How Becoming an Adult Has Changed Christmas Essay

I love the holidays, they bring a special joy to my life, they make me smile even if things may not be going as planned in my life; just the thought of family and friends spending time together is a great big deal in my family. I now get to experience the feeling and joys my parents did when they see me opening my presents. My children are so precious and I love having every memorial moment with them. We still do the same things at Grandmas every year nothing has changed except for the fact that I’m a Mother now. I can distinctively remember the Christmas of 2006; it was the year my son (Jaylen) was born. It’s the year I realized that my spoiled days were over and it was not only about me any more. It was the first time I actually realized that I’m Mommy now! It was a very fearful and joyful moment at the same time; my family didn’t pay as much attention to me anymore. They were occupied with my new baby boy (Jaylen), I was extremely happy, they had taken to my son because 18 months earlier they were a little upset that I was going to have a baby(they thought I was too young). My dad was the happiest I have seen him in years, he was a proud grand pap. I’ll admit I was a little jealous because all the attention was no longer on just me I had to now share it. Then again I sat back and thought I’m an adult now and I should not be treated like a baby anymore, so from that point forward I found the grown up I had hidden inside. Thirty-three months (two and a half years) later there was an addition to my family for the holiday, I had my daughter JaKailah, she was a great gift after losing our Nana Boat in June of 2009. My daughter was born just 13 days later (June 21 2009); my grandmother and I both feel as though she is a part of Nana Boat in many ways. Not having our Nana Boat with us on Christmas anymore is a huge void; she is their saying â€Å"just give the children what ever they want, they are our special gifts from god†. One thing that has stayed the same is all holidays are special in my family, but Christmas is still the most important. All my family still meet at Grandma’s house every year. We have family from every where that comes in from out of state to celebrate this special occasion. Every year our Christmas routine has stayed the same; grandma has a special way of making every holiday memorable, she was also very particular about time, there was a time for everything we did on Christmas. She has a set schedule between 9:00 am and 10:00 am. Everyone shows up at grandmas to put their presents under the tree. Grandma has breakfast made for everyone every Christmas pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs and toast. Then at 11:30am it is time to give each other the presents we have for one another. By the time we were all done opening presents it is time for us to have dinner at 2:30. WOW! We could smell that great food cooking the whole time we were opening our presents. As a child I can remember many traditions sheared with my family. Because there were so many people staying at Grandma’s for the holidays. I can remember making pallets (beds) on the floor with my cousins so the adults could have the beds and air mattresses. My cousins and I would stay up really late and sleep until the after noon. After waking up I can remember my Uncle Bobbie; he looked just like Mr. Rodgers (from Mr. Rodger Neighborhood) he has the same blue sweater and those same blue tie up shoes. I would wake up and say good morning, Mr. Rodgers it is going to be a wonderful day in the neighbor hood. I was a very spoiled child; I got what ever I wanted, when I wanted it from every one in my family. I have even started my own traditions with my children, we have one day where we all sit down at the dining room table after Thanksgiving and we tell each other what we would like to have Santa Clause bring us for Christmas. I have even found a count down to Christmas calendar filled with chocolate candies, it starts at twenty-five and end at one; what you do with this calendar is you start at twenty-five and every night eat one piece of chocolate and by the time its Christmas eve there is one less piece of chocolate remaining. Basically it is a count down to Christmas by eating a piece of chocolate each night until Christmas. My children are still very young so we are still in the process of coming up with new traditions. Things in life change so fast with out notice, some good and some bad, I just make the best of what I have. I always thought that I would need to be the center of attention, but this Christmas I learned that it’s not always about me. Each and every member of my family was very important in many ways. Each of us have our own roles and it works for my family. My fiance is a very quiet, laid back, stay out the way type of person. My Aunt is crazy for the kids, she literally buys them everything. My uncle is the strict no nonsense kind of guy who like the kids to stand in the corner. Uncle what can I say about him? Oh wow he’s the grouch, always yelling, the Children are too loud make them sit down. My dad always happy and feeding into what ever the kids say, do this and do that. Pappi mostly hiding in the room away from everyone to stay away from the chaos. My mom she is the clean freak always running around after every one cleaning up behind them. My Nana Boat she was all for the kids give, give, give that all she knew when it came to her baby’s. My brothers and sister they are needy, always wanting something that they really do not need. Being the big sister I have to love them(I do very much so. I’m only going to talk about my immediate family, because if not you will be here reading for months. As for my-self I’m kind of a reserved person; I just sit back and watch what’s going on around me. I can remember the time it took my grandma to prepare for Christmas; she would bake for weeks. She would let me help her make cookies, pies, fudge, and my most favorite of all chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles. I can still smell those cookies and pies bake. Being with my grandma and helping her bake was the best feeling in the world. Still to this day my grandma still lets me help her bake for Christmas. She doesn’t leave out my children, they are right there with their hands in the dough, just getting as messy as possible. I know every edition to or family makes Christmas every year more and more enjoyable. I believe that each and every Christmas changes each and every person in my family for the better. CODA: There are a few reasons why I chose to use Frank McCourt â€Å"Limerick Homecoming† essay from the book Angela’s Ashes published in 1996. One reason I chose to use this essays style to revise my family essay is because Frank McCourt showed how to go from past to present tense in the same essay to tell about a special event in this life. Another reason I believe that this essay showed that no matter how bad things are at one point or another in your life that having your family around can make things all the better. Lastly, I chose this essay to because I related to the characters, meaning that I related to them so not coming from a rich family, not graduating high school and still striving to make it in this world .

