Recovery Period Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Recovery Period - Essay Example The institute of law enforcement runs on the basis of mutual respect; the civilian respects the officer and the officer respects the civilian, not considering him/herself superior because of his uniform. An officer must, at all times, remain unbiased so as not to obstruct his judgement during his duty. The above stated behaviors are, to me, the most likely to incite the opposite feelings. Biases arise because there is no respect for one’s fellows. Prejudice leads to hatred, which then manifests itself into hate crimes. And these crimes simply grow in magnitude. An automatic termination would set an example. The second behavior shows a lack of respect for the very job. By not respecting the profession of law enforcement, one cannot be considered an officer – it becomes contradictory in nature. This sort of behavior leads to bullying and taking advantage of others. The â€Å"recovery phase provides a ‘window of opportunity’ for risk reduction† (Christoplos). The recovery period simply refers to the phase, after the occurring of any crime, where the victims involved recover from their losses. This does not necessarily mean emotional losses. If, for instance, a theft took place in a shop, the recovery phase/period would include the recovering from the financial loss, the traumatic experience of being held at gun point (perhaps), and the relief and rehabilitation (not necessarily in mobile terms) of the victims. This period is often called the window of opportunity for risk reduction. Risk reduction refers to the actual trimming down of the risk of any crime. What this statement, thus, means is this: when a crime occurs, a situation arises in which the involved actors (victims, civilians or the cops) are given an opportunity to reduce risk for future such happenings. Mr. Christoplos wrote a report on the window of opportunity

Gun Control Essay Example for Free

Gun Control Essay Abstract Some reasons why colleges should look at the laws that they put in place and try to change them. Students should have the right to conceal weapons on college campuses. The guns provide the protection that may be necessary in certain situations. Like the Virginia Tech Shooting, many people could have been saved if only one person had a gun. Having a gun gives a sense of safety to many people on the campus, especially for women with a greater risk of intruders and rapists. For these women, knowing that they have a way to defend themselves can set their minds to ease. Though some believe that the allowance of guns would increase violence on campus, no other college that has allowed concealed firearms has had an issue. Another concerning issue would be that having guns on campus would be easier for students to commit suicide; there are just some things in life that authorities cannot control, and that is one of them. The right to have a concealed weapon on campus should be conveyed freely. Position Paper Legalize Concealed Weapons on College Campuses Liberty senior, Craig Storrs, says, â€Å"It makes me feel secure knowing I would be able to defend myself if something does happen, like Virginia Tech or if I get stopped on the street for a mugging or something like that† (Barry, 2011). The topic of legalizing concealed weapons on college campuses has been argued for many years. Some colleges have legalized concealed weapons on campus and have not had problems, but many will not even think about legalizing concealed weapons. Carrying a concealed weapon at the age of 21 is a right including a college campus, because it offers protection and safety to students (Students for concealed, 2008). Background of Concealed Weapons on College Campuses Since the Virginia Tech shooting, many colleges have changed their on-campus laws concerning firearms. In eight states, the legislation is considering if students and staff would be able to carry a concealed weapon into college buildings. Many officials did not want to have another repeat the Virginia Tech shooting. Two years before the Virginia Tech shooting, the lawmakers of Texas rejected a bill to allow concealed weapons onto college campuses. Since then, the bill has come back with better arguments for the right to have a concealed weapon on college campuses. Corey Zipper, a twenty-one year-old psychology major, went to the state capitol to talk to the officials to pass the bill. Corey Zipper stated, â€Å"We get the mature thing a lot – that college students aren’t mature enough. And the alcohol thing – that we’re all just boozed up all the time† (Burnett, 2011). He also states that the law states that â€Å"a person much be 21 years old, have a clean record and no psychiatric disorders, and take a 10-hour instruction course that includes time at a firing range† (Burnett, 2011). In 2009 Texas passed the bill to legalize having a concealed weapon on college campus (Burnett, 2011). It Gives Protection Allowing students to carry a gun could save their lives. Life can be unpredictable, so when something happens people should be prepared. If by being prepared means they need to carry a gun, then why would the state want to take that right from someone? A person has the right to protect his/herself and others, and a responsible firearm owner would do such. Many lives could be saved by the simple action of allowing concealed weapons on college campuses (Concealed Guns, 2011). Background of Virginia Tech Shooting On April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho, student at Virginia Tech, began his shooting around 7:15 A.M. in a co-ed dormitory. He first killed Emily Hilsher and Ryan Clark. The Virginia Tech Police Chief said, â€Å"We secured the building, we secured the crime scene† (Caruso, n.d.). The authorities did not put the college on lock down and had classes as schedualed. Seung-Hui Cho did not leave the campus; around 9:15 A.M. he started to kill again. He went into the engineering and science building and chained the doors so no one could escape. He then went into classroom after classroom; he killed 25 more students and five faculty members. Twenty-nine people were wounded. In the end Cho also took his life (Caruso, n.d.). It was reported that nineteen of the thirty-two victims that were killed were over the age of 21. The age of 21 is the legal age for the right to conceal a weapon in Virginia. If these students would have been able to carry a firearm onto campus, then perhaps these lives could have been saved. Instead of thirty-three lives taken that day, there should have been one. Innocent people would not have died (Students for concealed, 2008). Concealed Weapons Should not Depend on Location It is stated in the Constitution that a person has the right to bear arms at the age of 21. This law does not give specific places that are prohibited. People should not have to put their concealed weapon away because of where they are (The Right to Keep and Bear Arms, 1982). Public Places People can Carry Weapons Though colleges are small, some places that allow concealed weapons are smaller. When a person goes to the movies, they are allowed to carry a concealed weapon. No one would ever know because the weapon is concealed. Other places would include a shopping mall. When people are shopping, the last thing they are thinking is that the people next to them might have a gun on them (Students for concealed, 2008). Make College Students Feel Safer The right to conceal a weapon could put some students at ease. Knowing that they have a way to save themselves in dangerous situations may make the students more relaxed. If a student comes across a dangerous situation, then they are prepared. These students do not have to worry about what to do (Marin, 2012). College Intruders and Rapists It is easy for intruders to get into dorms. In New York, two men got into a building by sneaking in behind another guy after he swiped his card. When the college police were called they came and took the men without calling the cops. If this were to happen again, these men would be taken to the authorities. Knowing that it is easy for strange people to get into housing, it not be a good idea to rob students the right to have a concealed weapon. This would give some students that okay to live life and other the need of protection that they might not be able to find anywhere else (Rearick, 2011). One in four women have the chance of being raped in college. Guns could help defend so many different women. They could have gotten out of the situation if they just had a way of defense. Sometimes women are physically too weak to run from situations like that and the allowance of a gun would provide that opportunity to them (College Crime Today, n.d.). Counterargument: Guns on Campus Would Promote Violence . â€Å"Some professors might be afraid to issue bad grades if they know that students could be carrying guns† (Students for concealed, 2008). Some people believe that allowing student to carry firearms would push them to be violent. If the students are allowed to carry firearms, then they will not be afraid to use them. If there was an argument with another student, then these students would be tempted to use the gun to scare or even harm the other student (Students for concealed, 2008). Logical Response: Guns on Campus Would not Promote Violence There has been over thirty colleges campuses that have allowed concealed weapons on their campuses. These campuses have had no issues with gun violence, and there has not been a gun theft or accident in all these years. This shows that it is a possibility to carry conceal weapons and still get a great education with no distraction with no violence. Studies show, â€Å"concealed handgun license holders are five times less likely than non-license holders to commit violent crimes† (Students for concealed, 2008). Counterargument: Guns on Campus Would Encourage Suicide Some believe that allowing students to obtain firearms would increase the likelihood suicide. They would have all the resources they need now that they are able to carry concealed firearms. This would make it easier for these students to commit suicide without anyone knowing until after the fact. This would then increase the suicide numbers dramatically. Allowing a student to carry a firearm that could potentially use to kill themselves is not the way to help (Students for concealed, 2008). Logical Response: Guns on Campus Would not Encourage Suicide According to detectives, â€Å"Studies show that 90% of suicides are committed in the home† (Students for concealed, 2008). Since the legal age to own a concealed weapon is 21, most students at this age live off campus. This would not affect the numbers as much as the colleges think it would. If people really wanted to commit suicide, then nothing would stand in their way. Allowing them to conceal a gun will just give them an easier way out (Students for concealed, 2008). Conclusion During the Virginia Tech Shooting many lives could have been saved. Students could also feel safer knowing that they have something there to protect themselves and others if needed. Though students could turn to violence many are very responsible to be carrying this gun in the first place. They just cannot get a gun; they have to go through the process. Another concern would be suicide, but since most of the students live off campus anyway nothing would stop that. It would be a lost cause to put a ban on concealed weapons when there is nothing to prevent suicide in the first place. Once the right training classes are taken, it should not be a problem for a person to be able to carry his/her gun that he/she worked hard to get and paid for. The right to have a concealed weapon on campus should be expressed freely. References Barry, L. (2011). Liberty university oks concealed guns on campus. Retrieved from http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/2011/nov/16/5/liberty-university-oks-concealed-guns-campus-ar-1463719/. Burnett, J. (2011). Texas Lawmakers aim for guns on college campuses. Retreieved from http://www.npr.org/2011/02/04/133466058/texas-lawmakers-aim-for-guns-on-college-campuses. Caruso, K. (n.d.). What Happened: The Virginia Tech Massacure. Retrieved from http://www.virginiatechmassacre.com/what-happened-virginia-tech-massacre.html. College Crime Today. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.womens-self-defense-instruction-online.com/college-crime.html. Concealed guns. (2011). Retrieved from http://concealedguns.procon.org/. Frantz, A. (2011). Texas considering concealed handguns on campus. Retrieved from http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/22/texas-weighing-concealed-handguns-on-campus/. Marin, J. (2012). Guns on college campuses. Retrieved from http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/03/guns-on-college -campuses/. Rearick, J. (2011). Intruders spark safety concerns. Retrieved from http://www.miscellanynews.com/2.1576/intruders-spark-safety-concerns-1.2660011#.TxkPxJit-fQ. Students for concealed carry on campus. (2008). Retrieved

