Analysis Of The Book The Big Reason - 907 Words

An author has a purpose for writing the many forms of nonfiction. The big reason author’s write nonfiction is to present information to the reader, to inform and to explain; however, they do write to entertain and persuade. Depending on what you are reading depends on what kind of information and how it is written. Here are some different types of nonfiction and the author’s purpose. Keep in mind that a narrative can also be noted as a descriptive writing too; an argument can be descriptive also. There can be more than one type at times, but typically one type of nonfiction. Types of Nonfiction Purpose Argument or Persuasive to convince reader to think or act a certain way based on opinion supported by evidence Expository or†¦show more content†¦The purpose is to make a stand on cyber schools. †¢ The textbook, The Principles of the Environment, which discusses the Earth’s environment, is an informational writing. The purpose is to learn about the Earth’s environment through descriptive information. †¢ Encyclopedia Britannica, which is a resource full of information and facts is an expository or informational writing. The purpose is to present facts. ELA6_A_3_5_ACT_1 An author will write from a certain point of view, the vantage point of the writing. Authors want their readers to see the topic from their point of view, through their eyes, from their outlook. In nonfiction, point of view is the perspective the author is writing from. Depending on the topic and purpose, nonfiction writers write in different points of view. First Person - (I, we) Examples - autobiographies, memoirs, speeches Second Person - (you, your) Examples – instructions, recipes, advice Third Person - (he, she, it, they) Examples – news articles, encyclopedias They write about what the author thinks and feels about his or her subject. Identifying an author’s point of view is important because the reader can: †¢ Understand why the author is interested in the subject †¢ Understand what the author thinks about the topic †¢ Understand what the author may want the reader to think Readers can often establish what the author’s point of view

Accounting Methods Used By Ancient Egyptians For Inventory...

Accountants are trusted and respected all around the world. After all, this profession has been around for many years; there is proof that accounting methods were used by ancient Egyptians for inventory purposes. The accounting profession has many certifications; one of them is Certified Public Accountant, also known by its acronym, CPA. By far, the one with the most advantages is CPA because it is required by almost any accounting firm, provides mobility across the industry, and provides better economic remuneration. Acquiring the certification is not easy; the CPA examination is known to be difficult and challenging, having four parts and a passing rate of only 50 percent. It also requires continuing education since there are constant changes in laws. Once the certification is acquired, the rewards are greater than the sacrifice. CPAs are currently in high demand, and that is only increasing every year; this is great for job opportunities and for remuneration. Accountants have alwa ys had good salaries, but being in high demand increases the chances of having even better salaries. Before, CPAs were thought of as bookkeepers and tax makers, but now they are much more than that. Companies don’t make business decisions before consulting with their accountants, after all, no one knows the economic situation of a company better than the accountant. CPA: The advantages of Certified Public Accountant Accounting has been around for thousands of years; there is proofShow MoreRelatedThe Egyptian Of Ancient Egyptian Society1704 Words   |  7 Pages Ancient Egyptian society reflected many things like the pyramids that it built. They placed the pharaoh at the top, but he relied on a group of officials, priests, and nobles to administer his kingdom. All of these people were assisted with scribes, which is a writing system that was used, perhaps adapted from Mesopotamia or created independently. 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They’re the ones who created the radically new cushioning systems used in Nike Air and Nike Shox. They’re also the ones who designed the distinctive barefoot running sneakers called â€Å"Nike Free.† Now Hoke is pushing his team to look at nature as a guide and to â€Å"take out what is not necessary† when designing new productsRead MoreArticle: Performance Appraisal and Performance Management35812 Words   |  144 Pagesappraisa l system to employee’s performance management system. This paper has focused to study the evolution of employee’s performance appraisal system, critics the system suffered and how the performance management system came to the practice. The main purpose of this paper is to differentiate these two systems, employee’s performance appraisal and management system. 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Topographic Map Free Essays

MS 217 Dennis Borzakov Class 723 January 15, 2013 Problem HOW IS A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP MADE Hypothesis I think that to make a topographic map you have to see the form of the object from up top. To do this you need a satellite image. These images are called aerial photographs. We will write a custom essay sample on Topographic Map or any similar topic only for you Order Now Using elevation calculators and ground measures cartographers then make topographic maps. Materials †¢ Clay model landform †¢ Water tinted with food coloring †¢ Transparency †¢ Clear plastic storage box with lid †¢ Beaker †¢ Metric ruler †¢ Tape †¢ Transparency marker Procedure 1. Using the ruler and the transparency marker, make marks up the side of the storage box one centimeter apart. 2. Place the clay model into the storage box. The bottom of the box will be zero elevation. 3. Secure the transparency to the top of the storage box with tape. 4. Using the beaker, pour water into the box to a height of one cm. 5. Use the transparency marker to trace the top of the water line on the transparency. 6. Using the scale 1cm=10m, mark the elevation on the line. 7. Remove the transparency and add water until a depth of 2cm is reached. 8. Map this level on the transparency and record the elevation. . Repeat the process of adding water and tracing until you have the hill mapped on the transparency. 10. Transfer the tracing of the hill onto a white sheet of paper. 11. Use the ruler to transfer the hill from the white sheet of paper to graph paper. Analysis The counter interval of this topographic map is 1cm is equal to 10 m. The distance between contour lines on the map show steepness of a slope on the landform model because the closer the lines are the steeper the hill is, the farther apart the lines are the more the gentle the rising of the hill will be. The elevation of Hill A is 80 meters and the elevation of Hill B is 90 meters. Elevation was presented on the map by the number of counter lines. The one with the most counter lines is the taller one. Conclusion In this experiment we took on the job of a cartographer. We graphed clay model hills to express elevation. We traced images of the forms from the transparency to the white sheet of paper to express the difference in counter lines. How to cite Topographic Map, Papers

Factors Affecting Supply and Demand of Coffee in Australian Market

Question: Discuss about theDemand and Supply of Coffee in Australia Market. Answer: Introduction: Demand is the willingness and ability of a buyer to buy a product at the current market price. It is the quantities that a consumer is willing and can be able to purchase at a given price in a specified period of time. Supply is willingness and ability of a supplier to supply products at the current market price. It is the amount of quantities that producers are willing and able to supply to the market at a given price within a specified period of time (Pinkasovitch, 2011). It is the balance of supply and demand that determines the market price of a commodity at a given period of time. Coffee is a beverage that is produced from coffee beans. According to Australian Health Survey released on 2014, indicated that 46% of Australia population consumes coffee. It also showed that tea which is a close substitute of coffee is consumed by 38% .This research showed how coffee is highly preferred in the Australian market. Coffee is consumed for it taste and refreshing effects. This paper will discuss the factors affecting demand and supply of coffee in the Australian market. Factors Affecting Demand For Coffee Demand for coffee is affected by many factors that change it price from the equilibrium .These factors are taste and preference, price of close substitute tea, population, consumers expectations, level of income and taxes. These factors are discussed below; The first factor is the level of income that a buyer has. Level of income determines the purchasing power of a consumer. A projected increase in consumer level of income will increase the demand for coffee in the market. For instance, the 2015-16 revenue forecasts of 8.4% will increase coffee consumption to 7.4% ("Coffee in Australia", 2016). Secondly is the consumer expectation. Buyers future price expectations affect the amount that will be bought. When consumers expect a future price decline, they will buy less today to avoid paying more in the in the future dates and vice verse. Consumers are speculative and will tend to consume coffee at the least cost possible (Mankiw and Taylor, 2011). Third is the price of tea in the market. Since coffee and tea are consumed as substitutes, a decrease in tea prices will make it affordable and therefore affordable to consumers. This will reduce the demand of coffee in the market. The fourth factor that affects demand for coffee in the Australian Market is population. The composition of individuals in the market affects the amount of coffee that is to be consumed. Immigration increases demand for coffee. Also an adoption of a coffee culture in Australia is steadily increasing the demand for coffee. For instance, the Italian immigrants are said to have a strong influence the Australian culture of drinking coffee. Fifth is the taste and preference of buyers. Coffee is much consumed because of it taste. Australians have a strong preference on quality coffee and change would greatly lead to change to it demand. Consumers have adopted a culture of taking good cup coffee from the top brands in the market. The last factor is the taxes charged by the government. Taxes charged by the government are passed to the final consumer. When this happens, the prices of coffee increase and the amount to be bought by a buyer decreases due to lowering of purchasing power. Factors Affecting Supply of Coffee in the Australian Market Producers and processors of coffee are affected by several factors that determine the amount they supply in the market. These factors are weather, cost of production, technology, producers expectations number of competitors, incentives and subsidies from the governments. These factors are discussed below. First is the climate change. Coffee is growth in plantations and prevailing weather condition affects the yields of the season. Unfavorable weather conditions reduce the coffee output therefore decreasing the amount that producers will be able to avail in the market. This condition causes shortages in the market vise verse. For instance, the coffee prices escalated when there was drought in Brazil in 2014.It lead to 20-30% crop loss that led to shortages in supply (Futures, 2014). Secondly is the change in production technology. Improvement or advancement in technology in the coffee industry enables producers and processors to produce and process more at lower cost. Therefore a change in technology increases the amount of coffee that producers are able to supply to the market at the prevailing prices in a given period of time (Garuma at al, 2015). Third is the cost of production. This refers to the amount spent by the producer or processor to produce a certain amount of coffee. An increase in cost of production reduces the ability of a producer to maximally produce coffee that is supplied to the market and vice verse. For instance, an increase in input prices will increase the cost of production therefore decreasing the morale and ability of a producer to produce more. The fourth factor is the number of competitors in the market. Many sellers in the market lead to high amount of supplies in the market and vice verse. The coffee market has many competitors who contribute to the wide variety in the market (Lewin, n.d.). A decrease in number of coffee competitors can lead to decrease in the amount of coffee supplied in the Australian market. Fifth is the incentive and subsidy given by the government. When government gives coffee producers an incentive or allows them access inputs at subsidized prices, it motivates them to produce more. The cost of production is lowed and producers are able to supply more coffee in the market with the prevailing prices (Garuma, 2015). Lastly is the suppliers expectation in the market. The amount supplied in the market is affected by the future expectations of the supplier. Whenever, the coffee producers are expecting a fall in price they will supply more to the market to dispose they already processed products to avoid or minimize losses and vice verse. Conclusion In conclusion, the factors that affect demand for coffee lead to increase or decrease of coffee prices that cause demand change. A decrease in coffee prices leads to an increase in quantities demanded in the market. On the other side, an increase in coffee market prices leads to an increase in supply .Therefore coffee is a normal good in the Australian market since it follows both the demand and supply law. I can also conclude that neither demand nor supply can determine the marker price on it own. It takes adjustments of both to determine the price of coffee .The point where the two meet is the equilibrium price and remains to be the market price until factors affecting demand or supply change. References Australian Health Survey.(2014). Nutrition First Results - Food and Nutrients, 2011-12 Mankiw N.G. and Taylor, M.P. (2011). Andover: Cengage Learning. Economics (2nd ed., revised ed.). Pinkasovitch, A. (2011). Introduction To Supply And Demand | Investopedia. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/11/intro-supply-demand.asp [Accessed 30 Aug. 2016]. Coffee in Australia. (2016). Euromonitor.com. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from https://www.euromonitor.com/coffee-in-australia/report Garuma, H., Berecha, G., Abedeta, C. (2015). Influence of Coffee Production Systems on the Occurrence of Coffee Beans Abnormality: Implication on Coffee Quality. Asian J. Of Plant Sciences, 14(1), 40-44. https://dx.doi.org/10.3923/ajps.2015.40.44 Industry leaders discuss future coffee trends. (2016). BeanScene Magazine. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from https://www.beanscenemag.com.au/articles/view/industry-leaders-discuss-future-coffee-trends Lewin, B., Giovannucci, D., Varangis, P. Coffee Markets: New Paradigms in Global Supply and Demand. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.996111 The Top Factors that Move the Price of Coffee. (2016). Futuresknowledge.com. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from https://www.futuresknowledge.com/news-and-analysis/softs/the-top-factors-that-move-the-price-of-coffee/

