Staphylococcus Aureus

Foodborne Illness Short Answer Questions Staphylococcus †¢What is the infectious agent (pathogen) that causes this infectious disease? The pathogen that causes Staphylococcus is called Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus is also called Staph and is abbreviated to S. aureus or Staph aureus in medical literature. S. aureus is a bacterium that causes various infections. Staph is a commonly found on the skin and also in mucus membranes (mostly the nose and throat) of up to 25% of healthy people and animals. Depending on the type of strain S. ureus, can cause minor skin infections such as pimples, boils, carbuncles, and abscesses or life-threatening diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis and toxic shock syndrome. (Microbiology, 2005) Some strains produce an enterotoxin that causes staphylococcus aureus gastroenteritis, also known as food poisoning. The most harmful species of S. aureus is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); this bacterium has de veloped antibiotic resistance. (Microbiology, 2005) Each year, approximately half a million people are admitted to a hospital in the U. S. ue to a staphylococcal infection. †¢How is this infectious agent transmitted through food or water? S. aureus is not necessarily transmitted through food or water but primarily through direct person-to-person contact. It is also possible to transmit through indirect contact (i. e. contaminated environmental surfaces). Staph infections are common hospital-acquired infections due to the possibility of health care providers being carriers of this, usually harmless, bacteria. A carrier of S. aureus can easily contaminate their own hands by contact with their nose in the course of routine activities. Skin to skin contact is the most significant mode of transmitting the pathogen and hand washing can significantly reduce transmission. Staph infections can spread through contact with pus from an infected wound, contact with objects such as towels, sheets, or clothing. (Wiki, 2012) S. aureus can remain living for long periods of time on linen, clothing and dust. †¢What is an example of a real life outbreak of this foodborne illness in the United States? I found this example of a real life outbreak, although it is not in the US, I found it astonishing that the outbreak ended with proper hygiene. In January 2008, a cluster of neonates with bullous impetigo in a hospital of northern Thailand was investigated. Medical records and working timetables of healthcare workers (HCWs) were reviewed. During an environmental study, bacteriological samples from HCWs and equipments were taken. The study resulted in 16 confirmed cases and 14 probable cases. The attack rate was 42%. Most cases had skin blisters (28 cases) followed by pustules (five cases) and exfoliation (three cases). The location of the lesion was the trunk (17 cases), neck (14 cases) or armpits (nine cases). Nineteen cases had symptoms onset after discharge from hospital. Median age at onset was 4 days. The strain isolated from an infected newborn shared the same phage type as the contaminated equipment. Insufficient hand hygiene was an observed risk behavior of HCWs and visitors. Exposure to a nasal carrier of Staphylococcus aureus and ward sharing with a symptomatic case increased the risk of acquiring the infection. The outbreak ended abruptly after implementation of hand hygiene practices and equipment cleaning. (Eurosurveillance, 2008) What are the clinical symptoms, duration of the disease, and treatment if any? The clinical symptoms of a skin staph infection are boils and puss-filled accesses. These areas of the infection are commonly red, swollen and painful. Drainage of the infections is common practice. When S aureus enters the blood stream it can spread to organs and cause serious infections, this is known as bacteremia or sepsis. Patients with underlying lung disease may deve lop staphylococcus pneumonia which causes an abscess formation in the ungs. Infection of the heart valves, also called endocarditis, can lead to heart failure. Staphylococcal food poisoning causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration. (MedicineNet, n. d. ) Minor skin infections may be treated with an antibiotic ointment or oral antibiotics. Serious and life-threatening illness may be treated with intravenous antibiotics depending on the particular staphylococcal strain. Some strains, such as MRSA, are resistant to many antibiotics. †¢What steps can be taken to prevent further outbreaks? Include individual as well as environmental precautions and methods. There is not a vaccine available against Staphylococcus aureus since bacteria are so widespread. But there are common hygiene practices that can reduce the risk of developing staph infections. Thoroughly washing hands is the best defense against germs. If you have a cut or wound, keep it clean and covered with sterile bandages until they heal completely. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, sheets, razors and clothing. Women that use tampons can reduce their risk by changing tampons frequently. Hospitals can reduce transmission of staphylococcal aureus and MRSA by ensuring proper hygiene is a priority with all healthcare workers. They can also disinfect surfaces that are handled by healthcare workers, patients and visitors daily. A study was done to test the growth rate of staphylococci on stainless steel and brass. The results of this study showed the growth of the bacteria to be lower on the brass covered hardware. This could be a change hospitals can make to help reduce the spread of staphylococcus. Noyce, Michels, & Keevil, 2006, p. 290) Reference: Microbiology. (2005, May 25). What Is Staphylococcus Aureus? Bionewsonline. com Retrieved January 21, 2012, from http://www. bionewsonline. com/i/what_is_staphylococcus_aureus. htm Wikipedia. (2012, January 17). Staphylococcus Aureus. Wikipedia. org Retrieved January 21, 2012, form http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Staphylococcus_aureus Eurosurveillance. (January 2008). An outbreak of hospital-acquired Staphylococcus aureus skin infection among newborns, Nan Province, Thailand, January 2008. EuroSurveillance. org. Retrieved January 21, 2012, from http://www. eurosurveillance. org/ViewArticle. aspx? ArticleId=19372 MedicineNet. (n. d. ). Staph Infection. MedicineNet. com. Retrieved on January 21, 2012 from http://www. medicinenet. com/staph_infection/article. htm#symptoms J. O. Noyce, H. Michels, & C. W. Keevil. (2006). Potential use of copper surfaces to reduce survival of epidemic Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the healthcare environment. [Electronic Version]. Journal of Hospital Infection, 63, 289-297

Zoe’s Tale PART I Chapter Two

I climbed out onto the roof through my bedroom window and looked back at Hickory. â€Å"Hand me those binoculars,† I said. It did – and then climbed out the window with me. Since you've probably never seen it I'll have you know it's a pretty impressive sight to watch an Obin unfold itself to get through a window. Very graceful, with no real analogue to any human movement you might want to describe. The universe, it has aliens in it. And they are. (Obin: â€Å"it,† not â€Å"he† or â€Å"she.† Because they're hermaphrodites. That means male and female sex organs. Go ahead and have your giggle. I'll wait. Okay, done? Good.) Hickory was on the roof with me; Dickory was outside the house, more or less spotting me in case I should trip or feel suddenly despondent, and then fall or leap off the roof. This is their standard practice when I climb out my window: one with me, one on the ground. And they're obvious about it; when I was a little kid Mom or Dad would see Dickory blow out the door and hang around just below the roof, and then yell up the stairs for me to get back into my room. Having paranoid alien pals has a downside. For the record: I've never fallen off the roof. Well, once. When I was ten. But there were extenuating circumstances. That doesn't count. Anyway, I didn't have to worry about either John or Jane telling me to get back into the house this time. They stopped doing that when I became a teenager. Besides, they were the reason I was up on the roof in the first place. â€Å"There they are,† I said, and pointed for Hickory's benefit. Mom and Dad and my green friend were standing in the middle of our sorghum field, a few hundred meters out. I raised my binoculars and they went from being hash marks to being actual people. Green man had his back to me, but he was saying something, because both Jane and John were looking at him intently. There was a rustle at Jane's feet, and then Babar popped up his head. Mom reached down to scratch him. â€Å"I wonder what he's talking to them about,† I said. â€Å"They're too far away,† Hickory said. I turned to it to make a comment along the lines of no kidding, genius. Then I saw the consciousness collar around its neck and was reminded that in addition to providing Hickory and Dickory with sentience – with their idea of who they were – their collars also gave them expanded senses, which were mostly devoted to keeping me out of trouble. I was also reminded that their consciousness collars were why they were here in the first place. My father – my biological father – created them for the Obin. I was also reminded that they were why I was here, too. Still here, I mean. Alive. But I didn't go down that road of thought. â€Å"I thought those things were useful,† I said, pointing to the collar. Hickory lightly touched the collar. â€Å"The collars do many things,† it said. â€Å"Enabling us to hear a conversation hundreds of meters away, and in the middle of a grain field, is not one of them.† â€Å"So you're useless,† I said. Hickory nodded its head. â€Å"As you say,† it said, in its noncommittal way. â€Å"It's no fun mocking you,† I said. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Hickory said. And the thing of it was, Hickory really was sorry. It's not easy being a funny, sarcastic thing when most of who you were depended on a machine you wore around your neck. Generating one's own prosthetic identity takes more concentration than you might expect. Managing a well-balanced sense of sarcasm above and beyond that is a little much to ask for. I reached over and gave Hickory a hug. It was a funny thing. Hickory and Dickory were here for me; to know me, to learn from me, to protect me, and if need be to die for me. And here I was, feeling protective of them, and feeling a little sad for them, too. My father – my biological father – gave them consciousness, something the Obin had lacked and had been searching for, for the entire history of their species. But he didn't make consciousness easy for them. Hickory accepted my hug and tentatively touched my head; it can be shy when I'm suddenly demonstrative. I took care not to lay it on too thick with the Obin. If I get too emotional it can mess up their consciousness. They're sensitive to when I get overwrought. So I backed up and then looked toward my parents again with the binoculars. Now John was saying something, with one of his patented half-cocked smiles. His smile erased when our visitor started talking again. â€Å"I wonder who he is,† I said. â€Å"He is General Samuel Rybicki,† Hickory said. This got another glance back from me. â€Å"How do you know that?† I said. â€Å"It is our business to know about who visits you and your family,† Hickory said, and touched its collar again. â€Å"We queried him the moment he landed. Information about him is in our database. He is a liaison between your Civil Defense Forces and your Department of Colonization. He coordinates the protection of your new colonies.† â€Å"Huckleberry isn't a new colony,† I said. It wasn't; it had been colonized for fifty or sixty years by the time we arrived. More than enough time to flatten out all the scary bumps new colonies face, and for the human population to become too big for invaders to scrape off the planet. Hopefully. â€Å"What do you think he wants from my parents?† I asked. â€Å"We don't know,† Hickory said. â€Å"He didn't say anything to you while he was waiting for John and Jane to show up?† I said. â€Å"No,† Hickory said. â€Å"He kept to himself.† â€Å"Well, sure,† I said. â€Å"Probably because you scared the crap out of him.† â€Å"He left no feces,† Hickory said. I snorted. â€Å"I sometimes question your alleged lack of humor,† I said. â€Å"I meant he was too intimidated by you to say anything.† â€Å"We assumed that was why you had us stay with him,† Hickory said. â€Å"Well, yeah,† I said. â€Å"But if I knew he was a general, maybe I wouldn't have given him such a hard time.† I pointed to my parents. â€Å"I don't want them getting any grief because I thought it would be fun to mess with this guy's head.† â€Å"I think someone of his rank would not come all this way to be deterred by you,† Hickory said. A list of snappy retorts popped in my head, begging to be used. I ignored them all. â€Å"You think he's here on some serious mission?† I asked. â€Å"He is a general,† Hickory said. â€Å"And he is here.† I looked back through the binoculars again. General Rybicki – as I now knew him – had turned just a bit, and I could see his face a little more clearly. He was talking to Jane, but then turned a bit to say something to Dad. I lingered on Mom for a minute. Her face was locked up tight; whatever was going on, she wasn't very happy about it. Mom turned her head a bit and suddenly she was looking directly at me, like she knew I was watching her. â€Å"How does she do that?† I said. When Jane was Special Forces, she had a body that was even more genetically modified than the ones regular soldiers got. But like Dad, when she left the service, she got put into a normal human body. She's not superhuman anymore. She's just scary observant. Which is close to the same thing. I didn't get away with much of anything growing up. Her attention turned back to General Rybicki, who was addressing her again. I looked up at Hickory. â€Å"What I want to know is why they're talking in the sorghum field,† I said. â€Å"General Rybicki asked your parents if there was someplace they could speak in private,† Hickory said. â€Å"He indicated in particular that he wanted to speak away from Dickory and me.† â€Å"Were you recording when you were with him?† I asked. Hickory and Dickory had recording devices in their collars that recorded sounds, images and emotional data. Those recordings were sent back to other Obin, so they could experience what it's like to have quality time with me. Odd? Yes. Intrusive? Sometimes, but not usually. Unless I start thinking about it, and then I focus on the fact that, why yes, an entire alien race got to experience my puberty through the eyes of Hickory and Dickory. There's nothing like sharing menarche with a billion hermaphrodites. I think it was everyone's first time. â€Å"We were not recording with him,† Hickory said. â€Å"Okay, good,† I said. â€Å"I'm recording now,† Hickory said. â€Å"Oh. Well, I'm not sure you should be,† I said, waving out toward my parents. â€Å"I don't want them getting in trouble.† â€Å"This is allowed under our treaty with your government,† Hickory said. â€Å"We're allowed to record all you allow us to record, and to report everything that we experience. My government knew that General Rybicki had visited the moment Dickory and I sent our data query. If General Rybicki wanted his visit to remain secret, he should have met your parents elsewhere.† I chose not to dwell on the fact that significant portions of my life were subject to treaty negotiation. â€Å"I don't think he knew you were here,† I said. â€Å"He seemed surprised when I sicced you on him.† â€Å"His ignorance of us or of the Obin treaty with the Colonial Union is not our problem,† Hickory said. â€Å"I guess not,† I said, a little out of sorts. â€Å"Would you like me to stop recording?† Hickory asked. I could hear the tremble on the edge of its voice. If I wasn't careful about how I showed my annoyance I could send Hickory into an emotional cascade. Then it'd have what amounted to a temporary nervous breakdown right there on the roof. That'd be no good. He could fall off and snap his snaky little neck. â€Å"It's fine,† I said, and I tried to sound more conciliatory than I really felt. â€Å"It's too late now anyway.† Hickory visibly relaxed; I held in a sigh and gazed down at my shoes. â€Å"They're coming back to the house,† Hickory said, and motioned toward my parents. I followed its hand; my parents and General Rybicki were indeed heading back our way. I thought about going back into the house but then I saw Mom look directly at me, again. Yup, she'd seen me earlier. The chances were pretty good she knew we had been up there all that time. Dad didn't look up the entire walk back. He was already lost in thought. When that happened it was like the world collapsing in around him; he didn't see anything else until he was done dealing with what he was dealing with. I suspected I wouldn't see much of him tonight. As they cleared the sorghum field, General Rybicki stopped and shook Dad's hand; Mom kept herself out of handshaking distance. Then he headed back toward his floater. Babar, who had followed the three of them into the field, broke off toward the general to get in one last petting. He got it after the general got to the floater, then padded back to the house. The floater opened its door to let the general in. The general stopped, looked directly at me, and waved. Before I could think what I was doing, I waved right back. â€Å"That was smart,† I said to myself. The floater, General Rybicki inside, winged off, taking him back where he came from. What do you want with us, General? I thought, and surprised myself by thinking â€Å"us.† But it only made sense. Whatever he wanted with my parents, I was part of it too.

