Imam Mosque Isfahan

Imam Mosque, is a mosque in Isfahan, Iran standing in south side of Naghsh-i Jahan Square. Built during the Safavid period, it is an excellent example of Islamic architecture of Iran, and regarded as one of the masterpieces of Persian Architecture. The Shah Mosque of Esfahan is one of the everlasting masterpieces of architecture in Iran. It is registered, along with the Naghsh-i Jahan Square, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its construction began in 1611, and its splendor is mainly due to the beauty of its seven-colour mosaic tiles and calligraphic inscriptions.The mosque is one of the treasures featured on Around the World in 80 Treasures presented by the architecture historian Dan Cruickshank. The mosque is depicted on the reverse of the Iranian 20,000 rials banknote. [1] History Shah AbbasCopper engraving by Dominicus Custos, from his Atrium heroicum Caesarum pub. 1600–1602. In 1598, when Shah Abbas decided to move the capital of his Persian empire from the northwestern ci ty of Qazvin to the central city of Isfahan, he initiated what would become one of the greatest programmes in Persian history; the complete remaking of this ancient city.By choosing the central city of Isfahan, fertilized by the Zayandeh River (â€Å"The life-giving river†), lying as an oasis of intense cultivation in the midst of a vast area of arid landscape, he both distanced his capital from any future assaults by the Ottomans and the Uzbeks, and at the same time gained more control over the Persian Gulf, which had recently become an important trading route for the Dutch and British East India Companies. 2]The chief architect of this colossal task of urban planning was Shaykh Bahai (Baha' ad-Din al-`Amili), who focused the programme on two key features of Shah Abbas's master plan: the Chahar Bagh avenue, flanked at either side by all the prominent institutions of the city, such as the residences of all foreign dignitaries, and the Naqsh-e Jahan Square (â€Å"Examplar of the World†). [3] Prior to the Shah's ascent to power, Persia had a decentralized power structure, in which different institutions battled for power, including both the military (the Qizilbash) and governors of the different provinces making up the empire.Shah Abbas wanted to undermine this political structure, and the recreation of Isfahan, as a Grand capital of Persia, was an important step in centralizing the power. [4] The ingenuity of the square, or Maidan, was that, by building it, Shah Abbas would gather the three main components of power in Persia in his own backyard; the power of the clergy, represented by the Masjed-e Shah, the power of the merchants, represented by the The Imperial Bazaar, and of course, the power of the Shah himself, residing in the Ali Qapu Palace.The crown jewel in this project was the Masjed-e Shah, which would replace the much older Jameh Mosque in conducting the Friday prayers. To achieve this, the Shah Mosque was constructed not only with visi on of grandeur, having the largest dome in the city, but Shaykh Bahai also planned the construction of two religious schools and a winter mosque clamped at either side of it. 5] Because of the Shah's desire to have the building completed during his lifetime, shortcuts were taken in the construction; for example, the Shah ignored warnings by one of the architects Abu'l Qasim regarding the danger of subsidence in the foundations of the mosque, and he pressed ahead with the construction. [6] The architect proved to have been justified, as in 1662 the building had to undergo major repairs. [7] Also, the Persians invented a new style of tile mosaic (the Seven-colour) that was both cheaper and quicker, and that eventually speed up the construction.This job was masterly done by some of the best craftsmen in the country, and the whole work was supervised by Master calligrapher, Reza Abbasi. In the end, the final touches on the mosque were made in late 1629, few months after the death of the Shah. Also, many historians have wondered about the peculiar orientation of The Royal square (The Maidan). Unlike most buildings of importance, this square did not lie in alignment with Mecca, so that when entering the entrance-portal of the mosque, one makes, almost without realising it, the half-right turn, which enables the main court within to face Mecca.Donald Wilber gives the most plausible explanation to this; the vision of Shaykh Bahai was for the mosque to be visible wherever in the maydan a person was situated. Had the axis of the maydan coincided with the axis of Mecca, the dome of the mosque would have been concealed from view by the towering entrance portal leading to it. By creating an angle between them, the two parts of the building, the entrance portal and the dome, are in perfect view for everyone within the square to admire. [8] Architecture and design The entrance iwan with its towering facade Design – the four-iwan styleThe Safavids founded the Shah Mosq ue as a channel through which they could express themselves with their numerous architectural techniques. The four-iwan format, finalized by the Seljuq dynasty, and inherited by the Safavids, firmly established the courtyard facade of such mosques, with the towering gateways at every side, as more important than the actual building itself. [9] During Seljuq rule, as Islamic mysticism was on the rise and Persians were looking for a new type of architectural design that emphasized an Iranian identity, the four-iwan arrangement took form.The Persians already had a rich architectural legacy, and the distinct shape of the iwan was actually taken from earlier, Sassanid palace-designs,[9] such as The Palace of Ardashir. Thus, Islamic architecture witnessed the emergence of a new brand that differed from the hypostyle design of the early, Arab mosques, such as the Umayyad Mosque. The four-iwan format typically took the form of a square shaped, central courtyard with large entrances at each side, giving the impression of being gateways to the spiritual world.Painting by the French architect, Pascal Coste, visiting Persia in 1841. The painting shows the main courtyard, with two of the iwans. The iwan to the right is topped by the goldast, which in many Persian mosques had replaced the function of the minarets. Standing in the public square, or Maidan, the entrance-iwan (gateway) to the mosque takes the form of a semicircle, resembling a recessed half-moon and measuring 27 meters in height, the arch framed by turquoise ornament and decorated with rich stalactite tilework, a distinct feature of Persian Islamic architecture.At the sides rise two minarets, 42 meters high, topped by beautifully carved, wooden balconies with stalactites running down the sides. Master calligrapher of the Royal court, Reza Abbasi, inscribed the date of the groundbreaking of the construction, and besides it, verses praising Muhammad and Ali. [10] In the middle, in front of the entrance, stood a small pool and a resting place for the horses, and inside the worshippers found a large marble basin set on a pedestal, filled with fresh water or lemonade.This basin still stands as it has for four hundred years, but no longer serves the function of providing refreshments to the worshipers at the Friday prayers. When passing through the entrance portal, one reaches the main courtyard, centered around a large pool. The two gateways (iwans) on the sides leads ones attention to the main gateway at the far end, the only one with minarets, and behind it the lofty dome, with its colorful ornamentation. The distinct feature of any mosque is the minaret, and the Masjed-e Shah has four.Still, in Persian mosques, tall minarets were considered unsuitable for the call to prayer, and they would add an aedicule, known in Persian as a goldast (bouquet) for this particular purpose, which in the Masjed-e Shah stands on top of the west iwan. [11] The Religious Buildings Interior view of the winter m osque, built as a typical hypostyle mosque. Inside, the acoustic properties and reflections at the central point under the dome is an amusing interest for many visitors, as the ingenuity of the architects, when creating the dome, enables the Imam to speak with a subdued voice and still be heard clearly by everyone inside the building.The mihrab, a large marble tablet ten feet tall and three feet wide on the southwestern wall, indicated the direction of Mecca. Above it the Shah's men had placed a gold-encrusted cupboard of allow wood. It held two relics: a Quran, said to have been copied by Imam Reza, and the bloodstained robe of Imam Hussain. Although never displayed, the robe was said to have magical powers; lifted on the end of a pike in the battle field, the belief was that it could rout an enemy. [12] From the main courtyard, the iwan pointing to east contained a religious school, or madrasa.It contains an inscription by calligrapher Muhammad Riza Imami praising the Fourteen Imm aculate Ones (i. e. , Muhammad, Fatimah and The Twelve Imams). The iwan in the western corner leads to another madrasa and a winter mosque. In its own, private courtyard, one can find the famous sundial made by Shaykh Bahai. The dome As with iwans, the introduction of domes into Islamic architectural designs was done by the Persians. The oldest such building is the Grand Mosque of Zavareh, dating 1135. 13] The Persians had constructed such domes for centuries before, and some of the earliest known examples of large-scale domes in the World are found in Iran, an example being the The Maiden Castle. So, the Safavid Muslims borrowed heavily from pre-Islamic knowledge in dome-building, i. e. the use of squinches to create a transition from an octagonal structure, into a circular dome. To cover up these transition zones, the Persians built rich networks of stalactites. Thus, came also the introduction of this feature into Persian mosques. A renaissance in Persian dome building was initia ted by the Safavids.The distinct feature of Persian domes, which separates them from those domes created in the Christian world or the Ottoman and Mughal empires, was the colorful tiles, with which they covered the exterior of their domes, as they would on the interior. These domes soon numbered dozens in Isfahan, and the distinct, blue-colored shape would dominate the skyline of the city. Reflecting the light of the sun, these domes appeared like glittering turquoise gem and could be seen from miles away by travelers following the Silk road through Persia.Reaching 53 meters in height, the dome of the Masjed-e Shah would become the tallest in the city when it was finished in 1629. It was built as a double-shelled dome, with 14 meters spanning between the two layers, and resting on an octagonal dome chamber. [14] Art Mosaic detail, as found in the Shah Mosque, showing Quranic calligraphy written in Thuluth script (photo taken at the Lotfallah Mosque). Interior view of the lofty dome covered with polychrome tiles, intended to give the spectator a sense of heavenly transcendence.The Masjed-e Shah was a huge structure, said to contain 18 million bricks and 475,000 tiles, having cost the Shah 60,000 tomans to build. [15] It employed the new haft rangi (seven-colour) style of tile mosaic. In earlier Iranian mosques the tiles had been made of faience mosaic, a slow and expensive process where tiny pieces are cut from monochrome tiles and assembled to create intricate designs. In the haft rangi method, artisans put on all the colors at once, then fired the tile. Cheaper and quicker, the new procedure allowed a wider range of colors to be used, creating richer patterns, sweeter to the eye. 7][16] According to Jean Chardin, it was the low humidity in the air in Persia that made the colors so much more vivid and the contrasts between the different patterns so much stronger than what could be achieved in Europe, where the colors of tiles turned dull and lost its appearanc e. [17]Still, most contemporary and modern writers regard the tile work of the Masjed-e Shah as inferior in both quality and beauty compared to those covering the Lotfallah Mosque, the latter often referred to by contemporary Persian historians, such as Iskandar Munshi, as the mosque of great purity and beauty. 18] The architects also employed a great deal of marble, which they gathered from a marble quarry in nearby Ardestan. [7] Throughout the building, from the entrance portal and to the main building, the lower two meters of the walls are covered with beige marble, with beautifully carved poles at each side of every doorway and carved inscriptions throughout. Above this level begins the mosaic tiles that cover the rest of the building. The entrance portal of the mosque displays the finest tile decoration in the building.It is entirely executed in tile mosaic in a full palette of seven colors (dark Persian blue, light Turkish blue, white, black, yellow, green and bisquit). A wide inscription band with religious texts written in white thuluth script on a dark blue ground frames the iwan. The tiles in the Masjed-e Shah are predominantly blue, except in the covered halls of the building, which were later revetted in tiles of cooler, yellowy-green shades. [16] Facing northwards, the mosque’s portal to the Maidan is usually under shadow but since it has been coated with radiant tile mosaics it glitters with a predominantly blue light of extraordinary intensity.The ornamentation of the structures is utterly traditional, as it recaptures the classic Iranian motifs of symbolic appeal for fruitfulness and effectiveness. Within the symmetrical arcades and the balanced iwans, one is drowned by the endless waves of intricate arabesque in golden yellow and dark blue, which bless the spectator with a space of internal serenity. Architects The architects of the mosque are reported to be the following masters:[10] * Muhibb Ali Beg (Supervisor of the project, and als o the imperial treasurer) * Ostad Shaykh Bahai (Chief architect) * Ostad Ali Beg Isfahani * Ostad Badi al-Zaman Ostad Abu'l Qasim Measurements The port of the mosque measures 27 m (89 ft) high, crowned with two minarets 42 m (138 ft) tall. The Mosque is surrounded with four iwans and arcades. All the walls are ornamented with seven-color mosaic tile. The most magnificent iwan of the mosque is the one facing the Qibla measuring 33 m (108 ft) high. Behind this iwan is a space which is roofed with the largest dome in the city at 52 m (171 ft) height. The dome is double layered. The whole of the construction measures 100 by 130 metres (330 ft Ãâ€" 430 ft), with the central courtyard measuring 70 by 70 metres (230 ft Ãâ€" 230 ft).

