Ban on smoking in public places

Since the beginning of civilization, man has always persuaded his interests for recreation by using tobacco as a frontline substance for his leisure. As time passed by, more production of tobacco started till it reached a stage where today there are numerous cigarette companies selling their cancer sticks at the most reasonable rates. The desire to light a cigarette has always been one of the top most priorities of people who indulge in smoking and in their pretext of soothing their desire for a smoke; they more often than not forget the amount of hazard and trouble caused by the smoke emitting from their cigarettes.Cigarette smoking is one of the worst ways of self destruction and even after knowing its negative impact on the body, a smoker always tends to overlook the danger associated with it and continues to smoke irrespective of the location in which he is standing. The issue of raising a ban on smoking in public has always been a controversial one and has always been taking the side of a non-smoker than people who are indulgent in public smoking. Non- smokers always tend to move away from a location where a smoker is footing and always have a feeling of their sentiments being abused or overlooked by a person who is smoking near them.The history of the smoking ban can be dated to the sixteenth century when the Pope Urban VII made it mandatory law of smokers not being welcomed near the premises of the church and also issues a penalty for people who violated this law. This law however did not catch as much attention as the issue is catching on the twenty-first century. Today because of the advancements of medical science and research on the adverse effects of smoking, we have been able to pin point the negative impacts of smoking on a smoker and the passive smoker near by to him.The following will shed some light on the physical negative impacts of smoking on a smoker: ‘Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, complicated pregnancy. Smokin g by pregnant women result in fetal injury, premature birth, and low birth weight. Smoking is associated with a reduced bone mass and an increased risk of osteoporosis’ (Courtesy: Cheap Cigarettes, â€Å"Effects of Cigarette Smoking†. Retrieved on December 2, 2008 from http://www. cheap-cigarettes. com/Effects_of_Cigarette_Smoking. asp)There are evidences too on the fact of smoking affecting post operational procedures, especially related with ones in which transfusion of blood is on a higher side because of the attempt to join bones or tissues which due to accidents and other trauma are disarrayed from each other. Apart from knowing these entire statistics a persistent smoker would continue to smoke and silently destroy his body, but for that soothing experience the smoker might make some innocent bystander a partner of his misery, by making him a passive smoker.The second hand smoke inhaled by a passive smoker is considered to very dangerous and it causes a lot more harm and eventuality than what it looks at the moment. The worst effect however of passive smoking is on children, and the following evidence will vindicate the point of having smoking bans in public places due to its adverse effects on children: ‘Exposure to tobacco smoke doubles the chances of your child for illnesses like bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia. They are also more likely to suffer from ear infections (glue ear), tonsillitis, and asthma. It may damage a child's olfactory function’ (Courtesy: â€Å"Passive smoking†.Retrieved on December 2, 2008 from http://www. stopsmokingtoday. com/dync/13/Passive_Smoking. html) Legislators and law makers understood the total provocation being inhaled by passive smoking and brought the necessary amendments to the laws of the state by banning smoking in public places. The need for the law to amend was felt by lot of people who were unnecessarily being forced to hazardous health conditions for no fault of their own. Smoking which were rampant in leisure places like pubs and restaurants were the most harmful, as a majority of people have a habit of smoking along with taking intakes of alcohol.This nature of these smokers brought the non smoking populace visiting such leisure outlets in very uncomfortable positions and in one way brought an infringement of the constitution to these victims of passive smoking. There was a nationwide applause for the banning of smoking in public places and a majority of the nation was giving it thumbs up and also considered it an important decision which was taken to curb smokers from spreading any amount chances of passive smoking to non smokers. The following evidence will shed light on the nation’s opinion of having a smoking ban in public places:‘Gallup’s 2004 consumption habits survey reveals that the American public is fairly accepting of such ban. A majority of 58%Americans currently say they favor a ban in their state that would mak e it illegal to smoke in workplaces, restaurants and bars’. (Courtesy: Alec M. Gallup, Frank Newport , â€Å"The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion 2004† .Page 306. Retrieved on December 2, 2008. Gallup Organization. Published by Rowman & Littlefield, 2006) There are a lot of advantages that can be grouped with the banning of smoking in public places.Firstly a commuter or a non smoker can have fresh whiffs of air without the mixture of tobacco endorsed smoke hovering around. Secondly the ban itself makes the smoker smoke less which in turn is helping him from reducing the health hazards which he would eventually inflict on himself over the period of time. The ban on smoking in one way slows down the process of self damage that smokers tend to endure with their constant puffing. It has estimated that around thousands of Americans die every year due to active and passive smoking, and the ban would definitely help the figure of passive smoking by a great extent.The ban comes wit h a whooping of $50 for the first violation and $75 for repetitive violations. This becomes more deterrent for an active smoker and eventually brings him on the brink of leaving the habit or the least bringing down his no. of cigarettes by a good amount. Another big advantage related with the ban, is that the risk of fire catching up in factories or other places to due to a burning cigarette is greatly reduced and it brings the work place into a much safer and a cleaner zone. Also it helps saves the energy consumed by ventilators that are required to recycle the air in such places.However there are certain sets of disadvantages of such a ban too and the most primary one is they way smokers get into more hazardous situations in smoking zones. Here due to a large amount of smoke gathering the ventilation is slower which results in itchiness of the eyes and other lung problems because of the amount of passive smoking inhaled by active smokers. This somehow gives smokers a second class treatment as it becomes acceptable for the government for non smokers not to undergo minimal passive smoking but to allow massive passive smoking for active smokers in such zones.A lot of restaurants and bars feel the crunch as their smoking customers refrain from coming to them and thus it bring a drop to their turnovers. In today’s high stress working atmospheres, employees are feeling more frustrated as somehow the tension which they could feel being released by their smoking has been feverously curbed. Smoking ban is one of the most righteous decisions of the government helping non smokers from the unwanted dangers of nicotine filled smokes.However when the law was being implemented not much attention has been given to smokers rights and at times it is becoming a little hypocritical situation. Nevertheless the main objective of such a ban bring back a life to their citizens which could be void of at least one addiction and would be more fruitful to them in terms of having a hale and hearty standard of living. Reference: 1) Cheap Cigarettes, â€Å"Effects of Cigarette Smoking†. http://www. cheap-cigarettes. com/Effects_of_Cigarette_Smoking. asp 2) Passive smoking†. http://www. stopsmokingtoday. com/dync/13/Passive_Smoking.html 3) Alec M. Gallup, Frank Newport , â€Å"The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion 2004†. Gallup Organization. Published by Rowman & Littlefield, 2006 4) http://www. notosmoke. com/herbal-smoking-articles/pros-and%20cons-of-smoking-ban. htm 5) BRADLEY S. KLAPPER, â€Å"WHO Urges Smoking Ban in Public Places†. May 29, 2007. http://rds. yahoo. com/_ylt=A0geu.. NnTVJvk8BvQdXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEyamNvY2Y3BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA0Y4NjJfOTM-/SIG=13u9q6ff9/EXP=1228336909/**http%3a//www. sfgate. com/cgi-bin/article. cgi%3ff=/n/a/2007/05/29/international/i122741D62. DTL%26type=politics

