to manage error and achieve objectives by prioritizing CRM practice foremost i.e at the tip of the organizational spear.

Monday, September 16, 2019

“Death and a King’s Horseman” and “All My Sons” Essay

Compare the ways in which Soyinka in Death and a King’s Horseman and Miller in All My Sons present Elesin and Keller? How far would you agree that the personal tragedy of each protagonist’s death is less important than the death of their sons? Soyinka and Miller shape the protagonists by their presentations of their voice using different language and use of setting cultural context which presents their different responsibilities and duties exposing their character. The different presentations of the characters determine how the audience connect with the protagonists. Elesin and Keller’s deaths are climatic points in the play, with their son’s deaths also being pivotal; acting as catalysts for the protagonist’s death which cause the protagonist’s to acknowledge their fatal flaws. The different purposes of the protagonist’s suicides, made evident also by the protagonist’s presented characters, determine whether the tragedy of thei r death is more important than the death of their sons. The setting and cultural context of each of the plays a profound role in shaping the characters as the differing cultural context affects the character’s duties and responsibilities which shape their presentations as characters. Though set in the same time periods, the cultures differ between plays. Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman opens in â€Å"Oyo, an ancient Yoruba city in Nigeria, 1944†, during British colonialism whereas All My Sons by Miller is set in the â€Å"outskirts of an American town† just after the war in the late 1940’s after world war two. Soyinka and Miller’s introductions of the culture and the setting at the beginning of the plays expose the protagonist’s individual characters. The â€Å"secluded atmosphere† on the â€Å"outskirts of an American town† in which All My Sons opens acts as a dramatic device to show Keller’s devotion to his family by presenting him as sectioned off from wider society. Additionally, the â€Å"closely planted poplars† which seclude the area act as a dramatic device to represent Keller’s somewhat narrow minded principles and set values. Soyinka’s portrayal of the culture and setting also presents Elesin’s character and nature. Soyinka invites the audience to the rich Yoruban culture through Elesin’s voice; â€Å"a man of enormous vitality† who exposes the beauty of the setting to the audience, thus revealing his lust for earthly pleasures. â€Å"The smell of indigo on their cloth, this is the air I wish to breath† portrays Elesin’s yearn for life. The use of evocative description of the setting and culture creates a picture of Elesin’s vibrant character. The author’s use of language, which creates the character’s voice, presents the protagonists differently and shapes the audience’s reactions and feelings towards them in each play. Miller’s use of disjointed language such as â€Å"what’s goin†, to create Keller’s voice, presents him as an un-educated simple man. Though his incoherent language means the audience isn†™t enticed or fascinated by him, it presents him as an ordinary character, allowing the audience to connect with him on a personal level. The fact the audience is able to connect with Keller personally, because of his down to earth nature, means the audience are less sympathetic of his fatal flaw as Miller’s presentation of him causes the audience to be un-expectant of his down fall. â€Å"Back in my day you were either a doctor or a lawyer† exposes Keller’s myopic perspective of the world and strong attachment to his set values. Conversely, Soyinka’s use of complex language to create Elesin’s voice fascinates and captivates the audience, giving him high status as a character. Soyinka presents Elesin as an exuberant character fascinated by earthly pleasures. â€Å"I become a monarch whose palace is built with tenderness and beauty†. The flowing rhythm of his voice and the use of positive adjectives expose his passion for life; his fatal flaw as a character. Elesin speaks poetically in riddles such as â€Å"when the horse sniffs the stable does he not strain at the bridle?† presenting him as articulate and expressive. He also uses metaphors to express his ideas such as â€Å"you’re like a jealous wife† when talking to the Praise-Singer. This use of riddles and metaphors makes him sometimes difficult to unders tand presenting the idea he hides his fatal flaw by using his language to distract the praise singer from acknowledging his love for life which distracts him from his cultural duty. For example when the praise singer accuses Elesin of forgetting â€Å"a long faithful mother of his children† referring to his responsibilities to his culture, Elesin replies poetically saying â€Å"when the horse sniffs at the stable does he not strain at the bridle?†. However, his superior position makes it difficult for the audience to connect with him on a personal level. This foreshadows his downfall as a character as he later abandons his responsibilities to his culture by not committing to his duty of suicide. Because his fatal flaws are foreshadowed, when his downfall is eventually exposed it is expected by the audience thus they feel sympathy for him and his death is seen as an act of redemption. Both All My Sons and Death and a King’s horseman are structured with the climatic parts of the play at the end and use foreshadowing techniques throughout the plays to build up the tension and climax. In Death of a King’s Horseman Soyinka portrays Elesin’s fatal flaw; his desire for earthly pleasures which distracts him from the responsibility of death; to foreshadow his downfall as a character. Soyinka’s use of language exposes Soyinka’s desire for mortal pleasures. â€Å"This market is my roost† foreshadows his inability to sacrifice his be devotion for life for the benefit for the people in his culture. Similarly, Miller uses foreshadowing techniques to prognosticate the revelation of Keller’s mistakes. The broken tree which is a memorial for Larry acts as a dramatic device which foreshadows the end of Keller’s family’s ignorance to his mistake. The mother also foreshadows this by The different purposes within the narrative of the protagonist’s death affect their differing importance’s compared to the death of their son’s which acts as a catalyst The point at which the fathers acknowledge their sons death is the pivotal point at which the protagonist’s accept their fatal flaws. In Death and a King’s Horseman, because the death of Elesin is presented as an act of redemption, in my opinion the tragedy of his death is more important than the death of his son When Keller’s mistake of killing Larry is discovered he responds defensively to protect himself. â€Å"The minute there’s trouble you [mother] run out of strength† suggests Keller attempts to direct the blame on to somebody else and deny his mistakes. The fact his death takes place as a result of his family shunning him suggests his intentions for his suicide are selfish, to protect himself from unhappiness as his family is the only thing he values in life. This causes the audience to view his death as a cowardly act rather than an act of redemption from his mistakes. In my opinion this makes his suicide less important than the death of his son within the play which is the pivotal point of exposing Keller’s faults as a character. On the contrary, Elesin’s intentional death is presented as an act of redemption. It is clear Elesin kills himself for the benefit of his culture as â€Å"he has a duty to perform†. The presentation of his cultural duties at the beginning of the play The moment at which he kills himself is more important than the death of his son as it is the pivotal point in the novel where his mistakes and flaws are redeemed by showing his loyalty to his culture. Therefore, although Keller’s suicide seems less important than the death of his son as his suicide is merely a selfish act to protect him, Elesin’s intentional death is an act of redemption, making it equally important as the death of his son.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Islamic Law Essay