Life :: essays research papers

"Life" In the novel "A Raisin in the Sun" an African American family suffers the loss of one of their family members. He was the oldest person in the family and had always had dreams of his family having a better life. When he died the life insurance company sent the rest of the family a check for ten thousand dollars. The family argues impatiently about how they should spend the money when they finally recieve the money. Walter Lee, the oldest son, wants to invest the money into a liquor store but his younger sister, Beneatha, wants to save most of it to help pay her college tuition. Walters' wife, Ruth, does not know how the money should be spent. The following paragraph will be told in her point of view. My name is Ruth Younger, I am married to Walter Lee and I love him dearly. He is a good husband but he can also cause me much grief. He is always explaining to me his newest dreams about how he is going to make life better for me and the rest of the family. Walters' father just passed away and the life insurance company sent us a hefty check for ten thousand dollars in the mail. No one can decide how to spend the money. I think that Walters' mom should spend the money and go on a trip somewhere far away. Walter keeps telling me about his newest dream of buying a liquor store and how I should try to persuade his mom into letting him spend the money on it. I don't know how we should spend the money so I joined Walters' side and tried to get Mama to let him spend it on his dream. Apparently I joined the wrong side because as soon as Walter gave the money to Willy Harris, one of his buddies who wants to go into business with him, he ran off with the money.

How Has the Position of Vice President Changed

How has the position of the vice president changed? (30 MARKS) The position of the vice president has drastically changed in many areas such as the way in which they are voted in, but it is still unchanged in areas like the powers given to the vice president in the constitution. As the role of the federal government and the presidents responsibilities grew presidents began to see the vice-presidency as a source of help in running the executive branch of government.Beginning with the Eisenhower- Nixon administration 1953-61, vice presidents were given more high profile tasks and became in some cases significant presidential advisors in 1977 vice-president Mondale was shown the presidential daily briefing and was given an office in the west wing, Mondale was the first vice-president to receive this but after Mondale this was the normal thing for the vice-presidents.The improved position of the vice-presidency has attracted more significant people to seek the office, over the past 50 ye ars the list of vice-presidents has been a distinguished one, including names such as Lyndon Johnson and Al Gore, of the eleven vice-presidents who held office between 1953 and 2008 four went on to become president, while a further three were selected to run. The election of vice-president Dick Chaney was seen as a bit of a joke not because he was not qualified enough but because he was more qualified than the president George W. Bush, it was said ‘if Dick Chaney were assassinated, Bush would have to become president'.Dick Chaney did not take the roles of a normal vice-president he had lots more power Bush gave Cheney access to ‘every table and every meeting' making his voice heard in whatever area the vice-president feels he wants to be active in. The first two decades of the nations history, the vice-president was the person who came second in the balloting of the electoral college, until the 1804 the 12th amendment changed the vice presidential system, from then on it was elected on a joint ticket with the president so the choice for the potential president Is the choice of the people.Modern day vice-presidents have take on new roles, many have played a role in legislation in congress, this is the role that Dick Chaney who was former member of the house of representatives took for George W. Bush and this is the role that Joe Biden a senator for 36 years plays for president Obama. The vice-president often becomes the party worker, electioneer and fund raiser, Cheney played this role in the run up to the 2002 mid term elections, according to the times Cheney was â€Å"drawing packed crowds and raking in millions of dollars for Republican candidates†.The vice-president may become a major spokesman for the administration, Gore became a regular face at the podium on environmental issues as well as over government efficiency drives. However vice-presidents have always had four powers in the constitution which are still in place today, the vice- president is the presiding officer of the senate, even though this function is rarely performed by the vice-president is usually assigned to junior members of senates chambers, the vice president can also break a tied vote in the senate, which can be very helpful for the president as when there was a tie breaking vote in 2001 on President Bushes $1. trillion tax cut Dick Chaney voted in favour of President Bush, between 1981 and January 2009 vice presidents were called upon to break tied votes on 19 occasions eight of these by Dick Chaney. The vice-president is given the task of counting and then announcing the electoral college results, so in 2001 vice president Al Gore had to announce his defeat in the previous November election.The previous three powers are either of little importance or occur rarely or both, it is the final power that gives the office of vice-president its potential importance. The vice-president becomes president upon death, resignation or removal of the presid ent from office, this has occurred on nine occasions, four times following the assassination of the president, four times following the natural death of the president, and once following the resignation of the president, president Nixon resigned in 1974 after the Watergate scandal.The insignificant powers of the office, coupled with this potential importance led the first vice-president, John Adams to remark of the post ‘in this I am nothing but I may be everything'. More recently the vice president has acquired a fifth power ‘to become acting president if the president is declared, or declares himself disabled, this has been used three times but only for a short time, Dick Chaney was acting president twice but for just over two hours.So there has been some drastic changes in the position of the vice-president, they have taken on a lot more responsibility than they have previously had, gradually getting more and more power, but it depends on the vice president such as Di ck Chaney he was a very powerful vice-president which could be due to his expertise and the lack of experience of Bush in comparison, but some parts of the vice-presidency are still the same as they are still written in the constitution.