The Feminist Movement in America free essay sample

The feminist movement in America of 60’s Maintenance: Introdaction The reasons of occurrence of the second wave of feminism in the beginning of 60’s Prominent features and differences of feminism of a new wave » Movement for the rights of women and female liberation movement Legal victories Timeline of key events View on Popular Culture The conclusion Literature Introduction. Feminism (fr. Feminisme, from an armour. Femina woman) in wide sense aspiration to equality of women with men in all spheres of a life of a society, in narrow sense – a womens movement which purpose is elimination of discrimination of women and equality of their rights with men. It is possible to name a synonym the term â€Å"emancipation of women†. Emancipation (lat. -emancipatio) Romans were designated by clearing from under the fatherly power. From here there was a general value-clearing from dependence and restriction. Feminist movement has long history which can be divided into two basic periods. We will write a custom essay sample on The Feminist Movement in America or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The first is a so-called feminism of the first wave or old feminism (end Ð ¥VIII – first third Ð ¥Ã ¥ centuries). At the heart of its ideology liberal doctrine about equality of the rights of citizens lay, the basic direction was sufragism– struggle for political equality of women. It has stopped the existence after its basic mission, and in the majority of the developed countries of the woman has been executed have received a vote on parliamentary elections. The second wave of feminism, neofeminism, has risen on a wave of the left movements of the end of 1960th. Owing to it in neofeminism except the liberal direction continuing traditions of old feminism, the strong radical current is allocated. This feminism proclaims unity of interests of all women and necessity of their incorporated struggle against mans domination not only in sphere public, but also sphere of a private life. Some researchers allocate also the third wave of feminism (from the beginning 1990th) which is characterized by attention strengthening to theoretical questions, carrying over of the analysis of problems from a social and economic plane on philosophical level. Now the feminism remains the considerable social movement which has reached of the greatest successes in the field of culture. In the centre of attention of feminism in its forms there is a remaining gender inequality of women. 1. The reasons of occurrence of the second wave of feminism in the beginning of 60’s The success of sufragism has for a while suspended the general development female political movement, which was four decades subsequent almost in a hibernation condition. But, despite all achievements of feminism, still in all spheres of a life, men predominated. It has appeared that equality on a paper insufficiently, it was necessary to change the relation to the woman and in consciousness of people. Awakening or â€Å"female revival† has begun in 60’s years. Its epicenter of a steel of the USA, where exactly these years observed activisation of the democratic processes directed on liquidation of various forms of discrimination, and first of all racism. The womens movement has found new, frequently radical forms, that has found reflexion in its name – â€Å"female liberation movement† (Women’s liberation). The phrase Women’s Liberation was first used in the United States in 1964 and first appeared in print in 1966. By 1968, although the term Women’s Liberation Front appeared in the magazine Ramparts, it was starting to refer to the whole women’s movement. The new wave of struggle for emancipation has been caused by structural changes in society and, first of all, substantial growth of a share of female work in a social production. So, to 1960, in the USA women made more than one third of manpower of the country, thus 54 % of workers of women were married, and 33 % had children that testifies to the business factors inducing women to join in a public industrial practice. With acquisition of experience of women’s political activity it was steel and more self-assured, in the forces. The impression is made that modern movement for clearing of women went a similar way. At its initial stage struggle for success the same specific goals – such as the right to abortion, the divorce right, legal prosecution of tyrants and the men beating the wives was developed. Option was a keyword: women aspired to dispose of their own life and, first of all – own body. The labour market became one more important field of activity of a womens movement at the present stage. Here struggle of women is conducted for the right to work reception, equality an advancement of possibilities on the career steps, equal paymen t for equal work. Thus, the feminism causes essential and irreversible changes in a life of the woman in all that concerns its social status, its sexual functioning, its place in a society. These processes make considerable impact on consciousness growth, both women, and men. 2. Prominent features and differences of feminism of a new wave » Feminist movement of 60’s and the beginnings of 70’s has received a little extravagant colouring, being shown in causing, even shocking traditionally adjusted the public by unusual slogans, forms of expression of the protest. Aspiring to awakening female consciousness, to clearing of public opinion of inertia patriarch the focused moral installations, feminists used, for example, receptions of the vulgar theatre†. In leaflets arisen in 1968Ð ³. To the American organisation under the scandalous name Witch it was told: â€Å"Everything that is repressive, has exclusively mans orientation, enviously, is noted by Puritanism and authoritativeness, should become a target of your criticism. Your weapon – your boundless fine imagination. Your force proceeds from you as from women, and it repeatedly amplifies from teamwork with your sisters. Your debt – to release your brothers (they want it or not) and from stereotypes of sexual roles†. The feminism, as well as any other political movement, could not avoid radicalism, leftism as some kind of illnesses of growth. Time, that sends a maturity of estimations, moderation and suspension of actions, at last, theoretical validity Was required. It was promoted substantially by creation of a network of so-called female researches (women’s studies), called simultaneously to conduct educational work and to bring the scientific base under movement for clearing of women. Female researches became an integral part of curriculums of many universities, there were many specialised research centres. 3. Movement for the rights of women and female liberation movement The second branch of movement –  «radical, left, often socialist feminism which denied idea of equality with men. In its frameworks was considered that political reforms never will release women, the main accent should be made on women, instead of on the state. The movement purpose – to change a way of thought and action, to overestimate a female essence, instead of to adapt the woman for ans values » Participants of this movement considered that women as group have the specific interests, which they should struggle together, irrespective of social or a racial accessory. Personal changes became the basic arena of struggle. This branch of movement operated more at local level. According to its participants, change of a society of the woman should begin with itself. This branch w ith-stood from set of groups (so-called  «groups of awakening of consciousness »), in which were not the leader and accurate structure. A little later, within the limits of it direction, the crisis centers for victims of rape, shelters for the wives suffering violence in a family, medical clinics, the female centers, the public co-operative societies, the centers for rendering of legal services, services on employment, female cafes and restaurants, female theatrical groups, art galleries,  «emancipating schools », bookshops, shops on sale of craft products and a network of female researches » have been created. The new womens movement has affected programs of almost all parties in the western countries. Left parties have appeared the most susceptible to feministic ideas. Many members of feminist movement became members of the left and green parties. Besides, in the majority of the countries the institutes which are taking up the problems of women (committees of the equal status, the ministry of affairs of women, etc. ) have been created. Though the majority of feminists and today specify in remaining problems and the discrimination facts, position of women in the West is real has changed very strongly. Women actively participate in various social movements and institutes; the female political representation has sharply increased in 1980th, especially in the Scandinavian countries where women have received to one third of places in parliament. 4. Legal victories Amongst the most significant legal victories of the movement after the formation of NOW were a 1967 Executive Order extending full Affirmative Action rights to women, Title IX and the Womens Educational Equity Act (1972 and 1975, educational equality), Title X (1970, health and family planning), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (1974), the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, the illegalization of marital rape and the legalization of no-fault divorce in all states, a 1975 law requiring the U. S. Military Academies to admit women, and many Supreme Court cases, perhaps most notably, Reed v. Reed of 1971 and Roe v. Wade of 1973. However, the changing of the social attitudes towards women are usually considered the greatest success of the womens movement. _5. Timeline of key events_ The rise of the second-wave 1953 The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir (1949) translated from French to English Late 1950s Awareness rises that many women are disgruntled by their status in society and their inability to hold successful careers or achieve equality. 1960 The Food and Drug Administration approves combined oral contraceptive pills. They are made available in 1961. 1961 President Kennedy makes womens rights a key issue of the New Frontier, and names women (such as Esther Peterson) to many high-ranking posts in his administration. 50,000 women in 60 cities, mobilized by Women Strike for Peace, protest above ground testing of nuclear bombs and tainted milk. Helen Gurley Brown writes Sex and the Single Girl. 1963 The Commissions report finds discrimination against women in every aspect of American life and outlines plans to achieve equality. Specific recommendations for women in the workplace include fair hiring practices, paid maternity leave, and affordable childcare. Twenty years after it is first proposed, the Equal Pay Act establishes equality of pay for men and women performing equal work. However, it does not cover domestics, agricultural workers, executives, administrators or professionals. Betty Friedans The Feminine Mystique is published, becomes a best-seller, and lays the groundwork for the feminist movement. Alice Rossi presents Equality Between the Sexes: An Immodest Proposal at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences conference. 964 Title XII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars employment discrimination on account of sex, race, etc. by private employers, employment agencies, and unions. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is established; in its first five years, 50,000 complaints of gender discrimination are received. 1965 Casey Hayden and Mary King circulate a memo about sexism in Civil Rights Movement. The Supreme Court case Griswold v. Connecticut strikes down the only remaining state law banning the use of contraceptives by married couples. The case Weeks v. Southern Belle marks a major triumph in the fight against restrictive labor laws and company regulations on the hours and conditions of women’s work, opening many previously male-only jobs to women. The Woman Question is raised for the first time at a Students for Democratic Society (SDS) conference. EEOC commissioners are appointed to enforce the Civil Rights Act. Among them there is only one woman, Aileen Hernandez, a future president of NOW. The Time Is NOW 1966 Twenty-eight women, among them Betty Friedan, found the National Organization for Women (NOW) to function as a civil rights organization for women. Betty Friedan becomes its first president. The group is the largest womens group in the U. S. and pursues its goals through extensive legislative lobbying, litigation, and public demonstrations. 1967 Executive Order 11375 expands President Johnsons 1965 affirmative action policy to cover discrimination based on sex, resulting in federal agencies and contractors taking active measures to ensure that all women as well as minorities have access to educational and employment opportunities equal to white males. Women’s liberation groups begin springing up all over the nation. NOW begins petitioning the EEOC to end sex-segregated want ads and adopts a Bill of Rights for Women. Senator Eugene McCarthy introduces the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the US Senate. New York Radical Women is formed by Shulamith Firestone and Pam Allen. Anne Koedt organizes consciousness raising groups. The National Welfare Rights Organization is formed. From Miss America protests to revolution 1968 Robin Morgan leads members of New York Radical Women to protest the Miss America Pageant of 1968, which they decried as sexist and racist. The first national womens liberation conference is held in Lake Villa, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) is founded by Betty Friedan and others. Coretta Scott King assumes leadership of the African-American Civil Rights Movement following the death of her husband, and expands the movements platform to include womens rights. Shirley Chisholm is elected to the United States Congress that same year, the first black congresswoman. The EEOC rules sex-segregated help wanted ads in newspapers illegal, a ruling which is upheld in 1973 by the Supreme Court. Women now are able to apply for higher-paying jobs previously opened only to men. New York feminists bury a dummy of Traditional Womanhood at the all-womens Jeanette Rankin Brigade demonstration against the Vietnam War in Washington, D. C. For the first time, feminists use the slogan Sisterhood is Powerful. The first public speakout against abortion laws is held in New York City. Notes from the First Year, a womens liberation theoretical journal, is published by the New York Radical Women. NOW celebrates Mothers Day with the slogan Rights, Not Roses. Mary Daly, professor of theology at Boston College, publishes a scathing criticism of the Catholic Churchs view and treatment of women entitled The Church and the Second Sex. 1969 The radical organization, Redstockings, organizes. Members of Redstockings disrupt a hearing on abortion laws of the New York Legislature when the panel of witnesses turns out to be 14 men and a nun. The groups demands repeal, not reform, of abortion laws. Redstockings popularizes slogans such as Sisterhood is Powerful, and The Personal is Political which become buzzwords of the feminist movement. California adopts a no fault divorce law which allows couples to divorce by mutual consent. It is the first state to do so; by 1985 every state has adopted a similar law. Legislation is also passed regarding equal division of common property. _6. _View on Popular Culture This wave of feminism helped to educate women and allowed them to see their personal lives as politicized and reflective of the sexist structure of power seen throughout society. â€Å"One project of second wave feminism was to create ‘positive’ images of women, to act as a counterweight to the dominant images circulating in popular culture and to raise women’s consciousness of their oppressions. Feminists during the movement viewed popular culture as just another example of gender equalities that tried to prove the idea that woman are classified into false images of how they should act and the roles they should play. They believed that the mass media was influencing women to act in certain ways. Artist Helen Reddy’s song â€Å"I Am Woman† played a large role in popular culture and became the feminist anthem; Reddy came to be known as a feminist poster girl or a feminist icon. Throughout second wave feminism other organizations started to form, such as the NOW and different black organizations emerged. {draw:frame} The conclusion Influence of political, economic, social changes on position of women was very inconsistent. Traditionally the woman erected to a pedestal, saw its role mainly in creation and preservation of the family centre, in education of children. But it did not prevent to use female work on a laborious work and to shut eyes to an inequality in wages of men and women. When the requirement for a labour has increased, women have recruited ranks of hired workers. And it besides that long time the married woman could not own the property, sign contracts on its own behalf and even to dispose of own wages. Centuries before in the developed countries of Europe and America the equal rights of citizens irrespective of a floor (in the USA – in 1920Ð ³ have been proclaimed were required. ). The society began to depart gradually from a rigid binding of those or other economic and behavioural norms on the basis of a floor, from traditional concepts about constructed on the gender factor of division of house, parental duties and labour activity out of door. Feministic ideas, in my opinion, and keep today the urgency. Let women have already achieved much, but original equality in a society is not carried out yet. Still in the politician and economy men predominate, with doubt concern progressive, business women. On a paper laws proclaim equality, and in practice old, patriarchal foundations in a family prevail, the man still considers itself as the owner in the house and in a society.