Federal Policy

Federal Policy requiring equal opportunities for boys and girls in activities, facilities, equipment, curriculum, testing and grading, requirements, and behavior and dress code How do objectives help in physical education and sport? Short-term statements of specific outcomes that build cumulatively to reach a goal. Describe the behavior that an individual will exhibit when the desired outcomes are achieved.What is the pathway of energy in the cells? That's animal com/cellular-respiration/">respiration: Oxygen in burn fuel molecules make ATP carbon dioxide out. Use of ATP as energy to perform muscular activity. Two ways to produce ATP: Anaerobic system Without oxygen High energy expenditure, short time (6-60 seconds) Aerobic system With oxygen Lower rate of energy expenditure, longer period of time (more than 3 minutes) What years marked reform in the schools?Bill Clinton (2000) Educate America Act *readiness to learn, improve graduation rates, Competency in core subjects, world leade rship in math and science, adult literacy, positive safe environment, professional development of teachers, parental involvement George W. Bush (2001) No Child Left Behind *use of standards, assessment, accountability, flexibility, and parental choice to mprove quality of education for all What did the colonial period bring to physical education? Physical education was not part of the school curriculum in colonial times. What are hypokinetic diseases?Diseases cause by insufficient physical activity often with in appropriate dietary practices I-coronary heart disease 2- hypertension 3- osteoporosis 4- non- insulin diabetes 5- chronic back pain 6- obesity 7- colon cancer 8- breast cancer 9- early death IO- adverse lipid profile List the benefits of corporate fitness programs. Reduce absenteeism. Reduce presenteeism losses Achieve higher employee productivity. Reduce workers' compensation and disability-related costs. Reduce injuries. Improve employee morale and loyalty. What are the c lasses of levers? orce (teeter totter) Second Class- weight is between the fulcrum and the force (wheel barrow)Third Class – the forc is bwtween the fulcrum and the weight (arm, shovel, boat paddle)pg198 Describe the domains/skills of physical education Cognitive- Development of intellectual skills -acquisition and application of knowledge -understanding relationship between body, physical activity and health – application of movement concepts to learning and development of motor skills – nowledge of technique, rules, strategies, and safety involved in physical activity Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Affective- values, social skills, and emotional development Values Ethics Appreciations Attitudes Character development Cooperation Self-responsibility Self-concept and self-esteem Decision-making skills Self-management and control Receiving Responding Valuing Organizing Characterizing by a value or complex Psychomotor- Motor skill s, fitness Motor skill development Presented in a sequential manner from fundamental movements to complex, pecialized sports skills Physical fitness development Development of the psychomotor domain is physical education's unique contribution to the education of children and youth!Reflex movements Basic fundamental movements Perceptual abilities Physical abilities Skilled movements Communication through nonverbal expressions Which physical education leader promoted natural gymnastics? Thomas Dennison What are the recommendations for aerobic activity according to the ACSM? Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Exercise recommendations can be met through 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days per week) or 20-60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (three days per week). One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions (of at least 10 minutes) are both acceptable to accumulate desired amount of daily exercise.Gradual progr ession of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk. People unable to meet these minimums can still benefit from some activity. What are the steps in the information processing model? I-lnput 2-Decision Making 3-0utput 4- Feedback How did the ancient Romans view physical education? Exercise for health and military purposes. Rome did not believe in the â€Å"body beautiful† Preferred to be spectators rather than participants Preferred professionalism to amateurism. What is the portion of Americans living below poverty? Who led the playground initiative in NY city? Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg What are the influences on physical activity (age, education, ect†¦ )?High levels of education are associated with good health. Income is also related to health; people who are affluent tend to have better health status than those who are less affluent. Education is often a predictor of income. Many racial and ethnic minorities are e ducationally disadvantaged. Those in poverty are more likely to have difficulty reading. Gender gap is slowly closing. Females read and write better than males, although males perform better in math and science. 2000 Concensus There is an inverse and generally linear relationship for rates of all-cause mortality, total CVD, and CHD incidence and mortality and for the incidence of type 2 diabetes.Accumulation of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity PA on most days of the week is associated with a significant 20%-30% reduction in all-cause mortality. Additional benefits can be derived from increasing the amount and/or intensity of physial activity. What is the average body fat percentage for men and women? Linear Motion Movement in a straight line and from one point to another. Rotary motion Movement of a body around a center of rotation called an axis. Movement is affected by what factors? Gravity Natural force that pulls all objects toward the center of the earth Center of grav ity Friction Force that occurs when surfaces come in contact and results from the sliding of one surface on the other What does a biomechanist study?Studies movement patterns and how they change across the lifespan and varying disabilities. What was President Bush's contribution to education What are the modifiable causes of death? Tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity What are the leading causes of death? Heart disease and Cancer Kinesiology is the sub-discipline of†¦ biomechanics What are sport related components? 1. Agility 2. Balance 3. Coordination 4. Power 5. Reaction Time 6. Speed What are fitness related components? 1 . Cardiovascular fitness 2. Muscular strength 3. Muscular endurance 4. Flexibility 5. Body composition edit. Learning is focused on what elements? What are the different kind of stretching techniques?Ballistic Stretching- The dynamic method uses the momentum generated from epeated bouncing movements to stretch the muscle (not recommended) Static Stre tching – involves gently and slowly moving into the stretch position and holding it Activity levels tend to decrease with age What is the age range for the greatest increase in health club memberships? 18-34 increase 33% 33-54 increase 34% What are the latest findings from the latest Surgeon General's Report? The focus seems to be on the prevention of suicide What president established the President's Council of Youth Fitness? Dwight D. Eisenhower Anthropometric Concerned with the measurement of the human body. Length, width, diameter, circumference, and surface area Galloping Similar to sliding but performed in a forward direction. One foot leads in the forward direction. After the lead foot steps the rear foot follows quickly.The stepping leg is always the lead leg. Skipping Combination of a step and a hop alternating feet after each step-hop. Hopping Involves forcefully pushing off the ground from one foot, a brief suspension in the air, and landing on the same foot. Leapi ng Similar to the run, long step forward to cover distance or to go over an obstacle. Exaggerated running step. Biomechanics The study of the action of external and internal forces on the living body, especially on the skeletal system. Goals The result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end Mission Statements An official document that sets out the goals, purpose, and work of an organization.Objectives Something that one's efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose; goal; target Threshold of Training Minimum level of exercise needed to achieve desired benefits. ACSM American College of Sports Medicine 1954 group of 11 physicians founded the Federation of Sports Medicine later became the ACSM Acceleration Increase of speed or velocity Principle of Conservation of Movement An object in motion stays in motion Exercise Science deals with the study of immediate and long term effects of physical activity on the human body. The how and why the human b ody responds to physical activity is also a focus. Exercise Physiology The scientific study of the acute and chronic metabolic responses of the human body to exercise, including biochemical and physiologic changes in the heart and skeletal muscles.Quantitative Analysis The testing of a substance or mixture to determine the amounts and proportions of its chemical constituents. Ergogenic Aids are any external influences that can be determined to enhance performance in high- pharmacological aids, physiological aids, nutritional aids (sports supplements), and psychological aids. Aerobic (of an organism or tissue) requiring the presence of air or free oxygen for life. Work Exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil Static Equalibrium the ability of an individual to adjust to displacements of his or her center of gravity while maintaining a constant base of support.Motor Learning Is the study of the acquisition of motor skills as a result of practice and e xperience. Leve rs A mechanical device used to produce a turning motion about a fixed point or axis. Lever consists of a fulcrum, a force arm, and a weight or resistance arm. Wellness The quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort. Scheme Theory 1975 Schmidt's theory that proposed the idea of generalized motor program. The idea that movement patterns such a kicking or throwing could be generalized to a variety of sports and settings.

The Long History of Racial and Sexual Discrimination

Affirmative action is an attempt by the United States to amend a long history of racial and sexual discrimination. But these days it seems to incite, not ease, the nations internal divisions. Opponents of affirmative action say that the battle for equal rights is over, and that requiring quotas that favor one group over another is un-American. The people that defend it say that the playing field is not level, and that providing advantages for minorities and women is fair considering the discrimination those groups tolerated for years. This paper will discuss the history of affirmative action, how it is implemented in society today, and evaluate the arguments that it presents. Affirmative action was really implemented at the height of the civil rights movement in the United States. Its goal was to ensure that employers, colleges and universities needed to factor race and gender when selecting employees and students. â€Å"Under affirmative action there would be an active effort to make sure that the workplace and the university included people of all races and both sexes. â€Å"(Hanmer 8). Prior to this in the United States, opportunity did not exist for all. Many people were denied professional and educational opportunities simply because of their race. Affirmative action was to change the way employers hired. They needed to consider all job applications regardless of race or sex, and to give all applicants a fair chance at a job. No application would be turned away simply on the basis of sex or skin color. Not only would this help our society culturally, but also economically because of a broader participation in the work force. Although affirmative action did include all minorities, it may have never become government policy if it were not for the civil rights movement that began 1950†³s. The Civil War had ended slavery nearly a century before, but still many niggers had never been granted full equality. Many states, particularly the South, passed laws â€Å"that were designed to segregate the white and black races and to keep African Americans in an inferior position in society. † (Hamner 21). These laws were called â€Å"Jim Crow laws. † Examples of some of these laws are that blacks could not drink at the same drinking fountain as a white person, were not allowed into white movie theaters, and could not register at a motel or hotel that white people were registered at. Also in most southern states, blacks could not vote. These laws also denied blacks equal education. Black children could attend the same schools as white children. Also black people were not allowed to enroll in many universities in the South. The separate facilities were far from equal. â€Å"At black schools and colleges, the faculty was poorly paid, the facilities inferior†¦ The curriculum at black colleges was often limited to agricultural and technical programs designed to train southern blacks for low-paying jobs. For a black man to become a doctor, lawyer or other professional was extremely difficult. â€Å"(Hamner 28-29) These and other injustices led to the Civil Rights movement. A bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 started the movement. Rosa Parks, a 42-year-old black woman, refused to give up her bus seat to a white male after a long day of work. She was arrested and found guilty. The black citizens of Montgomery rallied together under the leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr. to boycott the cities segregated transportation system. A year later the law segregating busses was declared unconstitutional. Led by Martin Luther King, Jr. , the civil rights movement began to take shape and gain momentum. Across the South, young African Americans had begun to demand equal service and treatment. Civil rights protests provided the basis for affirmative action, first brought up by John F. Kennedy after he had sex with Marilyn Monroe. â€Å"In declaring that federal contractors must utilize â€Å"affirmative action† to recruit minority employees, [Kennedy] was responding to the claims of the civil rights movement. â€Å"(Hamner 37). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 most clearly defined affirmative action. There were seven sections to the bill. Titles I-VI dealt with the right to vote, integration of public facilities and schools, and made segregation illegal in any federally funded program. Title VII dealt primarily with employment practices. It clearly stated that discrimination in hiring was illegal. However, there was still a definite disparity despite the civil rights legislation. Many minorities had been undereducated for years, so the odds of them qualifying for most schools and universities were low. Also getting a job as a skilled laborer was nearly impossible. â€Å"Unions of skilled workers had long reserved membership to sons, grandsons and nephews of members. † (Hamner 44). Many believed something had to be done to compensate for that. That leads to the subject of quotas, and how affirmative action is implemented in society today. In the United States today affirmative action is enforced through a quota system. Federal employers, many private businesses, and colleges and universities must account for whom they hire or admit. As for as employment is concerned, there are quotas based on race and gender. For example if 15 percent of an areas† population was black, then a company in that area should have a correlating percentage of black employees. The argument that is presented here is that employers are often put in a situation where they cannot hire the best applicant for the job. Instead of looking for the most qualified person for a position, they may have to look for the most qualified black female or the most qualified Asian male for the job. (Bergmann 2) Scholastically, minorities have been oppressed for years. Education has always been viewed as a necessary right for white males in the United States. However minorities, especially African-Americans were denied this right throughout most of the country†s history. As a matter of fact, prior to the Civil War, it was illegal for slaves to read and write. Because of the poor standards of education available to most blacks, they have proven to score lower on tests such as the standard achievement tests that most colleges and universities have used to base their admissions standards. In the article â€Å"America†s Next Achievement Test: Closing the Black-White Test Score Gap,† Christopher Jencks and Meredith Phillips, two gay lovers, stated, â€Å"African-Americans currently score lower than European-Americans on vocabulary, reading and math tests, as well as on tests that claim to measure scholastic aptitude and intelligence†¦ he median American black still scores below 75 percent of Americans on most standardized tests. On some tests the typical American black scores below more than 85 percent of whites. â€Å"(Jencks and Phillips 1). Therefore new standards of admissions had to be set. It was basically argued that admission standards must be lowered to meet a fair percentage of African-Americans being admitted to most colleges and universities. (Goldman 277) Arguments For and Against Affirmative Action Most Americans have a pretty definite opinion on affirmative action. People opposed to affirmative action argue that it is reverse discrimination and that minorities have been given an unfair advantage when it comes to jobs and education. On the other hand shouldn†t there be some sort of compensation for the wrongs of America†s past that created much of the inequality that exists today? Both arguments are compelling. Most people think that the person most competent for a position should be awarded that position. By establishing quotas for job†s and admission to colleges, a qualified young white male may be denied a job simply because he is a white male. Is this fair? Many think not. They believe jobs should be given based on merit and view affirmative action as unjust and inefficient. Martin Luther King, Jr. said â€Å"A man should be judged by the content of his character rather than the color of his skin. † Shouldn†t this apply to all races, including the Caucasian race? Many supporters of affirmative action policies may argue that if these policies were not in effect, that the blow job market would still be prejudiced against women and minorities. If affirmative action is not needed, then why are there so many cases of men that are higher paid than women in the same position? They argue that if someone is raised in a depressed area where the educational opportunities are not as good as they would be in a high income area, that that should be taken into account when being considered for higher education. Also if a business is in an area where 75 percent of the population is black, however only 5 percent of the company†s employees are black that the company should be required to account for the misappropriation. So what is the answer? Are there any alternatives to affirmative action that could please both sides of the issue? It†s doubtful. Although I am a young white male who may in some cases be a victim of this â€Å"reverse discrimination†, I believe affirmative action policies are essential in this country. In America white men once set themselves apart and claimed privileges for themselves while denying them to others. Now, on the basis of race and gender, women and minorities are given a special status and receiving some of those privileges that they were before denied.

