Tremaine Neverson

â€Å"Success can be a dangerous drug. It definitely changes people and it can take you to another world if you allow it to. † These are famous words form popular singer, songwriter and activist Tremaine Aldon Neverson. Born November 28, 1984, Tremaine is also known as Trey Songz. Searching for himself, he gained a love for music and began singing at the age 14. At the age of 15, he met a producer by the name of Troy Taylor, whom started his skyrocketing success as a singer. In 2003, he released his first album, and then began writing music for other artists.He has five different albums in which he considers to take his fans on five different journeys of his life. From BET to Grammy awards, Trey Songz is more than just an artist. He has used his gift of music as the launching pad to various philanthropic and entrepreneurial endeavors such as the â€Å"Angels with Heart Foundation† and the â€Å"Songz for Peace Foundation. † Through his â€Å"Angels with Heart Fo undation,† Trey encourages to give back and to have a positive impact in their community through community service with local charities and random acts of kindness. Through his â€Å"Songz for Peace Foundation† he aims to curb the violence in youth.I admire Trey’s dedication to music. It is something he loves and he always pleases his fans. He is also promoting positive messages through each of his foundations. As an artist, he’s only obligated to deliver music and videos to his fans, but he does so much more for us. I am all for community service and giving back to the community, so just for that I admire him. To find someone who satisfies your taste in music and your taste in activism means a lot to me as a fan and a young adult. In closing, I would like to dedicate this special tribute to Tremaine Neverson on this very special day, Happy Birthday Trey!

Determinants of Health Inequity and Significance to Public Health

The move to promote social justice extends that of public health service in what we now deem as eradicating ‘health inequity. ’Contemporary public health has now evolved such that the scope not only covers merely that of sanitation, diet regulation, disease treatment and quarantine/control but also, on the deeper scope, finding roots of the socioeconomic problems associated with morbidity, mortality and the likes and eliminating or targetshooting the cause. Such resolution would necessitate finding out the fundamental causes of the differential health determinants along the scope of social gradient. Cohort studies on mortality and ‘deprivation’ used to analyze the relation on conditions between populations with different socioeconomic statuses and Chalmers and Capewell (2001) reveals that deprived people die from the same conditions as affluent people but earlier in terms of years or lifespan. But is deprivation merely a way of reducing the elements of health inequity? Scott (2005) illustrated the â€Å"layman† analysis on health inequity in the US. As a first world country, the economic state is considerably well-off compared to other states but there exists disparities in health care which is embedded both in the concurrent social system and the economic and health care policies. Scott exemplified the ‘disparities’ using three persons from different social strata with heart disease. It is not known if the ‘personas’ used by Scott were ‘real’ or ‘factual’ but the personas—John Miele (upper class Manhattan architect), Will Wilson (middle class office worker), and Ewa Rycnzac (lower class housekeeper) —do illustrate a window of social ladder and take us deeper into retrospective of the degree of health care accession and social approach these ‘personas’ are receiving. Classes predetermine the fate of health of the members of the state. The differences between accessions of health care are blatant; upper class John would have more chances of being healthy or, on the least, more liable to have the best of health care compared to Wilson and Ewa. Several elements are directly associated with the role of class in the health circumstances, ‘heart attack’, of the three personas: (a) location and accession to the best and afforded health service available; (2) education and income associated to health care accession; and (3) stress based on job types and control(4) social and networking and support of families and relatives. The ‘advantageous’ state is directly related to health outcomes and probability of survival. Herein, the high socioeconomic status enjoyed by Wilson gives him the capacity to act on his disability. In retrospect, there would be depreciation of ‘capacity’ or ‘advantage’ as the individual climbs below the social ladder. We note here that socioeconomic status and social gradient denotes ‘relativity’ (Lynch 2000) in health equity. Thus, we can say that there is an empirical element in this particular social injustice. Scott (2005) merely enunciated perceptions of health inequity and did not dwell deeper into the structural causes of inequality. What is exactly the linkage between socioeconomic statuses (SES) and social gradient on public health? According to Lynch (2000), the causal relation between income inequity and health can be best explained by neomaterial interpretation —differential accumulation of exposures and experiences that have their sources in the material world—and differences in individual income. Herein, the neomaterial interpretation dabbles on a the thought that the conglomeration of ‘negative exposures’ and ‘lack of resources’ held by individuals, along with systematic underinvestment across a wide range of human, physical, health, and social infrastructure. Lynch’s explanation reveals not only the an explanation of health inequity but also the aggravation of several social dilemmas which, naturally, pulls social justice down. Additionally, it is also noted here is that Lynch (2000) disposed the idea of psychosocial effect to explain the social crux. Marmot (2002) the epidemiological perspective on health inequity and Lynch (2000), he also stipulated the role of ‘income’ or ‘resources’ in health inequity. He added that: †¦income is causally associated with health through a direct effect on the material conditions necessary for biological survival, and through an effect on social participation and opportunity to control life circumstances (p. 31) He attributed the health inequity to poor material conditions and lack of social participation. Poor material conditions have been atypified above in the case of Scott (2000) and the different personas that he used to illustrate ‘dis/advantages’ within the social ladder. Marmot (2002) explained this ‘resource availability’ in terms of threshold; an individual and his ability to become a recipient of health care [services] indirectly depends on the range of resources. A typical resource is the income of the individual. Incomes relatively determine the amount of ‘spending’ or investments individuals attribute to health care. Poverty is, again, not the cause of health inequity. Other factors like ignorance, condition/type of the immediate community, and other exogenous factors (e. g. disease-related factors) correlate directly to health inequity. Although Marmot (2002) refused to acknowledge that it may also stem from ‘deprivation’, I contend that it is affected by it. Suffice it is to say that the standard of living is indirectly affected by resources then ‘deprivation’ affects public health. What the government, the public and all the individuals concerned should accomplish is to utilize the knowledge on fundamentals of health inequity, to create intervention tactics to combat the problem. In an attempt to reduce the effects of the destructive social gradient pre-existing within the community, Marmot (20002) exaggeratedly suggested ‘income redistribution. ’ The approach was obviously non-feasible and non-pragmatic and would defy the economic and political foundations of the state. What would be more feasible is creating policies that would, on the least, reduce the gaps between the advantageous ‘higher income’ strata and the lower echelons of the society.

EDMA 610 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

EDMA 610 - Assignment Example Job design is how a job is organized. It contains the duties and responsibilities of the job, the way the job should be done and the relation of the holder to colleagues. The differences between job analysis and job deign is that whereas job analysis involves an investigation, job design involves already established properties of the job. 1. Ranking method of job evaluation is a simple arranged in order of their merit or value to the organization. Jobs are ranked according to the relative difficulty in performing them. The jobs at the top have the highest value and the bottom has the lowest value. It is subjective in nature cannot be used in large organizations. 2. Factor comparison method of job evaluation is a complex method. It systematic and scientific processes. The job is analyzed according to factors, for example skill involved in the job, mental and physical requirements, working conditions among others. After which key jobs are selected. Key jobs are those jobs whose wage rate the management considers as correct. Other job wages are fixed putting the key job factors into consideration. It is a consistent method. 3. Point method of job evaluation begins with the breakdown of jobs into key factors. Points are assigned to each factor in order of importance of the duties and responsibilities involved in the job. Totals of the points are made. Jobs with similar point totals are placed in the same pay grades. 4. Classification method of job evaluation places jobs according to classes. The classes are according to the skills and training involved in the job. Classes start from class one made of managerial positions, the last class being the unskilled. It is less subjective method and is easy to understand. A good working condition is one that provides comfort to the employees so as to do their best. There are certain practices a company should adopt to make the work

Enterprise risk assessment, audit, and Cyberlaw policy Essay

Enterprise risk assessment, audit, and Cyberlaw policy - Essay Example the structure of any successful enterprise, the continuous data necessary exchange facilitates the efficiency of operation and enables the presence of identifiable risk factors, including the financial risk, operational risk, hazard risks, and strategic risks. The purpose of the plan is the assessment of the various risks that are associated with an interaction network which happens daily between the suppliers, investors, stakeholders, and employees while offering clear guidelines of conducting intentions to mitigate the risks. Mematech Company has consumed a lot of money, time, and human resources to ensure the security of the company is up-to –date. The company has partnered with companies like Symantec. Symantec develops industry’s security software and web security threat analysis for MemaTEch. In the report, the company outlines some of the security trends and threats and then guide on how it can be fixed and prevented. The partner also provides some practices for the company. Therefore, based on the company’s study, MemaTech has ten security practices, procedures and guidelines. The company encrypts its file systems, encrypts stored data, and encrypts the entire wire transfers. Encryption is important because it protects sensitive data and helps in preventing data loss due to equipment loss or through theft. The company also uses digital certificates to sign its sites. MemaTech saves its certificates to hardware machines like the router, or even load balancers. The company has av oided, saving the certificates on their web server and has resolved to obtain their certificate from trusted authorities only. In addition, the company has implemented auditing and DLP. The company uses data loss prevention and auditing of files in monitoring, alerting, identifying, and blocking the data flow out and into the company’s network. MemaTech has implemented are removable policy in the media. Here, the company has restricted using USB drives, thumb drives, external

Compare and contrast two opposite cases where Web 2.0 tools have been Essay

Compare and contrast two opposite cases where Web 2.0 tools have been used to build an identity and encourage participation, and explain why you think one was successful and the other wasnt - Essay Example What is common in both the viewpoints is the idea that the new developments in information and communication technologies certainly change the way we interact, civic engagement and community creation. The participation has the ability and potential to make the difference. The awareness about the possibilities of participation is a defining feature of the present democratic societies. â€Å"The crisis of political participation† is the product of the dilemmas of this awareness on participation (Bryan, Tsagarousianou and Tambini, 1998, p. 3). However, more electronic democracy could only be achieved through universal availability of internet and open discourses on internet. According to Bryan, Tsagarousianou and Tambini (1998), although access to information network is a public right, the cost and private ownership of such infrastructure and technologies lead to a tension between both. Bughin, Chui, and Johnson have asserted that â€Å"companies will need a combination of incentives of encourage customer participation† (2008, p.28). In the case study of Coloplast’s web supported community of health care practitioners, it has been found that â€Å"web communities in the professional market build on preexisting communities, enabling community members to intensify the activities of the community to expand its reach† (Andersen, 2005, p. 49). It could be seen as an example of identity building and community creation. In the content analysis of the sites and blogs for the 10 Democratic candidates in the 2004 US presidential election, it has been revealed that â€Å"candidates promoted interactivity online through technical means such as enabling asynchronous feedback in blog comments as well as fostering an environment of participation through textual appeals and strategy† (Trammel, 2006, p.42). Here, there in no actual participation, just networking for the purpose of vote