The Value Of The Modern Management Accounting System

The Value Of The Modern Management Accounting System Free Online Research Papers Today, because of revolution in management accounting, both smallest corner store and largest multinational organization start their own innovation on their accounting perspective. They were successful by applying new cost accounting model such as ABC systems and JIT system to improving the cost accounting system. Their Sociological perspective can be understood as a point of view that focuses not on individuals but their group or society, this is another concept that can be improve the value of modern management accounting system. Nowadays, most successful organization are more and more concentrate on the management accounting system innovation, by using both technical model and sociological/behavioral perspectives to improve the value in their management accounting system. The following essay will discuss the organizations how to apply the management control system to improve the working performance, and guide the employees achieving the goals. Introduction Simon (1995, p5) states that management control system as â€Å"the formal information-based routines and procedures managers use to maintain or alter patterns in organizational activities†. Management control system plays an important role in management accounting, it helps the directors to make decisions in daily operation and give good strategies of the business. In general, this system collects and uses information to aid and coordinate the planning and control decision. Moreover, the main point of management control system is to guide the behavior of the managers and employees to achieve the goal. In addition, management control system collects both financial and non-financial information inside and outside of the company. Management control system could depart as formal and informal control system. However, according to Simons’ definition of management control system the formal management control system much more helpful to aid the company achieve the goal. Becaus e to the formal management control system itself, it includes the explicit rules, procedures, performance measures and incentive plans so that it could guide the behavior of its managers and employees. The formal management control system consists of some systems and management accounting is one of the formal systems that provide information about revenue, cost and income, and according to this information. The manager could create the strategies and improve the working performance. This kind of system referred as a technical control system. However, only the technical control system is not good enough to guide the manager and employees achieving the goal. Hence, human resource system becomes another formal management control system which prepares the information on recruiting, training, absenteeism and accidents. It also supports a quality system that provides the information on scarp, defects, rework and late deliveries to customers. This kind of system is facing to the public whi ch is referred as a sociological control system. The main function of management control system is to sufficiently combine these two system so that to help the business improve the performance and achieve the goal more effectively. (Horngren, et al, 2003, p754) Technical control system As management accounting system is one of the formal management control system, and planning is one of the management process phase. Planning is used by management to develop the organization’s objective or goal, and set a plan that how to achieve it. For example, one organization set its objective to increase the market share by 10% and introduce its new product. The organization might decide to three actions to achieve it, increased advertising budget, open a new sales territory, and increase the research and development budget. Strategic planning is one kind of planning which is used by management to develop long-run courses of action to achieve the goal. Usually, a strategic planning involves a period’s cove five or ten years. Therefore, the plan serves as the basis for the long-term commitment of organizational resources. A strategic plan is approved by senior management level; it should integrate all aspects of the enterprise’s operations to achieve the lon g-term objective. Strategic plan should be periodically reviewed and revised, because it could be changed by environment during the operating period. Furthermore, in the short-term, operational planning is a short-run planning for achieving the operational goal. The objective of the operational plan should absolutely support all strategic planning of the enterprise. Thus, operational plan sets a period from a week or a month to several years. (Robin Copper, Regine Slagmulder, 1998, p.16) Operational plans are typically designed to achieve quality goal such as customer satisfaction, production and cost. In management accounting system, budget is a good tool for planning and achieving the operational objective. Budget is a process of translating the planning and programming decisions into specific projected financial plans for short-run. It is a segment of action programs adopted that set out planned and estimate the resources to be applied for the budget periods in order to attain the accomplishments. It also includes financial and non-financial aspects of the plan and the blueprint of the company in the upcoming years. As a management accountant, usually spend a lot of time in preparing and analyzing the budgets. The reason is that the manager could get some advantages from budget. The first advantage is strategic planning and implementation of plans. The managers could set its effective strategic planning access budget and match its marketplace and its opportunities to accomplish the goal. In addition, framework for judging performance is also an advantage of budget. Budget can overcome two limitations of using past performance as a basis for actual result. The third advantage is motivat ing managers and employees. A lot of research shows that budgets could challenge to improve the working performance. Because if the company can not achieve the budget number, it is viewed as a fail operation. Most managers and employees will work hard to avoid the failure and try the best to achieve the goal. That means the budget could push the managers and employees to achieve the goal more active. (Horngren, et al, 2003, p176) However, a successful of a business is not enough to be created by a good budget. Control is an important and necessary tool to meet the budget. It monitors the result between budget and actual to determine if the budget result is achieved or not. (Battistutta and Duncan, 1998, p355) When the managers have planned the goals and directed the actions, there comes the need to assess how well the plan is working. â€Å"Control is taking actions that implement the planning decisions and deciding how to evaluate performance and what feedback to provide that will help future decision making.† (Horngren, et al, 2003, p6) Controlling monitoring the operating results of implemented plans and comparing the actual results with the expected results. This feedback allows manager to isolate significant departures from plan for further investigation and possible remedial action. It may also lead to a revision of future plans. This philosophy of controlling is sometimes referred to as management by exception. For example, if actual department costs incurred in maintaining a process significantly exceed expected costs, then an investigation may be conducted to determine the cause of the difference so that corrective action may be taken. (Robin Copper, Regine Slagmulder, 199 8, p.17) Today many industries are reaching capacity levels and enjoying increase the sales and profits, the most significant change for manufacturing environment is â€Å"by increased automation and computerization, reduced levels of direct labor and inventory, increased attention to product and production planning, and shorter product life cycles.† (Anonymous, 2004). Such these manufacturing philosophies were along with the changing technologies, and as for the traditional cost accounting model, it can not be matched. Because the traditional costing accounting gives too little attention to internal and cost controls and cost controls, matches revenue and expenses improperly. Thus an alternative to these suggested solutions is for the accounting system to adopt for new method of accounting for product costs under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). â€Å"Activity-base costing, technology, and JIT (Just-In-Time) system have been developed to update the traditional account ing model so it adequately reflects today’s manufacturing environment.† (Seed, Allen H, 1990) These methods focus on cost control and the elimination of the overhead allocation problems therefore to improving the value of management accounting system. The later paragraph will discussed in more detail below to show why and how the traditional cost accounting model should be changed. Activity-base costing â€Å"Activity-base costing Accounting accumulates product cost and other financial and operational information based on the activities required to manufacture the product or achieve a financial or operational goal.† (Dilts, David M; Grabski, Severn V., 1990) Today’s management accountants are not allocating overhead to production solely on the basis of direct labor rather than before. The first step in activity-base costing is to identify the products that are the chosen cost objects. Such as the company make the men’s shoes named M-47. Then the direct costs should be identified next, after they developed the all cost account, all the cost should be allocated to activities. For example, the machine costs are allocated on the machine hours, and the direct labor costs are allocated on the direct labor hours. The left steps for ABC system is select the cost allocation bases to use for allocating indirect cost to the products, and identify the indirect cost associat e with cost allocation base. The last step is to compute the rate per unit and indirect cost allocated to the products. This method of allocation relates products costs directly to the resources used to produce them, comparing with the traditional model, they found that â€Å"overhead costs applied to their products could be as little as one-fifth or as much as 20 times the amounts applied under the traditional model.