Filipino Youth Subjective Well Being

Running Head: Youth Subjective Well-Being Filipino Youth Students Subjective Well-Being Scale Kathlyn Rose Gabriel Maria Sophie Gatab Kimberly Lagumen Kristin Navalta Abstract The researchers of the present study constructed a scale that is designed to measure the perceived subjective well-being of the Filipino youth, and how they are affected by the three factors namely: life satisfaction, negative affect and positive affect. The items were constructed based on the information gathered by the researchers from journals and other sources.The researchers constructed a questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale which consists of 59 items and was administered to 200 Filipino youth participants. The data analysis revealed a Cronbach’s alpha of . 895 Filipino Youth Subjective well-being Scale The Filipino youth have their own way of satisfying their lives and how they will be contented and happy with it. The most commonly used question probing life satisfaction is: â€Å"how satisfi ed are you with your life as a whole at present? † Some are uncertain with regards to their overall happiness, while some are certain that they are indeed happy and satisfied with their life.In this study, the researchers constructed a 5-point Likert Scale that is designed to measure an individual’s perceived level of well-being. The researcher’s objective to determine which factor gives stronger influence on the subjective well-being of the Filipino youth. Does it follow that Filipino youth with parents are happier than those without? Can the researchers conclude that youth who chose to have no social networks, company, or friends, are lonelier than those with web-like affiliations? These are some of the queries that this research aimed to investigate on. Conceptual Framework vh Figure 1. Filipino Youth Subjective Well-Being Framework Subjective well-being is defined as the individual’s current evaluation of her happiness. Such an evaluation is often expr essed in affective terms; when asked about subjective well-being, participants will often say, â€Å"I feel good† (Schwartz & Strack, 1999). Measuring people’s life happiness has one that makes life interesting especially when they know that they are satisfied with what they feel. In the present study, the researchers came up with three sub-factors namely life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect.They aimed to use these three factors to measure a person’s perceived subjective well-being. Also, they were able to know how these factors put an effect on the Filipino youth. Affect describes the emotions and feelings of a person based on his or her present life. Life satisfaction is how an individual judges his or her overall satisfaction in life (Hoorn, 2007). Life satisfaction is the measure of an individual's perceived level of well-being and happiness. It is frequently assessed in surveys, by asking individuals how satisfied they are with their own l ives.Positive and negative affect are both states and traits that have been shown to relate to personalities such as happiness and anxiety. Review of Related Literature Subjective well-being Subjective well-being (SWB) is the scientific name for how people evaluate their lives in terms of a global judgment (such as satisfaction with one's life and experience of more frequent pleasant emotions as compared to unpleasant emotions (Diener et al. , 1999). SBW is the self-evaluation of life satisfaction (Robbins & Kliewe, 2000, as cited in Vera et al. , 2008) and its cognitive evaluation is measured through judgments of life satisfaction.Meanwhile, affective components are measured by assessing the frequency of the occurrence of pleasant and unpleasant emotions. Life Satisfaction This article looks into the situation of people with spinal cord injury during acute rehabilitation and 3 months after discharge. The participants were assessed on how they can scale their life satisfaction durin g rehabilitation. The hypothesis of this study is that greater benefit finding, hope, and positive affect will be related to greater life satisfaction both during the initial acute rehabilitation period as well as 3 months post discharge.It was stated that spinal cord injury (SCI) can result to life changes. Decreased rates of returning to work (Schonherr, Groothoff, Mulder, & Eisma, 2005), poorer life satisfaction, decreased life participation, decreased independence, decreased community integration (Charlifue & Gerhart, 2004), and increased psychological distress have all been found to occur in this population. There were eighty-seven adults who were participating in in-patient; acute rehabilitation for spinal cord injury in two metropolitan hospitals completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale.The results revealed initial support for facilitators playing an important role in life satisfaction, which facilitators contribute uniquely at 3-month follow up. In summary, the results pro vide support for a predictive relationship between facilitator variable, life satisfactions for individuals with acute SCI. These findings suggest that facilitators potentially play a strong role in the rehabilitation patient’s subjective well being and provide potential avenues for interventions that could be proactively applied to facilitate positive outcomes.According to the article about science of happiness, people have their different opinion on how they live their life but most people are not contended on it. According to the Subjective- well being (SWB), defines as an indicator of people’s happiness on how they rated their life as worth- living and on how people funding on to achieve satisfaction in their lives. Another idea of what constitutes a good life, however, is that it is desirable for people themselves to think that they are living good lives (Diener, 2000).Our study concerns college students on how they rated their subjective well-being, since one of the sources of people’s subjective well-being is based on their self-fulfillment. Based on the article it was said that presents means from an international college sample of 7,204 respondents signified how students view happiness. These people asked the experimenter on how they often think about SWB and how important their SWB is for them. The results revealed that scores of the participants has a greater effect when it comes to rating their happiness.It was also revealed that it has a significant effect when it comes to their life satisfaction. The result revealed that people still wants to satisfy their lives and that they are busy finding their own happiness in life, and their basic and material needs come second to finding their own happiness. They give importance to their fulfillments, dreams and happiness. Diener and Fujita (1995) mentioned that people measure their subjected well-being (SWB) based on their physical attributes, their capability to make friends, gain em ployment, and have romantic relationships and to generally feel empowered.A person with money should not only be better able to meet his or her basic physical needs but also should be able to develop his or her talents, have more choices in terms of recreation. The co variation of resources such as money, family support, social skills, and intelligence with subjective well-being (SWB) was assessed in 222 college students (110 men and 112 women) in Midwestern University. The resources found in SWB are material, social, or personal characteristics that a person possesses that he or she can use to make progress toward her or his personal goals.Resources can be external possessions (e. g. , money), social roles (e. g. , being a chairperson), and personal characteristics (e. g. , intelligence). The experimenters used a Life Scale, and a number of interesting findings emerged from this study. First, SWB, as measured by different methods, formed strongly convergent factors. Second, family and friends rated the target participants as above average on every single resource. Third, there are certain resources that are prominently depicted in the media as being very important to happiness (e. g. money, physical attractiveness, and material possessions). They theorized that those assets are related to SWB insofar as they help individuals attain states they desire. To the extent that people differ in their desires and the resources they use to attain those desires, the effects of particular assets on SWB will differ from person to person. Happiness is a common goal toward which people strive, but for many it remains frustratingly out of reach (Buss, 2000). It was said that the best things in life are free but it was not stated how we can get them.Gaining happiness is hard to attain, and eagerness to gain happiness can frustrate people. In this article it was stated how people desire to feel happy. These include the desire to be successful, to have a good life, to have frie nds who never let them down and to gain such confidence to overcome life. When a people gain these desires, it can make them feel complete and satisfied. We as researchers conclude that fulfilling one’s desire can make a person satisfied and happy. Affect Positive affectNumerous studies show that happy individuals are successful across multiple life domains, including marriage, friendship, income, work performance, and health because of positive emotions (Diener, King, & Lyubomirsky, 2005). The researchers suggested that happiness is linked to success not only because success breeds happiness, but also because positive affect causes success (Diener, 2005). This study implies that success of happy people rests on 2 factors; one is that because happy people frequently experience positive emotions (positive affect), which makes them more likely to strive towards new goals while experiencing those emotions.Second is that people possesses skills and resources, which they have deve loped in the past while experiencing positive emotions. This study implies that positive affect is a factor for a person’s subjective well-being (happiness) which leads to the success of the person. In a study of Myers (2000), predictors of subjective well-being are revealed, which all involves positive emotions. Ed Diener (as cited in Myers, 2000) measured the subjective well-being of over 1. 1 million people over 45 nations through administering a survey.Results revealed that people who reported that they are happy seemed to look happy to their family members and close friends. The result of their daily mood ratings revealed positive emotions as well. Depressed people reported to have negative emotions and that they are less healthy, physically and emotionally, than those who reported to be happy. Overall, this article shows that emotions affect how people perceive themselves (and how they are perceived by others) in terms of their subjective well-being.Caprara and Stecaâ⠂¬â„¢s (2005) study suggests that there are two main components of subjective well-being; first, an individual’s evaluation of life satisfaction according to subjectively determined standards, and second, the predominance of positive affect over negative affect (Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999, as cited in Caprara & Steca, 2005). Caprara (2005) suggested that life satisfaction, self-esteem and optimism are components of subjective well-being, and all together these three shares a common dimension called â€Å"positive thinking†.However, positive thinking is more stable overtime and holds stronger relations with a variety of other indicators of well-being when compared to life satisfaction, self-esteem, and optimism (Caprara & Steca, 2004, as cited in Caprara & Steca 2005). In the work of Bradburn (as cited in Caprara & Steca, 2005), the dominance of positive emotional experiences over negative ones was stated as a core dimension of subjective well-being. Later studie s led to the suggestion that positive and negative affect are independent dimensions.As they are experienced in different life situations, the distinction between positive and negative affect are ought to be affective components of subjective well-being (Diener, 2000; Diener & Emmons, 1984; Diener, Smith, & Fujita, 1995; Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999; Zevon & Tellegen, 1982, as cited in Diener & Steca, 2005) Positive emotions signify that life is going well, the person’s goals are being met, and resources are adequate (Clore, Wyer, Dienes, Gasper, & Isbell, 2001).The characteristics related to positive affect include confidence, optimism, and self-efficacy; likability and positive view of others; sociability, activity, and energetic. Positive emotions produce the tendency to approach rather than to avoid and to prepare the individual to seek out and undertake new goals. In this journal research evidence supports the notion that it is the amount of time that people experie nce positive affect that defines happiness. They also identify happy individuals as those who experience high average levels of positive affect.In summary, their review of the cross-sectional empirical literature suggests that happiness is positively correlated. Their examination of the cross-sectional correlational literature thus far suggests that high subjective well-being is related to positive outcomes in many areas of life, which is brought by positive affect. Negative Affect In the article â€Å"Happiness and Stereotypic Thinking in Social Judgment†, the role of happiness and stereotyping in students' perceptions and judgments and how either negative or positive emotions affect someone’s judgments are examined.The article hypothesized that if people felt happy, the tendency would be that the judgment would be positive, and when a person’s mood is angry or sad the reaction would be negative. It was also stated that negative affect is the fuel for the fire of prejudice and stereotyping (Bodenhausen, Kramer ; Susser, 1994, as cited in O’Brien, 2008). In this study, the participants were 94 undergraduate students (21 men and 73 women). At first the experimenter explained about recalling their happy memories to set their mood and after that they were asked to read a case.After that, they were asked to respond prior to reading it. The results yielded that person who have negative mood response into the case more stereotypic comparable to the happy subjects in the present experiments. These findings collectively suggest that previous views about the connections between affect and stereotyping have been proven. We, as the researchers conclude that if people have negative feelings (sadness, anger or depression) the tendency is that they may respond to an object or situation negatively contrasting to the person who has positive affect.People who have a feeling that they’re losing living their life or life is pretty hard for them feel negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, anger, depression, or guilt etc. These affects made them feel that they’re not living their life worthy and contended. This article entitled â€Å"Origins and Functions of Positive and Negative Affect: A Control-Process View† differentiated both affect as either positive or negative. But we the researchers would like to focus more on the negative affect. It was said that, when situations are unfavorable, people have negative feelings—anxiety, dysphoria, or despair (Carver ; Scheier, 1990).That people who are in bad mood tend to view life negatively and being in a bad mood makes people see things negatively as well. Method Item Selection and Construction In constructing the Filipino Youth Subjective Well-Being Scale, the researchers had come up with two dimensions: life satisfaction and affect (positive, negative). Each sub factor consist 20 questions. The researchers gathered data from supporting journals on cons tructing each item. After constructing the items, the researchers had it evaluated by a professional.After the evaluation, the researchers constructed the items into a questionnaire. Data gathering The researchers administered the test online to 100 participants and a hard copy of the test to another 100 participants, totaling to 200 participants with a mean age of 19. 12. The participants came from different schools such as Miriam College, St. Paul University, University of the East, T. I. P, La Consolacion College, Far Eastern University, San Beda College, Centro Escolar University, ISCHAM, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and University of the Philippines.Data Analysis The researchers came up with the decision that some of the items would be revised because other statistical reliability analyses of these items are still acceptable. Table. 1 Retained Items Items QuestionCorrected Item-Total CorrelationCronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted 1. I love spending time with my family . 457. 892 4. I enjoy being with my friends. 390. 893 6. I spend my time in doing things that really interest me .377 .893 7. I have a good grades at school. 292. 894 8. I am very passionate in everything I do. 392. 893 9. I do the things that I enjoy everyday. 46. 892 10. At the end of the day I am satisfied with what I have done . 495 .891 11. I am happy in my life right now. 494. 891 14. I always get what I want in my life to satisfy my need/s . 255 .894 15. I have accomplished more in my life, than other people . 208 .894 18. My life has a meaning. 420. 892 20. Life is full of adventure. 438. 892 21. I feel loved by my family and friends. 596. 891 22. I feel that all my friends cares for me . 496. 892 23. My family and friends are afraid of losing me. 519. 891 24. I am satisfied with the activities that I do .553 .891 25.I feel energetic. 417. 892 26. I enjoy my physical education class. 129. 896 27. I am happy with my daily routine. 499. 891 28. I am in good spirit. 507. 891 29 . I am hardly ever angry. 182. 895 30. I feel satisfied. 573. 891 31. I am proud when I accomplish something. 450. 892 32. I can deal with my problems. 497. 892 33. I feel so inspired. 497. 891 34. I am so alive. 618. 890 35. I accept myself for who I am. 535. 891 36. I am a strong person. 459. 892 37. I accept all criticism with respect. 416. 892 38. I am willing to grow and learn from my mistakes. 449. 892 39.My friends always compliment that I am a cheerful person . 354 .893 40. I am able to keep my calm in complicated situations .327 .893 41. I enjoy doing risky things. 075. 896 Table. 2 Reversed Items Item QuestionCorrected Item-Total CorrelationCronbach’s Alpha if Item Deleted 12. I find myself lonely sometimes .267 .894 16. I am not happy with my disposition in my life. 402. 892 43. I keep distance from others .260 .894 48. I’ve been in trouble with the school policies .252 .894 56. I have tried to hurt or kill myself .318 .893 58. I am not interested in having close friends .367 .893 44.When I am stressed, I get paranoid or â€Å"just black out† . 225 .895 47. My friends complain that I do not keep my commitments .225 .895 50. I often wonder who I really am .364 .893 51. Others consider me as moody or hot tempered .320 .893 54. I get into a lot of physical fights .332 .893 42. Some people are jealous of me. 080. 896 52. I find it difficult to start something if I have to do it by myself. 283. 894 53. Others will use what I tell them against me. 344. 893 59. I never forget or forgive those who do me wrong .145 .896 60. When alone, I feel helpless and unable to care for my self . 295 894 19. I feel anxious about the future without knowing why. 115. 896 45. I avoid working with others who criticize me. 138. 896 46. I can’t make decisions without the advice or reassurance of others . 227 .894 49. I make friends with other people only when I am sure that they like me .101 .896 55.I fear losing the support of my friends if I disag ree with them . 143 .896 57. I use my looks to get the attention that I need. 125. 896 2. No one listens to me. 458. 892 13. Sometimes, I feel like a failure. 442. 892 3. I do not live with my own family. 226. 894 17. I used to enjoy life, now I don’t. 54. 890 The items seen in Table 2 were reversed because of the inconsistency of the statistical results. The items were consistent to be scoring low in the item analysis that it might not be measuring the characteristics of Subjective Well-Being. The examiners considered to keep the items reversed as reliable, because it measures what it intends to measure. Table. 3 Dropped Item 5. My friends influence the way I see life .028 .895 The item seen in Table. 3 is dropped item, because the Corrected Item-Total Correlation scored low from the limit that was considered to be acceptable.Even if the item was revised the score of this item is still low. The examiners believed that if the item above is still included in the final items it will affect the reliability of the scale. The item was consistent to be scoring low in the item analysis that it might not be measuring the characteristics of a well-being of a person. Discussion The table below shows the reliability statistics of the scale when item 5 was deleted.Having a result of (~. 90 above) made the instrument good and can be an ideal instrument for a longitudinal study. The finding indicates that Subjective Well-Being scale measures what it intends to measure even though there are many factors to be considered. Moreover, the researchers established that the scores of SWB scale were on the right track to be as sensitive as it can be to measure a scale of Subjective Well-Being. An item was deleted to make the Cronbach’s Aplha increase. Now, having 59 items in the scale, with the previous item deleted, the Cronbach’s Alpha was increased to . 95 which is an indication of a higher reliability as shown in Figure 2.

