A Tale of Two Cities Essay

Does strong devotion overpower the will of a good heart? Ernest Defarge, a character in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, is no more than a puppet to his wife. Though he does not like the idea of killing innocent people just because they are aristocrats, he refuses to speak up due to fear of confrontation with his wife. Due to his background and life as a slave, Defarge, like many other revolutionaries, dislikes the aristocracy, and has some desire to get revenge. However, he does not truly want these desires to build to the extent that the revolution got to. Ernest Defarge is a man with a good heat, driven to be a catalyst to the revolutionary acts by his strong devotion to the two things he cares about most: his country, and his wife. Paragraph 1: Though many may not see it behind all the terrible things he has done, Ernest Defarge really does have a good heart. Ernest Defarge shows compassion my comforting Gaspard, saying, â€Å"Be a brave man, my Gaspard! It is better for the poor little plaything to die so, than to live. It has died in a moment without pain. Could it have lived an hour as happily?† Defarge didn’t have to make an effort to help him out, but he does. This random act of kindness shows that he does in fact have a good side to him. After the child is run over, the Marquis throws a coin out of the carriage, thinking he can pay for the child’s life, and in return he is â€Å"suddenly disturbed by a coin flying into his carriage†. In this action of throwing the coin back, which is believed to be done by Monsieur Defarge, shows his dislike to the aristocracy, and foreshadows the fact that he will take a stand against it for the good of his country and its people. Monsieur Defarge’s personality differentiates from this sense of kindness when he barks orders at the revolutionaries such as, â€Å"Patriots and friends, we are ready! The Bastille!† (214). In opposition to his good heart, Defarge is also the leader of the Revolution. In this part of the book, he, and his fellow revolutionaries, destroy The Bastille, and everything else that happens to be in their path. This completely contradicts the compassion shown from Ernest Defarge earlier in the book, but also shows that there may be something behind his madness. Monsieur Defarge also happens to be an old servant to Dr. Manette, and cares deeply for him, but when it comes to choosing between helping the Doctor, or helping his country, Defarge’s great devotion to France towers over his feelings towards Manette. Do the square thingy with this quote * â€Å"†¦In a hole in the chimney, where a stone has been worked out and replaced, I find a written paper. This is that written paper. I have made it my business to examine some specimens of the writing of Doctor Manette. This is the writing of Doctor Manette. I confide this paper, in the writing of Doctor Manette, to the hands of the President.† This note he found, is of Manette â€Å"(add quote where he condems darnay)† Even though he deeply cared for Manette, he would do anything, literally anything, to help the people of his country. He believes that sentencing Darnay to death is the right thing to do for France, and since he believes that, he will do everything in his power to make it happen. Defarge knew how bad this would hurt Doctor Manette, since Darnay was the Doctor’s son-in-law, but it was his and his wife’s duty to kill all aristocrats, therefore he couldn’t show and mercy. Defarge would even hurt a friend, in order to do what he thinks will help his country. Paragraph 4:  Even though it is kind of hard to see at first, Madame Defarge seems to have a great deal of power over her husband. â€Å"As to thee†, pursued madame, implacably, addressing her husband, â€Å"if if depended on thee-which, happily, it does not, thou wouldst rescue this man even now† Even though Monsieur Defarge wants to help Charles Darnay, she wouldn’t allow it. He wanted to help out the Manette’s and save Darnay, but after the revolutionaries were informed on what the Evermond’s did to Madame Defarge’s family, he was the only one who wanted to show mercy. Due to the fear of confrontation with his wife, he doesn’t speak of saving Darnay again. Ernest Defarge, from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is portrayed as a great leader to the revolutionaries, but in reality, he is merely a puppet, with Madame Defarge as his puppeteer. Devotion can be a strong thing, sometimes so strong that it can lock up the kindness of a good heart, and throw away the key. A Tale Of Two Cities Essay We learn that the Signal man has seen very disturbing events such as the train crash and the bride dying and what is more troubling is that he seen it coming, throughout the story we see how the signal man opens up to the narrator on how he is troubled and is emphasizing how he saw a ghost but the narrator starts to doubt his new friends mind and starts to have a very patronizing attitude towards the signal man. Throughout the story the fear is spreading. Dickens also uses tactile imagery â€Å"Frozen finger tracing out my spine† and also Dickens uses olfactory imagery â€Å"an earthly deadly smell†. The relationship between the narrator and the signal man is one of trust as the signal man opens up to him on their second meeting â€Å"do the signal man and the narrator linked in some way? Dickens has made the story raise some doubts about the afterlife and fate. However Bram Stoker famed for his book â€Å"Dracula† has created a short story that is much like ‘The Signal Man† but has a different approach to the horror genre for the first few pages are a little bit of a mysterious â€Å"Dracula’s Guest† is full of suspense the title alone raises the expectation for the reader as it does not give away the plot but creates a feeling of intrigue making the reader want to read on, this is a clever ploy Stoker has used and it was also a popular theme to use as in the middle ages and Victorian era the legends of vampires have been popular among the people of Britain and Ireland and perhaps the world. The short story contains many dark themes that create mystery and also adds to the mounting tension that is created by the title â€Å"Dracula’s Guest† Bram who is Known for his Dark stories that contain major supernaturalist elements such as Mythism and oppressive that are including as the novel â€Å"The Lair of the White Worm†, Bram creates the prefect atmosphere for the short story and for the century as the Victorian era had a thing for vampirism stories. The story begins in Munich the weather is idyllic â€Å"The sun was shining brightly on Munich, and the air was full of the joyousness of the early summer† is the weather too idyllic? Bram cleverly opens the story this way to lull the reader into a sense of false security a very smart move I think personally, but that all ends when â€Å"still holding his hand on the handle of the carriage door† is used which is very arousing and causes a lot of interest, He also uses personification † a shiver in the north wind† adds more dramatic effect so does the use of alliteration â€Å"Sudden Storm† but the line â€Å"But I am sure you will not be late, here he smiled and added for you know what night is it† mysterious what is the night in question? And why is it so important? The 1st paragraph creates a sense of importance for the night and adds to the mystery and we then learn the reason the maitre and coachman fears the night and also we learn the name â€Å"Walpurgis Nacht† which translated from German means â€Å"Night of Evil† this term is very important to Catholics this is the first relation to religion, later on we here â€Å"Walpurgis nacht! â€Å", Stoker uses the language barrier and the fail to understand adds to the suspense and surreal aspect, later the weather changes to â€Å"dark clouds drifted rapidly across the sky† the atmosphere changes to a sinister dull mood. Again the language barrier is there and the personification has the desired effect â€Å"the storm of snow he comes before long time† also the dialogue become vague and broken creating more tension here vampirism applied ‘mouths red with blood†, we see that the protagonist seems to doubt his sanity a lot like Dickens character â€Å"The Signal Man† it seems he also is succumbing to his fear â€Å"Paroxysm of the fear- white face perspiring, trembling† Bram Stoker’s technique second to none he uses detailed descriptions for his characters and settings and his use of the language devices such as metaphors â€Å"glistening white carpet† and his alliteration â€Å"Sudden Storm† and lastly repetition â€Å"Walpurgis nacht†. Each writer Dickens and Stoker uses different methods to create a spine-chilling effect on the reader each could even be masters of horror and suspense, all the aspects that the gothic genre needs to be successful and â€Å"The Signal Man† and â€Å"Dracula’s Guest† where very successful in that age and successful today in the study of literature . In conclusion after close analysis of both stories I have seen that both stories are great for maintaining tension and use techniques such as alliteration, pathetic fallacy and are good to create confusion among the readers. This wining combination gives the story a kick and keeps the reader engrossed in the story. I believe that stoker is perfect for building suspense and tension while Dickens plays on the reader’s emotion by lulling them into a sense of security and then confuses them and then plays on their confusion. Gavin Teggart Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section. A Tale of Two Cities Essay Throughout well-known stories, authors tend to develop memorable characters in order to enhance the plot; although they may not always be portrayed in the most considerate manner. In Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities, he also uses such characters. First, Lucie’s role of over dramatic damsel in distress. Second, Miss Pross’ participation as the over protective mother figure. And third, Mme. Defarge as the bloodthirsty crazed villain. Through these characters, Dickens portrays women in the three most stereotypical demeanors: weak and fragile, a worrisome mother and a psychotic wife. Throughout the novel, Lucie is a feeble girl who cannot stand up to the hardships of life. â€Å"Perfectly still and silent, and not even fallen back in her chair, she sat under his hand, utterly insensible; with her eyes fixed upon him and with that last expression looking as if it were carved or branded in to her forehead† (Dickens 25). This is Lucie’s reaction to the news from Mr. Lorry that her father, presumed to be dead, has been found alive after spending eighteen years in the Bastille. Instead of a normal reaction of tears and joy, she is simply so stunned that she cannot even move; her expression of shock and fear is frozen upon her face. She reacts very similarly when she goes to meet  her father for the first time. Dickens writes, â€Å"Mr. Lorry got his arm securely round the daughter’s waist, and held that she was sinking†¦ ‘I am afraid of it’ she answered, shuddering. ‘Of it? What?’ ‘I mean of him. Of my father’ † (36). Of course it would be intimidating for her to meet her father for the first time in her life but she is on the verge of fainting a second time just from thinking about her father. She also does not even see him as human referring to him as â€Å"it†, not even wanting to approach her father. Finally, when her husband is taken away to prison, again she displays weakness, â€Å"As he went out at the prisoners’ door, she turned laid her head lovingly on her father’s breast, tried to speak to him and fell at his feet† (324). Yes it horrible to have her husband sentenced to death and is taken away to prison. But, she has a 6 year old daughter, she cannot give in to self-pity and weakness, it is the time for her to be strong not only for herself but for her daughter as well. It is important for her to see her mother strong and able to be there for her, but when she faints, her hope falls alongside her mother’s body. It seems Lucie has never had to really fight or be strong for anything in her life before. She acts like she always needs to rely upon someone else; she is very dependant upon others. Miss Pross’ role in the novel, although not very large, was nonetheless very important, especially for Lucie. Miss Pross was the mother figure in Lucie’s life, always caring for her and always nurturing her. When Lucie faints at the mention of her father, it is Miss Pross who is the first to her side: â€Å" ‘Why, look at you all!’ bawled this figure, addressing the inn servants. ‘Why don’t you go and fetch things, instead of standing there staring at me?†¦if you don’t bring smelling salts, cold water, and vinegar, quick, I  will’ † (26). She quickly takes charge of the situation and gives out orders in the same urgency as if it was her own daughter. It is also always Lucie for whom she is most concerned about: â€Å" ‘O me, O me! All is lost!’ cried she, wringing her hands. ‘What is to be told to Ladybird? He doesn’t know me, and is making shoes!’ † (187). Dr. Manette has a relapse and is no longer coherent. Miss Pross’ first concern is not restoring Dr. Manette back to health, but what the impact of seeing her father like this will do to Lucie. Finally, Miss Pross demonstrates her love for Lucie because she is willing to lay down her life for Lucie: â€Å" ‘I am a Briton,’ said Miss Pross, ‘I am desperate. I don’t care an English twopence for myself. I know that the longer I keep you here, the greater hope there is for my ladybird’ † (356). This demonstrates Miss Pross’ love for Lucie, risking her life in the hope that her sacrifice will keep Lucie safe. Miss Pross means well and is always looking out for Lucie and would do anything for her. However at times her actions are a bit eccentric. Finally, there is Mme Defarge, a very angry and vengeful woman. Mme Defarge takes it upon herself to make a register of all the nobility whom she proclaims as enemies to the revolution: â€Å" ‘Knitted in her own stiches and her own symbols, it will always be as plain to her as the sun. Confide in Madame Defarge. It would be easier for the weakest poltroon that lives, to erase himself from existence, than to erase one letter of his name of crimes from the knitted register of Madame Defarge’ † (166). This is M. Defarge explaining his wife’s register to others of the revolution, and saying that any who make it onto the register; will meet certain death. Not only does she register all  nobility in her knitting, but Mme Defarge also makes a point to remember the faces of anyone who is an enemy to the revolution: â€Å" ‘His appearance; is it known?’ ‘Age, about forty years; height, about five feet nine; black hair; complexion dark; generally, rather handsome visage; eyes dark, face thin, long and sallow; nose aquiline, but not straight, having a peculiar inclination towards the left cheek’†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœIt is a portrait!’ said madame, laughing. ‘He shall be registered to-morrow’ † (171). Just from this short description, Mme Defarge already has a mental image of this man and even commits it to her memory. Finally, once she decides to kill someone, she will stop at nothing to kill them: â€Å" ‘I have been in the streets from the first, nothing has stopped me, I will tear you to pieces, but I will have you from that door’ † (356). This is Mme Defarge when she is confronting Miss Pross, telling her that she has been fighting in the streets for the revolution since day one, and nothing will keep her from killing Lucie as well. Mme Defarge’s rage and thirst for blood did greatly help the revolution. However, it became something that ultimately consumed her and turned her in to what she set out to destroy in the first place. It is through these characters that Dickens portrays women very unjustly. Lucie as delicate and flimsy, not being able to handle life’s hardships. Miss Pross as the overprotective mother, sometimes taking her job to the extreme. Mme Defarge as the crazed wife, always full of anger and violence. Even though women display these qualities from time to time, is it really fair to say that these traits define their whole character.