† (Dilts, David M; Grabski, Severn V., 1990) Controls also are strengthened under activity accounting because costs are controlled at the activity level where they are being incurred. The traditional model emphasizes cost control at the finished product level after the goods have been produced and the costs have been incurred. Therefore, activity base costing can be improved the management accounting by the stage of cost allocating and controls. Just-In-Time System The concept of JIT was defined of reducing inventories by working closely with supplies to co-ordinate delivery of materials just before their use in the manufacturing or supply process. This means JIT can minimize the inventory by supplying material and components to the production line directly before placement in to the product. Furthermore, in the ultimate JIT system, inventory is constant from year to year means that the cost of goods sold equals the cost of goods manufactured. However, normally, costs of goods, includes raw materials, work in process, finished goods inventory and cost of good sold. If cost of goods sold equals the cost of goods manufactured, then cost of goods sold will disappear, lead ending inventories to be immaterial. On the other hand, JIT profoundly affect the unit cost concept. â€Å"A successful JIT system requires the just in time supply of defect-free inventories to all stages of production.† (Anthony A. Atkinson,CMA 1998)This is means to improving the productivity by reducing the waste and the production costs. Sociological control system It is not good enough for the company to achieve the goal for using technical system. Sociological control system could assist the company and achieve the goal easily. People may have problems from the planning and controlling. Of course, budgeting will bring a lot of benefits for operating the company in the future. However, budgeting could bring the stress to all employees to achieve the goal at the same time. For example, in order to be effective, budgeting need to built â€Å"honest† relationships been the lower-level managers and high-level managers even their bosses. Because the lower-level managers want to keep successful and they may give the wrong number to higher-level managers and their bosses. â€Å"Empowerment is the most recent management initiative aimed at getting more effort, commitment involvement, and output from employees throughout the organization.† (Macintosh, 1994, P1) Thomas Johnson is a proponent of employee empowerment person. He believes that the problem can be solute by lower-level employees. Because they deep understand of production processes and customer concerns so that they could use the accounting information to aid the organization achieve their objective.(Macintosh, 1994, P1) Johnson also argued that there was a problem by using â€Å"remote control management† in the past couple of years. He said, Attention of management at all levels focused on costs, profit, ROI, leverage, and other financial results. Not shop floor organization and satisfaction of customer wants. Managers began to manipulate processes to achieve accounting results, instead of monitoring well-run processes by occasionally checking accounting results. Process management-intuitively understood by most managers before the 1950s-was quickly replaced by â€Å"managing by the number†. Worse, top managers increasingly identified and defined â€Å"process† in term of whatever it took to achieve desired accounting result. And that view of things was telegraphed throughout every level of almost every business in the nation. (Johnson, was cited by Macintosh, 1994, p10) Johnson also believed that â€Å"remote control system misleads managers into chasing false imperatives†¦always sustain output at a level to cover all costs, and always persuade customers to buy output at prices high enough to earn the market’s required rate of return† (Johnson, was cited by Macintosh, 1994, p10). Remote control by the numbers merely encourages lower-level managers â€Å"to manipulate (or tamper with) processes in order to achieve accounting cost and revenue targets dictated by â€Å"top down† command and control information† (Johnson, was cited by Macintosh, 1994, p10). Such actions are the opposite of the responsiveness and flexibility needed in today’s global markets.† In fact, this kind of higher-level manager does not understand how to satisfy customers’ needs and wants at all. More disturbing is they did not care the employees who actually produce and market the products. In summary, beside strategic management, many organizations are in order to gain and keep the competitiveness and they focus on their basic resources and employees. The competitiveness of the marketplace has placed a premium on productivity, quality and creativity. However, higher level of productivity and quality cannot be achieved by the employees who are alienated and disinterred. (Aryee, 1993, p227) Analysis As a result of buttered by intense level of competition under globalization of the marketplace. Most organizations need to apply an effective management system to create a committed workforce. Hence, management control system links socialization practices to the business strategy so that it can improve the working performance and aid the employees achieve the goals. Posneret al. (1985, p. 294) cited Watson (the legendary head) of IBM as saying: I believe the real difference between success and failure in a corporation (can very) often is traced to the question of how well the organization brings out great energies and talents of its people. What does it do to help these people find common cause with each other? I think you will find that it owns resiliency†¦to the power of what call beliefs and the appeal these beliefs have for its people. In other words, the basic philosophy, spirit and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than to technological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation and timing. (Posneret, was cited by Aryee, 1993, p229) â€Å"Human resource management can help a firm obtain competitive advantage lowering costs, by increasing sources of product and service differentiation or by both†. (Posneret, was cited by Aryee, 1993, p229) For example, human resource management should make their own employees happy so that the employees could work harder to help the firm achieve the goal. Active working behavior could improve the working performance, and it must reduce the costs and increase the sources of products and services. Oppositely, if the employees lost the commit and then, a negative working behavior will exist at the same time. It will cumber the development of the firm. Therefore, â€Å"Strategic human resource management posits that organizations select human resource management practices that stimulate and reinforce specific employee behaviors required to successfully implement organizational strategy.† (Collins, was cited by Aryee, 1993, p234) For example, the strategic human resource management could include that the company could set a bonus to encourage the employees who did good job. This action could motivate the employee working harder. Conclusion The two parts, one is improving the value of management accounting system by technical model, and the other is sociological/behavioral perspectives. In the technical model, it was mainly talked about the ABC system, JIT system, and technology accounting as the tool to improve the value of the management accounting systems and practice. Furthermore, Sociological and behavioral also can lead the management accounting system value improve, based on their external and internal environment. Try to be more concentrate on the customers, as much as lower the input price, to get more competitive advantages, therefore, to improving the productivity and lower the production costs by applying the technical method, as a results to improving the value of the management accounting system. Therefore in conclusion, move to the successful organization, the group need to be brave in innovation, although the financial technical such as costing accounting system but some other perspectives like non finan cial perspectives sociological and behavioral is also important for an organization to move to successful. The main function of management control system is to combine technical method and sociological method, and aid the working performance lead to guide the employees achieving the objective. References List Anonymous (Apr 2004) â€Å"10 Tactics That Foster Most Effective Change In Accounting Depts.† Accounting Department Management Report. New York: Vol.04-04 pg.1 Anthony A. Atkinson, CMA ( Nov 1998) â€Å" The Exchange† Management Innovation And Cost Accounting , Vol.62, Iss.9; pg.14 Aryee. S., (1993), Creating a committed workforce: linking socialisation practices to business strategy, Issues in strategic management accounting. Sydney. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. 1993. 297 p. p 227-239 Battistutta, S and Duncan?S, (1998) Accounting For Non-accountants, Nelson Australia Pty Limited, South Melbourne. Dilts, David M; Grabski, Severn V. (Feb 1990) â€Å"Advanced manufacturing Technologies: What They Can Offer Management Accountants† Management Accounting; 71, 8; ABI/INFORM Global pg.50 Horngren, C., Foster, G. and Datar, S, (2003), Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis, 11th ed, Prentice-Hall International USA. Macintosh, N. (1994), ‘Employee Accounting Systems’ in Management Accounting and Control System: An Organizational and Behavioral Approach, J Wiley, New York, p245-256. Robbins, Stephen P., Bergman, Rolf, Stagg, Ian and Coulter, Mary, (2003), Foundations of Management, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney. Seed, Allen H (Feb 1990), â€Å"Improving cost management†, Management Accounting; 71, 8; ABI/INFORM Global pg.27 Simons, R. (1995) Levers of Control, Harvard Business School Press: Boston MA. Research Papers on The Value Of The Modern Management Accounting SystemThe Project Managment Office SystemBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductTwilight of the UAWThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationStandardized Testing