“Globalisation is a good thing” to what extent do you agree with this statement? Essay

Globalisation is the growth to a global or worldwide scale. It is the increase of trade around the world, especially by large companies producing and trading goods in many different countries. When available goods and services, or social and cultural influences, gradually become similar in all parts of the world. Examples of globalisation are Companies such as Toyota, a Japanese company that has become globalised and is now a worldwide company. Another example is Nike which was originated in Beaverton, Oregon, United States and is now a worldwide company. MEDC’s and LEDC’s are linked through trade. The poorer countries produce and import products and merchandise to MEDC’s at a very low salary. Primark is an example of trading with other countries for unfair prices. From the clothes being made and brought many different countries have been involved Many other clothes companies to this as well. This is known as world trade system and can often be described as unfair for some. China is located in Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam, in the Northern hemisphere. China’s climate is Humid, sticky, dry and hot. Some major crops that are grown in China are rice, wheat, corn, soybeans and tuber crops. China has an extremely high population, just over 1.3 billion people with a birth rate of 12.17 births/1000. Its capital city is Beijing. One of it’s most famous landmarks is the great wall of chine, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. In recent years China has changed and developed rapidly especially economically. It is now the fourth largest economy in the world. A lot of Asian countries are now known as â€Å"newly industrialising countries†. This means that a country whose level of economic development ranks it somewhere between the developing and first-world classifications. These countries have moved away from an agriculture-based economy and into a more industrialized, urban economy, with higher and more technology. Globalisation is a good thing for china as it helps bring in higher profits as the products are kept extremely low as they do not need to pay people a high salary to make them. TNC’s have chosen to locate in china because employers are able to pay a lot less for a job than in the UK or a lot of other countries.†¨ Consumers in the UK and the rest of the developed world benefit from Chinese goods as to produce them in China rather than in the UK and then import them is a lot cheaper than to produce them in the UK as the minimum wage is a lot lower. Workers in China think globalisation is a good thing as it means employment and jobs for them, otherwise they would unemployed and couldn’t earn anything at all. This is why today most products have labelled on them â€Å"Made in China†. Globalisation is a bad thing for China as most of the time all globalization really does is make the rich richer and the poor poorer. In most LEDC’s standards of living are dropping further behind the richest countries. The gap in incomes between the 20% of the richest and the poorest countries has grown from 30 to 1 in 1960 to 82 to 1 in 1995. The increasing interdependence of countries in a globalised world makes them more vulnerable to economic problems like the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990’s. Many environmentalists are against globalisation because it causes a lot of transporting of exporting and importing products which cause pollution. Another reason why globalisation is a bad thing for china is that the national culture and languages can be eroded and destroyed by the modern globalised culture. China is helped a lot by globalisation as it provides many jobs which brings in money, but it is also a bad thing as it is making the difference between rich and poor a lot greater. Personally I think that globalisation is a good thing for China and helps them a lot as without it China would not make as much money as it does currently and China would not be the same country and would not be as developed either.