The Return: Nightfall Chapter 20

â€Å"Ohhhh.† Bonnie melted back into the bucket seat. â€Å"It was like†¦kapow! Zap! Zowie! Like†¦fireworks.† â€Å"You're smirking.† â€Å"I am not smirking,† Bonnie said with dignity. â€Å"I am smiling in fond remembrance. Besides – â€Å" â€Å"Besides, if you hadn't Called him, we'd still be stuck in that horror of a room. Thank you, Bonnie. You saved us.† Abruptly Meredith was at her most serious and sincere. â€Å"I guess Elena was maybe right when she said he didn't hate all humans,† Bonnie said slowly. â€Å"But, you know, I just realized. I couldn't see his aura at all. All I could see was black: smooth hard black, like a shell around him.† â€Å"Maybe that's how he protects himself. He makes a shell so no one can see inside.† â€Å"Maybe,† Bonnie said, but there was worried note in her voice. â€Å"And what about that message from Elena?† â€Å"It says that Tami Bryce is definitely acting strangely and that she and Matt are going out to check out the Old Wood.† â€Å"Maybe that's who they're going to meet – Damon, I mean. At 4:44, like he said. Too bad we can't call her.† â€Å"I know,† Meredith said grimly. Everyone in Fell's Church knew that there was no reception in the Old Wood or the cemetery area. â€Å"But go ahead and try anyway.† Bonnie did, and as usual got a no-service message. She shook her head. â€Å"No good. They must already be in the woods.† â€Å"Well, what she wants is for us to go ahead and get a look at Isobel Saitou – you know, because she's Jim Bryce's girlfriend.† Meredith made a turn. â€Å"That reminds me, Bonnie: did you get a look atCaroline's aura? Do you think she has one of those things – inside her?† â€Å"I guess so. I saw her aura, and yuck, I never want to see it again. She used to be a kind of deep bronzy-green, but now she's muddy brown with black lightning zigzagging all through. I don't know if that means one of those things was inside her, but she sure didn't mind cuddling up to them!† Bonnie shuddered. â€Å"Okay,† Meredith said soothingly. â€Å"I know what I would say if I had to make a guess – and if you're going to be sick, I'll stop.† Bonnie gulped. â€Å"I'm all right. But we're seriously going to Isobel Saitou's house?† â€Å"We're very seriously going there. As a matter of fact, we're almost there. Let's just brush our hair, take a few deep breaths, and get it over with. How well do you know her?† â€Å"Well, she's smart. We didn't have any classes together. But we both got out of athletics at the same time – she had a jumpy heart or something, and I used to get that terrible asthma†¦.† â€Å"From any exertion except dancing, which you could keep up all night,† Meredith said dryly. â€Å"I don't know her very well at all. What's she like?† â€Å"Well, nice. Looks a bit like you, except Asian. Shorter than you – Elena's height, but skinnier. Sort of pretty. A little shy – the quiet type, you know. Sort of hard to get to know. And†¦nice.† â€Å"Shy and quiet and nice sounds good to me.† â€Å"Me, too,† Bonnie said, pressing her sweaty hands together between her knees. What sounded even better, she thought, was for Isobel to be not at home. However, there were several cars parked in front of the Saitou house. Bonnie and Meredith knocked on the door hesitantly, mindful of what had happened the last time they had done this. It was Jim Bryce who answered, a tall, lanky boy who hadn't filled out yet and stooped a bit. What Bonnie found amazing was the change in his face as he recognized Meredith. When he'd answered he'd looked awful; his face white under a medium tan, his body somehow crumpled. When he saw Meredith, some of the color came to his cheeks and he seemed to†¦well, to smooth out like a piece of paper. He stood taller. Meredith didn't say a word. She just stepped forward and put her arms around him. He clutched at her as if he was afraid she'd run away, and buried his face in her dark hair. â€Å"Meredith.† â€Å"Just breathe, Jim. Breathe.† â€Å"You don't know what it's been like. My parents left because my great-grandpa's really sick – I think he's dying. And then Tami – Tami – â€Å" â€Å"Tell me slowly. And keep breathing.† â€Å"She threw knives, Meredith. Butcher knives. She got me in the leg here.† Jim plucked at his jeans to show a small slit of a hole in the fabric over the lower part of one thigh. â€Å"Have you had a tetanus shot recently?† Meredith was at her most efficient. â€Å"No, but it's not really a big cut. It's a puncture wound, mainly.† â€Å"Those are exactly the kind that are most dangerous. You need to call Dr. Alpert right away.† Old Dr. Alpert was an institution in Fell's Church: a doctor who even made house calls, in a country where carrying around a little black bag and stethoscope was pretty much unheard-of behavior. â€Å"Ican't . I can't leave†¦.† Jim jerked his head backward toward the interior of the house as if he couldn't bring himself to say a name. Bonnie tugged at Meredith's sleeve. â€Å"I have a very bad feeling about this,† she hissed. Meredith turned back to Jim. â€Å"You mean Isobel? Where areher parents?† â€Å"Isa-chan, I mean Isobel, I just call her Isa-chan, you know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's all right,† said Meredith. â€Å"Just say what comes naturally. Go on.† â€Å"Well, Isa-chan only has her grandma, and Grandma Saitou doesn't even come downstairs much. I made her lunch a while ago and she thought I was – Isobel's father. She gets†¦confused.† Meredith glanced at Bonnie, and said, â€Å"And Isobel? Is she confused, too?† Jim shut his eyes, looking utterly miserable. â€Å"I wish you'd go in and, well, just talk to her.† Bonnie's bad feeling was only getting worse. She really couldn't stand another scare like the one at Caroline's house – and she certainly didn't have the strength to Call again, even if Damon weren't in a hurry to get somewhere. But Meredith knew all this, and Meredith was giving her the sort of look that couldn't be denied. It also promised that Meredith would protect Bonnie, no matter what. â€Å"Is she hurting anybody? Isobel?† Bonnie heard herself ask as they crossed through the kitchen and toward a bedroom at the end of the hallway. She could hardly hear Jim's whispered, â€Å"Yeah.† And then, as Bonnie groaned internally, he added, â€Å"Herself.† Isobel's room was just what you'd expect from a quiet and studious girl. At least one side was. The other side looked as if a tidal wave had picked everything up and thrown it down again randomly. Isobel was sitting in the middle of this mess like a spider on a web. But that wasn't what made Bonnie's gut churn. It was what Isobel was doing. She had laid out beside her what looked a lot like Mrs. Flowers' kit for cleaning out wounds, but she wasn't healing anything. She was piercing herself. She had already done her lip, her nose, one eyebrow, and her ears, many times. Blood was dripping from all these places, dripping and falling onto the unmade sheets of her bed. Bonnie saw all that as Isobel looked up at them with a frown, except that the frown was only half there. On the pierced side, the eyebrow didn't move at all. Her aura was shattered orange with black lashings through it. Bonnie knew, all at once, that she was going to be sick. She knew it with the deep knowledge that overcame all embarrassment and which sent her flying to a wastebasket she didn't even remember seeing. Thank God, it had a white plastic bag lining it, she thought, and then she was completely occupied for a few minutes. Her ears recorded a voice, even as she was thinking she was glad she hadn't had lunch. â€Å"My God,are you crazy ? Isobel, what have you done to yourself? Don't you know the kind of infections you can get†¦the veins you can hit†¦the muscles you can paralyze†¦? I think you've already pierced the muscle in your eyebrow – and you shouldn't still be bleeding unless you've hit veins or arteries.† Bonnie retched dryly into the wastebasket, and spat. And just then she heard a meaty thud. She looked up, half knowing what she would see. But it still was a shock. Meredith was doubled over from what must have been a punch in the stomach. The next thing Bonnie knew, she was beside Meredith. â€Å"Oh, my God, did shestab you?† A stab wound†¦deep enough into the abdomen†¦ Meredith clearly couldn't get her breath. From somewhere a bit of advice from her sister Mary, the nurse, floated into Bonnie's mind. Bonnie pounded with both fists on Meredith's back, and suddenly Meredith took a huge gulp of air. â€Å"Thanks,† she was saying weakly, but Bonnie was already dragging her away, away from the laughing Isobel and a collection of the world's longest nails and the rubbing alcohol and other things that she had on a breakfast tray beside her. Bonnie got to the door and almost collided with Jim, who had a wet washcloth in his hand. For her, she supposed. Or maybe for Isobel. All Bonnie was interested in was making Meredith pull up her top to make absolutely, positively sure that there were no holes in her. â€Å"I got it – out of her hand – before she punched me,† Meredith said, still breathing painfully as Bonnie anxiously scanned the area above her low-rise jeans. â€Å"I'll have a bruise, that's all.† â€Å"She hit you, too?† Jim said in dismay. Except that he didn't say it. He whispered it. You poor guy, Bonnie thought, finally satisfied that Meredith wasn't perforated. What with Caroline and your sister Tami and your girlfriend, you don't have the first idea of what's going on. How could you? And if we told you, you'd just think we were two more crazy girls. â€Å"Jimmy, youhave to call Dr. Alpert right away, and then I think they're going to have to go to the hospital in Ridgemont. Isobel's already done permanent damage to herself – God knows how much.All those piercings are almost certainly going to be infected. When did she start this?† â€Å"Um, well†¦she first started acting weird after Caroline came to see her.† â€Å"Caroline!† Bonnie blurted, confused. â€Å"Was she crawling?† Jim gave her a look. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"Never mind Bonnie; she was joking,† Meredith said easily. â€Å"Jimmy, you don't have to tell us about Caroline if you don't want to. We – well, we know she was over at your house.† â€Å"Doeseverybody know?† Jim asked miserably. â€Å"No. Just Matt, and he only told us so that somebody could go check on your little sister.† Jim looked guilty and stricken at once. The words poured out of him as if they'd been bottled up and now the cork was out of the bottle. â€Å"I don't know what's going on anymore. All I can tell you is what happened. It was a couple days ago – late evening,† Jim said. â€Å"Caroline came over, and – I mean, I never even had a crush on her. It's like, sure, she's good-looking, and my parents were away and all, but I never thought I was the kind of guy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Never mind that now. Just tell us about Caroline and Isobel.† â€Å"Well, Caroline came over wearing this outfit that was – well, the top was practically transparent. And she just – she said, did I want to dance and it was, like, slow dancing and she – she, like,seduced me. That's the truth. And the next morning she left – just about the time Matt came. That was the day before yesterday. And then I noticed Tami acting – crazy. Nothing I could do would stop her. And then I got a phone call from Isa-chan and – I've never heard her so hysterical. Caroline must have gone straight from my house to her house. Isa-chan said she was going to kill herself. And so I ran over here. I had to get away from Tami anyway because me being there at home just seemed to make it worse.† Bonnie looked at Meredith and knew that they were both thinking the same thing:and somewhere in there, both Caroline and Tami propositioned Matt, too. â€Å"Caroline must have told her everything.† Jim gulped. â€Å"Isa-chan and I haven't – we were waiting, you know? But all Isa-chan would say to me was that I was going to be sorry. ;;You'll be sorry; just wait and see,' over and over and over. And, God, Iam sorry.† â€Å"Well, now you can stop being sorry and start calling the doctor. Rightnow , Jimmy.† Meredith gave him a swat on the behind. â€Å"And then you need to call your parents. Don't give me those big brown puppy-dog eyes. You're over eighteen; I don't know what they can do to you for leaving Tami alone all this time.† â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"But me no buts. Imean it, Jimmy.† Then she did what Bonnie knew she would, but was dreading. She approached Isobel again. Isobel's head was down; she was pinching her navel with one hand. In the other, she held a long, shining nail. Before Meredith could even speak, Isobel said, â€Å"So you're in on it, too. I heard the way you called him  ¡Ã‚ ®Jimmy.' You're all trying to take him away from me. All you bitches are trying to hurt me.Yurusenai! Zettai yurusenai! â€Å" â€Å"Isobel! Don't! Can't you see that you're hurtingyourself ?† â€Å"I'm only hurting myself to take away the pain. You're the one who's really doing it, you know. You're pricking me with needles inside.† Bonnie jumped inside her own skin, but not just because Isobel suddenly gave a vicious thrust of the nail. She felt heat sweep up into her cheeks. Her heart began to pound even faster than it was already going. Trying to keep one eye on Meredith, she pulled her mobile phone out of her back pocket where she'd stashed it after the visit to Caroline's house. Still with half her attention on Meredith, she went on the Internet and rapidly entered just two search words. Then, as she made a couple of selections from her hits, she realized that she could never absorb all the information in a week, much less a few minutes. But at least she had a start. Just now, Meredith was backing away from Isobel. She put her mouth close to Bonnie's ear and whispered, â€Å"I think we're just antagonizing her. Did you get a good look at her aura?† Bonnie nodded. â€Å"Then we probably should leave the room, at least.† Bonnie nodded again. â€Å"Were you trying to call Matt and Elena?† Meredith was eyeing the mobile phone. Bonnie shook her head and turned the phone so Meredith could see her two search words. Meredith stared, then lifted dark eyes to Bonnie's in a kind of horrified recognition. Salem witches.