Provide a critical analysis of the business case for work-life Research Paper

Provide a critical analysis of the business case for work-life programs within a strategic HRM context - Research Paper Example ork life balance as identified by David Clutterbuck is defined as being aware of the demands on time and having the ability of making choices and knowing the applications of certain values for choices and finally making choices (CIPD, 2009). Yasbek (2004) business case shows that most of the New Zealand organisations are highly ensuring work life balance policies and practices at their workplace. The topic of importance of work life balance practices has become not only for the employees and organisations but for the government, politicians, workers and academics. Furthermore, the changing market structure of economies from monopolies to competition, increasing women workforce, shortage of skilled labour force and increasing social groups have also enhanced the importance of the subject of work like balance policies. Some social groups also increase the demand of work life balance policies such as women, minority groups and old aged people. Therefore, this topic appears to be an emer ging topic, which has changed the working practices in organisations. In consideration to the importance of increasing work life balance policies, this report has been created and it aims to discuss the pros and cons of work life balance policies. The scope of this report is limited to secondary research, as in this report only the early literature on work life balance policies will be evaluated. This report will critically analyse the key issues associated with work life balance policies discussed in business case of New Zealand written by Yasbek (2004). The key issues identified by Yasbek in his case deal with the impact of work life balance policies on employees’ retention, satisfaction, performance, organisation performance and productivity. Therefore, this report aims to highlight the key issues resolved by work life balance policies, the strategies for the firms adopting these policies and challenges faced by the firms after adopting such practices. In short, this report is

Essay 3 and Module 8 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

3 and Module 8 - Essay Example ccording to Aristotle, "Tragedy, then, is an imitation of a noble and complete action, having the proper magnitude; it employs language that has been artistically enhanced . . . ; it is presented in dramatic, not narrative form, and achieves, through the representation of pitiable and fearful incidents, the catharsis of such incidents" (Aristotle 11). With this definition, Aristotle in none of the way implies an unfortunate or a deadly conclusion to a certain drama. I think it is the perspective with which the audience looks at it, rather than the end itself. Taking the example of Oedipus the King, the king, hero himself faces a death, but this is viewed positively as an end to a suffered life; A happy ending to an unhappy life. One characteristic common to the times of the tragedies of Aristotle was its depiction to the lives of the highly placed kings and queens, or the kingly of that time. But Arthur Miller believed that tragedy and drama is apt for the common man too; since a common man is similarly involved in emotional situations as these royals. A commoner traverses through the same mental and developmental process as these richly. According to Arthur Miller, tragedy is all the drama an individual engages in for securing his personal dignity, which might require lying down in life. But, for his position as an individual should be rightly accepted by the society. This is not so simple; all this unrolls from a sequence of events, which are entwined in wounds caused by indignation. This tragedy in unfolded from the individual, who is characterized as a hero. This hero in his way of living is not a flawless and neither a perfect character, nor he is designed to portray pure weakness. This weakness is depicted to build around a story, where the hero plays a passive character to maintain his image and safeguard his dignity. For Aristotle, the rank and the nobility of the tragic character was of utmost importance, for him tragedy represented actions of person

Social networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social networks - Essay Example In addition, nowadays almost all the people make use of the Internet daily for different purposes; some of the common uses of the internet are given below: No doubt, the Internet is one of the most well-liked and modern subjects among a variety of research and studies carried out to determine the effects of the Internet. Keeping in mind the organizations’ continuously increasing interest in the Internet, many studies regarding business to customers and Internet shopping have been conducted to discover the major aspects which can have influence over buying behaviors and decisions made by the customers on the Internet. Some of the useful aspects can include the psychographic and demographic attributes of consumers and the quality of products or services. As discussed above, the majority of business organizations are at the present extensively making use of the internet to reach global markets. In this scenario, they create a page on Facebook, twitter or any other similar web site (also known as the social network web site). Basically, a social network website (Such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn etc.) allows its users to make a profile using the services and tools provided by the web site, In this way they provide their personal information and interests uphold a list of friends and relatives and express their preferences for items like music, movies or books. On the other hand, the Web-based structure of social networks makes it ideal for use in a variety of forms that can take advantage of the users social and personal data. At the moment, these social networking sites (SNSs) have a great impact on the social life of many people, even more than millions of people that make use of these web sites directly. An organization can cre ate a page on any social network site such as Facebook. Hence, when a customer of that organization

Ethics Log Essay Example for Free

Ethics Log Essay I was out shopping with a friend and saw something that struck me as very unethical. We were eating at the mall and the manager at one of the fast food places at the food court was given extra money then was due by a customer that was directly ahead of my friend in line. Instead of giving the lady back the extra money he pocketed the money. I know that we are in a financially hard time, but still the man should have told the women that she gave him too much money instead of pocketing the difference. It made me promptly decide to eat at a different place that day. September 15, 2008: I was struck today by something that made me have faith in other people. A man was rushing to leave a store and his wallet dropped out of his pocket. Two teenagers were standing around and watching the people going in and out and they both saw what happened. One of them walked over and picked up the wallet. I thought that the kid was going to pocket the money in the wallet, but instead he walked over to where the man was still putting groceries into his car. He handed the man his wallet and told him that he saw it fall out of his pocket. The man thanked him and offered him a reward. The kid shook his head and said a reward wasn’t necessary. Most of the time teenagers are given a bad name, but seeing that kid be as honest as he was made me feel good knowing that our future are the hands of kids like that. September 22, 2008: I was taking my mother to the doctor and I saw something that seemed to me to be very unethical. Two nurses were waiting for the elevator and they were discussing patients, using the first names of those patients. No one else was around the elevator, so these two women must have thought they were alone. I couldn’t believe my ears, because they were talking in very load tones and telling each other about the details of each patient. I know that doctors are held to strict ethical standards and I thought nurses were too. Anyone could have been listening to these two women gossiping. They finally stopped when I cleared my throat and gave them a look. September 29, 2008: I was watching the evening news and one story struck me as interesting. It was a story about a building contractor who had used substandard materials on some houses that he had built. The people who had bought these homes found mold and parts of their houses were falling down so that living in these homes were dangerous to the occupants. I have always believed that building contractors had an ethical right to use materials that would ensure a safe environment for the people that buy the finished homes. It seems this man cared more for the end dollar that he received then for the quality of building he produced. October 6, 2008: I was watching the news the other night and I saw a story about a psychologist that was being accused of having a relationship with a patient. I was appalled at this fact since psychologists are people who should realize how unethical something like that is. Doctors are in a position of authority over their patients and as such should not abuse hat authority by becoming involved with their patients. The psychologist is facing criminal charges and will probably have his license to practice psychology revoked. I was shocked and outraged by this story and it made me wonder what had to be going through the man’s head to get into such a situation as this where he ahs put his professional life and the reputation of his family in jeopardy. October 14, 2008: I was shopping this weekend and I saw something that struck me not only as ethical but as an example of the goodness in people. I was walking down the street from store to the next and in an alleyway there was a man who for all intents and purposes was homeless or he appears that way. As I was walking I had to stop and answer my cell phone and in vainly trying to find my phone everything in my bag fell out and spilled all over the sidewalk. This man, who was dirty from his head to his feet, came over and started helping me pick things up. I was in such a rush that I didn’t notice that my credit card had bounced in the shadows. I gave the man a curt thank you and was walking away when I heard the man come up behind me. I thought at first he was going to try and do something to me (we all don’t like to admit it but stereotypes sometimes linger in the back of the man about homeless people), and turned ready to hit the man when he smiled toothlessly at me and told me I had dropped my credit card. This man could have pocketed the card, but he chose to do the ethical and right thing of returning the card to me. October 20, 2008: An article that I read recently stuck me as very unethical practices. It was an article on how Treasury Secretary Paulson was utilizing his old Wall Street firm as a way to investigate the goings on of other Wall Street firms. The problem then is that it gives other people the idea that now Paulson’s old firm has their hands in the proverbial Treasury Cookie Jar. That kind of practice is not just unethical but wrong. The United States Treasury is something that has to investigate firms and by allowing a Wall Street firm to be seen as having ties in the department of Treasury gives the idea that the department of the Treasury is biased and will allow this firm to get by with everything and there will not be any repercussions. October 27, 2008: I was reading an article in the newspaper and came across a story about a court case in which the case had to be dismissed because the evidence that was collected was tainted. Apparently when he evidence was collected, it was misplaced and then found two days later. This struck me as highly unethical, since from my understanding when something like that happens it’s hard to know if it is really from the crime or if it had been planted. It also struck me as unethical because evidence should not be contaminated or last in order to make sure questions are not raised in the long run. November 3, 2008: I read in the newspaper about a new school curriculum that has been used at some schools around the nation. Building Decision Skills (BDS) that had â€Å"potentially positive effects† on students. This curriculum targets character education, strengthens critical thinking skills, builds leadership skills, and focuses on teaching students the best way to make ethical decisions as they enter the high school setting and are affected more by peer pressure. I remember my own high school days and how tough it can be when surrounded by friends that want you to make a decision that you don’t feel comfortable with. Ethical behavior after all is learning the right way to do something or the right choice to make when in a given situation. This new curriculum will help students with those kinds of situations. November 10, 2008: The newspaper had an interesting story about the Emperor’s Club and the case against the New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer and his charges for hiring prostitutes. Tania Hollander, the VIP scheduler for the club, also had to take responsibility in the unethical behavior of the attorney general. Ms. Hollander will face jail time for her part in this case, while the New York attorney general was cleared of the charges against him. The attorney for Ms. Hollander made a point of insinuating that this kind of nonsense was unethical in the least because it gives the public the idea that the New York attorney general is being given a slap on the wrist because of his position as an attorney general. Abuse of position such as this is always an unfair and unethical practice.