Men vs women

Men vs.. Women Along the last centuries women have fought to be treated as equals to men. They have tried to have the same opportunities, the same rights and to fulfill the same roles. The battle between sexes seems to have ended some decades ago. As a result, in modern times the lives of women and men are similar as regards responsibilities and privileges. But being born a woman I have always thought that the sole fact of being a man could make my life easier in different aspects. To start with, men grow old with more dignity than women.Wrinkles, grey hairs and beer bellies are signs of aging which men accept and which look well on them while women, on the other hand, will make everything possible to look younger since beauty, for most of them, is related to youth. For this, they will starve week after week to look slimmer; they will use any kind of cream that promises effective results and they will even undergo painful surgeries to change their appearance. What ‘s more, to l ook good women need more time than men. Choosing the perfect outfit, wearing a natural make-up, axing their whole bodies and doing their hair takes a lot of effort and preparation.Men only need to grab any clean shirt at hand, shave and wear a nice perfume and they are ready to go out. But the most important advantage of being a man, as regards physical differences, is none of the ones mentioned up to this point. Men do not need a toilet when they feel the need to pass water; any bush, tree or corner is enough for them to do so. At any moment, they may relieve themselves in the road while traveling, In the street or at any place they feel like. For women It Is not so ass. Women need toilets. The main problem Is that. At public places. Staterooms are always full and do not usually have toilet paper or clean seat covers. Besides all this, men have more freedom than women. They do not usually take care of the children or change their schedules because one of them has a high temperature . They do not worry about their meals, homework or daily activities because they have a wife that does so. They just go out with their couples or friends having their minds in peace because someone else has taken care of everything before they left the house. In addition, they do not even need company to go to a bar to have a drink or to any other social event.It is very common to see men alone enjoying to be by themselves. In contrast, although women socialize more than men because they are more talkative and open to meet new people, they generally do not go out alone to relax or have fun. They try to plan a get-together with friends whenever their nannies are available to keep an eye on their children. Another reason for women to go out In groups Is that there Is an Implicit knowledge among our society that women alone In social events are not just enjoying the moment but looking for something else, for example men.Socially speaking, men have been benefited over women. Finally, mu ch has been said about women s and men's intelligence. Men have simple minds and use better thinking strategies. One clear example of this is that they have made women believe they are useless in chores related to the house. But it is not true that men cannot do the cleaning or the laundry In the same way women do. Fact, do things wrongly on purpose to avoid offering help again in the future. Moreover, they can only handle one task at a time.So while they lay the table, with a stroke of luck, a woman is cooking with the four hobs turned on with a boiling pot on each of them and at the same time watching a TV show and answering her children s demands. For men being â€Å"useless† ends being a benefit. Another point to take into account as regards men's and women's intelligence is that the first usually speak using short sentences to get to the point and avoid details. This has been proved to be a very effective technique in many fields, as for giving instructions, explaining o ne's ideas or scold the children.Women instead need the double of words to express the same and end being criticized or laugh at. To sum up, life would be much easier if I were a man. I would not have to work so hard every day to look beautiful, I would have plenty of free time to do whatever I like and I would not complicate my life trying to explain ideas that would never be understood. This may not sound well to the ears of feminists but men are still enjoying the benefits of their gender and they will keep doing so for many years to come.

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 6

Management - Essay Example The Multinational companies are those which have more than one branch in different foreign countries. A global company is a kind of company which has no boundary, for a global company there is more than one head office in different foreign countries and there is no boundary in appointing the board of directions also (Lou, 1999). The difference between the global company and the multinational company is that the global companies don’t differentiate between the home country and host country employees. It is evident that though many international companies claim themselves as multinational companies but from their R & D, know-how, and technicalities they keep the host country aside. Here, it is important to note that, host country is the country in which the organization wants to do business and the home country is said to be the country in which the organization has its base that is the origin. A company is said to be a global company when the country would have similar amount o f representatives present in their board of directors from the home country as well as from the host country Recommendation: The recommendations depend on the nature of the company. If a company has sufficient amount of production so that it can export it in the international market then off course it is recommended for going outside of the country. For example, a dairy company can easily sell the oversupply of cheese and milk to the outside country. If a country has key competence in any of the field then the company can move to the international market to capture the international market. When the firm sufficiently produces surplus products it can go for international market. There are many other reasons for going international of firms. Justification: The move of a company for going international depends on the company’s strength on some parameters. There are mainly three reasons present for the justification of a company’s move towards international market. One is the increased of market share, possibility of increasing economies of scale and scope or learning, gaining competitive advantage, branding of the company (Lou, 1999). Increasing the market share is very important reason to go in the international market. Creating brand awareness among the customers is required to enhance the brand position. Global brand itself is a positioning of any company. If a company is positioned itself as a global brand then it can automatically create popularity and loyalty among the customers. Implementation: The organization should execute both primary and secondary market research for new foreign market to determine the market demand. Recommendation: Establishing franchisee is also a kind of international business strategy. For example, KFC has established its franchise system in different countries even in the third world nations by adopting the culture of the developing countries. Justification: Franchisee would be effective global expansion strategy. T he organization can capitalize on the international business opportunities through the seer knowledge of the franchisee owners about the market demand and several key cultural factors. Implementation: The organization should consider favorable location and footfall regarding the establishment of franchisee. A transparent agreement with the owners will help the organization to perform effective business performances. Recommendation:

An analysis of reflections in the placement Journal Essay

An analysis of reflections in the placement Journal - Essay Example However, as I got older, I began to see school on a different perspective, a more matured outlook. School started to matter as I got immersed in classes, met new friends, inundated with examinations and peppered with research works. During this time, I got involved in my studies and never realized that my perception of schooling has also changed. That is, I saw the school as the better part of my day, a reason for being. As I progressed from level to level, I started looking at school as a way of life - my way of life. Mornings left me feeling hopeful and energized to face the dawning of a new class and afternoons left me anxious for the following session. My days became identified with the activities in school and my hours were marked by my performance in class. At that time, I was nothing more than a student amongst a million in the world and I was ultimately defined by the role I play in school and I was fine with it. However, even with the apparent positive attitude that I have t aken on, misgivings and hesitations make up a large portion of my outlook regarding the school in its entirety. Feelings of nervousness, apprehension and doubts still clam my palms and make my stomach heave with anticipation. But then again, these are all normal human responses which have been deeply ingrained in all of us. After all, the school is an institution established to measure our capabilities and brand us as either worthy or wanting. As a principled and boastful lot, nobody is too keen of that. First Entry This essay will explain my field work placement at a school located in East London area that is called Vicarage Primary School. Â  In this piece of work I will focus on my first three days of my placement and analyse these three journals entire days. Â  The Vicarage Primary School is a learning institution located in the London Borough of Newham. Most of the students attending Vicarage Primary belong to the vastly diverse culture bisecting the East London community and as such, other languages such as Bengali, Urdu and Somali are being spoken aside from English (OFSTED Report, 2010). Likewise, Vicarage Primary School enjoys a relatively higher percentage of students eligible for free school meals as it averages to almost 40% OFSTED Report, 2010). At present, the school is the recipient of the Basic Skills Mark award and boasts of the Investors in People and Healthy School awards (OFSTED Report, 2010). Â   In the first day of my placement at Vicarage Primary school it was very good for me as I know most of the member of staffs that work there because I done voluntary work there since 2002 in this school and this gives me more confidence, than as if a student started placement for first time, but in the first day of my placement I was thinking what class and years the children I am working are because every year I work there I worked in different classes and year. The first thing that worried me in the first day of my placement was that I wondered would the children welcome me to work and support them, but that day was very good as most of the children remembered me since last year when I was out side with children of my class in their play time and they told me we know you miss. Also in the first day of my placement the teacher and support teacher in years 3 were very good to me as they welcome me and communicate with me about what we are going to do in that day and in which table I am working with.

Statement of purpose Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Of purpose - Personal Statement Example On the other hand, teachers are supposed to bless their students with an ample amount of opportunity to form and express their opinions about various happenings worldwide, so that they can develop the ability of critical thinking. Because, educated people are expected to think logically, which can be achieved through reading and discussing about several concepts across different professions in order to develop students with well rounded personality that will assist them in settling with any sort of job. However, developed countries are plagued with the dwelling concept of racism (Giles), while Arab nations are relatively better in this regard because of Islamic teachings of equality and inter-religious tolerance, which are playing an invincible role in purifying the society from racism beliefs. Therefore, Arab society is providing equal educational services to the children belonging from different ethnic and national centers on the globe. Furthermore, technological interventions in t he field of education proved them as enhancing agent for learning because, teachers can access internet in order to provide real life application of the subjects that they are teaching. So, in this way, technology helped students in relating the knowledge with the real time application, which in turn fostered the students’ belief in the practicality of the information that they gathered in the class (Watson and Watson). Thus, internet is participating notably in the effective education of the next generation. Moreover, MRI technology blessed medical students with an opportunity to study hidden human organs without threatening the life of an individual (Bevan, Senn-Reeves and Inventor); therefore, they are able to understand the interdependency of various human organs, which enabled them to devise increasingly effective treatments for commonly fatal diseases. In the light of above literature, the significant role of teachers in terms of shaping the future of the nation because , they are the ones with the responsibility of training and developing the future intellectual capital for the nations. However, teachers are benefiting from the internet in order to facilitate students’ learning process through making them witness the practical application of the knowledge they are learning, which will help them in relating the knowledge with the outside world that assist them in attaining excellence in their respective field. Nevertheless, teachers’ prime responsibility is to foster self-confidence of his or her students, so that they can make effective and timely decisions in their lives. At the same time, I consider myself fully capable of enrolling in the English doctorate program of Claremont University. Because, I posses sufficient experience in teaching English in international schools, which makes me an ideal candidate in this regard because, English is a necessary skill in order to survive in the shrinking global village, which is characteriz ed with the convergence of values and norms internationally. However, nationalism is becoming weakened in the globalized educational and economical world. Therefore, it is imperative for the students in Saudi Arabia to learn both oral and written English, so that they can be acceptable in the outside world. On the other hand, I can also integrate modern

Animal rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Animal rights - Essay Example In that regard therefore, awareness on the rights of both human beings and animals need to be brought to the attention of the world. After shedding light as to what right entails, the general public then automatically holds the responsibility of asking why. Here, it is realized that the rights of humans are well found on the basis of the animals rights. It is clear that animal rights establish what is termed as a philosophical stand for the human rights, just as is put clear in Reagan’s theory where he considers life as the body of integrity and argues that it is to be protected. The theory further argues on the study by Tuskegee that the liberty of individual beings has to be protected. The moral theory extends this same protection to all sorts of life forms out in there globe. It beats one’s sense of reason when one tries to consider animals in the category of subject of life. Animals are subject-of-life. In reality, common sense should apply in such instances. Firstly, the behavior of both human beings and animals are the same; human beings and animals have a psychological supportive linkage that explains the similarity between the two. Firstly, the behavior of both humans and animals are the same; human beings and animals have a psychological supportive linkage that explains their similarity. It should be noted that if the rights of human beings are founded in the rights of who they are, then the rights of animals are also rooted in the sense of belonging that the human beings share. It is realized that individuals with experimental mind sets have their warfare aspects directly affects matters of their personal character. This sort of interest tends to override the common sense that supports the real aspect of rights. The science of judgment and ethical evaluations are blinded by the struggle to make an outcome from their internal element of success. In the experiment, world’s scientists have a role to

Dangers of Obesity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dangers of Obesity - Research Paper Example e quality of life and, ultimately, result to death, but because it has become acceptable due to cultural beliefs and practices that promote excessive/unhealthy food and beverage consumption and sedentary lifestyles. Obesity is more than a physical disorder because it is a product of modern life that is geared towards lack of responsibility for one’s health, a healthcare industry that continues to prioritize treatment of illnesses over prevention, social practices of convenience and sedentary living, and an environment that promotes inactivity and unhealthy consumption beliefs and practices. Obesity is a danger to human life because it leads to the development of various illnesses and social and emotional consequences. Obesity is connected to many illnesses. Robert Sturm compared the effects of obesity, overweight, smoking, and problem drinking on health care use and health status using national survey data. He learned that obesity is highly associated with having chronic medical conditions, lower health-related quality of life, and higher health care and medication spending than smoking or problem drinking (Sturm 249). Viren Swami reviews literature on obesity and notes that, according to numerous studies, obesity is a â€Å"risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, adult-onset diabetes, hypertension, endometrial, ovarian, and breast cancer, and gall bladder disease† (3), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirms these risk factors of obesity. Obesity endangers people’s health by leading to both lower duration and quality of life. In ad dition, being obese exposes people to prejudice and discrimination. Rebecca Puhl and Kelly D. Brownell studied discrimination against obese individuals. They learned that discrimination is present in three aspects of society: â€Å"employment, education, and health care† (Puhl and Brownell 788). In particular, some teachers think that being obese is the worst that can happen to people, people are less likely to

Profile in Leadership Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Profile in Leadership - Term Paper Example For me leadership is a way of living and it’s hidden in small acts with big results. In order to act like a leader, one does not need a designation or role assigned to him as someone may act as a leader in petite situations. Currently, he is working as a restaurant manager in one of Starbucks branches. I have seen him dealing with his staff and observing him makes me realize that he is a highly effective leader. I have also taken feedback about him from his staff and they all declare him as an effective leader and a great motivator using various means to satisfy and keep the team on track. In domestic life, he is always supportive and helping. One of his strengths is his negotiation and conflict management skills; he is well-respected in his friend’s circle, therefore he is often asked for help in managing difficult situations. The purpose of selecting him for this interview is to identify what kind of leader he is, how he perceives himself in a leading role, how others perceive him, what are his strengths and weaknesses in this role and what makes him an effective leader. Also, analyzing his leadership skills with the help of leadership theories was another main objective of this interview. Prior to this meeting, the objective of this interview was shared with him and his consent was taken. ... According to this theory, followers have four development styles according to which leadership styles are required to be amended. Competence and motivation of the follower act as the main criteria for selection of respective leadership styles. Hersey and Blanchard (1996) presented situational leadership theory that provided a correlation between respective leadership style and skill level of the follower. According to this theory, there are four leadership styles. First one is telling or directing. Such leadership style is used when the follower lacks competence and is not willing or motivated. In such case where relationship between leader and follower is quite weak, appropriate leadership would require the leader or manager to provide directions with strict task focus. This leadership style requires that the leader maintain necessary distance with the follower as effort to strengthen relationship would lead to further confusion. Another leadership style is selling or coaching, such leadership style is appropriate in a situation where follower has a reasonable degree of commitment and competence. In such situation, the leaders are expected to focus on relationship building as well as high task focus. Since the follower has a reasonable knowledge of the job required to be done, therefore strict directions would result in further demotivation. Therefore, leader needs to develop relationship through effective listening and providing appropriate guidance when required. These two leadership styles are mainly dependent on the leader, his competence and relationship building skills. Third leadership style is participating and supporting. In this case, follower is exceptionally competent and skilled but lacks motivation to perform tasks. In such cases, leader is