Case Study Analysis Cost Of Capital At Ameritrade Finance Essay

Case Study Analysis Cost Of Capital At Ameritrade Finance Essay Capital Asset Pricing Model is a model that describes the relationship between risk and expected return  and  that is used in the pricing of risky securities. Description: Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) The general idea behind CAPM is that investors need to be compensated in two ways: time value of money  and risk. The time value of money is represented by the risk-free(rf) rate  in the formula and compensates the investors for placing money in any investment over a period of time. The other half of the formula represents risk and calculates the amount of compensation the investor needs for taking on  additional risk. This is calculated by taking a risk measure (beta)  that compares the returns of the asset to the market over a period of time and to the market premium (Rm-rf). The CAPM says that the expected return of a security or a portfolio equals the rate on a risk-free security plus a risk premium. If this expected return does not meet or beat the required retur n, then the investment should not be undertaken. The security market line plots the results of the CAPM for all different risks (betas). Using the CAPM model  and the following assumptions, we can compute the expected return of a stock in this CAPM example: â€Å"if the risk-free rate is  3%, the beta (risk measure) of the stock is 2 and the expected market return over the period is 10%, the stock is expected to return 17% (3%+2(10%-3%))†. CAPM has a lot of important consequences. For one thing it turns finding the efficient frontier into a doable task, because you only have to calculate the co-variances of every pair of classes, instead of every pair of everything. Another consequence is that CAPM implies that investing in individual stocks is pointless, because you can duplicate the reward and risk characteristics of any security just by using the right mix of cash with the appropriate asset class. This is why followers of MPT avoid stocks, and instead build portfolios out of low cost index funds. â€Å"Cap-M† looks at risk and rates of return and compares them to the overall stock market. If you use CAPM you have to assume that most investors want to avoid risk, (risk averse), and those who do take risks, expect to be rewarded. It also assumes that investors are â€Å"price takers† who can’t influence the price of assets or markets. With CAPM you assume that there are no transactional costs or taxation and assets and securities are divisible into small little packets. CAPM assumes that investors are not limited in their borrowing and lending under the risk free rate of interest. How to Calculate the Cost of Equity CAPM The cost of equity is the amount of compensation an investor requires to invest in an equity investment. The cost of equity is estimable is several ways, including the capital asset pricing model (CAPM). The formula for calculating the cost of equity using CAPM is the risk-free rate plus beta times the market r isk premium. Beta compares the risk of the asset to the market, so it is a risk that, even with diversification, will not go away. As an example, a company has a beta of 0.9, the risk-free rate is 1 percent and the expected return on the equity investment is 4 percent.

Planning and Analyzing the Service Concept Essay

Planning and Analyzing the Service Concept - Essay Example Again proper standards and value adding services brings benefits tom clients in this industry. Implementation process is what creates value to customers. During planning and implementation when the â€Å"moment of truth† happens and service creation process and analyzing services results are realized leading to improved efficiency. In all the implementation of a new concept or service what is needed is to analyze the customers’ business operations identifying areas of planning for their need. This explains why sustainable value cannot be achieved for only one group though it has to be created for all of them. This is to say taxi drivers in Illinois have to be properly selected, and developed for them to create value for their customers making investors receive consistently returns. Service blue print has been applied to a broad range of services experiences (Meroni, Sangiorgi, 117). This report shows extended blueprint approach was applied to taxi services in Illinois State. People responding emotionally to taxi services used in this sector by employees providing understanding behavior and action that needed to become aligned with company standards. It is expected that expressive service blueprinting brings continue to provide a proactive empathetic approach for exploring customer responses to improve areas for services. This model shows the process within the taxi industry which is divided into separate components using lines. Service deliver process takes the steps of customer action which they need this must be on top of the service blueprint. When a customer is requesting a taxi driver to pick him the conversation is line of visibility’ that separates Onstage from Backstage actions. The mechanics who help maintain the vehicles are support process ca lled internal line of interaction’ this helps the service to be delivered. Service blueprint is physical evidence which is at the very top

Media- a secret ally of violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Media- a secret ally of violence - Essay Example during dinner preparation and other activities, while children are most likely to find an enjoyable program somewhere on the dial at any time of the day or night. However, the types of programming selected have often had a negative impact on those who watch it. By glamorizing violence, the media has destructive effect on the youth, adolescence and the society. Because of the powerful way in which the media has focused on violent and antisocial behavior, the media deliberately misinforms, making the viewers fearful, suspicious and cynical. Because of its bias toward bad news, the media feeds a perception that the world is a violent, dangerous place. As a result, the viewers come to overestimate the rate of violence. â€Å"The prevalence of bad news and the power of image encourage children and us to overestimate the chance of accident, risk of disease, the frequency of marital infidelity.† The writer then went on to explain that â€Å"the average policemen, for example, never fires a gun in action and most Americans are monogamous.† (240). With these images flashing in their minds every evening, the viewers become negative, mistrustful of others and withdrawn, and cease to believe in progress. In the age of information, many Americans instead feel utterly alone and depressed. Even worse than creating a world in which so many people feel alone and unable to trust their fellow man, the media causes the viewers to fail to sympathize with the victim. Viewers become accustomed to the violence scene on television with scenes that involve bloodshed, raping and other acts of extreme violence. This creates a situation in which the viewers are emotionally desensitized in real life violence. â€Å"There is near-unanimity by now among investigators that exposure to media violence contributes to lowering barriers to aggression among some viewers.† (234). Demoralized by the violence scenes, the viewer finds it easier to identify with the aggressor and the aggressor’s

Photography as Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Photography as Art - Essay Example The path is a murram road. From the murram road it is evident that image was taken on a hilly forest. Looking at the middle ground, the path seems to be rising from lowland to highland, which indicates that the image is on a hilly place. From the path, there are indications that vehicles use this murram road more often since there are prints of tyres. On the left had side of the image from foreground to background, there are trees that are closely grown. The trees are of different trunk sizes; thing and thick. In addition, there have different shapes, sizes, and colors of the leaves. Whereas some are dark green, there are trees with yellowish leaves and others have light green leaves. Some trees have thick leaves while other are made of up thin leaves. What’s more, the trees in the images have varied branches where some are having short branches and others are having long branches. The trees are closely packed that going through the forest may be a difficult thin. On the background of the image, the trees give a beautiful view of the image. The middle and top of the background is all covered with trees of the forest. The whole image, a combination of trees and the murram path are ground view focus where the camera specifically focused on the area. The image is well composed with the background, middle, and foreground clearly depicted. The top, middle, and center are also depicted very well without leaving out the fact that the left, right, and central positioning of the image was well done. A bright light has been used on the image to provide clear vision on the contents. The bright light used makes it possible to see the different colors of the trees, differences in shapes and trunks, as well as the how densely populated the forest is from the image (Krages 19). In addition, the bright line gives a vision of the murram path in a clearer way where viewers are able to identify the stretching of the road from lowland to highland. Different colors have been

Describe three controversies that led to the distinctions between Essay

Describe three controversies that led to the distinctions between Orthodox and Western Christianity - Essay Example On the other hand, the bishop of Rome governed the western group implying its administration was under a single bishop. As a result, basic theological differences emerged between the eastern and the western Christians (Vidmar 47). Separation between the Roman Catholic Church rather the western Christianity and the Eastern Orthodox Christianity was primarily based on deviation by Rome from the seven ecumenical councils’ original conclusions. This included the universal papal supremacy claim. Similarly, â€Å"Filoque controversy† is noted as another contributing factor to the difference between the two religions. The insertion of the phrase into the Nicene Creed changed the implication of the Holy Spirit source. Rather than in the usual perception of its origin from the Father, the â€Å"Filogue† which meant from the son, changed the Creed to imply both the Father and the Son were the source of the Holy Spirit. Despite the western emphasis of Christ’s divinity, the Orthodox Christians were against the alterations and the emerging meaning after the insertion. According to the Eastern Christians, the Father defines the origin of both the Son and the Holy Spirit (Ware 56). The concept of â€Å"Sola Scripture† is another area that distinguishes the western Christianity from the Orthodox. According to the western Christians, the â€Å"Scripture alone† rather the â€Å"Sola Scripture† claim that God’s word can be clearly comprehended and construed by an individual believer. Therefore, it is sufficient to be defined as the final authority under the western Christianity; however, the Orthodox posits that the Holy Scripture in the Holy tradition are of equal importance and value. Their definition of the Holy Scripture stems from the definition and interpretation affirmed in the first seven ecumenical council’s teachings by the church. In addition, the difference in theological approaches explains the distinction that exists between the Western Christianity and

Business Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Policy - Essay Example It is thus dynamic in nature so that the organization earns above average returns (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2001, p. 6). Strategic management is a broad canvas, which includes strategic analysis, strategic implementation and control. It encompasses all functional areas within an organization. This paper aims to address these issues in the context of finance and marketing. For evolving appropriate corporate policies, it is imperative to do a competitive analysis. This will be done by using the SWOT and Porters five forces. SWOT analysis helps to understand internal environment of the company in terms of its relative strengths and weaknesses, and also external factors in terms of opportunities and threat. Further, as the company intends to enter into emerging markets, its global competitiveness will be examined by using the model suggested by Porter (1985), which includes five competitive forces, which determine the competitiveness of a product in a market. These forces are industr y competitions, potential entrants, substitutes, byers, and suppliers.

