“They Don’t Care Where You Were Born, Just How.”

â€Å"They don’t care where you were born, just how. † Discuss the importance of genetic makeup in the world of Gattaca. In the world of Gattaca everyday life is based upon ‘perfection. ’ Your career, social status and living conditions are all affected by genetic makeup and whether or not you were genetically altered before you were born. People’s position in society is not determined by their race or gender or social status, but the purity and â€Å"perfection† of their genetic code. When going for a job in the workplace at Gattaca it’s common for the interview itself to simply be a DNA sample rather than having an actual face to face interview with a boss. Gone are the days when workers were picked on their written resumes and personality traits, your resume is now IN your DNA. The contrast between the Gattaca workers and the Gattaca cleaners shows the huge difference in what your genetic code can do to your career. Gattaca is a world where police and security checks are carried out by immediate DNA analysis from blood samples. The constant testing at Gattaca to make sure everyone is ‘genetically fit’ is shown constantly throughout the movie, and the ‘valid’ and ‘in-valid’ labels given to the genetically alerted and the non-genetically altered emphasize just how important the genetic makeup of a person is in Gattaca. The main character, Vincent, sums up well the unfairness of the new genetically classed social system: â€Å"I belonged to a new underclass, no longer determines by social status or the colour of your skin. Now we have discrimination down to a science. †

Development of Axum and Meroe in Northeastern Africa Essay

66. Comparative Analysis: Compare the development of Axum and Meroe in northeastern Africa with the development of the Maya and of Teotihuacan in Mesoamerica. In both the development of Axum and Meroà « in northeastern Africa possessed the ores and fuels needed to produce iron on a large scale. They traded along the Nile River to Egypt, and their goods such as gold and ivory reached ports all along the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Southern Africa, and quite possibly as far as India and China. Axum was a very powerful state. It controlled a huge number of ports, such as Adulis along the Red Sea coast, and it participated in the commerce of the Indian Ocean, where its export goods included ivory, slaves, and crystal. They also traded with Alexandrian Egypt, and eventually with Rome, Byzantium, and India. Teotihuacan was a powerful political, military, economic and cultural center that influenced the whole of Mesoamerica. Teotihuacan is one of the world’s oldest and most impressive archaeological sites. The wealth of Teotihuacan was based largely on the amount they had on the trade of obsidian, a coarse green glass occurring in volcanic rock. In common with the other Mesoamerican civilizations, the Maya had measured the length of the solar year to a high degree of accuracy. They produced extremely accurate astronomical observations; their charts of the movements of the moon and planets were used to predict eclipses and other celestial events such the time between conjunctions of Venus. The ancient Maya had diverse and sophisticated methods of food production. It was formerly believed that shifting cultivation agriculture provided most of their food but it is now thought that permanent raised fields, terracing, forest gardens, managed fallows, and wild harvesting were also crucial to supporting the large populations of the Classic period in some areas. 67. Historical Analysis: â€Å"While long-distance trade across Afro-Eurasia predates 500 C.E., it grew in importance between 500 and 1500 C.E.† What key developments make this statement true? In between 500 and 1500 C.E Afro-Eurasia’s trade increased and altered consumption patterns and encouraged peoples across the zone to specialize in producing particular goods for market rather than being self-sufficient. They followed religions such as Buddhism and Islam and it spread along the trade routes. During this period, there were a lot of epidemic diseases, and they spread along the trade routes. Some regions developed stronger states in part because of increased commerce along the trade networks. These regions were East Africa, West Africa, and Southeast Asia. There were also a lot of technological advances during this time. This included the development of larger ships and the magnetic compass in China. This also helped increase trade.

Amazon.com Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Amazon.com - Research Paper Example The success of e-business depends on how long a customer spends time in an e-business website. Amazon did everything needed to tie up the customers in their website. They have formulated different strategies to attract the net customers. Most of the internet users are youths and Amazon.com has everything needed to attract the youth customers. This paper briefly analyses the history, supply chain management process, online auction features, competitors and current market position of Amazon.com. History Amazon.com was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 in America† (Amazon.com, Inc). Initially it started as an online bookshop. However it expanded its business during the late 1990s and diversified its business to areas such as to offer the CDs, videos, DVDs, electronics, toys, tools, home furnishings and house wares, apparel, and kitchen gadgets etc (Amazon.com, Inc, n. d). Amazon entered the internet world in 1995 and registered as a public company in 1997. In 1998, they entered the on line music and video business and in 1999, they started to sell toys, electronics, tools, and hardware using their e-commerce website. Though the company has started as an online bookstore, currently it has products such as music CD’s, VHS, DVD, computer software, video games, electronics, apparel, furniture, food toys, etc apart from books. It has started film production also in 2008. Amazon has several websites custom made for countries like Canada, Germany, France, China, UK, Japan etc. The company did not focus on profits for the initial five years and spend much of its revenues in expansions in the initial years. This business strategy brought immense dividends to the company as per the recent statistics. Current market position   Currently Amazon.com employs more than 7800 employees and as per the statistics of 2002, it has reported $ 3.9 billion sales (Amazon.com, Inc, n. d). It is the largest online retailer at present in United States. The closest competitor Staple s Inc has only 1/3 rd of the revenues of Amazon.com as per the statistics available in 2010. As per the recent statistics, it ranked 272 in the list of Fortune 500 companies. Supply chain management process Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the process of controlling the movements of goods or services from suppliers to buyers. The efficiency of supply chain management depends on the availability of the material based on the demand. There should not be more goods in the store if the demand is less; at the same time there should be adequate number of goods always if the demand is good. Amazon has one of the most efficient, sophisticated and advanced supply chain management systems in the world. â€Å"Homemade applications handle nearly every aspect of its supply chain: warehouse management, transportation management, inbound and outbound shipping, demand forecasts, inventory planning, and more† (Bacheldor, 2004). In other words, all the aspects of supply chain management are man aged with the help of advanced software at Amazon.com. The human intervention is very less in the supply chain management process and the machines are dominating in this sector. Thus the chances of human errors which may delay the supply chain management process are very less. For example, computers and software are assisting Amazon in taking orders, processing orders and in ensuring the delivery of goods in time. Whenever, an item is purchased from

Photo analysis research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Photo analysis - Research Paper Example Every aspect of study or academic always improves in quality with time. Most ideas in various fields of education are comparable and some are derivative of the other. However, art as a field or subject of study in colleges and universities does not obey the law as explained in the Arnold Hauser’s Sociological Method in Art History. Analyzed well, early photography had certain styles and compositions that depicted a higher level of professionalism. Most renaissance photos are discrete and can be differentiated from modern photos using different criteria. To begin with, renaissance photos like the one to below had certain artistic inputs that make them stand out when compared to the modern photos. Coloration in photography during the renaissance period was meant to portray certain themes to the viewers. Black color, for instance, symbolized a gloomy or despondent mood in a society. Red was always associated with romance. White, on the other hand, had a close association with rel igion especially Christianity. It was also associated with peace and understanding among people in the society. Drawings in the renaissance photos had a lot concerning the history of different societies. Drawings with weapons such as swords symbolized war, victory or a safe society. Political-based, early artists had various ways of displaying their political interests or ideologies using photos. For instance, an artist may decide to draw cartoons representing two different politicians, one cartoon may be bigger than the other. In such cases, the artist is secretly and artistically displaying his or her ideologies in politics. The big photo is always the artist’s most preferred politician. The paper will analyze the following photo with regard to the stated problem. According to this photo, a woman wearing a red dress is sitting on a dinner table next to circular window. She is not eating; there is food on the table, however. The woman has a long hair and looks somehow stress ed. Outside the window, there is a lot of light and this is contrast to the dark room where the woman is sitting (Matheson 287). The image is covered a slant rectangular frame. In addition, the window shows another shape of heart. The woman looks uneasy and impatient with her hands over her head. John William Waterhouse did this photo in 1849. According to him, the photo on the background is a lady of Shalott saying that she is half-sick of shadows. Various questionnaires were distributed to identify people’s views on the photo. One of the questions in the questionnaire were:What do you think of when you come across a woman with a red dress like the one in the photo? Does the picture reveal anything related to romance to you?If yes, where and when do you think this photo was taken? Out of the 100 questionnaires distributed, 71% associated the photo with romance and renaissance period. Most of them associated it with Europe, particularly Italy, France, and Germany. 22% associa ted the woman with early prostitutes in Europe. 7% of the questionnaires were not properly filled. According to the findings, it is quite succinct that William’s main thematic concern at the time of taking this photo was romance. First, the photo has its window in the shape of a heart. Heart, as understood, is a global symbol of romantic love. The window curtains have been removed allowing some light into the dark room. The woman is also in a red dress. Red color has