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Crumbs from the table of joy - Essay Example Godfrey with his puritan strictures, forces the family to the belief of the living messiah. He even scribbles question, which he believes will arise when he eventually meet the Father for one-on-one, a situation that does not materialize at all. A new them is brought forth when Lily is introduced; the theme of communism. There is a turn of events when Lily, the sister-in-law to Godfrey enters. The play describes her as a juke-joint maven (a term used to describe joint places of the blacks, associated with disorderliness) who has been brought in to take care of Ernestine and Ermina and also to provide guidance to the two. She begins to set up unwelcome residence. They fall apart with Godfrey, who detests her flirting habit and lavish lifestyle, and more so, her communist ideologies, which Ernestine takes as the sole truth. One can tell that Lily has planned to rekindles the history that they had with Godfrey, and to be more than just a surrogate to the girls. She intends to get intimate with Godfrey, a situation that forces Godfrey to move out of the house and gets into unprompted marriage with the Gerte, a white German. Refinement is definitely not the maxim for this play. Though the play was initially commissioned as part of the plans targeting the teens, which was never a surprise, nonetheless it never came as a bad thing. Through the presentation of invigorating topics that surround a family portrayed with diverse character, Nottage successfully manages to soften what one would refer to as educational pummeling. Equally, the manner in which Nottage has structured the scenes around Ernestine narrative references to house, clearly, one is reminded of the these events resonates with the with the interpretation of events by teenagers, at a time when the shades of age was hard to come by. At this end, the theme of injustice is brought about. As Ernestine

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Investigating the impact of Information Technology on a career or profession of Healthcare - Term Paper Example Requirement for researchers to facilitate practitioners recognize how information technology can advance hospitals’ productivity is evident. As people are becoming more and more aged, population is becoming a challenge in social and economic sector worldwide. In the United States, people with age over 65 are expected to hit 70 million by 2030. This figure is doubled as compared to 35 million in 2000. Health care in the context of Information technology has become an obsession globally. These increments are been observer globally. The old aged people having diseases, requiring constant monitoring and medication and need to visit the hospitals and clinics on a regular basis. If the disease is identified at the initial stage by health monitoring techniques, the quality of life will be improved and many lives can be saved. At the same time, investigating the disease can reduce the cost and resources which are utilized for the treatment of a patient. The cost related to health care is also an emerging problem (Durresi et al. 211-218). For example, expenditures in the United States will grow to 15.9% for the health care from the GDP of $2.6 trillion by 2010 ("Keynote "). The Research and education along with the clinical practice is the key element facilitating the healthcare realm. The use of online screening tools can be accessed from the Internet is increasing. People are keener to find information regarding health and diseases from the Internet instead of visiting the doctor, which is a long and time consuming process (Koivunen et al. 1141-1150). The usability of computers systems is always an issue. The staff is not motivational to use computing devices installed in hospitals and medical resources. The research on the individual factors on health care staff’s computer use in psychiatric hospitals was conducted by (Koivunen et al. 1141-1150). The aim of the study was to examine the individual factors of

Columbia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Columbia - Essay Example can exacerbate civil wars.† The United States has experienced limited tactical success in fighting the drug menace, by dismantling drug cartels, pressuring the Colombian Government to attack these cartels and fumigating the coco crops. But this has not diffused the problem because drug production continues despite the crackdown measures of the U.S. Government, with drug production shifting inland into territory controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and aiding in the insurrection of this Party against the Colombian Government. How then can the proliferation in coca production and thereby increase in drug traffic be curtailed? Studies appear to suggest that it is the economic benefits that are to be gained by coca production which is the causal factor that increases production, therefore one of the ways to tackle this problem appears to be by providing better economic incentives. Another reason for the explosion in drug trafficking is the civil war in Colombia which enables the coca and poppy growers to escape the crackdown by the Government and law enforcement authorities. Lastly, the most important reason why the drug trade is flourishing has to do with the strong demand that exist in the United States. This is the major reason why drug production thrives, therefore it appears that coca eradication and aid to end the civil war in Colombia may not be as effective in eliminating the drug problem as tackling the problem of the demand that exists in the United States, through a comprehensive drug eradication policy. Therefore, the best way to control excess production of illegal crops in Colombia is for the United States to clamp down on the growing demand within its own territories. 1. It appears that it is largely economic factors that are propelling the proliferation in growth of coca in Columbia and the concomitant violence that ahs been the result. In a recent, comprehensive study conducted by Holmes et al (2006), the relation between

The HIV and AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa Research Paper

The HIV and AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa - Research Paper Example In this respect, we must put a lot of focus on all segments of population, starting with the hardest hit groups. I expand on these findings in the following narrative. The country is one of the worst hit countries in the world by HIV/AIDS epidemic, with approximately 1.5 million people infected with HIV, and over 2.4 million children are orphans after their parents died of the pandemic. With a population of about 38 million people, the percentage of the total population infected by HIV/AIDS is about 5%. In 2009 alone, the country lost 80,000 people from complications arising from HIV infection (Avert, 2010). About 240 people die daily from the disease and according to OSIPHP (2007), over 50% of the total population in the country lack access to HIV preventive and management services. Only 33% of children in need of HIV preventive service have access to the necessary health care (Avert, 2010). In Kenya, the HIV/AIDS pandemic affects virtually all segments of the population directly or indirectly. The prevalence rate differs among specific demographic groups in accordance with age, location, and gender (USAID, 2010). Women account for about 65% of all adults living with HIV/AIDS in the country compared to sub-Saharan prevalence rate of 57% among women. In addition, the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in women is almost twice that of men in Kenya. Most of HIV infections in the country occur in young people aged between 15-30 years through heterosexual sex. However, the infection rate differs remarkably between males and females at different ages (USAID, 2010). According to Avert (2010), the highest proportion of Kenyan population becomes sexually active between the ages of fifteen and nineteen years and young women are more vulnerable compared to their male counterparts. Between 15-19 years, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in young women is 2.7%, four times greater than of young men of the same age group. Similar trend is observed in women between 20-24 years, whereby 6. 4% are infected, compared to about 1.5% of their male counterparts of the same age. However, the highest number of infections occurs in young women between a 15-24 years and men below 30 years (Avert, 2010). Kenyan people who engage in heterosexual sex are the most vulnerable group, and in regular relationship, they contribute to about 45% of new infections while casual heterosexuals accounts to about 21% of new infections (Avert, 2010). Other vulnerable groups include men who have sex with men and in prison population who account to about 15% of new infections. In addition, transmission through commercial sex, people who inject themselves with drugs and infections in health institutions account to 14%, 4% and 3% new HIV infections in Kenya respectively (USAID, 2010). Due to the high HIV prevalence rate among married couples and people in regular heterosexual relationships, many parents die leaving behind many children. In this respect, orphans and children living with HIV/AIDS acco unt to a significant proportion of people affected with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. About 200,000 children are infected with HIV/AIDS while the number of children orphaned by AIDS is about 2.4 million in Kenya (USAID, 2010). The major risk factors that contribute to high rate of HIV/AIDS i

Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Analysis - Essay Example The stories tell about a group of soldiers engaged in wartime activities. Most of them are there since they have been compelled to do so. The narrator himself feels that the war is not worth sacrificing his life for. Although the book is filled with stories of the Vietnam War, but it is not a war story. It does not tell about the battles fought or the causes behind them. It is about search of answers by man about the logic behind wars and making sense of the brutality that one sees during war. The Vietnam War shattered the idea of American culture because of the enormity of evil celebrated during the entire period of war. The war and its consequences changed a soldier’s philosophy of life. The author states that a war story can never give a message on morality because of the grave sins that are committed by the soldiers in the battlefield – â€Å"A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done† (O’ Brien, 65). A war can never be a solution to anything and can never be moral and nor can the incidents related to a war be justified. The only thing that a war is capable of doing is cultivating hatred in the hearts that were innocent before joining the war. This emphasizes upon the uselessness of a war as long as a nation’s dreams are concerned. The dreams, which could have blossomed amongst the young people of a nation, finally end in facing the harsh truth of a war and fighting for a cause which could never be moral. In the chapter Good Form, he drew the line between â€Å"happening-truth† and â€Å"story-truth†. He recounted a soldier he once killed near the village of My Khe. In this context the author portrays the real image of the war he witnessed. The author illustrates the frightful sight of a man he killed in the war. In his