Abraham Lincoln and American History

Abraham Lincoln was an important part of American history. He ended slavery and helped America through the civil war. Abraham Lincoln was one of the truly great men of all time. Even as a boy, Lincoln showed ability as a speaker. He often amused himself and others by imitating some preacher or politician who had spoken in the area. People liked to gather at the general store in the crossroads village of Gentryville. Lincoln's gift for telling stories made him a favorite with the people there. In spite of his youth, he was well known in his neighborhood. In 1834, Lincoln again ran for the legislature. He had become better known by this time, and won election as a Whig. He served four successive two-year terms in the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. During his first term, he met a young Democratic legislator, Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln quickly came to the front in the legislature. He was witty and ready in debate. His skill in party management enabled him to become the Whig floor leader at the beginning of his second term. He took leading parts in the establishment of the Bank of Illinois and in the adoption of a plan for a system of railroads and canals. This plan broke down after the Panic of 1837. Lincoln also led a successful campaign for moving the state capital from Vandalia to Springfield. While in the legislature, Lincoln made his first public statement on slavery. In 1837, the legislature passed by an overwhelming majority resolutions condemning abolition societies. These societies urged freedom for slaves. Lincoln and another legislator, Dan Stone, filed a protest. They admitted that Congress had no power to interfere with slavery in the states where it existed. They believed â€Å"the promulgation of abolition doctrines tend rather to increase than abate its evils. *1 Their protest arose from the legislature's failure to call slavery an evil practice. Lincoln and Stone declared that â€Å"the institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy. â€Å"*2 Later, Lincoln continued with his dream to become part of the law. He wanted to become president. On March 4, 1861, Lincoln took the oath of office and became the 16th President of the United States. In his inaugural address, Lincoln denied that he had any intention of interfering with slavery in states where the Constitution protected it. He urged the preservation of the Union. Lincoln warned that he would use the full power of the nation to â€Å"hold, occupy, and possess† the â€Å"property and places†*3 belonging to the federal government. By â€Å"property and places,† he meant forts, arsenals, and custom houses. Lincoln's closing passage had great beauty and literary power. He appealed to â€Å"the mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land. † The attack on Fort Sumter marked the start of the Civil War. Lincoln met the crisis with energetic action. He called out the militia to suppress the â€Å"insurrection. He proclaimed a blockade of Southern ports, and expanded the army beyond the limit set by law. He then led the United States during the Civil War (1861-1865), which was the greatest crisis in U. S. history. During the Civil War, Lincoln's first task was to win the war. He had to view nearly all other matters in relation to the war. It was â€Å"the progress of our arms,† he once said, â€Å"upon which all else depends. † But Lincoln was a peace-loving man who had earlier described military glory as â€Å"that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood–that serpent's eye that charms to destroy. *4 The Civil War was by far the bloodiest war in U. S. history. Lincoln became a remarkable war leader. Some historians believe he was the chief architect of the Union's victorious military strategy. This strategy called for Union armies to advance against the enemy on all fronts at the same time. Lincoln also insisted that the objective of the Union armies should be the destruction of opposing forces, not the conquest of territory. Lincoln changed generals several times because he could not find one who would fight the war the way he wanted it fought. When he finally found such a general, Ulysses S. Grant, Lincoln stood firmly behind him. Lincoln's second great task was to keep up Northern morale through the horrible war in which many relatives in the North and South fought against one another. He understood that the Union's resources vastly exceeded those of the Confederacy, and that the Union would eventually triumph if it remained dedicated to victory. For this reason, Lincoln used his great writing and speechmaking abilities to spur on his people. If the Union had been