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

International business - Essay Example Within this block are countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China, which have distinguished themselves as some of the promising and alternative markets to the developed economies (O’Neill, 2001). Emerging markets are characterized by a growing fraction of middle-income consumers, demand for goods, services, technological advancements, and discoveries. However, entry into such markets cannot be an overnight decision, as it requires planning, strategic understanding of the market dynamics and cultural differences. Issues related with intellectual property rights, taxation, employee salary packages and other market jurisdiction factors must be considered before initiating entry into the business. Brazil has distinguished itself as a major member within the BRICs block with its dynamic and promising market structure and dynamics. The country has a strong currency against other international currencies like the dollar, aptly controls its inflation rate and has an expanding middl e class population. With a steadily increasing population and a stabilized GDP, Brazil is an economy worth considering among the BRICs members. In this report, an advisory description of the Brazilian market and economy will be provided for a company that is seeking entry into the market (Cui, 2005). The factors to consider and the key areas to develop before entry into the market will be described in detail, providing an understanding of this market structure as compared to a developed economy like the United Kingdom. A Danish owned production company seeks to establish an autonomous production subsidiary unit in this country and this paper will highlight how the company can establish a strong company despite the market challenges. Brazil has cut a niche for itself among the emerging economies and as a member of the BRIC economies by developing into a country with greater purchasing power. However, as present in all emerging economies, entry into the Brazilian market is never smoot h sailing and foreign organizations must develop proper strategies to succeed. A number of issues exist in this market and economy that every new entrant must encounter and address to succeed. The government regulatory measures and programs however make new entrants into this market undergo tough challenges including high taxation and bureaucratic setting (Teixeria & Grande, 2011). Factors to consider before entry Danish business environment differs significantly from the Brazilian economy in terms of tax regimes, bureaucratic procedures and other government related factors. As such, a multinational with operations in a different country must be in a position to evaluate both the internal and external factors, which may affect the successful operation of the business. A poor understanding or underestimation of these factors has contributed to the failure of a number of multinationals across the world. A number of internal and external factors exist that are specific to Brazil as an emerging economy. In evaluating the external factors that may affect the success of Danish based multinational

Technology and education.What if we didn't depend on technology in the Essay

Technology and education.What if we didn't depend on technology in the classroom as much as we do - Essay Example Education reform continues to be a question of grave concern for educators and policy makers. Braithwaite’s (2002) novel To Sir With Love which was set in the 1960s informs that education reform is nothing new. Students are particularly vulnerable to failure both at school and after school. Braithwaite’s (2002) novel cautions that students are resistant to traditional teaching methods and require training which goes beyond mere academic learning. In today’s world, President Barak Obama cautions a student body that regardless of what career choices they make, they will require some level of computer literacy (Obama 2011). Essentially, we are learning that education reform places a greater degree of pressure on teachers as they attempt to improve teaching techniques and outcomes. As it is, educators and policy-makers are concerned about the high drop-out rate among high school students across the US (Obama 2011). In other words, keeping students engaged becomes mor e challenging when teachers are required to integrate technology into the curriculum. On the other hand, integrating technology into the curriculum can be one method of responding to the drop-out rate. Research studies reveal that academic performance and being held back are not the only contributing factors to the school drop-out rate. In fact, these studies also reveal that a student’s attitude toward school student’s experience at also contributes to the school drop-out rate (Lamb 2011, p. 370).... As Lamb (2011) informs, research studies indicate that students are at a greater risk of dropping out of school when their academic performance is poor. It therefore follows that non-conventional teaching can improve engagement and as such can improve retention. Arguably, engagement is tied to academic performance. This explains why there is so much emphasis on education reform and the significance of quality teaching. Braithwaite’s (2002) teacher did not have the science and technology at his disposal to introduce innovative and non-conventional methods of teaching. He was forced to be creative and by doing so engaged his East London students who were by no stretch of the imagination, conventional students. The result was, these children’s attitudes toward school changed and the students were for the most part successful. Bennett (2011) reveals the extent to which teaching occupies the minds of policy-makers. This is a result of the poor academic outcomes. According to Bennett (2011), the National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed that 40 percent of American high school seniors scored 36 percent below average in math and 26 percent below average in reading. The results for American history are even more disappointing with high school seniors scoring over 50 percent below average (Bennett 2011). Bennett (2011) explains that while these poor outcomes can be accounted for by a number of issues, one thing is certain: quality teaching can turn this around. This brings us to the question of technology in the classroom. Technology has the potential to improve teaching by bringing into the classroom a significant part of the student’s daily life and future job prospects. Therefore technology in

Struggle of Human Nature in the Lord of the Flies Research Paper

Struggle of Human Nature in the Lord of the Flies - Research Paper Example Thesis Statement The research paper will intend to focus on the fight or the resistance of human character that is experienced by the marooned boys in the island in their quest for survival. The background of the story was found to have occurred during the mid period of an unnamed nuclear war. The literary work aims at depicting the characters or the boys plunge or transformation into savagery. This particular research paper will try to make an attempt to gain a lucid comprehension regarding the contradictory desires towards civilization. Discussion The novel has already been stated to be a narrative of a situation where a group of few young British boys discover themselves abandoned in a particular island. The attempts made by them for the reason of their respective survival are known to offer a thoughtful insight into the aspect of human character. The story narrates a situation where a remarkable transformation of the human character can be evidently observed good to malevolence, order to disorder and finally from progress to savagery. This particular novel that is the Lord of the Flies concentrates or focuses on unraveling the various circumstances under which the inherent evil is made to surface with regard to the character of the individuals. The consequences as a result of failing to deal with one’s own trepidations have also been highlighted along with indicating the fight that takes place between the disorder and the civilization in a situation of ‘survival of the fittest’. The aspects related to the existence of the thin line between civilization as well as disorder, the inherent human evil, supremacy along with its effects and grouping has been found to be identified in this specific novel (Venkat, â€Å"Literature and the Individual†). The underlying subject matter of the novel has been deciphered to be the collapse of culture towards disorder or rather savagery. This definite facet has been supposed to revolve around or s tress on the fight that takes place among the decision rudiments associated with the society involving regulation, customs, principles along with the disordered components which have been acknowledged to be an integral part of the people’s savage characters that is believed to entail chaos, bloodlust, self-centeredness, amorality and the yearning for supremacy. The study of the fundamental subject matter of the novel relates to the actuality of referring civilization as a facade which is simply capable of being perforated with the intention to disclose the cruelty that is supposed to be associated with the human character (Althaus, B., â€Å"Lord of the Flies - Parallels and Differences Between Golding's Novel and Hook's Cinematic Adaption†). The disagreement between the facets of civilization as well as savagery has been found to be competently highlighted with the assistance of the depiction of the various shades of the human nature in relation to the characters of t he story. The character of Ralph which has been identified to be the central character of the novel along with Piggy has been depicted as figures of leadership and ethics. In contrast to the mentioned personalities, the character of Jack along with his most trusted associate Roger has been regarded to be adversary

Corporate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Corporate finance - Essay Example The important role of SMBs is evident when the economies of the developing nations are considered. SMBs contribute greatly to the gross domestic product in a country, entrepreneurial skill development, generation of employment and innovation to many developing economies. In light of this, the paper will critically analyze the various sources of financing for small and medium scale businesses Due to the good impact of SMBs in the economy of a country, support schemes and programs have been put forth in institutions by some of the developed and developing countries so as to support them (Prasad, C. 2004). This support includes offering loans, expert counseling on the types of credit so as to avoid credit risk, advice and legal assistance on exports by the government of the United States of America through small business administration. For instance, in the late 80s the Nigerian Government established the Entrepreneur Development Programme through the National Directorate of Employment, the objective of this policy was to reduce unemployment level through providing an opportunity for individuals to acquire entrepreneur skills. Further they would be able to secure loans for themselves so that they can start their own small and medium scale enterprises (Dinesh, 2003). Another case was in Mexico whereby the Mexican Development Fund was established so as to provide an arrangem ent of finance to aid agricultural activities. Despite such efforts, investigations reveal that the SMBs are still facing major challenges. Some of the SMBs cannot easily access funds thus posing a major threat to their existence in terms of growth and survival. Ekpenyong and Nyong (1992) states that in some countries like Ghana for example, financial schemes have been launched. They include Micro-finance, venture capitalist trust, and small loan centers among others. Others are export development, Investment Funds and

Religion and Health Care in a Secular Society Essay

Religion and Health Care in a Secular Society - Essay Example This paper approves that Islam is a religion that was founded by Mohammad in the 7th century AD. Mohammad claimed to be from a long line of prophets including Jesus, Moses, Abraham and many others who were monotheist prophets sent into humanity by the creator God who had also been known as the Father, Allah, and Elohim etc at different times in recorded human history. Mohammad claimed that he was the recipient of Divine revelations which are recorded in the Qur ’an. Mohammad also claimed that he was to be the last in the line of prophets sent to humanity by God to present the final universal law for humanity for all times. Although Mohammad claimed that the previous prophets including Jesus and Moses were equally true in presenting the message of God to humanity, the previous message had been corrupted and lost by their followers. Thi essay makes a conclusion that a secular society has to cater for a lot of minorities and the diversity which is inherent in its midst. The job and the calling of a nurse, a health worker or a policy maker are to provide comfort, cure and the elimination of suffering. Religion has a spiritual dimension and most individuals belonging to a religious framework can be identified with the spirituality that is associated with the religious framework. The sick or the dying have to be treated as far as possible with respect to their spirituality and values so that they can be comfortable. A secular system and the individual should try to do just this within the limits imposed by resources and the physical limitations of the human body.