Health Problems From Alcohol Health And Social Care Essay

Patients are foremost come to primary attention for their organic structure strivings. Harmonizing to Starfield ( 1973 ) primary attention is a point of affecting in wellness attention system that has a duty to form patient attention for a clip period. There are some other wellness attention centres available in UK where patients measure in terrible unwellness when the assignment with GP is rather long. In this essay we find out the troubles faces in covering with alcoholic patients in primary attention apparatuss. Harmonizing to Sobell ( 1996 ) the people received intervention of alcohol addiction through natural recovery are abundant. Harmonizing to the published therapy tests, the intervention in alcohol addiction is non effectual ( Chick et al. , 2002 & A ; Edwards et al. , 1997 ) . As a psychodynamic position the people who consume intoxicant can imbibe it because they are experiencing comfy with it.There is a cognitive behavior hypothesis that, in initial phases intoxicant is drink to cut down the tenseness degrees. In European civilizations alcohol is used to cut down the tensenesss and it ‘s a thing of socialisation. Even after coming back from work, when a individual got tired he experience relaxed and tenseness relieved with a glass of intoxicant. But this continuity becomes a habbit and individual becomes dependant of intoxicant without cognizing this that he becomes an alcoholic. These individuals are hard to handle in primary attention as they are going a portion of it withou t even acknowledging it. There is a chief issue while covering with alcoholic patients in primary attention that is their age at which they start imbibing intoxicant. Harmonizing to Plato ( 1926 ) people can non imbibe before the age of 18 old ages and if they drink they have to take centrist imbibing up to the age of 40 old ages. In Project MATCH survey ( Fishbain & A ; Cutler, 2005 ) they analysed the consequence of the intervention of alcohol addiction which was the most expensive clinical test. They used CBT ( Cognitive behaviour therapy ) to measure what people think sing intoxicant, the desires of people and more ( Nowinski et al. , 1999 ) .They were used the MET ( Motivation Enhancement Technique ) which gives information sing intoxicant jobs that motivate people for alteration ( Miller et al.,1999 ) . The TSF ( Twelve Step Facilitation ) was besides used which was grounded on rules of alcoholic anon. ( Kadden et al. , 1995 ) . They found no significant relationship between the curative intervention a nd the participants ( Longabaugh & A ; Wirtz, 2001 ) . In primary attention Centres there is another trouble in handling alkies is that the alkies are non tells the truth sing their intoxicant related jobs. An illustration of this was Rand survey gaining that 30 % of the alkies are non able to give sufficient information ( Polich et al. , 1981 ) , this besides put great consequence on the intervention. Why the patients throw off the clinical tests was assessed, in the undertaking MATCH survey and the grounds for this were their on the job times, they move from their places, their gestations and imbibing remittal. These are the grounds which affect the primary attention intervention but this is non with every instance ( Miller et al. , 2001 ) . Harmonizing to the undertaking MATCH the psychosocial intervention for the alkies are non plenty for them. In the medical field it is really common that patients are non stick to the intervention. Harmonizing to article by Caroll ( 1997 ) , 20 % patients withdraw from the programmes they have to set in, since they withdraw, so this ratio goes up at the terminal of that intervention ( Carroll, 1997 ) . Harmonizing to Sobel & A ; Sobel ( 2000 ) participant ‘s willingness is really of import in intervention. In article, Early sensing and intervention of alcohol addiction in primary attention ( 2004 ) there was a conjecture that in US 1 in 5 males and 1 in 10 females who come to primary attention were patient of different types of alcohol addiction ( NIAAA,2000 ) . Because most of them did n't desire to travel to alcohol intervention specializers so the primary wellness doctors have a opportunity and a responsibility to name their job and give intervention to them. But unhappily, the primary attention suppliers are frequently non willing or non able to manage these people. These findings are about the individuals sing primary attention GP ‘s, infirmary exigencies, traumatic wards and taking antenatal attention. In decision of this survey shows that the prevalence of jobs related to alcohol sing patients in primary attention are important ( Nathan & A ; Peter, 2004 ) . Harmonizing to diary of the American academy of Family Physicians article ‘Problem Drinking and Alcoholism: Diagnosis and intervention ( Enoch & A ; Goldman, 2002 ) less than 50 % of alcohol addiction oftenly remain undiagnosed in primary wellness attention. Some of the patients non give the proper information to the GP ‘s due to fear or dishonor. So the GP got less information sing the medical and psychological conditions and lost chance to handle the patient affectively. To happen out the pattern in intoxicant instances and it ‘s barriers in patients who drink at hazardous degrees, in Cape Town, a cross sectional study done with 50 GP ‘s ( General Practitioners ) in the twelvemonth 2004 & A ; 2005. It was in the signifier of questionnaire of intoxicant related patterns and barriers in intercessions. The consequences were that in the past twelvemonth the GP ‘s proverb merely 11-13 patients sing alcohol addiction. Whereas 12 % GP ‘s idea that for cut downing the intoxicant consumption they could assist the patients in an effectual manner. 78 % GP ‘s said that with proper preparation and support they work more efficaciously. The decision of the survey was that GP ‘s wants to make intercession for alcohol addiction but they need more preparation for these intercessions. They require right support and intercession tools ( Koopman, et. al. , 2008 ) . Harmonizing to Chang, G. ( 1997 ) there is more jobs faced in placing and handling the lady patients in primary attention scenes. Because females more vulnerable to unfavorable effects of intoxicant than males. In primary attention apparatus there is brief reding and intervention followups and sometimes they even losing the job imbibing in adult females because patients did n't state the truth. So sometimes they need the aid of head-shrinkers to happen out the job of job imbibing. So psychiatrist play indispensable function in discovery out the job imbibing in females and interfere, learn and work jointly with primary attention suppliers to diminish the morbidity and mortality of intoxicant. In the treatment paper, â€Å" Still a hard concern? Negociating alcohol-related jobs in general pattern audiences † , ( Rapley et al. , 2006 ) showed the experiences of GP ‘s while giving audiences to patients in jobs related to intoxicants. They have done a qualitative research in North East of England. Once qualitative interviews done with 29 GP ‘s sing their work with their patients on issues concerned with intoxicant. Then they conduct the interviews in groups- 1 with squad of primary attention and two with GP ‘s. In these interviews GP ‘s felt, until the individual felt that his/her ingestion of intoxicant was unsafe they could derive really less. The deficiency of clip and to work on so many other jobs and so many other patients, who were waiting for them, stopped General Practioners to pull off instances of hazardous drinkers. They compared their survey with Thom, B. et Al. ( 1986 ) which was done 20 old ages ago. They found that the troubles fa ced by GP ‘s are rather same as 20 old ages ago. In Mackenzie & A ; Allen ( 2003 ) article, Alcoholic rating of alcohol addiction intervention, the participants were asked the name of the interventions to which they known for their rating. Most of them spoke Naltrexone. In farther analysation of naltrexone patients withdraw due to inauspicious effects of this ( Rohsenow et al. , 2000 & A ; Drummond, 2001 ) .According to these findings the most good intervention was still a difficult issue. Some favours combination intervention i.e. Antabuse & A ; alcohol anon. . Treatment with Antabuse was non utile as it was deleterious for wellness and non lasting. It was non sufficient to decide the job with detoxification. Group therapy was besides non plants and produce backsliding without after intervention attention and uninterrupted followups ( Mackenzie & A ; Allan, 2003 ) . These are the conditions which influences the alky ‘s intervention in the primary attention. After re-assessing the information of undertaking MATCH it was found that ego efficaciousness was the predictor of imbibing behavior in alky ‘s intervention ( Witkiewitz et al. , 2007 ) . Whereas in old survey it was non forecast imbibing behavior. Harmonizing to Brownell et Al. ( 1986 ) intoxicant oversight is complex procedure. To foretell intoxicant dependance and its intervention the cusp calamity theoretical account used by Hufford et Al ( 2003 ) . They found two factors which are trusty for 50 % intoxicant ingestion. The sidelong factors which were responsible for backsliding were – holding no place, non proper followups, alky ‘s household background and terrible intoxicant dependance. There were some proximal factors besides which affect the alcohol addiction those were- mental province, mental hurt, dying place atmosphere. If the sidelong factors are more and proximal is less than patient may be imbibe lesser sum or even giving up the intoxicant and antonym happened in opposite state of affairs. The multimodality construct is another job in covering with alcoholic patients. In UK, Liverpool is on top, in instance of indoor instances of intoxicant in infirmaries. These are the intoxicant abuse instances which makes the primary attention intervention hard. For intoxicant maltreatment Liverpool is step in front from the North West and Warrington. More than 8 % of Liverpool ‘s population are imbibing upto the degree which affect their physical and mental health.28 % of males and 18 % of females drink up to deleterious degree in North West of England. The per centum of male and female death from intoxicant is 6.4 and 4.2. Around 3260 individuals die every twelvemonth because of intoxicant in UK and this ratio is more in North West ( William, 2007 ) A survey sing teenage and the use of intoxicant intervention services consequences that white adolescents got more alcohol interventions as comparison to others ( Wu et al.,2002 ) .The predictor of acquiring intervention services were drug use and hapless wellness position. The consequences are same as the other intoxicant intervention surveies done by Weisner ( 1993 ) & A ; Windle et Al. ( 1991 ) Around 10 % grownups got intervention holding the job of alcohol addiction ( Grant, 1996 & A ; Reiger et al. , 1993 ) . Gender is another factor which gives part in intoxicant intervention. For e.g. adult females were few who got alcohol intervention ( Grant, 1996 & A ; Weisner, 1993 ) . There are few factors which inhibit the intervention of intoxicant which are -lack of occupation, low finance, non holding faith in intervention ( Grant, 1996, 1997 & A ; Weisner, 1993 ) . Nielson observed intoxicant jobs and intervention with the patient ‘s position with the aid of an interview usher from 2-4 months. The jobs were seen with different positions. In cultural position individuals use intoxicant for socializing in society. Sometime there were some external force per unit areas are at that place in which individual diagnostic imbibing does, as in fiscal loses, matrimonial jobs etc. Sometimes there were internal facets besides like individual had experience had in childhood, psychological jobs etc. In pathological imbibing individual have dependence to imbibing. In comprehendible imbibing individual lost the control over himself. It was found from survey that there was less conformity rate ( O'Brien & A ; McLellan, 1996 ) . Pilowsky et Al. ( 2009 ) found intoxicant dependance was a chief issue of wellness attention. Alcohol dependance was chiefly concerned with singular disablement & A ; hapless mental wellness ( Hassin et al. , 2007 ) . Alcohol dependance was forecast by the events happened in childhood either treated or non treated ( Kessler, 1997 ; Dube, 2006 & A ; Pilowsky, 2006 ) . Childhood events are the events happened before the kid is traveling to be 18 old ages. In the survey individual holding 1-2 unfavorable childhood events were 2-4 times thought themselves alkies. So this was an index that if there were frequent unfavorable childhood events so these were terrible forecasters of alcohol addiction upset. Socio demographic factors were besides kept in head in controlled samples. If a individual exposed to unfavorable events many times so it was much influential as comparison to expose to individual inauspicious event ( Kessler, 1997 ) . From the twelvemonth 1980-2000 McGovern ( 2002 ) written the intoxicant jobs intervention. The inhibiting constituent in intervention was the being of a definition of depicting intoxicant and drug issues. Lack of uninterrupted financess is another disadvantage in covering with intoxicant jobs. In Europe four European intervention bureaus studied the intervention of intoxicant and other drug upsets ( Riley, 2008 ) . There was an obstructor in informations aggregation which was used for hunt patients to cognize the alterations occurs in the intervention period. Because there may be relapse in some instances and the patient needs intervention once more. Because there was no contact so the patients once more went to worse status. The follow up techniques are proposed by Chesnut Health Centres ( Scott, 2004 ) . But these steps can non be low-cost by all intervention services. By analyzing the wellness services research in the intervention seting in pattern in intoxicant and drug maltreatment, McCarty ( 2000 ) found that it was a ambitious thing.He besides noticed, that antecedently, the clients were old white males. They had the other chronic jobs besides like- cirrhosis, craze etc. Whereas now these programmes are for childs from all races. It is found that if a individual taking other rough drugs along with intoxicant so this makes the intervention hard. Harmonizing to Boca & A ; Nolls ‘s ( 2000 ) there is other job in intervention of intoxicant that in intoxicant surveies at that place has to be careful expression for decrease prejudices. There are so many factors which make hard in handling alkies. As in undertaking MATCH ( 1997 ) it was noticed that head-shrinkers have n't sufficient understanding sing the alcohol addiction. Persons who have the jobs related to intoxicants are now a twenty-four hours ‘s able to retrieve from these jobs without the intervention and the literature is available on it ( Sobel, Cunningham & A ; Sobel, 1996 ) . Spiritualism as recovery portion in the action of alcohol addiction besides reflects in individual ‘s recovery ( Kurt & A ; Morgan, 2002 ) . In the country like alcohol addiction which is rather sensitive, the cross sectional study will non be the best thought. The longitudinal studies along with the timely follow ups are promoting and avoiding backslidings of alcohol addiction. Harmonizing to the American Society of dependence ( 1996 ) in the intervention of alcoholic individuals, Milieu therapy is besides good. This therapy helps in physical effects that are due to heavy imbibing or backdown of intoxicant. Psychotherapy is besides one of the of import mileposts in the intervention of alkies. The individuals who quits intoxicant should followed their follow ups on a regular basis. So that their betterment is continuously monitored. Harmonizing to a socio-cultural position, the individual is traveling to halt imbibing or maintain on go oning the same is depends on the individual ‘s character and his nucleus beliefs. Harmonizing to Martin et Al. ( 1999 ) article Pull offing alcohol- related jobs in the primary attention puting, they found that intoxicant jobs were the of import cardinal factor of morbidity and mortality in America and because of refusal and opposition to intervention by the household of patients and patients itself, made sensing hard. Everyday showings of intoxicant of every patient may assist the primary attention supplier to happen out and give intervention to alcohol maltreatment patients. However in intoxicant related jobs chief end of patients are abstinence but less consumption is besides fruitful and gained by concise primary attention intercessions. The direction of outpatient detoxification chiefly given by primary attention apparatuss but needs careful opinion of support system of patient, close supervising and good medical specialty support. In the Journal article, Between desperation and hope: Health services research on intervention of intoxicant maltreatment ( 2002 ) , McCarty Dennis bring into notice, the troubles comes in analyzing the intervention services in intoxicant and drug maltreatment. It is because of these jobs, the individuals who are policy shapers and suppliers of probes could reluctant to give induction to surveies. However the Alcohol services research is rather tough and we are halfway mediate despair of intoxicant and the recovery hope ( Dennis, M. , 2000 ) . Harmonizing to the survey done by Ferguson et Al. ( 2003 ) in their journal article, Barriers to designation and intervention of risky drinkers as assessed by urban/rural primary physicians, this pilot survey found three hurdlings faced by 40 household physicians when they treat the alcoholic patients. In this the Physician centred class considered job was, the patient backdown and holding deficiency of motive to alter. The system centred class considered, losing of community resources and far off from intervention plans. The patient centred barriers were more than the physician and patient centred classs. The debatable barriers were depended on the location of practise i.e. rural or urban and the past clip period of physician preparation. However early the intervention is more effectual if alcohol addiction is detect at early phase. It is greatly accepted that doctors in primary attention oftentimes fail to name intoxicant jobs. In this computerized survey an alcoholic patient was used for primary attention doctors for naming alcohol addiction. Out of 95 doctors, 32 % diagnosed the job others made different psychiatric diagnosings chiefly anxiety or depression. So harmonizing to this survey there was a great demand for extra instruction for primary attention doctors to name alcohol addiction. Harmonizing to Magruder-Habib, K. ( 1991 ) the intoxicant jobs are really common in the patients who come to primary attention but frequently non detected and treated. Although the methods of diagnose are reviewed in footings of complete history, trials in research lab and the physical scrutiny. For everyday usage of primary attention doctors CAGE questionnaire and Michigan Alcoholism Screening trials are advised. These instruments are more sensitive than the research lab tests entirely. Because if the patient job is detected at earlier phase than it would be cure early and it is less cost effectual besides an acceptable to the patient. By seeing all the pros and cones of this essay the major troubles comes in primary attention apparatuss while covering with alkies are as follows: First of all the patient came to primary attention did non state the truth about their imbibing wonts. It may be due to fear or dishonor. So the GP did n't cognize the exact sum of imbibing and this will set great impact on intervention. Second in primary attention setups GP ‘s has to cover with figure of patients, and these alcoholic and patient related to mental wellness jobs require more clip for audience, which is non possible in primary attention. That ‘s why sometimes these jobs are missed in primary attention apparatuss. Third GP ‘s have non plenty preparation to name alcohol addiction and to cover with alkies. They require right support and intercession tools to name alcohol addiction.