Domhus UK Ltd. Quality and Environmental Management Systems Report Essay

Domhus UK Ltd. Quality and Environmental Management Systems Report - Essay Example The management system standard that is currently the most commonly employed and recognized is the quality improvement standard ISO 9001. The ISO 9001 standard comprises of the requirements as per which the organizations are certified. The chief requirements under the ISO 9001 are forming goals and targets, carrying out evaluations and performing remedial and preventative measures, handling documents and re-evaluating the system among others (Rasmussen, 2007, pp 17-18). Environmental Management Systems Standards The recent times had observed rising environmental legislation, enhanced interest amid stockholders in terms of environmental concerns in addition to business organizations’ inclination to accomplish reduction in expenses by minimising the use of energy, water and so on. This had led to the evolution of environmental management system standards (Wilkinson & Dale, 2002, p 285). The rationale behind the formation of standards for environmental management system is to endow companies with an efficient system for administrating services, and product development activities which have environmental influence. British Standardization Institute was the foremost body to create standards for environmental management systems. Nevertheless, the most distinguished and most exercised standards of environmental management are the ISO standard (Wilkinson & Dale, 1999, p 100). ... This had led to the evolution of environmental management system standards (Wilkinson & Dale, 2002, p 285). The rationale behind the formation of standards for environmental management system is to endow companies with an efficient system for administrating services, and product development activities which have environmental influence. British Standardization Institute was the foremost body to create standards for environmental management systems. Nevertheless, the most distinguished and most exercised standards of environmental management are the ISO standard (Wilkinson & Dale, 1999, p 100). Integrated Management Systems The development of management system standards started with the creation of quality management. However, with the passage of time, several management systems have evolved comprising of a broad range of organizational aspects. The rising number of management systems had resulted in the model of integrated management systems that brings about the amalgamation of a nu mber of individual management systems. The thought behind the theory of integrated management system is that a company can handle its business operations by means of an integrated structure instead of using many individual systems. The integration of quality management, environmental management systems and the occupational health & safety management system is the most common structure in the integrated management systems. This concept became applicable with the publication and implementation of ISO 14000 in addition to other standards (Zutshi & Sohal, 2005, p 213). Benefits of Integrating There are various benefits that an organization can enjoy as a result of integrating its different management systems. This is because the quality,

The Barriers of Critical Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Barriers of Critical Thinking - Essay Example Some of these barriers are discussed briefly as follows: Self-serving bias refers to the tendency of individuals to elevate the perception of self in a manner that helps them in protecting their self-esteem. This concept entails that people do not always think about and perceive things as they since it results in self-criticism and viewing themselves in an unpleasant light (Kirby, Goodpaster, and Levine 1999). While self-confidence is a critical element for success, however over-confidence in one’s own abilities acts as a barrier to success since it prevents us from analyzing our weaknesses and overseeing our flaws, leading to disastrous results in the long run. Example: A strong sense of belief in one’s abilities and the perception that you are more intelligent and capable than others; tendency to shift the blame regarding any negative experiences or outcomes in your life on others and refusing to accept responsibility for own decisions or actions; a strong sense of belief in becoming a famous actor despite having absolutely no talent and being told so by those around you are some of the examples of self-serving bias. According to Glabraith (2004) hegemonic assumptions refer to the assumptions individuals embrace willingly in a bid to protect their best interests (p. 342) and safeguard them from any impending hurt or any other similar negative feelings such as guilt, anxiety, or fear. Such hegemonic assumptions prevent us from critically analyzing things as they are and blinds us from pursuing our best interests. Example: A strong belief in one’s friends or relatives and blindly following their advice without thinking or analyzing the intended purpose and expected outcome is one example of hegemonic assumptions. It refers to the tendency among individuals to perceive reality with a highly biased attitudes based on stereotypes and unwarranted

Introduction to the law of property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Introduction to the law of property - Essay Example However, on the facts, none of that exists and the legal title, on Bella’s death, is transferred to Dominic who is the sole legal owner of 41 Evergreen Terrace. As a result, the only interest Nigel can establish in the land in order to bar Dominic from selling the property and to continue occupying it is necessarily equitable. Dominic is currently the owner at law as well as in equity, owing to the lack of any direct conveyance to another or the declaration of a trust. Nigel, in order to claim an equitable ownership of Evergreen will have to rely on a number of recent authorities that allow a third party to claim an interest in the property of another (Pettitt v Pettitt (1970), Lloyds Bank v Rosset (1989), Stack v Dowden (2007)), and argue a constructive trust in his favor. However, since Nigel contributed to the purchase price, he can argue a resulting trust in his favor as well, according to the principals set in Curley v Parkes. It is apparent from that case that any contribution at the time of acquisition of the property will result in the creation of a purchase money resulting trust in favor of the contributor, entitling him to an equitable ownership in the property (Dyer v Dyer (1788), Laskar v Laskar (2008). However, this law is only operable if the money provided by Nigel was not meant as a gift or loan, which may as well be the case here since it was a father daughter deal. However, the facts are silent on the matter. Moreover, the House of Lords in Stack v Dowden suggested that the resulting trust mechanism to establish an equitable interest in property should be sidelined in favor of constructive trusts, since they can relate to a lot of other factors as well instead of just being concerned with the purchase money, especially in relation to family affairs. Hence, those will be considered below. Nigel has been made a promise to after he moves in by Dominic. The words used are

Personal and Professional Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal and Professional Practice - Essay Example People plagiarize because it looks like the easiest and quick thing to do when writing a project or even assignments. Author Ian Fleming wrote a novel with two of his colleagues, but he never mentioned them as co writers, he got sued by his colleagues and fined for plagiarism (Wainwright 2008, p.18). This amounted to plagiarism as he did not involve his counterparts in the final edition of the book yet they participated in its writing. Copying someone else’s work without their permission is plagiarism. A number of famous authors have become dodged with a number of controversies dealing with their books. Authors like Dan Brown and Lynda l Plante are just but examples of leading authors, who have battled court cases related to plagiarism (Arnold 2008). In order to avoid plagiarism in any of the work, one should be able to reference correctly all the ideas, materials, and theories that have been applied (Braniac 2012, p.6). Any individual reading your work should have the ability of telling exactly where the information is from. Read your work over and over again to  ensure that there is no plagiarism before handing in your assignment (Cottrell 2008, p. 41). . One should be able to reference directly, for example and also indirectly (Arnold 2008). One should be able to posses the knowledge of putting his or her own ideas in their assessment. In order to avoid plagiarism, one should use quotation marks, indirect referencing or at the same time, placing different ideas into your own personal words and including a reference at the end of each sentence (Cottrell 2008, p. 54). Referencing your work effectively and properly will prevent plagiarism from happening (Braniac 2012, p.6). Another way of avoiding plagiarism is by educating the students of the issue. Teachers should not assume that the students know what plagiarism is, even if they pretend to know what it is. The students should be provided with an explicit definition of plagiarism (Arnold 2008). Even when revising or paraphrasing another person’s words, or even just using their ideas, the author must still be given credit in a note (Wolff 2012, p.3). Ignoring crediting the appropriate authors, amount to lying. Students should include an annotated bibliography in their works. This should include a brief summary of the source, its location and also an evaluation about the importance of the source (Braniac 2012, p.6). Writers should be aware of the sources of the papers. Plagiarism detector should be used to check the levels of plagiarism (Wolff 2012, p.1). These detectors will enable the students prevent issues of plagiarism in their work or reports (Cottrell 2008, p. 28). Plagiarism is an offence; anyone doing it will be heavily punished. Bibliography Arnold, B, 2008, Caslon Analytics plagiarism incidents, Retrieved August 13, 2012, from http://www.caslon.com.au/plagiarismcasesnote.htm Braniac, A, 2012, How to Prevent Plagiarism, eHow, 6. Cottrell, S, 2008, The Study Skill s Handbook, New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Wainwright, M, 2008, Persaud suspended from practice for three months over plagiarism, The Guardian, 18. Wolff, J, 2012, Does plagiarism matter? Answer in your own words, The Guardian, 2-4. Personal and Professional Practice Name: Institution: Why is plagiarism viewed to be such a grave offence? Plagiarism is duplicating someone’s work claiming to be yours. People who commit plagiarism steal other

Europe in the Renaissance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Europe in the Renaissance - Essay Example A major theme of Renaissance in England was a transition from purely religious ways of life (even in architecture and art) to a more secular mode of living, which included a shift from the way people idealised various things and concepts to a different outlook. The Church was no longer being considered a source of instruction in political, religious, social and individual matters. Rather, dissolution of power was taking place while the Church remained a religious identity while the power to deal with matters of law and government were vested with the (oft secular) political government. Hence, while there was a less opportunity to progress and open up to different varied disciplines while the Church was in power, people could focus on the development of culture and art during and after the Renaissance period. This is the reason why much emphasis is paid and research effort given to the cultural and art development during this period and there is much less focus on the political change . There was also an element of foreign ideas’ mixture into the concepts and ideas that were gaining popularity in England which eventually gave rise to a whole Renaissance theme containing a blend of traditional and modern ideas (The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia). â€Å"I call it our English Renaissance as it is certainly a type of new beginning of the character of man, like the great Italian Renaissance of the 1500s, in its wish for a more affable and comely approach of life, its obsession for physical beauty, its elite notice to shape, its seeking for new subjects for poetry, new intellectual, new forms of art, and imaginative enjoyments: and I call it our romantic association since it is our most current appearance of beauty. We describe it as a mere restoration of Greek modes of thinking, and again as a mere recovery of mediaeval feeling. Rather I would say that to these forms of the human spirit it has added anything of artistic value the complexity and density