How Have Changes In The World Economy Since 1945 Affected Room For Essay - 1

How Have Changes In The World Economy Since 1945 Affected Room For Maneuver Of Multinational Firms - Essay Example The World War of 1945 proved to be a massive disaster for world’s economy with its most effects on the European countries and Japan. These two countries were considered to be the greatest raw material suppliers throughout the world which significantly fell down in the war years. The countries who were not directly involved in the war were the gainers of the economy soon after the war as they fulfilled the gaps and needs of world economy in that crucial time. However, post war phase that is the recovery period from the war had been quite rapid and remarkable for the affected countries, the reasons being that the civilian production came to a halt in the war period and there was growth in the fields of metal working, engineering, chemical capacity etc that boomed during the period and was utilized in the peace time. The infrastructure of the countries was well established in the pre war phase and had to go through the repairs after the war. Additionally there was ample trained a nd knowledgeable human resource to be mobilized to improve and recover the conditions. All these reasons altogether along with the help from some undamaged countries like USA and Canada helped them in the recovery phase. It was seen after 5 years, in the available statistics of 1950 that the GNP and income levels of most of the affected countries was way more than it was in 10 years before the war in 1930s. USA had played a significant role in world economy after the world war. Right after the world war the European countries faced shortage of fuel, food and resources. The only country who could have helped them with its undamaged economy was USA, but to buy all these resources huge reserves of dollars were required and dollar shortage was faced. It seemed in that era that all the world’s resources were shifting from Europe to North American regions and the US economy boomed and it looked it would be impossible to catch up with such an economy which is richer in resources and is the hub of investment. This era give US the opportunity to utilize its resources to the maximum and US utilized this well. (POLLARD. 1997) Post World War II Period: After the Second World War many imbalances were seen in the world’s economy in technological advancements, investment and consumption policies etc. In the late 1950s the prices of primary commodities in the world started decreasing along with general fall in the world trade which led to accumulation of debts for many countries. These reasons mainly later on accounted for the economic crisis in 1970s. The poverty and problems increased in the world economy with an increasing trend of international division of labor introduced by the uncontrolled activities of multinationals all over the world. The result of this unequal distribution in the world’s economy lead to unequal and imbalanced international relationships among highly industrialized and experts and monopoly of industrial research and technology a nd peripheral countries which were dependent on few industries but were technologically controlled by the transnational companies. The most affected by these imbalances were the developing countries which paved ways to global world crisis in later years. (GONZALEZ, CAMPO URBANO & MESA.1984; TOLENTINO. 2000) The boom in the development of MNCs was a result to various important forces. The economic conditions prevailing in the post world war era were more nurturing. The bad experiences faced in 1930s provided the guidelines for not repeating the economical mistakes. The set of policies adopted were designed to rebuild, strengthen and restore the economies of affected countries during the World War. (COHEN. 2007) Role of USA: A few theorists argue that after 1945 the conditions to ‘

Hotensios wife Essay Example for Free

Hotensios wife Essay Petruchio would say this in a condescending way because he thinks that a wife should obey her husband at all times and come to him even when she is busy.  Ay, and a kind one too. You not a worse  Gremio would say this in a respectful way to Lucentio, but at the same time being contemptuous towards Petruchio.  Sirrah Biondello. Come to me forthwith  Hortensio would say this in more of an imposing way than Lucentio did to summon his wife. This would make the audience believe that Hotensios wife would definitely obey him.  Biondello exits the room the same way as before, through the oak doors, and you hear him running down the hall. I am afraid, sir. not be entreated.  Hortensio says this very derisively towards Petruchio because both Hortensio and the audience still think that Petruchio is idiotically wasting his money.  Biondello yet again comes back out of breath and with bad news.  She says you have. You come to her.He tells Hortensio this in a very disdainful way because Hortensio was becoming very overconfident about the bet especially after Lucentio had failed with Biannca.   Worse and worse! She will not come. Come to mePetruchio is mocking Hortensio because his wife gave an even worse answer than what Biannca gave to Lucentio. He then tells Gremio to order Kate to come to him; he says this in a very superior way. I know her answer  Hortensio says this in a very pompous tone of voice. I would make Hortensio say it in this way because I want the audience still to think that Biannca is not going to come and that Petruchio will be disgraced.  Just before the doors open the gentlemen are laughing at the expense of Petruchio because they think he has done all this boasting about Kate being tamed and she wont obey him. As soon as the doors open and the audience see Kate I think that they would be very surprised and shocked, so I would make all the actors except Petruchio to faint to add a comical side to this instant. What is your will, sir, that you send for me?  Katherina would say this in a very delicate voice and whilst saying this she would curtsy. This would also be a shock to the audience because they are used to Kate being very forceful in her dialect and in her physical presence.  Go fetch them hither. Bring them hither straight.  Petruchio would say this in a very condescending manner to Kate. As soon as Petruchio has finished Kate abruptly rushes off to fetch the other women. Heres a wonder, if you talk of a wonder.  Lucentio says this in a very astounded way. He says this because he cannot believe what he is seeing, I would expect the audience to feel the same because throughout the play Kate has never done anything she did not wish to do.  Marry, peace it bodes. sweet and happy.  Petruchio is saying that Life with Kate is going to be a happy one; the audience have started to see that Petruchio loves Kate and did all those cruel things so that she could live in peace with him. Nay, I will win my wager. virtue and obedience.  Petruchio wants to prove what a good job of taming her he has done and how dutiful she is know.  Kate then enters dragging Biannca and the widow by their hair through the large oak doors. When the door shuts she lets them go and walks towards Petruchio.I would your duty. Since supper time.   Lucentio is very disappointed with Biannca and the actor would bring this out by saying these lines in a very saddened way.  The more fool you for laying on my duty.  Biannca would say this in a very patronising tone of voice. The audience would be quite astonished by Bianncas reply to Lucentio because she is usually very quiet and obedient. Katherine, I charge thee. Lords and husbands.  Petruchio wants Kate to tell the people how a lady should act towards her husband/lord. The crowd will think that although Kate has changed she will not lower herself to that level. But she does in a way that still leaves her with a vast amount of pride.  Kate starts her speech by insulting the widow and saying that she should respect her master  Fie, fie unknit that threatening unkind. Thy governor.  She would say this in a very sarcastic, but malicious way. I would get the actress to say it in that way because although Kate does respect Petruchio she also has her own will and she also wants to intimidate the widow. As Kate would be saying this I feel that she should walk towards the widow in an ominous manor. As Kate walks up to her, the widow would cower away into a corner. This will show the crowd that Kate is still domineering and robust. It blots thy beauty. meet or amiable  Kate is saying that being angry all of the time hides the fact that underneath that fiery surface is a beautiful majestic lady. The audience will at this stage think that what Kate is saying is ironic because she was once fiery, but now the audience will start to realise that women who act this way disgust her.  Thy husband is thy. Sea and land  This is where Kate is saying how she expects other women to feel about their husbands because this is the way that she feels about Petruchio. Whilst she is saying this she will go up to Petruchio and kneel in front of him to show the audience how much respect she has for her husband. Too little payment for so great a debt. owes the prince.  She is saying that women have a good life and hardly have to repay their husband for all the tasks he has to do for her. As she says this she will scan across the room glaring at the other wives as if to say that they do not repay their husbands enough and should be thankful that he hasnt left them.  I am ashamed that women are so simple. Love obey.

Beginning with an examination of The Voice Essay Example for Free

Beginning with an examination of The Voice Essay Beginning with an examination of The Voice, consider some of the ways in which Hardy gives poetic expression to his personal grief.  Throughout much of Hardys poetry there are various different connotations of grief presented, whether it is grievance for his late wife Emma or the diverse accounts of war that are shown. The poetic expressions of these poems provoke emotion to the reader and help them to relate to Hardys personal grief in some way. One of the poems where this effect is apparent is The Voice. The extended metaphor of the wind has taken the naturalistic entity of the wind and changed it into Emmas voice haunting him and thus personifying it to be Emma. The wind also creates an idea of Hardys longing for her to return to him, this is portrayed by the way Hardy creates the effect of an echo, call to me, call to me not only does the repetition demonstrate an echo it also helps the reader to grasp the fact that Hardy feels hopeless in his searching for Emma, as whatever he does he will not be able to retrieve her. This poetic expression of the wind is displayed with various free and loose punctuation to create the idea of Emma being now free and changeable, like the wind itself, you had changed from the one who was all to me she is now illusive and cannot be seen, causing Hardys grief to increase as it is shown in the poem that he will not be able to see her again. The way in which the poem is written shows an obvious regret, this was that Hardy took what he had with Emma whilst she was alive for granted and now she is no longer around her loss has reawakened his romance with her and he now sees her as he did when they first met, which he knows, is now too late. He sees he in the air-blue gown that he did when he first met her, however, this also has another meaning, of how Emma is now all around and immortal, however, even though she is all around the grief of the situation is that Hardy can never see her. Knowing this, Hardy goes on to say that he will continue faltering forward as he knows that Emma is being ever dissolved, like the wind, her spirit is fading away. Comparing Emma with the wind shows how Hardy feels and how he senses that she is fading away from him, enhancing his grief and heartache. Throughout The Voice the poetic expression of nature haunting Hardy as though Emma has turned into the wind and has turned into the woman calling, creating the sense of insistence, that perhaps Emma wants Hardy to continue his search for her memory. The metaphor the wind presents shows that it has a hold over Hardy and also the power to move him, this emphasises his personal grief as he shows is helplessness due to the fact that no matter how hard he tried to recapture Emmas memory, he will never get her back. Similarly to The Voice, Beeny Cliff also mourns Emmas loss and shows Hardys personal grief over this fact. However in this poem it seems apparent that Hardy reluctantly accepts that Emma has gone and however hard he tries to reconnect to her, this wish will never come true. The poem itself begins with a regretful yearning tone that continues throughout, O the opal and sapphire of that wandering western sea the opening to the poem of O creates a yearning emotion that sets a theme for the rest of the poem, it is made very obvious that Hardy misses Emmas presence and the description of the precious stones, opal and sapphire reflect upon Hardys precious memories of his wife, however memories are all he has, which shows the grief given through his poetic expression as all he has left of Emma are his memories. He then continues to show his regret, the woman whom I loved so, and who loyally loved me this perhaps shows Hardys regret towards not showing Emma his true feelings towards her whilst she was alive, and also how he felt that she loyally loved him, yet he did not show the same loyalty.  Throughout the first three stanzas of the poem, it seems as thought Hardy is trying to elicit the emotion of memory so that he can bring back the happiness he felt when he was with Emma at Beeny Cliff. He uses various poetic expressions, for example, describing the scene to encapsulate the beauty of that day as to them both at the time it was idyllic, the waves seemed far away this however doesnt just help the reader understand the way the scene appeared, but also the atmosphere itself. It seemed as though their love for each other transported them so they were unaware of the world around them. The grief that Hardy now feels causes the day he is describing to become even more tragic as it seems he will never be that happy again. After Hardy has tried to recapture Emmas memory and realises that it will not work as no matter how much he tries to remember that day and how much he retells his feelings and regrets about Emma the memories of her will never bring her back to him. It is after this realisation that Hardy moves on to speak about how Emma has in fact gone from his life, and he knows this and describes a divide between them now, using the metaphor of the cliff itself, bulks old Beeny to the sky shows how there is barrier between the two. The description of the cliffs chasmal, which are the splits in the rocks are perhaps metaphorical to Hardy and Emmas relationship as it is now, and the barrier between life and death that forever puzzles Hardy. From this point on there is obvious wistful regret that Hardy will never be back at that place of beauty with Emma, however he then realises that all Beeny is, is a cliff and that no matter how much Hardy tries to reawaken that day there with Emma it will not bring her back. Hardys grief and heartache is apparent as he is tired of wondering where Emma is then therefore no longer questions this, and merely accepts that the woman is- elsewhere- the poetic expression of this phrase shows Hardys pause whilst he is thinking about where Emma actually is, and it also creates the idea that he doesnt know where she is but he does know he can never find her, illuminating his grief as he has now accepted the fact that he will never find Emma anywhere, even where he feels her memory is at its strongest. The ending of this poem also reflects how Hardy feels, as Emma nor knows, nor cares for Beeny, and will laugh there nevermore. Hardys grief is again emphasised as he will never recapture Emma as she is now completely indifferent to the word and her life with Hardy, and this allows him to finally accept that Emma is gone and finished, it is almost as though this revelation has given Hardy a sense of finality to his situation. In conclusion, Hardy uses many different ways to give poetic expression to his personal grief, ranging from personifying nature to represent Emma to finally allowing himself to believe that she is gone, and knowing that all he now has are his memories, and that no matter how hard he tries, they will never bring Emma back, which Hardy has finally accepted, no matter how much grief and anguish it may have caused him.