The Many Sides of Odysseus throughout the Epic story of the Odyssey Essay

The Many Sides of Odysseus throughout the Epic story of the Odyssey - Essay Example In each and every adventure that befalls Odysseus we see various facets of his character and his wanderings are seen as stages in development of humanity as a whole. We learn about ourselves through Odysseus while realizing that each stage of our life is a learning exercise: we live as we learn. The Odyssey, a tale of Odysseus’ journey back home after long years at war is also the tale of his spiritual journey through his own soul. As Odysseus leaves Troy for home, he is the typical bloodthirsty warrior. He leaves Troy feeling almost immortal and this pride is what leads to his downfall. In the course of his journey, Odysseus undergoes a symbolic death and rebirth and in the end becomes an epic hero regaining power over his household and has restored order to his life. Upon his arrival in Ithaca, it is evident that he has become a wiser man- more humble and more respectful. Homer skillfully inter-relates adventures, feelings and experiences of his characters. The vivid description and expressive language make the reading understandable to any age and social group. Even though the story is mythical, filled with ghosts, monsters and giants, the main themes can be interrelated with today’s issues of scheming, cunning, struggle for survival, race New facets of Odysseus’ character are revealed through each of his adventures. After Odysseus and his men depart from Troy, they land in Ismara. After looting the city Odysseus wisely tells his men to board the ships quickly, but they pay no heed and the next morning, the crew is attacked by the Ciconians. Odysseus manages to escape with tears in his eyes for his lost crew. â€Å"But Odysseus, clutching his flaring sea-blue cape in both powerful hands, drew it over his head and buried his handsome face† He does not disclose his identity to the Ciconians showing that he is capable of thinking ahead of his opponent displaying his superior

Evaluations Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evaluations Review - Essay Example The description from the admission process to the academic routine is well defined in 3rd paragraph. The information is helpful for the reader, but the tone of the evaluation is personal. In the 4th paragraph salary benefits are appealing and motivating, but again personal view has been represented by stating the word â€Å"weak minded† and hence, demoralizing the readers or potential candidates for nursing. The evaluation is informative, yet it could be made better by none judgemental tone, with more references which would make the information authentic. More over different college criteria could be discussed to make it more beneficial (Larsen). Jospeh Freese evaluation of impression of US Air forces on general public and potential candidates; lacks a suitable title. Although the idea has a definite tone, but it lacked appropriate language and makes the reader a little confused. The Air force logo has been referred to as an advertisement. Throughout the evaluation; impression of logo has been discussed for the sake of impression. Nonetheless, the description of its texture, language and attributes is engaging. Personal experience of interest development gives evaluation a narrative touch. Absence of any reference makes the authenticity of work a little erratic. 4th paragraph describes well what the features of the picture on air force’s slogan depict. In the 5th paragraph discussion of slogan is interesting and captivates reader till the end. Although, conclusion describes the decision of joining air force is mainly based on impression made by logo, which is imaginative and debatable. Over all, a good effort on evaluation of how logo represent organization’s aim and objectives, but confusing sentence structure makes it challenging for the reader to read it in flow

Sex education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sex education - Essay Example of learning about sex, how it makes males and females different from each other, yet attracts them to each other and involves deep feelings, desires, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy.19 Puberty is the stage in a child’s life when physical and emotional changes are sudden and unsettling, and to an unprepared child, this can be very unnerving.18 For adolescents who have just entered into the age of puberty, proper and age-suitable sex education can reassure them that what they are experiencing is normal, and most importantly, can prevent them from becoming victims of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, which are among the most prominent problems faced by the younger generation today..11 In my opinion, there is no such thing as â€Å"too much† sex education. It is an on-going process.2 I think sex education should be part of a school’s curriculum and should ideally inform about 4 topics: sexual development, reproduction, contraception, &

3 P's and a D Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

3 P's and a D - Essay Example Always low price is a fundamental strategy of my company. Then, there are special sales promotions and the workers in every department, especially marketing, are especially trained to keep customers coming back on basis of these amazing sales promotions. My company has always attempted to gain a competitive edge by setting up stores where a large percentage of customers can have an easy access to them. Placement has been always prioritized to benefit and facilitate customers. However, I perceive weakness in the marketing strategy of my company along the dimension of price. Goods of all sorts are presented to public at very reasonable prices. But, this strategy is not fair and equitable to all parties. This is because to sell products at markedly lower prices, employees and suppliers are squeezed and their living standard is compromised. They get lower median wages because of the company’s aim to provide products at cheap

Organizational Change Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Change - Annotated Bibliography Example Organizations are difficult to change because they are complex systems that are made-up of many different actors. If the organization is going to change from one based on individual effort to one that operates on principles of teamwork and cooperation, some very basic assumptions on the part of each actor must change. Individual team members must stay focused on the goal the entire team is trying to achieve, not just their role in accomplishing the goal. Teams also need to have new types of leadership that is capable of communicating and reiterating the team goals to individuals and the team as a whole. Finally, all the members of a team need to recognize that staying in the same routines and same modes of work makes employees very comfortable, but also results in the same unsatisfactory results. Change is not something to fear, even though it may be uncomfortable for a while. Working as a team is not something that can be treated as a fad or as an objective of senior management that isn’t really workable. Complex work requires the teaming of disparate employees in collaborative and cooperative roles in order to achieve a high degree of success. This change from individual effort to team effort is one of the greatest challenges facing organizations today. Establishing malleable and dynamic teams is only possible is sound principles of organizational change are implemented. The authors of this article are Amy Thurlow PhD and Jean Helms Mills PhD. In this article they argue that controlling organizational language during a period of change is a key tactic used by leadership to bring about desired results. The problem with this control is that it may inhibit the sensemaking ability of those most affected by the change. The focus of this article is actually on professionals that come in from the outside to help organizations change. This is a decidedly different approach from implementing change in-house because much