Home Based Childcare Essay Example for Free

Home Based Childcare Essay Childminder must handle all information that she has on the child as confidential and should be shared only with the child’s parents and the child. It is essential to handle data about children and families in a confidential way, due to that they have a legal right to privacy. It is equally important that information should not be passed on without written approval of the parents or carer, because they have the right to give or deny their consent before the childminder may take certain action with respect to their child. For example the parents or carer approval is needed to discuss information about the children with professionals such us GP, health visitors or teachers. Therefore it is important also to get permission to share the child’s learning journey with other professionals. In second place confidentiality and data protection also means that all information about children and families should not discussed with a friend or other parents. Therefore there are only two sets of circumstances to share information: * Parents or cares gave the written approval for it. * It is essential to do so in the best of interest of the child, for example safeguarding or medical emergency. All information about children and families is sensitive. So that all documentation, reports, notes about the child should be kept in a safe place such, as in a filing cabinet, which can be locked, and not removed from the childminder’s home. Furthermore all information stored on computer must be password protected. In the same way photographs of the children can only be taken with the written consent of the parents and carers. Data protection Act exist to strike a balance between the rights of individuals to privacy and to use data for the purposes of the business. The purpose of data protection legislation is to make sure that the personal data is not processed without the knowledge of the individuals. The act of data protection introduced basic rules of registration for data users and right of access to that data for the individuals who are related to it. The childminders have data protection responsibilities. First of all they need to protect the children and their families and maintain sense of trust between parent and staff. Most important is that if they keep records of the children’s health, behaviour or development on the computer or takes digital photograph of the children, they â€Å"will be expected to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)† (ncma.org.uk, 2013). The points that I may include in my confidentiality and Date protection policy are: Confidentiality Policy * All parents receive a copy of my policies and procedures, which detail how I run my setting. * My certificate of registration is displayed and available to all parents. * I am aware of my responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. * I maintain a record of parents’ and/or emergency contact details, the contact details of the child’s GP and appropriate signed consent forms. * If a child is identified as a child in need (section 17 of the Children Act 1989) I will, normally with the parent’s permission, give appropriate information to referring agencies. * I expect parents to inform me of any changes in the child’s home circumstances, care arrangements or any other change which may affect the child’s behaviour such as a new baby, parents’ separation, divorce, new partner or any bereavement. * All information shared will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed without the parents’ consent, except as required by law, for example, if there appears to be a child protection issue. Please see my Safeguarding Children policy. * I expect parents to keep private and confidential any sensitive information they may accidentally learn about my family, setting or the other children and families attending, unless it is a child protection issue. * Ofsted may require to my see records at any time. * Parents have the right to inspect all records about their child at any time. * All significant incidents are recorded in an incident book and will be shared and discussed with parents so that together we can work to resolve any issues. * As a registered provider I must notify Ofsted of any serious accidents, illnesses or injuries or the death of any child whilst in my care and any action I may have taken within 14 days of an incident occurring. * If I am in need of support or advice regarding a serious illness or incident involving a child in my care I may contact National Childminding Association who will log information regarding the incident with regard to their safeguarding policy. An NCMA designated officer will be assigned to my case and all the information given to them will be kept confidentially unless their appears to be a child protection issue which will be reported accordingly. * If an accident or incident involving a child in my care may result in an insurance claim I will contact my public liability insurance provider to discuss my case and be allocated a claim number. This may involve discussing details of the child in my care with a third party. * If I am using the National Childminding Association (NCMA) public liability insurance, the total life of the policy is 21 years and 4 months to enable the child to make a claim against the policy at a later date. Data Protection Policy * I am aware of my responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. * If I keep records relating to individual children on my computer I will ask for the parent’s permission. The information will be securely stored for example, in password-protected files, to prevent viewing of the information by others with access to the computer. Backup files will be stored on [insert method, for example, a memory stick, DVD or CD] which will be locked away when not being used. * All information on children, families and anyone working with me (if applicable) is kept securely and treated in confidence. Information will only be shared if the parents/carers/co-workers give their permission or there appears to be a child protection issue. All details will be kept confidential and records are kept secure. The details are easily accessible if any information is required for inspection by Ofsted. * All parents will be asked to complete permission forms for use of photos, please see Parent Permission form. Photos will be used for observations. I will be carrying my mobile phone with me when I am on outings to keep emergency contact details and to call for assistance and to contact parents if First Aid is required. My mobile does have a facility to take photo’s (this will done in accordance to parental permissions). * I am registered as a Data Controller with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office). Biography * http://www.ncma.org.uk/childminders/your_business/policies_and_procedures/data_protection.aspx * Riddall-Leech, Sheila (2010): Home-Based Childcare Student Book: Level 3 Unit CYPOP5 * The date protection Act 1998

Extreme Weather Events In The Uk Environmental Sciences Essay

Extreme Weather Events In The Uk Environmental Sciences Essay Intro: Global Warming is an undisputable cause of climate change in which the major cause of climate change is mostly induced by humans (anthropogenic), and not simply by the natural course of nature. The severity of its effects to weather conditions is always increasing day by day. Extreme weather conditions may range from floodings, heatwaves, droughts and other severe weather conditions. We are now experiencing each year drier plus burning summer seasons due to the increase in heat waves and global warming, whilst we have warmer plus rainier winters as a result of increased rain, snow and hail precipitation. Even stormy weather is on the increase. [1- 4] Who does it affect?: This issue of random extreme weather conditions affects everyone in every national and local communities across the world (even in the UK), particularly the most vulnerable people.. Disruption to the normal farming conditions due to random climate change will cause an imbalance to the soil quality which will mean that crops will not be able to grow[5], and fewer animals will be fit for consumption due to the increase of food poisoning and water borne diseases, therefore farmers will lose out on potential job earnings. This will make farmers less likely to keep up with their bills and live less comfortably due to the reduced income. At the same time, it will affect us as there will a shortage of good, nutritional food. They may resort to increasing food prices. Since farmers supply food for many different food companies, it could indirectly pose problems to companies regarding the supply of food and marketing of their food products. Drought which is the result of increasing global temperatures can severely affect water supply companies. Water supply companies may increase their water usage prices by at least 5 percent each year[6] due to the drought and the ever increasing demand of water. Climate change and extreme weather can affect our health and make us more susceptible to much more illnesses than now and even cause death. Examples of illness conditions are hay fever, cataracts and skin cancer. It could even cause occurrences of Dengue fever and West Nile virus which are tropical diseases not normally found in the UK.[7] Temperature rises and heatwaves are becoming more frequent than usual. The Met Office conducted an interesting research which showed Englands highest temperature recorded in a day. One of the figures was particularly striking which was found in Kent from the southern part of England. It revealed that Kent had the highest temperature recorded in January 2003 which was 17.6 degrees, and 38.6 degrees in August 2003 showing a shocking 21 degrees increase in just above 6 months.[7] Such extreme temperatures can present health problems to these vulnerable people. When exposed to heat long enough, Heat exhaustion may result to these people and possibly may lead to dehydration and even heatstroke which is a life threatening medical condition. Also, it will increase the amount of harmful UV radiation contacting our skins so increasing our skin cancer risk. Since Britain may experience further increase in temperatures in the near future, this problem needs much attention. Moreover, the heatwaves may induce power cuts and increase water demand which will affect everyone including business people. Technology and water are in ever increasing demand therefore disabling the available technology around us due to power cuts, more droughts and increasing water bills may cause severe problems in our ability to cope without them at work and leisure. Also if business buildings are severely damaged, they may build a new building at another site which may cost more money than minor repair. Not only does it affect us humans, it affects plant and animal life too. More heatwaves and other severe weather conditions will increase the incidence of forest wildfires, contamination of river water and damage to habitats. This will harm the plant and animal wildlife and they may struggle to survive. It will ultimately lead to affecting our lifestyles in the long term.[8] Examples of damaging cases: In the UK (England and Wales), floods that occurred at Autumn in the year 2000 between October to November have resulted in massive damages which have costed at least  £1.3 billion.[1] That autumn was the wettest autumn season ever recorded since 1766, demonstrating more than 500mm of rainfall between September to November, and insurance claims up to  £3.5 billion were called for as a result of at least 10,000 flooded homes.[1, 3] . Another case in the UK that is increasing even today is in the farming industry. Due to climate change, there is now a rapid growth of certain parasitic worms particularly the Helminth family that are affecting cattle and sheep livestock (affects both young and adult livestock). The most common Helminths are the roundworms (gastrointestinal nematodes) and the flatworms (flukes). The roundworms are thought to drastically reproduce far more quickly in higher temperatures and adapt very well to its surroundings due to its biotic potential and genetic diversity.[9-10] This means that they can potentially thrive in all four seasons. Global Warming may increase mean daily temperatures and therefore cause a upsurge in the reproducing rate of roundworms.[9] A specific roundworm species called Teladorsagia grows really fast in the Spring and have been causing heavy damage to young lambs and even death in South East Scotland.[10] There had been an outbreak in 2004 of another specific roundworm called Nematodirus battus, which have adapted to the Scottish weather so that they grow not only in Summer but also Autumn and Winter. They have been seen in young and old lambs.[10] Furthermore, the European heatwave that the UK experienced in August 2003 was the hottest heatwave ever recorded. Altogether in Europe, 20,000 people died because of the heatwave. Out of this, a minimum of 2,000 people from the UK died as a result of excessive heat. One third of the 2,000 deaths in the UK were associated with air pollution. It even affected roads, train services, water and energy suppliers plus farmers. [11] Not only that, home building foundations (subsidence) were being damaged due to the drying of water from the soil and building foundations causing cracks to form and non-level home foundations. The subsidence insurance claims soared up to  £400 million. [12] Vulnerability of certain people types: In the UK, the magnitude of Heatwaves and rising sea levels (which may lead to larger wave heights, more floods and faster coastal erosion) are rising. Heatwave effects may be particularly significant in the South and East parts of the UK. These extreme weather conditions pose certain vulnerable individuals who:[2, 4] have low income support They cannot afford to buy accessories and other essential items that may help against short term and long term extreme weather problems. live in low quality constructed houses (particularly more found in coastal regions)- buildings will trap the heat, making their homes hotter and more susceptible to weaker house foundations. are elderly or quite young -more susceptibility to disease due to weaker immune systems. have poor health due to illness may increase their chances of catching other major or minor diseases, especially in cities. are isolated from social links finding environmental, social and emergency help may be harder live near the coastal regions -particularly in the East part of England as these coast have low lying, soft sediment coasts that erode much more quicker. Who live in cities referred as urban heat islands, which means that urban areas produce more heat than countryside towns. Makes them more susceptible to illnesses and possibly cause city infrastructure problems.[13] Cause of severe climate change and science: Many scientists agree that the major cause of the drastic climate change, global warming and extreme weather conditions are due to pollution mainly by certain human activities (anthropogenic) that emit greenhouse gases (nitrous oxide, water vapour, methane and carbon dioxide (CO2)). Of course there are natural equilibriums such as the carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle and the water cycle that tries to balance the levels of these gases. Also, the ozone layer (O3) helps protect us from the harmful UV radiation from the sun. But these natural equilibriums have been disturbed by human activities. So now temperatures and sea levels are rising (glaciers in the Antarctica are melting as proof). [14-20] A few examples of the human activity that has damaged the natural cycles are:[14-20] the cutting of trees (deforestation) increases the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to burning of trees. Trees are important in the absorption of carbon dioxide and water from the environment using the process called photosynthesis to release oxygen (O2) to the environment. driving cars, buses and other transport (especially airplanes) build-up of carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere. Accounts for 21% of the emission of greenhouse gases in the UK. industrial cooling towers- increases the amount of heated water into the atmosphere. use of fertilisers and pesticides for farming the ones that contain nitrogen increase the levels of nitrogen in the biosphere via contamination of water due to heavy rainfall. Therefore it affects humans, fish and animals. Accounts for 8% of the emission of greenhouse gases in the UK. Burning of fossil fuels done to produce energy. The biggest contributor in the UK of releasing greenhouse gases to the atmosphere (65%). aerosols that contain CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) the CFCs are sent to the atmosphere in which the UV radiation frees the chlorine from the CFC. This chlorine damages the ozone (O3) layer in the atmosphere. Some may argue that natural causes are significant to the climate change effects. It is known that eruption of volcanoes, the output energy of the sun, ocean currents and Earths orbit changes do contribute to this but only play a minor role.[17,20] Who can influence change?: The UK Government can help with the mitigation and adaptation strategies for sustainability development which includes social, environmental and economic improvements. Mitigation is trying to reduce the levels of greenhouse gases in order to reduce the temperature rises. Adaptation involves doing things differently in our lives to reduce the level of greenhouse gases. They must consult with other business leaders and organisations to ensure mitigation and adaptation strategies are implemented for sustainability. It could help the UK unemployment issue whilst helping biodiversity. However, greener solutions may require lots of financial and political help to implement them, which is the challenge. They need to use short and long term strategies for success. What currently is happening and what extras can be done? A study found that London was producing 44.71 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2008 from which major culprit the business workplaces contributed by a shocking 19.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide(43% of total). Also, homes and transport were emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide. The Mayor of Londons mitigation strategy to climate change is to lower London CO2 levels by 60% for 2025. It is currently under public consultation but sounds promising. The mitigation programmes include RE:FIT, RE:CONNECT, RE:NEW, the Green500, Electric Vehicle Rollout and Operation Decentralised Energy. It will involve installing new energy saving technology at businesses and homes, encouraging community to reduce CO2 levels, recycling waste into energy and get 1,000 electric vehicles and more. [21] Advantages are that it explores different ways that can bring a change in CO2 levels so results can be seen relatively quick, it may provide many jobs in a variety of sectors for the unemployed as it is a concerning issue in the UK, the scheme is easy to follow, helps people save more money in the long term. It may have problems with the project being expensive and refuelling electric or hydrogen fuelled vehicles as it may take longer. Overcoming resistance needs more public awareness about the benefits, business and public role models to show public being greener is possible, and easy. The Queen made a speech recently in which she said that policies and legislations of the energy security and green economy Bill are to be introduced and implemented by the Government into homes and business across the UK. This will enable more use of energy efficient technology whilst ensuring management of energy supply to keep up with energy demand, reduce greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide, encourage people to coincide with the demands set by the Government, and fund more projects that help the economy whilst reducing greenhouse gases via the Green Investment Bank.[22] This sounds like a good idea for mitigation and adaptation towards climate change. In the UK, Business and Government Leaders like David Cameron need to encourage greener jobs for benefit of the environment, economy and society. Unemployment still is a big issue across the world. Many people including graduates are claiming unemployment benefits and are unable to find work due to the credit crunch. Women are especially finding it difficult. In March 2011, the number of men on the benefits are 988,200 whilst number of women are 462,300.[23] Recently, The Green Economy Council have fetched big business leaders (eg. Joe Greenwell, chairman of Ford UK) in its council to provide professional advice to the Government on policies that affect green business infrastructure, investment and regulation. They are setting up policies like Green Deal which may open a thousand new jobs. But policies need to be clearer on low carbon economy. [24-26] They have not considered solar energy which has the potential to thrive. Mazhar Bari of SolarPrint said in 10 years, it could create 10,000 jobs, à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1 billion of exports and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬140 million of annual tax revenue.[27] Public Biodiversity awareness needs to be more focused in the UK particularly to the medium/low class people due to low income. Certain celebrities can probably help with this. Solutions need to be easy, practical, involve little effort and cheap. Health adaptation policies look good like the Heatwave Plan, Climate Change Act 2008 and the Annual Public Health Report of the Director of Public Health 2010 have been introduced to help healthcare professionals and public adapt to climate change and help health sector Government bodies and media to raise awareness of solutions. Also, diet and health advice to public is given by healthcare professionals. [28,29] As far as farming is concerned in the UK, the Common Agricultural Policy needs to be reviewed again by DEFRA to convince the Government the benefits of the scheme.[30] Funding cuts to UK flood defence may have serious consequences as those seen in November 2010 at Cornwall where 5 million poor people were at risk from flood damage. I think some property insurance cover and belongings can help in advance of flooding event so that less money is spent in aid. [31] Conclusion: Much effort still needs to be done by everyone, although the Government and others have actively tried to reach sustainable development through mitigation and adaptive approaches. They seem to be in the correct frame of mind but farming and flood aid strategies still needs to be tackled.