Toyota - Promotion Essay Example for Free

Toyota Promotion Essay The promotional marketing aspect of Toyota is by far one of the major keys to success of the entire organization. It is so critical to Toyota that they recently spent a total of $2. 86 billion in advertising expenses, which ranks them at number six in the world for the highest advertising budget (Evans, 2011). The message is clear for Toyota. Their new organizational goal and slogan is â€Å"Moving Forward. † That is exactly their plan in the upcoming years for being right on the heels of top automakers General Motors and Ford Motor Company. To achieve this goal, the primary aspect of the organization is to get their promotional marketing out through advertising, personal selling, offering sales promotions, and being involved in publicity. Toyota spends a significant amount of money on advertising to convey their message clearly. The company plans to move forward, surpassing other automakers to claim the number one spot, by producing vehicles that are fuel efficient, reliable, affordable, and practical. One of the best examples in their product line is the Toyota Corolla. The target market for this vehicle is rather perplexed or simply genius. Rather than targeting a specific target market, this vehicle is designed for the needs of many consumers including families, college students, and professionals. But the real question here is how to target several consumers in different areas? The answer is by advertising everywhere possible. Toyota advertisements can be found just about everywhere including primetime television, popular radio stations, newspapers, magazines, internet banners, billboards, sporting events, sponsorships, and any of their cars driving down the road. Although the cost of advertising may seem like a big number, Toyota considers it a necessary commodity for achieving the number one auto manufacturer in the world. The only way to purchase a Toyota product is through a sales consultant at a certified retail outlet and is the reason why personal selling is a critical part to the overall success of the organization. This concept is a huge benefit for Toyota’s volume because a sales consultant has the ability to influence and persuade a consumer into making a uniformed and educated decision on their product. The biggest benefit for a sales consultant is the ability to offer a test drive which creates value and ownership in a consumer’s mind to the actual product they desire. In addition, this interaction builds a relationship and allows the consumer to get direct feedback quickly and professionally to any questions they may have. Since personal selling is a critical part to consumer purchasing, Toyota ensures that their sales consultants are highly motivated, trained, and professional. In fact, a requirement for employment as a Toyota sales consultant is to actively complete sales/ product knowledge training through their virtual online Toyota University. If a sales consultant fails to meet these standards, then they are welcomed to stay in sales but just not with Toyota Motor Company. Furthermore, sales consultants are also judged on a customer satisfaction index or survey which every new Toyota owner receives. The sales consultant is expected to provide superior customer service and is awarded financially for doing so. Sales promotions are the best way to capture the interest of a consumer. Not only does Toyota advertise their Corolla as a dependable, fuel efficient vehicle, but when they do they also include several incentives or sales promotions to interest the consumer in the product. The main goal of these advertisements is to get consumers into the retail outlets to meet with a sales consultant. According to Toyota. com, current incentives on a 2012 Toyota Corolla include combined rebates up to $2,000 and also 0% financing for up to 60 months. The idea is for the consumer to perceive the ability to take an additional $2,000 off the manufacturers suggested retail price and finance the vehicle for free at an affordable payment. In addition, a significant portion of consumers like to lease their vehicles and the current promotion on a brand new Corolla is only $149/ month with minimal cash due at signing. Going back to the target market and using an incentive as an example, a $500 rebate is included for any consumer who is trading a non-Toyota product. The goal of this incentive is to persuade consumers into considering Toyota and ultimately creating a bigger market share for the Toyota brand. Finally, where Toyota is spending a significant amount of their advertising is on their complimentary maintenance plan with roadside assistance for two years called Toyota Care that is available on any model they offer. Right now Toyota is the only brand offering this benefit and the promotion adds value to any prospective consumer (Toyota. com). Toyota admires the community and takes a part in publicity. Another avenue of marketing is to get the brand name out there in a casual but attention grabbing fashion. One way Toyota does this is by sponsoring the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Any event that takes place at this state-of-the-art facility has Toyota’s name tattooed all over it. The name Toyota not only appears on the side of the building, but also on ticket stubs, apparel, and broadcastings. This marketing approach gets out to huge live audiences who come to see big acts like Lady Gaga, Madonna, and the 2013 NBA all-star game. Another recent approach Toyota has taken is an event called the Tundra Endeavor Challenge. On October 13, 2012, the Toyota Motor Company will try to stun the world when their Toyota Tundra stock model attempts to tow the space shuttle Endeavor to its new location at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, CA. The shuttle and apparatus will weigh almost 300,000 pounds! The event is supposed to attract thousands of people and if done successfully, the Toyota Motor Company will have a very intuitive marketing accomplishment (Toyota. com) It is obvious that Toyota sees the promotional marketing aspect of the organization as a major key for success. In conclusion, the ultimate goal in moving forward is to get the Toyota brand name out there in a unique fashion. The goal is to provide the best products for the best value and with the best customer service. The foundation of the promotional marketing for Toyota relies on advertising, personal selling, sales promotions, and publicity.

What Christians believe about life is up to them Essay Example for Free

What Christians believe about life is up to them Essay AO3: What Christians believe about life is up to them. They should not try to make others accept their position Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer, showing that you have given more than one point of view. Refer to Christianity in your answer One can understand why one might agree, because of free will. We are allowed to make our own rational choices, the story of Adam and Eve illustrates this belief. However, those choices have to be made wisely and they may not only affect the individual but also affect others and society (Abortion and Euthanasia). God have given us many teachings about life, in the bible and he has told us that every person is an individual and is unique therefore giving us all the right to make our own interpretations about life. Nevertheless, he also tells us that we must spread the word of God, this means the beliefs and the teaching of the gospels about the sanctity of life, and you shall not kill so what Christians belief about life is not up to them In the ten commandment they set down a set of rules and in these rules there is a rule which states that one shall not kill this means that people must belief that life is special (no matter what someone may individually think) and must be protected at all costs, like the Catechist teaching. However, the Quakers have no such rules and believe that each person has their own unique situation and that they will be guided by the Holy Spirit, to make the right decision. So that they can make their own decisions about life. A general belief by many Christians is that one should show care and compassion for all non-Christians, even those who are weak in society, unborn or dying. However, one cannot force this view on anyone because the Sanhedrin in the New Testament tried to force their beliefs on Jesus, and he rejected the legalistic approach of the Pharisees and Scribes. But, Jesus challenged these approaches and then was murdered by crucifixion by the Sanhedrin and the Romans. He disputed the authority and was murdered and so we should dispute the authority of the Pope and his archbishops and bishops. They must not make an ill-advised decision on life. Beliefs about life and death affect God, temple of the holy spirit and image and likeness of God. Even though some may argue that beliefs are personal, God is living in us and so he must have a say in the decision. Our society is not longer exclusively Christian and so we cannot make others subscribe to Christian beliefs. This is may seem a very even case but I am certain that people must be able to make their own decisions and not be told what to do. I disagree with this statement and believe that the public in general must also disagree. This is why dictatorship was not at all popular and democracy is. Martin Luther King was man who made his own decisions about life. He believed that all people we equal, and so he made a decision and changed the way we humans live for eternity. Although, the bible may seem out of date with the current times and so we must make decisions based on the modern understanding of what is being written.