destroyed, the United States could have become two, or possibly more, nations. These nations separately could not have become as prosperous and important as the United States is today. By preserving the Union, Lincoln influenced the course of world history. By ending slavery, he helped assure the moral strength of the United States. His own life story, too, has been important. He rose from humble origin to the nation's highest office. What did Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation do to help the Civil War? It declared freedom for slaves in all areas of the Confederacy that were still in rebellion against the Union. The proclamation also provided for the use of blacks in the Union Army and Navy. As a result, it greatly influenced the North's victory in the war. The 11 states of the Confederacy seceded from the Union in 1860 and 1861. They seceded primarily because they feared Lincoln would restrict their right to do as they chose about the question of black slavery. The North entered the Civil War only to reunite the nation, not to end slavery. During the first half of the war, abolitionists and some Union military leaders urged Lincoln to issue a proclamation freeing the slaves. They argued that such a policy would help the North because slaves were contributing greatly to the Confederate war effort. By doing most of the South's farming and factory work, slaves made whites available for the Confederate Army. Lincoln agreed with the abolitionists' view of slavery. He once declared that â€Å"if slavery is not wrong, nothing is wrong. â€Å"*5 But early in the war, Lincoln believed that if he freed the slaves, he would divide the North. Lincoln feared that four slave-owning border states; Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri, would secede if he adopted such a policy. In July 1862, with the war going badly for the North, Congress passed a law freeing all Confederate slaves who came into Union lines. At about that same time, Lincoln decided to change his stand on slavery. But he waited for a Union military victory, so that his decision would not appear to be a desperate act. On Sept. 22, 1862, five days after Union forces won the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation. It stated that if the rebelling states did not return to the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, he would declare their slaves to be â€Å"forever free. The South rejected Lincoln's policy, and so he issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863. Lincoln took this action as commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States. He called it â€Å"a fit and necessary war measure. † The Emancipation Proclamation did not actually free a single slave, because it affected only areas under Confederate control. It excluded slaves in the border states and in such Southern areas under Union control as Tennessee and parts of Louisiana and Virginia. But it did lead to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment, which became law on Dec. 18, 1865, ended slavery in all parts of the United States. As the abolitionists had predicted, the Emancipation Proclamation strengthened the North's war effort and weakened the South's. By the end of the war, more than 500,000 slaves had fled to freedom behind Northern lines. Many of them joined the Union Army or Navy or worked for the armed forces as laborers. By allowing blacks to serve in the Army and Navy, the Emancipation Proclamation helped solve the North's problem of declining enlistments. About 200,000 black soldiers and sailors, many of them former slaves, served in the armed forces. They helped the North win the war. The Emancipation Proclamation also hurt the South by discouraging Britain and France from entering the war. Both of those nations depended on the South to supply them with cotton, and the Confederacy hoped that they would fight on its side. But the proclamation made the war a fight against slavery. Lincoln†s decisions and Emancipation Proclamation led to the 15th amendment which freed slaves. Without it, life today would be much different. He changed life for all Americans, black and white. How did the Pacific Railroad Act have an impact on American History? It provided for the building of the nation's first transcontinental rail line. Abraham Lincoln was in office when the Pacific Railroad Act was signed. He made a huge impact by signing the act. It was the first step to trading with other states that were far apart and new ways of transportation. States could now trade meat and states could focus on the products that are most practical for their part of the country. The act gave two companies responsibility for building the railroad. The