Female Genital Mutilation Extremely Controversial Topic Criminology Essay

Female Genital Mutilation Extremely Controversial Topic Criminology Essay An estimated 100 million to 140 million girls and women worldwide have undergone female gender mutilation/cutting (Population Reference Bureau, 2008). This figure is enormous and unsurprisingly, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is an extremely controversial topic within the international sphere. Whilst some may argue that it is simply natural and a general norm within certain areas and cultures, others, largely from the Western world, believe it to be an infringement of a basic human right and so many concerns and condemnations of the practice emerge from an ethical and humanitarian perspective. Engaging with this debate involves studying the works of two academics, Martha Nussbaum and Yael Tamir, both providing counteracting views towards such a complicated debate like this one. This essay examines the practice of female circumcision, arguing that it is legitimate for states like the UK to attempt to bring them to an end, thus agreeing with the argument made by Nussbaum, namely that we should be ashamed of ourselves if we do not use whatever privilege and power has come our way to make it disappear forever (Nussbaum, 1996). My argument however is one of states only being able to legitimately intervene where FGM is being practiced against the will of females, yet if the practice is warranted and women, of adult age, consent to it, then it is not as permissible for states to intervene. Cultural opinions and determination are not valid enough reasons to allow such a horrific process to continue, specifically due to the medical implications of the circumcision procedure as a whole. The Capabilities Approach by Nussbaum (1999) is examined within this essay therefore, in terms of arguing that females should have the choice of whether or not to go through with the act of FGM as this procedure removes their opportunity to fulfil their full capabilities as both human beings and as women. Thus this goes hand-in-hand with the argument that states are legitimate in interve ning to allow capabilities to be satisfied. Finally, a series of policy recommendations are made with respect to the ways in which states, such as the UK, can intervene legitimately to prevent such practices occurring in future years, the key one being education. These measures will therefore protect the human rights and social welfare of females across the world, along with other institutions i.e. Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). FGM is commonly performed on young girls as a rite of passage to womanhood (Rahman and Toubia, 2000, p.3). Since the early 1990s, FGM has gained global recognition as a serious health and human rights issue. Often this act is committed for social and cultural values as opposed to medical ones and so it is very difficult to begin a process of change as in order to do this, as the whole thinking of society and its actors would need be adjusted. Largely conducted within African countries, the practice, although having decreased in recent years, still poses a threat to the rights and capabilities of women in such areas. The fall in numbers of females undergoing such circumcision coincides with numerous global efforts to target excisors, medical professionals, and families who perpetuate the practice (Population Reference Bureau, 2008). Political will and implementation of such legislation however is the key hurdle to achieving this. FGM poses severe health risks, both physical and psychological in both the immediate/short-term and also the long-term. Some of these medical problems include: haemorrhaging, infections, septicaemia, shock from the severe pain and loss of blood, risks during childbirth, and in extreme cases, death (Slack, 1988, p.451). Other side effects include: infertility, cysts and abscesses, urinary incontinence and psychological and sexual problems (Population Reference Bureau, 2008). Intense trauma is often caused as many of the females who undergo this operation are of an incredibly young age, held down by force and circumcised with little, if any, anaesthesia (Slack, 1988, p.454).These medical consequences for women who undergo genital mutilation are unbearable to even think of, let alone experience, yet still the practice continues due to the myths which surround the issue i.e. females being sterile until they have been excised and so the procedure will supposedly increase fertility (Slack, 1988, p.447) and other myths that the clitoris is incredibly dangerous to women so if not excised will be harmful to the foetus, physically and spiritually (Slack, 1988, 460). Such myths are of course based on fictitious information but due to social pressures are not questioned but preserved, as has been the case for many years. The following map illustrates where FGM is at its highest and thus such areas are the first which need to be aided through state intervention to stop it. Statistics have shown though, that although the practice is still occurring, largely within third world countries, the number of women undergoing FGM has actually fallen and so this is indicative that some level of progress towards eradicating FGM is occurring. African countries, specifically Egypt, Mali, North Sudan and Ethiopia are (according to 2009 figures) experiencing the highest rates of female circumcision procedures. Source: Jaeger, Caflisch and Hohlfeld, 2009, p.28. In international relations, both high priority and low priority political issues need to be addressed, seeking global communication, negotiation and interaction. Globally, greater interconnectedness and increasing multicultural societies are leading to both domestic and international issues being discussed at a global level. This is indicative of states helping other states in terms of economics i.e. through increased trade and assistance during globalisation, and politics i.e. through the exchange of political ideologies and support. The argument here posits that if it is legitimate for states to intervene in economic and political issues, is it not also legitimate for states to intervene, when and where necessary, to improve social welfare and quality of life of the less fortunate? This does of course refer to intervention to stop FGM and resultantly improve the social welfare of women across the globe. Governments duty to take action against practices like female circumcision is e mbedded in international human rights treaties and thus states must comply with this (Rahman and Toubir, 2000, p.44). FGM is therefore a violation of a fundamental human right, and as the process cannot be reversed, the consequences are horrific. Bleeding profusely, reproduction problems, and even death are the terrible repercussions that those who undergo the process will endure. Hence these are serious medical implications and these are medical explanations for stopping the practice, as opposed to the usual moral explanations often spoken of within international ethics theory (Jaeger, Caflisch and Hohlfeld, 2009, p.31). Tamir (1996) however, makes the argument that before looking at other countries, we should look at our own countries as they are highly unlikely to be perfect. I disagree with this to some extent, particularly in relation to the issue of FGM. Countries where this occurs may simply believe this to be a custom or norm, something that is a normal and unquestionable pa rt of a females life. Without being educated and increasing awareness though, this disturbing process will continue. The people living in such small communities view FGM as normality, relying on myths on which to base the rest of their lives. Thus, it is the duty of those more educated i.e. in the West, to use education as the catalyst to bring about change and in turn stop this practice from occurring against the will of females. So why is it that FGM is seen as disgraceful whilst male circumcision is not seen with such unacceptability? A key reason for this relates to religion i.e. in Islamic teachings, male circumcision is natural and compulsory for all Muslim males. Male circumcision is not as harmful in any way when compared to FGM is and men are still able to fully function both physically and sexually whereas women arent. Male circumcision outside of Islam is often undertaken for hygiene reasons and so all of these reasons clearly display the picture that within most societies around the world, male circumcision is widely accepted as a type of norm. The term female circumcision seems to suggest an analogy with male circumcision yet in actual fact, the degree of cutting in female circumcision is anatomically much more extensive (Rahman and Toubia, 2000, p.4). In addition to this, FGM is seen as a way of sexually controlling females and although in current political debate this may seem to be rather liber al in appearance, references to cliteridectomy commonly reveal a patronizing attitude toward women, suggesting that they are primarily sexual beings (Tamir, 1996). Thus many advocates of cliteridectomy are concerned with corruption i.e. that the operation will restrict female sexual desires and in turn this will make them chaste wives and mothers (Tamir, 1996). The issue here though is that sexual enjoyment from women is not an openly discussed matter, but rather a taboo in many traditional communities, and so cliteridectomy is in itself symbolic of repressing female sexuality. Such non-Western cultural practices like FGM often symbolise resistance to the dominance of the West i.e. in Kenya, whereby cliteridectomy gained life as a political tool between British Colonials and African Nationals (Brown, 1991, p.262, cited in Jaggar, 2005, p.577/578). The counter-argument to this though lies within the hypothetical example given by Tamir (1996): mutilation enables women to be free of their reliance on men and thus they are able to function fully in order to follow social and political aspirations. The more common argument however is one of cliteridectomy and similar practices being corrupt in nature, restricting women and not allowing them to break free of the imposed barriers with respect to sexuality. All of these issues relate back to cultural and traditional values and so it often impossible to think beyond ones own culture. Nussbaum, a liberal feminist, provides an almost world-view which encourages people to think outside their own cultural box, raising the argument that just because something is done i.e. FGM, this does not mean that we cannot question it or interrogate it for the greater good. Her concerns therefore lie with issues of morality, freewill and choice. Nussbaum (1996) responded to Tamir (1996), focusing primarily on three points: (1) it is unfair to criticise another culture without being prepared to accept criticisms of ones own culture, (2) one cannot criticise another cultures acts without the certainty that their own culture is free of any evils, and (3) FGM is morally similar to dieting and body-shaping as within American culture. Nussbaum (1996) agrees with the first point, disagrees with the second and believes the third point to be egregiously wrong, con tending that the damage caused to women from extreme dieting and surgery can be undone in most cases, yet genital mutilation cannot be and so this is why it is of the greatest concern. The third critique Nussbaum (1996) makes is of greatest relevance as FGM is often compared cosmetic surgery and enhancements and so on by many theorists. It is often seen as the opposing argument, but as stated in the article, the eight differences between FGM versus dieting and surgery explain why Vogue is not illegal, whereas FGM is illegal in many of the countries where it occurs (Nussbaum, 1996). Nussbaum (1999) later built on Amartya Sens theory of Capabilities and this is of great relevance when examining the controversial topic of FGM. She understands capabilities to characterise each human life and is interested in ensuring that all persons have these capabilities to perform central functions, an explicitly Universalist standpoint. Her argument affirms that within the political arena, human beings exhibit moral capabilities which can in future be developed, yet such capabilities are deprived of the nourishment that would transform them into high-level capabilities (Nussbaum, 1999, p.236). Hence without these capabilities Nussbaum (1999) argues human beings are useless. With regards to FGM, the Capabilities Approach largely frowns upon the deprivation of individuals to have the opportunity to choose to be sexually active or indeed celibate (Nussbaum, 1999, p.238). Capabilities require constant development to be able to function fully. With respect to Nussbaums work, ten ce ntral human function capabilities are identified (Nussbaum, 1999, p.235). FGM breaks two of these capabilities, namely bodily health and bodily integrity (Nussbaum, 1999, p.235). Hence according to these, states are legitimate in intervening and influencing other states where practices like female circumcision are taking away the capabilities of their citizens. Resultantly, the Capabilities Approach is demonstrative of an accurate framework to use where the matter of states, like the UK, legitimising actions, such as FGM, is concerned. This Capabilities Approach was later put into action by the United Nations Human Development Reports, arguing that GDP per capita was not a true reflection of this and instead, Sen argued that