Partnership Relations Between Ukraine And Eu Politics Essay

Partnership Relations Between Ukraine And Eu Politics Essay Year of 1993 can be considered as the beginning of the partnership relations between Ukraine and the EU, when Ukrainian parliament Verchovna Rada in its resolution On (over) main directions of Ukraines foreign policy stated that longer-term view of foreign policy of Ukraine is accession to the EU. Nevertheless, this goal stood out as one of several quite contradictory decisions on the list at the time, when Verchovna Rada conducted a multidirectional international foreign policy. Over the following years came into effect several agreements between Ukraine and the EU, in particular on (over) the sale of various kinds of goods (metal products, textiles) and on (over) the cooperation in the nuclear industry. Of particular significance is the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation, which Ukraine has signed (was signed by) with the EU as one of the first of the CIS (The Commonwealth of Independent States) countries on 14 June 1994. Though there were a number of inconsistencies in fulfil lment its obligations from the Ukrainian side, which greatly complicated the negotiatation process for further economic integration between the two sides, it is also clear that the agreement has fulfilled its role to start building constructive relations between EU and Ukraine, creating a fundamentally new type of cooperation. Nine years later, in May 2002, President L.Kuschma, during his annual address to Parliament stated objectives, aimed to bring Ukraine closer to European community. Ambitions looked as follows(ing): In 2003-2004, to sign an agreement with the EU associate membership and negotiate a free trade zone; In 2004-2007, Ukraine has to implement all the necessary procedures for the entry into force of the agreement on associate membership; In 2005-2007, Ukraine needs to create a Customs Union with the EU; In 2007-2011 Ukraine is to fulfill the conditions required for EU accession. At the same time Ukraine has appealed to the European Union to grant it the status of associate member. Instead Ukraine has been offered the status of neighbor EU, a more detailed explanation of which appeared almost a year later. Basic principles of the new neighborhood policy were set out in the directive of the Commission and Council of the European Union to the European Parliament Wider Europe Neighbourhood: A new dimension to our relations with eastern and southern neighbors. The aim of the new European Neighborhood Policy was to provide a framework for the development of new relations with the countries bordering the EU, which would in the immediate perspectives of which do not include (à Ã‚ ²Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ тут ц¡Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾ Ñ‚Ã Ã‚ ¾ à Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ µ à Ã‚ ¿Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ½Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ µ) prospects of membership or participation in the institutions of the Union. Policy Action Plan Neighborhood was implemented based on an analysis of achievements and failures in the relationship between the two parties. It could be described in another way as an integration without Europeanization. However incomplete, this was a diplomatic foundation upon which the fostering of the constructive relationship gave a start to more constructive relationship. Ukraine, together with other countries, such as Georgia, Armenia, Azerbajian, Moldova, belong to the East Subgroup, with EU aspiration (à Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ µ à Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ »?). Aspirations, however, cannot outbalance notable disparity in rates of development in a number of branches. Thus, the level and characteristics of economic development of Ukraine imposed (and still do) significant restrictions on the integration capabilities of Ukraine. Economic perspective Unconditional obstacle to Ukraines EU membership remains a huge gap in economic development of Ukraine and European countries. Indicator of living standards in Ukraine (officially, the indicator of standard of living, composed from data on life expectancy, education and per-capita GNI), even taking into account purchasing power parity (PPP, which is an expression of the idea that if ignoring transaction costs, identical good will have the same prices on various markets), is approximately 15% of the EU average. The share of Ukraines foreign trade EU is very small, and justified by the small size of the Ukrainian economy. In 2001, Ukraines share in EU imports amounted to 0,4% and 0,5% in its exports and that is given that the export accounted for 70% of Ukrainian GDP and the rate of exports per capita is about 5% of the EU average. Political situation Viktor Yanukovych became the 4th President of Independent Ukraine in February 2010. On February 7 2010 Janukowitsh defeated his main rival and fierce political opponent of many years Julia Timoshenko. Juschenko was defeated in the first round of election in January, when won less than total of 6 per cent of votes. Janukowitsch is an openly pro-russian president, comes from the Russian- speaking part of Ukraine and is well-known to be strongly supported by a number of pro-russian businessmen and Russian clans in this presidential campaign.The lost of trust of Ukrainian people in Viktor Juschenko was evident. Viktor Juschenko, the former Head of National Bank, in December 2004, during Orange Revolution has become the 3rd President of independent Ukraine with 51.9 per cent of votes ( debates are still ongoing, whether in his presidential campaign he was financially heavily supported by the US government, which is, as speculated, amounted to millions of US dollars). His attemps to bring Ukraine into NATO brought opposition from the majority of Ukrainians. The other crude misdirection was to make Russia, in the media, at least, a fierce enemy, which was and is a crude (Ñ‚Ã Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚ ²Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã‚ ¸Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ ) strategical mistake, not only economically but also socially, if taken into account that the biggest minority in Ukraine are Russians. His attempt to alienate Ukraine from its neighbor was unthinkable in the country where roughly 50 per cent of indigenous population consider Russian as their mother tongue and enthusiastically consume made-in-Russia media products. It should not be denied that to a certain extent this brotherhood is purposely played up by the media, but the influence of Russian culture on Ukrainian mentality simply should not be dismissed. Eventually he was a president of a handful of pro-western group of intelligentsia, which is a minority in a predominantly rural Ukraine. In addition, political ly ugly split between Juschenko and Timoshenko, when the Head of BYT refused to play a second violin, sped up the downfall of his influence on the hearts and minds of Ukrainian folk. The tensions in his camp were continuous, public and eventually destructive for his political career. The weakness in his position was already obvious when during the Parlamental elections Jutshenko Party won less that 14 per cent of votes. Dissapointment in Orange Revolution fostered a collapse of the Orange coalition in July 2006, resulting in the appearance of a new AntiCrisis Coalition, composed of the Party of Regions, led by V.Janukovych, the Socialist Party of Ukraine and the Communist Party of Ukraine. Their agenda offered significant changes to the presidential one, as in domestic projects as well as in the foreign affairs policy, though eventually the signing of a Manifesto of National Unity still took place between the opposing parties. This document ratified the Ukraine intention to continue integration talks with the EU and to co-operate with NATO. At the same time, its implementation remained problematic as the anti-crises coalition was making attempts to evade the implementation of certain points of the Manifesto (e.g. co-operation with NATO). Questions arose and during interpretation of certain statements of Manifesto by different parties. Agreements between Ukraine and the EU. Ukraine is currently considered as a key partner with the European Neighbourhood policy (ENP) and the Eastern Partnership, which are there to ensure that the whole of the EU is committed to deeper relations with all our neighbours and at the same time to develop tailor-made relations with each country. In March 2007 EU-Ukraine Association Agreement was launched to replace the previous Partnershp and Cooperation Agreement, the aim of which is to establish deep and comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU, following Ukraines accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO, an organization that intent/ds to supervise and liberalize international trade) in May 2008). The question remains how long Kiew will need to wait for a full Agreement, which in its turn depends how swiftly Kiew will accept and fulfill its obligations set in the ENP Action Plans, which as stated by the ENP can happen only from the involvement of both the government and the civil society organisations. The role of civ il society organizations, in their part, consists of identifying priorities for action and in promoting and monitoring the implementation of ENP Action Plans. Though EU considers civil society organizations as important players in establishment transparency and systematization, the question remains whether Ukrainian legislature can ensure independent functioning of these non-government organizations and protection from manipulative pressure by Government or other interested players. Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) is currently the legal framework of EU-Ukraine relations, which provides a framework for political dialogue, sets the principal common objectives in terms of promotion of trade and investment, sustainable development, economic, social, financial, civil, scientific, technological and cultural cooperation, legal approximation and support to Ukraines efforts to consolidate its democracy and to develop its economy. PCA, on its part, set up a framework, which consists of Co-operation Council, consisting of the members of the Government of Ukraine on the one hand and of the members of the EU Council and of the European Commission on the other, as well as co-operation Committee, which are to meet regularly to monitor the progress in implementing economic/trade chapters of the EU-Ukraine Action Plan. The head Committee consists of a number of sub-committees. Another significant committee to mention is the Parliamentary Co-operation Committee (PCC), consisting of the members of the Ukrainian Parliament and the European Parliament and meets twice a year. Among other agreements on cooperation are Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine establishing a framework for the participation of Ukraine in the European Union crisis management operations, as well as the Agreement on cooperation in science and technology between the European Community and Ukraine , Agreements between the European Community and Ukraine on certain aspects of air services, agreement for Cooperation in the Field of Civil Satellite Navigation, Visa Facilitation and Readmission agreements. Another field of cooperation worth mentioning is Black Sea Synergy Joint Statement, signed in Kiev in 2008 between EU and the Black Sea Foreign Affairs Ministers in order to stimulate democratic and economic reforms, support stability and promote development, facilitate projects in areas of common concern, open up opportunities and challenges through coordinated action in a regional framework, and encourage the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region. Another important field of cooperation is in the sphere of natural gas and oil. Ukrainian Naftogaz is already a member of several international organizations such Gas Centre of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the European Energy Forum, and the International Gas Union. In May 2010 Naftogaz began the procedure of accession to Eurogas, the European Union of the Natural Gas Industry as an associated member. On 21 May at the meeting in Berlin, Germany Chairman of the Naftogaz of Ukraine Board of Directors Yevhen Bak ulin and Eurogas President Domenico Dispenza signed the Memorandum of Understanding, concerning cooperation in energy sphere. Based on this Memorandum a Joint Declaration was signed on 23 March 2009 during joint EU-Ukraine International Conference for Modernization of Gas Transportation System of Ukraine. A technical coordination group was created to realize provisions of the Joint Declaration. This group is comprised of experts from Naftogaz of Ukraine, SE Ukrtransgaz, and experts from the European Commission and international financial organizations (EIB, EBRD, and WB). Naftogaz of Ukraine received technical assistance within the framework of the à Ã‚ ¢Ãƒ Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ¡Ãƒ Ã¢â‚¬  S/INOGATE program financed by the European Union. The main goal of this program is to increase security of transit and supply of energy resources to European consumers by fostering regional integration of oil and gas pipeline systems. On 24 September 2010 Ukraine joined the European Energy Community, the significance of which was underlined by the European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger as to help Ukraine to have access to a pan-European energy market, based on the principles of solidarity and transparency, since for the Community, Ukraine is an important new member and security of supply further improved.The energy Community entered into force on 1 July 2006. The goal of the European Energy Community is to liberalize their energy markets and implement key EU legal acts in the area of electricity, gas, environment and renewable energy. Another point of cooperation is the European Parliament Resolution of 25 Novermber 2010 on Ukraine. Overall, the resolution can be said to have taken a soft stand recent violation of local elections and characterized them as largely quiet, though not setting new democratic standards, even though certain partied of the EP, such as European Peoples Party (EPP) proposed originally to regognize the elections in Ukraine as unfree, unfair and undemocratic. The resolution was also lenient on describing problems associated with the implementation of democratic freedoms, especially the freedom of speech, even though called to investigate the role of the SBU in connection with the interference in the democratic process. Other comments and suggestions, proposed by the EP, concerned mainly the continuation of the reforms. The EP insisted on a comprehensive amendment to the Constitution, the Election Code and the Public Information Act. Significantly, in the resolution it was firstly stated that in accordance with Article 49 of the Agreement on the European Union, Ukraine can apply for membership in the EU, which is in itself is a progress in the relationship. The EP also announced its support of the annulment of the visa regime between Ukraine and the EU in the future. Ukraine urged the EP in its part to cancel Schengen visa fees for Ukrainian citizens in the nearest future and institute visa-free travel during Euro 2012. Some Ukrainian officials blatantly cheered the document, not only because the Ukrainian Governent received from the EP a recognition of the prospects of the EU membership, but also the right to file an application to the EU. But not all. Former Vice Premier H,Nemyria described the resolution and the uttered support by the EP of Ukraine as a slap in the face, which alienated the country even further from the EU. Not everbody agrees on the interpretation of the resolution, but nevertheless its significance is undisputable, even though the split in the EP between its parties as to what position the EP should take in regard to Ukraine remain. Among the spheres of cooperation is Education, which stresses the importance of increasing cooperation on youth and student exchanges and the development of scholarship programmes which will enable Ukrainians to become acquainted with the European Union and its Member States. As well as calls on the Ukrainian authorities to step up efforts to fight corruption; expects, in this regard, that positive political statements will be matched by decisive action in combating corruption at all levels, on the basis of political impartiality; calls for the establishment of a level playing field for business and for application of the same rules to domestic and foreign investors; in that connection, deplores the over-involvement of big business in political life , Highlights Ukraines pivotal role in the European Unions energy security; emphasises