An issue or problem at work from the perspective of an emplyee Essay - 1

An issue or problem at work from the perspective of an emplyee - Essay Example As employees of the company we work hard and we expect to get paid accordingly. The second problem that I want to bring to the table is the fact that during the past few weeks the workers have been receiving their weekly paychecks late. This situation puts a great burden on the employees because often by not receiving their checks on time they dont have enough money to put gas in the car to come to work and in their personal life they cant put food and other items they need to survive due to the irresponsibility of the firm. These two problems have put a great burden on the relationship between the company and its employees. The company must have notice by now that the overall production at the firm has gone down as a consequence of the actions of the company. The company obviously cannot expect the workers to keep producing at a high level when all these problems are going on. I have personally talked to dozens of employees who have told me that they are seriously considering quitting their job because they feel the company does not care about their well being. The motivation of the workers is extremely low as a consequence of the actions of the company. These problems must be attended immediately otherwise a lot of employees are going to leave the company. It is in the best interest of the company to attend these issues in order raise employee morale and motivation. To resolve the situation I have some recommendations for the managerial staff of the company. If I was the manager in charge of the company I would have done things a lot differently. Once I realized that bonuses could not be paid I would have communicated openly with the workers the root of the problem. Instead of using avoidance I would cooperate with the workers to find a reasonable resolution. For instance if the firm did not pay the bonuses because it could not afford it a solution was to offer the workers a new system that pays half the bonuses or up to $3 extra an hour. This

Theories of Justice Essay Example for Free

Theories of Justice Essay Theory of Justice is a work of political philosophy and ethics by John Rawls. It was originally published in 1971 and revised in both 1975 (for the translated editions) and 1999. In A Theory of Justice, Rawls attempts to solve the problem of distributive justice (the socially just distribution of goods in a society) by utilising a variant of the familiar device of the social contract. The resultant theory is known as Justice as Fairness, from which Rawls derives his two principles of justice: the liberty principle and the difference principle. Objective In A Theory of Justice, Rawls argues for a principled reconciliation of liberty and equality. Central to this effort is an account of the circumstances of justice, inspired by David Hume, and a fair choice situation for parties facing such circumstances, similar to some of Immanuel Kants views. Principles of justice are sought to guide the conduct of the parties. These parties are recognized to face moderate scarcity, and they are neither naturally altruistic nor purely egoistic. They have ends which they seek to advance, but prefer to advance them through cooperation with others on mutually acceptable terms. Rawls offers a model of a fair choice situation (the original position with its veil of ignorance) within which parties would hypothetically choose mutually acceptable principles of justice. Under such constraints, Rawls believes that parties would find his favoured principles of justice to be especially attractive, winning out over varied alternatives, including utilitarian and right-libertarian accounts. A society, according to Utilitarianism, is just to the extent that its laws and institutions are such as to promote the greatest overall or average happiness of its members. How do we determine the aggregate, or overall, happiness of the members of a society? This would seem to present a real problem. For happiness is not, like temperature or weight, directly measurable by any means that we have available. So utilitarians must approach the matter indirectly. They will have to rely on indirect measures, in other words. What would these be, and how can they be identified? The raditional idea at this point is to rely upon (a) a theory of the human good (i. e. , of what is good for human beings, of what is required for them to flourish) and (b) an account of the social conditions and forms of organization essential to the realization of that good. People, of course, do not agree on what kind of life would be the most desirable. Intellectuals, artists, ministers, politicians, corporate bu reaucrats, financiers, soldiers, athletes, salespersons, workers: all these different types of people, and more besides, will certainly not agree completely on what is a happy, satisfying, or desirable life. Very likely they will disagree on some quite important points. All is not lost, however. For there may yet be substantial agreementenough, anyway, for the purposes of a theory of justice about the general conditions requisite to human flourishing in all these otherwise disparate kinds of life. First of all there are at minimum certain basic needs that must be satisfied in any desirable kind of life. Basic needs, says James Sterba, are those needs that must be satisfied in order not to seriously endanger a persons mental or physical well-being. Basic needs, if not satisfied, lead to lacks and deficiencies with respect to a standard of mental and physical well-being. A persons needs for food, shelter, medical care, protection, companionship, and self-development are, at least in part, needs of this sort. [Sterba, Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. , 1995). A basic-needs minimum, then, is the minimum wherewithal required for a person to m eet his or her basic needs. Such needs are universal. People will be alike in having such needs, however much they diverge in regard to the other needs, desires, or ends that they may have. We may develop this common ground further by resorting to some of Aristotles ideas on this question of the nature of a happy and satisfying life. Aristotle holds that humans are rational beings and that a human life is essentially rational activity, by which he means that human beings live their lives by making choices on the basis of reasons and then acting on those choices. All reasoning about what to do proceeds from premises relating to the agents beliefs and desires. Desire is the motive for action and the practical syllogism (Aristotles label for the reasoning by which people decide what to do) is its translation into choice. Your choices are dictated by your beliefs and desiresprovided you are rational. Such choices, the reasoning that leads to them, and the actions that result from them are what Aristotle chiefly means by the sort of rational activity that makes up a human life. We may fairly sum up this point of view by saying that people are rational end-choosers. If Aristotle is at all on the right track, then it is clear that a basic-needs minimum is a prerequisite to any desirable kind of life, and further that to live a desirable kind of life a person must be free to determine his or her own ends and have the wherewithalthe means, the opportunitiesto have a realistic chance of achieving those ends. (Some of these Aristotelian points are perhaps implicitly included in Sterbas list of basic needs, under the head of self-development. ) So w hat does all this do for Utilitarianism? Quite a lot. We have filled in some of item (a) above: the theory of the human good, the general conditions essential to a happy or desirable life. The Utilitarian may plausibly claim to be trying to promote the overall happiness of people in his society, therefore, when he tries to improve such things as rate of employment, per capita income, distribution of wealth and opportunity, the amount of leisure, general availability and level of education, poverty rates, social mobility, and the like. The justification for thinking these things relevant should be pretty plain. They are measures of the amount and the distribution of the means and opportunities by which people can realize their various conception of a desirable life. With these things clearly in mind the Utilitarian is in a position to argue about item (b), the sorts of social arrangements that will deliver the means and opportunities for people to achieve their conception of a desirable life. John Stuart Mill, one of the three most important 19th century Utilitarians (the other two were Jeremy Bentham and Henry Sidgwick), argued that freedom or liberty, both political and economic, were indispensable requisites for happiness. Basing his view upon much the same interpretation of human beings and human life as Aristotle, Mill argued that democracy and the basic political libertiesfreedom of speech (and the press), of assembly, of worshipwere essential to the happiness of rational end-choosers; for without them they would be prevented from effectively pursuing their own conception of a good and satisfying life. Similarly he argued that some degree of economic prosperitywealthwas indispensable to having a realistic chance of living such a life, of realizing ones ends. So, ccording to Utilitarianism, the just society should be so organized in its institutionsits government, its laws, and its economythat as many people as possible shall have the means and opportunity to achieve their chosen conception of a desirable life. To reform the institutions of ones society toward this goal, in the utilitarian view, is to pursue greater justice. In the 19th century utilitarians often argued for a laissez faire capitalist economy. More recently some of them have argued for a mixed economy, i. e. , a state regulated market system. Mill, interestingly, argued at the beginning of the 19th century for an unregulated capitalist economy, but at the end argued for a socialist economy (which is not the same thing as a mixed economy). (3) The protection of the sorts of liberties that were guaranteed in the United States  Ã‚   by the Bill of Rights in our Constitution. (4) Democratic forms of government generally. The utilitarian rationale for each of these institutional arrangements should be fairly obvious, but it would probably contribute significantly to our understanding of utilitarianism to review, in more detail, some utilitarian arguments for (2) free market capitalism. This we shall do later, in the next section. Three Theories of Justice: Utilitarianism, Justice as Fairness, and Libertarianism (1) Utilitarianism A society, according to Utilitarianism, is just to the extent that its laws and institutions are such as to promote the greatest overall or average happiness of its members. How do we determine the aggregate, or overall, happiness of the members of a society? This would seem to present a real problem. For happiness is not, like temperature or weight, directly measurable by any means that we have available. So utilitarians must approach the matter indirectly. They will have to rely on indirect measures, in other words. What would these be, and how can they be identified? The traditional idea at this point is to rely upon (a) a theory of the human good (i. e. of what is good for human beings, of what is required for them to flourish) and (b) an account of the social conditions and forms of organization essential to the realization of that good. People, of course, do not agree on what kind of life would be the most desirable. Intellectuals, artists, ministers, politicians, corporate bureaucrats, financiers, soldiers, athletes, salespersons, workers: all these different types of people, and more besides, will certainly not agree completely on what is a happy , satisfying, or desirable life. Very likely they will disagree on some quite important points. All is not lost, however. For there may yet be substantial agreementenough, anyway, for the purposes of a theory of justice about the general conditions requisite to human flourishing in all these otherwise disparate kinds of life. First of all there are at minimum certain basic needs that must be satisfied in any desirable kind of life. Basic needs, says James Sterba, are those needs that must be satisfied in order not to seriously endanger a persons mental or physical well-being. Basic needs, if not satisfied, lead to lacks and deficiencies with respect to a standard of mental and physical well-being. A persons needs for food, shelter, medical care, protection, companionship, and self-development are, at least in part, needs of this sort. [Sterba, Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co. , 1995). A basic-needs