Implications and Recommendations for Research, Policy and Practice Research Paper

Implications and Recommendations for , Policy and Practice - Research Paper Example This research paper explores the implication and recommendations for research, policy, and practice. The researcher focuses on the discussing of how findings of recommendations made for research impact his role as an educator. It is stated that the influence of research on practice has always been predominant in educational materials, pre-service and in-service teacher education, public policy, and public opinions. The researcher describes the research findings that will be the most significant to his specific situation, such as the introduction of new assessment technologies and tools to the students. This will enable the researcher to understand how each of his students learn and bring out some of their special learning needs. The researcher also provides additional recommendation for research and discusses how he will apply recommendations for policy and practice in his role as an educator. This will make the education process more effective and ensuring learning among the student s regardless of their special needs. Most valuable recommendation for research on policy and practice were also described in this research paper as well as additional recommendation for research on policy and practice. A research recommendation on policy and practice that the researcher can suggest is a research on the policies governing the assessment of students. This research should be undertaken with the aim of investigating alternative policies that we can introduce to enhance individually based assessments.

Studying masters in business and administration Personal Statement

Studying masters in business and administration - Personal Statement Example My parents thought that majoring in business in my undergraduate was a gamble, as I was trending on thin ice whose underside was an icy lake of frustration, stiff competition and unemployment. Like any other student of business, I often brushed it off by stating that I wanted to acquire the skills and knowledge in order to be self-employed and possibly run a successful company of my own. However, whenever I gave this answer I was saying what I felt, but, like many high school leavers, I did not really know as much as I would have wanted to have others believe in me. Later watching news in collage as a business major, I started to reflect on my life and asked myself why I had not taken a â€Å"safer† career path. This is because it was in the middle of the global recession from which many countries are still currently recovering from and businesses were collapsing all over the world. In addition, individuals in the positions I secretly hoped to be were being laid off at an alar ming rate. I hoped secretly because as much as I would never admit to it, I was as optimistic about getting a high flying job, as I was about going in business for myself, in fact the latter scared me off due to the risks associated. Consequently, here I was in business school asking myself why I had not become a doctor, dentist or engineer, as anyone can run a business anyway without even going to school, the likes of Bill Gates did not study business yet they run some of the most successful firms in the world. In short, I was in a field competing with anyone who had ever had a business idea, nothing in my mind could have been more competitive and in such a cutthroat competition. In a nutshell I was half way through college and asking myself the same questions I had brushed off earlier, but this time I was more determined and reflected and evaluated my choices deeper and this time I second guessed my answers and worked myself to a mental state bordering on paranoia. However, I real ized much later that I was not alone in my fears, talking to friends studying different course I realized that everybody had similar fears, and often ask themselves; Will we get good jobs? Will we get any jobs at all? Shall we forever be employed? or shall we at some point move out on our own and make a mark in the world? I then revisited my initial reason for studying business while majoring and it was simply because I was good at the subject naturally, I may not have been a natural sales executive or born economist, but business in any form exited me. To many of my peers Economics and accounting graphs represented content to be crammed into memory and memorized under the influence of gallons of coffee particularly the night before exams. However, to me they were as exciting as the plot of a good novel is to a book enthusiast; thus, business financials represented to me, not just figures but real and operational business. I saw in commerce more than just theories, to me these ideas were representations of people’s dreams hopes and ambitions; and I believed that the business world is where I belong. This is born out of an ambition to put to practice the knowledge garnered in business school; in addition, I have always been interested in the study of business administration from a global perspective. With time, I have come to realize that the world has become so much interconnected that a company collapsing in America can have dire consequences in another

Comparison of Associate Degree and Bsn Essay Example for Free

Comparison of Associate Degree and Bsn Essay There are three pathways to become a Registered Nurse (RN) the first is a diploma nurse which consist of one to three years training in a hospital these nurses are strongest clinically since the training is usually hospital based. The other two choices are the Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) and the Baccalaureate Degree Nurse (BSN) all of these graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. This paper will discuss the differences in the competency levels between the ADN and BSN. The Associate Degree Nursing program provides an efficient, economical pathway to becoming a registered nurse. Graduates are competent in clinical and proficient in technical skills required to practice safely in multiple settings and to fully assume the RN role. Associate Degree Programs began in 1952 at Fairleigh Dickinson University. This type of nurse is usually educated at community colleges and completes training in twenty to twenty-four months after pre-requisites are met. The facts would suggest that ADN has less theory and more clinical training and according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing-Fact Sheet â€Å"Creating a More Highly Qualified Nursing Workforce† is less likely to notice a critical change in patient condition. The BSN completes their four years of education at the University level training is more focused on patient outcomes and nursing theories. Receiving more theoretical training they are better prepared for management. Also multiple studies show that due to their assessing, critical thinking,communication, leadership, case management, health promotion and their ability to practice across a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings the BSN trained RN has a lower mortality rate and better survival rates for patient resuscitation. (AACN Fact Sheet 2011) At the University of Pennsylvania it was found that surgical patients in Magnet hospitals had 14% lower odds of patient death, 12% lower failure-to-rescue rates when compared with non-Magnet hospitals. This improved outcome was attributed to the higher proportion of baccalaureate prepared nurses on staff. The Journal of Nursing Scholarship published an article in January 2011, researchers found that nurses with baccalaureate education levels had an impact on lowering patient mortality and failure-to-rescue rates. (AACN, 2012) To date it is not sure why advance training improves patient safety and saves lives RNs report a transformative experience when returning for their Baccalaureate degree with changed perspectives about nursing practice and finally seeing the big picture. Post BSN RNs noticed changes in the way they practiced nursing and in knowledge and professionalism they also reported becoming better patient advocates RNs reported noticing subtle changes in their perceptions which included changes in thinking, reasoning and questioning skills. (Whats all the Fuss; http://www. nsna. org/careercenter/fuss. aspx). Having a BSN opens more employment opportunities in 2005 the Department of Veteran’s Affairs began requiring all new hires to possess at least a BSN degree. (AACN 2013). And soon many more hospitals will be requiring the BSN degree. In time we may even see the passing of the ADN. As one of the most dynamic professions nursing requires us to keep our educational knowledge current and progressive to continually meet the ever changing needs of patients to provide excellent care. In 2007 the American Association of Colleges of Nursing based on the Institute of Medicines (IOM) report, â€Å" To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System†, found that most errors were due to system and process problems and felt that BSN and higher educated nurses were better prepared to find solutions because of the curriculum emphasis on leadership and management. (AACN, 2007) The BSN prepared RN has the educational knowledge to excel in leadership and management, wellness and community nursing. The need for higher education is required as the nurse role increasingly becomes more autonomous and as society depends more on the RN to complement the Physician shortage our nation is facing. The baccalaureate degree also leads to higher level graduate degree programs, which greatly benefits the health system. Overall in my opinion each type of nursing degree diploma, ADN or BSN contributes in its own way to the workforce environment. By bringing different aspects of nursing, they all provide quality patient care and become leaders in the workplace. Yet, ADN programs offer an affordable means to access the nursing profession and  offer the nation its largest population of RN’s. For those with adult responsibilities it gives one of the most flexible ways to earn their degree by use of LVN to ADN to BSN ladder of education. References: 1. (2011). Conceptual foundations: the bridge to professional nursing practice . (5 ed. ). Pageburst. 2. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/EdImpact. pdf Fact Sheet: The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice 3. Fulcher, R. , Mullin, C. M. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. aacc. nche. edu/Publications/Briefs/Documents/2011-02PBL_DataDrivenNurses. pdf 4. AACN. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/publications/position/bacc-degree-prep The Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing as Minimal Preparation for Professional Practice 5. Orsolini-Hain, L. (n. d. )Retrieved from http://www. nsna. org/CareerCenter/Fuss. aspx What’s all the Fuss? Working Towards a Baccalaureate or Graduate Degree in Nursing 6. Robert, R. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-fact-sheet 7. Rosseter, R. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-workforce.