Gag Clauses Essay

For the past ten years, the Health Management Organizations (HMO), who is responsible on the health care programs, had imposed a new system that restrict and inhibit physicians in communicating to their patients. (Wynn, 1996) This is known as ‘gag clause†. The physician must not discuss the medical condition and all treatment options of their patients. These include the right health care plan, the appropriate treatment and medications that may be benefit to the patient in terms of cost. (Liang, 1998) The issue on the gag clauses creates a big noise especially on the practitioners and physicians. This issue receives many criticisms. According to some critics, it is the obligation of a physician to educate and inform his patient on what kind of treatment, and the kind of health care plan. This is because physicians are trained to treat the bad health conditions of their patients. The gag clause thus inhibits the open discussion of the two parties. Because of the gag clause issue, the House of Representative and the Legislature of United States are now making a proper move to inhibit the gag clauses in physician contracts. But almost 200 million of the citizens of the said country rely on health care programs of HMOs. The lawmakers of United States, who had made laws and enforces these to protect its citizens, medicine companies as well as the practitioners from the HMOs, still HMOs finds a way to control the actions of their hired physicians. This is the termination-without-cause clause. In this clause, the physician to be hired by HMOs can be fired for any reason. The restrictions of physicians in communicating to their patients produce major problems especially on the side of the patient. One of these problem is the lost of trust and confidence of the patient if his original physician has been deselected. Then the second physician must handle the latter treatment on the patient which is very difficult because of little time. Then the second physician also faces a constraint in communicating to his patient. This will result to low quality health care service given by HMOs. The welfare of the patients is being jeopardized because of gag clauses. A study was conducted on the performance of physicians experiencing gag clauses from their health care company. From the physicians who were interviewed, majority do their medical obligation as part of their ethical duties in providing the necessary medication and treatments for their patients. They do not even read carefully the provisions of the contracts they signed in handling their patients. But because of the alarming issues on the deselecting, physicians were limited on communicating to their patients the health conditions and proper treatment. While on the side of physician sectors, there profession is being put at risk. As a physician, their responsibility is to take care of their patient which is the core of their medical responsibility. If these physicians were unluckily deselected, their ethical responsibility to raise and support their family will be affected. Thus, physicians are faced in a two situations were they must choose which will they do. Thus the purpose of their profession is being sacrificed. In almost contract signing, there are some elements to consider and understand by both parties before they undergo in signing. Some of the key terms to consider are the payment terms, duty and obligations of parties, representations and warranties, conditions on the closure of the contract, some liability issues and termination rights. In contract signing in a managed care setting, the identification of the parties who will sign the contract must first be done. In terms of managed care setting, the health care provider, physicians and the consumers or patients are the main characters. Then the recitals will follow. In this part, it contains the background of the contract as well the objective. The obligation of the parties involved is the next element to be discussed before signing. The health care provider will provide all the necessary treatments needed by the patient for his wellness. This includes the necessary and appropriate health care plan. While the physician medical responsibility is to provide the necessary treatment needed by the patient in which he can apply his profession. These include care and medication of the patient. And lastly, the obligation of the patient is in term of financial obligation for the health care provider and to the physician. (Allbusiness, 2007) Next to be considered are the terms of the contract. It must be clearly stated what are the sanction if one of the terms was not made. Also, the contract must be known if it is an only one time or it can be renewed. And if the contract is renewable, how it can be renewed? These questions must be first answered before the signing of the medical health care contract. After this, the price must be set. How much will it cost the service of the health care provider to their costumers or patients and the salary of the physician assigned, as well as the terms of payments between the parties? When will the due of the payment and what are the consequences if the due was not met by one of the party concerned. Warranty is also part of a contract. The warranties must be clearly stated on how it can be claimed and in what way. If the health care program does not meet the terms, how will the health care provider pay the consequence? And how long the warranty will is good for. And lastly is the term of termination of the contract. When will the health care program end in concern on the patient? When will the physician medical obligation ends. The above are mentioned are the key terms in contract signing in a health care setting. (Allbusiness, 2007) In contract signing in a health care setting, a major concern that must be considered is that-if the contract contains provisions of illegal act? Because majority of the HMOs contract’s contain provision of not letting communication on the physician-patient relationship, the Federal government of United States enforce these HMOs to eliminate these gag clauses. In a contract, it is stated that the patient under a health care program is entitled to all benefits of the health care program. ( Scanlon, 1999) Because of this, the Health Care Financing Administration force HMOs to eliminate gag clauses on their contracts. If a contract contains illegal act such that of the gag clauses, it will be considered as a violation on the Medicare law. This is because almost physicians believe that inhibiting them in communicating with their patients about their medical condition might result to increase on the risk on their health condition. (Frascati, 2005) Even tough some of the health care plans of HMOs were revised in connection with the gag clauses; still there are provisions and conditions that hinder the communication of physician-patient relationship. Some of these provisions are the business confidentiality clause, nondisparagement clause and nonsolicitation clause. These provisions are discrete form of inhibition of the communication. (Lott, 1997) If one of the provisions in a contract is unenforceable like no legal action or waiver of right to trial by jury, and then the contract is considered void. (Higuchi, 1995)

State Intervention in Private Spheres of Activity for their Intended Essay

State Intervention in Private Spheres of Activity for their Intended Public Interest - Essay Example It is an important feature of contemporary society and one which is set to grow as network technologies, such as the Internet, enable us to communicate almost instantaneously with organizations and individuals regardless of geographical location. For example, it is because of the emergence of a ‘borderless’ society that law enforcement agencies increasingly seek to be exempted from the full rigors of the privacy laws. That this kind of exemption can lead, in turn, to misuse and abuse of these powers is perhaps one of the ‘costs’ we have to bear if law enforcement agencies generally are to be effective in combating crime in the information age. However, before evaluating how ethically right is the State’s intervention in the privacy of the members of the society for its proposed public interests, the very terminology of â€Å"Privacy† needs to be understood.The extensive material the n literature on the definition of Privacy reveals that the term’s meaning differs under various approaches to privacy offered by different scholars. Privacy’s most widely spread definition has been coined by Warren & Brandeis (1890, p. 205) who define privacy, as an intrinsic value, the â€Å"right to be let alone† (Stahl, 2007). Another approach to define privacy by (Stalder, 2002) is that of informational self-determination which sees privacy as the right to determine who accesses person-related data. This interpretation is widely spread in continental Europe whereby privacy may be taken in terms of property which includes the protection of an individual’s financial records, health records, ex-directo ry telephone numbers, criminal records, etc. If person-related information can be treated as property, then privacy issues can be reduced to the more established (intellectual) property law as Spinello (2000) puts it.  

Environmental Issues and the Industrial Revolution Coursework

Environmental Issues and the Industrial Revolution - Coursework Example In the course of production, gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons among others that are produced as waste material by industries are released into the atmosphere. The result is massive air pollution. The most far reaching effect of these emissions is changes in climate. The average temperatures in the world increase every year, there are more floods, and the desserts are expanding among other deviations from climate as it were in the past. Air pollution also has negative impacts on plant and animal species as well as humans. For instance, acid rain increases the acidity of the soil which damages plants while inhalation of these gases causes health complications to humans. Industries also release chemical effluents in liquid form which when released into rivers and other water bodies and this has resulted into the decrease of fish and extinction of some species. The first locomotives used steam engines. In the present age, majority of automobiles use gas. Increased use of automobiles degrades the environment because it necessitates mining of oil. Combustion of gas to propel vehicles results in emission of gases which causes air pollution. The major pollutant from cars is carbon dioxide which is a green house gas that depletes the ozone layer and also contributes to global warming. Emissions such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides are part of the reason why the number of cancer cases is on the rise. Air pollution from locomotives also causes acid rain which is detrimental to plants. Industrial revolution has necessitated continued mining of oil and gas which is used to power motor vehicles, factory machines and in cooking. Mining and transportation of oil poses a danger to the environment through the possibility of oils spills on water bodies and also on land. Oil spills result in both short and long term