minimum, then, is the minimum wherewithal required for a person to m eet his or her basic needs. Such needs are universal. People will be alike in having such needs, however much they diverge in regard to the other needs, desires, or ends that they may have. We may develop this common ground further by resorting to some of Aristotles ideas on this question of the nature of a happy and satisfying life. Aristotle holds that humans are rational beings and that a human life is essentially rational activity, by which he means that human beings live their lives by making choices on the basis of reasons and then acting on those choices. All reasoning about what to do proceeds from premises relating to the agents beliefs and desires. Desire is the motive for action and the practical syllogism (Aristotles label for the reasoning by which people decide what to do) is its translation into choice. Your choices are dictated by your beliefs and desiresprovided you are rational. Such choices, the reasoning that leads to them, and the actions that result from them are what Aristotle chiefly means by the sort of rational activity that makes up a human life. We may fairly sum up this point of view by saying that people are rational end-choosers. If Aristotle is at all on the right track, then it is clear that a basic-needs minimum is a prerequisite to any desirable kind of life, and further that to live a desirable kind of life a person must be free to determine his or her own ends and have the wherewithalthe means, the opportunitiesto have a realistic chance of achieving those ends. (Some of these Aristotelian points are perhaps implicitly included in Sterbas list of basic needs, under the head of self-development. ) So w hat does all this do for Utilitarianism? Quite a lot. We have filled in some of item (a) above: the theory of the human good, the general conditions essential to a happy or desirable life. The Utilitarian may plausibly claim to be trying to promote the overall happiness of people in his society, therefore, when he tries to improve such things as rate of employment, per capita income, distribution of wealth and opportunity, the amount of leisure, general availability and level of education, poverty rates, social mobility, and the like. The justification for thinking these things relevant should be pretty plain. They are measures of the amount and the distribution of the means and opportunities by which people can realize their various conception of a desirable life. With these things clearly in mind the Utilitarian is in a position to argue about item (b), the sorts of social arrangements that will deliver the means and opportunities for people to achieve their conception of a desirable life. John Stuart Mill, one of the three most important 19th century Utilitarians (the other two were Jeremy Bentham and Henry Sidgwick), argued that freedom or liberty, both political and economic, were indispensable requisites for happiness. Basing his view upon much the same interpretation of human beings and human life as Aristotle, Mill argued that democracy and the basic political libertiesfreedom of speech (and the press), of assembly, of worshipwere essential to the happiness of rational end-choosers; for without them they would be prevented from effectively pursuing their own conception of a good and satisfying life. Similarly he argued that some degree of economic prosperitywealthwas indispensable to having a realistic chance of living such a life, of realizing ones ends. So, ccording to Utilitarianism, the just society should be so organized in its institutionsits government, its laws, and its economythat as many people as possible shall have the means and opportunity to achieve their chosen conception of a desirable life. To reform the institutions of ones society toward this goal, in the utilitarian view, is to pursue greater justice. In the 19th century utilitarians often argued for a laissez faire capitalist economy. More recently some of them have argued for a mixed economy, i. e. , a state regulated market system. Mill, interestingly, argued at the beginning of the 19th century for an unregulated capitalist economy, but at the end argued for a socialist economy (which is not the same thing as a mixed economy). (3) The protection of the sorts of liberties that were guaranteed in the United States  Ã‚   by the Bill of Rights in our Constitution. (4) Democratic forms of government generally. The utilitarian rationale for each of these institutional arrangements should be fairly obvious, but it would probably contribute significantly to our understanding of utilitarianism to review, in more detail, some utilitarian arguments for (2) free market capitalism. This we shall do later, in the next section. What do you think a Utilitarian would say about universal medical care? Would he or she be for it or against it? What about affirmative action programs, anti-hate crime legislation, welfare, a graduated income tax, anti-trust laws? For or against? What would decide the issue for a utilitarian? (2) Utilitarianism and Competitive Capitalism The key claim about market capitalism for the utilitarian is that free, unregulated markets efficiently allocate resourceschiefly labor and capitalin the production of goods. By a market is meant only any pattern of economic activity in which buyers do business with sellers. In the classical system of economics competition is presupposed among producers or sellers. Toward the end of the nineteenth century writers began to make explicit hat competition required that there be a considerable number of sellers in any trade or industry in informed communication with each other. In more recent times this has been crystallized into the notion of many sellers doing business with many buyers. Each is well informed as to the prices at which others are selling and buyingthere is a going price of which everyone is aware. Most important of all, no buyer or seller is large enough to control or exercise an appreciable influence on the common price. The notion of efficiency as applied to an economic system is many-sided. It can be viewed merely as a matter of getting the most for the least. There is also the problem of getting the particular things that are wanted by the community in the particular amounts in which they are wanted. In addition, if an economy is to be efficient some reasonably full use must be made of the available, or at least the willing, labor supply. There must be some satisfactory allocation of resources between present and future productionbetween what is produced for consumption and what is invested in new plant and processes to enlarge future consumption. There must also be appropriate incentive to change; the adoption of new and more efficient methods of production must be encouraged. Finallya somewhat different requirement and one that went long unrecognizedthere must be adequate provision for the research and technological development which brings new methods and new products into existence. All this makes a large bill of requirements. Rawlss Theory of Justice as Fairness The reformulation of Utilitarianism we just saw comes from John Rawls, who did not present it as a version of Utilitarianism at all. He presented it as a first approximation to a quite distinct conception of justice from Utilitarianism, a conception that he calls Justice as Fairness. I presented Rawlss idea as a reformulation of Utilitarianism, anyway, because it seems to me to be greatly clarifying of whats wrong with Utilitarianism to have an alternative to compare it to, an alternative that blocks the kinds of fairness objections that are typically raised against Utilitarianism. In Utilitarianism everyone, in a way, is given equal consideration at the outset inasmuch as everyones happiness is taken into consideration and is given the same weight in the reasoning by which a form of social organization is settled on as the one that, in the circumstances, yields the greatest average utility. But, as we saw, Utilitarianism may in some circumstances settle on a form of social organization that treats some people unfairly, by imposing undue burdens on them for the sake of the greater average utility or happiness of the whole social group. In the light of this fact it is reasonable to conclude that something is wrong with the Utilitarian procedure for weighing the interests of the individual members of the social group in deciding on what forms of social organization best serve those interests. The procedure puts individuals at and undesirable and unfair risk of being sacrificed for the overall social good. In the principle that we suggested as a revision of Utilitarianism, people would not be put at quite the same risk. Rawls in fact argues for a more elaborate principle of justice in social organization, one that we havent seen yet, and he does so by employing a hypothetical model of a situation requiring people to choose the fundamental principles by which the basic institutions of their society are to be evaluated and organized. He argues that in the hypothetical conditions under which the choice of principles is to be made, only fair or just principles can be chosen. He argues that this is so because of the hypothetical conditions he imposes on the situation of the people making the choice. Then he argues that under those conditions people would choose the following conjunction of principles: The Equal Liberty Principle: Each person is to have the maximum civil liberties compatible with the same liberty for all. The Difference Principle: Inequalities are permissible only if (a) they can be expected to work to everyones advantage, especially to the advantage of the least well off, and (b) the positions, offices, roles, to which the inequalities attach are open to all under conditions of fair equality of opportunity. Libertarianism The Libertarianism, as the name suggests, emphasizes individual liberty as the central and indeed exclusive concern of social justice. A just society, according to the Libertarian, must grant and protect the liberty or freedom of each individual to pursue his desired ends. In the Libertarian view people are essentially rational end-choosers, to use our earlier term, and the kind of life appropriate to rational end-choosers requires them to be free to choose their own ends and free to pursue them without interference from others. This may seem to imply that the Libertarian holds that everyone should be able to do whatever he or she wants, but really the Libertarian holds no such view. The Libertarian view is that each person should have the same freedom to pursue his chosen ends, that each is therefore obligated to refrain from interfering with others in their freedom to pursue their ends, and that the function of the state is solely to protect each individuals freedom to pursue his chosen ends. The Libertarian therefore conceives of everyone as having certain rights, which protect his or her liberty to pursue a desirable kind of life. What is distinctive about Libertarianism is its conception of the rights that each individual has. The libertarian philosopher John Hospers states the fundamental libertarian principle in a variety of ways that it may clarify the Libertarian view to repeat here. He says (in The Libertarian Manifesto, reprinted in Justice: Alternative Political Perspectives, edited by James P. Sterba, Third Edition (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1999), pp. 24, 25): [E]very person is the owner of his own life[;] no one is the owner of any one elses life,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and consequently every human being has the right to act in accordance with his own choices, unless those actions infringe on the equal liberty of other human beings to act in accordance with their choices No one is anyone elses master and no one is anyone elses slave. Other mens lives are not yours to dispose of. The rights recognized by the Libertarian include all the rights we called civil or personal liberties in our discussion of Rawls, but in regard to property the Libertarian favors a scheme in which each person has a quite unrestricted right to acquire property, including full capitalist rights to acquire ownership of the means of production and full rights of bequeathal. Libertarians emphasize property rights as essential to the liberty essential to the life of a rational end-chooser. Property does not mean only real estate; it includes anything that you can call your ownclothing, your car, your jewelry, your books and papers. The right of property is not the right to just take it from others, for this would interfere with their property rights. It is rather the right to work for it, to obtain non-coercively the money or services which you can present in voluntary exchanges.