Morality in war Essay Example for Free

Morality in war Essay Is war ever moral? I feel that War is a necessary part of life. Sometimes force is the only way to defend yourself or others. We are all equals, and It is immoral to take the life of anyone, but it is also immoral to let the life of anyone be taken. We have a responsibility to help each other because cooperation is the only way the human race can survive; we also have a right to defend ourselves. This means that if someone else is threatening you or anothers life, and you are capable of helping, you have an obligation to protect yourself or them. Lethal force will never be moral, but what if it’s the only way to protect someone? Let’s say that an attacker has broken into your house and is holding a gun to you and your family. You also have a gun pointed at the assailant. In this hypothetical situation we must assume that the only way to save your family is to kill the attacker. You must make a choice to kill the attacker or let the attacker kill you and your family. Both options are immoral, so one has to ask if its more immoral to kill the attacker, or to let the attacker kill your family? The obvious choice to me is to kill the assailant. I feel this is the right choice because of two reasons. One, our responsibility to protect ourselves and our family is larger than the responsibility to not do harm to another. The second reason has to do with the proportion of damage. The attacker would be doing more harm in killing my family and me then I would be doing in killing him. This example allows us to see, on a small scale, when lethal force is necessary. Things get more complicated when we look at entire countries rather than just one family, but my view point remains the same. Lethal force is only permitted when it is the only option to defend yourself or others. War is necessary because people sometimes make immoral decisions that put others in a position where there is no other option, but is war ever moral? Killing is always immoral, and killing is part of war, so parts of war are immoral, but does this mean war is inherently immoral? Sometimes it is the least immoral choice; this makes it the most moral choice, so it is sometime moral. I believe that many of the wars we have had have been immoral. I don’t think that the United States has been justified in it’s actions every time. â€Å"It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States. † Vladimir Putin. I feel that it is in part due to the classical â€Å"male† approach to ethics which focuses on â€Å"independence, autonomy, intellect, will, wariness, hierarchy, domination, culture, transcendence, product, asceticism, war, and death,† Jaggar, â€Å"Feminist Ethics,† 1992 One can see that these characteristics would allow for war to be more often morally acceptable. A â€Å"feminist† approach to ethics would focus more on â€Å"interdependence, community, connection, sharing, emotion, body, trust, absence of hierarchy, nature, immanence, process, joy, peace, and life. †Jaggar, â€Å"Feminist Ethics,† 1992 These characteristics allow for a more peaceful world. The Syrian regime was accused of using chemical weapons against it’s own people in september of 2013. The weapon of mass destruction â€Å"Sarin† may have been used, and this action is against international law. The United states felt obligated to step in and punish the Syrian Government for this because they felt it was in the worlds best interest to not let these atrocities go unpunished. It could be more dangerous to let them get away with it because international law could fall apart and the world could turn to anarchy if nothing is done to punish wrong behavior. This being said, what is the best course of action to punish the Syrian government if they did infact use this weapon? Military action was debated, and President Obama was willing to attack if necessary, but I feel this is very dangerous. If the United States were to attack the Syrian government without UN approval It could have the same effect as doing nothing. This is because the united states would also be breaking international law, and this could also cause the UN to fall apart. If strong countries like the US bypass UN approval on military actions then International law means nothing. â€Å"The world reacts by asking: if you cannot count on international law, then you must find other ways to ensure your security. Thus a growing number of countries seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction. This is logical: if you have the bomb, no one will touch you. † -Vladimir Putin. In addition, military action would not be morally acceptable in this situation because it would not be in self defense; it would be an act of aggression causing more harm than good. A diplomatic approach would be a step in the right direction for this particular situation. This real life situation allows us to see how we can judge the morality of an action on a larger scale. In conclusion, war can be moral, but it is only a strategy to attain peace and safety for a group. All other options should be explored before war can be considered; this is because war involves some of the most immoral actions possible; the killing of others. â€Å"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime. †- Ernest Hemingway http://www. brainyquote. com/quotes/quotes/e/ernesthemi108407. html#zB7XwPTRbCpbv7my. 99 http://www. nytimes. com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria. html? _r=0.