Cropping Pattern And Cropping Schedule Environmental Sciences Essay

Cropping Pattern And Cropping Schedule Environmental Sciences Essay Chapter 1 Introduction Background Agriculture is a crucial role in the careers of nations all over the world. As the focal point of the agricultural sector is to raise the crop yield and to fulfill the food security for continuing population increase, irrigation becomes vital support to provide additional water. Nowadays, precipitation cannot be reliable in many parts of the world and temperature increases continuously due to the climate change. Moreover, there are changes in air temperature and increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Furthermore, geographical changes might also have severe effect on the local water resources. As a result, water resources become scare and it threats a serious challenge to irrigation water supply, agriculture water demand, food security, and environmental protection. Irrigation water resources and agricultural water demand are strongly vulnerable. As climate change affects hydrological cycles locally and globally, its potential changes will have a significant impact on agriculture and water resources. There is an increasing stress of the impact of climate change on water resources and probable implications for water resource management. The consequences of climate change may alter the reliability, the amount and timing of river flow, challenge the coping capacities of existing water-related infrastructures and bring higher risks of water shortages and floods. Myanmar (formerly called as Burma)which locates in South East Asia lying between 10 ° and 29 ° N latitude and between 92 ° and101 ° longitudes, also suffers from climate change impacts on water cycle due to the sudden change of weather pattern. Flood and long drought occurs consequently and thus sustainability of water environment in some areas is facing difficulties. Moreover, rainfall pattern and intensity have been evidently changing in some regions of the country according to topographical condition. There are three climate conditions in Myanmar specified as summer, rainy and winter seasons. Two third area of the country enjoys in the tropics and the remaining one third falls within temperate climate conditions. Average annual rainfall in coastal regions is over 5000 mm and in the Dry Zone which locates in Central Myanmar is less than 750mm. The average temperature is 21 °C in northern regions which are the coolest areas and 32 °C in coastal area. Temperature sometime s reaches to 40 °C during the hot seasons and over in central dry zone areas which are the hottest regions in Myanmar. Water resources in Myanmar are absolutely abundant and can be used to fulfill the agricultural water demand and other sectors. Agriculture is a main economic sector in Myanmar and rice-based irrigation systems, have been implemented to improve agricultural production. Paddy fields are mostly found in the delta region which includes Ayeyarwady, Bago and Yangon region of Lower Myanmar and central dry zone areas which includes Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway regions (Figure 1). Irrigation Projects have been implementing a lot in Myanmar to stabilize traditional rainfed rice and to introduce double-rice to promote the rice production. According to the hydrological conditions it is divided into two seasons, wet and dry. Paddies are traditionally cultivated by monsoon rain during the wet season. Summer paddies have grown as a second rice crop throughout the dry season according to the water availability in the regions where irrigation projects have been initiated. The delta region in lower Myanmar is the major rice production area. As water resources are affected adversely by global climate change, it makes seriously vulnerable to crop water requirement. Ngamoeyeik Irrigation Project Area which is just outside of Yangon City in Lower Myanmar, paddy cultivation during rainy season has traditionally been conducted under rainfed conditions and summer paddies with irrigation were added since 1995 after the project has been completed. Both paddies are cultivated completely in the rainy and summer periods, respectively. Summer paddies are cultivated only by irrigation. As there is no rain within the dry season, and the reservoir inflow is very limited. Therefore, the summer paddies are constrained by the limited water-storage in the reservoir during the dry season. Considering the wide range of the adverse effect in this area, there is needed to evaluate and access future irrigation water requirement in a changing climate for promoting crop producti on. D:1st proposalfor introduction6_page10_image1.gif Figure Regions in Myanmar Rice, wheat, and maize are predominate three grain-crops for food, and these are the products of agriculture sector, coming from rain fed and irrigated fields. Statement of the problem According to the Asian Development Bank (2009), Myanmar is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change associated with global warming. Summer paddies are cultivated only by irrigation in lower Myanmar. In dry season, the reservoir inflow is very limited and consequently the water availability of summer paddies is very limited. Severe climate change effects could affect the irrigation water requirement as well as the production of rice and other crops on which the population depends. Decreasing rainfall and increasing temperature pose an insufficient demand for crop and cause delay in agricultural cycles. As a result, it will disturb crop growth in the subsequent months. During the growing season, abnormal weather will damage the crops and in the harvesting period, adverse climate can damage the ripening crop. This study will compare and evaluate the impact climate change and estimate and manage the crop water requirement to cope with the future scare water resources. aaaaaa Objectives The specific objectives of this study are as follows: to analyze the future climate change impact for projection period of 2015 to 2030 using statistical downscaling analysis method (SDSM 4.2), to find out the future irrigation water requirements for rice production with climate change impact using AquaCrop, to make adaptations in order to enhance and manage the irrigation water demand to cope with the future scare water resources. Chapter 2 Literature Review Chapter 3 Methodology Conceptual framework for evaluating future crop water requirement Purpose and Strategy of evaluation of future irrigation water requirement Objectives of future irrigation water requirement evaluation Rice is the main food in Myanmar and it is also a major crop of the agriculture sector. The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MOAI) has imposed summer paddy cultivation with irrigation in 1992-1993 to promote the rice production. Irrigation water requirement will change under changing climate with the effects of decreasing rainfall patterns and increasing temperature. Moreover as climate change directly impacts on rice production, there has to be evaluated and adopted the future agricultural water requirements under the combined effects of growing population demands and competition from other economic sectors under future socioeconomic development. Smajstrla and Zazueta (1995) state that the irrigation water requirement (IWR) for crop production is the amount of water that must be applied to fulfill a crops evapotranspiration needs in addition to rainfall without significant yield reduction . It has to be needed that irrigation water applied to paddies cultivation must be fixed the different water requirement with the different growing stages. Therefore, future irrigation water requirement with climate change impact must be assessed to conduct proper management for rice cultivation. The main objective of evaluation of future irrigation water requirement is to promote the rice production with proper management to meet the crop water requirement under changing climate. To achieve this aim the evaluation embraces all required data concerning the impacts of climate change combining the growing population and environmental impacts. Description of the study area Location Ngamoeyeik Irrigatin Project is one of the large irrigation projects in Lower Myanmar. It has been developed by the Department of Irrigation under the counsel of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation. The project was completed in March, 1995. The project is situated in Hlegu Township, which is about 20-50 km northeast of Yangon City (Fig.3.1). The target area of the irrigated cultivation is 28,330 ha. There is also a plan to supply water to Yangon City for domestic use with the amount of 0.41 MCM per day.. The area is bounded by creeks and rivers providing natural drainage, such as the Balar Creek, Khayein Creek and Bago River (Fig.3.2). The project area is mostly within Hlegu Township. Location about 20-50 km northeast of Yangon City (in Hlegu Township) Name of river Ngamoeyeik Creek Catchment area 28330 ha Average annual rainfall 2540 millimeters Average annual inflow Dam type earthen dam Dam length 1.86 kilometers Dam height 22.9 meters Full storage volume 222 million cubic meter Dead storage volume 15 million cubic meter Type of spillway Width of spillway Designed spillway discharge Full supply level C:UsersUserAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsTemporary Internet FilesContent.Word1 Water Resources Evaluation for Paddy Irrigation_037.png Climate Climate of the study area is warm and tropical and enjoys the southwest monsoon. The rainfall is rich enough for rice cultivation. Even in drought years, the region receives a stable with average annual rainfall of 2,540 mm. This region has a rainy season and dry season in a year. Rivers, rivulets and natural drainages are flooding every year during the rainy season due to the monsoon heavy rain. However, their flow discharges are very limited and there is almost no rain within the dry season. Daily average temperature is above 25  ¾Ã… ¸ C throughout a year. Thus, the region has a favorable weather environment for rice cultivation for a round-year, even in the dry season if water is available. Soil Type The rice soils of Lower Burma are gley soils or degraded soils or are intermediate between these two types (Karmanov, I. I). These soils are widely distributed in Lower Burma. (http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/19601902538.html) The rice yields will be highest on heavy loamy soil and light clayey gley soils and lowest on degraded soils. Cropping Pattern and Cropping Schedule Rice, wheat, and maize are three major crops for food, and these are the main products of agriculture sector, under rainfed and irrigated fields. Table Cropping pattern in Hlegu Township, 1999-2000 Cultivation Area Rice is grown in this region twice a year, rainny paddies are totally cultivated under rainfed condition from June to November and the summer paddies with irrgation are from December to May. The summer paddies were started in 1995 after completion of the project. Rainfed rice are cultivated annually in the basin about 35,000 ha . During the last 6 years, from 1996-97 to 2001-02, an average area of 14,000 ha has been irrigated for summer paddies within the project area. The total area of irrigated summer paddies was up to about 18,500 ha, 65% of the project service area, in the year 2000.