Themes of Alienation and Control in James Joyces Araby Essay -- James

Alienation of â€Å"Araby† Although â€Å"Araby† is a fairly short story, author James Joyce does a remarkable job of discussing some very deep issues within it. On the surface it appears to be a story of a boy's trip to the market to get a gift for the girl he has a crush on. Yet deeper down it is about a lonely boy who makes a pilgrimage to an eastern-styled bazaar in hopes that it will somehow alleviate his miserable life. James Joyce’s uses the boy in â€Å"Araby† to expose a story of isolation and lack of control. These themes of alienation and control are ultimately linked because it will be seen that the source of the boy's emotional distance is his lack of control over his life. The story begins as the boy describes his neighborhood. Immediately feelings of isolation and hopelessness begin to set in. The street that the boy lives on is a dead end, right from the beginning he is trapped. In addition, he feels ignored by the houses on his street. Their brown imperturbable faces make him feel excluded from the decent lives within them. The street becomes a representation of the boy’s self, uninhabited and detached, with the houses personified, and arguably more alive than the residents (Gray). Every detail of his neighborhood seems designed to inflict him with the feeling of isolation. The boy's house, like the street he lives on, is filled with decay. It is suffocating and â€Å"musty from being long enclosed.† It is difficult for him to establish any sort of connection to it. Even the history of the house feels unkind. The house's previous tenant, a priest, had died while living there. He â€Å"left all his money to institutions and the fu rniture of the house to his sister (Norton Anthology 2236).† It was as if he was trying to insure the boy's boredom and solitude. The only thing of interest that the boy can find is a bicycle pump, which is rusty and rendered unfit to play with. Even the â€Å"wild† garden is gloomy and desolate, containing but a lone apple tree and a few straggling bushes. It is hardly the sort of yard that a young boy would want. Like most boys, he has no voice in choosing where he lives, yet his surroundings have a powerful effect on him. His home and neighborhood are not the only sources of the boy's animosity. The weather is also unkind to the boy. Not only is it cold, but the short days of winter make play more difficult under the â€Å"feeb... ... is not at all that he imagined. It is dismal and dark and thrives on the profit motive and the eternal lure its name evokes in men. The boy realizes that he has placed all his love and hope in a world that does not exist except in his imagination. He feels angry and betrayed and realizes his self-deception. He feels he is â€Å"a creature driven and derided by vanity† and the vanity is his own (Sample Essays). The story provides many sources for the boy's animosity. Beginning with his home and overall environment, and reaching all the way to the adults that surround him. However, it is clear that all of these causes of the boy's isolation have something in common, he has control over none of these factors. While many of these circumstances no one can expect to have control over, it is the culmination of all these elements that lead to the boy’s undeniable feeling of lack of control. Works Cited The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 2000 Classic Notes on Dubliners. Grade Saver. 2003. Sample Essays Analyzing James Joyce's Short Story â€Å"Araby†. Gray, Wallace. Notes for James Joyce's â€Å"Araby†. World Wide Dubliners.

Problems facing by Warwick Town

Warwick began as a Saxon colony. The name Warwick is derived from two Saxon words, wering, which meant weir and wic, which meant houses or colony. So it was wering wic the colony by the weir. In the tenth century Warwick was made into a bastioned town or burh. The Saxons created a web of bastioned colonies called burhs across their land. In the event of a Danish onslaught all the work forces from the country could garner together in the local burh. A ditch and a wall protected Saxon Warwick. However Warwick was more than a fortress. It besides had hebdomadal markets and a batch. Saxon Warwick was a booming small town. By the clip of the Domesday Book in 1086 Warwick likely had a population of about 1,500. To us it would look bantam but colonies were really little in those yearss. By the criterions of the clip Warwick was a just sized market town. The Normans built a palace at Warwick. At first it was of wood but later it was rebuilt in rock. The palace stimulated the growing of the town because the fort provided a market for the towns goods. In the Middle Ages Warwick was protected by wall. There were three great Gatess in the North, E and West. Today East Gate and West Gate still stand. St Sepulchre ‘s Priory was founded in the twelfth century. In the thirteenth century Dominican mendicants came to Warwick. Friars were similar monastics but alternatively of retreating from the universe they went out to prophesy. Dominican mendicants were called black mendicants because of the coloring material of their costumes. St Mary ‘s Church dates from the twelfth century. The Beauchamp Chapel is the burial topographic point of Richard Beauchamp who died in 1439. In Medieval Warwick there were the same craftsmen you would happen in any town such as beer makers, meatmans, bakers, blacksmiths and carpenters. However Warwick was a market town instead than a fabrication Centre. Equally good as hebdomadal markets from 1261 Warwick besides had one-year carnivals. In the Middle Ages carnivals were similar markets but they were held merely one time a twelvemonth and they attracted purchasers and Sellerss from far and broad. Henry VIII closed the priory. On the other manus he incorporated Warwick. ( Granted it the right to organize a corporation to run its personal businesss ) . At first the corporation was run by a bailiff but subsequently Warwick had a city manager. Oken ‘s House was the place of a sixteenth century bailiff named Thomas Oken. In the late Middle Ages and in Tudor times, by jurisprudence, work forces had to rehearse archery on Lord's daies. They practised at the Butts. Like many towns Warwick still has a street named The Butts. In 1571 Lord Leicester founded almshouses known as Lord Leycester Hospital. By the early seventeenth century Warwick was a bustling small town with a population of about 3,000. However like all towns at that clip it suffered eruptions of pestilence. The plague struck in 1604-05 and killed many people. Nevertheless the population of Warwick continued to turn. Warwick Market Hall was built in 1670. Then in 1694 catastrophe struck. A fire destroyed many of the edifices in Warwick. However they were finally rebuilt and the town continued to thrive. The nave and tower of St Mary ‘s Church were destroyed in the fire. They were rebuilt in the old ages 1698 to 1704 by William Wilson. Warwick Court House was built in 1725. At the terminal of the eighteenth century communications were improved when canals were dug. The Warwick and Birmingham canal opened in 1793. The Warwick and Napton canal opened in 1800. In 1801 Warwick had a population of over 5,500. By the criterions of the clip it was a just sized town. It grew quickly in the early nineteenth century but growing so slowed. By 1951 Warwick merely had a population of 15,000. There were a figure of betterments to Warwick in the nineteenth century. In 1810 some of the streets of Warwick were paved and in 1822 Warwick gained a gas supply. In 1849 a infirmary was built and in the late nineteenth century a clean H2O supply was created and cloacas were dug. A public library opened in Warwick in 1866. Furthermore the railroad reached Warwick in 1852. From 1881 Equus caballus drawn ropewaies ran from Warwick to Leamington. At the beginning of the twentieth century they were replaced by electric ropewaies. However they gave manner in bend to coachs. Through the centuries Warwick was a market town instead than a fabrication Centre. That remains true today. Warwick University was founded in 1965. Today the population of Warwick is 22,000.Summary of conveyance jobs confronting Warwick TownFor several hours each working twenty-four hours the town suffers from congestion, pollution and rupture, adversely impacting occupants, concerns, visitants and others who wish to utilize and bask the town ‘s comfortss. Some of the traffic uses Warwick town Centre as nil more than a short cut. At other times, traffic moves so fast through the narrow residential and commercial streets that people on pes feel uncomfortable or even insecure, suppressing the town ‘s attraction for occupants, shoppers and visitants. Development will go on, and will, with bing traffic agreements, increase the growing of traffic in the town Centre, declining pollution, congestion and uncomfortableness.Aims of a Transport Plan to turn to these jobsTo better handiness to the conveyance system in order to advance a fairer, more inclusive society.To back up economic growing by seeking a conveyance system that is able to advance full employment and a strong, sustainable local and sub-regional economic system.To construct a greener, cleaner and sustainable environment by seeking to cut down the impact of conveyance on the environment.To cut down offense and better the safety of people when they are utilizing the conveyance system.To advance the integrating of assorted conveyance manners, both in footings of policy planning and the physical interchange of manners.Schemes and Interventions to turn to the aimsWe will better entree to public conveyance by upgrading our conveyance substructures and give more precedences to o ur public conveyance systems on our roads by presenting coach precedence webs. We will cut down parking installations in and around the town Centre and set up park and drive installations. Junctions and boundaries betterments will be necessary to deviate traffic off the town and guarantee there are less congestions on the alternate paths. The coach Michigans will be upgraded and equipped passenger existent clip information systems and besides fitted with benches. The curb will be dropped to let the handicapped people, aged and kids to utilize the public conveyance with easiness. We will back up our economic system by making a fast and dependable conveyance web that is able to run into the demands of the local occupants and concerns. Workers will make their finishs on clip and there will less cost of bringing to concerns. There will be less waiting times at coach Stationss and rail Stationss. We will construct a greener, cleaner and sustainable environment by extinguishing general vehicular traffic within the town Centre, pedestrianising the environing roads and besides, plantation of trees on the streets. The streets will be easier to brush and will suit mechanical sweepers. De-cluttering of troughs and the drainage systems will besides lend to accomplishing this nonsubjective. We will do rhythm and walking paths more accessible, attractive, comfy and secure to promote average displacement from auto to a more sustainable signifier of conveyance. We will set up an air quality direction unit to supervise the air quality. We will promote all motor vehicles to suit particulate filters to their exhaust systems so as to cut down the emanation of harmful pollutant to the environment. With mention to Well-Lit Highways, more street illuming will contend offense in signifier of increased surveillance in subwaies, more traffic motion, inactive surveillance and more cleaned streets. There will CCTV fitted in all our public conveyance systems, conveyance corridors will be monitored by CCTV besides. There will be Police Operation Command Unit dedicated to our conveyance systems. There will be police presence on the web. Safety is overriding to the hereafter of our kids. We will extinguish motorized traffic in and around our schools. We will present walking coach system farther guarantee safety of our kids. We will go on to put in our schools to guarantee good quality instruction. We will pull off our roads, streets and other conveyance webs better to guarantee efficient and hassle-free interchange. We will work together to present a timetable that puts the clients foremost. This will cut down inordinate waiting times at broke Stationss and train Stationss. I advocate puting up a section whose duty should be to scheduling system that integrates all the manners together. An illustration of a metropolis has achieved this cosmopolitan timetable is Bremen, in Germany. They have developed an integrated conveyance web that meets the demand of everyone in their metropolis. Buss, trains and ropewaies arrive and depart at the same clip. If any of the manners arrives early, it must wait for the other manners before going. This ensures smooth connexion. Dependability is really critical to clients and a dependable conveyance system will promote more people to utilize the public conveyance systems thereby increasing backing and gross for economic growing. We will pull off traffic on roads, including its velocity and volume ; so that active and public conveyance picks become the smarter pick. There should be a realization that conveyance substructure proviso will practically ne'er catch up with demand, therefore go forthing a batch to be improved via other agencies. These other agencies include: better demand and traffic direction actions, more incorporate logistics ironss direction and other soft actions. The velocity bound of a route web will find how other manners of conveyance such as walking and cycling will utilize the web. There will be debut of route pricing policy to undertake congestion constrictions and raise gross to assist fund care of the substructure. We will present climate alteration policies. This will evidently assist cut down local air pollution and better wellness benefits. This will affect exchanging from fossil fuels to renewable or from coal to gas in order to cut down emanation of pollutants to the environment.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 2