The Channel Tunnel Engineering Project

The Channel Tunnel Engineering Project The Channel Tunnel (French: le tunnel sous la Manche), widely recognized as one of the worlds greatest civil engineering projects, is a 50.5km underwater rail tunnel connecting Folkestone, Kent in the UK with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais in France under the English Channel. Even though it began construction in 1988 and was opened in 1994, the idea to have a cross-channel tunnel was first mooted more than 200 years ago but did not materialize due to political, national security and cost considerations. However, with the tremendous increase in traffic growth, better and alternative means of communication, convenience and speed was necessary and hence the need for an alternative transport route was clearly evident. The need for such tunnel was further compounded with Britain joining the European Community and the cross-channel traffic doubling in the last 20 years (leading to the project), reflecting improved trading between the Britain and rest of Europe. The Channel Tunnel would also be a ble to provide an alternative competitive link between the transportation systems of the UK and France, providing both speed and reliability to freight deliveries. With the strong endorsement from the governments of both sovereigns, the decision to build the Channel Tunnel was thus made. In April 1985, the British and French governments issued a formal invitation to potential tenderers for the fixed Channel link and eventually the contract was awarded to the consortium Channel Tunnel Group Limited- France Manche S.A. (CTG/FM) (later renamed Eurotunnel). The Channel Tunnel, with the governments intention that it be privately funded and there would not be any government assistance or undertaking, was a build-own-operate-transfer (B-O-O-T) project with a concession. The project organization is shown in Figure 1. In this contract arrangement, Eurotunnel would be the owner cum operator, which was being funded by the banks and shareholders. The governments of UK and France were represented by the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC), to which the Safety Authority and the Maitre dOeuvre (an independent technical auditor) would report to. The IGC would then make final engineering and safety decisions. TML (essentially split from CTG/FM so as to separate the roles of owner/operator and contractor) consisted mainly of five British contractors (Translink Joint Venture) and five French contractors (G.I.E Transmanche Construction) and would carry out the construction works for the Channel Tunnel in a design and build contract. Upon completion of the project, the British and French governments would award Eurotunnel a 55 (which was later revised to 65) year operating concession to repay the banks and shareholders. The Contract was officially signed on 13 August 1986 and the fixed rail was to be fully commissioned in 1993. The services offered by the Channel Tunnel include the Eurotunnel Shuttle (a shuttle service for vehicles), Eurostar passenger trains and freight delivery trains. TMLs contract was to design, build, and test and commission the fixed rail tunnel. The Channel Tunnel (Figure 2) was designed to have three concrete-lined bores approximately 50km long, with 37.9km undersea and the rest under land at either ends of the English (Cheriton near Folkstone) and French (Pas-de-Calais village of Frethun) terminals (Figure 3). Two of the running tunnels were designed to have an internal diameter of 7.6m while the third was a 4.8m service tunnel running midway between the two and connected to them via 3.3m diameter cross passages at 375m intervals. 2m diameter piston relief ducts connecting the main tunnels at 250m spacing were built to prevent the accumulation of differential air pressures and aerodynamic resistance. To facilitate operations and maintenance, four crossover caverns were built between the two terminals to allow trains to cross between the running tunnels. Two crossovers were laid close to the terminals while the other two were under the seabed , effectively dividing the tunnel into three approximately equal lengths. Figure 4 below shows the main phases of the project. Two separate rail tunnels were chosen instead of a single large twin-track rail tunnel because this could minimize construction risk while at the same time enhance operations, maintenance and safety. The diameters were finalized after design analysis, development and optimization studies, taking into consideration the operation and support, speed and cost of construction. The service tunnel provided access between the running tunnels during normal and emergency situations and was equipped with a guided transport system. It was also where the water and pumping mains run and functioned as a fresh air supply duct to the tunnels in normal working condition. In addition, the service tunnel would function as a lead tunnel during construction which allowed the workers and engineers to assess and ascertain the uncharted ground conditions before advancing the main tunnels. Basing on the existing geotechnical investigations, past tunneling expeditions and two additional geotechnical and geophysical surveys carried out by TML on the English Channel along the proposed tunnel line, it was ascertained that there was a distinct sub-unit of the Lower Chalk layer known as the Chalk Marl running continuously between the two terminals. Chalk Marl, made up of alternating bands of marly chalk and limestone, was found to be the best tunneling medium as it was essentially impermeable (due to its high clay content) and provided good short term stability under excavation, thus minimizing the number of supports required (Figure 5). It was designed to be bored in the bottom 15m of the Chalk Marl layer to minimize the ingress of water from the fractures and joints, but above the Gault clay which is susceptible to swelling when wet, imposing high stresses on the tunnel lining. The chalk marl strata dipped gently at less than 5o with smaller displacements of less than 2m d ue to faulting towards the UK side; whereas the strata dipped severely towards the French side (up to 20o) with much larger displacements of up to 15m (Gueterbock, 1992). Chalk at the French side was also harder, more brittle and fractured. This thus led to the use of different tunneling methods on the English and French sides. The seaward and landward bores for all three tunnels on the UK side began at Shakespeare Cliff. Construction traffic would enter the tunnel via a new inclined access (Adit A2) at the Lower Shakespeare site, while worker access was built via a shaft driven to the tunnel level from the Upper Shakespeare site (Gueterbock, 1992). Due to the fast construction time required and the relatively dry chalk marl at the UK side, it was assessed that the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) was most suitable for the UK tunnels. One feature of the NATM was the interlinking of design, construction method, sequence and plant and the success of this method depended on the continuous integration of these elements by the tunneling engineers. Six TBMs were used to drive the UK tunnels spanning a total distance of 84km. The TBMs were operated on an open-face mode with a front excavating section and a rear gripper unit which acted as a temporary anchor point when the cutting head drove forward at 1.5m inc rements (Anderson Roskrow, 1994). Excavation of the tunnel and erection of the tunnel linings were carried out concurrently. Depending on ground conditions, the thickness of the linings ranged between 380mm and 500mm. Expanded concrete lining was used for the UK tunnels where the unbolted lining was expanded against the excavated ground. Pads on the back of the lining allowed the formation of an annulus to be filled with grout to prevent water ingress (Byrd, 1996). Each 1.5m lining ring was made up of eight precast concrete segments with a key segment. Cast iron lining segments were only used in poor ground conditions. Over at the other side, the tunnel drives started at the shaft in Sangatte in France. Due to the highly fissured ground resulting in very wet conditions on the French side, a different type of TBM known as the Earth Pressure Balance Machine was used. The TBMs were designed to operate both in open and closed modes. Close mode is characterized by the sealing off of the machine from the spoil around it and the cutting head, thus keeping pressure on the dirt in front as it excavated and allowing the machine to work in the dry as the pressure in the machine was higher than the outside. The arrangement of seals on the TBM allowed it to withstand up to 10 atmospheric pressures. When the TBMs reached dryer and more favourable grounds, they could then switch to open mode. While precast sections were also used on the French side, the materials used were different owing to the different soil conditions: neoprene and grout sealed bolted linings made of cast-iron and high strength concrete (Ander son Roskrow, 1994). The French tunnels were made of six 1.4 to 1.6m wide segments plus a key segment. A total of 5 TBMs were employed on the French side, and the bores from the UK and France were to finally meet in the middle of the English Channel in the tunnel breakthrough phase. The Channel Tunnel project was huge by any standard, with a number of key factors that could potentially impact the parties involved: bi-nationality, private funding (thereby effectively transferring most of the financial risks to the contractors), schedule and cost. To stay attractive to investors and banks alike, the project had to meet the following priorities: minimum risk of cost overrun, minimum operating cost and maximum traffic revenue. It was recognized, from the outset, that the main challenge of the project was to resolve the logistical support associated with large scale tunneling and the fast-track nature of this project. The management, finance and technical challenges related to this project would be explored in the subsequent paragraphs. The first management problem encountered was the sourcing of the large number of manpower required for the construction of the Channel Tunnel. This was conducted against the backdrop of the booming construction industry where there was stiff competition for labour. As a result, TML scoured beyond France and UK for skilled labour including experienced engineers and tunnel miners. TML also set up a training scheme with Kent County Council and the Manpower Services Commission to prepare workers for the myriad of jobs available as the project progressed. The main constraint for sourcing talent was the high remuneration that accompanied them The second management challenge was to find a solution to dispose the huge quantities of spoil that boring 150km of tunnels would produce. The problem at Sangatte was solved quite easily as there was a suitable land dump near the construction site and spoil disposal was done by converting the tunnel spoil into a 50% slurry and then pumping it to the Ford Pignon dam above the site 3km away. However, there was very little space at Shakespeare Cliff and there was no suitable land dump nearby. Despite the fact that backfill amounting to 3.6M cubic meters of British spoil would be required at the later stage of construction, there was still a remaining 1.8M cubic meters of spoil that had to be disposed. Eurotunnel eventually found a solution which was to use the spoil to provide a flat area of land at the foot of the Shakespeare Cliff which would be landscaped and used for recreational activities. When environmentalists raised strong objections, Eurotunnel argued that huge logistical and traffic problems would result if the spoil were to be transported elsewhere. In addition, the spoil would be contained behind an expensive seawall of sheet piles and concrete designed to prevent the chalk fines from leaching into the sea. The constructed seawall, spanning 1795m long and up to 11.36m thick, was designed as a short term breakwater and a long term retaining structure. This land (made of spoil) was subsequently transformed into the Samphire Hoe Country Park. Another aspect of concern was the delivery of materials to the site. Whenever practicable, delivery was done mostly by rail (for speed and convenience) and the materials delivered include the precast concrete linings, sheet piles and aggregates. Next, another management challenge was the method of obtaining the large volume of concrete required. 