Ideal Age Paper Essay Example for Free

Ideal Age Paper Essay One will fall into one of Marcia’s identity statues: identity diffusion, identity foreclosure, moratorium, and identity achievement. With finding out who you are and taking on new challenges in this stage you are consistently moving backward and forwards. Than after you have figured out who you want to be, you look for love and a career. Early adulthood in my opinion is the most important and best time of your life. The first reason I think that early adulthood is the ideal age is because in this age everything is new and exciting. After you graduate high school you get to leave the nest and go off to college and make something of yourself. It is s a time of growth and change and therefore, of confusion, self-doubt and insecurity, but it will make the person you going to be. â€Å"The college and post-college years can be an incredibly exciting time as one looks ahead and plans for the future. However, the options can sometimes feel overwhelming† (1). As I said before in early adulthood you are constantly moving backward and forward. As Belsky said, â€Å"early adulthood is testing out different possibilities, focusing on self-development, and feeling in between†. This may be why early adult hood to me may be the most exciting because it is one on the hardest times of your life because everything is new, but its so new its exciting. The second reason I think early adulthood is the ideal age is because you figure out who you are in this stage of your life. In the book Belsky said that we are transforming our childhood self into the person were going to be as adults and he called this process the search for identity. You learn responsibility and learn that you have to take on your new role in life as an adult. This is one of the most important things in life, finding out who you are and where you fit in the world, that’s why early adulthood is so important. Also since this period in your life is so important serious conditions, such as violent events, depression and eating disorders, can negatively impact early adults and hurt the finding of your identity (2). On the path to finding identity four different identity statues come up. The first is identity diffusion where teens are transition into adulthood with no goals and life has no appeal. The second is identity foreclosure, where they uncritically adopt a life handed down to them by some authority. The third is moratorium, which is engaged in the exciting, healthy search for adult life. And the fourth is identity achievement, the end point where one finally knows what they want to be as an adult. This process can be so exciting and stressful but when you look back you will realize it was all worth it to get to the person you want to become. The third and most important reason why I think early adulthood is the best age group is because you find love in this stage. This is Erikson’s second emerging adult task, intimacy or finding committed love. Over the decades it has changed dramatically in recent decades. In the book Belsky spells out a three-stage process leading to marriage called Stimulus-value-role theory. First we select a potential partner who looks appropriate, the stimulus phase. Then the value-comparison phase, we find out whether that person shares our interests and worldviews. Then finally during the role phase we plan our lives together. Homogamy is the main principle in this theory. Finding love is so important and fun because with out it you could spend your whole life alone. Then once you find love to keep it you just have to follow Sternbug’s triangular theory of love. Which is passion, intense, physiological desire for another person, intimacy self-disclosure leading to connection, warmth, trust and commitment staying with that person through thick and thin (3). In conclusion early adulthood from your twenties to forties is the ideal age. Physically, it is a time where we are our healthiest and will reach our peak performance. Cognitively, it is a time to grow up and make life decisions. And emotionally, it is a time to take on roles of independence, lifestyles, and marriage (4). Also Seven out of 10 people aged 40 or older said that 33 was the best year of their lives, with many saying they had more fun and felt more optimistic and that age falls under early adulthood (5). Early adulthood is full of excitement and is the most important stage in your life. You find out who you are and you find love. So in my opinion thirty flirty and thriving are the best years of your life.

Effects of the Children Act 1989

Effects of the Children Act 1989 The Children Act 1989 has put in place a set of principles which are designed to ensure that children’s needs in situations such as this are cared for appropriately. This means that children should be assessed speedily and have access to appropriate resources within the social services (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) 1-5). This legislation means that the there are procedures in place for the assessment of the needs of children considered to be potentially at risk of various forms of abuse in the family setting. The legislation quotes that this abuse may manifest itself as emotional, sexual and physical abuse or may take the form of neglect. The local authority is given the responsibility for monitoring whether these issues may be arising and where this is so, the social services must intervene and impose the best course of intervention as is necessary (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) 1-5).. Specifically, the legislation makes the following provisions: ‘Prevention of neglect and abuse 4.—(1)Every local authority shall take reasonable steps, through the provision of services under Part III of this Act, to prevent children within their area suffering ill-treatment or neglect.†¦..’. Schedule Two of the Act makes the following provisions: Part I, of Schedule Two of the Children’s Act 1989 provides: ‘Identification of children in need and provision of information (1)Every local authority shall take reasonable steps to identify the extent to which there are children in need within their area.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..’. One The most important assessment in this scenario is that of the social worker. The Children Act 1989 places duties upon the local authority to care for the children who are potentially at risk in this scenario (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) 1-5). To a large degree the position of the social worker is to discharge this duty. Broadly the issues which are presented by this scenario are relate to poverty, social exclusion, poor parenting skills, mental health as well as child support issues. In this situation, each individual child’s needs must be assessed (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) Ch. 1-2). The child’s mother’s ability to respond to the children’s needs must also be assessed. In the situation described, the children appear to have been neglected, and poverty seems to be a prevalent factor in the continuing neglect. The mother’s description of her own feelings of being miserable and isolated suggest that perhaps there is an issue of mental health difficulties on the part of the mother and that perhaps she may be suffering from depression. Perhaps the most significant factor in this scenario is that there is no child support being received by the children’s father. This matter should be referred to the Child Support Agency who may be able to trace the children’s father and secure child support payments. On a more positive note, the mother seems to be very cooperative and she has admitted that she is not coping appropriately. Due to this it is probably possible to ensure that the children remain in the care of their mother with more support from the social services to assist her in coping with the challenges of parenting. The Children Act 1989 makes provision for what is referred to as an emergency protection order which means that the children can be placed under the immediate protection of the local authority. However, given that the mother appears to be as cooperative as she is, there does not appear to be any need to consider such a drastic measure. A less serious measure which is potentially available to the social worker in this situation is the application for a care order. Such an order commits the children to the care of the local authority. Again, however, given that the problems which are resulting in the neglect of the children appear to be linked to issues which may be r emedied with appropriate support and interventions on the part of the social worker (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) 3) (Jones, I. and Williams, D. (2000) 1-2) (Scottish Executive (2006) 1), this option, while it could be under consideration for the future is unlikely to be acted upon without attempts being made at less invasive remedies. An aim of the Children Act 1989 is to encourage what is referred to as a multi-agency approach (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) Ch. 1-2) to the problems which may be presented to individuals such as the mother in this scenario. It is likely that the health visitor, the local GP and perhaps some charitable organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau may be contacted to assist her mother. Certainly it appears that she may be entitled to more financial support from the social security agency, and if she were willing to attend the local CAB she may be able to get a benefits check which is an assessment of the benefits which she may be entitled to. Two Peter’s needs in this situation are paramount and the local authority are obliged to evaluate how much danger he may be in of being subjected to further abuse (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) Ch. 1-2). The care order which is in place means that Peter has been previously at risk of significant harm. If Peter is returned to the care of his family and suffers any further harm, there may be a case to be made that the local authority and the individuals involved in the assessment of his needs have acted negligently. A care order will usually last until the child is eighteen although applications may be made to the court to discharge care orders. The powers of the local authority, when a care order is in place are the same as parental responsibilities. This means that the local authority are allowed to make decisions about the welfare of the child, where the child lives and what is generally in the best interests of that child until the child reaches th e age of majority. Naturally, this situation brings a number of dilemmas to the fore. Some of these could include deciding whether it is in the best interests of Peter to be returned to his parents, deciding whether it is appropriate for Peter to be allowed contact with his father, and ultimately deciding whether Peter would be more damaged in the long term by separation from his parents or by being returned to his parents. Other dilemmas would include having the responsibility for separating a mother from her child. It appears that Peter’s mother is as much a victim in this situation as Peter is. However, the local authority have a duty to put the interests of peter first. Peter’s father and mother may apply to the court at any time to have the care order revoked but in the circumstances it appears that they may have some difficulty in showing that they will be able to provide a secure environment for the child to return to. Peter admits that he is intimidated by his father and his father has just been released from prison. The plans which Peter’s parents have to marry are a positive sign that they may be attempting to turn things around, however they would be required to show that Peter is no longer at significant risk and that they can maintain a secure home environment for Peter to be a part of. Peter’s parents, and indeed Peter’s father in particular would probably be entitled to have access to the child if Peter consents, but again the responsibility would be on them to show that such contact would be in Peter’s best interests. The Children’s Act 1989 requires the local authority to put the welfare of the child first and in this scenario doing so would involve placing the onus on Peter’s family to convince those caring for Peter and the court that they are in a position to care for him properly, and that they are likely to be able to sustain this for a considerable length of time. Three The Children’s Act 1989 in this situation places a legal duty upon the local authority to ensure that the risks to which this child may be being exposed to are appropriately assessed (Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Ch. 1) (Greene, R. (1999) Ch. 1-2). If it transpires that the child is at significant risk the local authority are required by law to intervene and remove the child from the situation which places them at risk. Claire in this situation has bruising to her cheek, and this is likely to be considered to be extremely inappropriate because she sustained this injury at the hands of her father, who has admitted that it has happened before. Claire admits that she has been staying out late however, in the circumstances Claire’s parents need to be in a position to care for her and to discipline her without resorting to physical violence. In circumstances where a child is in immediate danger, the social services can apply for an emergency protection order which enables them to take the child into protective care for a maximum of eight days. This is an option open to the social worker here, however in reality it is far more likely that a care order would potentially be applied for. Before this happens, the social worker must consider whether the child may be able to be left in the care of her family, while being supported through appropriate channels and outside actors. In this scenario, the parents seem to be having some difficulty both communicating with Claire and with disciplining her. Perhaps out of frustration, they have resorted to physical violence as an expression for their inability to do these things appropriately. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that Claire continues to stay out late without her parents’ permission. The social worker in this situation should probably consider whether it is appropriate to make the option of family counselling available to the entire family, and Claire’s opinion that she has had enough of being with her family should be the cause of some concern. Perhaps, as a temporary measure Claire could be placed with other family members, thus putting her in a more neutral setting. Such a measure would give both parties some breathing space and time to evaluate a better solution to the problems, which does not involve physical violence to Claire. The parents could also benefit from training in appropriate parenting skills which will enable them to discipline her more successfully. If Claire continues to be at risk of this violence occurring, it is likely that she would be considered to be at significant risk. In these circumstances, a child protection conference will be held and the social services will be responsible for coordinating an inter-agency plan to ensure that the child is cared for appropriately. This involves liaising with third parties to ensure that Claire gets all the assistance she needs. Perhaps Claire’s teachers could be consulted to enquire whether this treatment is adversely affecting her education, and Claire may benefit from being referred to a counsellor on an individual basis. Bibliography Books Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Values and Ethics in Social Work. Publisher: Sage Publications. Place of Publication: UK. Greene, R. (1999) Human Behavior Theory and Social Work Practice. Publisher: Aldine De Gruyter. Place of Publication: New York. Articles Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) Strategy for Social Work and Social Care. Publisher: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Place of Publication: UK. Jones, I. and Williams, D. (2000) Preparing for Practice in Wales: The Social Work Process. Publisher: Care Council for Wales and the University of Bangor. Place of Publication: Wales. Scottish Executive (2006) The Need for Social Work Intervention. Publisher: Scottish Executive. Place of Publication: UK.