Note for Writing Task 1 Ielts

NOTES ON NECESSARY VOCABULARY FOR WRITING TASK 1 POPULATION: the most/least populated; the biggest/smallest number of people; the most/least densely populated; the most/fewest people; the number of people/residents/inhabitants DIFFERENT TYPES OF STH: many kinds of, various categories, a range of, a host of TOURISTS (to Australia): travelers to Australian, people who travel(led) to Australia, people who go/went to Australia, people who visit/visited Australia.FUELS (coal, gas, oil, and nuclear to produce energy/power or electricity): The most popular source of energy is/was†¦.. ; the most power is/was produced from†¦.. ; the most electricity comes/came from†¦.. , energy production from†¦. s the highest DISTANCE: to drive/cover/run a long distance, to drive a longer distance, to cover the longest distance; the distance/space that London train covered was the longest WATER CONSUMPTION & OIL PRODUCTION: the most water was used/consumed in agricultural sector; agricult ure is/was the sector that consumed the most water; water usage in agriculture is/was the highest; the most oil was produced in Europe, DEATH RATE: the percentage of people who died (of + a disease), the number of deaths (among young people); the mortality rate, BIRTH RATE: birth rate, fertility rate, the proportion of babies born, the number of infants, WORKERS: the number of workers in education sector; the number of employees in education domain/field; the number of people who work(ed) in education sector, the most people worked/functioned/operated in service sector.LEISURE ACTIVITIES: hobby, interest, like, choose, select, vote for, take part in, join in, SALES: sale = the act of selling things, sales = the number of items sold, SAVINGS (always plural) = the money that is/was saved EARNINGS (always plural) = the money that is/was earned EXPENDITURE: spending on sth = an amount of money that is/was spent on sth = the expenditure on sth = the budge for sth = Noun + expense ; more money was spent on sth than on sth else; people tend to spend more on sth than on sth else, the expense on sth is higher than†¦.. DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS: 14-24: People from 14 to 24 years old = people between 14 and 24 years old = people aged 14 to 24 = the 14-24-year-old people = the 14-24-year-olds = people from the youngest group 45 and over: Men/women from 45 years old = ales/females aged 45 and over = men/women from the oldest group = those from the oldest group 25-34: People from 25 to 34 years old = †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ = people from the second youngest group = those from the second youngest group 35-44: People from 35 to 44 years old = †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ = people from the second oldest group = those from the second youngest group Note: People (men/males, women/female, viewers, members, participants, attendants, male smokers/ female smokers†¦. ) NOTES ON IELTS WRITING TOPICS (TASK 2) CHILDREN Writing task 2 (an essay) Some think that computer games are dangerous for children in every way; others think that computer games help children’s development. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Men and women employed in full-time jobs have to share evenly household chores and caring for children at home. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Writing task 2 (an essay) In certain cultures old age is considered to be more important while in others it’s the opposite, children are thought to be more important.Discuss both views and give your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) A country’s future is depending on its young people. Therefore, a country should invest heavily in its youth. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Writing task 2 (an essay) Nowadays children have too much freedom. Do you agree or disagree? Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people say that younger children should follow their instincts and be allowed to behave as freely as they want, while others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Teachers at schools exert a greater influence on intellectual and social development of their students, as compared to their parents.Do you agree or disagree? Provide arguments to support your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Some argue that teaching students of different abilities in one classroom isn’t beneficial. Discuss and give your own opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people think that schools are merely turning children into good citizens and workers, rather than benefiting them as individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Writing task 2 (an essay) Many people believe that teachers should teach students how to judge right from wrong and how to behave, while others think they should just teach academic subjects. What is your opinion? STUDENTS Writing task 2 (an essay)Theoretical subjects like mathematics, philosophy and economics should be removed from the university education, whereas most of the students ar e interested in taking practical subjects such as computer programming, engineering and so on. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people believe that universities are producing more graduates than needed, and that less emphasis should be placed on university education. Others are of a different opinion. Discuss both views and include you own opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) In the past lecturers could teach a certain number of students in one lecture hall. With the development of new technology it’s hard to justify the reason to participate the lecture physically and not via the internet. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What is your personal opinion? Writing task 2 (an essay) Read also: Principles of Good Writing by L.A. HillSome countries are providing general education in secondary schools, while others are teaching skills specific to a future career. Which type of education would be a better choice these days, in your opinion? Writing task 2 (an essay) Many university students live with their families while others need to live away from home because their universities are in different cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages in both situations? Writing task 2 (an essay) Employers now tend to prefer employees with good social skills in addition to good qualifications. Social skills are getting more and more important compared to qualifications. Do you agree or disagree? Writing Task 2 (an essay)Most students choose to work part time during university studies. Do you think it is a good or a bad idea? Give your opinion and support it with an explanation and examples. Writing task 2 (an essay) Paying university graduates large salaries is justifie d, but only if they had to pay for their education. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM Writing task 2 (an essay) Environmental pollution is a serious issue and it is important to take steps on an individual level to reduce it. But now, since it is becoming an international issue, it is time to take environmental protection to a higher level. To what extent do you agree or disagree?Writing task 2 (an essay) Many people say there is a need to protect the environment, but put no effort when it comes to them. Do you belong to these people? What actions could be taken to prevent this? Discuss and provide real life examples. Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people say cheap air travel is good because it enables ordinary people to travel, others argue that it is bad for the environment. Discuss both views, and include your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Costs of international travel are decreasing and the tourism is growing. What are the advantages and disadvantages of an increasing tourism activity in different countries? Writing task 2 (an essay)Many people say that companies and private tour operators should pay the bills for cleaning up pollution, instead of the government. To what extent do you agree or disagree with that? Writing task 2 (an essay) Many experts hold the opinion that the increasing demand for oil and gas means people should look for new sources of energy for the future. Others feel that the damage to the land would be a major disadvantage of such search. What is your opinion? Explain and give reasons from your own experience. Writing task 2 (an essay) Developments in technology have caused environmental problems. Some say this can be solved by living a simple life, others think that technology can solve these problems.Discuss both views and give your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Cultural traditions are being used for money making purposes, especially for tourists. Is this destroying the tr aditions or is it the only way to keep them alive? Writing task 2 (an essay) Nowadays a growing throw-away culture causes people to throw away their goods and replace them with new, latest technology ones available on the market. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this culture for our society. Writing task 2 (an essay) Reducing the global environmental damage should be handled by the governments rather than individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?Give reasons for your answer and provide relevant examples from your own experience. MEDIA Writing task 2 (an essay) Mobile phones and the internet can be of great use for the elderly. In what ways do you think these can be helpful to them? How can they be encouraged to use this technology? Writing task 2 (an essay) Nowadays TV news shows a lot of disaster scenes and violence. What effect on individuals and society in general can this have? Writing task 2 (an essay) Nowadays, young people are admiring media and sports stars even though they don’t set a good example. Do you think this is a positive or a negative development? Writing task 2 (an essay)Even though people read the news using the internet nowadays, newspapers still are an important source of information for the general public. Do you agree or disagree with that statement? Writing task 2 (an essay) Nowadays TV news shows a lot of disaster scenes and violence. What effect on individuals and society in general can this have? Writing task 2 (an essay) News is a source of knowledge about the world. How much can we trust the journalists? What are the qualities a good journalist should have? ARTS & TECHNOLOGY Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people think that museums should entertain people, while others believe that the purpose of museums is to educate. Discuss both views and give you own opinion.Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people think that government should support artists (poets, musicians) financially, other argue that money shou ld be spent on other, more important, issues. Do you agree or disagree? Writing task 2 (an essay) Why do you think artists like writers, musicians and painters still have value in our society? Discuss. Writing task 2 (an essay) These days, people pay more attention to artists (writers, painters and so on) and give less importance to science and technology. Do you agree or disagree with this view? Writing task 2 (an essay) In the last century, the first man walking on the moon said: â€Å"It is a giant leap for mankind†.However, some people think it makes little difference to our daily lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Writing task 2 (an essay) In the past lecturers could teach a certain number of students in one lecture hall. With the development of new technology it’s hard to justify the reason to participate the lecture physically and not via the internet. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What is your personal opinion? Writing Task 2 (an es say) Lectures were the traditional way to teach large numbers of students in the past. Now new technology is being used to teach students. Is this a positive or a negative development? Writing task 2 (an assay)Early technological developments brought more benefits and changes to people’s life than the recent technological developments. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Writing task 2 (an essay) Mobile phones and the internet can be of great use for the elderly. In what ways do you think these can be helpful to them? How can they be encouraged to use this technology? Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people think that government should spend money on other important subjects rather helping artists. Do you agree or disagree? GOVERNMENT AND LAW Writing Task 2 (an essay) Some people think that the role of women in the military or police forces is very relevant and becoming more significant. Others argue the opposite. Do you agree or disagree? What is your opinion?Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people think that design of newly constructed buildings in big cities should be controlled by governments. Do you agree or disagree? Writing Task 2 (an essay) Nowadays jobs become more stressful and workers stay longer at work. What are the reasons for this? What can employers do to help employees? Writing task 2 (an essay) Often new commercial centers are planed with respect to green areas and sport facilities. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why? Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people believe that governments should ban dangerous sports. Others claim that they should have freedom to choose their favorite activities.Discuss both views and present your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people say that the government is responsible for aged care and financial support for the elderly, others argue that it is the role of individuals. Discuss both views and give your opinion. HEALTH Writing task 2 (an essay) Some say that public health is important and there should be more sports facilities. Others say that they have small impact on individuals. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people say that the government is responsible for aged care and financial support for the elderly, others argue that it is the role of individuals.Discuss both views and give your opinion. ECONOMY Writing task 2 (an essay) Richness is an important factor in helping people. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Writing task 2 (an essay) Even though developing countries receive financial help, poverty is still an issue. Some say they should be receiving other kind of help, to eliminate poverty. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give examples and suggest what other form of help can be offered. Writing task 2 (an essay) Some say that economic development is the solution to poverty; others say it is the cause of poverty. Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Give your own opinion. Writing task 2 (an es say)Nowadays a growing throw-away culture causes people to throw away their goods and replace them with new, latest technology ones available on the market. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this culture for our society. Writing task 2 (an essay) Many people support the development of agriculture, such as factory farming and creation of new fruits and vegetables. Others oppose to this idea. Present both sides and give your personal opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay) Rich countries should not employ skilled labor from poor countries, as the poor countries need the workers more. To what extent do you agree or disagree? ADVERTISING Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people think advertising is good for the economy.Others say it can cause people to desire something unnecessary or completely useless. What is your opinion? Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people believe that advertisements targeting children may have negative effects on them, and suggest banning such advertisements as a solution. To what extent do you agree or disagree? SOCIAL ISSUES Writing task 2 (an essay) Multi-cultural societies have more advantages than drawbacks. Do you agree or disagree? Support your opinion with examples. Writing task 2 (an essay) Some people say that individuals are depending a lot on each other and some say individuals are getting more independent of each other. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Writing task 2 (an essay)The big cities are constantly growing. Why is this happening, and what problems does it bring? What can be done to improve people’s lives? Writing task 2 (an essay) There is a trend of increasing competitiveness in today’s society. In your opinion, is it a good or a bad development? Writing task 2 (an essay) People in former times used to be more dependent on one another, whereas nowadays they lead a more independent life. Do you agree or disagree? LANGUAGE DEATH Writing task 2 (an essay) Every year rare languages disappear from t he world. Some people say this is not important, because it is better to have fewer languages. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Free Essays on Inventions

Jeans, remote controls, cars, contact lens; these are basic everyday objects in our world today, but what about in the past? People didn’t have the stuff we have today. Those of you who’s read about history would know that life was more difficult back in the day. Many people wanted life to be more easy rather than such a hassle, and that’s when inventions began. But, what could they invent that would change the way we live our life. Of course, someone had to come up with a bright idea to invent our everyday-use-items, right? So with that in mind, I’m going to talk about the history in which inventions began to emerge. Why do many people wear blue jeans? Blue jeans were first made over 150 years ago. In 1850, the California gold rush was in full swing, and everyday items were in short supply. Levi Strauss, a 20-year-old Bavarian immigrant, left New York for San Francisco with a small supply of dry goods. Shortly after his arrival, a prospector wanted to know what Mr. Strauss was selling. When Strauss told him he had rough canvas to use for tents and wagon covers, the prospector said, "You should have brought pants!," saying he couldn’t find a pair of pants strong enough to last. Strauss had the canvas made into pants. Miners liked the pants, but complained that they tended to chafe. Levi Strauss substituted a twilled cotton cloth from France called "serge de Nimes," which became known as denim. In 1873, Levi Strauss & Co. began using the pocket stitch design. The two-horse brand design was first used in 1886. The red tab attached to the left rear pocket was created in 1936 as a means of id entifying Levi’s jeans at a distance. If you were to invent something, would you have thought of making something such as Velcro. One lovely summer day in 1948, a Swiss amateur-mountaineer and inventor decided to take his dog for a nature hike. The man and his faithful companion both returned home covered with burrs, the plant seed-sacs... Free Essays on Inventions Free Essays on Inventions Jeans, remote controls, cars, contact lens; these are basic everyday objects in our world today, but what about in the past? People didn’t have the stuff we have today. Those of you who’s read about history would know that life was more difficult back in the day. Many people wanted life to be more easy rather than such a hassle, and that’s when inventions began. But, what could they invent that would change the way we live our life. Of course, someone had to come up with a bright idea to invent our everyday-use-items, right? So with that in mind, I’m going to talk about the history in which inventions began to emerge. Why do many people wear blue jeans? Blue jeans were first made over 150 years ago. In 1850, the California gold rush was in full swing, and everyday items were in short supply. Levi Strauss, a 20-year-old Bavarian immigrant, left New York for San Francisco with a small supply of dry goods. Shortly after his arrival, a prospector wanted to know what Mr. Strauss was selling. When Strauss told him he had rough canvas to use for tents and wagon covers, the prospector said, "You should have brought pants!," saying he couldn’t find a pair of pants strong enough to last. Strauss had the canvas made into pants. Miners liked the pants, but complained that they tended to chafe. Levi Strauss substituted a twilled cotton cloth from France called "serge de Nimes," which became known as denim. In 1873, Levi Strauss & Co. began using the pocket stitch design. The two-horse brand design was first used in 1886. The red tab attached to the left rear pocket was created in 1936 as a means of id entifying Levi’s jeans at a distance. If you were to invent something, would you have thought of making something such as Velcro. One lovely summer day in 1948, a Swiss amateur-mountaineer and inventor decided to take his dog for a nature hike. The man and his faithful companion both returned home covered with burrs, the plant seed-sacs...