What are the effects of sleep deprivation on teenagers Research Paper

What are the effects of sleep deprivation on teenagers - Research Paper Example Teenagers, today indulge in a wide array of activities which may stretch well into the night for example, partying, playing games, online socialising and studying for exams etc. It is recommended that an average teenager needs about 9-9.5 hours of proper sleeps. However, today teenagers barely sleep for the recommended period of time which has negative consequences both on their body functioning and mental health. In fact long term deprivation of sleep may even have serious implications on the health. This has become a matter of concern for parent, educators and researchers who recommend that proper sleep is absolutely essential for both physical and mental growth. Sleep is the period in which the body rests and recovers from the stress it experienced during the day. The body and all its metabolic processes are accustomed to a particular biological clock which is affected severely by sleep deprivation. Several research studies have focused on the association between lack of sleep and hormonal release in the body. Hormones play an important role in the development of the teenagers; however owing to lack of sleep hormonal release is altered which has negative effects on the body mechanism. Researchers have pointed out that sleep restriction alters metabolic and endocrine systems. Hormones that regulate glucose metabolism have been shown to be influenced by changes in sleep patterns. Young adults who are deprived of sleep show increased glucose tolerance, reduction in insulin sensitivity, enhanced cortisol and ghrelin concentration in the evenings and a loss of appetite (Leprult and Cauter, 2010). The altered regulation in glucose metabolism has not only led to an increase in obesity among teenagers but has also led to an increase in Type II diabetes. Lack of sleep also affects immunity of developing teenagers. Sleep deprivation has been associated with increased lymphocyte activity and enhanced levels of Interleukin-1

Michael Arlen Ode to Thanksgiving Essay Example for Free

Michael Arlen Ode to Thanksgiving Essay Consider the participants, the merrymakers: men and women (also children) who have survived passably well throughout the years, mainly as a result of living at considerable distances from their dear parents and beloved siblings, who on this feast of feasts must apparently forgather (as if beckoned by an aberrant fairy godmother), usually by circuitous routes, through heavy traffic, at a common meeting place, where the very moods, distempers, and obtrusive personal habits that have kept them all happily apart since adulthood are then and there encouraged to slowly ferment beneath the corn husks, and gradually rise with the aid of the terrible wine, and finally burst forth out of control under the stimulus of the cranberry jelly! No, it is a mockery of holiday. For instance: Thank you, O Lord, for what we are about to receive. This is surely not a gala concept. There are no presents, unless one counts Aunt Bertha’s sweet rolls a present, which no one does. There is precious little in the way of costumery: miniature plastic turkeys and those witless Pilgrim hats. There is no sex. Indeed, Thanksgiving is the one day of the year (a fact known to everybody) when all thoughts of sex completely vanish, evaporating from apartments, houses, condominiums, and mobile homes like steam from a bathroom mirror. Consider also the nowhereness of the time of year: the last week or so in November. It is obviously not yet winter: winter, with its death-dealing blizzards and its girls in tiny skirts pirouetting on the ice. On the other hand, it is certainly not much use to anyone as fall: no golden leaves or Oktoberfests, and so forth. Instead, it is a no-man’s land between the seasons. In the cold and sobersides northern half of the country, it is a vaguely unsettling interregnum of long, mournful walks beneath leafless trees: the long, mournful walks following the midday repast with the dread nevitability of pie following turkey, and the leafless trees looming or standing about like eyesores, and the ground either as hard as iron or slightly mushy, and the light snow a lways beginning to fall when one is halfway to the old green gate—flecks of cold, watery stuff plopping between neck and collar, for the reason that, it being not yet winter, one has forgotten or not chosen to bring along a muffler. It is a corollary to the long, mournful Thanksgiving walk that the absence of this muffler is quickly noticed and that four weeks or so later, at Christmastime, instead of the Sony Betamax one had secretly hoped the children might have chipped in to purchase, one receives another muffler: by then the thirty-third. Thirty-three mufflers! Some walk! Of course, things are more fun in the warm and loony southern part of the country . No snow there of any kind. No need of mufflers. Also, no long, mournful walks, because in the warm and loony southern part of the country everybody drives. So everybody drives over to Uncle Jasper’s house to watch the Cougars play the Gators, a not entirely unimportant conflict which will determine whether the Gators get a Bowl bid or must take another postseason exhibition tour of North Korea. But no sooner do the Cougars kick off (an astonishing end-over-end squiggly thing that floats lazily above the arena before plummeting down toward K. C. McCoy and catching him on the helmet) than Auntie Em starts hustling turkey. Soon Cousin May is slamming around the bowls and platters, and Cousin Bernice is oohing and ahing about all the fixin’s, and Uncle Bob is making low, insincere sounds of appreciation: â€Å"Yummy, yummy—Auntie Em, Ill have me some more of these delicious yams! † Delicious yams? Uncle Bob’s eyes roll wildly in his head, Billy Joe Quaglino throws his long bomb in the middle of Grandpa Morris saying grace, Grandpa Morris speaking so low nobody can hear him, which is just as well, since he is reciting what he can remember of his last union contract. And then, just as J. B. Speedy) Snood begins his ninety-two-yard punt return, Auntie Em starts dealing everyone second helpings of her famous stuffing, as if she were pushing a controlled substance, which is well might be, since there are no easily recognizable ingredients visible to the naked eye. Consider for a moment the Thanksgiving me al itself. It has become a sort of refuge for endangered species of starch: cauliflower, turnips, pumpkin, mince (whatever â€Å"mince† is), those blessed yams. Bowls of luridly colored yams, with no taste at all, lying torpid under a lava flow of marshmallow! And then the sacred turkey. One might as well try to construct a holiday repast around a fish—say, a nice piece of haddock. After all, turkey tastes very similar to haddock; same consistency, same quite remarkable absence of flavor. But then, if the Thanksgiving piece de resistance were a nice piece of boiled haddock instead of turkey, there wouldnt be all that fun for Dad when Mom hands him the sterling-silver , bone-handled carving set (a wedding present from her parents and not sharpened since) and then everyone sits around pretending not to watch while he saws and tears away at the bird as if he were trying to burrow his way into or out of some grotesque, fowllike prison. What of the good side to Thanksgiving, you ask. There is always a good side to everything. Not to Thanksgiving. There is only a bad side and then a worse side. For instance, Grandmother’s best linen tablecloth is a bad side: the fact that it is produced each year, in the manner of a red flag being produced before a bull, and then is always spilled upon by whichever child is doing poorest at school that term and so is in need of greatest reassurance. Thus, â€Å"Oh, my God, Veronica, you just spilled grape juice [or plum wine or tar] on Grandmother’s best linen tablecloth! † But now comes worse. For at this point Cousin Bill, the one who lost all Cousin Edwina’s money on the car dealership three years ago and has apparently been drinking steadily since Halloween, bizarrely chooses to say: â€Å"Seems to me those old glasses are always falling over. † To which Auntie Meg is heard to add: â€Å"Somehow I don’t remember receivin’ any of those old glasses. † To which Uncle Fred replies: â€Å"That’s because you and George decided to go on vacation to Hawaii the summer Grandpa Sam was dying. † Now Grandmother is sobbing, though not so uncontrollably that she can refrain from murmuring: â€Å"I think that volcano painting I threw away by mistake got sent me from Hawaii, heaven knows why. But the gods are merciful, even the Pilgrim-hatted god of corn husks and soggy stuffing, and there is an end to everything, even to Thanksgiving. Indeed, there is a grandeur to the feelings of finality and doom which usually settle on a house after the Thanksgiving celebration is over, for with the completion of Thanksgiving Day the year itself has been properly terminated: shot through the cranium with a high-velocity candied yam. At this calendrical nadir, all energy on the planet has gone, all fun has fled, all the terrible wine has been drunk. But then, overnight, life once again begins to stir, emerging, even by the next morning, in the form of Japanese window displays and Taiwanese Christmas lighting, from the primeval ooze of the nation’s department stores. Thus, a new year dawns, bringing with it immediate and cheering possibilities of extended consumer debt, office-party flirtations, good—or, at least, mediocre—wine, and visions of Supersaver excursion fares to Montego Bay. It is worth noting, perhaps, that this true new years always starts with the same mute, powerful mythic ceremony: the surreptitious tossing out, in the early morning, of all those horrid aluminum-foil packages of yams and cauliflowers nd stuffing and red, gummy cranberry substance which have been squeezed into the refrigerator as if a reenactment of the siege of Paris were shortly expected. Soon afterward, the phoenix of Christmas can be observed as it slowly rises, beating its drumsticks, once again goggle-eyed with hope and unrealistic expectations.

Hermaphrodites and Society Essay Example for Free

Hermaphrodites and Society Essay Individuals are given the gift of life when they are born into this world. Many agree that everyone is blessed and should not take their lives for granted. To be truly alive, individuals must be overjoyed and pursue happiness. However, others would describe their lives as a joke. To be precise, many would be ashamed of who they are. A very strong example of an ashamed soul would be Calliope, the main protagonist of Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. In the story, Eugenides tells the tale of Callie, who is supposedly a monster because she is a hermaphrodite. Being a hermaphrodite indicates that someone has the sex organs associated with both genders. By definition, Callie is an abnormal freak. Eugenides employs literary devices, such as tone, imagery, and personification, to express Callie’s shame and humiliation of being herself. Eugenides employs imagery to transport readers into Callie’s shoes and understand her shame of being a hermaphrodite. Callie describes herself as â€Å"being surrounded by illuminating faces bent over books, her hair covering the definition of herself. Normal individuals surround Callie, and she abruptly conceals the word monster to prevent anyone from realizing her true identity. In Callie’s point of view, normal individuals surround her, and she is in the center covering a secret that could ultimately ruin her reputation as a human. Callie is so frightened of being exposed to the world as a true monster. Callie makes a past reference of how she had experienced monster before. Callie addresses that â€Å"she was not looking at it in her bathroom stall. † She has the affirmation that someone had already known her as a monster, but she was too afraid to agree. Now, however, Callie is reminded of her past, and sadly acquaints past and present to reach the conclusion the she is indeed a monster. Callie also refers to herself as a â€Å"lumbering, shaggy creature pausing at the edge of the woods, as a humped convolvulus rearing its dragon’s head from an icy lake. † Callie truly visualizes herself as an actual monster, a freak of nature that is shunned by the world and lives in absolute seclusion. In her eyes, she is a grotesque beast that cannot even stand to stare at herself out of humiliation and shame. Callie is absolutely alone and is surrounded by others who look at her with disgust and wide eyes. Eugenides utilizes tone in the story to help readers develop sympathy and pity towards Callie. All throughout the passage, the tone of the story is serious. Callie acknowledges that â€Å"her mother was crying in the next room, and the doctors were working on Callie’s disease in secret. † The statements convey that Callie’s parents are also disappointed and ashamed of what their daughter has become. Callie understands that her mother sheds tears thinking what she has done to deserve a defected daughter. Callie’s parents are so ashamed and overwhelmed that they took Callie to New York to try and heal in secret instead of in the open. Callie’s parents do not want others to see what has happened to her out of concern for their daughter’s social life as a normal individual. The thoughts and emotions expressed give readers pity towards Callie and her condition. Callie muses that â€Å"she longed to be held, caressed, which was impossible. † Callie wishes to be comforted and surrounded by others that loved and understood her. Unfortunately, Callie views herself so much like a monster rather than an individual that she is too far long to be comforted by anyone. Readers infer that Callie is a freak with no friends, family, or loved ones. Eugenides also uses personification to display how Callie views the inhumane objects around her as also excluding her from humanity and pushing her towards being a monster. Callie enunciates that â€Å"fear is stabbing me. † Callie feels horrible about her discovery of being a hermaphrodite; she actually visualizes fear around her. Callie feels frightened and vulnerable to the thought of others singling her out and chanting the monster. Callie cannot even comprehend what she feels, but can only implore she is engulfed by fear and incapable of accepting her secret getting out. This also expresses Callie’s extreme shame of being who she is, as well as how others will view her as a non –human. Callie comments on the chain within the dictionary as â€Å"speaking of poverty, mistrust, inequality, and decadence as she held onto it. † Callie establishes a connection between herself and the chain as both being bound to the worst parts of human lives. Callie strongly grasps the word monster in her hand, as if she is bound to it like the chain is. Callie cannot detach herself because deep in her heart, she understands that she is a monster, no matter how much she wishes not to be. As Callie leaves the Reading Room, Callie also cannot release the word monster from herself. Callie appeals that â€Å"the Webster’s dictionary kept calling after her, Monster, Monster! † Callie is so attached and strongly understands herself as a monster that she hears the word everywhere she goes. No matter where Callie goes, the word monster will always haunt and pursue her, always reminding her of what she is. Callie interprets the chants of inanimate objects calling her monster, and she cannot help but feel ashamed and humiliated to be reminded of what she is. Calliope, all throughout the passage, is a hermaphrodite and a monster. A world of normal individuals surrounds Callie and do not understand what she is. Eugenides uses literary devices, such as imagery, tone, and personification to express Callie’s shame and humiliation of being herself. To be alive is truly a blessing, but is being abnormal in the eyes of peers a curse? Everywhere, there are individuals who are terrified and alone, and sometimes, no one comes to help them. Regardless of who they are, or whether they may be different, everyone belongs. No one is a monster.