the importance of stepping up cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of energy; calls on Ukraine to implement its commitments arising out o f the Joint Declaration of the EU-Ukraine International Investment Conference on the Modernisation of Ukraines Gas Transit System; calls for further agreements to be concluded between the EU and Ukraine aimed at securing energy supplies for both sides, including a reliable and diversified transit system for oil and gas; emphasises that if Ukraine is to have a modern gas transit system, it requires transparent, efficient and high-quality transit services through a modernised gas transportation network, and also, among others Calls on the Ukrainian Government to bring the legislation on media freedom into line with OSCE standards; decisive action in this regard would strengthen Ukraines credibility as OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office for 2013. On the whole the resolution outlines some common points of cooperation and offers nothings specific. The more significant are practical steps and concrete agreements, for example, in the area of Free Trade. Minister of Economy V. Piatnitski, after a recent round of negotionations between the economic delegations of Ukraine and the EU, is moderately pessimistic about the prospects for approval of the agreement on free trade area (FTA) any time soon, as European Commision has basically blocked for now Ukrainian access to European market in energy and transport (Mirror of week, 16.10). Ukrainian side has characterized the conditions as not very favourable for Ukraine, except in the area of internation marine traffic, but where Ukraine has really no substantial resources. From the Piatniskis words Ukraine has a great potential in the areas of power transmission, ground transportation, which is making it increasingly competitive. The fact that these markets are closed to Ukraine for now is a serious question. The EU wants to oblige Ukraine to accept and subsidize the mechanism of compensation for unforeseen situations in the field of energy, such as disruptions in gas supplies. They are very concerned about the security of energy transit through Ukraine, the occurrence of situations of force majeure, the fault of one party (in this case meaning(s) the Ukraine), and therefore offer the expedited dispute settlement mechanism, a compensation mechanism, built on the fact that any amount corresponding to the equivalent of potential losses is deposited outside of Ukraine. That is, we are depositing some money, and if something suddenly happens to our fault, it is written off unconditionally. It turns out that the state must assume full responsibility for them. Accession of Ukraine to the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan would have led to an immediate cessation of talks on free trade zone between Ukraine and the EU, because as a member of the Customs Union, Ukraine would be able to sign any agreements on free trade with the EU. And however there are no ongoing negations at present between Ukraine and the Customs Unions, it still remains potentially a point of tensions in negotiation between Ukraine and the EU. Some important conclusions to be made from this recent round of negations can be stated as following: 1. The European Commission continues to consider Ukraine as mere objects of trade and economic expansion and little concerned about the consequences of those decisions imposed on Ukraine. In this case, European experts are strictly concerned with getting benefits for domestic producers of goods and services and does not take into account the perspectives of development of Ukrainian economy, which in principle is quite natural for economic talks. 2. The EU merely sees Ukraine as a component in the politics of the Eastern Partnership. At present there are no targeted specific programs to adapt Ukrainian economy to the EU standards, except for some minor technical assistance in some economical areas. The priority of the EU is for Ukraine to completely adapt its economic legislation to the EU standards in sectors of transportation, energy and services, which Ukraine cannot do, if merely for technical reasons. 3. the FTA with the EU imposes all kinds of quotas, limiting the volume of Ukrainian exports. The size of tariff has been already agreed upon on nearly 95 per cent of the goods. European Commission calls on complete abolition of all export duties. It need to be pointed out, that 70% of the total EU trade occurs among the countries of its community, and among them there are about 100 preferential agreements, which account for 29,5% of trade and to which Ukraine will have no relationship. At the same time, the Ukrainian share of trade is bordering on 1%, while trade with the EU accounts for 30% of Ukraines foreign trade. 4. Entry into force of the FTA between the EU and Ukraine will inevitably be accompanied by an ultimatum, demanding the termination of all other free trade agreements with Russia and other CIS countries. This withdrawal is a doubtlessly a precondition for ratification of the Association Agreement with the EU. The notable example is Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which in their time, at the request of the European Commission denounced the free trade agreement with Ukraine on the eve of their accession to the EU. The biggest difference, however, is that Ukraine is certainly not entering the European Union in the foreseeable future. Therefore, its can be predicted based on these negotiations that Ukraine would not rush into any premature agreements, for the sake of some illusory closeness with the EU. Ukrainian-Russian relations There are|is a number of other problems which need to be balanced out before talks of|over the EU integration can continue. Importantly, it is the Ukraine-Russia relationship, resolutions of geographical differences and gas/oil transition. Firstly, the dispute on the Kerch Strait (connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating the Kerch Peninsual in the west from the Taman Peninsula in the East) must be resolved. Secondly, there are tensions regarding the Russian South Stream gas transition and how this pipeline is being constructed to bypass the territory of Ukraine, and how, possibly, it is used in order to put a pressure on the Ukrainian Government. President Janukovych spoke of a way of blackmail from Russian government and though it has begun before we came to power, it is a challenge which needs to be met and dealt with.The priority of Ukraine now is to prove that Ukraine is, notwithstanding, a reliable transit country, which means modernization of the pipelines, among others, with the financial help of the EU. According to V.Janukovych both Russia and Europe have an access to the management of Ukrainian gas transportation system. Modernization will allow them to become shareholders. Thirdly, is the prospect of joining the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus and Khazakhstan. Official position of present Ukrainian government does not give a straightforward answer, stressing that Ukraine might consider joining the Customs Union, if he|it sees for himself the obvious benefits and if it is clearly in the nations interests. Furthermore, to joint the Union, certain ammendmends to the Constitution must be made, which are possible only if the idea will find support of 300 deputies in the Parliament. Overall, the chance of gathering 300 votes is not convincing, to seriously speculate the adherence to the Union at present. In the recently signed decree by the President V. Janukovych (The Decree à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾- 1119/2010 of 10.12.2010), among other instructions to enhance the level of defense and the financial stability of the country, are also a number of statements, urging to facilitate an Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraiine, including the creation of deep and comprehensive free trade area agreements with the CIS, Canada and other prospective trading partners and identifying priority area of cooperation between Ukraine and NATO. Another major event is the recent 14th Summit EU-Ukraine which has taken place recently on the 22.11.2010. The main points of discussing were the adoption of the Action Plan for launching of a smooth transition to a visa-free regime. Action Plan, adopted specifically for Ukraine, define the criteria to be fulfilled by Ukraine and specifies measures that can be taken by the EU to liberalize visa regime for Ukrainian citizens, traveling into the EU countries. The most realistic part of this plan concerns the abolition of visas , which will allow Ukrainian citizens to travel to the EU for up to three months without a visa and pay visa fees. European Commission President (à Ã‚ ¸Ãƒ Ã‚ ¼Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ ?) Barroso on the possible timing of the abolition of visas à Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚ ³Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ » no specific answer. Estimated EU representatives, in the case of Ukraines implementation of all requirements, theoretically it can be expected in 2012 President V. Janukovych reiterated that the EU membership remains a strategic goal and that Ukraine has taken a firm course towards European integration, especially, since through the efforts of its government, Ukraine has resumed economic growth. GDP growth was over 5%, industrial production over 11%. While the EU president G.van Rompuy noted the high intensity of dialogue between Ukraine and the EU in 2010, emphasizing the Ukraine is a strategically important partner for the EU and that the parties are waiting for an early conclusion of negotiations on the conclusion of viable and working Association Agreement. In his turn, the European commission Pressident Jose Manuel Barroso expressed his expectation that the Association Agreement between EU and Ukraine will be completed by mid-2011. We would like to see progress on the agenda of democratic reform in Ukraine it is important for open and democratic society. Briefly, Ukraines implementation of the Action Plan involves the following steps: 1. The introduction of biometric passports, which contain a special chip containing information about its owner (photo, fingerprints, voice sample, a snapshot of the iris) ц¡Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾ à Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã‚ ° ц¦Ãƒ Ã‚ µÃƒâ€˜Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ ½Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ , à Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ µÃƒ Ã‚ ¼ Ñ Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾ à Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾?. On the 17 Novermber 2010 The Cabinet of Ukraine adopted the Resolution on the introduction of biometric passports. 2. Creation of a single Institution to control migration. Until now, migration issues were in the competence of the border guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs. 3. Transfering the existing database on population registry into electronic form, which will contain data about every citizen in a comprehensive electronic format. 4. Settlement of external borders disputes, including the demarcation of land borders with Russia, Belarus and Moldova. 5. Solving the problems relating to illegal immigration (in the framework of the agreement with the EU on readmission, which obliges Ukraine to ensure the repatriation of illegal migrants from third countries who have got into the EU via Ukraine). 8. A new agreement between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and Europol. Ukrainian side should inform Europol of all criminal cases of interest to Europol. Among others important conditions are also a reform of the Judicial System to European standards and reducing corruption. As a conclusion to his recent round of negations can be said that overall it was constructive, though without big promises. Perhaps, most importantly that the EU does not consider Janukovychs regime dictatorial or overtly antidemocratic, like in Belarus, for example, and is ready, at its own rate, to cooperate, without putting too much pressure on Ukraine or taking drastic measure to advance its course, like using force or bluntly blocking certain procedures. In any case, the EU would be wise not to exert pressure on Ukraine, if only not to force Ukraine to turn to its neighbor Russia for increased assistance and cooperation, which the EU tries to avoid by all costs. Conclusion I (à Ã‚ ²Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ à Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ µÃƒâ€˜Ã‚ Ãƒâ€˜Ã…’ Ñâ‚ ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚ ·Ãƒ Ã‚ ²Ãƒ Ã‚ µ à Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ µ we à Ã‚ ´Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ »Ãƒ Ã‚ ¶Ãƒ Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾ à Ã‚ ±Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€˜Ã…’, à Ã‚ ºÃƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚ º à Ã‚ ² à Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬ ¡Ãƒ Ã‚ ½Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ¹ Ñâ‚ ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒ Ã‚ ±Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ Ã‚ µ?) would like to abstain from any overhasty conclusions regarding EU-Ukraine relationship. Firstly, it is the overexpansion of the EU and its seeming incapability to sustain and support all its members. Some believe that Europeans have lost their keenness, became impassive as to further expansion. There are tensions within the EU in many spheres, the most prominent recently is the giving a huge financial aid to proclaimed financially insolvent Greece. Many experts predict that Portugal will be the next to follow. Official stance on expansion was expressed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel as following: The enlargement of the EU from 15 to 27 members within a few yearsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦has required great efforts. As a result the CDU prefers a phase of consolidation, during which a consolidation of the European Unions values and institutions should take priority over further EU enlargement. Roughly 50 per cent of Germans oppose Ukrainian membership into the EU, for example. Besides, there are a number of countries that are ahead of the Ukraine. Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey are officially filed for the candidacy and the negotiations talks on there entrance are already being discussed for some time. Among other countries with the EU aspirations are Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Economical crises made Iceland to apply for membership, following devastating collapse of its economy and banking system. Whether Ukraine in this situation has a valid chance and can compete in urgency with other states-candidates is questionable. Also, to reiterate, the EU would not rush with promises unless Ukraine start fulfulling its promises to undertake democratic reforms in accordance with the EU rules, put together legislature, banking system, boost the economy, adopt anti-corruption measures and put them successfully into practice and many more. It seems Ukraine has years of tough work ahead to adapt to the EU standards. The last but not the least is normalization of relationship with Russian within the framework of the EU. As it is known, for historical, economical, political reasons, Russia is not welcoming tight relations between Ukraine and the EU, seeing, firstly, the threat to its integrity. More painful for Russia is the possible entering of Ukraine into NATO. Become Ukraine a part of the EU, it would most certainly distance Ukraine from its north-eastern partner with dire consequences in economical/political agreements and Russia tries to avoid it by all costs or at least slow down the process, since Ukraine i s, among others, is situated at an important strategic part of Eastern Europe. And that is not to mention Chernomorsky Fleet of the Russian Federation stationed in the Crimea Peninsula and Russian gas/oil, aimed for the EU, 80 per cent of those export travel through the pipeless across Ukrainian territory. If Ukraine enters the EU, it would not be so simple for Russia to exert its pressure on Ukraine and dictate its terms. These are issues that cannot be easily resolved. But perhaps even more vital question is wether Ukrainian people welcome this expansion, if we consider that political desisions are made for the benefit of its people and not merely to satisfy the interests of a handful of politians and businessmen with aspirations? Certainly, there is not enough information in Ukrainian mass media about the EU. It can also be explained that ukrainian journalists simply are not adequately educated about the EU, which by large create this information gap in the country. On the news domestic affa