how people live their lives and other similar economic indicators, need to be examined. Tamir (1996) opposes such points, arguing that there is much to criticise about ones own culture before one is able to criticise another. So common Western practices such as cosmetic surgery, in her argument, would be open to the same criticisms from non-Western countries as FGM is for people within the West. In her critique, states are not legitimate in intervening in other countries before they have addressed all issues of a similar nature within their own home country. With respect to this argument though, the fact of the matter remains that those individuals who undergo surgery and other cosmetic enhancements are usually doing so out of their own personal choice and so this raises other concerns as to why people feel the need to do this, as opposed to intervening to stop it. Other theorists are generally more reluctant for intervention to occur i.e. Walzer, who would argue that intervention of any kind would only be necessary if a clear case of genocide was being demonstrated whe re thousands of victims were losing their lives. In my critique of this though, the practice of FGM, although maybe not as severe as genocide, is indicative of female oppression and so causes a predictable number of deaths which could have been prevented had the right systems been put into place through state intervention. The factor specific to FGM which makes it appropriate for outsiders to intervene and attempt to halt it is that of women not being given a choice of whether or not to undergo the procedure. Women should be able to decide for themselves whether or not they wish to be circumcised, with no pressure from external forces, yet before such a decision they must be made aware of the implications in terms of health and future capabilities. This is what Nussbaum (1999) is referring to in her Capabilities argument as outlined previously. As prosperous developing countries, it is the obligation and duty of states like the UK to intervene to stop FGM when it occurs against the will of women, at least until sufficient change is seen and this change fosters sustainability. The following section therefore examines the ways of doing this. Since the early 1990s, FGM has been recognised as a global human rights issue and so numerous efforts have been made to end it or to at least reduce the number of cases of it occurring. Initiatives such as the annual International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation on February 6th, introduced by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in 2007, demonstrates this, calling for greater government commitment to programmes preventing the practice (Obaid, 2007). Although female circumcision is a heavily criticised practice in many developed countries, it is not feasible to simply condemn the practice as this suggests that Western culture is paramount. Understandings of cultural relativism need to transpire but more importantly, a process of change needs to be instigated. Nussbaum (1996) is correct in critiquing Tamir for this (suggesting cultural relativism is a valid argument), explaining how it is difficult to morally decide whether or not intervention should be committed in terms o f local or distant acts, and although individuals will legitimately prioritise about these decisions, this does not mean that we should not intervene. Poor education and low levels of income among women in African countries, coupled with inadequate governmental support (Wakabi, 2007, p.1069) are the key issues regarding the eradication of FGM and only when such problem areas are addressed, can progress begin to occur. Rahman and Toubia (2000, pp.58-68) identify three types of measure to be implemented in order to tackle the FGM issue: legal, regulatory and policy measures. It is important to note from the very beginning though that no single measure will be feasible if states are to intervene, but rather a series of combined approaches and changes must be adopted. Legal measures involve ratifying human rights arrangements to ensure that rights within such treaties are upheld and also carefully considering the imposition of criminal sanctions to dissuade people from committing the circumcision operation (Rahman and Toubia, 2000, pp.59-61). With regards to regulatory measures, suggestions have been made of disciplining those medical professionals who engage in the practice and removing their licences if they persistently offend (Rahman and Toubia, 2000, p.68). Finally, but most importantly, policy measure areas are discussed, these being: education, the media, empowering women and increasing access to reproductive welfare services (Rahman and Toubir, 2000, pp.68-71). The primary way of states intervening legitimately, in my argument, is through the process of education. By educating those within the countries where the practice of FGM takes place, the root cause of the problem can be targeted. This has previously been done through NGOs and alike, yet states too can intervene to promote adequate social welfare for the women within countries where FGM is a severe issue. Older generations need to be approached and made to understand the deficiencies associated with the practice and thus ultimately this will feed through to younger generations. Simultaneously though, younger generations too need to be targeted as t hey are the future and by educating them, forthcoming generations of females will be protected against such a painful practice. Governments need to begin devoting resources to providing FGM practicing countries and communities with information about the negative effects of the procedure and about human rights as important. Such information however must emphasize the potential psychological and physical impact[as well as] examine the history and purpose (Rahman and Toubir, 2000, p.68). If we now examine the media, the argument made is one of facilitating public dialogue and discourse about FGM along with the promotion of women to be free from FGM by various media outlets (Rahman and Toubir, 2000, p.69). This is a very good suggestion, yet in my critique, isnt feasible due to the fact that media within FGM practicing countries is relatively low, if at all existent. Thus this policy recommendation is good in theory yet in practice may not be as simple as first assumed. Empowering women is the third suggestion, self-explanatory in nature yet the ways of doing this include reforming policies which prevent women from improving their status i.e. social, economic etc, ensuring women can work alongside men and that issues of equal pay are addressed (Rahman and Toubir, 2000, p.70). Again this poses potential difficulties in that in certain rural communities, women are not seen as employable and do not have the opportunity to go out to work and more importantly have not been educated enough to undertake even the most low-skilled job positions. Hence such a recommendation is reliant on the previous policy suggestion of education, as only when communities are educated will the women within them be able to start working legitimately. The final proposal is that relating to reproductive services for females within the communities where female circumcision is occurring. These services are critical in providing women with accurate information about FGM as a whole in terms of th eir reproductive health (Rahman and Toubir, 2000, p.71). This is a great service as it is well-known that women who have been circumcised require regular medical attention and so this would address this issue and make it a more widely recognised initiative. Hence the ideal outcome of this is that women, who understand the severity of the practice for their health, will be less likely to make their daughters go through with it (Rahman and Toubir, 2000, p.71). This is ideal and would be the best possible solution but, Rahman and Toubir (2000) fail to consider the impact of community, religious, cultural, family and social pressures on women who do not undergo the FGM operation. Thus reproductive services although being an invaluable resource, are not as simple and easy in terms of changing social attitudes immediately. In the long-run however, reproductive services do have the potential scope to be a success. Other suggestions for intervention include: withholding aid to those countries where FGM is continuing to happen along with working with local groups to support advocacy efforts promoting negotiated, verbal intervention as opposed to plain physical intervention. The critique of this though relates to speaking but taking no action and some theorists would argue that an issue like FGM can only be tackled by head-on intervention that doesnt pussyfoot around the topic but rather stops the practice for the horror it causes, and rightly so. It can be argued by many that these policy recommendations are too simplistic and idealistic yet the fact of the matter remains that before any of these can be implemented, government structures need to be changed. In places like Somalia, several humanitarian organisations have launched campaigns to stop the spread of FGM, yet the widespread insecurity and absence of a central administration have only handed minimal success to their efforts (Wakabi, 2007, p.1070). A case study of Mali however informs us of the positive impact of NGO based intervention, working alongside local communities and governments. The initiative here used a mobile cinema travelling from village to village to encourage the open discussion of womens health issues and once trust had been established, discussed FGM more openly in an attempt to change social attitudes towards it (Good, 2010). This programme has increased awareness about FGM amongst the Malian community, and is beginning to get positive results in M ali, where women are deciding against their daughters being circumcised (Good, 2010). Kenya too has undertaken programmes, the key one being Ntanira Na Mugambo which translates to Circumcision by Words (BBC News, 1998). This week long programme secluded women from males, informing them about FGM in a subtle manner i.e. referring to anatomy, reproduction, self-esteem building, dealing with peer pressure and respecting adults (BBC News, 1998). Thus this type of programme didnt abhor FGM outright but rather tackled the issues surrounding it, offering an alternative view yet allowing the women to make up their own minds. Another project was employed in Uganda where an Outreach Plan was created, targeting leaders of rural communities who commit the practice of FGM. Such a plan provided local community leaders with economic incentives to stop the process i.e. that those women who undergo FGM find it incredibly difficult to work and thus their contribution to the workforce is trivial (Rahman and Toubia, 2000, p.78). Such intuition prevents women from being forced to be circumcised whilst also positively impacting upon productivity and as a result increasing economic efficiency. Outside pressure does still exist though and experts on FGM believe it is vital to actively engage with communities to ban the practice and penalise those who still conduct it. Thus as said before, education, although the most important element of this process of instigating change, cannot simply be the only solution, but rather must be combined with a series of other strategies. To conclude, FGM is a practice heavily debated about within international relations due to the ethical concerns it raises and ultimately infringes. Cultural relativist positions would argue that is necessary to understand the behaving of different groups due to cultural backgrounds, yet the stance that we should simply accept differences is highly critiques where FGM is concerned. In my critique, the practice is one worthy of severe condemnation, yet through little fault of the people continuing it but rather the myths and general history surrounding it. Hence, ultimately it is these myths and historical factors that need to be eradicated in order to promote the safety of women across the globe, particularly in less-developed countries. Thus this essay has agreed with and supported the argument put forward by Nussbaum that it is legitimate for states like the US and UK to intervene to bring the practice of FGM to an end yet this is relative to the situation. My core argument however remains that if women are being forced to undergo genital mutilation, then it is acceptable for states to intervene through the measures discussed previously. However, if the procedure if consented to and women are voluntarily wishing to go through with it out of their own freewill, then states are not legitimate in intervening. Intervention thus is dependent on the factor of choice towards FGM, yet women and men alike should be educated about the medical and psychological consequences of it. Additionally, such education should enlighten communities about the falsities of the myths they cling on to and how they are in actual fact untrue. The Capabilities Approach is fundamental to this process of education as it informs the public of how FGM can harm and worsen the capabilities of women. Education however will not work alone and must be accompanied by a series of other policy measures, namely legislation, regulatory policies and reproductive services. It is therefore legitimate for states like the UK to intervene to halt practices like FGM, according to the circumstances outlined in this essay and through the policy recommendations suggested.