Union Pacific was to start laying track westward from a point near Omaha. The Central Pacific Railroad was to lay track eastward from Sacramento. Congress granted both railroads large tracts of land and millions of dollars in government loans. Work began on the Central Pacific track in 1863 and on the Union Pacific in 1865. The railroads faced the gigantic task of crossing the rugged Rockies and the towering Sierra Nevada. To obtain the necessary labor, the Central Pacific hired thousands of Chinese immigrants to work on the railroad. Thousands of European immigrants worked on the Union Pacific. On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the two railroads finally met at Promontory, Utah. North America became the first continent to have a rail line from coast to coast. By the end of the 1800's, the United States had five transcontinental rail lines. The Canadian Pacific Railway (now CP Rail) completed Canada's first transcontinental line in 1885. It extended from Montreal, Quebec, to Vancouver, British Columbia. The completion of these rail lines opened vast regions of the continent to settlement and trade. How did the sayings of Abraham Lincoln help people? Abraham gave many speeches in his life that inspired people to be all that they can be and do what is right. Gettysburg Address is a short speech that United States President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the American Civil War at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. He delivered the address on Nov. 19, 1863, at ceremonies to dedicate a part of the battlefield as a cemetery for those who had lost their lives in the battle. The principal speaker was Edward Everett, one of the greatest orators of his day. He spoke for two hours. Lincoln was asked to say a few words, and spoke for about two minutes. Lincoln wrote the address to help ensure that the battle would be seen as a great Union triumph and to define for the people of the Northern States the purpose in fighting the war. Some historians think his simple and inspired words, which are among the best remembered in American history, reshaped the nation by defining it as one people dedicated to one principle–that of equality. Lincoln wrote five different versions of the speech. He wrote most of the first version in Washington, D. C. , and probably completed it at Gettysburg. He probably wrote the second version at Gettysburg on the evening before he delivered his address. He held this second version in his hand during the address. But he made several changes as he spoke. The most important change was to add the phrase â€Å"under God† after the word â€Å"nation† in the last sentence. Lincoln also added that phrase to the three versions of the address that he wrote after the ceremonies at Gettysburg. Lincoln wrote the final version of the address–the fifth written version–in 1864. This version also differed somewhat from the speech he actually gave, but it was the only copy he signed. It is carved on a stone plaque in the Lincoln Memorial. Many false stories have grown up about this famous speech. One story says that the people of Lincoln's time did not appreciate the speech. But the reaction of the nation's newspapers largely followed party lines. Most of the newspapers that backed the Republican Party, the party to which Lincoln belonged, liked the speech. A majority of the newspapers that supported the Democratic Party did not. Edward Everett, the principal speaker at the dedication, wrote to Lincoln: â€Å"I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes. *6 Abrahams two minute speech had more of an impact that a two hour speech. Lincoln touched many hearts and others despised him. It does not matter if they liked him or not, they were still affected by his words and actions. Abraham Lincoln affected the U. S. in many different ways. He led the United States during the Civil War, one of the most brutal battles in history. Lincoln helped end slavery in the nation and helped keep the American Union from splitting apart during the war. Lincoln thus believed that he proved to the world that democracy can be a lasting form of government. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, second inaugural address, and many of his other speeches and writings are classic statements of democratic beliefs and goals. Lincoln, a Republican, was the first member of his party to become President. He was assassinated near the end of the Civil War and was succeeded by Vice President Andrew Johnson. Lincoln was the first U. S. President to be assassinated. Without President Lincoln life today would be much different. We have him to thank for a lot of the great accomplishments in history.