442,755 concrete segments of the highest quality mixed from strong, un-reactive materials in 35 different sizes were required. They were designed to last 120 years subjected to loadings in the worst case scenarios under two separate limit states and had to resist seismic activities, be watertight and to maintain its structural integrity regardless of the loading type (Byrd, 1996). As it was apparent that no precast company could supply such segments to fulfill TMLs requirements, TML had to create its own precast yard at the Isle of Grain in Kent, producing segments of the strongest concrete. In addition, the decision to drive all the UK tunnels from a single worksite gave rise to complex logistics problems because it had to support five TBMs at any one time. They required 1000 precast concrete segments daily, together with other materials such as track, cables, pipes and vent ducts. Also, at least 18000m3 of excavated spoil had to be removed daily. This challenge was solved by the process of separation: personnel would enter the tunnel via the 110m deep shaft; spoil removed through Adit A1 on a 2400T/hr capacity conveyor and other materials transported on the five-line railway in Adit A2. Moreover, the three 50km-long tunnels had to be made an operational railway through the installation of catenary systems, cooling pipes, drainage, tracks among many others. Given the myriad of systems that had to be installed (e.g. 550km of drainage, fire and cooling system pipes, 1330km of cable fitted on the cable trays), TML had to manage more than 40 subcontractors competing for space on the tunnel delivery trains. The right equipment had to be supplied to the exact location at the right time; especially when the delivery trains take more than an hour to negotiate the deep ends of the tunnels and a missing item would have caused delay to the works. TML resolved this issue by running the tunnel works akin to a production line a materials controller was employed from the motor industry to ensure smooth work processes and led the coordination and planning efforts (Anderson Roskrow, 1993). Also, TML constructed 4 diagonal cross tunnels connecting the three main tunnels to allow the delivery trains to switch between the three during the services installation phase, thereby alleviating the difficulty of moving the materials and spoil to and fro the tunnel. Sourcing finances for the mega project was also one of the management challenges faced. Given that the initial estimation of the project cost to be around 5 billion pounds, a large amount of money was required to see the project through to completion. As the project had to be privately funded, Eurotunnel had to source beyond the national boundaries to secure investments. They therefore devised a financing scheme to help them tide the crisis: the scheme would provide for the cost of the tunnel to be financed by  £5 billion worth of bank loans, with additional  £1 billion equity from the owner, institutional investors and public offering. Preliminary equity financing would be raised in two stages (known as Equity 1 and Equity 2). Equity 1 worth  £47 million was raised by cash placement by the founding shareholders. Equity 2, worth  £206 million, came from both British and French investment institutions. They later came up with Equity 3, worth  £770 million, and raised it by w ay of public share offering through the Paris and London stock exchanges concurrently. The Channel Tunnel project was thus able to proceed. Perhaps one of the greatest management challenges was how to enable the French and British work closely together. Separated by 34km of sea, their cultures are very different. Moreover, the building codes and training (and thus the limit states of design) were different. It was a challenge bringing two different engineering styles together. To overcome this challenge, it was decided that both countries use their own design codes for their part of the channel. Gordon Crighton, a Scot, was brought in to lead the engineering team so that both the British and French would not have disagreements since both countries had good relations with Scotland. This enabled the engineering team to work cohesively together. When it came to the design parameters, both the French and the British had to compromise. For instance, the English wanted the service bore to be 4.5m in diameter, but the French wanted 5m. In the end they agreed to a diameter of 4.8m. Besides the need to overcome the challenges faced in project management, a number of technical challenges also had to be overcome. Firstly, keeping the machines on course was one of the most complicated technical challenges faced. While most tunnel miners use a high-tech satellite mapping system to chart the tunnel route, this system was not effective for the Channel Tunnel as it was too far underwater. Excellent and exact mapping was essential for if the British and French tunnels were to be misaligned even by a small margin, they would not be able to meet up as planned in the middle of the English Channel. Therefore, the engineers developed a high-tech laser guidance system. A red laser on the cutting head of the TBM would send a beam forward; hitting a control point which would relay the information to the computers onboard the service trains located behind the cutting head to help them stay on course. This system enabled both teams of TBMs to successfully stay on the intended cou rse and meet each other in the tunnel breakthrough. Another technical challenge was that the locomotives that were used to pull the tunnel lining segments and spoil trains broke down frequently under wet conditions. Under such conditions, the wheels of the locomotives lost traction and span on the slopes; and their electric systems were laden with salt moisture and often leading to malfunction and power failure (Byrd, 1996). Even though the locomotives were designed to be powered by a 500V DC overhead supply and the batteries were supposed to be recharged while moving in the underground development, they did not charge up due to the presence of water. This challenge was overcome by redesigning the locos. The locos weight was increased for better traction and much larger capacity batteries were installed. Improvements to the pantographs design were made. The increase in efficiency and lesser loco breakdowns made up for the corresponding increase in costs. Another technical challenge arose when the tunnels emerged from the underground tunnels up to the surface approximately 900 meters short of the terminals at the UK side. This was resolved where engineers employed three different tunneling methods to complete the tunnels via the difficult gault clay at Castle Hill. First, the NATM took the tunnel through the geologically challenging strata at Castle Hill; while at either side of the hill, cut-and-cover construction and top-down construction were used. Cut-and-cover work involved excavating the area and building the tunnel using RC boxes. Top-down construction (usually used in tight spaces) involved building the roof of the tunnel first before excavating the ground below it. The use of 3 different methods of tunneling within a short 900m stretch reflected the excellent engineering concepts used in this project. Fourth, following the geophysical and geotechnical surveys, the British anticipated that the soil stratum was mostly dry. They thus configured the TBM in open mode. However, they tunneled into unexpected micro-fissured chalk which was very permeable and very quickly incapacitated the TBM. Dry chalk started to give way to moist chalk and chunks of rocks started to fall from the crown and sides of the newly excavated bore (Andrew Roskrow, 1994). The circle was not sufficiently accurate from which the concrete lining could expand. Work was then stopped to ensure worker safety. Eventually, the TBM was modified in situ. A series of trailing fingers were installed behind the cutting head and spanned across the lap between the head and the last section of the lining (Gueterbock, 1992). These fingers, when sliding forward during boring, restrained the chalk while at the same time allowed the segments to be erected and grouted quickly. TML also applied extensive waterproofing to the machiner y and hoses to prevent them from further saltwater attack. Hence, the TBM started to make better progress and the delay was minimized. Other technical challenges and innovations include the removal of the TBMs that have completed the service tunnel. Stuck in the middle of the tunnel and under the sea, these TBMs were not able to move back up. While they could have been taken apart and removed piece-wise from the tunnel, it was undesired as this would incur high costs. This challenge was overcome by driving one of the TBMs slightly off the course of the tunnel and burying it into the chalk rock. This way, the other opposing TBM could drive forward out of the tunnel. The British TBM was the one chosen to drive off-course and buried. After it drove into the rock, it was sealed off and the tunnel wall was covered with concrete slab. The French TBM was thus able to move forward to the other side of the coast and be removed. This construction innovation enabled the contractor to save costs. For a project of this gigantic scale there was bound to be budget overrun and delays. The project entailed designing; building and commissioning the entire project in just seven years and be ready for opening in May 1993. This was not to be, as at the end of the project, the estimated budget overrun was 80% (total project cost reaching  £9.2 billion) and the official opening of the Channel Tunnel was May 1994, one year later then the contractual completion date. One cause of the delay was due to the passing of the Parliamentary Bill which was required for the commencement of the works. This was due to the objecting voices towards the building of the Channel Tunnel and the Bill could not be passed quickly enough. The delay took up most of the float that TML initially had and any further delay could severely impede the construction schedule. To overcome this difficulty, TML started preliminary site works like constructing the precast yard at the Isle of Grain and placing orders for the materials even before the Parliamentary Bill was passed. It also started a global search for manpower and engineering talents. Another cause of delay during the early days of construction on the French part was due to the financial collapse of one of the firms involved in building the TBM. However, the delay was reduced with the quick mobilization of the TBM at the huge Sangatte shaft which allowed the 400T TBM body to be lowered in one piece into the tunnel. On the British side, it was the unexpected wet ground conditions that caused the slowdown in tunneling works and resulted in a delay of more than 3 months. However, the engineers modified the TBMS by installing the trailing fingers behind the cutting head. Very soon the TBMs started to drive at record speeds. Third, the major cause of schedule delay was the dispute between TML and Eurotunnel. The contractors claim that Eurotunnel owed it  £1.45 billion for the ME systems installed in the tunnel was the main cause of dispute. This figure was more than twice the figure stated in the Contract, which Eurotunnel insisted that the sum owed was less than  £900 million (Byrd, 1996). The protracted legal battle between the two entities delayed the project. TML decided to finance its own works while Eurotunnel sourced for funds, which potentially would push the project completion date further back. In the end, Eurotunnel struck a deal with TML where TML would need to hit a series of milestones over the months in 1993 to handover the project to Eurotunnel by Dec 1993. In return, Eurotunnel would give an advance payment of  £235million to TML so that the latter would not run out of funds. This incentive enabled TML to push for progress and minimize delay. There were few causes of budget overruns. Firstly, the original start to completion duration was a mere 7 years, meaning that the project had to move from design development to completion in that length of time. As a result, many design problems (e.g. open mode TBMs used by the British) were not identified and resolved at the start of the project and no provisions were made for these provisions in the initial cost estimates. Eurotunnel thus had to source for additional funds for the project. Secondly, due to the competitive nature of the project, CTG/FM had to cut their cost estimates to the bare minimum in order to make a successful bid. This was made with the knowledge that the competing consortia would be evaluated on financial standing thus the rationale for lowering the profit margins. The subsequent cost increase was blamed on delays from the parliamentary process and early financing problems. Thirdly, the budget overrun was caused by the increase in costs and number of materials required for the project. Even though TML had planned to line the tunnel with cast iron segments rather than concrete in wet ground as they were more watertight, they had not expected the UK TBMs to also hit poor ground (contrary to geotechnical analysis results). The required amount of cast iron had already exceeded the total amount of cast iron originally estimated when this happened and cost increase was inevitable. TML tried to reduce costs by hastening the tunneling process and modifying the TBMs. While the project was delayed many times due to boardroom disputes and unexpected site conditions, innovative ideas were put into practice that helped to increase productivity. For instance, due to the poor ground conditions and water ingress at the UK side, TML had wanted to use cast-iron linings which at that time were already over-budgeted. However, innovative ideas led to the modification of the tunnel linings, known as hybrid linings where areas of high stresses would be taken by the iron while the bulk of the lining ring was still made of concrete. Not only did these linings save TML close to  £20million, it also reduced three months on the critical path. In addition, improvements and modifications to the TBMs were made, their lining erectors and spoil removal systems extensively changed, their electronic systems simplified and waterproofed. The TBMs performance improved tremendously and soon they were breaking world records for tunneling rates. Miners and workers were also i ncentivized for good work progress so that their morale remained high. Their pay was reviewed to remain market- competitive. Eurotunnel also formed a policing arm known as the Project Implementation Division to keep check on the construction progress and on TML to do more to stay on the scheduled timetable. The total death toll for this project was increasing at an alarming rate towards 1990. Safety at the construction sites were put under intense scrutiny. This prompted TML to embrace DuPonts safety practices and principles, and made a few innovations to its safety plan. Firstly, a series of mainly one-to-one audits were carried out by the foremen and supervisors on the workers at work. These were no-risk audits, and the auditee was encouraged to tell the auditor of his observed actions that were less safe than desired and was also encouraged to make safety suggestions. Completed audits identifying the auditor (but not the auditee) were analyzed by a senior line manager and summarized for the local line manager to identify trends and plan follow up actions (Byrd, 1996). As a result, many previously unidentified safety issues were found and subsequently resolved or mitigated. Secondly, safety prizes were awarded, through lottery, to individuals or team of personnel who managed to achiev e 25000 of accident-free work activity. Thirdly, poster campaigns were carried out to address safety issues such as track safety and proper PPE. These campaigns were complemented by other form of media such as safety notes in payslips, on site video presentations and toolbox briefings to all employees. These safety practices resulted in zero deaths for the next two years of construction. To conclude, the Channel Tunnel was a mammoth privately-funded project in its own right. It was of no mean feat for the completion of a project involving 2 countries separated by a sea 34km long and both being traditionally rivals. Even though it was completed a year late and at least cost overrun of at least 80%, the Channel Tunnel can still be considered a success, this in view of the management, technical and financing challenges faced by the parties throughout the project. Apart from the famous senior management battles and arbitration between the owner and contractor, it must be noted that the management and technical innovations led to an increase in productivity and should be used as a reference for future projects.