Poles And Italians In Detroit Essays - Metro Detroit, Free Essays

Poles And Italians In Detroit Essays - Metro Detroit, Free Essays Poles And Italians In Detroit Poles and Italians in Detroit In the late 17th century and early 18th century Detroit was a hotbed for foreign immigration. The booming automobile industry and resulting growth of the city ensured that many jobs were available for those able to take them. Among these immigrants were distinct groups originating from many different countries. Two of these groups were the Poles and the Italians, who arrive to Detroit looking for a new beginning. Although many similarities can be found between the groups there are an equal number of differences, which defined each separate culture. In this paper Id like to focus on the similarities and differences between the Poles and Italians in Detroit by looking at their reasons for leaving their countries and subsequent arrivals into Detroit, their lifestyles upon moving to Detroit, and the Americanization process that occurred when they arrived. In my opinion both the Poles and Italians left their homelands not necessarily because they wanted to, but more as a means of survival. Both of these groups suffered from insufficient family incomes due to overpopulation, lack of peasant landholding, and changing word economy. Although they shared these similarities their were also striking differences. Poland was partitioned among three neighboring empires and disappeared as a state in Europe until after World War I (Global View/Origins/Europe/Poland). Since the Poles were under foreign rule, which left them without a voice in their respective governments and society many, chose to immigrate to Detroit as a means of political relief. Upon arrival to Detroit they occupied the North Eastern side of the city, and because Poles comprised the largest European immigrant group in the metropolis, (American Cities/Detroit/Poles/Neighborhood/In Streets/Detroit Polish Settlements) they soon occupied Hamtramck as well. Most who left Italy and moved to Detroit were Southern Italian farmers. As Italy became unified and tied to the world economy, its economy and society changed sharply, (Global View/Origins/Europe/Italy) due to the fact that most Italians used outdated methods of farming which produce insufficient crop when compared to more modernized societies. When they came to Detroit they shared a strong family ties and village obligation which led to most Italians settling together on the East side of Detroit. To me, it is obvious why these two groups immigrated to Detroit. The Poles were under foreign rule, and had no say in their government. Their departure took place during World War I when the countries that were ruling them also persecuted them because of beliefs and political differences. This is true even today, no person wants to give up his right of free will, and if pressed into this it is much easier to leave for a place where you are free to exercise your own opinions. Likewise Italians were forced to leave as a means to find a source of income. However their emigration rate was the highest among immigrants, which leads me to believe that their reason for leaving was almost purely a matter of money. Which I again can identify with, its very common for people in todays society to switch jobs because it ensures more financial security, even if that job may be undesirable. One of the most defining characteristics, which separated the Poles and the Italians, were their varied lifestyles while living in Detroit. The major difference when looking at the two appeared in their means of employment. Most of the Poles in Detroit worked in the automobile or metal industries, and quite a few actually had skilled labor jobs. While some Italians worked in industry their employment tendencies had quite a bit of diversity. Jobs held by Italians included (but were not limited to) unskilled labor in the fields of auto, shipbuilding, and construction. Many were also involved in the pedaling of fruits and vegetables from street side stands. The jobs that the Poles and Italians held while in Detroit make sense when you consider their background. Before arriving in Detroit Poles were exposed to the industrial explosion in their homeland. This also explains why some Poles had skilled labor jobs while in Detroit. On the other hand the majority of Italians in Detroit were poor farmers in Italy, and since they were now living in a budding metropolis many of the skills they

A Short History of the American Red Cross

A Short History of the American Red Cross Historical Importance of the American Red Cross The American Red Cross is the only congressionally mandated organization to provide aid to victims of disaster and is responsible for fulfilling the mandates of the Geneva Convention within the United States. It was founded May 21, 1881 It has historically been known under other names, such as ARC; American Association of the Red Cross (1881 - 1892) and American National Red Cross (1893 - 1978). Overview Clara Barton, born in 1821, had been a schoolteacher, a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office, and had earned the nickname Angel of the Battlefield during the Civil War before she founded the American Red Cross in 1881. Bartons experiences of collecting and distributing supplies to soldiers during the Civil War, as well as working as a nurse on battlefields, made her a champion for the rights of wounded soldiers. After the Civil War, Barton aggressively lobbied for the establishment of an American version of the International Red Cross (which had been founded in Switzerland in 1863) and for the United States to sign the Geneva Convention. She succeeded with both the American Red Cross was founded in 1881 and the U.S. ratified the Geneva Convention in 1882. Clara Barton became the first president of the American Red Cross and led the organization for the next 23 years. Just days after the first local chapter of the American Red Cross was established in Dansville, NY on August 22, 1881, the American Red Cross jumped into its first disaster relief operation when they responded to the devastation caused by major forest fires in Michigan. The American Red Cross continued to aid victims of fires, floods, and hurricanes over the next several years; however, their role grew during the 1889 Johnstown flood when the American Red Cross set up large shelters to temporarily house those dislocated by the disaster. Sheltering and feeding continue to this day to be the largest responsibilities of the Red Cross immediately following a disaster. On June 6, 1900, the American Red Cross was given a congressional charter that mandated the organization to fulfill the provisions of the Geneva Convention, by rendering aid to those wounded during the war, providing communication between family members and members of the U.S. military, and administering relief to those affected by disasters during peacetime. The charter also protects the Red Cross emblem (a red cross on a white background) for use only by the Red Cross. On January 5, 1905, the American Red Cross received a slightly revised congressional charter, under which the organization still operates today. Though the American Red Cross has been given this mandate by Congress, it is not a federally funded organization; it is a non-profit, charitable organization that receives its funding from public donations. Though congressionally chartered, internal struggles threatened to topple the organization in the early 1900s. Clara Bartons sloppy bookkeeping, as well as questions regarding Bartons ability to manage a large, national organization, led to a congressional investigation. Instead of testifying, Barton resigned from the American Red Cross on May 14, 1904. (Clara Barton passed away April 12, 1912, at the age of 91.) In the decade following the congressional charter, the American Red Cross responded to disasters such as the ​1906 San Francisco earthquake and added classes such as first aid, nursing, and water safety. In 1907, the American Red Cross began working to combat consumption (tuberculosis) by selling Christmas Seals to raise money for the National Tuberculosis Association. World War I exponentially expanded the American Red Cross by significantly increasing Red Cross chapters, volunteers, and funds. The American Red Cross sent thousands of nurses overseas, helped organize the home front, established veterans hospitals, delivered care packages, organized ambulances, and even trained dogs to search for wounded. In World War II, the American Red Cross played a similar role but also sent millions of packages of food to POWs, began a blood collection service to aid the wounded, and established clubs such as the famous Rainbow Corner to offer entertainment and food to servicemen. After World War II, the American Red Cross established a civilian blood collection service in 1948, has continued to offer aid to victims of disasters and wars, added classes for CPR, and in 1990 added a Holocaust War Victims Tracing and Information Center. The American Red Cross has continued to be an important organization, offering aid to millions affected by wars and disasters.

Too much weight is attributed to chance in the field of involuntary Essay

Too much weight is attributed to chance in the field of involuntary manslaughter. Discuss - Essay Example one individual, in that black moment, sets in motion many related to the cause of jurisprudence in a democratic set up i.e., Police Officers, Prosecutors, Defence Lawyers and Judges & of course, the Media. Then you see parties to the case hover in the courtroom. Arguments and counter arguments continue. Some one is desperately trying to suppress the truth, within the framework of law. You seek somehow, that precious freedom! Liberation from the clutches of law! In a wintry morning, we visited the ward of the combustible younger generation in a famous Jail, to see our friend, charged with manslaughter. The ward housed about 100 such inmates. Were they criminals? If you were not told in advance about the place of visit, you would guess that it was a college campus! Youngsters in colourful T-shirts, fashionable trousers, casuals and jackets! They practiced dances that day, as part of the reformation and rehabilitation program initiated by a Non-Governmental Organization. They put the steps again and again to achieve perfection, which they were bound to! For, the secret of success lies in unstoppable efforts! We were surprised to observe variety of growing talents! The boys were in the in the process of learning how to convert defeats into victories, so that they could utilize their stay in the Jail to fine-tune the personality! From one such cluster of youngsters, we heard a resolution, â€Å"After release from the prison, we shall form a dance-troupe.† While taking leave after an hour of observation of their activities, I told them, â€Å"My dear brothers, I am very glad to be with you here to watch your multitalented activities! Thanks and good wishes to you all! I would never like to see you here again!† Is too much weight attributed to chance in the field of involuntary manslaughter? Before the visit to the Jail, you would have remained on the other side of the fence, but not now. In most such cases, the offender needs to be pitied rather than condemned. The