The reasons companies create and maintain accounting systems

The reasons companies create and maintain accounting systems Running a business successfully requires the business owner many skills. One of the necessary skills is the knowledge about the accounting system. The accounting always plays an important role in the financial management of business. Many different accounting aspects affect the business success, so the more the business owners acknowledge the accounting systems, the more chances they get to succeed. There is an old saying in business, you cannot manage what you cannot measure. Therefore, without the accounting system, the business owners cannot find out the most suitable way to run their businesses as successfully as they expect. Without the accounting system, the business owners cannot know the business is really making a profit or a loss. Also, they cannot predict cash flow shortages, and worst of all, they cannot accurately keep track of those slow paying customers. The accounting systems bring many benefits to the business management:: accurate reporting of business transactions, easy access to financial statements, up to date reports in accounting pay and fee, excellent management tool, and minimize problems with IRS and other tax authorities The basic structures of assets, liabilities, and stockholders equity Assets Assets are something valuable that an entity owns, benefits from, or has use of, in generating income; especially that which could be converted to cash. Assets are recorded in the balance sheet. From the accounting perspective, assets are divided into the following categories: current assets (cash, account receivable, and other liquid items), long-term assets (real estate, plant, equipment), prepaid and deferred assets (expenditures for future costs, such as insurance, rent, interest), and intangible assets (trademarks, patents, copyrights, goodwill). Liabilities Liabilities are obligations that legally bind an individual or company to settle a debt for the future payment of assets or the future performance of services that result from past transactions. Liabilities are recorded in the balance sheet. There are two perspectives of liabilities: Current liabilities: expected to be satisfied within one year or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer Long-term liabilities: due beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle. Stockholders equity Stockholders equity represents the claims by the owners of a business to the assets of the business. Stockholders equity is residual equity that remains after deducting liabilities from assets. Stockholders equity could be paid in capital, donated capital or retained earnings ( not yet paid out by the company). Relationships of assets, liabilities, stockholders equity Assets = Liabilities + Stockholders equity The above formula describes the relationships of three major parts of accounting. Total of liabilities and stockholders equity is assets. The four basic financial statements Income statement The income statement reports the success or failure of the companys operations for a period of time. Financial users are interested in net income because it provides useful information for predicting future net income. Investors buy and sell stock based on their beliefs about the companys future performance. Creditors also use income statement to predict future earnings. The net income equals to the revenues subtract the expenses: Net income = Revenues Expenses. In addition, amounts received from issuing stock are not revenues, and amounts paid out as dividends are not expenses. Retain earnings statement The retain earnings statement shows the amounts and causes of changes in retain earnings during the period. The time period is the same with the period of income statement. The first line in retain earnings statement is the beginning retain earnings amount, then the company adds net income and subtracts dividends to have the retain earnings at the end of period. Balance sheet The balance sheet reports assets and claims of assets (liabilities and stockholders equity). According to the basic accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Stockholders equity Assets must balance with the claims of assets. Statement of cash flows This statement provides the financial information about the cash receipt and cash payments of a business for a specific period of time. It reports the cash effects of a companys operating, investing, and financing activities to help financial users. The financial users are interested in the statement of cash flows because they want to know what is happening to a companys most important resources. The difference between net income and cash flow statements Many things that affect the cash flow of a business are not directly related to its income statement. For example, a company buys a new truck; the cash outlay affects the cash flow statement, but the truck is considered as an asset in the balance sheet. It will start to hit the income statement in small pieces when the company depreciates it. Moreover, the income statement is updated with any sales made or revenues earned as soon as the deal is done, and payments for such sales may be actually received much later. Therefore, though the income statement shows profits and the entrepreneur has made money, it is not yet available as cash flow and cannot be spent. Closing statement At the end of accounting period, the balances is temporary accounts are transferred to an income statement and retain earnings statement, thereby resetting the balance of the temporary accounts to zero to begin the next accounting period. Accountants close temporary accounts to permanent accounts because permanent accounts (assets, liabilities, and the owners capital account) always the starting balance in the subsequent accounting period. When an accountant closes an account, the account balance returns to zero. Starting with zero balances in the temporary accounts each year makes it easier to track revenues, expenses and to compare from one year to the next.

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Hero-elegaic :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf : Hero-elegaic Beowulf is one of the oldest existing poems in the English language. Originally written in Anglo-Saxon, it has been translated to give readers the opportunity to enjoy this colorful, heroic poem of England’s epic age. It has been declared as a heroic-elegaic poem because of the various characteristics it clearly possesses. An epic consists of a hero who is larger than life. Beowulf is unquestionably a perfect example of this hero because of the amazing acts of heroism he commits. Epic characters also give numerous speeches that revel something about the past or the speaker’s characteristics. Beowulf does not give many, but from those he gives, the reader leans about his character traits. The language of the epic style is an elevated, rather formal language. Similes, kennings, and many other literary techniques are used throughout the poem. Beowulf clearly contains many epic characteristics and the following essay will present the evidence needed to support this allegati on. Firstly, epic characters hold high position—kings, princes, noblemen, and members of the aristocracy—but the epic hero must be more than that. He must be able to perform outstanding deeds, be greater than the average character, and be of heroic proportions. Most of all, he must have super-human courage. The poet first describes Beowulf as "...greater/And stronger than anyone anywhere in this world" (Raffel 195-196), without informing us about what he did to acquire this reputation. The reader initially sees him through the awestruck eyes of the Danish soldier patrolling the cliffs. Beowulf's appearance--his size, his armor--obviously commands immediate respect and attention. When asked by the soldier to identify himself and give detail of his visit, he says he is not there to challenge Hrothgar’s power but to perform a task to the lord. He respects the legitimacy of Hrothgar’s kingship and has no intention of usurping the throne. He preforms in the same honorable manner when he refuses the kingship after Hygelac’s death. He accepts the crown only after Hygelac’s son is killed in battle. Beowulf’s super-human courage is shown when he went into battle with Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the dragon. He shows he is fearless when he says, â€Å"I’d use no sword, no weapon, if this beast/ Could be killed without it, crushed to death/Like Grendel†(Raffel 2518-2520) before he fights the dragon, which ultimately kills him. Epic characters generally deliver numerous speeches, all of which move the action forward, tell something about the past, or reveal the speakers character traits.

Athens: The Acropolis and the Agora Essay -- History Historical Papers

Athens: The Acropolis and the Ago Modern day Athens has managed to maintain an ancient landscape.? The Acropolis and the Agora are two major features of ancient Greece that have a home in this metropolitan city.? Both of these ancient sites preserve their power and mystery in a modern day world. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, an agora is an open space in ancient Greek cities that served as both a meeting place and as an area for various civic activities (?Agora?).? The Agora of ancient Athens was rebuilt after the Persian Wars (490-449 BC) in response to a lengthy period of wealth and peace in the city (ibid).? The area demonstrates an archaic type of agora architecture (ibid).? This means that the colonnades and other buildings do not appear to coordinate, thus, creating the general impression of disorder (ibid).? The Agora contains three main architectural areas:? the colonnades, the government buildings, and the sacred area.? These three parts of the Agora combine to form a space that functions for public, private, and religious interests.? These functions can best be described by looking at a map of the ancient Agora of Athens (Quick Tour, Agora).? Publicly, the Agora served as a meeting place, market place, and a center for public activity.? The Agora once contained lush trees and fabulous fountains for public enjoyment (?Agora?).? These aesthetic elements combined to create an area that functioned as a public park and meeting space (ibid).? Athenians could engage in discussion, meet friends, or take their children to play in this free public area (?Athens?).? At the same time, the Agora created a public market for the sale of goods (?Agora?).? Two long stoas, or colonnade halls, once provided an area f... ...ns greatest treasures.? These architectural areas have provided insight into the culture, religion, and government of ancient Athens.? The Agora has become a symbol of civic space, and has influenced how modern architects plan public areas.? It has also provided scholars with understanding of religious and cultural aspects of Greek life.? The Acropolis has served as symbol of the power of both Athens of religion in Greek life.? This structure has unlocked questions about art and architecture, and it continues to symbolize perfection.? Together, these ancient sites unlock the mysterious of ancient Athens.? Bibliography http://search.eb.com/ebi/article?eu=294421 http://search.eb.com/ebi/article?eu=4106. http://search.eb.com/ebi/article?eu=294750. http://www.lfc.edu/academics/greece/AcropTour.html. http://www.lfc.edu/academics/greece/AgoraTour.html.