Ella â€Å"I swear to God if we don't find a bathroom soon, I'm going to piss in my pants.† Lila bounces up and down in the driver's seat. The air conditioner is turned up as high as it will go and â€Å"Shake it Out† by Florence + The Machine plays from the speakers. There's a long road of highway stretched out in front of us, weaving over the hills spotted with trees, sage brush, and the pale pink glow of the sunset. My cell phone is in my pocket, heavy like it weighs a hundred pounds. â€Å"You can always pull over and pee behind a bush.† I prop my bare feet up on the dash and pull my white lacy tank top away from my skin to get air flowing. â€Å"Besides, we're like five minutes away from the off-ramp.† â€Å"I can't hold it for five more minutes.† She shoots me a dirty look and squeezes her legs together. â€Å"You're not going to think it's so funny when the car smells like piss.† I smother a laugh and search the GPS for the nearest restroom. â€Å"There's one right off the exit, but I think it's more of an outhouse.† â€Å"Does it have a toilet?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then it works.† She makes a sharp swerve, cutting off a silver Honda. The Honda lays on its horn and she turns in her seat to flip him the middle finger. â€Å"What a jerk. Doesn't he understand that I have to pee?† I shake my head. I love Lila to death, but sometimes she can be a little self-centered. It's part of what drew me to her; she was so different from my old friends back in Star Grove. My phone beeps again for the millionth time, letting me know I have a message waiting for me. Finally, I shut it off. Lila turns down the music. â€Å"You've been acting weird ever since we left. Who called you?† I shrug, gazing out at the grassy field. â€Å"No one I want to talk to right now.† Five minutes later, we pull up to the outhouse at the edge of town. It's more like a shack with rusty metal siding and a faded sign. The field behind it is spotted with corroded cars and trucks and in front of it is a lake. â€Å"Oh thank God!† She claps her hands and parks the car. â€Å"I'll be right back.† She jumps out and shuffles inside the bathroom. I climb out of the car and stretch my legs, trying not to look at the lake or the bridge going over it, but my gaze magnetizes toward the level bridge with beams curving overhead and out from the sides. The middle one was where I was standing the night I almost jumped. If I squint one eye and tilt my head, I can spot it. An old Chevy pickup comes flying down the road, kicking up a cloud of dust. As it nears, my nose twitches because I know who it is and he's one of the last people I want to see. The truck stops just outside the perimeter of the field behind the restrooms. A lanky guy, wearing a tight t-shirt, a snug pair of jeans, and cowboy boots comes strutting out. Grantford Davis, town pothead, infamous brawl starter, and the guy who dropped me off at the bridge that God awful night eight months ago. I bang on the bathroom door. â€Å"Come on Lila, hurry up.† Grantford looks my way, but there's no recognition in his eyes, which isn't surprising. I've changed since the last time anyone saw me, shedding my gothic clothes, heavy eyeliner, and tough-girl attitude for a more lighter and pleasant look, so I blend in with the crowd. â€Å"You can't rush nature, Ella,† Lila hisses through the door. â€Å"Now let me pee in peace.† I watch Grantford like a hawk as he rolls a tire across the field toward his pickup. The bathroom door opens and Lila walks out cringing. â€Å"Gross, it was so disgusting in there. I think I might have caught herpes just looking at the toilet.† She shivers, wiping her hands on the side of her dress. â€Å"And there were no paper towels.† Grantford has disappeared, although his truck is still there. I grab Lila's arm and tug her toward the car. â€Å"We need to go.† Lila elevates her eyebrows questioningly as she tries to keep up with me. â€Å"What's wrong with you?† â€Å"Nothing,† I say. â€Å"There was just this guy over in the field that I really don't want to talk to.† â€Å"Is he an old boyfriend?† â€Å"No, not even close†¦.† I trail off as Grantford rounds the bathroom. There's sweat on his forehead and grass stains on his jeans. â€Å"I need to talk to you for a minute.† â€Å"Why?† I question, swinging the car door open. Please don't bring up that night. Please. Lila freezes as she's opening the door and her gaze darts to me. â€Å"Ella, what's going on?† Grantford tucks his hands into his pockets, staring at the hood of the car. â€Å"This ain't your car, is it?† â€Å"No, we just stole it and took it for a joy ride.† Shit. Ten minutes back and my old attitude is slipping out. â€Å"I mean, yes it is – her car anyway.† I nod my head at Lila. â€Å"Well, I was just wondering how fast it goes?† He gives me a fox smile that makes me want to gag. I was never a fan of Grantford. He always had a sleazebag attitude, which was part of the reason why I had him drive me to the bridge that night – he was the only one I knew who would leave me there alone. I can't help myself. â€Å"Probably a lot faster than your pick up over there.† He has a shit-eating grin on his face. â€Å"Is that a challenge?† I shake my head and motion for Lila to get in the car â€Å"Nope, that wasn't a challenge. Just a mere observation.† Recollection fills his eyes. â€Å"Wait a minute. Do I know you?† Ignoring him, I start to shut the door, but he catches it. â€Å"Holy crap! I do know you. You're Ella Daniels.† His eyes mosey up my legs, cutoff jeans, lacy white tank top, and land on my eyes lined with frosty pink eyeliner. â€Å"You look†¦ different.† â€Å"College will do that to you.† I scale up his scuffed cowboy boots, his torn jeans, and stained shirt. â€Å"You haven't changed a bit.† â€Å"I see your mouth hasn't changed at all,† he snaps. â€Å"And besides, you didn't change for the better. In fact, you look like you could be friends with Stacy Harris.† â€Å"Don't exaggerate the situation,† I say. Stacy Harris was a popular girl in our grade; head cheerleader, homecoming queen, wore a lot of pink. His face scrunches. â€Å"You didn't just change on the outside either. If anybody would have compared you to Stacy Harris, you'd have punched them in the face.† â€Å"Violence solves nothing.† I begin to shut the door again. â€Å"I have to go.† He complements my move and seizes the door, prying it back open. â€Å"You ain't going anywhere until I get something out of you.† â€Å"Like a kick to the balls,† I threaten, but my insides churn. I can talk tough, but when it all comes down to it he's a really big guy who could easily hurt me. His grey eyes turn black as the sun sets behind the shallow hills. â€Å"I heard you bailed. Packed up your stuff one night and took off. Pissed off a lot of people, too. The ones that were always protecting you when that mouth of yours got you into trouble. Especially that one guy you were always with.† â€Å"Don't pretend like you don't know his name.† My voice is slightly uneven. I feel out-of-control of the situation and I'm starting to panic. â€Å"You don't forget the names of the people whose fist have slammed into your face.† A vein bulges in his thick neck as he punches the window. â€Å"That night I was wasted and Micha was completely sober. And it was total bull shit that he sucker punched me for leaving you on the bridge. I mean, you asked me to take you there. How the hell was it my fault?† Apparently, Micha hit him more than once because it's not the instance I'm referring to. I tug at the door handle. â€Å"I'm going to close the door now and you're going to walk away.† â€Å"Who are you?† His eyes are all over me. â€Å"I'm who I always was,† I mutter. â€Å"Just without all the baggage.† Calmly, I close the door. â€Å"You can drive away now, Lila.† She floors the car backwards and skids it onto the asphalt. I don't look back at Grantford or the bridge. I breathe through my nose, trying to stay composed and in possession of my feelings. â€Å"What was that about?† Lila asks. â€Å"Who was that creep?† I buckle my seatbelt and turn up the air conditioning. â€Å"Just some guy I used to know from high school.† â€Å"I thought he was going to kill you or something†¦ Maybe we should call the police.† Flashbacks of my old life resurface. â€Å"That's just how things are around here. Besides, he was all bark and no bite. Trust me. He was just irritated with something I did.† Her eyes enlarge and she grips the steering wheel. â€Å"What did you do?† I glance in the rearview mirror at the desolate road behind us. â€Å"Nothing I want to talk about.† She slows down as the speed limit decreases. â€Å"How did you do that? You were so calm even when he tried to hold the door open. I was freaking out.† â€Å"It was just instincts,† I lie. If she knew the real reason we sure as hell wouldn't be friends. *** The urge to make Lila flip a U-turn and floor it back to Vegas becomes more powerful the closer we get to my home. Lila relaxes about the Grantford ordeal when the outhouse is far behind us. We make the rest of the short drive talking about classes and frat parties, but when we pull into the driveway of my house, her fear and panic reemerges. â€Å"This is†¦ nice.† She shudders as she peers through the windshield. â€Å"So this is where you grew up?† The full moon shines in the starry sky, lighting up the trash piled in the driveway, the old cutlass balanced on cinderblocks in front of the garage, and the peeling paint off my two-story home trimmed with a broken rain gutter that's swaying in the wind. The tree beside my window looks like it's dying. It was once my gateway for sneaking out of my room, but the last time I snuck out was the night my mother died. I'll never climb that damn tree again. â€Å"Yep, this is home.