Knowledge-Sharing Tools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Knowledge-Sharing Tools - Essay Example A blog may be run from individual diaries to aims of media programmes, political campaigns as well as corporations in addition to from one infrequent author to a big community of authors. Most blogs are interactive and facilitate visitors to write and leave comments resulting in a community of readers focused on the blog whereas others are not interactive (Pellen & Miller, 2013). There are several benefits associated with blogs. Thus, blogs can be used as a principal source of news since they are suitable for sharing particularly breaking news with a large online audience, immediate reporting of conferences and events. Thus event updates which go out to people are current and offer personal perspective. The other advantage of a blog is that it can be used for conversations and can be utilized as a springboard to debate as well as voice opinions (Pellen & Miller, 2013). By its very nature, a blog can act as an avenue for individuals to pause from conventional communication approaches that seem to match the organizational red tape (Hastings & Domegan, 2013).Blogs also allow the hearing of human voice via reviews, commentaries and interviews which have been written by real people on the basis of first-hand experience. Consequently a blog that is well-written usually bonds with readers on a personal level, implying that it is the personal voice of the blogger that is ‘heard’. The other benefit of a blog is for personal and project information management meaning that a blog can act as a daily digest of news and activities. A blog is a one-stop shop for one’s videos, photos, web links and documents (Guffey & Loewy, 2010). Lastly a blog is beneficial in the sense that it facilitates knowledge sharing since blogging dictates that writers offer adequate links to extra information and resources. Such information is distilled, selected as well as organized to assist in elucidating and improving the understanding of the

The case of HSBC bank Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 15000 words

The case of HSBC bank - Dissertation Example ......................................................................4 1. Introduction...............................................................................................................................................5 1.1 Corporate Social Responsibility – An Introduction..................................................................................5 1.2 The Aims ..................................................................................................................................................6 1.3 Objectives.................................................................................................................................................6 1.4 Dissertation Question...............................................................................................................................7 2. ... ...........................................................14 2.6 Stakeholder Theory – Prevalent Definitions...........................................................................................15 2.7 Banking and CSR......................................................................................................................................16 2.8 The UK Banking Sector............................................................................................................................20 2.9 Theoretical Analysis over HSBC...............................................................................................................22 2.10 Moralisation and Ethical Leadership....................................................................................................22 2.11 Sustainability Strategy of HSBC.............................................................................................................26 2.12 Notion of Time Scale................. ............................................................................................................27 3. The Methodology.....................................................................................................................................28 4. Analysis....................................................................................................................................................31 4.1 Case Study -- HSBC BANK........................................................................................................................31 4.2 Ignorance of the â€Å"micro†.........................................................................................................................35 4.3 Analysis of Chairman’s

Topic related to Native American Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Topic related to Native American Culture - Essay Example On this basis, this essay will discuss the common characteristics of the Native American culture and also highlight on the history of the Native American flute. To start with, the way of life of the different Native Americans was dictated by the climate and natural resources present at the areas they inhabited. According to the American Indian Heritage Foundation, Native Americans share a principle that emphasizes care of the land and respect for nature (1). In this respect, the Native Americans adopted a lifestyle that promoted conservation of nature and natural resources. Therefore, the Native American culture differed depending on the natural resources available to specific communities. For instance, some communities living in forested regions, relied on hunting and gathering for their living while others, living in the highlands, depended on farming practices. However, it is worth pointing out that some elements of the Native American culture were eroded by European settlers, who colonized and exploited the indigenous American communities. Before colonization, the Native Americans shifted their ways of life to conform to the changing se asons based on the environment they occupied (National Humanities Center 1). Interestingly, the Native Americans shared common values in relation to family setups. In reality, the family structures of the Native Americans varied widely but there exist common core values and beliefs (National Association of School Psychologists 1). To begin with, many Native American families are ‘big’. Traditionally, most families were extended in nature, comprising of nuclear and extended family members living in a close proximity. Moreover, according to the National Association of School Psychologists, the Native Americans possessed high fertility rates hence increased prevalence of single mothers resulting from out of wedlock childbirth (1).

Profile of a language group present in Los Angeles Essay

Profile of a language group present in Los Angeles - Essay Example The migration of this group can be categorized in three levels. The first group migrated from the war torn Vietnam in 1975. The group was made up of mainly high trained students, members of the civil servants undertaking white collar jobs and military executives. After 1980 there was established communist systems of government which show a second wave of Vietnamese migrate. These people used boats to cross over to the United States(Phinney& Jean, 135).From 1990 there was an operation program carried out by the United States Government duped ‘United States Humanitarian Program’. In this program, most of the Vietnamese migrated to the United States after making application for entry. This included former prisoners of war, members of Amerasian service men and members of Vietnamese Americans(Nguyen, Anne, Fay Shin &Krashen, 159). In the present time the Vietnamese Americans are distributed in the United States. This means that the majority of Federal States are inhabited by this group. According to the census carried out in the year 2000, Los Angeles County recorded approximately 78,000 Vietnamese Americans recording 7.06% of the whole population(Asian Population, 2013). There has been an outstanding performance in businesses in Los Angeles with a sizeable number of the enterprises owned by Vietnamese Americans. ... The images below show how Vietnamese language has been used to develop the hotel industry in Los Angeles county. The Vietnamese language has been embraced by the Los Angeles community members who have either developed an interest in the language and wish to use it as their main language. This move has mostly been undertaken by the nationals who wish to feature more in the hotel industries(Phinney& Jean, 135).Moreover, Asian children do continuously get enrolled in these institutions to indulge them in their culture. One of the schools offering this service is the Beverly Hills Lingual Institute offering important facilities. Moreover, the need to maintain the culture of the Vietnamese has necessitated California State University to launch a program to assist American born Vietnamese children be conversant with the language(Phinney& Jean, 135). This means that starting next year; the University will offer a bachelor’s degree in Vietnamese culture and language as well as offer t rains the tutor tutorials to equip the lecturers with the adequate knowledge to offer the training. More visits to the Los Angeles stores and supermarket will demonstrate how the Vietnamese language has been embraced to propel these chains of businesses(Nguyen, Anne, Fay Shin &Krashen, 159). The malls thathouse a collection of businesses contain Vietnamese language in their walls, booklets, signboards, catalogues and menus. The language has been used widely in churches in Los Angeles in spreading the gospel. The Vietnamese community at our lady of assumption our lady of Rosary is a catholic union that was established in 1979 to cater for the need of the Vietnamese Americans(Phinney& Jean, 135).William J Barry was the pastor who was ordained to

Monopoly Market Model Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Monopoly Market Model - Research Paper Example However, the legal regulation of monopolies can create conflict with innovation and intellectual property protection and Jones and Sufrin highlight the changes in the telecommunications sector and the multimedia market as a prime example of this and they comment that this market comprises part of a â€Å"new economy†, which: â€Å"Now encompasses high technology industries.... However, the inherent nature of these new market spaces is the rapid pace of technological change, the creation and exploitation of intellectual property rights, the need for complementary products to work together, and a high degree of technical complexity† (Jones and Sufrin 55). This conflict between innovation and the regulation on market monopolies is evident by the high profile litigation involving Microsoft, which has been in troubled in the US under the Sherman Act. Additionally, Microsoft was found to be in breach of antitrust laws and subjected to the highest fine imposed by the EU competition regulatory authorities for abuse of dominant position. The background to the EU case against Microsoft was triggered by an initial complaint by Novell in 1993 in respect of Microsoft’s licensing requirements. Novell argued that Microsoft’s licensing practices regarding tying and bundling were anti-competitive in preventing competitor access to the market. Furthermore, Novell argued that the licensing practices and royalty requirements resulted in a royalty payment for every computer that was sold by a Microsoft operating system supplier, irrespective of whether the computer included the Windows operating system. Microsoft negotiated a settlement in 1994, which led to a change in some licensing practices. However, in 1998 the spotlight was back on Microsoft again as Sun Microsystems complained about Microsoft’s restricted disclosure in respect of the Windows NT interfaces. This triggered

Profile of a language group present in Los Angeles Essay

Profile of a language group present in Los Angeles - Essay Example The migration of this group can be categorized in three levels. The first group migrated from the war torn Vietnam in 1975. The group was made up of mainly high trained students, members of the civil servants undertaking white collar jobs and military executives. After 1980 there was established communist systems of government which show a second wave of Vietnamese migrate. These people used boats to cross over to the United States(Phinney& Jean, 135).From 1990 there was an operation program carried out by the United States Government duped ‘United States Humanitarian Program’. In this program, most of the Vietnamese migrated to the United States after making application for entry. This included former prisoners of war, members of Amerasian service men and members of Vietnamese Americans(Nguyen, Anne, Fay Shin &Krashen, 159). In the present time the Vietnamese Americans are distributed in the United States. This means that the majority of Federal States are inhabited by this group. According to the census carried out in the year 2000, Los Angeles County recorded approximately 78,000 Vietnamese Americans recording 7.06% of the whole population(Asian Population, 2013). There has been an outstanding performance in businesses in Los Angeles with a sizeable number of the enterprises owned by Vietnamese Americans. ... The images below show how Vietnamese language has been used to develop the hotel industry in Los Angeles county. The Vietnamese language has been embraced by the Los Angeles community members who have either developed an interest in the language and wish to use it as their main language. This move has mostly been undertaken by the nationals who wish to feature more in the hotel industries(Phinney& Jean, 135).Moreover, Asian children do continuously get enrolled in these institutions to indulge them in their culture. One of the schools offering this service is the Beverly Hills Lingual Institute offering important facilities. Moreover, the need to maintain the culture of the Vietnamese has necessitated California State University to launch a program to assist American born Vietnamese children be conversant with the language(Phinney& Jean, 135). This means that starting next year; the University will offer a bachelor’s degree in Vietnamese culture and language as well as offer t rains the tutor tutorials to equip the lecturers with the adequate knowledge to offer the training. More visits to the Los Angeles stores and supermarket will demonstrate how the Vietnamese language has been embraced to propel these chains of businesses(Nguyen, Anne, Fay Shin &Krashen, 159). The malls thathouse a collection of businesses contain Vietnamese language in their walls, booklets, signboards, catalogues and menus. The language has been used widely in churches in Los Angeles in spreading the gospel. The Vietnamese community at our lady of assumption our lady of Rosary is a catholic union that was established in 1979 to cater for the need of the Vietnamese Americans(Phinney& Jean, 135).William J Barry was the pastor who was ordained to