Kosovo Crisis :: essays research papers

There has been a conflict for quite some time now between the people of once Serbia now Yugoslavia and the Islamic countries bordering them. The grudge can be traced back over 600 years to the first battle. The hatred between the two sides is still endures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No one knows exactly when the repugnance started, but the situation was understood. During the time of the Ottoman Empire the Turks were terrorizing most of Europe, ferociously converting people into Islam. The other option was death. The Serbs at that tie were always known for their strong faith in Christianity. So backing down was not an option. The Serbs, until this day have not invaded other countries, only defend what is rightfully theirs. There were other countries that agreed with the Serb’s standpoint so they had forces that joined too. The Serb’s allies include Hungarians, Croats, Bulgarians, Czechs, and Franks. The actual battle of Kosovo took place on June 28 1389. The Serbian’s of who were mostly comprised of peasants armed with whatever they had, and outnumbered, were led by Prince Lazar. Their manpower was about ?. They went into a full on brawl with the Ottoman Turks who were led by Sultan Murad I. their troops reached to above 30,000. Because the Serbs were defending they had the upper hand. Yet, by one strategic flaw the Serbs lost the battle. An unanticipated flank divided the mass of the Serb army and the Turks rolled over them. A very significant part of the outcome was that both Sultan Murad and Prince Lazar perished in battle. The Sultan’s killer became a hero in Serbian folklore; his name was Milos Obilivic. The battle itself took such a toll on the Turk’s forces, that it stopped there quest for conquering all of Europe. As an intimidation, a man known as â€Å"Vlad the Impaler† would put the heads of Turkish soldeirs on pikes along the border of Kosovo. The story says that Vlad was bloodthirsty because of such acts, thereby starting the whole legend of vampires. Vlad the Impaler is also more commonly known as, â€Å"Count Dracula†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In reality by numbers the battle was definitely a Turkish victory. But the Serb’s point of view was that even though they lost the battle, they had perpetrated their cause. Because of this one fact, there has always been a dispute, and things never get a chance to resolve.

Edgar Allan Poe :: essays research papers

What Goes Around Comes Around In his story â€Å"The Black Cat,† Edgar Allan Poe dramatizes his experience with madness, and challenges the readers suspension of disbelief by using imagery in describing the plot and characters. Poe uses foreshadowing to describe the scenes of sanity versus insanity. He writes â€Å"for the most wild yet homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor illicit belief. Yet mad I am not- and surely do I not dream,† alerts the reader about a forthcoming story that will test the boundaries of reality and fiction. The author asserts his belief of the activities described in the story when he states â€Å"to-morrow I die, and to-day I would unburden my soul†(80). Poe describes his affectionate temperament of his character when he writes â€Å"my tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions†(80). He also characterizes his animal friends as â€Å"unselfish† and their love as â€Å"self-sacrificing† illustrating to the readers his devotion to them for their companionship. The author uses foreshadowing in the statement â€Å"we had birds, goldfish, a fine dog, a rabbit, a small monkey, and a cat†(80). The use of italics hints to the reader of upcoming events about the cat that peaks interest and anticipation. Poe also describes a touch foreshadowing and suspension of disbelief when he illustrates his wives response to the cat when he writes â€Å"all black cats are witches in disguise, not that she was ever serious upon this point-and I mention the matter at all for no better reason than it happened, just now, to be remembered†(80). Poe expresses his early attachment to the cat and dramatizes the character changes he experiences when he writes â€Å"our friendship lasted, in this manner, for several years, during which my general temperament and character-through instrumentality of the Fiend Intemperance-had (I blush to confess it) experienced a radical alteration for the worse†(81). He warns the reader of new events in a cynical tone and implies the beginning of the madness he denies. Poe first illustrates this madness when he uses imagery to describe the brutal scene with the cat when he writes â€Å"I took from my waistcoat-pocket a pen knife, opened it, grasped the poor beast by the throat, and deliberately cut one of its eyes from the socket!† The author describes his emotional and physical state of being during the unthinkable act as â€Å"I blush, I burn, I shudder, while I pen the damnable atrocity†(81). He describes the

Wedding Toast - Best Man Essay -- Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Wedding Speech – Best Man Hello my name’s Paul and I’m Martin’s best man, although I’m sure Martin will have a new name for me by the time I’ve finished this. When Martin asked me to be his best man I was initially thrilled at the prospect. Unfortunately it didn't take long for this feeling of well being to dissolve into utter apprehension as I remembered the last time I had to stand up in a room full of people†¦.. I was found guilty and fined $300. I went to a wedding two weeks ago that was held in a nudist colony. Apparently I was just half an inch away from being the best man there too. By the way, if anyone is running a book on the length of this speech could I put $5 on it lasting 12 minutes please? Martin Firstly I’d like to congratulate Martin on his speech. I'm particularly impressed with the fact that you all paid attention and followed his instructions not to laugh. I’m also impressed that Martin followed my instructions to dress smartly today, although I am a bit disappointed he decided to copy my outfit. I have known Martin for over 10 long long years now. When I first met him in college he was loud, aggressive, rude, abusive and swore a lot, but just look at the man he’s become now†¦..nothing has changed. Whilst at college we discovered a local nightclub called Winkers. I would regularly witness Martin’s unique, raw, undiscovered style of dancing in Winkers that left the women speechl... ...any more happy years of friendship. On behalf of all of us in this room I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Pete and Sue Foster for the wonderful hospitality they have shown today. Martin would also like to thank Pete and Sue, in advance, for how well they’re going to treat him in the future. I’d also like to thank the bridesmaids and ushers today for their invaluable contribution to the wedding, I’m sure you’ll all agree with me that they all look wonderful. So, finally (get a glass in your hand): Here's to love, laughter And happily ever after. As Martin and Anne start their new life Please stand and toast the new husband and wife Ladies and gentlemen†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the Bride and Groom