Animal research is irrelevant to our understanding of human mental health

Animal research has played a major role in answering fundamental questions in many areas of psychology. The need for animal testing to enhance human health research has been made evident by the work of Charles Darwin on the evolutionary link between animals and humans. This essay will discuss whether animal research can improve our understanding of human mental health, more specifically mood disorders, and will consider both contributes and limitations of the application of animal models to study human disorders. The evolutionary stance postulates that emotions are a universal feature developed during an evolutionary process that lasted thousands of years. Research has shown that although humans public displays of emotions may vary depending on the social and cultural context, basic emotions such as joy and fear have a biological basis which is common to the whole human species. This same biological basis is found in non-humans animals, especially in mammals, as evidenced by the work of Charles Darwin (Darwin, 2009 [1872], cited in Datta, 2010), which highlighted the similarities between humans and animals in their expressions of emotions. Animal research have greatly contributed to our understanding of the brain structures involved in perceiving emotions; on this topic, Paul MacLean (1990, cited in Datta, 2010) proposed a ‘triune brain model' suggesting that the brain had evolved in a series of three layers, adding complexity in brain functioning, including perception of emotions. The most ancient layers in evolutionary terms, the reptilian brain (that controls the body's vital function in response to a specific stimulus) and the limbic brain (whose main function is to record memories of experiences associated with specific emotions, and to influence our behaviour in response to these memories), are found respectively in reptiles and mammals, while the last layer, termed ‘neocortex' (which underlies the brain's most complex functions, such as abstract thought and language), is a unique feature of the brain of humans and of its closest relatives, apes and monkeys. Given the biological affinity between humans and animals, it is unsurprising that animal research plays a major role in investigating the biological bases of behaviour in human mood disorders. During an experiment involving mice to test the efficacy of ADMs in treating depression and anxiety, Santarelli et al. (2003, cited in Datta, 2010) found that suppressing neurogenesis made ADMs ineffective, uncovering the crucial role of this process in the development of mood disorders. Another experiment conducted by Mitra and Sapolsky (2008, cited in Datta, 2010) on rats has shed light on the correlation between stress and anxiety. Mitra e Sapolsky induced chronic stress in rats by injecting them with corticosterone to investigate the physiological and behavioural effects that this condition would produce. They discovered that the very structure of their neurons had changed, with more dendrites sprouting in the amygdala area (whose hyperactivity has been find to be a common trait in mood disorders); moreover, rats who received corticosterone showed increased anxiety during their performance in mazes. Mitra and Sapolsky concluded that a short-term stressful experience was sufficient to shape the structure of the amygdala, and to cause long-term anxiety. Datta (2010a) suggests that these effects are similar (and therefore could be relevant) to PTSD symptoms in humans. Contribution of animal research is not limited to biological aspects of mood disorders. Two experiments conducted by Meaney and coll. (2001, cited in Datta, 2010) and by Nestler and coll. (Tsankova et al. 2006, cited in Datta, 2010) have helped to clarify the extent to which genetics influences the development of mood disorders. Meaney and his team at McGill University investigated the role of early life experiences on the development of mood disorders by comparing the stress response of rats whose mothers groomed and licked them more in their first days of life, with that of rats whose mothers were less caring, discovering that nurture can be as crucial as nature in defining behaviour in adulthood. In a second experiment conducted by the same authors, the pups of the anxious, less-caring mothers were placed with the more caring, less-anxious mother, and viceversa: results showed that, regardless of their genetic propensity to anxiety and stress, maternal care played a crucial role in shaping the pups' behaviour. The work of Nestler and coll. focused yet on another epigenetic factor that affects the development of depression; researchers induced helplessness, a state similar to depression, in a group of mice, which as a consequence showed socially avoidant behaviour and lower levels of BDFN. Both effects were, however, reversible with ADMs treatment. In addition, other researchers conducted on rhesus monkeys have linked the role of social hierarchies to the development of stress, which can be relevant in understanding the pressure of modern societies on individuals (Datta, 2010b). As well as defining which factors are involved in the development of human mood disorders, animal research has greatly contributed to the development of effective pharmacological treatments (the efficacy and tolerability of ADMs on human organism are indeed assessed with experiments on animals) and behavioural therapies based on the findings of classic experiments from B. F. Skinner and other influential psychologists, which were carried out on animals. We have considered how animal research have contributed to scientific understanding of mood disorders, but these observations should be juxtaposed with a brief reflection on its limits in terms of applications of animal models to humans. First, while humans and animals share a biological affinity, it seems hazardous to many to blindly apply the findings obtained from experiments on rats, pigeons or other lab animals on human patients; humans are indeed extremely complex animals, whose behavior is influenced by many biological, psychological and social factors. A second limit concerns the difficulty in obtaining a direct account from the animal of his cognitive and emotional experience. Despite these considerations, animal research is still an essential methodological tool for modern psychological research. Much of the scientific progress in understanding mood disorders was obtained from experiments on animals that for various reasons (economic, methodological, ethical) could not have been substituted by alternative research methods such as human experimentation or computer models. Until researchers will find alternative means to investigate human brain and behaviour, it seems that, for the mentioned reasons, animal research will remain an essential part of psychological research.

Gough Whitlam Policies

GOUGH WHITLAM POLICIES Social Justice and equality is the meaning of all humans in society have the same and equal rights regardless of their gender, race or religion etc. it works on the universal principles that support people through the advantages and disadvantages within the society. The commitment of the Gough Whitlam government was based on social justice and equality and supported areas in the society such as, education, migrants and health reforms. Whitlam and the government changed these laws and others with debates, conventions and policies.PARAGRAPH 2: EDUCATION REFORM- Before the Education reform there was increased University fees, that was unaffordable for most Australians. Until the Whitlam Labour Government abolished the Uni fees and introduced tertiary education assist to help support students with fee costs which then lead to increase educational opportunities for all Australians. PARAGRAPH 3: MIGRANT REFORM- Policies related to migration went from Assimilation to Integration and now to multiculturalism.The Racial Discrimination Act 1975 banned all forms of discrimination on the basis of colour, race or ethnic origin. The Discrimination Act aided to the development of multiculturalism and tried to prevent division within society. The Whitlam government policy tries to promote the benefits of multicultural Australia and encourage people from non-English speaking backgrounds to become part of the community. PARAGRAPH 4: HEALTH REFORM- In 1973 a compulsory national health insurance scheme was introduced by the Whitlam Labour Government called Medibank.The purpose of Medibank was to help provide many benefits to Australians and their families regardless of wealth. It gradually involved to a free medical service, which means providing health insurance coverage for all Australians leading to increased spending on health. CONCLUSION: The Gough Whitlam Labour Government reforms, education, health, migrant and etc have received a number of good and ba d outcomes leading towards created policies for all Australians in society to have the same and equal rights.