Commercial office blocks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Commercial office blocks - Essay Example On some occassions, high rise buiding may also comprise o f both the retail and educational facilities. High rise commercial office block is considered as the most recent from of high rise building which is considered as a mixed – use building. Being one of the highest and largest buidings, the cost for construction is relativey high. Together with that, both the commercial and office functions of such buidings require a high degree of maintenance. There is a wide variety of commercial buildings that subsists mostly within the USA. The buildings ranges from customary sandstone architecture to the contemporary ones, that is, the multi-story and the high- rise structures. The construction of some of the most important swimming pools purposed for global swimming competitions, are featured by high technological level. For them to retain their position as international pools, use of contemporary and accurate techniques is not an optional thing (American Institute of Steel Construct ion, 2003). There are different forms of high rise commercial office blocks. These may include: i. Shopping malls. There has been a growing trend since the 1970s of building large shopping malls at the suburbs of the business districts for large cities around the world. These malls contain everything from the supermarkets, banks, movie theatres and even restaurants. ii. Hotels and pubs. From an architecturally point of view, most of the large hotels are monumental in respect to modern blueprint and depicts the level of commercial tourism of the region. They are built ion the heart of the business districts of major cities with impeccable landscape gardens, spacious lobbies, restaurants and specialty shops. iii. Retail stores. Self relying retail outlets such as large electrical and furniture stores and fast- foods outlets are present all over the in semi-residential areas, along highways and near the large shopping malls. Big commercial links often than not establish a similar desig n creating an architectural icon that can be linked to such a company. iv. High-rise office skyscrapers. It all started in the 1960s with the building of multi-story officer blocks and at present it is so much evident especially in large cities and coastal regions. v. Industrial estates. These are constructed away from the central business districts and residential areas due to pollution and noise and the fact that they usually feature a one or two story offices and warehouses with individual parking and loading bays. The commercial leasing companies construct industrial estates and their residential areas flooded with factory waste and pollution. Storage warehouse Warehouse the most universal type of storeroom although other forms such as storage tanks and computer server farms still exist. It is a gigantic structure that supports the offloading of several trucks and railroad cars that hold supplier’s products while at the same time loading other smaller trucks for transport ation to customers. There are 5 types of warehouses namely: i. Private warehouse. This is owned and an ran by resellers and suppliers that use them for their personal supply endeavors. ii. Public warehouse. This is basically a space that can be leased to take care of short-term supply needs. Retailers running their own warehouses may seek to use them if their facilities have

A Reflection of Faith Essay Example for Free

A Reflection of Faith Essay A Reflection of Faith As I reflect upon my faith journey, I realize that like so many other â€Å"cradle Catholics,† I had become complacent. I was raised in a predominantly Catholic nation, by an Anglican mother and Catholic father. After being dutifully baptized into the church, I was set upon my path as any ‘good Catholic† should. Even though I attended Catholic girls’ school, my early days of catechesis consisted of Mass and Sunday school more as a ritual than an integral part of living my faith. I performed the rites of First Holy Communion and confession with no real understanding of my commitment and responsibilities. Confirmation was a spiritual fiasco, from which I almost did not recover. My parents did their best to provide a religious foundation for my siblings and me. In retrospect, they were probably ill-equipped to do so. My higher education and pursuit of my vocation have sometimes made it difficult for me to accept and conform to some simple dogmas of the church. I hold many strong personal views on many issues and have had considerable challenges applying the dogma to my personal life. I have always believed that God has a purpose for us all; my purpose was rather hazy until about seven or eight years ago. The illness and death of my mother at age 56, was a tremendous catalyst in my faith journey. I realized that in my vocational quest, I was not following Christ’s plan, moreover, I was trying to fit Christ into my plans. Consequently, my fervent observation of the Holy Days, abstinence form meat of Fridays in the early days, and unending serviced to my parish in the form of Eucharistic minister, Sacristan, and Catechist, were spiritually void. Once I truly succumbed to Christ and sought His path, my commitment to discipleship was fortified. When God provided me the privilege to serve at St. John, He facilitated a means for me to further enhance my own faith, and to impact that of students on a daily basis. This quote from 1 Timothy 4:12 â€Å"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe;† allowed me to embrace my vocation and truly see its gifts. I am called to live out my vocation in the classroom and positively communicate the doctrines of our faith. This, as well as additional Catechesis has taken my understanding of the â€Å"universal† church to new levels. I love each and every one of my students for his or her uniqueness and ability to motivate me to be the best example of Christ that I am able. I no longer focus on my personal flaws or on the â€Å"flaws† I once perceived in the dogma; but on each minor success I gain in the Christian values of my students. Now that my role in Catholic education has come full circle, I feel very blessed to be part of such a rich tradition of faith and discipleship. I passionately believe in my purpose as a Catechist and I know that God will continue to strengthen me as I continue to walk His path.

Habitat for Humanity: I Helped Change a Life :: Community Service, Service Learning

When I first heard of the volunteer trip concept in Habitat for Humanity, my ears twitched, recognizing a genuine product, designed to bring about true changes, rather than making the affluent feel good they’ve done a thing to help solve the world’s problems. From day one, I knew my trip was in good hands. Weeks before my trip to Guatemala, e-mails began streaming to my inbox encouraging us to fund-raise, informing us about the project and raising expectations. I realized that there will be about 150 volunteers, and that the Habitat for Humanity office set a goal to build 10 homes in just 5 days. I received detailed itineraries and knew there was someone on the other end taking care of my food, lodging, safety and travel. When we arrived in Nebaj, the small town where the houses were to be built, we found our accommodations, received information packs and protective helmets, and met a large group of volunteers whose enthusiasm and jolliness was hard not to contract. Coming to the site Monday morning, I saw foundations already laid and trusses, timber, plaster, other construction materials and tools prepared. Toilets, and info area, meal tent and cleaning area neatly arranged to make our time on the site as efficient as possible. Truly, there was a lot of eyebrow-raising for me on the first day. With more than two hundred people on the site, all of which each were eager to lend a helping hand, this could have ended in a catastrophe were it not for immaculate organization of the site, work, and individual groups. I was not surprised that on Friday, 10 complete houses were dedicated to families of former orphans. During those five days, I learned how to nail, cut and glue insulation to the outer shell and coat it with plaster, build inside walls and add the final finishing layer on the house. I also observed how such low-cost houses come into existence.

Common Ground on the Abortion Issue Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive

Common Ground on the Abortion Issue      Ã‚   Is there some common ground which both the pro-choice proponents and the pro-life proponents would find palatable? Presently, the situation in the United States, nearly three decades after abortion became legal throughout the nation, seems to be at an impasse. Canada, presented with abortion (now on demand) throughout that nation four years earlier, has a similar situation. It is obvious that the issue of abortion will not just evaporate or go away. So where can both sides find a common ground for overcoming this seeming impasse?    The obvious fact is that the two sides remain completely polarized. There seems to be no middle ground, no chance for compromise. When one strips the issue to its bare bones, the reason for the lack of middle ground is only too obvious. This either is or is not a living human from conception. This living human either continues to live or is killed. It is obvious that this being can't be just a little human, or perhaps not human at one point and then human at another. He or she either is or is not. Just as simply there is either life or death. There is no middle ground.    Pro-abortion advocates, who call themselves pro-choice, are unwilling to concede any ground at all. Would they allow passage of laws in either nation forbidding abortion in the third trimester for sex selection, to pick an extreme position? No! they have fought any such attempt. Would true blue pro-lifers, if they had their choice, allow abortion for pregnancy resultant from assault rape and incest, or for pregnancies when the developing baby is severely handicapped? No, they might be forced into this as a political compromise, and as a temporary measure. But ethically ... ...ernatives to abortion, adoption being an alternative par excellence? Why can't we cooperate in giving her all the information there is to be given from both sides of this controversial issue? Why not fully informed consent? Give her all the reasons for abortion, but also give her all the reasons for waiting, and most emphatically offer to her all of the constructive alternatives that now exist. If our laws continue to dictate that she be given that choice of life or death for her unborn, at the very least that choice should be a fully informed one. It should not just be informed in terms of technical information. No, it should also be a choice that is made in view of the fact that there is a warm and loving alternative to the technical quick fix of abortion. WORKS CITED: Index of Leading Cultural Indicators. Empower America. William J. Bennett.   