Building construction and fire services #2 Essay

Building construction and fire services #2 - Essay Example Lightweight wooden binds are assembled by 50 mm Ãâ€" 150 mm, 50 mm Ãâ€" 100 mm, or 50 mm Ãâ€" 75 mm (2 Ãâ€" 6, 2 Ãâ€" 4, or 2 Ãâ€" 3-inch) timber joined together by gusset plates (Malanga, 1995, p47). Just like every structural element, these trusses are debatably vulnerable to failure when expose to fire or extremely high temperatures. Wooden houses or ceilings are famous for quick fire spread and early disastrous failure in as small as 4 minutes of fire involvement (Malanga, 1995, p44). Unguarded lightweight wooden or even steel binds will stop working after 5 to 10 minutes of contact to fire or extremely high. Binds can fail from contact to heat alone exclusive of any flames. For wood trusses, 100 °F (53.8 °C) is the decisive temperature (Malanga, 1995, p46). Metal gusset plates in wooden binds, unless corner-nailed, can distort and fail extremely fast when exposed to high temperature. Even though, both wooden and steel trusses might be confined with fire-retardant treatments to develop their fire opposition, a majority of them lack this essential matter and; hence put the lives of people at

Analysis of how Joint Warfare was applied during Operation Just Cause Research Paper

Analysis of how Joint Warfare was applied during Operation Just Cause in Panama - Research Paper Example In order to tackle the future political challenges, there is a need for developing an army which is prepared for not only offensive and defensive activities, but also to maintain stability and to conduct supporting functions. The military operations in Haiti, Bosnia and Middle East demonstrate the requirement of joint forces in order to ensure better cooperation. The trends of joint operation in 21st century evidently reveal the fact that single military operations have become history. In order to rule in the rapidly changing environment, joint approach of military planning is considered as a critical success factor for any nation . The research paper provides an in-depth analysis on application of joint warfare during ‘Operation Just Cause’ in Panama. The objective of the research is to analyze how joint operations were implemented during Operation Just Cause. Besides, the paper also aims at understanding how Goldwater-Nichols Act had affected the planning of Operation Just Cause. Basic Description about Joint Operation The term, ‘Joint Operation’ denotes military movements which are undertaken by joint military forces. Joint operation principle is established on a sound foundation of war philosophy, concept and practical knowledge. Joint operation principles identify the basic and the advantageous impacts of ‘unity in command’ and the cooperation which results from integration and harmonization of military operations. This cooperation can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of military force. The benefits of joint operation are spread beyond the operational background across the array of military actions2. ‘Joint Warfare’ is often used by the military forces of the US in conjunction with other countries and agencies. Joint warfare is required in order to create a decisive and a combined combat strength. In joint warfare philosophy, the military organizations incorporate and synchronize their air forces, land forces, navy forces and the special operation forces in order to accomplish strategic and operational objectives. The objective of joint warfare is to enhance the effectiveness of military assault3. The Origin of Joint Concepts The history of the US reveals the significance of joint operations. The war of 1812 in between the US and Great Britain provides a great example with regard to success of joint operation. However, the operation was criticized due to misperceptions, low level of cooperation and coordination. The first joint military board in the US was established in the year 1903. The joint board was aimed at planning joint military operations and resolving issues on common concerns. Yet, the joint board was provided with little right to solve

NIST 800-64 rev2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

NIST 800-64 rev2 - Essay Example The problem I choose to discuss is poor communication between the employers and employees. In managing IT systems and their progress, an Information system security process is put in place to help identify risks, plan and mitigate problems that may arise at the workplace. Implementing a risk management – based approach serves to integrate security systems throughout the agency. However, throughout the system and its working, communication plays a major role in how well everything is understood and implemented in order to ensure high productivity with lesser number of problems. Communication is an indispensable part of any organization because its success or failure depends a lot on it. One of the critical assets of any organization is proper communication between employers and employees as well as among the management and workers. Proper communication helps to instill integrity and solidarity among the workers and helps them to focus better on the goal ahead. System managers c an make use of good communication as a tool to build strong relationships not only among the workers but also the clients that deal with them. Proper communication is a fundamental asset for decision – making, negotiation, implementation and assessment of the whole developmental process. One of the dilemmas that could arise in the workplace is miscommunication that leads to anger, fear, mistrust and lack of understanding among the parties involved. This problem is quite evident especially within a multicultural organization. The five phases such as Initiation, Development, Implementation, Operation and Disposal that contributes towards the smooth working and productivity of the organization could be hampered if there is no proper communication among its staff and workers. In implementing and executing a risk management based approach, it is both crucial and vital to help employees understand the integrated security component of the organization because each of them plays a si gnificant role in its successful achievement. Miscommunication in any one of the areas could bring about heavy losses to the agency or organization. In the Security Considerations in the System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) different individuals play different roles with different responsibilities and in order to ensure the systematic progress and success of the organization, they have to interact with each other during each stage of activity. In such a scenario, effective communication involving security requirements and expectations is inevitable. Every member is accountable in the position they hold responsibility within the organization. Employing an appropriate Information security personnel at the initiation juncture would be the right thing to do, so as to avoid communication mishaps during the process of any project. The individual carrying out this job has a big responsibility since it is a high risk job involving the organizations operations as well as its assets. However, all the other officials and managers each have their own role to play and their own responsibility which is clearly defined and they are accountable for things that go wrong. In such a set up effective communication plays a very important role because it helps to keep the security system in tact and in an effective working order. Since every person is highly responsible and accountable for their actions, it is inevitable that the first thing that should be put into place is a proper

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Personal statement - Essay Example First, I could tell her absolutely everything. For the first time in my life, Ive found someone with whom I could share my deepest, darkest secrets. She also did the same and revealed personal details about her family and everything else in her life. It was so good for me to be able to share everything with someone else who is not only close to me emotionally but also physically for a great portion of the day, and that I could always go to. Second, she became a wonderful source of support for me. No matter what I told her, no matter what I was going through, she is always there to support me, show her empathy and caring, and do whatever she can to help me and encourage me in everything I do and in every decision I make. She is also great in giving me advice, consulting me on what I should no. I cant even count the times that I relied on her great advice which helped me so much. Third, with her remarkable sense of humor, she can always make me laugh. Regardless of what Im going throug h or how sad or depressed I might be, she always succeeds in making me laugh and smile and be cheered up. Then and only then I can relate to my problems and think about them, of course with her assistance.

Concepts and Development of Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Concepts and Development of Organizations - Essay Example I am currently pursuing a career in accounting with the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), a global body for professionals, whose aim is to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. I would like to complete the second and final level of the ACCA program at Stouffville College in Canada which is one of the OAS member states. ACCA has entered into partnership with Oxford Brookes University (OBU) where examinations would be graded by both the ACCA body and also by the OBU. Upon completion of the second level and submission of a research and analysis project, a Bachelor of Science with Honours will be awarded in Applied Accounting from OBU. Business is an intricate and fast-paced field which has challenging employment options. The career opportunities and qualified candidates are so enormous that organizations become highly sel ective in choosing competent aspirants to various positions. After being conferred with a degree in Accounting, I am aware that professional movement in this specialized field is easily maximized. I would like to explore the potentials of specializing in taxation and heading other departments – not only to be confined to Accounting. The extensive responsibilities and functions assigned to accountant as tax specialists are highly motivating and enticing that professionalizing this field is a viable move.One of the benefits that the degree in accounting accords is the ability to recognize that change is a necessary component in any organization in order to respond to inefficiencies, conflicts and developments in the environment, especially of an identified country. My country is St. Lucia, one of the Windward Islands of the eastern Caribbean, just south of Martinique. It is currently undertaking an initiative to develop a single economic unit through the Caricom Single Market E conomy (CSME).  

Digital Smell Technology Essay Example for Free

Digital Smell Technology Essay We all are aware about todays technology evidence, how far it resembles with our day to day life. Everything around us is changing so rampantly. Basics needs in this era of technology are not just limited to three i.e. food, shelter and clothes, people are expecting a lot than this three basic one. If you observe carefully technology mainly focused on our sense of sight and sound, you will find it more interesting and incredible. Now it’s time to add one more sense into the list and that is nose and tough. We all are very quantize with the online shopping through internet, while buying some product on the internet we can see the image of the product. This online shopping is just limited for some products like clothes, mobiles etc. But now you can buy those products which have smell like perfumes, cakes etc. Anything which you will decide to buy from its smell. Means you will be able to smell the object just sitting in front of your computer by using this digital smell technology. Now you might be thinking that how it will be possible ?. California based Dig scents Inc. has developed this technology. A small device connects through your computer or laptop via serial port and has its own driver which produces the smell related to your product in your room. The idea of this technology came from one perfume making company for the advertisement of his perfumes products. This digital smell technology can be used for the security purpose in public places like theaters or some auditorium etc for detecting the odd flavor of some explosive materials. There is USB device which need to connect to your computer via. USB device is called ismell. Which contain some chemicals to produce the all types fragrance using different combinations. For each smell there is some code for respective smell. When user click on that product link client request  the ismell device and the device recognized the coding according to that the respective smell will be escaped from the device and spread into the room.