Lindas and The Womans Stockings as a motiv of play death of a salesman Assignment

Lindas and The Womans Stockings as a motiv of play death of a salesman - Assignment Example In this essay we would be analyzing the motifs used in the story with special focus on the motif of the woman’s ‘stockings’. The first time the motif of the stockings appears in the play is when the characters are younger. Willy complains to Linda that he would be unable to pay the bills since people do not like him and he is bad at his job. It is at this juncture that he day dreams about his mistress who laughingly flirts with him and thanks him for the stockings he gave her. The image of the stocking portrays his infidelity and his deceit towards Linda because it is her stockings that he takes and gives it to his mistress. The image of the stockings appears again when Willy’s elder son Biff discovers his father with his mistress in their hotel room in Boston. The significance and meaning the stockings take on here is one of deceit and ingenuity. Biff accuses his father of giving the woman Linda’s stockings and hates him for it. The stockings in this context describes Willy’s ingenuity because he let’s his family down by going after a woman of cheap repute. As the story progresses, the stockings are shown to hold the significant meaning of Willy’s guilt. Willy becomes obsessed with Linda’s stockings and when he sees her mending some stockings he shouts at her and asks her to throw them out. The image of the stockings in this part of the story describes Willy’s remorse brought on by his infidelity. He is unable to bear the sight of the stockings because it reminded him of his infidelity towards his wife. The image of the stockings is used by the author as a metaphorical device to describe sexual infidelity and betrayal which are strong symbols in the story. The image of new stockings is very importantly used to depict Willy’s pride of being able to financially support his family and also to show his guilt in betraying

The impact of american TV series 'Gossip Girl' on young adult females Essay - 1

The impact of american TV series 'Gossip Girl' on young adult females (consumerism, product placement, luxury lifestyle) - Ideol - Essay Example With more access to social media and exposure to advertisements, today’s youth are receiving overwhelming amount of information. Besides leisure choices, Television is moulding their day-to-day preferences and trying to influence them to adopt a certain unrealistic lifestyle as they view in their favourite TV series. Another major theme is unhealthy influence of media on the health and personality building decisions. Be it an attempt to follow an unhealthy lifestyle, acting like an adult or having an access to recent branded goods, there is a constant comparison between real lives and what is being portrayed on the TV (Toffoletti 2008, pp.72-5; McRobbie 2008, pp.534-42). On the contrary, these TV shows provide an opportunity to view how certain characters exhibit an ideal behaviour in difficult situations which can be learned by the audience (Hill 2011, pp.354- 357). Consumerism has affected spending patterns and buyer’s behaviours significantly all around the globe. Th e era’s prominent brands occupy major market share by strategizing techniques that appeal to the youth. This is in spite of buyers’ prior awareness of the fact that advertisements only show the brands that they want viewers to buy. The effort to induce positive perception in the consumers is so overwhelming that it has a tendency of affecting decisions of even the most knowledgeable buyers (Romeo 2009, pp.18-25). The Television sector is not far behind in this race and they also strive to increase their viewership. Television is a powerful medium that reaches billions of viewers on a daily basis (Turow 2005, pp.105-113). Trends introduced through this medium affect millions of young viewers on daily basis (Spalding, 2010). An upcoming trend that continues to gain prominence over traditional television commercials is marketing brands in television series or movies; whereby, big corporations avail their products to actors in a television series as part of costume and dec or as a marketing strategy as is the case in the TV series Gossip Girl. The TV series is based on a best-selling series of novels written by Cecily von Ziegesar about the tumultuous life of Manhattan's Upper East Side's elite young adults. The main themes in the TV series revolve around the love life, relationships, deceit, rivalry, power, and money together with luxury lifestyle of the main characters. The series, created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, was first premiered on The CW in late September, 2007 (Spalding, 2010, p.3-67). Although, researches done by Turow (2005, pp. 105-113) and Saplding (2010) illustrate how TV, especially sitcoms, affect behavior and preferences of consumers; Keum et al. (2004, pp. 372-391) present a different opinion by saying that media creates social consciousness and status consciousness which leads to spurring an awareness of the social responsibilities associated with consuming and a pursuit of status-oriented lifestyles. These researchers were of the opinion that the shift in social and status consciousness occurs as a result of viewers’ obsession with emulating the behaviours and attitudes portrayed with the characters they hold in high esteem. This approach infers that TV series such as Gossip Girl plays a role in influencing viewers’ social and status consciousness, which in turn affects their attitudes and behaviours with regard to lifestyle and consumer choices. For example,