Voltage: Ohms Law And Kirchhoffs Rules :: essays research papers

Voltage: Ohm's Law and Kirchhoff's Rules ABSTRACT   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ohm's Law and Kirchhoff's rules is fundamental for the understanding of dc circuit. This experiment proves and show how these rules can be applied to so simple dc circuits. INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the theory of Ohm's Law, voltage is simply proportional to current as illustrated in the proportionality, V=RI. As shown in this relation, V represent voltage which is the potential difference across the two ends of a electrical conductor and between which an electric current, I, will flow. The constant, R, is called the conductor's resistance. Thus by the Ohm's Law, one can determine the resistance R in a DC circuit without measuring it directly provided that the remaining variable V and I is known.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A resistor is a piece of electric conductor which obeys Ohm's Law and has been designed to have a specific value for its resistance. As an extension of the Ohm's Law, two more relationship can be drawn for electric circuits containing resistors connected in series or/and parallel. For resistors connected in series, the sum of their resistance is, RTOTAL=R1+R2+ ..... +Rn . And for resistors connected in parallel, 1/RTOTAL==1/R1+1/R2+ ..... +1/Rn . Complex dc circuit involving a combination of parallel and series resistors can be analyzed to find the current and voltage at each point of the circuit using 2 basic rules formulated by Kirchhoff. 1) The algebraic sum of current at any branch point in a circuit is zero. 2) The algebraic sum of potential difference, V, around any closed loop in a circuit is zero. These rules and equations provided by the Ohm's law and the Kirchhoff rule can be experimentally tested with the apparatus available in the lab EXPERIMENTAL METHOD   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The apparatus used in the experiment includes a Voltmeter, an Ammeter, some connecting wires and a series of resistors and light bulb with varies resistance. This experiment could be divided into 5 sections which value of voltage and current measured is noted in all sections for further calculation. In the first section, in order to evaluate the reliability of Ohm's law, a dc circuit was constructed as FIG 2 (on p.4 ) using a resistor with an expected resistance at 2400W*120W. In the second section, we were instructed to determine the internal resistance of the voltmeter. Two dc circuit were constructed as FIG 1. and FIG 2. using a resistor with an expected resistance at 820000W*41000W. In the third section, we were asked to judge if the filament of a light bulb obey Ohm's law, this was done by constructing a dc circuit as FIG 1. with a light bulb instead of a resistor.

thelma and louise Essay -- essays research papers

The movie Thelma and Louise attempts to make a difference in the way that people think. It sets out to challenge a number of conventional attitudes toward women. Although it achieves some success in this area for women, it does not do a great deal to rebuff society’s stereotypical images of men. For the most part, men are portrayed in a negative light and in this paper, I will explore where these negative images appear within the movie. Thelma's husband, Darryl is portrayed as a dirt-bag. He is intolerant, selfish, egotistic and domineering. In the beginning of the movie Thelma is shown leaving a meal in the microwave for her husband as she sets off with her friend Louise for a weekend holiday. This is the first of numerous occasions in which the movie seizes the opportunity to perpetuate negative images of men. This first image reinforces the view that men are incompetent at looking after themselves and if left alone, they would be unable to feed themselves. Darryl’s negative image continues throughout the movie, he never realizes that his treatment of his wife contributes to her unhappiness and her subsequent rejection of him even though Thelma has talked to him about this. Darryl is shown as a distant and unfeeling creature that would rather watch his football game and laze around drinking beer than know the whereabouts of his mysteriously missing wife. He is the embodiment of the lazy, beer-guzzling slob of a husband of editorials and comic strips. Another example of his...

Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut :: Harrison Bergeron Essays

1. Define 'satire' and provide one example of personal or social satire that yoou have encountered. You may use any source for your example:TV, media, news editorials, movies, comedy, etc. Satire can be defined as any work in which a human vice or folly is attacked with irony or sarcasm. An example of satire can be found in the song "When the President Talks to God" by Bright Eyes. In this song, the lyrics lay out hypothetical conversations between the President and God, which mocks current President George W. Bush and his use of strong religious influence while in office. 2. In a well-developed p-graph, I.D. and explain at least one symbol vonnegut presents in the story. Explain how he uses the symbol and what the symbol represents some other entity in the story. In the story, Harrison Bergeron represents many symbols. A major symbolic moment occurs when Harrison breaks away from his chains. This represents Harrison's freedom. 3. In the story, what is the purpose of 'handicaps' and how do they keep people equal? Handicaps can be defined as a hinderance that gives a disadvantage. In the story Harrison Bergeron, handicaps are given to anyone considered to be pretty, smart, and out of the ordinary. Masks are worn so beauty is hidden, an ear piece prevents intelligent thought, and the extraordinary are chained up. 4. Explain the role Diana Moon Glampers plays in the story and describe the authority she possesses over the people. Diana Moon Glampers plays the Handicapper General. Basically, she is large and in charge. Diana has the power of to control the life and death of everyone in the story, and this is shown. 5. Explain why Hazel Bergeron is not plagued with frequent brain blasts like her husband. Hazel Bergeron does not need a handicap to prevent her from having intelligent thoughts like her husband simply because she is not as smart as he is. 6. In a p-graph, write a brief character sketch of Harrison Bergeron. Include not only his physical appearance, but the emotional characteristic which leads him to behave so bizarrely. Putting Harrison Bergeron's seven-foot stature asside, he appears to be what we would call normal today. 7. This story has a well-developed theme which Vonnegut parodies against certain American beliefs. In a paragraph or two, explain what you believe the theme of this story is.