Mirror :: essays research papers

The Mirror Steam rose from the water and filled the bathroom with ghostly, swirling eddies, and phantasms of white, transparent ribbons of vapor. Tracy basked in the water, relishing the prickly fingers of hot water as it soothed the muscles of her body. Her red hair lay in wet, matted strings over her shoulders and breasts. Her eyelids were closed, hiding her deep, emerald green eyes. Tears squeeze from her eyes as the memory of the phone call echoed through her mind. It had been a woman’s voice on the other end of the line, and she had asked for Justin, Tracy’s husband. Tracy was high strung with emotions and the sound of that woman’s voice sparked the thought that her husband was cheating on her. The hardest part of it all for her to believe was that when Justin got home that night, Tracy confronted him with her fears. Justin didn’t hesitate in telling her that, yes, he was having an affair. She was so distraught over the news that she had kicked him out of the ho use after a lengthy screaming match. Now, Tracy sat in the tub, water to her chin, and her right hand on the ledge of the tub, fumbling lightly with a single edge razor blade. She opened her eyes and delicately ran her finger over the shinning blade. She’d teach Justin. One swipe of the blade and he’d be regretting ever sleeping around on her. She lifted the blade and brought it over to the opposite wrist. As her hand lifted off the edge of the tub, she notices something odd in the mirror. The mirror was completely steamed over with a white, hazy mist, and on the surface of the mirror, written in the condensation, was a short statement that made Tracy’s breath catch in her throat. DON’T DO IT, TRACY! Tracy jerked out of the water, splashing a bunch onto the floor. The statement was written in a loose, looping, and broken script, almost as if it had been written by a child. Before her eyes, the mirror steamed over again and the words disappeared. The razor drops into the water, forgotten. â€Å"Who did that?† she asked the room, knowing that nobody could have done it, she was alone in the house. â€Å"Who’s there?† She carefully gets out of the tub and wraps herself in a large, blue towel.

John Donne Essay -- John Donne Biography Poets Poetry Essays

John Donne John Donne had a rich life full of travel, women and religion. Donne was born in 1572 on Bread Street in London. The family was Roman Catholic which was dangerous during this time when Catholicism was being abolished and protestant was taking over. Donne’s farther was an iron monger who died in 1576. At 11 Donne and his younger brother went to university and studied there for three years then he went to Cambridge for a further three years. He left without any degrees because as a Catholic he could not swear the ‘Oath of Supremacy’, which made you swear an oath declaring Henry VIII as head of the Church of England, Donne refused to swear this. In 1592 Donne joined a law practice and a legal career seemed ahead of him. In 1593 Donne’s brother Henry died of a fever in prison after being arrested for sheltering a catholic priest, John Donne then started to question his faith and wonder why his brother who was doing g-ds will would be allowed to be arrested and die in jail. As both his farther and brother had now passed away Donne inherited a considerable amount of money, which he spent on women, travelling and other pleasurable pursuits. In 1596 Donne joined a naval expedition against the Spanish Armada. One year later he sailed to the Azores. Often in John Donne’s poems they include his travels and experiences for instance in the poem ‘To his mistress going to bed’ he says ‘license my roving hands and let them go†¦ O America! My new found land[1] Donne possibly means that the woman in front of him is a new land waiting to be discovered and explored. In 1598 Donne was appointed Private Secretary to Sir Thomas Egaton. This meant he was on the road to a promising career. Later in 1601 John Don... ...is writing and how he thought also how he was conflicted throughout out his life about whether he should convert or not and risk a lifetime in hell and eternal damnation to further his career. I hope you enjoyed my essay. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] To his mistress going to bed, by John Donne, John Donne â€Å"Everyman’s poetry† [2] The Flea, by John Donne, â€Å"Complete English Poems†, Everyman [3] The Canonisation, by John Donne â€Å"Complete English poems† Everyman [4] ibid. [5] Hymn to g-d the Father by John Donne, ibid. [6] ibid. [7] ibid. [8] The Good Morrow, by John Donne ibid [9] The Sonne Rising by John Donne, â€Å"John Donne† Everyman’s Poetry. [10] A Valediction Forbidding Mourning, by John Donne, ibid [11] To his mistress going to bed, by John Donne, ibid. [12] ibid [13] ibid