Lichen Planus Treatment Research Study

Lichen Planus Treatment Research Study Aim: Lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease. Its treatment is often symptomatic and includes topical and systemic corticosteroids. Although corticosteroid therapy is usually successful, but because of its side effects, an alternative treatment is favorable. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of topical curcumin and triamcinolone on the treatment of oral lichen planus. Materials Methods:  In this study, 50 patients with the age range of 38 to 73 with oral lichen planus (OLP) were randomly divided into two groups. Each group received 0.1% triamcinolone or 5% curcumin oral paste 3 times a day for 4 weeks. Measurement of appearance score and severity of pain was done at the baseline and at the end of week 2 and 4 and recorded in the patient’s questionnaires. Results: In the evaluation of pain reduction in curcumin group, 9 patients (36%) and in triamcinolone group, 8 patients (32%) had complete remission. In the evaluation of appearance score in both groups, one patient (4%) had complete remission. No statistically significant difference was seen between two groups. Conclusion: Herbal medicines can be a suitable alternative for synthetic drugs, covering their side effects, costs and probable shortages. Clinical Significance: Application of curcumin because of its desirable anti-inflammatory effects and little side effects is suggested for the treatment of OLP. Key words: Curcumin, Lichen Planus, Triamcinolone  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ Aim Oral lichen planus (OLP) is an immune mediated disease of unknown etiology with the mediacy of T cells (1), in which the symptoms of the patients decrease simultaneously with an increase in (CD4à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ º) counts (2). OLP lesions can be of reticular, papular, plaque-like, bullous, erythematous (atrophic), and ulcerative forms. Ulcerative lesions are the most debilitative forms of OLP (3), which develop painful symptoms and interfere with eating, speaking, swallowing and brushing (4). Corticosteroids are usually successful for controlling the symptoms of the disease (5); but because of frequent side effects of long-term corticosteroid therapy such as: secondary candidiasis ,telangectasis, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal suppression (6, 7), mucocutaneous atrophy, and increased potential of systemic absorption, it may be better to avoid long-term use of them (8). Curcuma longa is a perennial plant belonging to Zingiberaceae family (9), which for its anti-inflammatory effects has been used for centuries in Indian traditional medicine (10). Its main ingredients are three curcuminoids including curcumin (the primary ingredient and the one responsible for its yellow color and anti-inflammatory effect), demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. Chainani-Wu in a systematic review (11), and others (9, 12-16) confirmed the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, wound healing, anticarcinogenic effects and safety of curcumin. Clinical studies assessing curcuminoids have evaluated its utilization in inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, postsurgical inflammation, and chronic uveitis.(11) The curcuminoids, at the same time having anti-inflammatory activity, are safe even in high doses and few side effects were seen (11). Since it seems that oxidative stress may have a role in pathophysiology of OLP (17), and by noting that OLP is a chronic inflammatory disease (18), the herbs which have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect concurrently, may act better in improving the disease process. Antioxidant effect of curcumin against oxidative stress was shown previously (19), Chainani-Wu et al in 2007 and 2011 assessed the efficacy of systemic administration of curcuminoids in treatment of oral lichen planus (10, 20). Efficacious results were obtained in controlling signs and symptoms of oral lichen planus, using high doses of this herb. Concerning noticeable side effects, reported by patients who consumed corticosteroids (21), chronic nature of OLP, risk of oral candidiasis upon usage of topical corticosteroids, and fewer side effects, safety and anti-inflammatory properties of curcuminoids, we aimed to clinically evaluate the efficacy of curcuminoids in treatment of oral lichen planus, compared with conventional corticosteroid therapy. Materials and methods: In this clinical trial 50 patients (36 women and 14 men) participated with age range of 38 to 73 and mean age of 50.66 years. The patients had clinical signs of OLP (atrophic and ulcerative forms) which was confirmed by clinical and histopathological examination. Patient exclusion criteria included pregnancy and lactation, current use of anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents (curcumin has inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation) (22), existing orthodontic treatment, history of gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers, gallstones (curcumin may induce gastric irritation and stimulate gall bladder constrictions) (23), hepatic diseases (curcumin may cause hepatotoxicity in some mammals including mice and rats) (11), any existing malignancy or viral infection in mouth, receiving any topical treatment for OLP in the past 2 weeks or any systemic treatment for OLP in the past 4 weeks, consuming azathioprine, cyclosporine or receiving PUVA, UVA or UVB in the last month, a history of allergy to cort icosteroids or curcumin (6). The crushed roots of C. longa L. were purchased from drug store in Rasht city of Iran and identified by a research fellow. The grounded herbal root (1 g) was extracted with 10 ml of 96% ethanol boiling in water bath for 3 min and the least volume of solvent was added to the given aliquot. Each sample was centrifuged at 8000Ãâ€"g for 10 min, then the supernatant was filtered with a syringe filter (0.45 _m). This mixture included Curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and in less amounts, bisdemethoxycurcumin. Patients were given complete explanations on their disease and also about curcumin and triamcinolone pastes and then were asked to participate in the study by signing an informed consent and this study was registered at IRCT. ir (IRCT2001105012950N2) which is a Primary Registry in the WHO Registry Network set up. Patients were randomly divided into two groups each group including 25 patients. The sample size of 25 was based on expected and actual enrollment of study subjects over a 2-month time period. Because of feasibility reasons the enrollment was stopped at 25 subjects. A blocked randomization (block size of 6) was used. The Guilan University of Medical sciences pharmacy packaged the curcuminoids and triamcinolone in similar oral paste and generated the randomization sequence using the random number generator in Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corp, Seattle, WA). Both participants and investigators were blinded to the treatment assignment. All the patients were examined and the age, sex, medical history, smoking, form and location of the oral lesions, duration of the disease, and type of treatments the patient had received, severity of pain and appearance score were recorded. Then patients received triamcinolone 0.1% or curcumin 5% paste for 4 weeks and asked to apply the drug 3 times a day after eating and brushing, and then they were advised to avoid eating for 20 minutes. Measurement of appearance score and severity of pain was done at the baseline and at the end of weeks 2 and 4 and recorded in the patient’s questionnaires. For determining the severity of pain, we used VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) and subjects ranked their severity of pain on a 10-cm horizontal line marked 0 to 10 which 0 indicated no pain and 10 indicated the most severe pain (24). For determining the appearance score, we also used Thongprasom criteria with the below classification: 0: no lesion, normal mucosa 1: mild white striae, no erythematous area 2: white striae with atrophic area less than 1cm ² 3: white striae with atrophic area more than 1cm ² 4: white striae with ulcerative area less than 1cm ² 5: white striae with ulcerative area more than 1cm ² (25) In this work complete remission was referred to the case in which signs or symptoms showed 100% reduction, good response was the case that signs or symptoms showed 50% or more reduction and still less than 100% and in poor responders signs or symptoms had less than 50% reduction. If the status of lesions showed no change, the case was considered as no response. Data were analyzed by SPSS 17 software, using Mann-Whitney; Fisher exact test and Spearman`s correlation analysis. P value Results: Fifty five patients participated in this study. Five patients were missed because of refusing to return for follow up visits. The remaining 50 patients consisted of 36 female and 14 male (female -to-male ratio was 2.57) with a mean age of 49.24 years and age range of 38-73 years. The curcumin group consisted of 15 women and 10 men with mean age of 49.24 years (range 38-73 years), while 21 women and 4 men with mean age of 52.08 years (range 38-73 years) formed the triamcinolone group. Mean duration of the disease before beginning the study in curcumin group was 23.96 ±15.49 months and in triamcinolone group was 28.52 ±15.72 months. 21 patients had atrophic lesions (42% or 9 patients in curcumin group and 12 patients in triamcinolone group) and 29 patients had ulcerative lesions (58% or 16 patients in curcumin group and 13 patients in triamcinolone group). All the individuals complained of pain. Mean severity of pain in curcumin group was 5.84 ±2.01 (VAS) and in triamcinolone gro up was 5.47  ±3.12 (VAS) (table 1). The buccal mucosa was the most common site for OLP followed by the gingiva, tongue, palate, labial mucosa and floor of the mouth (table 2). Mean VAS score in curcumin group was 5.84 ±2.01 at the baseline which decreased to 3.08 ±2.01 and 2.64 ±2.98 at second and third follow-ups . Mean VAS scores in triamcinolone group was 5.47 ±3.12 at the baseline which declined to 1.90 ±1.58 and 1.76 ±1.78 at second and third visits . Mean Thongprasom scores in curcumin group was 3.88 ±0.78 at the baseline and decreased to 3.28 ±1.36 and 2.64 ±1.29 at second and third visits. Mean Thongprasom scores in triamcinolone group was 3.95 ±1.07 at the baseline, decreased to 3.38 ±1.07 and 2.95 ±0.97 at second and third visits . In the evaluation of pain reduction in curcumin group, 9 patients (36%) had complete remission, 4 patients (16%) had good response, 6 patients (24%) had poor response and 6 patients (24) showed no response to the treatment. In triamcinolone group, 8 patients (32%) had complete remission, 8 patients (32%) had good response, 4 patients (16%) had poor response and 5 patients (20) showed no response to the treatment. There is no significant differences between two groups in each of the follow up visits ( Mann- Whitney ; P>0.05 ; power of analysis =0.74). (Table 3). In the evaluation of appearance score in curcumin group, 1 patient (4%) had complete remission, 6 patients (24%) had good response, 12 patients (48%) had poor response and 6 patients (24) showed no response to the treatment. In triamcinolone group, 1 patient (4%) had complete remission, 2 patients (8%) had good response, 12 patients (48%) had poor response and 10 patients (40) showed no response to the treatment. Two groups had no significant differences ( Fisher exact test ; P>0.05) (Table 3). Using Spearmans correlation analysis, there was no meaningful relation between mean severity of pain and mean appearance score in both groups with age, sex and duration of the disease. (p > 0.05). At the end of the study in curcumin group, few patients complained of burning sensation, itching, mild swelling and xerostomia, which was disappeared at the enf of first week of drug consumption. Most of the patients also complained about undesirable yellow color of the drug particularly on the gingiva. In triamcinolone group, only one patient complained about burning sensation in the first week of applying the drug, and one patient complained about mucosal desquamation in the entire duration of treatment. Discussion Oral lichen planus, is an chronic autoimmune, mucocutaneous condition, which commonly involves oral mucosa. This lesion can cause oral discomfort and even in some cases, transform into squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, OLP is considered to be a potentially harmful and malignant disease and attracts many attentions of clinicians.(26) Most of the previous studies, assessed the effect of corticosteroids (4, 6, 27) and one immunosuppressive drug were compared and in all of them the results in both participating groups were the same and also successful; but since topical use of corticosteroids may lead to oral candidiasis and other side effects and also considering the chronic nature of OLP, it would be better to find an alternative for these types of treatment. Also it has been reported that tacrolimus and pimecrolimus may increase the risk of malignancy in patients using these drugs topically for their cutaneous psoriasis. These medicines should be used in limited situations and their consumption in human is advised to be in minimal doses and limited duration (3, 28-31). In current study we used curcumin, which its safety, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects have been confirmed in many studies (9, 11-16). Clinical efficacy of curcumin is compared with topical corticosteroid, which is the standard treatment for OLP. It was concluded that in addition to effectiveness of curcumin in the treatment of OLP, its effects are similar to topical corticosteroid, and can be an alternative for it. Chainani-Wu et al. in 2007 (10) used curcumin for the treatment of OLP in placebo controlled study. Curcuminoids were prescribed as tablets, at dose of 2000mg/day for 7 weeks. They concluded that systemic administration of curcumin wasn’t a successful treatment in managing OLP lesions. Systemic administration of curcumin in Chainani-wu’s study is different with topical administration in present study, which increases the topical efficacy of the drug. Chainani-Wu et al. Administered a primary dose of systemic prednisone (60 mg/day for the first 1 week) in both groups that was not done in our study which could affect the final result. Long periods of observation not only could interfere with patient compliance in less subject retention until the end of study, but also can affect treatment outcomes, as they concluded to design next studies in shorter periods of follow-ups. In the present study, last observation session was at week 4. Chainani-Wu et al. in 2011.(20) used higher dose of cucrumin in treatmen of OLP. They implemented systemic curcumin, with a dose of 6000mg/d. This dose is higher than the one in their previous study (2000 mg/d). Interestingly, they found curcumin efficacious in controlling signs and symptoms of oral lichen planus. It was well tolerated by the patients and safety was confirmed at this dose. Observation period was reduced to two weeks, which our study is more harmonious with, compared to 7 weeks of their previous study. Sample size of the present study is similar to this study, as they enrolled 20 patients. Concerning their findings, erythema, mucositis, ulceration of the OLP patients were significantly reduced, after using curcuminoids. The other thing we can add about current study was the little difference between two groups in patients’ responses to the reduction of pain and appearance score (There was no statistically significant difference between two groups (P>0.05)). The number of patients responding to the reduction of appearance score in curcumin group were more than triamcinolone group (76% in curcumin group versus 60% in triamcinolone group); but the number of patients with reduction in severity of pain in triamcinolone group were more than curcumin group (80% in triamcinolone group versus 76% in curcumin group). This difference may be explained as: _ Some of the patients complained of burning sensation while applying the curcumin that might affect the pain and burning sensation during the treatment. _ Half of the patients which didn’t respond to pain reduction by applying the curcumin, had the same problem with triamcinolone paste in their history, this might be due to the topical form of the drugs, because the same patients didn’t have any problem with corticosteroid mouthrinse. At the end of the study, we asked the patients of curcumin group if they had used corticosteroid in orabase or mouthrinse, to compare the efficacy of them with curcumin. 20 patients (80%) preferred triamcinolone in orabase to curcumin. seven patients (35%) had only problems with undesirable yellowish color of curcumin particularly on gingival or other exposed areas. The other 13 patients (65%) had experienced burning sensation while applying curcumin. Larger sample size, using the drug in the form of mouthrinse and using the novel curcumin derivatives (curcumin-carboxy derivative, and curcumin protein conjugate) that improve the biological activity of natural curcumin (32), may be used in future studies. Conclusion: Corticosteroids as conventional therapy of this chronic disease, may lead to noticeable side effects and develop other conditions like oral candidiasis. Herbal medicines can be a suitable alternative for these synthetic drugs, covering their side effects, costs and probable shortages. Topical curcumin can be suggested for the treatment of OLP. It is recommended that a larger sample size and using the drug in the form of mouthrinse may be used in future studies. Clinical Significance: Application of curcumin because of its desirable anti-inflammatory effects and little side effects is suggested for the treatment of