The Second Race for Space: Nasa vs. Private Space Enterprise

â€Å"NASA spent millions of dollars inventing the ball-point pen so they could write in space. The Russians took a pencil. † This quote stated by the historian Will Chabot signifies the controversy surrounding NASA’s excessive spending throughout the years. In 1957 it was made clear the Soviets were the first into space when an alien like beeping sounds were projected through radios across America. President Dwight. D Eisenhower portrayed America was far behind the Soviets when he signed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Act of 1958.Despite the past significance of Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon, we find ourselves today charitably donating this government run bureaucracy billions of dollars that could be used more effectively in the field by others. People still believe in the government ran NASA, stating they use their funds effectively towards research and space exploration. These people feel organization should continue to receive mo ney from the government to better our knowledge on space exploration and research.There is, in contrast, the growingly popular view that independently funded and run commercial space corporations deserve a share of the funding contributed to NASA. From looking at NASA’s wasteful past, its unproductive organizational management, along with what commercial enterprise has already proven for itself, it is made clear that there are effective alternatives to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Many American citizens know little about NASA’s projects throughout the past few decades; sure enough there is a reason why.Since the 1980s nearly five billion dollars have been wasted by NASA’s projects that had little success nor benefits for the science community. In President Reagan’s 1986 State of the Union Address, he proposed The National Aerospace Plane to be built by NASA. Just six years and 1. 7 billion dollars later, the program was canceled befo re anything was even built. In the years to come Vice President Al Gore announced the acceptance of the replacement X-33 project, a spacecraft that could be used more than once.In 2001, by NASA’s error, cracks were found in the spacecraft’s fuel tanks. This led to yet another botched NASA project, causing a waste of a staggering 1. 2 billion dollars. Throughout the same years as the X-33, NASA was working on the X-34 and X-38, a reusable rocket and a reusable lifeboat for the International Space Station. After four years and almost no hardware production, both were canceled resulting in another waste of well over one billion dollars. The amount of scientific data gathered from these models didn’t compare to a fraction of the price NASA contributed.During the year 2000, even as the previous projects were being exterminated, NASA managed to get approval for another program known as the Space Launch Initiative. For two years this project consumed 800 million dollar s resulting in nothing other than blueprints (Zimmerman). These pricey papers were soon added to the heaping pile of waste NASA accumulated when the project was cut. While these numbers seem baffling to most, there is still more ways this organization has wasted our tax dollars.NASA’s ill equipped security systems put at a costly risk the successful projects they have spent so much money on creating. There has been a minimum of 5,408 successful breaches in NASA’s security, many of which were sponsored by foreign intelligence agencies (Fogarty, par. 7). To illustrate why this is such a critical problem for our funding, we will take only the years of 2011 and 2012 into account. Throughout this time NASA has not only lost control of the International Space Station’s functions, but suffered a loss of seven million dollars in hacked restricted data (Fogarty, par. ). Is this the corporation we want to invest billions in? From what continues to happen to this day it is made clear that NASA has, and will continue, to improperly manage the money it is given for space exploration and research. Though the staggering number of wasted funds seem unbelievable to most, the reason for their existence can be found in the organizations very own infrastructure. NASA’s organizational management is counterproductive when working with a budget.NASA has shifted resources away from effective principal investigators, when a single man is responsible for a projects completion, and towards manufacturers that operate under the governments bureaucratic rein (Baker, pg. 2). While looking into NASA’s management it is clear that there isn’t close to a sufficient amount of authoritative decision making. It is not that teams operating under a bureaucracy such as NASA aren’t skilled enough to take the best plan of action; it’s that no one has the jurisdiction to assign tasks and hold people accountable for their completion. (Molta, par. 2) .This lack of authority has led to shuttle catastrophe where America’s citizens watch their countries creation ignite in a ball of flame. The NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe presented himself before a Senate committee years after the Columbia tragedy. Senator Fritz Hollings scolded O’Keefe for taking one of the Columbia shuttle managers who was criticized for the explosion and made him second in command of NASA’s safety office. â€Å"That doesn't indicate to me that you got it,† Hollings stated (Zimmerman). While something must be going on behind the scenes there is another problem at hand.Bureaucracies such as NASA have trouble with establishing proper span of control. There is of course no set number of subordinates a NASA advisor can successfully supervise. This leads to employees not getting enough management support when taking actions that may jeopardies the project (Molta, par. 3). After all most of us cannot even fathom the money and precis ion that goes into creating something such as a space shuttle. NASA’s thriftiness is further decreased from the basis in which it receives funds. The entrepreneur who co-founded PayPal, Mr.Musk, stated â€Å"NASA’s contractors work by the â€Å"Cost plus† model encouraging aerospace companies to find the most expensive way to do something and drag it out as long as possible. † He went on to say †Future contracts should be given to meet milestones based on objective design reviews and actual hardware completion. If a company meets the milestone, they get paid. If not, they don't† (Tierney, par. 9). Due to the fact that NASA does not get any reward for accomplishing any landmarks within a specified time zone, there is no telling how inefficient they will be with the funding they receive.They have no incentive to be thrifty with the funds that they have. From these reasons it is made clear NASA’s flawed structure wastes our money. Indeed t his negative talk of NASA may make it appear as though space exploration is nothing but a waste of money. However, independently owned commercial space corporations have proven to be highly beneficial. Throughout NASA’s most notorious years of the 1960s it was the competing private space enterprises that manufactured the products NASA gets accredited for.Specialized private companies manufactured for NASA rockets, capsules, and lunar landers for cheap prices with the intentions of the government buying their products for years to come. However, once the Cold War was over NASA stopped working with outside companies, causing many to collapse (Zimmerman). It is clear from NASA’s history that it hasn’t been close to as efficient as it has been while it was purchasing from outside manufacturers. Present day Private space corporations have had several innovational breakthroughs NASA had not discovered after its nearly sixty years in existence.After only a few years in existence, Xcore developed for NASA the rocket engines that are generally inside the jets of the nascent rocket-racing industry. They have also provided NASA with an engine that can run on nothing other than liquid oxygen and methane (Klerx, pg. 18). The next example is a key reason why private companies forced to accomplish tasks on a minimum budget have the brain power to do so accordingly. While NASA goes about building every rocket vertically, Space X revolutionized the assembly process by instead creating rockets horizontally.This avoids the multimillion dollar cost NASA incurs for having to create and move customized towers and scaffolding (Tierney, pg. 7). From four private enterprise’s recent accomplishment came $269 million gifted to them by NASA. This award was granted by the Obama administration’s Commercial Crew Development Program, whose goal is to push outside companies to get their ships into orbit at a quicker pace and at a lower cost than NASA (Chang) . From looking back from NASA’s glory days to recent monetary rewards, commercial space corporations have already left their mark in what humans have accomplished.With the government increasingly working with private enterprise, there is no telling what NASA’s fate will be. What can be made certain of is the fact that there will always be at least two points of views surrounding this controversy of government versus private space enterprise. While many will stick by NASA’s side until life itself is over, others will take into consideration NASA’s improperly managed funds, its flawed organizational management, and commercial enterprises advances that have already been accomplished.These supporting groups of information all revolve around the fact that commercial space enterprise will much more effectively put to use the money that NASA consumes. Stephen Hawking proclaimed â€Å"I don’t think the human race will survive the next thousand years unles s we spread into space. † For this reason and many more humans will forever continue their mission to the final frontier. Only time will truly tell if private or public will better help man in this race for space.