Quran and Sunnah are the fundamental sources of Islamic Shariah. When the solution to the arising problems is not available in these sources, Ijtihad is used to reach an appropriate solution in Islamic jurisprudence. Secondary sources of Islamic Shariah like Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah are also forms of Ijtihad. These secondary sources provide a sequence and a data base to the Mujtahid to reach to a solution of a problem in the most appropriate way and at the same time assist in formulation of Islamic law and development of system of Shariah as a whole. Introduction Quran and Sunnah (in the form of Hadith) are the two fundamental sources of Shariah. Generally the definition and acceptability of all other sources of Shariah varies in various sects of Islam. According to Sunni school of thought, the fundamental sources of Islam include Quran, Sunnah and Ijtihad, whereas according to Shiite school of thought, Quran and Sunnah are the only authentic sources of Shariah and Ijtihad can only be a contributing factor and that too only in some circumstances. Ijtihad can be defined as use of one’s own utmost abilities in deriving secondary opinions from the four fundamental sources of Islamic law, namely Quran, Sunnah, Ijma and Qiyas†. Can the Secondary Sources be Characterized as Forms of Ijtihad In the eyes of majority of Muslim scholars, especially Sunni Muslims, all the secondary sources including Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah are forms   of Ijtihad. Rather all these secondary sources in one form or the other contribute towards Ijtihad. For example, in case of an event for which no authentic proof is available in Quran and Sunnah, the only option available is Ijtaihad. This Ijtaihad will either be supported by consensus of different learned scholars of Islam, or it will be done by comparing and drawing similarities or differences in the different events of past which occurred during the times of Prophet or His companions. In case no previous event is available, and consensus does not occur among the scholars on the issue, then the only way out is to either look for the ‘good by one’s own deliberations’ (Istihsan) or to determine what is in the interests of human welfare (Istislah or Maslahah). Therefore, it will not be wrong to say that all the four secondary sources can be characterized as forms of Ijtihad and all contribute towards it. Importance of Having so Many Different Sources to Represent Ijtihad Ijtihad is a very complex phenomenon and that is why, very strict criteria have been set in Islam for a person to be a Mujtahid. Therefore, while making a judgment a Mujtahid needs to evaluate the available data before he proceeds to make a judgment. Now the most authentic and fundamental sources i. e. Quran and Sunnah have already been ruled out for the reason that if a solution was present is those sources, there was no need for Ijtihad. In the absence of those two sources, a Mujtahid needs some additional sources in order to formulate the judgment, though Quran and Sunnah must be kept at the back of the mind. These additional sources like Ijma, Qiyas, Istihsan and Maslahah provide the Mujtahid with a data base and a sequence to analyze the event and lead him logically to an acceptable solution which is not conflicting with the teachings of Quran and Sunnah. Therefore, it is extremely important to have multiple sources to represent Ijtihad. Importance of Secondary Sources in Creating Law and Development of System of Shariah While studying the Islamic law, one must keep in mind that the times have changed a lot since the era of Prophet Muhammad and with the passage of time many situations came up which were not there in the times of Prophet. For example in the times of Prophet, there was not concept of photography and only thing that was available was â€Å"Tasweer† that is the hand painted pictures and the person who made those pictures was known as â€Å"Mussawir†. The Prophet prohibited the â€Å"Tasweer† in that time and He was quoted as saying that a person who will make a â€Å"Tasweer† will be asked on the Day of Judgment to bring life into that â€Å"Tasweer†. Today, we know that in the present era photography is a compulsion in passport and identity cards etc. Therefore, Islamic scholars reached a conclusion through Ijtihad that what was prohibited was â€Å"Tasweer| and not the photography. Photography, as per modern science, is actually the image preserved on a paper and even the companions of the Prophet used to see the image in mirror or in the water, so according to scholars, it is not prohibited in Islam. Similarly there are many other problems which needed solution in the present time due to modernization and advent of technology. If these secondary sources were not used in creation of Islamic law, the Islamic law will become stagnant and will not be able to meet the requirements of changing scenario and modern developments of science and technology. Hence, the basis characteristics of these secondary sources i. e. consensus, measurement and comparison, equity and public policy are all extremely important in formulation of Islamic law. Side by side, it will also help in development of system of Shariah as a whole so as to meet the requirement of pragmatism, practicality and need of the changing times. Conclusion According to Holy Quran, Prophet Muhammad has been sent as a Prophet for whole universe and this is not possible till the time his teachings are applicable to all the times. This applicability for all the times is only possible if the teachings can be interpreted according to changing times. All this is only possible through these secondary sources, if used correctly in accordance with the basic teachings of Quran and Sunnah. Hence, these secondary sources are part and parcel of Islamic law and must be taken as such. References References have not been cited as per the requirement of the client. Original language has been used without quotations.