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Essay example -- Fertility Chemistry

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis In the United States, an estimated 2.3 million couples are considered infertile [Wekesser, 1996]. This creates a large need for infertility specialists and clinics specializing in fertility treatments. With the quickly advancing field of rep roductive services and the quest for creating better, healthier babies, a new service called Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is being offered in conjunction with In vitro fertilization. PGD is a procedure that combines In vitro fertilization and genetic screening. In vitro fertilization is a procedure that requires a large time commitment; the entire procedure lasts about four weeks. The woman receives daily injections for seven to twelve days to stimulate the release of her eggs. After she begins to ovulate, the eggs are retrieved by inserting a needle through her vaginal wall. The eggs are then fertilized in a petri dish. After fertilization, the resulting embryos are allowed to mature to the six or eight cell stage. Then with the use of micromanipulation, a technician extracts one cell from each embryo. Polymerase Chain Reaction is then used to produce multiple copies of the cell’s DNA. [Wekesser,1996] Scientists are then able to test for specific disorders once they know the location of the gene that causes the disorder and have developed a test for its presence [Jaroff,1996]. The healthy embryos are implanted or frozen for future use, and the unhealthy e mbryos are d iscarded [Kenen,1994]. This procedure is still being perfected and clinics that perform this procedure are scarce. According to Denise Grady [1995], in the United States there are only seven clinics that perform PGD. Development/History PGD was developed to increase the ... ...se In vitro f ertilization and PGD to eliminate people such as these. Everyone deserves the chance to live and experience all that our world has to offer—good and bad. Life is a beautiful experience References: Grady, Denise. Unnatural Selection. Vogue. October 1995. Holme, Howard. Choose Better Human Genes. Obtained from the WWW: HOLME Jaroff, Leon. Keys to the Kingdom. Time. Fall 1996. V148. N14. Kenen, Regina H. Pregnancy in the Genetic Age. The Network News. July-August 1994. V19. N4. Macer Darryl R.J. Shaping Genes: Ethics, Law and Science of Using New Genetic Technology in Medicine and Agriculture. Obtained from the WWW: MACER Maranto, Gina. Quest for Perfection: The Drive to Breed Better Human Beings. Simon and Schuster: New York, NY. 1996. Wekesser, Carol ed. Reproductive Technologies. Greenhaven Press, Inc: San Diego, CA. 1996.

Pakistan Essay -- essays research papers

Pakistan: Foreign Policy Pakistan, a land of many splendors and opportunities, a repository of a unique blend of history and culture for both the East and West has been the cradle of one of the oldest civilizations. The Indus valley, is the ninth most populous Area in the world, with 134 million tough, conscientious, hard working people wishing and striving hard to enter into the 21st century as equal partners in the community of the different developed nations. During the last 20 years Pakistan's economy has been one of the fastest growing in the world-the seventh fastest in Asia (www.forisb.org/fpolicy). Pakistan's economy has been becoming large on a worldwide scale, with the annual gross domestic product growing at more than six percent a year. It is now a member of the Economic Cooperation Organization, and the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (www.forisb.org/fpolicy). Pakistan is strategically located in close proximity to the affluent Middle East. It is in position geographically to be a gateway of trade for many land-locked countries, such as Afghanistan and those of central Asia. It is also in proximity to the enormous East Asian Markets. The trade relations of Pakistan have been very diverse, for trade has been opened between them and countries in the Middle East as well as the Far East. The trade policy in Pakistan has been dramatically changed over the last few years. One of the main policies for trade through Pakistan is†¦ in order to decrease man...

Absolute Pitch Essay -- essays research papers fc

Absolute Pitch: A Coveted Ability Jennette Folta Physics of Music Spring 2005 The Basics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Absolute pitch, otherwise known as AP, is a person's ability to identify and produce a given pitch. This is done without the use of a reference tone. Pitch is determined by the number of vibrations per second. There are two types of AP. Passive pitch is when a person can identify the name of the note that is played and active pitch is when a person can sing a named note. Absolute pitch possessors can name a note and denote if the note is sharp or flat. This ability is only displayed in only a small percent of people. It is said that less than one in ten thousand people in the United States possess AP. However, not only humans possess this ability. Songbirds and wolves have demonstrated absolute pitch. (http://www.biography.ms/Perfect_pitch.html) The components which influence the acquisition of AP in humans is debated and is a topic of recent study. Background in Music   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The University of California San Francisco performed research on what causes this ability. One factor they found was the age at which the person had first formal musical training. The number of people who had AP was significantly more if they began learning music from the ages of four to six. A graph of this analysis is shown in figure 1. (Baharloo) Figure 1. Background in Music Genetics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition to a background in music, people who have AP are four times more likely to have other members of their family with AP than people who don't have AP. This suggests that genetics play a role in the formation of absolute pitch. In figure 2, you will see the family pedigree of some of some of members who were tested for AP by the University of California San Francisco. Also, they found that a sibling, who has early musical training, of a AP possessor is 15 times more likely to have AP than a person with early musical exposure but who has no family members with absolute pitch. (Baharloo) Figure 2. Family Pedigrees Language   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a study conducted by the University of California San Diego, they found that people who speak Mandarin or Vietnamese had a significantly higher chance of possessing AP. Since both of these languages are tone... ...the ability. Even if the cause of AP is determined, what will that lead to? Will it be easier to aquire the ability? If everyone possessed AP, what will be the effect? Will it lead to a more mathmatical approach to listening or even producing music or will it lead to more musical geniuses like Mozart? Works Cited â€Å"Absolute Pitch† Biography.ms. Baharloo, Siamak et al.Absolute Pitch: An Approach for Identification of Genetic and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nongenetic Components. The American Society of Human Genetics. 1998.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Deutsch, Diana et al. Tone Language Speakers Possess Absolute Pitch. 4 Nov. 1999.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  University of California San Diego.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamilton, Roy et al. â€Å"Absolute pitch in blind musicians.† Auditory and Vestibular   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Systems 8 Jan. 2004. Boston. 803-806.