The Controversial Relationship between Early Humans and their Environment :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation

The Controversial Relationship between Early Humans and their Environment In the very beginning of human history, there was no clear separation between man and nature. Early humans’ way of living was in unison with their environment and it is likely that it was pleasurable as well. Humans supported themselves by hunting and gathering and due to their small population size and density, they were able to sustain themselves without too much effort. Thomas Hobbes claims that the life of early humans was â€Å"nasty, brutish and short†, but modern theories reject such viewpoint (Ponting, p.19). Unfortunately, there is little direct evidence that shows what daily human life was like hundreds of years ago. Therefore, anthropologists and historians use studies on African tribes and Aborigines to build theories about the customs of early humans. Of course, such an extrapolation is not very reliable, but it is as close as one can get to the truth. It would not be too flattering for early humans to claim that they had a very modest and conscientious way of life. The tropical climate was very benign toward all forms of life, so humans did not have to preoccupy themselves with storage or conservation of food. Fresh plants were available and plentiful all year round, so obtaining food was not the main human concern. Judging from the diet of the bushmen in Africa, early humans probably had more nutritious and balanced meals than modern humans. As Ponting points out in his book, Green History of the World, the African bushmen consume the nuts of the mongongo tree, which adequately meet their nutritious and energy needs. Since the mongongo nuts are abundant and easy to gather, the bushmen have a steady source of food which they can rely on for subsistence. It can be concluded that early humans followed a similar pattern of behavior. They used gathering of plant material as main food source, because hunting was much more difficult and less efficient. According to Ponting, one out of ten attempts to kill an animal was successful, therefore hunting was used solely to complement the fresh provisions. Since early humans were completely dependent on their environment for survival, they carefully used the available resources without overstressing them. They took from nature as much as they needed, not only to protect it, but also to save time. Bushmen value food and leisure time equally, that’s why it is fair to suppose that early humans harvested only as much as they could consume, so that they can enjoy the rest of their time. The Controversial Relationship between Early Humans and their Environment :: Environment Environmental Pollution Preservation The Controversial Relationship between Early Humans and their Environment In the very beginning of human history, there was no clear separation between man and nature. Early humans’ way of living was in unison with their environment and it is likely that it was pleasurable as well. Humans supported themselves by hunting and gathering and due to their small population size and density, they were able to sustain themselves without too much effort. Thomas Hobbes claims that the life of early humans was â€Å"nasty, brutish and short†, but modern theories reject such viewpoint (Ponting, p.19). Unfortunately, there is little direct evidence that shows what daily human life was like hundreds of years ago. Therefore, anthropologists and historians use studies on African tribes and Aborigines to build theories about the customs of early humans. Of course, such an extrapolation is not very reliable, but it is as close as one can get to the truth. It would not be too flattering for early humans to claim that they had a very modest and conscientious way of life. The tropical climate was very benign toward all forms of life, so humans did not have to preoccupy themselves with storage or conservation of food. Fresh plants were available and plentiful all year round, so obtaining food was not the main human concern. Judging from the diet of the bushmen in Africa, early humans probably had more nutritious and balanced meals than modern humans. As Ponting points out in his book, Green History of the World, the African bushmen consume the nuts of the mongongo tree, which adequately meet their nutritious and energy needs. Since the mongongo nuts are abundant and easy to gather, the bushmen have a steady source of food which they can rely on for subsistence. It can be concluded that early humans followed a similar pattern of behavior. They used gathering of plant material as main food source, because hunting was much more difficult and less efficient. According to Ponting, one out of ten attempts to kill an animal was successful, therefore hunting was used solely to complement the fresh provisions. Since early humans were completely dependent on their environment for survival, they carefully used the available resources without overstressing them. They took from nature as much as they needed, not only to protect it, but also to save time. Bushmen value food and leisure time equally, that’s why it is fair to suppose that early humans harvested only as much as they could consume, so that they can enjoy the rest of their time.

Freudian Psyche in Geisels The Cat in the Hat Essay -- Cat in the Hat

Freudian Psyche in Geisel's The Cat in the Hat    "Then we saw him step in on the mat! We looked! And we saw him! The Cat in the hat!" (Seuss 6)    Through the years, many parents have read the children's book The Cat in the Hat to their kids. Written by Theodore Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat is a lively and wonderful book to read to children. No only that, but also it helps teach children about right and wrong through fun and exciting characters. But many kids and parents alike are missing a piece of the puzzle. Not only is The Cat in the Hat a fun-to-read children's book, but it is also a play on the Freudian psyche.    Freud's perception of the human mind splits it into three separate sections: the id, the ego and the superego. The id is purely primal instincts; it is based on the mind's pleasure principle and is present in babies when they are first born. All the id wants is to have its needs fulfilled-no matter what the consequences. The ego is a balance; it works on the reality principle, and, while it works with the id to gain pleasure, it is constantly wary of the consequences. The superego is the id's opposite. Its main objective is to maintain morals, and it is the effective counter to the id. For instance, if the id wanted the person it inhabits to get some money, the superego would counter the id and make the person earn the money legitimately because stealing is wrong. The superego is split in two sections: the conscience and the ego ideal. The conscience differentiates between right and wrong, while the ego ideal works with morals instilled by society, such as prejudices. The se three sections of mind balance each other in order to k... ...ish does throughout The Cat in the Hat.    Freud understood the mind as constantly in conflict with itself. He saw children so accurately that he knew what they wanted to say and thought of what they wanted to hear. It is because of this factor that The Cat in the Hat is one of the most popular children's books ever. The reader of The Cat in the Hat understands the book as a fun read on a rainy day. However, the more educated reader sees it as a Freudian allegory. Theodore Geisel was brilliant in this area because he exposed a common incident that happens, one way or another, in every child's life.       Works Cited Seuss, Dr. The Cat in the Hat. New York: Random House, 1957. Stevenson, David B. "Freud's Division of the Mind." Brown University. 11 November 1999. http://landow.stg.brown.edu/HtatBrown/freud/Division_of_Mind.html. Freudian Psyche in Geisel's The Cat in the Hat Essay -- Cat in the Hat Freudian Psyche in Geisel's The Cat in the Hat    "Then we saw him step in on the mat! We looked! And we saw him! The Cat in the hat!" (Seuss 6)    Through the years, many parents have read the children's book The Cat in the Hat to their kids. Written by Theodore Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat is a lively and wonderful book to read to children. No only that, but also it helps teach children about right and wrong through fun and exciting characters. But many kids and parents alike are missing a piece of the puzzle. Not only is The Cat in the Hat a fun-to-read children's book, but it is also a play on the Freudian psyche.    Freud's perception of the human mind splits it into three separate sections: the id, the ego and the superego. The id is purely primal instincts; it is based on the mind's pleasure principle and is present in babies when they are first born. All the id wants is to have its needs fulfilled-no matter what the consequences. The ego is a balance; it works on the reality principle, and, while it works with the id to gain pleasure, it is constantly wary of the consequences. The superego is the id's opposite. Its main objective is to maintain morals, and it is the effective counter to the id. For instance, if the id wanted the person it inhabits to get some money, the superego would counter the id and make the person earn the money legitimately because stealing is wrong. The superego is split in two sections: the conscience and the ego ideal. The conscience differentiates between right and wrong, while the ego ideal works with morals instilled by society, such as prejudices. The se three sections of mind balance each other in order to k... ...ish does throughout The Cat in the Hat.    Freud understood the mind as constantly in conflict with itself. He saw children so accurately that he knew what they wanted to say and thought of what they wanted to hear. It is because of this factor that The Cat in the Hat is one of the most popular children's books ever. The reader of The Cat in the Hat understands the book as a fun read on a rainy day. However, the more educated reader sees it as a Freudian allegory. Theodore Geisel was brilliant in this area because he exposed a common incident that happens, one way or another, in every child's life.       Works Cited Seuss, Dr. The Cat in the Hat. New York: Random House, 1957. Stevenson, David B. "Freud's Division of the Mind." Brown University. 11 November 1999. http://landow.stg.brown.edu/HtatBrown/freud/Division_of_Mind.html.

Trust Preferred Securities :: Stocks Economics TPS Essays

Trust Preferred Securities Trust Preferred Securities are cumulative preferred stock issued by a business trust that is wholly owned by a bank holding company (BHC) to increase the company’s capital. When originally created in 1993, this security could be classified as debt or equity, as needed, by the issuing company. However, in 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement No. 150 to standardize classification of Trust Preferred Securities (TPS). A Trust Subsidiary would issue mandatorily redeemable, non-voting preferred stock to 3rd party investors. The Trust subsidiary would then â€Å"loan† the proceeds from the sale of the stock to the Parent BHC with the debt having the same terms as the TPS. Finally, when the Parent BHC made â€Å"interest payments† on the debt to the Trust Subsidiary, the latter used the â€Å"interest income† to make the dividend payments on the securities. For tax purposes, the Parent BHC would classify the proceeds from the issuance of the stock as debt. Remember that the proceeds of the stock issuance had been passed on to the Parent BHC as a â€Å"loan.† This allowed the Parent BHC to take an â€Å"interest† expense tax deduction on the â€Å"interest† paid to the trust. The trust, however, would not get taxed on the â€Å"interest† income it received from the parent company because the trust had been established as a pass-through entity. That means the â€Å"interest† income passed through the trust untaxed and, instead, would get taxed at the security holders’ level. At the same time, for financial reporting purposes, the Parent BHC would classify the same proceeds from the sale of the TPS as capital. The problem with treating the securities as capital in financial reports was that, because the securities were mandatorily redeemable, the company had an unconditional obligation to, at some point, pay out the principal and quarterly dividends at a specified rate. Thus, classifying what met all the characteristics of debt as capital made the company’s financial statements extremely misleading.