My Amazing Grandfather (Grandpa) :: Personal Narrative Profile Essays

Personal Narrative- My Amazing Grandpa I don't have a lot of fantastic memories of childhood. There were no spectacular family adventures, no unique family projects that taught some sort of moral lesson, no out-of-the-ordinary holidays. We ate family meals together, but most of the time the children and adults lived in different worlds. The kids went to school, did homework, and played; the adults worked. I was lucky, though. When I wanted a little of both worlds, I could always turn to Grandpa. I remember vividly the weekends at his house. Sitting on his lap, going to wrestling matches, walking down the street or through a park--these were things I did with Grandpa. I wasn't just a kid to him: I was his granddaughter, and I was special. He was special too. Grandpa was a giant of a man. He stood six feet two inches and weighed over 250 pounds. He moved with purpose and carried himself with respect. Tom was a proud man, a good man, and all who knew him said so. Even if you didn't know him, you would notice his inner strength, his patience, his self-esteem. Grandpa wasn't a scholar. In fact, he didn't even make it through grade school. He was born at the turn of the century, and educating black men wasn't a necessity then. He went to work when he was sixteen, and for the next forty years he worked in a coal factory. Then he worked in a steel mill for another twenty years. He stopped working only because the steel mill closed and he was too old to find another job. When I was with Grandpa, I could be a child and yet see things through grown-up eyes. "You see that tree, Cookie," he would say. "That tree was here before those houses. God put that tree there; man put the houses. Which is more beautiful?" If I climbed a tree, he didn't say, "Get down." He said, "Climb it right so you won't fall." "You appreciate what you work for," he used to say. He taught that lesson well. He never let me win any game; he taught me to win by learning to lose.

The Struggle of Women Trying to be Equal to Men Essay -- Feminism Femi

The Struggle of Women Trying to be Equal to Men Throughout many decades women have been struggling to be equal to men, both at home and in the work place. Women have come a long way and are certainly fighting to gain that equality, but gender roles are very important in our society. They have become important in life from birth, and society continues to push these gender roles. The treatment of the male gender is very different from that of the female, and this issue has become very important to me, as a woman. As children we learn and adapt to specific gender roles, and as we grow they become more evident and more important to our role in a society. There is a lot of discrimination against the female gender. Carol Gilligan argued that women are more likely to make decisions based on responsibility and norms of caring, where as men are likely to apply principles of justice to their decisions .Because of this discrimination, social mobility has been difficult, but is definitely changing to benefit women and is definitely something I would like to see changed. Women of the later 20th century are fighting more to end the discrimination, and a lot has improved. But women are still looked down upon in society, and men still have the power. I believe that this issue is important, not only to myself, but to everyone. It is an issue that effects everyone, and people have to realize that women are stronger, smarter and involved with the world much more than they were a half a cen...

Frankenstein :: essays research papers

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein opens with Robert Walton’s ship surrounded in ice, and Robert Walton watching, along with his crew, as a huge, malformed "traveller" on a dog sled vanished across the ice. The next morning, the fog lifted and the ice separated and they found a man, that was almost frozen lying on a slab of floating ice. By giving him hot soup and rubbing his body with brandy, the crew restored him to his health. A few days later he was able to speak and the stranger, Victor Frankenstein, seemed distressed to learn that a sled had been sighted prior to his rescue from the ice. Then he began to tell his story. Frankenstein said that he had been an only child and during a expedition with his parents, his mother found a peasant and his wife with five hungry babies. The peasant’s children were dark-skinned, except for one little girl. Frankenstein’s mother decided to adopt the little girl. Victor and his adopted sister, Elizabeth, came to love one another, even though they were very different in temperament and nature. Elizabeth "busied herself with following the aerial creations of poets," while Frankenstein preferred scientific knowledge "it was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn ... the physical secrets of the world." After the death of his mother when he was seventeen, Frankenstein departed for the University of Inglostadt. Frankenstein grew intensely interested in the phenomena of the human body and he explored the processes of death and decay, and became infatuated with the idea of creating human life itself. After several days and nights of laboring, he â€Å"succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay, more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter." Frankenstein set out to create a superior living being, hoping to eventually discover a formula for eternal life. In his research Frankenstein determinedly collected human remains from charnel-houses and cemeteries. Then, "on a dreary night of November ... I beheld the accomplishment of my toils": an eight-foot monster. Applying electricity to the "lifeless matter" before him, Frankenstein saw "the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and convulsive motion agitated its limbs." And at the result of his creation coming to life, Frankenstein was appalled. "Breathless horror and disgust filled my heart." He thought that he had created a freak. Exhausted, Frankenstein fell into a deep sleep, seeking a "few moments of forgetful ness.

Counterargument and Peaceful Species

IGCSE English as a First Language – The Winchester School, Dubai Ishita Sharma – 11G Argumentative writing: â€Å"Humans are a peaceful species at heart† How far do you agree? Are humans a peaceful species at heart? It’s a difficult task to pick a clear side but many people have many opinions. There are various people who will say yes, humans are a peaceful species at heart but there are equally many people who would say no. After all, it is a broad topic concerning an unpredictable species.One strong argument in support of this statement would be that if we weren’t a peaceful species how would we co-exist in such a large population in places like mega cities. Furthermore, criminals exist in a minority, how can that tip the scales and make us think that we are a violent species. Also, if we were so violent, why would we organize charities for people we don’t even know? Why would donations exist? If we were not cooperative how would generation s of scientists from all over the world discover things such as the atom, medicines etc.The counter-argument to that would be that we could just be cooperating for selfish reasons or from fear of justice. There are many who are against this statement and have just as many points to justify their opinion. The most important point is that if we were so peaceful, why are there such things as wars? A minority of criminals, which is slowly rising, have the ability to kill innocent people, are they not humans too? Why is it that weapons such as guns which were invented to protect the innocent, are now being used to kill them? Terrorism and racism, in other words hatred, have consumed many defenceless beings.It is in human nature in fact, to be aggressive. In our history, there have been massive blood baths for selfish reasons such as a quest for power and even natural resources. We are the reason that the Earth may suffer another Ice Age as we are destroying it on a daily basis. Could it not be that it is a fear of being reprimanded that makes us behave like civil people? After all, just 3000 years or so ago, we were barbarians who fought over land and food, and it seems we continue to do so. In conclusion, after weighing up the arguments, I feel that I am against this statement. Humans are not peaceful as it is not even in our nature to be so.We are the cause of many epidemics and in the end we are the ones who destroy each other and everything around us whether it is for selfish purposes or justice. After all, there is no justification for violence, destruction and of course, selfishness. Comment: Introductory paragraph. Explains the fact that this is a complex topics towards which people have differing opinions. Comment: Reason 1. Argument for Comment: Good example of connective adverb to develop reason 1. Comment: Reason 2 Comment: Bridge sentence, indicating that she is now moving on to the reasons against the topic Comment: Argument sections. Reasons for.Comme nt: Use of rhetorical questions to bring the reader over to her viewpoint. Comment: Counter argument section. Reasons against. Comment: Conclusion section of the essay. She states her opinion and reiterated the main reason why she doesn’t believe humans are a peaceful species at heart. Overall, this essay scores an A grade. Ishita has followed the structure we discussed in class: clear introduction, followed by argument, counterargument and a conclusion. She has points for and against the topic indicating that she has considered both sides of the argument and is aware of what the proponents and opponents of the statement believe.She has used a few rhetorical questions for emphasis – always a good strategy. Her conclusion was sound: she states her opinion after presenting us with her main reason why she believes humans aren’t a peaceful species at heart. Her sentences are grammatically correct and she makes her points succinctly with a confident economy of words. She could score a higher grade if she focused a little more on elaborating her points for/against. Using a more varied vocabulary would add an extra dimension to her writing and drive home her points all the more effectively. – Mr. Roberts