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 34~36

34 Water Hazard Jefferson Pardee was trying desperately not to look like a sea turtle. He'd managed to find the surface, catch his breath, and put his mask on. Blood from his nose was now swishing around inside it like brandy in a snifter. After locating the floating garbage bag that contained his clothes and propping it under his chest as a life preserver, his main focus was not to look like a turtle. To a shark living in the warm Pacific waters off Alualu, sea turtles were food. Not that there was any real danger of a shark making that particular mistake. Even a mentally challenged shark would figure out that sea turtles did not wear boxer shorts printed in flying piggies, and no turtles did not wear boxer shorts printed in flying piggies, and no turtle would be yattering streams of obscenities between chain-smoker gasps of breath. Still, a couple of harmless white-tipped reef sharks smelled blood in the water and cruised by to check out the source, only to retreat, regret-ting that in one hundred and twenty million years on the planet they had never evolved the equipment to laugh. The surf was calm and the tide low, and considering Pardee's buoyancy, the swim should have been easy. But when Pardee saw the two black shadows cruise by below him, his heart started playing a sternum-rattling drum solo that kept up until he barked his knees on the reef. An antler of coral caught the plastic bag, stopping Pardee's progress long enough for him to notice that here on the reef the water was only two feet deep. He flipped over on his back, then sat on the coral, not really caring that it was cutting into his bottom. Waves lapped around him as he fought to catch his breath. He lifted his mask and let the blood run down his face and over his chest to expand into a rusty stain in the water. Tiny blue and yellow reef fish rose around him looking for food and nipping at his skin, tickling him like teasing children. He looked toward the beach, perhaps two hundred yards away. Inside the reef the danger of sharks was minimal – minimal enough that he would sit here and rest for a while. He watched the waves breaking softly around him, lapping against his back, and realized, with horror, that he was going to have to do this again in a few hours, against the waves and probably the tide. He'd have to find someone with a boat; that was all there was to it. Ten minutes passed before his heart slowed down and he was able to steel his courage enough to swim the final leg. He picked out a stand of coconut palms above a small beach and slid across the reef toward the is-land. He kicked slowly, scanning the water around him for any sign of sharks. Except for a moment of temporary terror when a manta ray with a seven-foot wingspan flew out of the blue and passed below him, the swim to the beach was safe and easy. If manta rays are going to be harmless, they should look more harmless, Pardee thought. Fuckers look like aquatic Draculas. He sat in the wash at the water's edge and was tearing the tape that held the fins on his feet when he heard a sharp mechanical click behind him. He turned to see two men in black pointing Uzis at his head. Pardee grinned. â€Å"Konichi-wa,† he said. â€Å"You guys have a dry cigarette? I seem to have torn my garbage bag.† A seven iron, Tuck, thought. After all these years I need a seven iron. Tucker Case did not play golf. He'd tried it once, and although he'd en-joyed the drinking and driving the little electric car into the lake, he just didn't get the appeal. It seemed – and he'd examined the game closely be-cause his father had loved it – an awful lot like a bunch of rich white guys in goofy clothing walking around on an absurdly large lawn hitting ab-surdly small white balls with crooked sticks. If the greens were at opposite ends of the same fairway and foursomes had to play against each other, defending their own green while assaulting the opponents' and risking getting hit with a ball or a club at close quarters, well, then you'd have a game. If the game was scored on how quickly one got through the eighteen holes instead of the fewest strokes and they dropped small-block Chevys into the little carts, why, then you'd have yourself a game. (Maybe put those little Ben-Hur food processors on the wheels and make it legal to hamstring competitors.) But traditional golf, as it was, had always left Tuck cold. Strange, then, that he absolutely yearned for a seven iron, or maybe a shotgun. Tuck had been up since before dawn, awakened rudely and kept awake by what seemed like eight million roosters. It was now ten o'clock and they were still going strong. What joy to feel the thwack of a seven iron on red feathers, the satisfying impact of balanced metal on poultry (suddenly si-lenced and somewhat tenderized for your trouble). He saw himself wading into a bucket of roosters, swinging his seven iron madly (but always keeping his head down and his left arm straight), dealing death and de-struction like the Colonel's own avenging angel. Welcome to Tucker Case's chicken death camp, my little feathered friends. Now, kindly prepare to have your nuggets knocked off. Tucker Case was not a morning person. He decided that he'd give them five more minutes to shut up, then he was going to get dressed and go borrow a seven iron from the doc. Five minutes later he was preparing to leave when Beth Curtis knocked and opened his door without waiting for an answer. She was wearing disposable surgical blues and a hairnet; she wore no makeup and the vapid housewife smile was gone from her eyes. â€Å"Mr. Case, we need you to be ready to fly in two hours. Can you do it?† â€Å"Uh, sure. I guess. Where are we going?† â€Å"Japan. The navigational settings should already be programmed into the plane's computer. I need you to have your preflight finished and the Lear fueled and on the runway, ready to go.† Tucker felt as if he was talking to a different person than the one he had seen for the last week. There was no hint of the soft femininity, just hard business. â€Å"I haven't had time to go over the controls for the Lear.† â€Å"You took the job, didn't you? Can you fly it?† Tuck nodded. â€Å"Then be ready in two hours.† She turned and marched toward the hospital building. Tuck started to follow her, then noticed movement through the trees, down by the beach: men unloading fuel drums from a longboat onto the pier. He could see a white freighter anchored outside the reef. â€Å"Mrs. Curtis!† he called. She turned and regarded him like an annoying insect. â€Å"Yes, Mr. Case.† â€Å"That ship. You didn't tell me there was a ship.† â€Å"It doesn't concern you. They are simply delivering some supplies. Now please, prepare the plane.† â€Å"But if they're delivering supplies, why do we need to†¦?† â€Å"Mr. Case,† she barked, â€Å"do your job. The doctor needs me.† She threw open the hospital door and stepped inside. â€Å"Ask him if I can borrow his seven iron,† Tuck said weakly. Tuck shuffled back toward his bungalow. Just a few seconds in the sun had given him a headache and he felt as if he would pass out any second. He was going to fly again. He was sick and dizzy and suffered from talking bat hallucinations and he was going to get to do the only thing he had ever been any good at. It scared the hell out of him. It had been fifty years since men with guns had entered the village of the Shark People. As the four guards went from house to house, Malink walked the paths of the village, his cordless phone in hand so the people could see that he had things under control. He'd been calling the Sorcerer since the four Japanese had arrived in the village, but he'd only gotten the answering machine. He had told everyone to go inside their houses and not to resist the guards, and even now the village seem deserted, except for the sobs of a few frightened children. He could hear the guards kicking their way through the coconut husks that had been piled in the cookhouses for fuel. Suddenly Favo was at his side. Favo, who had seen the coming of the Japanese during the war, had seen the killing. â€Å"Why does Vincent allow this?† Malink really didn't have an answer. He had lit the Zippo and asked Vincent that very morning. â€Å"It is the will of the Sorcerer, so it must be the will of Vincent. They want the girl-man.† â€Å"We should fight,† Favo said. â€Å"We should kill the guards.† â€Å"Spears against machine guns, Favo? Should the children grow up without fathers like we did? No, they will find the girl-man and they will go away.† â€Å"The girl-man has gone to live with Sarapul. Did you tell them?† â€Å"I told them. I took the Sorcerer there.† The guards came out of the old church and crunched in single file down the path toward Favo and Malink. The old men stood their ground, making the guards walk into a stand of ferns to get around them. They made no eye contact and said nothing. Favo hurled a curse at them, but it had been too long since he had spoken Japanese and it was not a language suited for swearing. He ended up telling them that their truck tires smelled of sardines, which elicited no response whatsoever. â€Å"Excellent curse,† Malink said, trying to raise his friend's spirits. â€Å"It needs work. English is the best for swearing.† â€Å"They have machine guns, Favo.† â€Å"Fuckin' mooks,† Favo said. â€Å"Amen,† Malink said, crossing himself in the sign of the B-26 bomber. The two old men fell in behind the guards, following them from house to house, waiting outside on the path so the villagers could see them when they were roused out of their houses. For the guards' part, it was a wholly unsatisfying endeavor. They had been looking forward to kicking in some doors, only to find that the Shark People had no doors. There were no beds to throw over, no back rooms to burst into, no closets, no place, in fact, where a man could hide and not be exposed by the most perfunctory inspection. And the doctor had told them that no one was to be hurt. They did not want to make a mistake. For all the appearance of military efficiency, they were screwups to a man. One, a former security guard at a nuclear power plant, had been fired for taking drugs; two were brothers who had been dismissed from the Tokyo police department for accepting Yakuza bribes; the fourth, from Okinawa, had been a jujitsu instructor who had beaten a German tourist to death in a bar over a gross miscarriage of karaoke. The man who had recruited them, put them in the black uniforms, and trained them made it clear that this was their last chance. They had two choices: succee d and become rich or die. They took their jobs very seriously. â€Å"He might be in the trees,† Favo said in Japanese. â€Å"Look in the trees!† The guards scanned the trees as they marched, which caused them to bump into each other and stumble. Above them there was a fluttering of wings. A glout of bat guano splatted across the Okinawan's forehead. He threw the bolt on his Uzi and the air was filled with the staccato roar of nine millimeters ripping through the foliage. When at last the clip was empty, palm fronds settled to the ground around them. Frightened children screamed in their mothers' arms, and Favo, who was lying next to his friend with his arms thrown over his head, snickered like an asthmatic hyena. The guards scuffled for a moment, not sure whether to disarm their companion or shove their clips home and begin the massacre. Above the crying, the scuffle, the snickering, and the tintinnabulation of residual gunfire, a girl giggled. The guards looked up. Sepie stood in the doorway of the bachelors' house, naked but for a pair of panties she'd recently ac-quired from a transvestite navigator. â€Å"Hey, sailors,† she said, trying out a phrase she'd also acquired from Kimi, â€Å"you want a date?† The guards didn't understand the words, but they got the message. â€Å"Go inside, girl,† Malink scolded. Women, even the mispel, were not permitted to show their thighs in public. Not even when swimming, not when bathing, not when crapping on the beach, not ever. â€Å"Go back inside,† Favo said. â€Å"When they go away, you will be beaten.† â€Å"I have been beaten before,† Sepie said. â€Å"Now I will be rich.† â€Å"Tell her,† Favo said to Malink. Malink shrugged. His authority as chief worked only as long as his people willingly obeyed him. The key to retaining their respect was to find out what they wanted to do, then tell them to do it. He levied the most severe punishment he knew. â€Å"Sepie, you may not touch the sea for ten days.† She turned and wiggled her bottom at him, then disappeared into the bachelors' house. The stunned guards ceased their scuffle and moved tentatively toward the doorway, looking to each other for permission. â€Å"This is your fault,† Malink said to Favo. â€Å"You shouldn't have started giving her things.† â€Å"I didn't give her things,† Favo said. â€Å"You gave her things for† – and here Malink paused, trying to catch himself before losing a friend – â€Å"for doing favors for you.† 35 Free Press, My Ass Jefferson Pardee sat on a metal office chair in the corner of a windowless cinder-block room. The guard stood by the metal door, his machine gun trained on Pardee's hairy chest. The reporter was trying to affect an attitude of innocence tempered with a little righteous indignation, but, in fact, he was terrified. He could feel his heartbeat climbing into his throat and sweat rolled down his back in icy streams. He'd given up on trying to talk to the guards; they either didn't speak English or were pretending they didn't. He heard the throw of the heavy bolt on the door and expected the other guard to return, but instead a woman wearing surgical garb entered the room. Her eyes were the same color as the surgical blues and even in the oppressive heat she looked chilly. â€Å"At last,† Pardee said. â€Å"There's been some kind of mistake here.† He offered his hand, trying not to show how unsteady he was, and the guard threatened him with the Uzi. â€Å"I'm Jefferson Pardee from the Truk Star.† She nodded to the guard and he left the room. Her voice was friendly, but she wasn't smiling. â€Å"I'm Beth Curtis. My husband runs the mission clinic on this island.† She didn't offer her hand. â€Å"I'm sorry you've been treated this way, Mr. Pardee, but this island is under quarantine. We've tried to limit the contact with the outside until we have a better handle on this epidemic.† â€Å"What epidemic? I haven't heard anything about this?† â€Å"Encephalitis. It's a rare strain, airborne and very contagious. We don't let anyone off island who's been exposed.† Jefferson Pardee exhaled a deep sigh of relief. So this was the big story. Of course he'd promise not to say a word, but Time magazine would kill for this. He'd leave out the part about being taken prisoner in his flying piggy boxers. â€Å"And the guards?† â€Å"World Health Organization. They've also given us an aircraft and lab equipment, as I'm sure you've seen.† He'd seen an awful lot of lab equipment as he was led through the little hospital, but the aircraft was still a rumor. He decided to go for the facts. â€Å"You have a new Learjet, is that correct?† â€Å"Yes.† She seemed genuinely taken aback by his comment. â€Å"How did you know?† â€Å"I have my sources,† Pardee said, wishing he wore glasses so he could take them off in a meaningful way. â€Å"I'm sure you do. Information is like a virus sometimes, and the only way to find a cure is to trace it to the source. Who told you about the jet?† Pardee wasn't giving anything for free. â€Å"How long have you known about the encephalitis?† For the first time Pardee noticed that Beth Curtis had been holding her right hand behind her back the entire time they had been talking. He noticed because when the hand appeared, it was holding a syringe. â€Å"Mr. Pardee, this syringe contains a vaccine that my husband and I have developed with the help of the World Health Organization. Because you took it on yourself to sneak onto Alualu, you have exposed yourself to a deadly virus that at-tacks the nervous system. The vaccine seems to work even after exposure to the disease, but only if administered in the first few hours. I want to give you this vaccine, I really do. But if you insist on drawing out this little game of liar's poker, then I can't guarantee that you won't contract the disease and die a horrible and painful death. So, that said, who told you about the jet?† Pardee felt the sweat rising again. She hadn't raised her voice, there wasn't even a detectable note of anger there, but he felt as if she was holding a knife to his throat. Okay, to hell with the adventurous journalist. He could still get a byline based on what she'd already told him. â€Å"I talked to a pilot who passed through Truk a few months ago.† â€Å"A few months ago? Not more recently?† â€Å"No. He said he was going to fly a jet for some missionaries on Alualu. I came out to check it out.† â€Å"And that was all you heard? Just that we had a jet?† â€Å"Yes, it's pretty unusual for a missionary clinic to have money for a jet, wouldn't you say?