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 42~43

PART THREE Coconut Angel 42 Bedfellows Just before dawn, Tuck crawled through the bottom of the shower like a homesick cockroach, scuttled out of the bathroom under the mosquito netting and into bed. There were things to do, big things, important things, maybe even dangerous things, but he had no idea what they were and he was too tired and too drunk to figure them out now. He had tried, he had really tried to convince the Shark men that the doctor and his wife were doing horrible things to them, but the islanders always came back with the same answer: â€Å"It is what Vincent wants. Vincent will take care of us.† To hell with them, Tuck thought. Dumb bastards deserve what happens to them. He rolled over and pushed the coconut-headed dummy aside. The dummy pushed back. Tuck leaped out of bed, tripped in the mosquito netting, and scooted on his butt like a man backing away from a snake. And the dummy sat up. Tuck couldn't see the face in the predawn light filtering into the bungalow, just a silhouette behind the mosquito netting, a shadow. And the shadow wore a captain's hat. â€Å"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking because I'll give you six to five I do.† The accent was somewhere out of a Bowery Boys movie, and Tuck recognized the voice. He'd heard it in his head, he'd heard it in the voice of a talking bat, and he'd heard it twice from a young flyer. â€Å"You do?† â€Å"Yeah, you're thinking, ‘Hey, I never wanted to find a guy in my bed, but if you got to find a guy in your bed, this is the guy I'd want it to be,' right?† â€Å"That's not what I was thinking.† â€Å"Then you shoulda taken odds, ya mook.† â€Å"Who are you?† The flyer threw back the mosquito netting and tossed something across the room. Tuck flinched as it landed with a thump on the floor next to him. â€Å"Pick it up.† Tuck could just see an object shining by his knee. He picked up what felt like a cigarette lighter. â€Å"Read what it says,† the shadow said. â€Å"I can't. It's dark.† Tuck could see the flyer shaking his head dolefully. â€Å"You know, I saw a guy in the war that got his head shot off about the hat line. Docs did some hammering on some stainless steel and riveted it on his noggin and saved his life, but the guy didn't do nothing from that day forward but walk around in a circle yanking his hamster and singing just the ‘row' part of ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat.' They had to tape oven mitts on him to keep him from rubbing himself raw. Now, I'm not saying that the guy didn't know how to have a good time, but he wasn't much for conversation, if you know what I mean.† â€Å"That was a beautiful story,† Tuck said. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because the steelhead hamster-pulling ‘row' guy was a genius compared to you. Light the fuckin' lighter, ya mook.† â€Å"Oh,† Tuck said and he flipped open the lighter and sparked it. By the firelight he could read the engraving: VINCENT BENNIDETTI, CAPTAIN U.S.A.F. Tuck looked back at the flyer, who was still caged in shadow, even though the rest of the room had started to lighten. â€Å"You're Vincent?† The shadow gave a slight bow. â€Å"Not exactly in the flesh, but at your fuckin' service.† â€Å"You're Malink's Vincent?† â€Å"The same. I gave the chief the original of that lighter.† â€Å"You could have just said so. You didn't have to be so dramatic.† Tuck was glad he was a little drunk. He didn't feel frightened. As strange as it all was, he felt safe. This guy – this thing, this spirit – had more or less saved his life at least twice, maybe three times. â€Å"I got responsibilities, kid, and so do you.† â€Å"Responsibilities?† Now Tuck was frightened. It was a conditioned response. â€Å"Yeah, so when you get up later today, don't go storming into the doc's office demanding the facts. Just go swimming. Cool off.† â€Å"Go swimming?† â€Å"Yeah, go to the far side of the reef and swim away from the direction of the village about five hundred yards. Keep an eye out for sharks outside of the reef.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"A guy appears out of nowhere in the middle of the night saying all kinds of mystical shit and you ask why?† â€Å"Yeah. Why?† â€Å"Because I said so,† Vincent said. â€Å"My dad always said that. Are you the ghost of my dad?† The shade slapped his forehead. â€Å"Repeat after me – and don't be getting any on you, now – one and two and three and ‘Row, row, row, row, row†¦'† He started to fade away with the chant. â€Å"Wait,† Tuck said. â€Å"I need to know more than that.† â€Å"Stay on the sly, kid. You don't know as much as you think you do.† â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You owe me.† Two armed ninjas followed Tuck to the water. He watched them, looking for signs of microwave poisoning from the radar blasts, but he wasn't sure exactly what the signs would be. Would they plump noticeably, perhaps explode without fork holes to release the inner pressure? That would be cool. Maybe they'd fall asleep on the beach and wake up a hundred times larger, yearning to do battle with Godzilla while tiny people whose words didn't match their mouth movements scrambled in the flaming rubble be-low? (It happened all the time in Japanese movies, didn't it?) Too good for them. He pulled on his fins and bowed to them as he backed into the water. â€Å"May your nads shrivel like raisins,† he said with a smile. They bowed back, more out of reflex than respect. The far side of the reef and five hundred yards down: The ninjas were going to have a fit. He'd never gone to the ocean side of the reef. Inside was a warm clear aquamarine where you could always see the bottom and the fish seemed, if not friendly, at least not dan gerous. But the ocean side, past the surf, was a dark cobalt blue, as deep and liquid as a clear night sky. The colorful reef fish must look like M to the hunters of the deep blue, Tuck thought. The outer edge of the reef is the candy dish of monsters. He kicked slowly out to the reef, letting the light surge lift and drop him as he watched the multicolored links in the food chain dart around the bottom. A trigger fish, painted in tans and blues that seemed more at home in the desert, was crunching the legs off of a crab while smaller fish darted in to steal the floating crumbs. He pulled up and looked at the only visible break in the reef, a deep blue channel, and headed toward it. He'd have to go out to the ocean side and swim the five hundred yards there, otherwise the breaking surf would dash him against the coral when he tried to swim over the reef. He put his face in the water and kicked out of the channel until the bottom disappeared, then, once past the surf line, turned and swam parallel to the reef. It was like swimming in space at the edge of a canyon. He could see the reef sloping down a hundred and fifty feet to disappear into a blue blur. He tried to keep his bearing on the reef, let his eye bounce from coral fan to anemone to nudibranch to eel, like visual stepping-stones, because to his left there was no reference, nothing but empty blue, and when he looked there he felt like a child watching for a strange face at the window, so convinced and terrified it would come that any shape, any movement, any play of light becomes a horror. He saw a flash out the side of his mask and whipped around in time to see a harmless green parrot fish munching coral. He sucked a mouthful of water into his submerged snorkel and choked. He hovered in a dead man's float for a full minute before he could breathe normally and start kicking his way up the reef again, this time resolved to faith. Whatever, whoever Vincent was, he had saved Tuck's life, and he knew things. He wouldn't have gone to the trouble to have Tuck eaten by barracudas. Tuck ticked off his stepping-stones, trying to gauge how far he had come. He would have to go out farther to see past the rising surf and use the shore as a reference, and besides, what was above the water's surface was irrelevant. This was a foreign world, and he was an uninvited guest. Then another flash, but this time he fought the panic. Sunlight on something metal about thirty feet down the slope of the reef. Something waving in the surge near the flash. He rested a second, gathered his breath, and dove, swooping down to grab the object just as he recognized what it was: a set of military dog tags on a beaded metal chain. He shot to the surface and hovered as he caught his breath and read: SOMMERS, JAMES W. James Sommers was a Presbyterian, according to the dog tag. Somehow Tuck didn't think that a thousand-yard swim was worth finding a pair of dog tags. But there was the swath of fabric still down there. Tuck hadn't gotten a good look at it. He tucked the tags into the inside pocket of his trunks and dove again. He kicked down to the swath of cloth, holding his nose and blowing to equalize the pressure on his ears, even as the air in his lungs tried to pull him to the surface, away from his prize. It was some kind of printed cotton. He grasped at it and a piece came away in his hand. He pulled again, but the cloth was wedged into a crevice in the reef. He yanked and the cloth came away, revealing something white. Out of breath, he shot to the surface and examined the cloth. Flying piggies. Oh, good. He'd risked his life for Presbyterian dog tags and a flying piggies print. One more dive and he saw what it was that had wedged into the crevice: a human pelvic bone. Whatever else had been here had been carried away, but this bone had wedged and been picked clean. Someone wearing flying piggies boxers had become part of the food chain. The swim back to the channel seemed longer and slower, but this time Tuck forgot his fear of what might lurk behind the vasty blue. The real danger lay back on shore. And how does one, over dinner, proffer the opinion that one's employers are murdering organ thieves? â€Å"Stay on the sly,† Vincent had said. And so far he seemed to know what he was talking about. 43 Boiling the Puppets â€Å"Oh, come in, Mr. Case. Sebastian is out on the lanai.† She wore a white raw silk pant suit, cut loose in the legs and low at the neck, a rope of pearls with matching earrings. Her hair was tied back with a white satin bow and she moved before him like the ghost of good housekeeping. â€Å"How do you feel about Pacific lobster?† â€Å"I like it,† Tuck said, looking for some sign from her that she knew that he knew. There was no acknowledgment of her appearance in his room last night or that she had any suspicion of him at all. Tuck said, â€Å"I feel like I'm taking advantage coming to dinner empty-handed. I ought to have you and the doc over to my place some evening.† â€Å"Oh, do you cook too, Mr. Case?† â€Å"A few things. My specialty is blackened Pez.† â€Å"A Cajun dish?† â€Å"I learned to make it in Texas, actually.† â€Å"A Tex-Mex specialty, then.† â€Å"Well, a fifth of tequila does make it taste a little better.† She laughed, a polite hostess laugh, and said, â€Å"Can I get you something to drink?† â€Å"You mean a drink or some liquid?† â€Å"I'm sorry. It does seem constraining, I'm sure, but you understand, you might have to fly.† She had a large glass of white wine on the counter where she had been working. Tuck looked at it and said, â€Å"But performing major surgery under the influence is no problem, right?† That was subtle, Tuck thought. Very smooth. I am a dead man. Her eyes narrowed, but the polite smile never left her lips. â€Å"Sebastian,† she called, â€Å"you'd better come in, dear. I think Mr. Case has something he wants to discuss with us.† Sebastian Curtis came through the french doors looking tall and dignified, his gray hair brushed back, his tan face striking against the gray. To Tuck he looked like any number of executives one might see at a yacht club, a retired male model perhaps, a Shakespearean actor finally finished with the young prince and lover roles, seasoned and ready to play Caesar, Lear, or more appropriately, Prospero, the banished wizard of The Tempest. Tuck, still in his borrowed clothes, baggy and rolled at the cuffs, felt like a beggar. He fought to hold on to his righteous indignation, which was an unfamiliar emotion to him anyway. Sebastian Curtis said, â€Å"Mr. Case. Nice to see you. Beth and I were just talking about how pleased we are with your work. I'm sure these impromptu flights are difficult.† â€Å"Mr. Case was just suggesting that we keep an eye on our alcohol consumption,† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"Just in case we might have to perform an emergency surgery.† The jovial manner dropped from the doctor like a veil. â€Å"And just what kind of surgery might you be referring to?† Tuck looked at the floor. He should have thought this through a little more. He fingered the dog tags in his pocket. The plan was to throw them on the table and demand an explanation. What had happened to the skel-eton, the owner of the tags? And for that matter, what would happen to Tucker Case if he threw this in their faces? Mary Jean used to say, â€Å"In ne-gotiations, always leave yourself a way out. You can always come back later.† Go slow, Tuck told himself. He said, â€Å"Doc, I'm concerned about the flights. I should know what we're carrying in case we're detained by the authorities. What's in the cooler?