Obamacare Cons Essay

Even though ObamaCare does a lot right, it does have some consequences for specific groups of Americans. ObamaCare does hurt a small percentage of small businesses, has had a negative effect on insurance premiums and has made some reforms that have hurt some medical industries and their workers. Here are some of the cons of the healthcare bill: ObamaCare Cons: Taxes on Small Business  2% of firms in the US have over 50 full-time employees and will have to choose to insure full-time workers or pay a fine. To avoid this some businesses will cut employee hours or not hire. Some things worth noting are that the fine isn’t paid for your first 30 workers. Also, many businesses are coming up with solutions that don’t hurt the workforce such as passing the extra costs onto consumers. Please be aware that when politicians say, â€Å"small business† they are also referring to the top 3% of small businesses who include Hedge Funds which use loopholes to pass as small businesses. ObamaCare Cons: Religious Beliefs There is some argument over ObamaCare funding women’s health services like contraception. There are exceptions built into the law to refuse to provide these services to women based on religious grounds, but this has non the less been causing issues on the ground, in the political arena and in the courts. ObamaCare Cons: Rising Premiums ObamaCare doesn’t raise premiums itself. In fact, it reforms the insurance industry, finding ways to drive down costs, make the quality of insurance better and prevent insurance company abuses like . Unfortunately, many provisions of ObamaCare that offer protections to consumers do not go into law until 2014. In the meantime, premium rates have been rising at alarming rates. ObamaCare doesn’t offer a protection beyond allowing states to enact the provision against price gouging. Many States are enforcing this, while  others aren’t. ObamaCare Cons: ObamaCare Insurance Exchanges Another con of ObamaCare is that 21 states planning to or are opting out of the State Run Exchanges, letting the federal government run their exchanges for them. The claim is that this is a cost cutting measure for the State, however the truth is much more complicated. This provision was meant to be in the bill, but it is being abused as a way to avoid providing subsidies to low and middle income Americans and forcing the Federal taxpayers to take care of anti-ObamaCare state’s constituents. This has resulted in a 3.5% fee for insurance companies to sell insurance on the federal exchange. Learn more about the State Run Insurance Exchanges. ObamaCare Cons: Tax for Not Buying Insurance Come 2014, you must purchase insurance or pay a â€Å"penalty income tax†. The first year it is $95 or 1% of your income. In order for the program to work at its best ideally everyone would have insurance resulting in affordable quality insurance for all, the tax helps offset the estimated 6 million people will pay the fine in the first year instead of purchasing insurance. ObamaCare Cons: Big Business Taxes Medical device taxes and â€Å"drug innovator† taxes dig into the profits of some of the power houses in their respective industries. These taxes are a reaction to the large profit margins these companies have and the hold they have over the competition. They drive up the cost of health care, thus they are taxed to help pay for health care reform. However, taxes on large businesses may have unintended consequences in the job market and in aspects of the health care industry. We don’t have proof of their effects yet. ObamaCare Cons: Taxes on the 2% The top 2% of businesses and individuals in the US will pay some extra taxes.  You could argue that are closer to the 3% will get hit the hardest because the have the least extra cash to stay in the game with so it hurts them more. However, the most vocal opponents and the ones who fund the anti-ObamaCare campaigns are the big businesses who don’t like regulation, entitlement programs or any tax or program that affects their bottom line. Aside from the above mentioned consequences its important not to make their interests our own. ObamaCare Cons: ObamaCare Hurts Medicare ObamaCare cuts $716 billion from Medicare and reinvests the money back into the program. Since there is such a big overhaul ObamaCare set up a committee to oversee spending and effectiveness. Due to the sheer volume of reforms some of them, even though well intentioned, are sure to have unintended consequences and need adjusting. Although ObamaCare has already helped tens of millions of seniors save money on drugs and get access to better health care, there are some caveats. ObamaCare is projected to cost $1.1 trillion over the next ten years, and in order for the program to work as intended this is going to include funding from the tax payers and from the States. However, the end result of ObamaCare’s spending is a $200 billion dollar reduction of the deficit over the next decade, states also receive between 90 – 100% of funding for most ObamaCare related programs they set up. A few states, including Nevada and Michigan, have done studies that show how the States can save billions with ObamaCare. Health Insurance companies stand to make billions, despite a loss on profit per plan, since they will be insuring millions of new Americans.

Development of Social Emotional Identity and Personality

The essay shall examine lifespan development issues with regard to an interview consulted at a local neighborhood. The case study involved analysis of the emotional, moral and personality developmental issues that arise in instances when one has to cope or live with a step family.Synopsis of interviewThe interview involved a seventeen year old female student who lived with a stepmother and her biological father. It involved an assessment of the effects that a step family has had on her life. Some relational issues that were revealed in the interview include; the two families could not get along, the respondent felt that her mother had been robbed off her rightful place, the respondent felt out of place as she was the only person from her mother’s side who lived with her dad, she found it difficult to concentrate on her academics especially because she confronted her step siblings frequently. Furthermore, it was found that she had not sought any help from teachers or other prof essionals.Major concepts, features and developmental changes associated with ethnic, gender identification, cultural and sexual differences with respect to the specific caseWith regard to gender identification, there were some issues that were unique to the case study. Research has shown that certain developmental features are largely common among certain sexes while being hidden in others. In a research conducted by Hicks, J. et al (2007) in their article â€Å"Gender differences and developmental change in externalizing disorders from adolescence to adulthood†, Vol, 116, no, 3, pp 433-447, it was found that there certain externalizing disorders were synonymous with certain genders.The authors studied the following symptoms; alcoholism, nicotine dependence, drug dependence and anti-social behavior. The study involved persons at the age of seventeen and analyzed them all the way into their adulthood at the age of twenty four. It was found that as the respondents grew older, t hey developed a higher tendency towards these externalizing disorders. However, male candidates had a higher prevalence rate than their female counterparts. It was found that the latter were influenced by their environment in avoiding antisocial behavior more then genetics.However, among males, genetic variations played a larger role in explaining their behavior through these developmental changes. In the case study, the respondent was female. Consequently, it was likely that the respondent had to look for other methods of expressing her anger rather than through the use antisocial behavior, alcohol or drugs. This was probably the reason why this respondent did not depict the latter symptoms. While quarrelling with siblings may be a negative occurrence, one can hardly classify it as anti-social behavior. This goes to show that across one’s lifespan, certain changes such as introduction of step families bring out different aspects depending on one’s gender.With regard t o cultural differences, there were some major developmental issues that were unique to this individual. Research conducted by Gartstein, M. et al (2006) on cross cultural differences in development of children, it was found that substantial differences exist between children growing up in certain cultures. The research entailed an analysis of children from the Chinese Republic, Spain and The United States. The authors found that children within the United States had higher degrees of temperament even at an early stage. This continued to be the case as they grew older.Conversely, children from China had relatively lower temperament. The case under consideration was a teenager who had been born and raised in the US. Her developmental changes were therefore synonymous to a large section of the population which tends to vent out their frustrations on their environment. This may involve either inanimate objects or their fellow counterparts. Another developmental change that could have be en related to the case study’s situation was the place of a mother within a family. In the US and in many other western states, nuclear families are generally accepted as the norm.The issue of a step family is not as welcome as it is in other parts of the world such as in certain parts of Africa; where numerous families can interact and live together. Having to tackle separate families was difficult since the respondent’s mother lived elsewhere. This meant that the respondent had to move between these two homes from time to time; this could have caused her to appear different from her peers since this is the cultural norm. It could have propagated her anger.Major concepts, features and developmental changes of emotional, moral and personality development and how these relate to individuals within the specific caseEmotional development is crucial to all individuals because before human beings can reason, they first develop emotions. In this case, the respondent came fro m a blended family. There are certain emotional issues that were not addressed as she grew up because every experience one goes through is a contributor to what one can become in the future. The respondent reported a lot of mood swings and there are chances that as she gets older, she may develop mood disorders and eventually depressive disorders.Developmental experts assert that different individuals respond to circumstances in a different way. Consequently, the latter assertion may not be an ultimate result in the future. The respondent also claimed that she has trouble concentrating in class and that she always had a feeling of restlessness. Sociologists assert that anxiety disorders can crop up when a child has grown up in a tense environment. Such negative influences condition the child to feel as though they are living in an emergency and this severely impeded normal emotional development. (Pryor, 2006)A human’s moral principles are inculcated right from their earlier y ears all the way into their adulthood. These principles are usually derived from their respective parents. However, when one of the parents is not around and someone else takes her place, then that stepparent may not feel obliged to teach their step child moral discipline. Additionally, a child will also feel that their step parent has no right to teach them moral issues anyway. The overall result of this is that a child may grow up not being morally bound and they may depict this though anti-social behavior.ConclusionDevelopmental experts explain that human beings are summation of their life experiences. This case study involved the study of a respondent who lived in a step family. Some of the developmental issues arising in this case were linked to the respondent’s culture, gender and features of moral development.ReferencesGarstein, M. et al (2006): Studying cross cultural development of temperament, Journal of Child Psychiatry and human development, 37, 2, 145-161Pryor, J . (2006): Children and their changing families, Polity Press, p 35-46Hicks, J. et al (2007): Gender differences and developmental change in externalizing disorders from adolescence to adulthood; Vol, 116, no, 3, pp 433-447