Whats Really Good Essay

   (1) (a) One passage from Nouwen I found particularly informative to my learning was from the middle of paragraph one of page 103. Nouwen explains, â€Å"Poverty is the inner disposition that allows us to take away our defenses and convert our enemies into friends. We can only perceive the stranger as an enemy as long as we have something to defend.† Here Nouwen is explaining that a reason for hostility is because we are afraid that others will take away what we have. This can be anything to actual tangent property, or our beliefs of what we are, such as the thought that we are the best math student. We are hesitant to help another student out because we are afraid they may threaten our belief that we are the best student. Nouwen is saying that if we become poor, as in overcome our fear of losing something, we can become great hosts of hospitality. If we are willing to give up everything we have, no longer will strangers become threats. It becomes easier to give and create an open space for our guest to be themselves, once we have invited in poverty and faced the fear of loss. Moving from hostility to hospitality is a major theme of Nouwen’s book. (b) A Christine doctrine implicit in this passage is the doctrine of original sin. Unfortunately, we all believe we can create our own reality and exist as a God in our own right. As a result of this belief we fail to recognize the dignity and commonality in all beings. Our original sin causes us to shun others out believing that we do not need them and can manage sufficiently in isolation. In reality this hurts both ourselves and others from not realizing our interdependent nature. (c) After reading this passage I began to realize how often I do this to other people. I recognized that at times out of selfishness and fear of losing everything I have worked so hard for I view other people as opponents, not as people who inherently deserve respect for being created in the image of God. I then started to ponder how I have felt or would feel if I was viewed by a stranger as enemy for no apparent reason. I discovered how horrible it is that we hold our things and beliefs over the worth and well being of or fellow individuals. It seems so foolish that we would through this. And from this recognition I realized how the marginalized can be used to promote change and growth within myself and others. (2) Loneliness, the longing for deep connection, perfect love and inner peace does give rise to illusion. Nouwen, illustrates, â€Å"It is sad to see how sometimes people suffering from loneliness, often deepened by the lack of affection in their intimate family circle, search for a final solution for their pains and look at a new friend, a new lover, or a new community with Messianic expectations† (Page 30, Par 2). Here is becomes apparent that when people are suffering from loneliness

Examining class differences Essay

(a)Explain briefly what is meant by the term ‘elaborated speech code’ . Elaborate speech code is usually associated with middle-class, well educated people. It uses a wide variety of vocabulary, is more context based, uses grammatically complex sentences, communicates abstract ideas and is mostly context-free. (b)Identify three policies that governments have introduced to compensate for material and cultural disadvantage, apart from Educational Priority Areas. Compensatory education is a policy designed in order to tackle the problem of cultural deprivation, by providing resources to communities as well as schools in deprived areas. An example of a compensatory education programme is Operation Head Start in the United States, which is one of the best known examples of such programmes. Operation Head Start focuses on pre-school ‘planned enrichment’ education in poorer areas, which was introduced in the 1960s. Their aim was to develop children’s learning skills and instil achievement motivation. This included tasks such as: setting up nursery classes, home visits by health visitors and educational psychologists, improving parenting skills and the creation of intensive learning programmes for deprived children. Sesame Street, the popular TV programme, was initially created as part of Head Start, in order to reach young children and reflecting the values and attitudes needed for educational success; such as the importance of general knowledge, literacy and numeracy. In the UK, there have been several compensatory education programmes over the years, such as the Education Priority Areas that were created in the 1960s, Education Action Zones, which were introduced in the 1960s, and more recently, with the launch in 2000, comes Sure Start. Sure Start is a nationwide programme aimed at pre-school children as well as their parents. However, it also has non-educational aims, such as improving children’s health. Sure Start was introduced by the British Government in order to tackle poverty and social exclusion. The centres available provide integrated education, family support, support with parental employment, care and health services. Sure Start’s main aim is to work with parents to promote the physical, intellectual, educational and social development of babies and young children, particularly those who are disadvantaged. (c)Outline some of the ways in which material deprivation may affect educational achievement. Material deprivation is a lack of resources and necessities needed to live a basic lifestyle, such as an adequate diet, housing, clothing, or in some cases, the money to be able to buy these things. Material deprivation can affect educational achievement as the result of the lack of these necessities. Children in education will need financial support from their parents/carers in order to pursue a sufficient education; however disadvantaged families cannot afford educational aids. As well as that, families living in poverty may have limited space in their home. This leads to overcrowding, which means there is nowhere for the child to study. Also, this could lead to illness, depending on the state and cleanliness of the house. For example, dampness can cause a variety of illnesses, which leads to absence at school, therefore, lessening the child’s chance of a successful education. Some parents may force their children to leave school early and pursue a career in order to provide extra income for the family. (d)Using material from Item A (source) and elsewhere, assess the view that working class children under-achieve because they are culturally deprived. The idea that working-class children will most likely under-achieve due to a lack of culture, also known as cultural deprivation, refers to children lacking the norms, values, beliefs, skills and knowledge that a society would regard as important and necessary. The attributes that these children should know and learn are, in most cases, taught by their parents and are passed to the next generation through socialisation. All children are socialised differently, and the social class of the parent has a huge impact on the child and may affect their achievement in education. According to the cultural deprivation theory, some working-class parents fail to communicate and instil the appropriate norms, values, beliefs, skills and knowledge needed for educational success. However, there are other factors that can determine how well a child does within education. For example, material deprivation, cultural capital and economic capital can also have an impact on how well some children will attain, therefore cultural deprivation is not the only factor and may not be the most important reason to why working-class children under-achieve.