Part Four Chapter VII

VII It was a bright, balmy morning, and the computing lab at Winterdown Comprehensive became stuffy as lunchtime approached, the dirty windows speckling the dusty monitors with distracting spots of light. Even though there was no Fats or Gaia here to distract him, Andrew Price could not concentrate. He could think of nothing but what he had overheard his parents discussing the previous evening. They had been talking, quite seriously, about moving to Reading, where Ruth's sister and brother-in-law lived. With his ear turned towards the open kitchen door, Andrew had hovered in the tiny dark hall and listened: Simon, it appeared, had been offered a job, or the possibility of a job, by the uncle whom Andrew and Paul barely knew, because Simon disliked him so much. ‘It's less money,' Simon had said. ‘You don't know that. He hasn't said – ‘ ‘Bound to be. And it'll be more expensive all round, living there.' Ruth made a noncommital noise. Scarcely daring to breathe in the hall, Andrew could tell, by the mere fact that his mother was not rushing to agree with Simon, that she wanted to go. Andrew found it impossible to imagine his parents in any house but Hilltop House, or against any backdrop but Pagford. He had taken it for granted that they would remain there for ever. He, Andrew, would leave one day for London, but Simon and Ruth would remain rooted to the hillside like trees, until they died. He had crept back upstairs to his bedroom and stared out of the window at the twinkling lights of Pagford, cupped in the deep black hollow between the hills. He felt as though he had never seen the view before. Somewhere down there, Fats was smoking in his attic room, probably looking at porn on his computer. Gaia was there too, absorbed in the mysterious rites of her gender. It occurred to Andrew that she had been through this; she had been torn away from the place she knew and transplanted. They had something profoundly in common at last; there was almost melancholy pleasure in the idea that, in leaving, he would share something with her. But she had not caused her own displacement. With a squirming unease in his guts, he had picked up his mobile and texted Fats: Si-Pie offered job in Reading. Might take it. Fats had still not responded, and Andrew had not seen him all morning, because they shared none of their classes. He had not seen Fats for the previous two weekends either, because he had been working at the Copper Kettle. Their longest conversation, recently, had concerned Fats' posting about Cubby on the council website. ‘I think Tessa suspects,' Fats had told Andrew casually. ‘She keeps looking at me like she knows.' ‘What're you gonna say?' Andrew had muttered, scared. He knew Fats' desire for glory and credit, and he knew Fats' passion for wielding the truth as a weapon, but he was not sure that his friend understood that his own pivotal role in the activities of the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother must never be revealed. It had never been easy to explain to Fats the reality of having Simon as a father, and, somehow, Fats was becoming more difficult to explain things to. When his IT teacher had passed by out of sight, Andrew looked up Reading on the internet. It was huge compared with Pagford. It had an annual music festival. It was only forty miles from London. He contemplated the train service. Perhaps he would go up to the capital at weekends, the way he currently took the bus to Yarvil. But the whole thing seemed unreal: Pagford was all he had ever known; he still could not imagine his family existing anywhere else. At lunchtime Andrew headed straight out of school, looking for Fats. He lit up a cigarette just out of sight of the grounds, and was delighted to hear, as he was slipping his lighter casually back into his pocket, a female voice that said, ‘Hey'. Gaia and Sukhvinder caught up with him. ‘All right,' he said, blowing smoke away from Gaia's beautiful face. The three of them had something these days that nobody else had. Two weekends' work at the cafe had created a fragile bond between them. They knew Howard's stock phrases, and had endured Maureen's prurient interest in all of their home lives; they had smirked together at her wrinkled knees in the too-short waitress's dress and had exchanged, like traders in a foreign land, small nuggets of personal information. Thus the girls knew that Andrew's father had been sacked; Andrew and Sukhvinder knew that Gaia was working to save for a train ticket back to Hackney; and he and Gaia knew that Sukhvinder's mother hated her working for Howard Mollison. ‘Where's your Fat friend?' she asked, as the three of them fell into step together. ‘Dunno,' said Andrew. ‘Haven't seen him.' ‘No loss,' said Gaia. ‘How many of those do you smoke a day?' ‘Don't count,' said Andrew, elated by her interest. ‘D'you want one?' ‘No,' said Gaia. ‘I don't like smoking.' He wondered instantly whether the dislike extended to kissing people who smoked. Niamh Fairbrother had not complained when he had stuck his tongue into her mouth at the school disco. ‘Doesn't Marco smoke?' asked Sukhvinder. ‘No, he's always in training,' said Gaia. Andrew had become almost inured to the thought of Marco de Luca by now. There were advantages to Gaia being safeguarded, as it were, by an allegiance beyond Pagford. The power of the photographs of them together on her Facebook page had been blunted by his familiarity with them. He did not think it was his own wishful thinking that the messages she and Marco left for each other were becoming less frequent and less friendly. He could not know what was happening by telephone or email, but he was sure that Gaia's air, when he was mentioned, was dispirited. ‘Oh, there he is,' said Gaia. It was not the handsome Marco who had come into view, but Fats Wall, who was talking to Dane Tully outside the newsagent's. Sukhvinder braked, but Gaia grabbed her upper arm. ‘You can walk where you like,' she said, tugging her gently onwards, her flecked green eyes narrowing as they approached the place where Fats and Dane were smoking. ‘All right, Arf,' called Fats, as the three of them came close. ‘Fats,' said Andrew. Trying to head off trouble, especially Fats bullying Sukhvinder in front of Gaia, he asked, ‘Did you get my text?' ‘What text?' said Fats. ‘Oh yeah – that thing about Si? You leaving, then, are you?' It was said with a cavalier indifference that Andrew could only attribute to the presence of Dane Tully. ‘Yeah, maybe,' said Andrew. ‘Where are you going?' asked Gaia. ‘My old man's been offered a job in Reading,' said Andrew. ‘Oh, that's where my dad lives!' said Gaia in surprise. ‘We could hang out when I go and stay. The festival's awesome. D'you wanna get a sandwich, then, Sooks?' Andrew was so stupefied by her voluntary offer to spend time with him, that she had disappeared into the newsagent's before he could gather his wits and agree. For a moment, the dirty bus stop, the newsagent's, even Dane Tully, tattooed and shabby in a T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, seemed to glow with an almost celestial light. ‘Well, I got things to do,' said Fats. Dane sniggered. Before Andrew could say anything or offer to accompany him, he had loped away. Fats was sure that Andrew would be nonplussed and hurt by his cool attitude, and he was glad of it. Fats did not ask himself why he was glad, or why a general desire to cause pain had become his overriding emotion in the last few days. He had lately decided that questioning your own motives was inauthentic; a refinement of his personal philosophy that had made it altogether easier to follow. As he headed into the Fields, Fats thought about what had happened at home the previous evening, when his mother had entered his bedroom for the first time since Cubby had punched him. (‘That message about your father on the Parish Council website,' she had said. ‘I've got to ask you this, Stuart, and I wish – Stuart, did you write it?' It had taken her a few days to summon the courage to accuse him, and he was prepared. ‘No,' he said. Perhaps it would have been more authentic to say yes, but he had preferred not to, and he did not see why he should have to justify himself. ‘You didn't?' she repeated, with no change of tone or expression. ‘No,' he repeated. ‘Because very, very few people know what Dad †¦ what he worries about.' ‘Well, it wasn't me.' ‘The post went up the same evening that Dad and you had the row, and Dad hit – ‘ ‘I've told you, I didn't do it.' ‘You know he's ill, Stuart.' ‘Yeah, so you keep telling me.' ‘I keep telling you because it's true! He can't help it – he's got a serious mental illness that causes him untold distress and misery.' Fats' mobile had beeped, and he had glanced down at a text from Andrew. He read it and experienced an air punch to the midriff: Arf leaving for good. ‘I'm talking to you, Stuart – ‘ ‘I know – what?' ‘All these posts – Simon Price, Parminder, Dad – these are all people you know. If you're behind all this – ‘ ‘I've told you, I'm not.' ‘ – you're causing untold damage. Serious, awful damage, Stuart, to people's lives.' Fats was trying to imagine life without Andrew. They had known each other since they were four. ‘It's not me,' he had said.) Serious, awful damage to people's lives. They had made their lives, Fats thought scornfully as he turned into Foley Road. The victims of the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother were mired in hypocrisy and lies, and they didn't like the exposure. They were stupid bugs running from bright light. They knew nothing about real life. He could see a house ahead that had a bald tyre lying on the grass in front of it. He had a strong suspicion that that was Krystal's, and when he saw the number, he knew he was right. He had never been here before. He would never have agreed to meet her at her home during the lunch hour a couple of weeks ago, but things changed. He had changed. They said that her mother was a prostitute. She was certainly a junkie. Krystal had told him that the house would be empty because her mother would be at Bellchapel Addiction Clinic, receiving her allotted amount of methadone. Fats walked up the garden path without slowing, but with unexpected trepidation. Krystal had been on the watch for him, from her bedroom window. She had closed the doors of every room downstairs, so that all he would see was the hall; she had thrown everything that had spilt into it back into the sitting room and kitchen. The carpet was gritty and burnt in places, and the wallpaper stained, but she could do nothing about that. There had been none of the pine-scented disinfectant left, but she had found some bleach and sloshed that around the kitchen and bathroom, both of them sources of the worst smells in the house. When he knocked, she ran downstairs. They did not have long; Terri would probably be back with Robbie at one. Not long to make a baby. ‘Hiya,' she said, when she opened the door. ‘All right?' said Fats, blowing out smoke through his nostrils. He did not know what he had expected. His first glimpse of the interior of the house was of a grimy bare box. There was no furniture. The closed doors to his left and ahead were strangely ominous. ‘Are we the only ones here?' he asked as he crossed the threshold. ‘Yeah,' said Krystal. ‘We c'n go upstairs. My room.' She led the way. The deeper inside they went, the worse the smell became: mingled bleach and filth. Fats tried not to care. All doors were closed on the landing, except one. Krystal went inside. Fats did not want to be shocked, but there was nothing in the room except a mattress, which was covered with a sheet and a bare duvet, and a small pile of clothes heaped up in a corner. A few pictures ripped from tabloid newspapers were sellotaped to the wall; a mixture of pop stars and celebrities. Krystal had made her collage the previous day, in imitation of the one on Nikki's bedroom wall. Knowing that Fats was coming over, she had wanted to make the room more hospitable. She had drawn the thin curtains. They gave a blueish tinge to daylight. ‘Gimme a fag,' she said. ‘I'm gasping.' He lit it for her. She was more nervous than he had ever seen her; he preferred her cocky and worldly. ‘We ain' got long,' she told him, and with the cigarette in her mouth, she began to strip. ‘Me mum'll be back.' ‘Yeah, at Bellchapel, isn't she?' said Fats, somehow trying to harden Krystal up again in his mind. ‘Yeah,' said Krystal, sitting on the mattress and pulling off her tracksuit bottoms. ‘What if they close it?' asked Fats, taking off his blazer. ‘I heard they're thinking about it.' ‘I dunno,' said Krystal, but she was frightened. Her mother's willpower, fragile and vulnerable as a fledgling chick, could fail at the slightest provocation. She had already stripped to her underwear. Fats was taking off his shoes when he noticed something nestled beside her heaped clothes: a small plastic jewellery box lying open, and curled inside, a familiar watch. ‘Is that my mum's?' he said, in surprise. ‘What?' Krystal panicked. ‘No,' she lied. ‘It was my Nana Cath's. Don't – !' But he had already pulled it out of the box. ‘It is hers,' he said. He recognized the strap. ‘It fuckin' ain't!' She was terrified. She had almost forgotten that she had stolen it, where it had come from. Fats was silent, and she did not like it. The watch in Fats' hand seemed to be both challenging and reproaching him. In quick succession he imagined walking out, slipping it casually into his pocket, or handing it back to Krystal with a shrug. ‘It's mine,' she said. He did not want to be a policeman. He wanted to be lawless. But it took the recollection that the watch had been Cubby's gift to make him hand it back to her and carry on taking off his clothes. Scarlet in the face, Krystal tugged off bra and pants and slipped, naked, beneath the duvet. Fats approached her in his boxer shorts, a wrapped condom in his hand. ‘We don' need that,' said Krystal thickly. ‘I'm takin' the pill now.' ‘Are you?' She moved over on the mattress for him. Fats slid under the duvet. As he pulled off his boxers, he wondered whether she was lying about the pill, like the watch. But he had wanted to try without a condom for a while. ‘Go on,' she whispered, and she tugged the little foil square out of his hand and threw it on top of his blazer, crumpled on the floor. He imagined Krystal pregnant with his child; the faces of Tessa and Cubby when they heard. His kid in the Fields, his flesh and blood. It would be more than Cubby had ever managed. He climbed on top of her; this, he knew, was real life.