Acts of Kindness. Paper

Someone dragged a coin along the bonnet of a car belonging to a friend of mine. He took it to a smash repair company near his work for the scratch to be touched up. When he went to pick up the car, he was surprised to be told that there was no charge. A little overwhelmed by it all, my friend mentioned that if he ever had an accident, he would bring his car to that establishment for repair. The owner replied, â€Å"Sir, I hope you never have an accident. † I have made it my goal to do something nice for somebody every day that I live.I find myself waking up each morning with new and exciting ideas of things to do for others, and the rewards have been wonderful. The afternoon was cold and windy as I walked through the shopping centre of my little suburb. A busker, perhaps in his late fifties, wearing clothes that had gone well beyond their ‘use by' date, played his guitar rather badly. â€Å"Don't encourage him! † called a passer by as I dropped a coin into the box . I crossed the road and entered a shop where I made regular purchases. I noticed the assistant would occasionally look out of the window at the busker.She turned to me and asked, â€Å"Would you mind the shop for a minute? † Surprised, I agreed, whereupon she took a pie from the warmer, ran across the road, and gave it to the busker. I have since learned that this was not an isolated example of her generosity. Recently my son, who is a regular user of public transport, caught the bus home from school. Unfortunately he got on the wrong bus, but instead of just being told to get off and wait for another bus to take him home, the driver phoned me and said he would look after my son until he could be placed on the next bus home.I received a call from the second driver, confirming my son had been transferred to his bus. He also told me the time my son would arrive home. Thank you to both of these men who took the extra effort to ensure the safe arrival of my son. The other day I fell on my way back from shopping. Fortunately all that was injured was my dignity, but I was touched by the actions of a passing motorist. When she saw me fall she stopped her car and waited until I had stood up again. Seeing I was OK, she drove off.Once when working at the Department of Social Security, I was talking to a coughing client on the phone, so when I sent her the requested claim form, I enclosed a couple of Allen's Butter Menthols in the envelope. She rang to thank me the following day, and said that my act had made her feel better than the cough lollies had! It made me feel pretty good, too. I have become involved in helping to run a small shop at a local aged people's hostel. We sell at cost items like biscuits, lollies, greeting cards, etc. , small luxuries that old folk can't get out and buy for themselves, and that are not provided by the people who run the hostel.I've noticed that some old people come into our shop, not to buy things, but simply to talk to someone from â€Å"the outside. † This brings home the to me that some old folks are just dumped in places like these, and are seldom visited by their loved ones. I think it vital that they should be visited, and to be shown that someone cares. During the next school holidays I intend to take my 9-year-old granddaughter into the shop with me, as I feel both she and the old folks would mutually benefit from the interaction.I was talking to my doctor recently, and was amazed to learn her act of kindness for Australia's National Kindness Day last year was to treat all of her patients she saw on the day for free! Standing in a long queue at the post office, I overheard one of the staff tell a woman at the counter that the parcel for her was heavy, and an awkward size. He invited her to go around to the side door where she could look at the parcel and decide what she wanted to do. A man in the queue overheard the conversation, and volunteered to drive the woman home with her parcel.The l ights turned green at the pedestrian crossing and the traffic had just begun to move forward when a stooped elderly lady, obviously unaware of the ‘don't walk' sign, stepped on to the crossing. The cars braked and waited patiently while the woman slowly made her way across the road, oblivious of the kindness of the drivers. Four years ago on New Year's Eve my husband had a serious hang-gliding accident and was airlifted off to intensive care in Melbourne. It was getting late at night by the time I learnt the details of the accident and by then he was far away in a Melbourne hospital, but which one I knew not.We were camping at Mt Beauty and knew no one in the camping ground, and I had a busy 5-year-old, as well as being pregnant! Our situation was made so much more bearable by the many acts of kindness from fellow campers. Money was given for the long distance phone calls to the hospitals, so I could find out where, and how, my husband was. Meanwhile neighbours looked after ou r little boy who was kept happy playing with their son. The next day, after an unsettled night, I began to prepare for the drive to Melbourne.Another neighbour rose early (and also woke his sons) to help me pack up the large tent and gear, and pack it all in the car. They even washed the car, and his wife prepared us a cut lunch! Not only that, she offered her home in Melbourne for as long as we needed, and asked if I'd like her to accompany us on the drive down, and said she would catch the train back (I had never met this wonderful lady before this day). The family minding our boy gave me their street directory with a line marking all the way to the hospital – I'd never driven to Melbourne before, so this was a great help.These two special families saw us off with hugs and best wishes and, I learnt later, both phoned the hospital to see how my husband was. He recovered and is looking forward to more (accident free) flying, and I will always remember these kind-hearted peopl e who helped me so much (Our little boy, too – he was so good during that time, I couldn't have asked for more). When my youngest child started school I returned to teaching. I made it a rule to praise every child every day. The happy smiles they gave me were reward enough.Six years ago I was left to fend for myself when my husband left me for my so called friend. I was sad, scared, but mostly lonely. After the news became common knowledge, one acquaintance of my husband began to ring me every evening at around 10. 30 pm to say, â€Å"Goodnight and God bless. † I finally asked him why he was doing this. His response was, â€Å"I can't stand to think of you being alone and sad without anyone to say goodnight to, so I want to do it while you are so sad. † This was a wonderful act of kindness from a man I hardly knew, but it made me feel cared for and not so alone.This man kept up the goodnight greeting for three months until I didn't sound or feel so sad, and then they stopped. I've never seen or heard from him since, but I bless his loving heart often. My current mission is to promote the Kindness Revolution with all the young people I come in contact with, so far with success. The idea of being kind appeals to my two special little friends Amy and Jessie. Jessie sends me monthly reports of her kindness activities which are really cute, especially the one about her 14 month old baby brother playing ‘Barbies' with her.Jessie considers this brother less important than a worm normally. I would love to tell you of a kind act I had the opportunity to participate in, because of a strong feeling to help someone, who was not in a position to help themselves. A lovely lady in her nineties is a very good friend of my daughter's Godmother. I made a winter basket for her with all sorts of goodies, including a warm hat for the winter. It was such a pleasure to receive her phone call, she was so thrilled. I went to a cake shop recently and was wait ing to be served. There was this little old lady being served, she was asking the price of this and that.I told the man who served me that I would pay for the lady's choice. He whispered this to the sales woman, and I paid for mine and hers. However, she wasn't finished, and ordered a large apple pie as well – oops! The man raised his eyebrows at me, I thought for a brief moment and nodded my head – what the heck! When I was given my change I got out of there as fast as I could, as I didn't want to get sprung. I wonder if people going about their normal duties realise they can brighten up someone's day. My children's favourite day is Friday – rubbish bin day.As soon as they hear the truck they race to the door to watch. When the driver waves to them it always brings a big smile to their faces. The wave doesn't cost him anything, but it means so much to them. Thank you to all the people who take the time to smile or greet others while doing their job. Doing my no rmal Saturday morning shopping, I was attracted by the sound of a flute. Casting my gaze about I spied a man of about 50 standing on a nearby corner. As I walked closer there was something about him that caused me to think I should donate more than the usual one or two dollars.I walked up to him and stuffed a five dollar note into the top pocket of his coat. He stopped playing and said, â€Å"Thank you very much, that's very kind of you. † As I walked away he began playing again, this tune was decidedly more up tempo than the previous one. After many years as a city dweller, the opportunity came to move to a small town. Without having any job prospects, I decided to make the move. I hadn't been there very long when I mentioned to someone that I was going to buy a pot plant when I had the money, and put it on the front porch of the house I was living in.The next day, much to my surprise and delight, I found a pot plant on the front porch! It is so lovely to be away from the me anness and bustle of the city, to be in a place where people have the time to talk, to be sympathetic and respond to people's needs. I'm sure all Australians are like that, it's just that the pressure to perform is so much greater in the city, and we seem to be sucked into the ‘rat race' all too easily. One of my friends in Melbourne suffers from an unpleasant illness which robs her of energy and leaves her severely depressed. Despite this, her capacity for appreciation has been highly developed.She asked me to share this example of kindness with you, a reminder that small actions can make a big difference to a person's day. My friend was seeking some refreshment but was deterred by the crowded cafe. Summoning courage a second time she entered the cafe, but felt daunted by the lack of available space. A man seated with a friend quickly perceived my friend's dilemma, and carried a chair to a table without seating, so she could sit down. My friend was greatly touched by the man' s awareness and swift response. She was able to enjoy a coffee and no doubt her faith in human kindness was strengthened.My husband and I have a stall at our local market selling fruit, flowers and plants. During the week I look around a couple of Op Shops and pick up the odd Teddy or toy, which we take along to the market. When an irritable child comes along with a stressed mother, we give the child a toy and distract them for a while in conversation. It's amusing how the child shuts up, and it brings a smile to the mother's face. I was standing in a long queue at Coles Supermarket. The woman in front of me approached the check out with three items – milk, bread and margarine. She paused as she hunted through her purse and pockets for money. I definitely had $5 here† she kept saying out loud to her husband, who merely scowled at her and walked off, leaving her with two little kids. In desperation, she tipped the whole contents of her bag onto the counter and looked thr ough it. Meanwhile, I was getting really upset for this young mother. I looked in my purse and decided I would have enough to pay my groceries and have $10 left over. So I just handed her $5 and said, â€Å"There you are, have a nice day, and don't forget to pass it on. † I don't need to tell you how she reacted, and I thought she was going to kiss my feet.Out of sheer embarrassment I said, â€Å"Go on, get out of here and have a lovely day. † The next thing I know the check out lady is handing me a bag full of free magazines and muesli bars. â€Å"Here,† she said. â€Å"I'm astounded and so touched by what you did. Never in all my years have I seen anyone do that before. † We have a stall at the markets on Sundays, selling flowers. We look for people in wheelchairs or the elderly, also mums that look really unhappy, and we hand them a bunch of flowers for free – it's wonderful to see their reaction. Only two people have ever refused to take them.A friend of mine was told he had cancer of the liver and had only a few weeks to live. I called on him and he was looking pretty crook, so I phoned for an ambulance to take him to hospital. At home I tried to think of our past conversations about his son, and where he lived. I remembered it was somewhere near Campbelltown in N. S. W. I dialled the operator and gave her the name I wanted, explaining my difficulties. I said, â€Å"Just give me anyone with that name and I'll try my luck. † I was told there was no one with that name in Campbelltown, but she said there was one in Picton. OK, I'll try that,† and the computer gave me the number. I dialled the number straight away. A woman answered and I asked her if her husband's name was Kevin. It was, and I told her to tell him to get to Bundaberg ASAP, as his dad was sick and needed him. Kevin rang twenty minutes later, and said he would catch the next available plane. I'm so glad he did, because 48 hours later, on Valentine 's Day, his dad died. I feel so good that Kevin was able to talk to his dad and hold his hand and say goodbye, and I feel even better that my friend died happy and loved.Was it just a coincidence that the operator looked in another area for the number – I wonder? Someone phoned recently and told me the following story. Many years ago a child was reprimanded severely by her parents for something she had done. The little girl (let's call her ‘Emma') was distraught, and was found wandering down the street, crying, by someone who lived near by. When the woman heard Emma's story, she considered that the punishment had been excessive, and out of sympathy took Emma to a shop and bought her an ice cream. This was a rare treat for Emma, as her family was destitute and there was no money available for ice cream.Emma maintained contact with the woman over the ensuing years, but this was lost when Emma was of an age where she was able to leave home. Years later, when Emma was in he r mid thirties, she chose to visit a nursing home in the hope of being able to bring some cheer to the residents. Much to her surprise and delight, Emma discovered one of the residents, now old and lonely, was the kind woman who bought her the ice cream. Emma became a regular visitor, and spent many hours bringing comfort and friendship to the old woman, until she passed away.Emma told the story to a mourner at the funeral, who in turn told it to the person who rang me. When I was fifteen, a man kidnapped me, attacked me and tried to take my life. I ended up with a shattered back and serious internal injuries. My family was fractured and were not supportive, but the kindness of strangers saw me through. A lady held my hand one night, and cried over me. The nurses wept, and cheered when I took my first steps months after my back was broken. A nurse