† I step out into the cool breeze. Rise Against â€Å"Like an Angel† blasts from the speakers next door. The lights are on in the house, and there's a lot of screaming and yelling going on. The driveway is lined bumper to bumper with cars and people are smoking on the dry front lawn and on the deck. One of Micha's parties. It's like time has frozen and was waiting for me to return. â€Å"God things never change around here.† I round the back of the car. â€Å"Lila, can you pop the trunk, please.† The trunk pops open and Lila steps tentatively out of the car. Her eyes fasten on the party and she's chewing on her thumbnail, which is a nervous habit of hers. â€Å"Jeez, it's more intense than even a frat party. I didn't know that could be possible.† I sling a heavy bag over my shoulder. â€Å"Are you sure you want to sleep at my house tonight?† I rummage through the trunk for the bag holding all my toiletries. â€Å"There are some pretty decent hotels in the next town over.† â€Å"I'm just not used to this kind of a place. That's all†¦ But I'm sure it's fine.† She collects one of my pillows from the trunk and hugs it tightly. â€Å"Are you absolutely sure?† I balance a small box under my arm. I don't want her to stay and witness this side of my life. â€Å"This place is a lot to take in for some people.† She narrows her eyes and points a finger at me. â€Å"I may come from an upper class town, but that doesn't mean I haven't been in rougher areas before. Besides, we went to that pawn store that one time in Vegas and that neighborhood was definitely sketchy.† It really wasn't that bad of an area, but I decide to let it go, since she'll only be staying here for one night. â€Å"Sorry, I just†¦ I want to make sure you're comfortable.† I shift the bag onto my hip and feel around the dark trunk for my other bag. â€Å"I promise I can manage for one night.† She crosses her heart with her finger and smiles. â€Å"In fact, I might even get brave enough to go check out the party next door.† I rapidly switch the subject. â€Å"We can probably get the rest of this stuff out tomorrow, since it's dark and I can barely see. And I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted.† â€Å"I think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her eyes wander in the direction of the driveway. â€Å"Dear God Almighty, who is he? Wait a minute. Isn't he†¦ yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She lets out a quiet squeal and hops up and down. â€Å"Ella, I think it's the guy from your drawing, that Micha guy you insist you never dated.† My bag falls to the ground as I slouch down, debating an escape. Duck under the car? Run into the house? Dive into the trunk? â€Å"Hey there, beautiful,† Micha says in his flirty tone. â€Å"You shouldn't park your car out here in the open. Someone will probably jack it.† The sound of his voice sends a tremble through my body that coils down deep inside me. I thought the feeling would be gone after being away for eight months, but somehow time has had the opposite effect – it's amplified and taking over my body. I pretend to be engrossed by a box in the trunk and put my head amidst the shadows. Lila giggles. â€Å"I'm sure my car will be okay. This is my friend's house.† â€Å"Your friend's house†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He drifts off, making the connection and anxiety strangles me. â€Å"Wait a minute? Are you talking about Ella Daniels?† Collecting myself, I slam the trunk down. When he sees me, his eyes enlarge and he has the same expression on his face as when his mama told him his daddy wasn't ever coming back. He blinks the stunned expression away and a hint of anger transpires. â€Å"What are you doing here? I thought you were in Vegas.† For a moment, I'm unable to speak, caught in a mixture of emotions from seeing him again. Micha has always been stunningly beautiful in a way that makes artists' hands ache. He's dressed in a red plaid shirt, dark jeans, and a pair of black boots. His lips are full and ornamented with a silver loop and his dirty blonde hair has a slight wave to it. His skin is like porcelain and his aqua eyes carry more than I can handle. â€Å"I was down there for school, but I'm back now,† I say in the polite tone I've used with everyone over the last eight months. But on the inside my heart is wild, and my blood is roaring with the same yearning I felt for him when I left. â€Å"Wait a minute. You knew I was down there?† He sidesteps around Lila and positions himself directly in front of me. Micha is one of the few guys that is taller than me and I have to angle my head up to meet his eyes. â€Å"I had no idea where you were until this morning,† he says. â€Å"Since you didn't tell anyone where you went.† The ache in his voice stabs at my heart and the phone carrying the voicemail in my pocket weighs a thousand pounds. â€Å"Sorry, but I needed a break from this place. It was†¦ things were†¦ well you know how it was.† â€Å"No, I don't know how it was.† He braces a hand on the trunk like he's going to fall over. â€Å"Since you took off and never told me where the hell you went.† I need to go before he gets to me, and all my self-control evaporates. Picking up my bag from the ground, I wave good-bye to him. â€Å"It was nice talking to you again, but we've been on the road for like twelve hours and all I want to do is lay down.† â€Å"I'm not really that tired,† Lila says and I press her with a pleading look. â€Å"Oh, wait maybe I am.† She fakes a yawn. I hurry for the side door of my house, but Micha blocks my path, and his hand comes down on the car like a railroad track barricade. He drags his lip ring into his mouth with a passionate look on his face, like he might kiss me or something. For a second, I wish he would. He leans toward my ear, lowering his voice to an intimate level. â€Å"Come with me somewhere. Please. I've been waiting eight months to talk to you.† I flinch at my body's fiery reaction his voice emits. â€Å"I can't talk to you, Micha.† I choke, backing away, and bumping my hip on the edge of the car. Tears threaten the corners of my eyes, but I haven't cried in over a year and I refuse to break down. Spinning on my heels, I dash for the house. He doesn't call out to me – it's not his style. But his gaze bores a hole into my messed up head the entire way, until I'm finally locked inside my house. Then I can breathe again. Micha I swear I'm dreaming. Ella is standing in front of me and she looks just like Stacy Harris, a slutty cheerleader we used to go to high school with and who Ella beat up once because Stacy was making fun of a girl in a wheelchair. It was one of the things that made me fall in love with her; the fire, passion, and the need to stick up for the outcasts, even if it meant being an outcast herself. She never fell into any category – she was just Ella – but now she looks like a freakin' Stepford Wife. She's still hot as hell, a rock hard body, and long legs that go on forever. I've pictured those legs wrapped around my waist many times and the same images flood my head, even though she looks like a stranger. Her gorgeous green eyes are glossed over, like she's repressed everything inside. She's unhappy to see me and it hurts a little, but pisses me off more. She starts rambling about being tired, something she used to do all the time to avoid confrontation. I watch her lips move, wanting to kiss her so God damn bad, but knowing she'd probably kick me if I tried anything. So I lean in, smelling her hair and beg her to come with me somewhere. Then she runs down the driveway and locks herself in the house. I start to chase after her, but a Frisbee smacks me in the side of the head. â€Å"Sorry man,† Ethan calls out, hopping over the fence with a smirk on his face. â€Å"It slipped.† Rubbing my head, I arch my eyebrows at Ethan. â€Å"Perfect timing asshole.† He holds up his hands. â€Å"I said I was sorry. You were just standing there all dazed out like a freaking whipped pussy, so I thought I'd snap you out of it.† He scoops up the Frisbee from the concrete and gives a low whistle at Ella's friend's Mercedes as he circles it rolling up his sleeves. â€Å"Whose sweet ride is this? Wait, is it Ella's?† â€Å"I think it's her friends.† I eye the back door of her house, debating whether I should barge in after her and demand to know why she shut me out for eight months. â€Å"Since when does Ella hang out with people who drive cars like this?† he asks, peeking through the tinted windows. â€Å"She's been gone for eight months.† I back toward the fence that separates Ella's yard from mine with my hands in my pockets. â€Å"Who the hell knows who she is anymore?† I need a drink, even though I haven't had a drop of alcohol in eight months. The day Ella took off, with no note or a good-bye, I had gone up to the cove, got drunk, and took all my anger out on Grantford Davis' face. The cops showed up and I got busted for being under the influence and for assault. I'm still on probation for it and I had to go to anger management classes for a while. I've been really good about keeping my crap together, but five minutes after Ella shows up and I'm about to throw it away. I head to the kitchen, scoop up a beer from the ice chest, and settle on the couch between a blonde and a brunette. The blonde one giggles. â€Å"Oh my God, is the bad boy Micha finally back?† I can't remember her name, but I play along. â€Å"I sure am, baby.† Then I swig my beer back and bury my pain, along with Ella. She's the only girl that's ever been able to get me this upset. The only girl that's never wanted me.