† She smiled. â€Å"I guess it is. So how did you plan to get off the island after you got your story?† â€Å"The Micro Spirit was going to pick me up on the other side of the island. That's it. I was just curious. It's an occupational hazard.† â€Å"Who knows you're here, besides the crew of the Spirit?† Pardee considered her question; what would be the best answer. Surely she wouldn't let him die of some dreaded disease, but how stupid would he have been to come out here without telling anyone? â€Å"The people who work for me at the Star and a friend of mine at AP who I called for some background before I left.† â€Å"Oh, that's good,† she said, still smiling. Pardee couldn't help but feel pleased with himself. It had been a long time since he'd gotten any approval – or attention for that matter – from a beautiful woman. She uncapped the syringe. â€Å"Now, before I give you the vaccine, a few medical questions, okay?† â€Å"Sure. Shoot.† â€Å"You smoke and drink to excess, correct?† â€Å"I indulge from time to time. Another occupational hazard.† â€Å"I see,† she said. â€Å"And have you ever had a test for HIV?† â€Å"A month ago. Clean as a whistle.† This was true. He'd been motivated to take the test by a creepy rash on his stomach that turned out to be caused by skin-burrowing mites. The medic with the Navy CAT team had given him an ointment that cleared it up in a few days. â€Å"Have you ever had hepatitis, cancer, or kidney disease?† â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"How about your family? Anyone with a history of kidney disease or cancer?† â€Å"Not last time I heard. I haven't talked with my family in twenty-five years.† She seemed especially pleased at that. â€Å"And you're not married? No children?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Very good,† she said. She plunged the needle into his shoulder and pushed the plunger. â€Å"Ouch. Hey, you could have warned me. Aren't you supposed to swab that with alcohol first or something?† She stepped to the door and smiled again. â€Å"I don't think infec tion is going to be a problem, Mr. Pardee. Now don't panic, but in a minute or so you are going to go to sleep. I can't believe you bought that bit about the encephalitis. People get stupid living in the tropics, don't you think?† She went out of focus and the lines of the room started to heave as if the entire structure was breathing. â€Å"What was in†¦?† His tongue was too heavy; the words wouldn't come. â€Å"You don't have a staff and you didn't call anyone at AP, Mr. Pardee. That was a stupid lie. We'll have to put ‘self-importance' down under cause of death.† Pardee tried to stand, but his legs wouldn't obey him. He slid off the chair and his legs splayed straight out in front of him. Beth Curtis bent over him, pushed her lips into a pout, and baby-talked. â€Å"Oh, are his wittle wegs all wobbly?† She stood up straight and put her hands on her hips. To Pardee her face floated like the moon through clouds. She said, â€Å"You're probably thinking that I'm being unusually cruel to tease a dying man, but you see, you're not dying right now. Soon, but not right now.† Pardee tried to form a question, but the room seemed to go liquid and crash over him like a black wave. Sebastian Curtis walked down the dock to where the crew of the Micro Spirit was unloading fuel drums from a longboat. He was wearing his white lab coat over Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, a stethoscope hung from his neck like a medallion of power. The Micro Spirit's first mate, who was drinking a Coke while supervising the unloading, jumped up on the dock to meet the doctor. â€Å"Good morning.† â€Å"Good morning,† Curtis said. â€Å"Are you in charge here?† â€Å"I'm the first mate.† Curtis regarded the tattooed Tongan. â€Å"Mr. Pardee will be staying with us for a while. He's asked me to tell you not to wait for him.† â€Å"That don't bother you?† the mate asked. It seemed strange to him after the effort Pardee had made to sneak onto the island. â€Å"No, of course not. In fact, we've offered to fly Mr. Pardee to Hawaii when he finishes his work.† The mate had never heard Pardee's name in the same sentence as the word â€Å"work.† It didn't sound right. Still, he had his job to do and the doctor was paying double freight for these barrels. He said, â€Å"Is he going to pay his fare?† Curtis smiled and pulled a wad of bills out of the pocket of his shorts. â€Å"Of course. He asked me to give you the money. How much is it?† â€Å"From Truk, one way, is three hundred.† The doctor counted out a stack of twenties and held it out to the mate. â€Å"Here's six hundred. Mr. Pardee asked me to pay the round-trip fare, since that's what he originally contracted for.† The mate stared at the stack of bills. He had known Jefferson Pardee for ten years and had never even known the man to buy a beer; now he was just giving him three hundred extra dollars? Three hundred dollars that the company and the captain didn't know about. â€Å"Okay,† he said. He snatched the money out of the doctor's hand and shoved it into his pocket before the crew could see. He would get the whole crew drunk and they would toast the generosity of Jefferson Pardee. 36 Return to the Sky The Lear 45 was a working corporate issue, the seats upholstered in muted blues and grays, facing each other over small worktables. For some reason Tucker had expected something more unusual: bright carnival colors with a monkey in a flight attendant outfit perhaps; a stark metal interior stripped for cargo; maybe stainless steel over enamel with a lot of complicated medical gizmos. Nope, this was the standard, run-of-the-mill station wagon model of your basic four-million-dollar jet. He slid into the pilot's seat and a rage of adrenaline coursed through him, as if his body was reliving the crash of the pink Gulfstream. He fought the urge to bolt, let the adrenaline jag settle to a low-grade nausea, then started his preflight checklist. Everything looked normal; the instruments and controls were in place. He snapped on the power for the gauges and nothing happened: no lights, no LEDs, nothing. He felt the plane move as someone came up the retractable steps and suddenly one of the guards reached around him and inserted a cylindrical key into a socket on the instrument board. The guard turned the key several times and the cockpit whirred to life. â€Å"This thing has a main power cutoff?† Tuck said to the guard. The guard removed the key and walked off the plane without saying a word. â€Å"Nice chatting with you,† Tuck said. He'd never seen a plane with an ignition key and he was sure that this one was not factory-issue. Why? Who would steal a jet airplane? Who could? I could, that's who. The doctor had installed the key to keep him from re peating his performance in Seattle. The missionary bastard didn't trust him. Tuck checked the navigation computer. It was, as Beth Curtis had told him, set for an airfield in southern Japan. He watched as the LEDs on the nav computer came on, indicating that it was acquiring the satellites it needed to locate his position. When three were lit, his longitude and latitude flashed on the screen; when a fourth satellite was acquired, he had his current altitude: eight feet above sea level. He thought of Kimi navigating by the stars and felt a twinge of guilt for not trying harder to find him. He resolved to look for the navigator personally when he got back to Alualu. He ran through the checklist and threw the autostart switches for the engines. As the twin jets spooled up, Tuck felt his anxiety float away like an exorcised ghost. This is where he was supposed to be. This is what he did. For the first time in weeks he felt like his head was clear. He pushed the controls through their full range of motion and checked out the window to make sure that the flaps and ailerons were moving as well. Beth Curtis was coming across the compound toward the plane. At least he thought it was Beth Curtis. She wore a sharp, dark business suit with nylons and high heels. Her hair was pulled back into a severe bun and she wore wire-frame aviator sunglasses. She carried a small plastic cooler in one hand and an aluminum briefcase in the other. She looked like one of Mary Jean's corporate killer attorneys. Her third identity in as many days. She walked into the plane and the guard pushed the hatch shut behind her. She stashed the cooler and briefcase in the overhead, then climbed into the cockpit and strapped herself in the copilot's seat. â€Å"Any problems?† she said. â€Å"You look nice today, Mrs. Curtis.† â€Å"Thank you, Mr. Case. Are we ready?† â€Å"Tuck. You can call me Tuck. I need you to look out the window and tell me if the flaps and ailerons move when I move the controls.† â€Å"They look fine. Shall we go?† Tuck released the ground brakes and taxied out onto the runway. â€Å"I need to pick up some sunglasses while we're in Japan.† â€Å"I'll get you some. You won't be leaving the plane.† â€Å"I won't?† â€Å"We'll only be on the ground for a few minutes, then we'll be coming back.† â€Å"Look, Mrs. Curtis, I know you think that because of the circumstances that brought me here that I'm a total fuckup, but I am really good at what I do. You don't have to treat me like a child.† She looked at him and took off her sunglasses. Tuck wished he had sunglasses so he could whip them off like that. She said, â€Å"Mr. Case, I'm putting my life in your hands right now. How much more confidence would you like?† Tuck didn't really know how to answer. â€Å"I guess you're right. Sorry. You could be a little less mysterious about what's going on here. I know that we're not flying supplies, not with this plane and the kind of money you're paying me.† â€Å"If you really want to know, I can tell you. But if I tell you, I'll have to kill you.† Tuck looked from the instruments to catch her expression. She was grinning, a deep silly grin that crinkled the corners of her eyes. He looked at the instruments. â€Å"I'm going to take off now. Okay?† â€Å"And I haven't even shown you the best way to fight boredom on our little island.† Tuck concentrated on the gauges and the runway. He said, â€Å"What church do you and your husband work for?† â€Å"Methodist.† â€Å"You'll have to tell me about it.† â€Å"What's there to tell? Methodists rock!† she said, then she giggled like a little girl as Tuck pulled the plane into the sky. Malink joined the drinking circle late, hoping that everyone would be drunk enough to forget what had gone on that day. He'd spent most of the after-noon at Favo's house, afraid even to face his wife and daughters, but when the sun was well boiled in the sea, he knew he had to join the other men or face the consequences of tuba-poisoned theories and rumors aspiring to truth. He sneaked into an open spot in the circle and sat on the sand, even though several younger men moved so he could sit on a log with his back to the tree. He threw an open pack of Benson & Hedges into the center of the circle and Favo divided up the smokes among the men. Some lit up, others broke them into sections to chew with betel nut, and a few tucked them behind their ears for later. The distraction was short-lived and one of the Johns, an elder, said, â€Å"So why did Vincent send the Japanese into our houses?† Malink waved him off as he drank from the coconut shell cup and made a great show of enjoying his first drink before handing the cup to Abo, who was pouring. Then he stalled another few seconds by lighting a Benson & Hedges with the Zippo, making sure everyone saw it and remembered, then after a long drag he said, â€Å"I'm fucked if I know.† He said this in English – English being the best language for swearing. â€Å"It is not good,† said John. â€Å"They came to the bachelors' house,† said Abo, who, as usual, was angry. â€Å"They looked at our mispel's thighs.† â€Å"We should kill them,† said one of the younger men who had been named for Vincent. â€Å"And eat them!† someone added – and it was as if the air had been pulled on the circle before it could inflate to well-rounded violent mob. Everyone turned to see Sarapul walking out of the shadows. For once, Malink was glad to see him. The old cannibal seemed to have a spring in his step, seemed younger, stronger. â€Å"I need an ax,† Sarapul said. The men who owned axes all stared into the sand or examined their fingernails. â€Å"What for?† Malink asked. â€Å"I can't tell you. It's a secret.† â€Å"You're not going to start headhunting, are you?† Malink said. â€Å"We've put up with your talk of eating people, but I draw the line at headhunting. No headhunting while I'm chief.† Everybody grunted in agreement and Malink was glad to have been able to assert his authority in a way that no one could dispute. An anthropologist had once come to the island and given him a book about headhunters. Malink felt very cosmopolitan discussing the topic. Sarapul looked confused. He'd never read the headhunting book, had never read any book, but he did have a Classic Comics version of The Count of Monte Cristo, which a sailor had given him in the days before the Shark People were forbidden to meet visiting ships. He'd made Kimi read it to him every night. Sarapul liked the thread of revenge and murder that ran through the story. Sarapul said, â€Å"What is this headhunting? I just want to cut a tree.† â€Å"Cutting trees is taboo,† said one of the younger men. â€Å"I will get special dispensation,† Sarapul said, using a term he had learned from Father Rodriquez. Malink shook his head. â€Å"We don't have that anymore. We only had that when we were Catholics.† â€Å"I need an ax,† Sarapul said, as if he might do better if he started over. â€Å"And I need permission from the great Chief Malink to cut a tree.† Malink scratched a mosquito bite and looked at his feet. It was true that he could give permission to break a taboo, and Sarapul had distracted the circle before they ganged up on him. â€Å"You may cut one tree, on your side of the island, and you must show it to me before you cut it. Now, who has an ax?† Everyone knew who owned axes, but nobody volunteered. Malink chose one of the young Vincents. â€Å"You, go get your ax.† Then to Sarapul he said: â€Å"Why do you need to cut a tree?† Sarapul considered holding out, but decided that a credible lie would be better. â€Å"My house is falling down from the girl-man climbing in the rafters.† It was the wrong answer to give in front of a group of men whose houses had been rifled only hours ago. Malink cradled his head in his hands. The toughest part of the landing for Tuck was restraining himself from leaping out of the seat and demanding high-fives from the woman. It was perfect. He was back. Never mind the ghosts, the talking bats, the three-hour flight with a woman who could have been the model for the new Multiple Personality Barbie. She's elegant, she's fashionable, and she's the reason that Ken has no genitals! Have fun, but remember to hide the sharp stuff! Never mind all that. He was a pilot. They were somewhere in southern Japan, a small jetport, probably private, with no tower and only a few hangars. Tuck had gotten them there by following the nav computer, which, he found in midflight, had only two coordinates programmed into it: Alualu and this airfield. â€Å"What happens if we have a problem and have to divert?† he asked Beth. â€Å"Don't worry about it,† she said. She had spent most of the flight grilling him about the navigational instruments, as if she wanted to know enough to be able to check the course herself. He complied, feeling insulted by the whole conversation. Another Lear was spooling up on the tarmac and Beth Curtis instructed him to taxi to it. As the jet bumped to a stop and he prepared to shut down, she pulled her briefcase and cooler out of the overhead and turned to him. â€Å"Stay here. We'll take off in a few minutes.† â€Å"What about loading supplies?† â€Å"Mr. Case, please just prepare the plane for departure. I won't be long.† Two men in blue coveralls crossed the tarmac from the other jet and lowered the hatch for her. Tuck watched out the window as she met a third Japanese man in a white lab coat. She handed him the cooler and a folder from the briefcase, then traded bows with him and quickstepped back to the Lear. One of the men in blue coveralls followed her into the plane with a cardboard box, which he strapped into one of the passenger seats. â€Å"Domo,† Beth Curtis said. He bowed quickly, left the plane, and sealed the hatch. She stashed the briefcase in the overhead again climbed into the copilot's seat. â€Å"Let's go.† â€Å"That's it?† â€Å"That's it. Let's go.† â€Å"We should top off the fuel tanks while we're here.† â€Å"I understand why you might be a little nervous about that, Mr. Case, but we have plenty of fuel to make it back.† â€Å"One box. That's all we're picking up?† â€Å"One box.† â€Å"What's in it?† â€Å"It's a case of '78 Bordeaux. Sebastian loves it. Let's go.† â€Å"But I have to use the bathroom. I thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hold it,† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"Bitch.† â€Å"Exactly. Now don't you need to do your checklist thingy?†