called Tony made me laugh and took me out to the gardens, where we would talk for ages. A priest sat by my bedside at five o'clock each m orning.Then Tommy came into my life and showered me with kindness. These special acts and special people are never forgotten, and the memory of their kindness is conjured up, and is as new as freshly-baked bread. Sometimes we feel helpless, and wonder what we can do to help. While we may not have much money, time or resources, the simplest acts are often the most powerful [As a post script, the Tommy she speaks about later became her husband]. This week I suffered a home invasion. A bloke pulled off my security screen and smashed a large glass window in the middle of the night while I was at home in bed.I was lucky that only an empty handbag was stolen and that I wasn't bashed. The response from friends has been incredible. I am President of a 50+ Leisure Club, which has in excess of 100 members. Many of them have either rung me to make sure I am OK, or have passed messages of goodwill through other friends. Some have visited me, bringing gifts of flowers and Lotto tickets and (most important) hugs. One or two have offered me a bed for a few nights until I've got over the initial trauma, while others have offered to come and stay the night to give me a feeling of security.I have been given silent phone numbers, with instructions to ring any time, day or night, if I need to talk. Two people have even offered to give me a dog to deter intruders. I have received supportive emails and advice on how to better secure my home. All this wonderful kindness has touched my heart. How on earth can I say thank you? It seems such a hackneyed phrase for a very sincere feeling of gratitude. If friends were wealth, I'd be very rich indeed. I was waiting with a patient to see her Oncologist. A man walked by and offered us a chocolate each and we thanked him for his kind gesture.A few minutes later, he was called into the doctor's room, came out, and then it was our turn. The Oncologist then offered us chocolates, on behalf of his patient whom, he informed us, buys 12 chocolates every day and offers them to 12 people so that he can make 12 people happy, and be happier himself 12 times more! I am writing to you regarding an act of huge kindness toward me and my children that I considered worth sharing with you. I am a sole parent of three children aged 7 years, 4 years, and 10 months. My first partner died a few years ago, and the father of my youngest has gone his separate way.A couple of weeks ago I was unfortunate enough to get pulled over by the police doing roadside vehicle checks, on the way to school to pick up my children. The result was a yellow sticker for faults with my old but ‘faithful' Commodore. This presented a major problem for me as the car is an absolute necessity, and finances as a single parent don't allow for unforseen emergencies. I was very distressed by the whole situation. In steps my friend Jennifer, and her husband Paul, with an offer of assistance. They ended up spending the whole weekend working on my car.Paul then reques ted half a day off work on Monday to ensure the work was completed before the vehicle examination that day. Another act of kindness by Paul's boss, who was made aware of the situation and allowed him time off. As a result, my car went through the inspection with only minor things to rectify. And of course, Paul again helped with these. Further to this, some other very kind friends of mine, Caroline and Denver, gave hours of their time to work on the car. And while they were there they also pruned all of my big trees and took a trailer load of rubbish to the tip.The happy ending to this long story is that these wonderful people turned around a seemingly impossible situation. The sticker has been removed and the car is starting to look like new. The other day I was in a busy shopping centre car park with little room to manoeuvre large vehicles, when I saw a lady getting flustered trying to reverse her large ‘tank' of a car out of it's parking spot, without much success, and a qu eue of cars waiting for her. I stood in the middle of the car park and it took a while, but with me directing her, she eventually got out and was most grateful.It turned a tense situation into one we had a laugh about – and that's what life is all about. And in closing, one of the many gems I try to live by: â€Å"Happiness does not come from what you have, but from what you are. † I was in a supermarket recently, and an elderly man had bumped a vein in the back of his hand and it was bleeding. He said, â€Å"Oh, how silly of me,† and got his hanky out and blotted it. I was standing nearby, and stood there compassionately. He went on his way and came back a few minutes later with a packet of band aids.He asked me whether I could put one on his hand for him, which I did after it had stopped bleeding. He thanked me and went on his way. I smiled for the rest of the day, with joy in my heart. A friend of mine told me a story that recently took place at Woolies. She had noticed that the man behind her in the queue had only a few items in his shopping basket, and he seemed to be in a hurry – so she let him go before her. He was so touched that he bought her a chocolate bar from the display at the check out, and thanked her. She said that she and the check-out operator just smiled at each other in disbelief.Last October, we had to have our 16? year old much loved family dog put to sleep by our vet, who had cared for Mindy for most of her life. The week following, the vet sent me a lovely letter saying how sad we must have felt at our loss, and thanking us for our care of Mindy. I really appreciated this letter. The other week I was in one of those bargain shops. I saw a plastic file which I thought would come in handy to keep some documents in. The girl at the check out counter said they were good, and she would like to get one for school (she was working in the school holidays).She said she didn't have the money at that time and would get it later. I thought there might not be any left ‘later', so I bought her one. She was so pleased, and it was her birthday in a few days. It made me feel glad that I could help her. As I was waiting in the supermarket queue, I noticed the man in front of me had three tins of meat and vegetables, and I thought that they were probably were his next three meals. When the tins were scanned he presented a credit card and asked for $10 in cash. I thought that $10 was a small amount to ask for, and guessed he didn't have much money.The card was scanned several times, but the message â€Å"Refer to card holder† kept on appearing. The man, obviously embarrassed, told the girl he'd have to leave the tins. I told the person I would pay the six dollars and something, and the poor man, now highly embarrassed, mumbled a thank you and rushed away with his tins. In 1983, the Ash Wednesday bushfires destroyed homes in Mt Macedon, Victoria. My chiropractor came from Melbourne to Woodend (to our place), with his car loaded to the brim with goods for the unfortunate people who lost everything.He and his wife were the only ones who bothered to come visit us, who cared enough. Our house was filthy, but still standing. Four years ago my son was left with two kids (one just a baby), one teddy bear, and his car, plus all the outgrown kid's clothes, which were absolutely useless to him (his wife refused to let the kids have their toys or their clothes). A friend from my school days arrived with a car load of kid's clothes, books and toys for Steve's kids. My friend had spent every cent she'd earned that week (coaching) on the kids. It didn't finish there!She also gave Steve a single bed, cupboards, a bike, etc. The trailer was overflowing and so was the station wagon. I was in tears. There was an old lady in the supermarket queue in front of me. She had a tomato and a few other vegetables, and a tin of ham. When the value of the goods was totalled, she looked in her purse and told the check out person she didn't have enough money. The check out person said, loudly and rather rudely I thought, â€Å"Well, which ones can you afford to pay for? † The woman opted to leave the ham. I was tempted to pay for the ham, but didn't have the cash to hand over.I put my purchases through, trying to ‘think' the girl to move quickly before the woman had disappeared, and when I presented my credit card, told the girl I would pay for the tin of ham she had put to one side. â€Å"Why would you do that? † she asked. â€Å"Because it was probably for her next meal! † I replied. I ran out of the supermarket and fortunately she wasn't too far away. I caught up with her and gave her the tin of ham. â€Å"What's this? † she asked. â€Å"It's yours† I replied. â€Å"But I can't pay for it† she said. â€Å"You don't have to† I said, and hurried off, leaving her standing there staring at the tin.When I drove away she was st ill standing there, staring at the tin. I was driving along in the left hand lane when at the last minute realised it led only onto the freeway. The lane next to me started to fill up with cars stopping for a red traffic light. There was a car behind me so I couldn't go anywhere. Just then two cars in the lane beside me reversed to let me in, when they realised I was in the wrong lane. That just made my day! My youngest son (I am now a sole parent) and I were standing at the local supermarket check-out recently with a full trolley. I noticed an elderly man behind me with only a few items, so I told him to go first.He was very appreciative. After he had paid for his things he walked away, only to return a few minutes later with a beautiful bunch of pink carnations. He gave them to me and said, â€Å"Thank you. You've taught me to be giving. † I was stunned, as was the checkout girl. My son was so impressed he said to me, â€Å"You should marry that man. † What a sweet g esture! As a teenager I had a very bad time, lots of abuse and things like that. One day I decided that I'd had enough, and I was on my way to hurl myself off the bridge and into oblivion. As I was walking I was sort of in a dream, not really aware of anything, but a voice lifted me out of the fog.There was an old man smiling at me, a gentleman, as he'd been wearing a hat and he had removed it and was holding it in one hand above his head, like you see people do in some old movies. I said something like, â€Å"What? â€Å", and he said to me, â€Å"It's a lovely day – don't you think? † I said I suppose it was, and he put his hat back on and walked away. I watched this small elderly man with a sprightly step walk down the path for what seemed like hours, and I finally sat down on a bench nearby. Yes, it was a lovely day, I thought, and why was I thinking of taking my life on such a lovely day?I moved out of home as soon as I had finished school, got a job as a waitre ss and did a secretarial course part time. After completing the course I worked for a small manufacturing company as a secretary, married my boss, and we have three lovely daughters. That incident happened about 15 years ago, yet it is still so vivid in my mind. I remember every word that stranger said to me, and those soft blue eyes of his. I think of him as my guardian angel, who took on human form to save my life. I was on a teaching prac. recently, teaching a 4/5 class. I told them about the 12 Days of Kindness and they thought it was really cool.Anyway, for â€Å"Children's Day† I organised an activity where each child wrote his/her name on a piece of blank paper. All the papers were laid out on the table, with the name facing upwards. Then each child (and the teachers too) went around, turned over the paper and wrote a nice thing about each child. At the end of ten minutes, the children each had a piece of paper filled with compliments. They were so excited to read them , but I collected them to hand out the next day (I wanted to read them first, and add my own message to each one). The next day I handed them out.The atmosphere in the room was amazing, as it was the previous afternoon when they were writing down the compliments. Before they left the room, I told them that Sunday was â€Å"My Day† and that it's important to give yourself compliments, so they each had to write down one nice thing about themselves. Self esteem is so vital, and it has to be fostered when young! I work as a checkout operator at a large chain supermarket, which is a job that leaves me feeling quite anonymous at times. However, I always make an effort to be cheerful and greet all my customers with a smile and a pleasant â€Å"How are you? , which, I can assure you, isn't always easy some days! Recently, I had an enjoyable experience serving a very friendly, bubbly lady who smiled right back at me and engaged in pleasant chitchat the whole time I was serving her. A s many people simply ignore my efforts of friendliness, this was a lovely experience in itself. However, this lovely lady, unbeknown to me, then went on to see the manager solely for the purpose of complimenting me on my service and thanking him for employing such a friendly member of staff. The manager then bought me a box of chocolates as a thank you for my efforts.Well, as you can imagine, I was truly touched by this gesture, both from the customer and the manager. It really made me feel valued and loved, and I still feel teary when I think about it. It really doesn't take much to make someone feel so wonderful. I went into the bank today to draw out cash to tide me over the next two weeks. There was a woman at the teller next to me and I overheard snatches of the conversation between her and the teller. There was talk about her having a food voucher from Vinnies, and the teller informing her that her account was already overdrawn, so she couldn't withdraw any further funds.It se emed she was a visitor to Sydney, and would be going home in a couple of days. She asked the teller if there was someone else in the bank she could talk to about withdrawing money, but naturally was advised that there was nothing that could be done, bank policy and all that. I pulled one of my precious $50 notes I had just been given, said, â€Å"Happy Christmas! † as I placed it in front of her on the counter, and walked out of the bank. I then went to a cake shop across the road and just happened to glance through the glass door as she walked past. Our eyes met, she paused and mouthed a ‘Thank you! ‘ before hurrying off.There are times when life is good, and we need to cherish those moments, as their memories can surely help us through the not-so-good times. I recently had an operation on my leg for a damaged ligament. In my conversation with the anaesthetist prior to the operation, he said he noticed that the operation was self funded, and asked me about it. I told him that years ago I'd dropped out of the medical benefits system because of lack of money. He then asked whether payment would be a problem, and I said that it would be nice if I could pay the $500 fee in several smaller payments rather than in a lump sum.He squeezed my hand and said he would see what he could do. When I received his invoice after the operation, I was delighted to see that the $500 had been reduced to $380! We hear stories about people being ripped off by medical services, but it is nice to know there are doctors out there who have compassion and kindness. In a post-op discussion I had with the surgeon, he said that when the ligament had healed he would tell me about a natural remedy that would help prevent the problem