Foundation and Empire 17. The Visi-Sonor

Ebling Mis's house in a not-so-pretentious neighborhood of Terminus City was well known to the intelligentsia, literati, and just-plain-well-read of the Foundation. Its notable characteristics depended, subjectively, upon the source material that was read. To a thoughtful biographer, it was the â€Å"symbolization of a retreat from a nonacademic reality,† a society columnist gushed silkily at its â€Å"frightfully masculine atmosphere of careless disorder,† a University Ph.D. called it brusquely, â€Å"bookish, but unorganized,† a nonuniversity friend said, â€Å"good for a drink anytime and you can put your feet on the sofa,† and a breezy newsweekly broadcast, that went in for color, spoke of the â€Å"rocky, down-to-earth, no-nonsense living quarters of blaspheming, Leftish, balding Ebling Mis.† To Bayta, who thought for no audience but herself at the moment, and who had the advantage of first-hand information, it was merely sloppy. Except for the first few days, her imprisonment had been a light burden. Far lighter, it seemed, that this half-hour wait in the psychologist's home – under secret observation, perhaps? She had been with Toran then, at least. Perhaps she might have grown wearier of the strain, had not Magnifico's long nose drooped in a gesture that plainly showed his own far greater tension. Magnifico's pipe-stem legs were folded up under a pointed, sagging chin, as if he were trying to huddle himself into disappearance, and Bayta's hand went out in a gentle and automatic gesture of reassurance. Magnifico winced, then smiled. â€Å"Surely, my lady, it would seem that even yet my body denies the knowledge of my mind and expects of others' hands a blow.† â€Å"There's no need for worry, Magnifico. I'm with you, and I won't let anyone hurt you.† The clown's eyes sidled towards her, then drew away quickly. â€Å"But they kept me away from you earlier – and from your kind husband – and, on my word, you may laugh, but I was lonely for missing friendship.† â€Å"I wouldn't laugh at that. I was, too.† The clown brightened, and he hugged his knees closer. He said, â€Å"You have not met this man who will see us?† It was a cautious question. â€Å"No. But he is a famous man. I have seen him in the newscasts and heard quite a good deal of him. I think he's a good man, Magnifico, who means us no harm.† â€Å"Yes?† The clown stirred uneasily. â€Å"That may be, my lady, but he has questioned me before, and his manner is of an abruptness and loudness that bequivers me. He is full of strange words, so that the answers to his questions could not worm out of my throat. Almost, I might believe the romancer who once played on my ignorance with a tale that, at such moments, the heart lodged in the windpipe and prevented speech.† â€Å"But it's different now. We're two to his one, and he won't be able to frighten the both of us, will he?† â€Å"No, my lady.† A door slammed somewheres, and the roaring of a voice entered the house. Just outside the room, it coagulated into words with a fierce, â€Å"Get the â€Å"Ga-LAX-y out of here!† and two uniformed guards were momentarily visible through the opening door, in quick retreat. Ebling Mis entered frowning, deposited a carefully wrapped bundle on the floor, and approached to shake Bayta's hand with careless pressure. Bayta returned it vigorously, man-fashion. Mis did a double-take as he turned to the clown, and favored the girl with a longer look. He said, â€Å"Married?† â€Å"Yes. We went through the legal formalities.† Mis paused. Then, â€Å"Happy about it?† â€Å"So far.† Mis shrugged, and turned again to Magnifico. He unwrapped the package, â€Å"Know what this is, boy?† Magnifico fairly hurled himself out of his seat and caught the multi-keyed instrument. He fingered the myriad knobby contacts and threw a sudden back somersault of joy, to the imminent destruction of the nearby furniture. He croaked, â€Å"A Visi-Sonor – and of a make to distill joy out of a dead man's heart.† His long fingers caressed softly and slowly, pressing lightly on contacts with a rippling motion, resting momentarily on one key then another – and in the air before them there was a soft glowing rosiness, just inside the range of vision. Ebling Mis said, â€Å"All right, boy, you said you could pound on one of those gadgets, and there's your chance. You'd better tune it, though. It's out of a museum.† Then, in an aside to Bayta, â€Å"Near as I can make it, no one on the Foundation can make it talk right.† He leaned closer and said quickly, â€Å"The clown won't talk without you. Will you help?† She nodded. â€Å"Good!† he said. â€Å"His state of fear is almost fixed, and I doubt that his mental strength would possibly stand a psychic probe. If I'm to get anything out of him otherwise, he's got to feel absolutely at ease. You understand?† She nodded again. â€Å"This Visi-Sonor is the first step in the process. He says he can play it; and his reaction now makes it pretty certain that it's one of the great joys of his life. So whether the playing is good or bad, be interested and appreciative. Then exhibit friendliness and confidence in me. Above all, follow my lead in everything.† There was a swift glance at Magnifico, huddled in a comer of the sofa, making rapid adjustments in the interior of the instrument. He was completely absorbed. Mis said in a conversational tone to Bayta, â€Å"Ever hear a Visi-Sonor?† â€Å"Once,† said Bayta, equally casually, â€Å"at a concert of rare instruments. I wasn't impressed.† â€Å"Well, I doubt that you came across good playing. There are very few really good players. It's not so much that it requires physical co-ordination – a multi-bank piano requires more, for instance – as a certain type of free-wheeling mentality.† In a lower voice, â€Å"That's why our living skeleton there might be better than we think. More often than not, good players are idiots otherwise. It's one of those queer setups that makes psychology interesting.† He added, in a patent effort to manufacture light conversation, â€Å"You know how the beblistered thing works? I looked it up for this purpose, and all I've made out so far is that its radiations stimulate the optic center of the brain directly, without ever touching the optic nerve. It's actually the utilization of a sense never met with in ordinary nature. Remarkable, when you come to think of it. What you hear is all right. That's ordinary. Eardrum, cochlea, all that. But – Shh! He's ready. Will you kick that switch. It works better in the dark.† In the darkness, Magnifico was a mere blob, Ebling Mis a heavy-breathing mass. Bayta found herself straining her eyes anxiously, and at first with no effect. There was a thin, reedy quaver in the air, that wavered raggedly up the scale. It hovered, dropped and caught itself, gained in body, and swooped into a booming crash that had the effect of a thunderous split in a veiling curtain. A little globe of pulsing color grew in rhythmic spurts and burst in midair into formless gouts that swirled high and came down as curving streamers in interfacing patterns. They coalesced into little spheres, no two alike in color – and Bayta began discovering things. She noticed that closing her eyes made the color pattern all the clearer; that each little movement of color had its own little pattern of sound; that she could not identify the colors; and, lastly, that the globes were not globes but little figures. Little figures; little shifting flames, that danced and flickered in their myriads; that dropped out of sight and returned from nowhere; that whipped about one another and coalesced then into a new color. Incongruously, Bayta thought of the little blobs of color that come at night when you close your eyelids till they hurt, and stare patiently. There was the old familiar effect of the marching polka dots of shifting color, of the contracting concentric circles, of the shapeless masses that quiver momentarily. All that, larger, multivaried – and each little dot of color a tiny figure. They darted at her in pairs, and she lifted her hands with a sudden gasp, but they tumbled and for an instant she was the center of a brilliant snowstorm, while cold light slipped off her shoulders and down her arm in a luminous ski-slide, shooting off her stiff fingers and meeting slowly in a shining midair focus. Beneath it all, the sound of a hundred instruments flowed in liquid streams until she could not tell it from the light. She wondered if Ebling Mis were seeing the same thing, and if not, what he did see, The wonder passed, and then- She was watching again. The little figures-were they little figures? -little tiny women with burning hair that turned and bent too quickly for the mind to focus? -seized one another in star-shaped groups that turned – and the music was faint laughter – girls' laughter that began inside the ear. The stars drew together, sparked towards one another, grew slowly into structure – and from below, a palace shot upward in rapid evolution. Each brick a tiny color, each color a tiny spark, each spark a stabbing light that shifted patterns and led the eye skyward to twenty jeweled minarets. A glittering carpet shot out and about, whirling, spinning an insubstantial web that engulfed all space, and from it luminous shoots stabbed upward and branched into trees that sang with a music all their own. Bayta sat inclosed in it. The music welled about her in rapid, lyrical flights. She reached out to touch a fragile tree and blossoming spicules floated downwards and faded, each with its clear, tiny tinkle. The music crashed in twenty cymbals, and before her an area flamed up in a spout and cascaded down invisible steps into Bayta's lap, where it spilled over and flowed in rapid current, raising the fiery sparkle to her waist, while across her lap was a rainbow bridge and upon it the little figures- A palace, and a garden, and tiny men and women on a bridge, stretching out as far as she could see, swimming through the stately swells of stringed music converging in upon her- And then – there seemed a frightened pause, a hesitant, indrawn motion, a swift collapse. The colors fled, spun into a globe that shrank, and rose, and disappeared. And it was merely dark again. A heavy foot scratched for the pedal, reached it, and the light flooded in; the flat light of a prosy sun. Bayta blinked until the tears came, as though for the longing of what was gone. Ebling Mis was a podgy inertness with his eyes still round and his mouth still open. Only Magnifico himself was alive, and he fondled his Visi-Sonor in a crooning ecstasy. â€Å"My lady,† he gasped, â€Å"it is indeed of an effect the most magical. It is of balance and response almost beyond hope in its delicacy and stability. On this, it would seem I could work wonders. How liked you my composition, my lady?† â€Å"Was it yours?† breathed Bayta. â€Å"Your own?† At her awe, his thin face turned a glowing red to the tip of his mighty nose. â€Å"My very own, my lady. The Mule liked it not, but often and often I have played it for my own amusement. It was once, in my youth, that I saw the palace – a gigantic place of jeweled riches that I saw from a distance at a time of high carnival. There were people of a splendor undreamed of – and magnificence more than ever I saw afterwards, even in the Mule's service. It is but a poor makeshift I have created, but my mind's poverty precludes more. I call it, ‘The Memory of Heaven.'† Now through the midst of the chatter, Mis shook himself to active life. â€Å"Here,† he said, â€Å"here, Magnifico, would you like to do that same thing for others?† For a moment, the clown drew back. â€Å"For others?† he quavered. â€Å"For thousands,† cried Mis, â€Å"in the great Halls of the Foundation. Would you like to be your own master, and honored by all, wealthy, and†¦ and-† his imagination failed him. â€Å"And all that? Eh? What do you say?† â€Å"But how may I be all that, mighty sir, for indeed I am but a poor clown ungiven to the great things of the world?† The psychologist puffed out his lips, and passed the back of his hand across his brow. He said, â€Å"But your playing, man. The world is yours if you would play so for the mayor and his Trading Trusts. Wouldn't you like that?† The clown glanced briefly at Bayta, â€Å"Would she stay with me?† Bayta laughed, â€Å"Of course, silly. Would it be likely that I'd leave you now that you're on the point of becoming rich and famous?† â€Å"It would all be yours,† he replied earnestly, â€Å"and surely the wealth of Galaxy itself would be yours before I could repay my debt to your kindness.† â€Å"But,† said Mis, casually, â€Å"if you would first help me-â€Å" â€Å"What is that?† The psychologist paused, and smiled, â€Å"A little surface probe that doesn't hurt. It wouldn't touch but the peel of your brain.† There was a flare of deadly fear in Magnifico's eyes. â€Å"Not a probe. I have seen it used. It drains the mind and leaves an empty skull. The Mule did use it upon traitors and let them wander mindless through the streets, until out of mercy, they were killed.† He held up his hand to push Mis away. â€Å"That was a psychic probe,† explained Mis, patiently, â€Å"and even that would only harm a person when misused. This probe I have is a surface probe that wouldn't hurt a baby. â€Å" â€Å"That's right, Magnifico,† urged Bayta. â€Å"It's only to help beat the Mule and keep him far away. Once that's done, you and I will be rich and famous all our lives.† Magnifico held out a trembling hand, â€Å"Will you hold my hand, then?† Bayta took it in both her own, and the clown watched the approach of the burnished terminal plates with large eyes. Ebling Mis rested carelessly on the too-lavish chair in Mayor Indbur's private quarters, unregenerately unthankful for the condescension shown him and watched the small mayor's fidgeting unsympathetically. He tossed away a cigar stub and spat out a shred of tobacco. â€Å"And, incidentally, if you want something for your next concert at Mallow Hall, Indbur,† he said, â€Å"you can dump out those electronic gadgeteers into the sewers they came from and have this little freak play the Visi-Sonor for you. Indbur – it's out of this world.† Indbur said peevishly, â€Å"I did not call you here to listen to your lectures on music. What of the Mule? Tell me that. What of the Mule?† â€Å"The Mule? Well, I'll tell you – I used a surface probe and got little. Can't use the psychic probe because the freak is scared blind of it, so that his resistance will probably blow his unprintable mental fuses as soon as contact is made. But this is what I've got, if you'll just stop tapping your fingernails- â€Å"First place, de-stress the Mule's physical strength. He's probably strong, but most of the freak's fairy tales about it are probably considerably blown up by his own fearful memory, He wears queer glasses and his eyes kill, he evidently has mental powers.† â€Å"So much we had at the start,† commented the mayor, sourly. â€Å"Then the probe confirms it, and from there on I've been working mathematically.† â€Å"So? And how long will all this take? Your word-rattling will deafen me yet.† â€Å"About a month, I should say, and I may have something for you. And I may not, of course. But what of it? If this is all outside Seldon's plans, our chances are precious little, unprintable little.† Indbur whirled on the psychologist fiercely, â€Å"Now I have you, traitor. Lie! Say you're not one of these criminal rumormongers that are spreading defeatism and panic through the Foundation, and making my work doubly hard.† â€Å"I? I?† Mis gathered anger slowly. Indbur swore at him, â€Å"Because by the dust-clouds of space, the Foundation will win – the Foundation must win.† â€Å"Despite the loss at Horleggor?† â€Å"It was not a loss. You have swallowed that spreading lie, too? We were outnumbered and betreasoned-â€Å" â€Å"By whom?† demanded Mis, contemptuously. â€Å"By the lice-ridden democrats of the gutter,† shouted Indbur back at him. â€Å"I have known for long that the fleet has been riddled by democratic cells. Most have been wiped out, but enough remain for the unexplained surrender of twenty ships in the thickest of the swarming fight. Enough to force an apparent defeat. â€Å"For that matter, my rough-tongued, simple patriot and epitome of the primitive virtues, what are your own connections with the democrats?† Ebling Mis shrugged it off, â€Å"You rave, do you know that? What of the retreat since, and the loss of half of Siwenna? Democrats again?† â€Å"No. Not democrats,† the little man smiled sharply. â€Å"We retreat – as the Foundation has always retreated under attack, until the inevitable march of history turns with us. Already, I see the outcome. Already, the so-called underground of the democrats has issued manifestoes swearing aid and allegiance to the Government. It could be a feint, a cover for a deeper treachery, but I make good use of it, and the propaganda distilled from it will have its effect, whatever the crawling traitors scheme. And better than that-â€Å" â€Å"Even better than that, Indbur?† â€Å"Judge for yourself. Two days ago, the so-called Association of Independent Traders declared war on the Mule, and the Foundation fleet is strengthened, at a stroke, by a thousand ships. You see, this Mule goes too far. He finds us divided and quarreling among ourselves and under the pressure of his attack we unite and grow strong. He must lose. It is inevitable – as always.† Mis still exuded skepticism, â€Å"Then you tell me that Seldon planned even for the fortuitous occurrence of a mutant.† â€Å"A mutant! I can't tell him from a human, nor could you but for the ravings of a rebel captain, some outland youngsters, and an addled juggler and clown. You forget the most conclusive evidence of all – your own.† â€Å"My own?† For just a moment, Mis was startled. â€Å"Your own,† sneered the mayor. â€Å"The Time Vault opens in nine weeks. What of that? It opens for a crisis. If this attack of the Mule is not the crisis, where is the ‘real' one, the one the Vault is opening for? Answer me, you lardish ball.† The psychologist shrugged, â€Å"All tight. If it keeps you happy. Do me a favor, though. Just in case†¦ just in case old Seldon makes his speech and it does go sour, suppose you let me attend the Grand Opening.† â€Å"All right. Get out of here. And stay out of my sight for nine weeks.† â€Å"With unprintable pleasure, you wizened horror,† muttered Mis to himself as he left.