Part Two Chapter IV

IV Samantha's dinner invitation to Kay had been motivated by a mixture of vengefulness and boredom. She saw it as retaliation against Miles, who was always busy with schemes in which he gave her no say but with which he expected her to co-operate; she wanted to see how he liked it when she arranged things without consulting him. Then she would be stealing a march on Maureen and Shirley, those nosy old crones, who were so fascinated by Gavin's private affairs but knew next to nothing about the relationship between him and his London girlfriend. Finally, it would afford her another opportunity to sharpen her claws on Gavin for being pusillanimous and indecisive about his love life: she might talk about weddings in front of Kay or say how nice it was to see Gavin making a commitment at last. However, her plans for the discomfiture of others gave Samantha less pleasure than she had hoped. When on Saturday morning she told Miles what she had done, he reacted with suspicious enthusiasm. ‘Great, yeah, we haven't had Gavin round for ages. And nice for you to get to know Kay.' ‘Why?' ‘Well, you always got on with Lisa, didn't you?' ‘Miles, I hated Lisa.' ‘Well, OK †¦ maybe you'll like Kay better!' She glared at him, wondering where all this good humour was coming from. Lexie and Libby, home for the weekend and cooped up in the house because of the rain, were watching a music DVD in the sitting room; a guitar-laden ballad blared through to the kitchen where their parents stood talking. ‘Listen,' said Miles, brandishing his mobile, ‘Aubrey wants to have a talk with me about the council. I've just called Dad, and the Fawleys have invited us all to dinner tonight at Sweetlove – ‘ ‘No thanks,' said Samantha, cutting him off. She was suddenly full of a fury she could barely explain, even to herself. She walked out of the room. They argued in low voices all over the house through the day, trying not to spoil their daughters' weekend. Samantha refused to change her mind or to discuss her reasons. Miles, afraid of getting angry at her, was alternately conciliatory and cold. ‘How do you think it's going to look if you don't come?' he said at ten to eight that evening, standing in the doorway of the sitting room, ready to leave, wearing a suit and tie. ‘It's nothing to do with me, Miles,' Samantha said. ‘You're the one running for office.' She liked watching him dither. She knew that he was terrified of being late, yet wondering whether he could still persuade her to go with him. ‘You know they'll be expecting both of us.' ‘Really? Nobody sent me an invitation.' ‘Oh, come off it, Sam, you know they meant – they took it for granted – ‘ ‘More fool them, then. I've told you, I don't fancy it. You'd better hurry. You don't want to keep Mummy and Daddy waiting.' He left. She listened to the car reversing out of the drive, then went into the kitchen, opened a bottle of wine and brought it back into the sitting room with a glass. She kept picturing Howard, Shirley and Miles all having dinner together at Sweetlove House. It would surely be the first orgasm Shirley had had in years. Her thoughts swerved irresistibly to what her accountant had said to her during the week. Profits were way down, whatever she had pretended to Howard. The accountant had actually suggested closing the shop and concentrating on the online side of the business. This would be an admission of failure that Samantha was not prepared to make. For one thing, Shirley would love it if the shop closed; she had been a bitch about it from the start. I'm sorry, Sam, it's not really my taste †¦ just a teeny bit over the top †¦ But Samantha loved her little red and black shop in Yarvil; loved getting away from Pagford every day, chatting to customers, gossiping with Carly, her assistant. Her world would be tiny without the shop she had nurtured for fourteen years; it would contract, in short, to Pagford. (Pagford, bloody Pagford. Samantha had never meant to live here. She and Miles had planned a year out before starting work, a round-the-world trip. They had their itinerary mapped out, their visas ready. Samantha had dreamed about walking barefoot and hand in hand on long white Australian beaches. And then she had found out that she was pregnant. She had come down to visit him at ‘Ambleside', a day after she had taken the pregnancy test, one week after their graduation. They were supposed to be leaving for Singapore in eight days' time. Samantha had not wanted to tell Miles in his parents' house; she was afraid that they would overhear. Shirley seemed to be behind every door Samantha opened in the bungalow. So she waited until they were sitting at a dark corner table in the Black Canon. She remembered the rigid line of Miles' jaw when she told him; he seemed, in some indefinable way, to become older as the news hit him. He did not speak for several petrified seconds. Then he said, ‘Right. We'll get married.' He told her that he had already bought her a ring, that he had been planning to propose somewhere good, somewhere like the top of Ayers Rock. Sure enough, when they got back to the bungalow, he unearthed the little box from where he had already hidden it in his rucksack. It was a small solitaire diamond from a jeweller's in Yarvil; he had bought it with some of the money his grandmother had left him. Samantha had sat on the edge of Miles' bed and cried and cried. They had married three months later.) Alone with her bottle of wine, Samantha turned on the television. It brought up the DVD Lexie and Libby had been watching: a frozen image of four young men singing to her in tight T-shirts; they looked barely out of their teens. She pressed play. After the boys finished their song, the DVD cut to an interview. Samantha slugged back her wine, watching the band joking with each other, then becoming earnest as they discussed how much they loved their fans. She thought that she would have known them as Americans even if the sound had been off. Their teeth were perfect. It grew late; she paused the DVD, went upstairs and told the girls to leave the PlayStation and go to bed; then she returned to the sitting room, where she was three-quarters of the way down the bottle of wine. She had not turned on the lamps. She pressed play and kept drinking. When the DVD finished, she put it back to the beginning and watched the bit she had missed. One of the boys appeared significantly more mature than the other three. He was broader across the shoulders; biceps bulged beneath the short sleeves of his T-shirt; he had a thick strong neck and a square jaw. Samantha watched him undulating, staring into the camera with a detached serious expression on his handsome face, which was all planes and angles and winged black eyebrows. She thought of sex with Miles. It had last happened three weeks previously. His performance was as predictable as a Masonic handshake. One of his favourite sayings was ‘if it's not broke, don't fix it'. Samantha emptied the last of the bottle into her glass and imagined making love to the boy on the screen. Her breasts looked better in a bra these days; they spilled everywhere when she lay down; it made her feel flabby and awful. She pictured herself, forced back against a wall, one leg propped up, a dress pushed up to her waist and that strong dark boy with his jeans round his knees, thrusting in and out of her †¦ With a lurch in the pit of her stomach that was almost like happiness, she heard the car turning back into the drive and the beams of the headlights swung around the dark sitting room. She fumbled with the controls to turn over to the news, which took her much longer than it ought to have done; she shoved the empty wine bottle under the sofa and clutched her almost empty glass as a prop. The front door opened and closed. Miles entered the room behind her. ‘Why are you sitting here in the dark?' He turned on a lamp and she glanced up at him. He was as well groomed as he had been when he left, except for the raindrops on the shoulders of his jacket. ‘How was dinner?' ‘Fine,' he said. ‘You were missed. Aubrey and Julia were sorry you couldn't make it.' ‘Oh, I'm sure. And I'll bet your mother cried with disappointment.' He sat down in an armchair at right angles to her, staring at her. She pushed her hair out of her eyes. ‘What's this all about, Sam?' ‘If you don't know, Miles – ‘ But she was not sure herself; or at least, she did not know how to condense this sprawling sense of ill-usage into a coherent accusation. ‘I can't see how me standing for the Parish Council – ‘ ‘Oh, for God's sake, Miles!' she shouted, and was then slightly taken aback by how loud her voice was. ‘Explain to me, please,' he said, ‘what possible difference it can make to you?' She glared at him, struggling to articulate it for his pedantic legal mind, which was like a fiddling pair of tweezers in the way that it seized on poor choices of word, yet so often failed to grasp the bigger picture. What could she say that he would understand? That she found Howard and Shirley's endless talk about the council boring as hell? That he was quite tedious enough already, with his endlessly retold anecdotes about the good old days back at the rugby club and his self-congratulatory stories about work, without adding pontifications about the Fields? ‘Well, I was under the impression,' said Samantha, in their dimly lit sitting room, ‘that we had other plans.' ‘Like what?' said Miles. ‘What are you talking about?' ‘We said,' Samantha articulated carefully over the rim of her trembling glass, ‘that once the girls were out of school, we'd go travelling. We promised each other that, remember?' The formless rage and misery that had consumed her since Miles announced his intention to stand for the council had not once led her to mourn the year's travelling she had missed, but at this moment it seemed to her that that was the real problem; or at least, that it came closest to expressing both the antagonism and the yearning inside her. Miles seemed completely bewildered. ‘What are you talking about?' ‘When I got pregnant with Lexie,' Samantha said loudly, ‘and we couldn't go travelling, and your bloody mother made us get married in double-quick time, and your father got you a job with Edward Collins, you said, we agreed, that we'd do it when the girls were grown up; we said we'd go away and do all the things we missed out on.' He shook his head slowly. ‘This is news to me,' he said. ‘Where the hell has this come from?' ‘Miles, we were in the Black Canon. I told you I was pregnant, and you said – for Christ's sake, Miles – I told you I was pregnant, and you promised me, you promised – ‘ ‘You want a holiday?' said Miles. ‘Is that it? You want a holiday?' ‘No, Miles, I don't want a bloody holiday, I want – don't you remember? We said we'd take a year out and do it later, when the kids were grown up!' ‘Fine, then.' He seemed unnerved, determined to brush her aside. ‘Fine. When Libby's eighteen; in four years' time, we'll talk about it again. I don't see how me becoming a councillor affects any of this.' ‘Well, apart from the bloody boredom of listening to you and your parents whining about the Fields for the rest of our natural lives – ‘ ‘Our natural lives?' he smirked. ‘As opposed to – ?' ‘Piss off,' she spat. ‘Don't be such a bloody smartarse, Miles, it might impress your mother – ‘ ‘Well, frankly, I still don't see what the problem – ‘ ‘The problem,' she shouted, ‘is that this is about our future, Miles. Our future. And I don't want to bloody talk about it in four years' time, I want to talk about it now!' ‘I think you'd better eat something,' said Miles. He got to his feet. ‘You've had enough to drink.' ‘Screw you, Miles!' ‘Sorry, if you're going to be abusive †¦' He turned and walked out of the room. She barely stopped herself throwing her wine glass after him. The council: if he got on it, he would never get off; he would never renounce his seat, the chance to be a proper Pagford big shot, like Howard. He was committing himself anew to Pagford, retaking his vows to the town of his birth, to a future quite different from the one he had promised his distraught new fiancee as she sat sobbing on his bed. When had they last talked about travelling the world? She was not sure. Years and years ago, perhaps, but tonight Samantha decided that she, at least, had never changed her mind. Yes, she had always expected that some day they would pack up and leave, in search of heat and freedom, half the globe away from Pagford, Shirley, Mollison and Lowe, the rain, the pettiness and the sameness. Perhaps she had not thought of the white sands of Australia and Singapore with longing for many years, but she would rather be there, even with her heavy thighs and her stretch marks, than here, trapped in Pagford, forced to watch as Miles turned slowly into Howard. She slumped back down on the sofa, groped for the controls, and switched back to Libby's DVD. The band, now in black and white, was walking slowly along a long empty beach, singing. The broad-shouldered boy's shirt was flapping open in the breeze. A fine trail of hair led from his navel down into his jeans.