Fool Chapter 12

TWELVE A KING'S ROAD Having set the course of events in motion, I wonder now if my training to be a nun, and my polished skills at telling jokes, juggling, and singing songs fully qualify me to start a war. I have so often been the instrument of the whims of others, not even a pawn at court, merely an accoutrement to the king or his daughters. An amusing ornament. A tiny reminder of conscience and humanity, tempered with enough humor so it can be dismissed, laughed off, ignored. Perhaps there is a reason that there is no fool piece on the chessboard. What action, a fool? What strategy, a fool? What use, a fool? Ah, but a fool resides in a deck of cards, a joker, sometimes two. Of no worth, of course. No real purpose. The appearance of a trump, but none of the power. Simply an instrument of chance. Only a dealer may give value to the joker. Make him wild, make him trump. Is the dealer Fate? God? The king? A ghost? Witches? The anchoress spoke of the cards in the tarot, forbidden and pagan as they were. We had no cards, but she would describe them for me, and I drew their images on the stones of the antechamber in charcoal. â€Å"The fool's number is zero,† she said, â€Å"but that's because he represents the infinite possibility of all things. He may become anything. See, he carries all of his possessions in a bundle on his back. He is ready for anything, to go anywhere, to become whatever he needs to be. Don't count out the fool, Pocket, simply because his number is zero.† Did she know where I was heading, or do her words only have meaning to me now, as I, the zero, the nothing, seek to move nations? War? I couldn't see the appeal. Drunk, and dire of mood one night, Lear mused of war when I suggested that what he needed to cast off his dark aspect was a good wenching. â€Å"Oh, Pocket, I am too old, and the joy of a fuck withers with my limbs. Only a good killing can still boil lust in my blood. And one will not do, either. Kill me a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand on my command – rivers of blood running through the fields – that's what pumps fire into a man's lance.† â€Å"Oh,† said I. â€Å"I was going to fetch Shanker Mary for you from the laundry, but ten thousand dead and rivers of blood might be a bit beyond her talents, majesty.† â€Å"No, thank you, good Pocket, I shall sit and slide slowly and sadly into oblivion.† â€Å"Or,† said I, â€Å"I could put a bucket on Drool's head and beat him with a sack of beets until the floor is splattered crimson while Shanker Mary gives you a proper tug to accentuate the gore.† â€Å"No, fool, there is no pretending to war.† â€Å"What's Wales doing, majesty? We could invade the Welsh, perpetrate enough slaughter to raise your spirits, and have you back for tea and toast.† â€Å"Wales is ours now, lad.† â€Å"Oh bugger. What's your feeling on attacking North Kensington, then?† â€Å"Kensington's not a mile away. Practically in our own bailey.† â€Å"Aye, nuncle, that's the beauty of it, they'd never see it coming. Like a hot blade through butter, we'd be. We could hear the widows and orphans wailing from the castle walls – like a horny lullaby for you.† â€Å"I should think not. I'm not attacking neighborhoods of London to amuse myself, Pocket. What kind of tyrant do you think me?† â€Å"Oh, above average, sire. Well above bloody average.† â€Å"I'll have you speak no more of war, fool. You've too sweet a nature for such dastardly pursuits.† Too sweet? Moi? Methinks the art of war was made for fools, and fools for war. Kensington trembled that night. On the road to Gloucester I let my anger wane and tried to comfort the old king as best I could by lending him a sympathetic ear and a gentle word when he needed it. â€Å"You simple, sniveling old toss-beast! What did you expect to happen when you put the care of your half-rotted carcass in the talons of that carrion bird of a daughter?† (I may have had some residual anger.) â€Å"But I gave her half my kingdom.† â€Å"And she gave you half the truth in return, when she told you she loved you all.† The old man hung his head and his white hair fell in his face. We sat on stones by the fire. A tent was set in the wood nearby for the king's comfort, as there was no manor house in this northern county for him to take refuge. The rest of us would sleep outside in the cold. â€Å"Wait, fool, until we are under the roof of my second daughter,† said Lear. â€Å"Regan was always the sweet one, she will not be so shabby in her gratitude.† I had no heart to chide the old man any more. Expecting kindness from Regan was hope sung in the key of madness. Always the sweet one? Regan? I think not. My second week in the castle I found young Regan and Goneril in one of the king's solars, teasing little Cordelia, passing a kitten the little one had taken a fancy to over her head, taunting her. â€Å"Oh, come get the kitty,† said Regan. â€Å"Be careful, lest it fly out the window.† Regan pretended she might throw the terrified little cat out the window, and as Cordelia ran, arms stretched out to grab the kitten, Regan reeled and tossed the kitten to Goneril, who swung the kitten toward another window. â€Å"Oh, look, Cordy, she'll be drowned in the moat, just like your traitor mother,† said Goneril. â€Å"Nooooooo!† wailed Cordelia. She was nearly breathless from running sister to sister after the kitten. I stood in the doorway, stunned at their cruelty. The chamberlain had told me that Cordelia's mother, Lear's third queen, had been accused of treason and banished three years before. No one knew exactly the circumstances of the crime, but there were rumors that she had been practicing the old religion, others that she had committed adultery. All the chamberlain knew for sure was that the queen had been taken from the tower in the dead of night, and from that time until my arrival at the castle, Cordelia had not uttered a coherent syllable. â€Å"Drowned as a witch, she was,† said Regan, snatching the kitten out of the air. But this time the little kitten's claws found royal flesh. â€Å"Ow! You little shit!† Regan tossed the kitten out the window. Cordelia loosed an ear-shattering scream. Without thinking I dived through the window after the cat and caught the braided cord with my feet as I flew through. I caught the kitten about five feet below the window as the cord burned between my ankles. Not having thought the move completely through, I hadn't counted on how to catch myself, kitten in hand, when the cord slammed me into the tower wall. The cord tightened around my right ankle. I took the impact on that shoulder and bounced while I watched my coxcomb flutter like a wounded bird to the moat below. I tucked the kitten into my doublet, then climbed back up the cord and in through the window. â€Å"Lovely day for a constitutional, don't you think, ladies?† The three of them all stood with their mouths hanging open, the older sisters had backed against the walls of the solar. â€Å"You lot look like you could use some air,† said I. I took the kitten from my doublet and held it out to Cordelia. â€Å"Kitty's had quite an adventure. Perhaps you should take her to her mum for a nap.† Cordelia took the kitten from me and ran out of the room. â€Å"We can have you beheaded, fool,† said Regan, shaking off her shock. â€Å"Anytime we want,† said Goneril, with less conviction than her sister. â€Å"Shall I send in a maid to tie back the tapestry, mum?† I asked, with a grand wave to the tapestry I'd loosed from the wall when I leapt. â€Å"Uh, yes, do that,† commanded Regan. â€Å"This instant!† â€Å"This instant,† barked Goneril. â€Å"Right away, mum.† And with a grin and a bow, I was gone from the room. I made my way down the spiral stairs clinging to the wall, lest my heart give out and send me tumbling. Cordelia stood at the bottom of the stairs, cradling the kitten, looking up at me as if I were Jesus, Zeus, and St. George all back from a smashing day of dragon slaying. Her eyes were unnaturally wide and she appeared to have stopped breathing. Bloody awe, I suppose. â€Å"Stop staring like that, lamb, it's disturbing. People will think you've a chicken bone caught in your throat.† â€Å"Thank you,† she said, with a great, shoulder-shaking sob. I patted her head. â€Å"You're welcome, love. Now run along, Pocket has to fish his hat from the moat and then go to the kitchen and drink until his hands stop shaking or he drowns in his own sick, whichever comes first.† She backed away to let me pass, never taking her eyes from mine. It had been thus since the night I arrived at the tower – when her mind first crept out from whatever dark place it had been living before my arrival – those wide, crystal-blue eyes looking at me with unblinking wonder. The child could be right creepy. â€Å"Do not make yourself a maid to surprise, nuncle,† said I. I held the reins of my and the king's horse as they drank from an ice-laced stream some hundred miles north of Gloucester. â€Å"Regan is a treasure to be sure, but she may have the same mind as her sister. Although they will deny it, it's often been the case.† â€Å"I cannot think it so,† said the king. â€Å"Regan will receive us with open arms.† There was a racket behind us and the king turned. â€Å"Ah, what is this?† A gaily painted wagon was coming out of the wood toward us. Several of the knights reached for swords or lances. Captain Curan waved for them to stand at ease. â€Å"Mummers, sire,† said the Captain. â€Å"Aye,† said Lear, â€Å"I forgot, the Yule is nearly on us. They'll be going to Gloucester as well, I'll wager, to play for the Yule feast. Pocket, go tell them that we grant them safe passage and they may follow our train under our protection.† The wagon creaked to a stop. Happening upon a train of fifty knights and attendants in the countryside would put any performer on guard. The man driving the wagon stood at the reins and waved. He wore a grand purple hat with a white plume in it. I leapt the narrow stream, and made my way up the road. When the driver saw my motley he smiled. I, too, smiled, in relief – this was not the cruel master from my own days as a mummer. â€Å"Hail, fool, what finds you so far from court and castle?† â€Å"I carry my court with me and my castle lies ahead, sirrah.† â€Å"Carry your court? Then that white-haired old man is – â€Å" â€Å"Aye, King Lear himself.† â€Å"Then you are the famous Black Fool.† â€Å"At your bloody service,† said I, with a bow. â€Å"You're smaller than in the stories,† said the big-hatted weasel. â€Å"Aye, and your hat is an ocean in which your wit wanders like a lost plague ship.† The mummer laughed. â€Å"You give me more than my due, sirrah. We trade not in wit like you, wily fool. We are thespians!† With that, three young men and a girl stepped out from behind the wagon and bowed gracefully and with far too much flourish than was called for. â€Å"Thesbians,† said they, in chorus. I tipped my coxcomb. â€Å"Well, I enjoy a lick of the lily from time to time myself,† said I, â€Å"but it's hardly something you want to paint on the side of a wagon.† â€Å"Not lesbians,† said the girl, â€Å"thesbians. We are actors.† â€Å"Oh,† said I. â€Å"That's different.† â€Å"Aye,† said big hat. â€Å"We've no need of wit – the play's the thing, you see. Not a word passes our lips that hasn't been chewed thrice and spat out by a scribe.† â€Å"Unburdened by originality are we,† said an actor in a red waistcoat. The girl said, â€Å"Although we do bear the cross of fabulously shiny hair – â€Å" â€Å"Blank slates, we are,† said another of the actors. â€Å"We are mere appendages of the pen, so to speak,† said big hat. â€Å"Yeah, you're a bloody appendage, all right,† I said under my breath. â€Å"Well, actors then. Smashing. The king has bade me tell you that he grants you safe passage to Gloucester and offers his protection.† â€Å"Oh my,† said big hat. â€Å"We are only going as far as Birmingham, but I suppose we could double back from Gloucester if his majesty wishes us to perform.† â€Å"No,† said I. â€Å"Please, do pass through and on to Birmingham. The king would never impede the progress of artists.† â€Å"You're certain?† said big hat. â€Å"We've been rehearsing a classic from antiquity, Green Eggs and Hamlet, the story of a young prince of Denmark who goes mad, drowns his girlfriend, and in his remorse, forces spoiled breakfast on all whom he meets. It was pieced together from fragments of an ancient Merican manuscript.