† â€Å"But I told you, you're carrying research samples.† â€Å"What kind of samples?† It was time to play a card. â€Å"I'm not flying again until I know.† Sebastian Curtis shot a glance at his wife, then looked back to Tucker. â€Å"Perhaps we should sit down and have a talk.† He pulled a chair out for Tucker. â€Å"Please.† Tuck sat. The doctor repeated the gesture for his wife and then sat down next to her, across the table from Tuck. â€Å"I've been on Alualu for twenty-eight years, Mr. Case.† â€Å"What does that have to do†¦?† Curtis held up a hand. â€Å"Hear me out. If you want answers, you have to take them in the context that I give them.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"My family didn't have the money for medical school, so I took a scholarship from the Methodist Missions, on the condition that I work for them when I graduated and go where they sent me. They sent me here. I was full of myself and full of the Spirit of the Lord. I was going to bring God and healing to the heathens of the Pacific. There hadn't been a Christian missionary on the island since World War II, and I was warned that there might be a residual Catholic influence, but the Methodists have liberal ideas about spreading the Word of God. A Methodist missionary works with the culture he finds. But I didn't find a Catholic population here. What I found was a population that worshipped the memory of an American pilot and his bomber.† â€Å"A cargo cult,† Tuck said, hoping to move things along. â€Å"Then you know about them. Yes, a cargo cult. The strongest I'd ever heard of. Fortunately for me, it wasn't based on the hatred of whites like the cargo cults in New Guinea. They loved Americans and everything that came from America. They took my medicine, the tools I brought, food, reading material, everything I offered them, except, of course, the Word of God. And I was good to them. The natives on this island are the health-iest in the Pacific. Partly because they are so isolated that communicable diseases don't reach them, but I take some credit for it as well.† â€Å"So that's why you don't let them have any contact with the ship when it arrives?† â€Å"No, well, that is one of the reasons, but mainly I wanted to keep them away from the ship's store.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because the store offered them things that I couldn't or wouldn't give them, and the store only accepted money. Money was becoming an icon in their religion. I heard drums in the village one night and went into the village to find all the women crouched around a fire holding wooden bowls with a few coins in the bottom. They were oiled and waving their heads as if in a trance, and as the drummers played, the men, wearing masks fashioned to look like the faces on American currency, moved around be-hind the women, copulating with them and chanting. It was a fertility ce-remony to make the money in the bowls multiply so they could buy things from the ship's store.† â€Å"Well, it does sound better than getting a job,† Tuck said. Curtis didn't see the humor. â€Å"By forbidding them to have contact with the ship, I thought I could kill the cargo cult, but it didn't work. I would talk of Jesus, and the miracles that he performed, and how he would save them, and they would ask me if I had seen him. Because they had seen their savior. Their pilot had saved them from the Japanese. Jesus had just told them that they had to give up their customs and taboos. Christianity couldn't compete. But I still tried. I gave them the best care I could. But after five years, the Methodist Missions sent a group of officials to check on my progress. They cut my funding and wanted to send me home, but I decided to stay and try to do the best I could without their support.† â€Å"He was afraid to leave,† Beth Curtis said. Sebastian Curtis looked as if he was going to strike his wife. â€Å"That's not true, Beth.† â€Å"Sure it is. You hadn't been off this island in years. You forgot how to live with real people.† â€Å"They are real people.† As amusing as it was to watch the perfect couple illusion go up in flames before his eyes, Tuck put out the fire. â€Å"A Learjet and millions in electronics. Looks like you did pretty good with no funding, Doc.† â€Å"I'm sorry.† And he looked as if he was. â€Å"I tried to make it on what the islanders could raise by selling copra, but it wasn't enough. I lost one of my patients, a little boy, because I didn't have the funds to fly him to a hospital that could give him the care he needed. I tried harder to convert the natives, thinking I might get another mission to sponsor us, but how can you compete with a Messiah people have actually spoken to?† Tuck didn't answer. Having spoken to the â€Å"Messiah† himself, he was convinced already. Sebastian Curtis drained his glass of wine and continued. â€Å"I sent letters to churches, foundations, and corporations all over the world. Then one day a plane landed out on the airstrip and some Japanese businessmen got out. They wouldn't fund the clinic out of charity, but if I could get every able-bodied islander to give blood every two weeks, then they would help. And every two weeks the plane came and picked up three hundred pints of blood. I got twenty-five American dollars for every pint.† â€Å"How'd you talk the natives into it? I've given blood. It's not that pleasant.† â€Å"They were coming on a plane, remember? Airplanes are a big part of these people's religion.† â€Å"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, huh?† â€Å"They always brought something on the plane for the natives. Rice, machetes, cooking pots. I got all the medicines I needed and I was able to get the materials to build most of this compound.† Beth Curtis stood up. â€Å"Oh, as much as I love hearing this story, I think we should eat. Excuse me.† She went to the kitchen area, where a large pot was boiling on the stove, reached into a wooden crate on the floor, and came up with a large live lobster in each hand. The giant sea bugs waved their legs and antennae around looking for purchase. Beth Curtis held them over the pot, puppeting them. â€Å"Oh, Steve, you got us a room with a hot tub. How wonderful,† she made the left lobster say. â€Å"Yes, I'm very romantic,† she said in a deeper voice, bouncing the bug with the words. â€Å"Let's go in now. I'm a little tense.† â€Å"Oh, you're wonderful.† Then she dropped the lobsters into the boiling water. A high-pitched squeal came from the pot and Beth Curtis went to the crate for another victim. â€Å"Beth, please,† the doctor said. â€Å"I'm just trying to lighten things up a little, ‘Bastian. Be still.† She held the second lobster over the pot, then looked at Tucker as she began her narration. â€Å"This is the crazed doctor talking. There's always a crazed megalomaniacal doctor. It's traditional.† Sebastian Curtis stood up. â€Å"Stop it, Beth!† She affected a German accent. â€Å"You see, Mr. Bond, a man spends too much time on an island alone, he changes. He loses his faith. He begins to think of ways to improve his lot. My associates in Japan came to me with a proposal. They would send me to a seminar in San Francisco to brush up on organ transplant surgery. I would no longer be selling blood for pocket change. They would send me specific orders for kidneys, and I could deliver them within hours for a cool half-million apiece. A dying man will pay a lot for a healthy kidney. In San Francisco I met a woman, a beautiful wo-man.† Beth came out of character for a moment, grinned, and bowed quickly, then went back to terrorizing the lobster. â€Å"I brought her here, and it was she who devised the plan to get the natives to comply with having their organs removed. Not only beautiful, but a genius as well, and she had a degree as a surgical nurse. She used her abundant charms on the natives† – she held the lobster where it could have a good view of her cleavage – â€Å"and the savages were more than happy to donate a kidney. Meanwhile, I have become rich beyond my wildest dreams, and as for you, Mr. Bond, now it's time for you to die.† She dropped the lobster into the pot and began to shake with a diabolical laugh. She stopped laughing abruptly and said, â€Å"They should be ready in about ten minutes. Salad, Mr. Case?† Tuck couldn't think. Somewhere in that little puppet show of the damned was a confession to cutting out people's organs and selling them like so much meat, and the doctor's wife not only didn't seem to have any regrets about it, she was absolutely gleeful. Sebastian Curtis, on the other hand, had his head down on the table, and when he did look up, he couldn't make eye contact with Tuck. A minute passed in uncomfortable silence. Beth Curtis seemed to be waiting for someone to shout â€Å"Encore!† while the good doctor gathered his wits. â€Å"What I'd like you to understand, Mr. Case, is that I – we – couldn't have taken care of these people without the funds we've received for what we do. They would have no modern medical care at all.† Tuck was thinking again, trying to measure what he could say and what he wasn't willing to reveal. He couldn't let them know that he knew any-thing at all about the Shark People, and, as Vincent had implied, he'd better find out more before he threw down the dog tags and Pardee's notebook. The doc was obviously stretched pretty tight by the situation, and Mrs. Curtis – well, Mrs. Curtis was just fucking scary. Play it chilly. They'd brought him here because they thought he was as twisted as they were. No sense in ruining his image. â€Å"I understand.† Tuck said. â€Å"I wish you'd been a little more up front about it, but I think I get all the secrecy now. But what I want to know is: Why can't I drink if you guys do? I mean, if you guys can perform major surgery when you're half in the bag, then I can fly a plane.† Beth said, â€Å"We wanted to help you with your substance abuse problem. We thought that if you weren't exposed to other drinkers that you'd relapse when you went back home.† â€Å"Very thoughtful of you,† Tuck said. â€Å"But when exactly am I supposed to go home?† â€Å"When we're finished,† she said. The doctor nodded. â€Å"Yes, we were going to tell you, but we wanted you to become used to the routine. We wanted to see if you could handle the job first. We're going to do the operations until we have a hundred million, then we will invest it on behalf of the islanders. The proceeds will assure we can continue our work and that the Shark People will be taken care of as long as they are here.† Tuck laughed. â€Å"Right. You're not taking anything for yourself. This is all a mercy mission.† â€Å"No, we may leave, but there'll be enough to keep someone running this clinic and shipping in food and supplies forever. And then there's your bonus.† â€Å"Go,† Tuck said. â€Å"Go ahead.† â€Å"The plane.† Tuck raised an eyebrow. â€Å"The plane?† â€Å"If you stay until we finish our work, we will sign the plane over to you, plus your salary and any other bonuses you've accumulated. You can go anywhere in the world you want, start a charter business if you want, or just sell it and live comfortably for the rest of your life.† Tuck shook his head. Of all the weirdness that had gone on so far, this seemed like the weirdest, if only because the doctor seemed so earnest. It might have had something to do with the fact that it was one of those things that a guy hopes all his life he is going to hear, but convinces himself that it's never going to happen. These people were going to give him his own Learjet. He didn't want to do it, he fought not to do it, he strained, but nevertheless, Tuck couldn't stop himself from asking. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because we can't do it without you, and this is something that you can't get any other way. And because we'd rather keep you than have to find another pilot and lose the time.† â€Å"What if I say no?† â€Å"Then, you understand, we'd have to ask you to leave and you would keep the money that you've already earned.† â€Å"And I can just go?† â€Å"Of course. As you know, you are not our first pilot. He decided to move on. But then again, we didn't make him this offer.† â€Å"What was your first pilot's name?† The doctor shot a look at his wife. She said, â€Å"Giordano, he was Italian. Why?† â€Å"The aviation community is pretty small. I thought I might know him.† â€Å"Do you?† she said and there was too much sincerity in the question for Tuck to believe that she didn't know the answer. â€Å"No.† Sebastian Curtis cleared his throat and forced a smile. â€Å"So what do you think? How would you like to own your own Learjet, Mr. Case?† Tuck sat staring at the open wine bottle, measuring what he could say, what answer they not only wanted to hear, but had to hear if he was going to leave the island alive. He extended his hand for the doctor to shake. â€Å"I think you've got yourself a pilot. Let's drink to the deal.† An electronic bell trilled from the bedroom and the doctor and his wife exchanged glances. â€Å"I'll take care of it,† Beth Curtis said. She stood and put her napkin on the table. â€Å"Excuse me, Mr. Case, but we have a patient in the clinic who requires my attention.† Then the whiplash mood swing from officious to acid. â€Å"She presses that buzzer so much you'd think it was attached to her clit.† Sebastian Curtis looked at Tuck and shrugged apologetically.