† â€Å"No,† said I. â€Å"I think it will be too esoteric for the king. He is old and nods off during long performances.† â€Å"Shame,† said big hat. â€Å"A moving piece. Let me do a selection for you. ‘Green eggs, or not green eggs? That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to eat them in a box, with a fox – ‘† â€Å"Stop!† said I. â€Å"Go now, and quickly. War has come to the land and rumor has it that as soon as they've finished with the lawyers, they're going to kill all the actors.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Aye,† I nodded most sincerely. â€Å"Quick, on to Birmingham, before you are slaughtered.† â€Å"Everyone jump on,† said big hat, and the actors did as directed. â€Å"Fare thee well, fool!† Then he snapped the reins and drove off, the wagon's wheels bouncing in the ruts of the road. Lear's train parted and watched as the team pulled the wagon by at a gallop. â€Å"What was that?† asked Lear when I returned. â€Å"Wagonload of knobs,† said I. â€Å"Why do they hurry, so?† â€Å"We commanded it so, nuncle. Half their troupe is ill with fever. We want them nowhere near your men.† â€Å"Oh, good show, then, lad. I thought you might be missing the life and were going to join their troupe.† I shuddered at the thought. It had been a cold December day like this when I'd first come to the White Tower with my mummer troupe. We were decidedly not thespians, but singers, jugglers, and acrobats, and I a special asset because I could do all three. Our master was a crooked Belgian named Belette, who bought me from Mother Basil for ten shillings and the promise to feed me. He spoke Dutch, French, and a very broken English, so I don't know how he managed to secure the White Tower for a performance that Christmas, but I was told later that the troupe that was supposed to have performed had suddenly taken ill with stomach cramps and I suspect that Belette poisoned them. I had been with Belette for months, and except for the beatings and cold nights sleeping under a wagon, I had received little but my daily bread, the occasional cup of wine, and the skills of knife-throwing and sleight of hand as it could be applied to purse cutting. We were led into the great hall at the tower, which was filled with nobles reveling and feasting on platters of food such as I had never seen. King Lear sat at the center of the main table, flanked by two beautiful girls about my age, who I would later find out were Regan and Goneril. Beside Regan sat Gloucester, his wife, and their son Edgar. The intrepid Kent sat on the other side next to Goneril. Under that table, at Lear's feet, a little girl was curled up, watching the celebration – wide-eyed, like a frightened animal, clinging to a rag doll. I must confess, I thought the child might be deaf or even simpleminded. We performed for perhaps two hours, singing songs of the saints during dinner, then moving on to bawdier fare as the wine flowed and the guests loosened their hold on propriety. By late in the evening everyone was laughing, the guests were dancing with the performers, and even the commoners who lived in the castle had joined the party, but the little girl remained under the table, making not a sound. Not a smile, not an eyebrow raised in delight. There was light there behind those crystal-blue eyes – this was not a simpleton – but she seemed to be staring out of them from afar. I crawled under the table and sat next to her. She barely acknowledged my presence. I leaned in close and nodded toward Belette, who stood by a column near the center of the hall, leering lecherously at the young girls who frolicked about him. I could see the little girl spied the scoundrel, too. Ever so softly, I sang a little song the anchoress had taught me, with the lyrics changed a bit to adapt to the situation. â€Å"Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat who ate his tail.† And the little girl pulled back and looked at me, as if to see if I had really sung such a thing. And I sang on: â€Å"Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat, who drowned in a pail.† And the little girl cackled – a broken, little-girl yodel of a laugh that rang of innocence and joy and delight. I sang on, and ever so softly, she sang with me, â€Å"Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat – â€Å" And we were no longer alone under the table. There was another pair of crystal-blue eyes, and behind them a white-haired king. The old king smiled and squeezed my biceps. And before the other guests noticed that the king was under the table, he sat back up on his throne, but he reached down and lay a hand across the little girl's shoulder and the other upon mine. It was a hand reached across a vast chasm of reality – from the highest position of ruler of the realm, to a lowborn orphan boy who slept in the mud under a wagon. I thought it must have been how a knight felt when the king's sword touched his shoulder, elevating him to nobility. â€Å"Was a rat, was a rat, was a rat,† we sang. When the party died down and noble guests hung drunk over the tables, the servants piled onto the floor before the fire, Belette began to move among the revelers and tap each of his performers, calling them to gather by the door. I had fallen asleep under the table, and the little girl against my arm. He pulled me up by my hair. â€Å"You did nothing all night. I watched.† I knew there was a beating in store for when we got back to the wagon, and I was prepared for it. At least I had eaten some supper at the feast. But as Belette turned to drag me away he stopped, abruptly. I looked up to see the master frozen in space, a sword-point pressed into his cheek just below his eye. He let go of my hair. â€Å"Good thought,† said Kent, the old bull, pulling his sword back, but holding it steadily aimed, a hand's breadth from Belette's eye. There was a sound of coin on the table and Belette couldn't help but look down, even at the peril of his life. A doeskin purse as big as a man's fist lay before him. The chamberlain, a tall, severe chap who looked perpetually down his nose, stood beside Kent. He said, â€Å"Your payment, plus ten pounds, which you shall accept as payment for this boy.† â€Å"But – † said Belette. â€Å"You are a word from your mortality, sirrah,† said Lear. â€Å"Do go on.† He sat straight and regal on his throne, one hand pressed to the cheek of the little girl, who had awakened and was clinging to his leg. Belette took the purse, bowed deeply, and backed across the hall. The other mummers of my troupe bowed and followed him out. â€Å"What is your name, boy?† asked Lear. â€Å"Pocket, your majesty.† â€Å"Well, then, Pocket, do you see this child?† â€Å"Yes, majesty.† â€Å"Her name is Cordelia. She is our youngest daughter, and henceforth shall be your mistress. You have one duty above all, Pocket. That is to make her happy.† â€Å"Yes, majesty.† â€Å"Take him to Bubble,† said the king. â€Å"Have her feed and bathe him, then find him new clothes.† Back on the road to Gloucester, Lear said, â€Å"So, what is your will, Pocket? Would you be a traveling mummer again – trade the comfort of the castle for the adventure of the road?† â€Å"Apparently, I have, nuncle,† said I. We camped at the stream, which froze over during the night. The old man sat shivering by the fire with his rich fur cloak wrapped around him; the garment so full and the man so slight that it appeared he was being consumed by a slow but well-groomed beast. Only his white beard and the hawk nose were visible outside the cloak – two stars of fire shone back in the cape creature, his eyes. Snow fell around us in great wet orgies of flakes, and my own woolen cloak, which I'd pulled over my head, was sodden. â€Å"Have I been so unfit as a father that my daughters would turn on me so?† asked Lear. Why, now, did he choose to stare into the dark barrel of his soul, when he'd been content all these years to simply scoop out his desires and let the consequences wash over whomever they may? Bloody inopportune time for introspection, after you've given away the roof over your head. But I did not say so. â€Å"What would I know of proper fathering, sire? I had no father nor mother. I was reared by the Church, and I'd not give a hot squirt of piss for the lot of them.† â€Å"Poor boy,† said the king. â€Å"As long as I live, you shall have father and family.† I would have pointed out that he had himself declared his crawl to the grave commenced, and that given his performance with his daughters, I might do better to go forth an orphan, but the old man had rescued me from the life of a slave and wanderer, and given me a home in the palace, with friends and, I suppose, family of a sort. So I said, â€Å"Thank you, majesty.† The old man sighed heavily and said, â€Å"None of my three queens ever loved me.† â€Å"Oh, for fuck's sake, Lear, I'm a jester, not a bloody wizard. If you're going to keep diving into the muck of your regrets then I'll just hold your sword for you and you can see if you can get your ancient ass moving enough to fall on the pointy part so we can both get some bloody peace.† Lear laughed then – twisted old oak that he was – and patted my shoulder. â€Å"I could ask nothing more of a son than he give me laughter in my despair. I'm off to bed. Sleep in my tent, tonight, Pocket, out of the cold.† â€Å"Aye, sire.† I was touched by the old man's kindness, I cannot deny it. The old man tottered over to his tent. One of the pages had been carrying hot stones into the tent for an hour and I felt the heat rush out as the king ducked inside. â€Å"I'll be in after I've had a wee,† said I. I walked to the edge of the fire's light and beside a great bare elm was relieving myself when a blue light shimmered in the forest before me. â€Å"Well, that's a woolly tuft of lamb wank,† said a woman's voice, just as the girl ghost stepped out from behind the tree upon which I was weeing. â€Å"God's balls, wisp, I've almost peed on you!† â€Å"Careful, fool,† said the ghost, looking frighteningly solid now – just a tad translucent – snowflakes were passing through her. But I was not frightened. â€Å"Warm thy grateful heart, In the king's family, But for his royal crimes, You'd not an orphan be.† â€Å"That's it?† I asked. â€Å"Rhymes and riddles? Still?† â€Å"All you need for now,† said the ghost. â€Å"I saw the witches,† said I. â€Å"They seemed to know you.† â€Å"Aye,† said the ghost. â€Å"There's dark deeds afoot at Gloucester, fool. Don't lose sight.† â€Å"Sight of what?† But she was gone, and I was standing in the woods, my willie in my hand, talking to a tree. On to Gloucester in the morning, and I'd see what I was not to lose sight of. Or some such nonsense. Cornwall's and Regan's flags flew over the battlements alongside Gloucester's, showing they had already arrived. Castle Gloucester was a bundle of towers surrounded by a lake on three sides and by a wide moat at the front – no outer curtain wall like the White Tower or Albany, no bailey, just a small front courtyard and a gatehouse that protected the entrance. The city wall, on the land side of the castle, provided the outer defenses for stables and barracks. As we approached, a trumpet sounded from the wall announcing us. Drool came running across the drawbridge, his arms held high. â€Å"Pocket, Pocket, where have you been? My friend! My friend!† I was greatly relieved to see him alive, but the great, simple bear pulled me from my horse and hugged me until I could barely breathe, dancing me in a circle, my feet flying in the air as if I was a doll. â€Å"Stop licking, Drool, you lout, you'll wear my hair off.† I clouted the oaf on the back with Jones and he yowled. â€Å"Ouch. Don't hit, Pocket.† He dropped me and crouched, hugging himself as if he were his own comforting mother, which he may have been, for all I know. I saw red-brown stains on his shirt back, and so lifted it to see the cause. â€Å"Oh, lad, what has happened to you?† My voice broke, tears tried to push out of my eyes, and I gasped. The muscular slab of Drool's back was nearly devoid of skin – his hide had been torn and scabbed over and torn again by a vicious lash. â€Å"I've missed you most awful,† said Drool. â€Å"Aye, me too, but how happened these stripes?† â€Å"Lord Edmund says I am an insult to nature and must be punished.† Edmund. Bastard.