Organizational Design, Culture, and Adaptation (CASE) Module 2 Essay

Organizational Design, Culture, and Adaptation (CASE) Module 2 - Essay Example The CARE program was created in 2005 by Martha Holden. The program was created at the Cornell University Family Life Development Center (CUFLDC). The program was tested and adapted by the Waterford Country School. The structure and model of the program can be compared to the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention model of 1994 also adapted from CUFLDC. The core focus of the program is to improve organizational support and leadership competencies. Additionally, the program aims at enhancing consistency within and across the care staff with relation to how they respond to, react to, and think about the needs of the children within their care setting. The program is created upon the theory of change which states that staff is viable in handling children issues if it’s able to improve its understanding about child development issues caused by trauma. The implementation of the CARE program will resolve the issues mentioned in question one through (1) creating room for children to relate and connect with their surrounding better – e.g. creating attachments with parents, (2) building skills and reliability in children both at home at within the care setting, (3) focusing on the issues that affect the development of children based on their trauma history, (4) creating teamwork between care providers and children’s families in care and treatment provision, and (5) creating more opportunities in the provision of child care within the environment. The resolution of these issues shows that the program aims at drawing all stakeholders of a child’s life close together for the benefit of the child. For instance, a child traumatic history can be a result of family issues that a care provider may not be able to understand fully from the child’s behavior or anti-social tendencies (Holden, 2009). If I were the program manager for the CARE program, one among the highly regarded competencies of

The role and importance of communication to organisational Essay

The role and importance of communication to organisational effectiveness - Essay Example 78-79). The managers make the production process by organizing and communicating to the employees on the area in which person is supposed to be. In regard to this, effectiveness in the production process is improved when the employees are informed on why they have been selected to perform particular tasks and not others. This creates harmony within the organization since they do not view job allocations as a form of oppression but as a way of developing their skills (Leopold et al 2005 p.56). Since organizations constantly change in order to match the varying consumer needs, communication becomes a necessity especially where goods and services are to be produced according to the customer’s specifications. Information flow along the management hierarchy needs to be effective in order for the workers to understand what and for whom to produce. For example, customers may order a specific amount of a particular quantity of product. Since they can not access the employees directly, they have to contact the management who are expected to satisfy their demands. If effective communication is not made to every one concerned in production, employees may end up not producing according to specifications given to the managers (Geoffrey 2004 pp. 34-36). Information regarding a change in production needs to be communicated through the available methods such as group discussions, team work and such so that the employees can discuss and exchange ideas in regard to the changes. Wit hout effective communication, an organization can not accomplish its goals. Communication with in an organization promotes transparency in the organization. It happens that when the employees do not get adequate information from their seniors, it is most likely that they may end up making the wrong decisions or conclusions in critical issues. For example, it is important for the employees to understand the criteria through which the management confers

Recommendations on Canadian government in response to climate change Essay

Recommendations on Canadian government in response to climate change - Essay Example Emission of other pollutants leads to environmental degradation and becomes progressively more and more severe, if not checked in time. Unregulated emission and sewage results in global warming; people’s health notwithstanding, it can cause plant and animal extinction also. It is thus incumbent on Canada and other countries to take appropriate action in tackling the various pollutants seriously and urgently. Damages caused by pollution are not likely to have any discernible impact on people’s current lives within ten years, it is being hoped. One can never be too sure whether the future generation will be able to enjoy the quality of life as people currently do in the next fifty years. In order to reduce the overall environmental damages, Canadian government could issue a set of policies that control firms’ emissions and protect the environment. In most countries, there is a missing market of production externalities which implies that firms’ marginal private cost (MPC) is lower than their marginal social cost (MSC). The difference between MPC and MSC thus becomes a burden to the society which induces social inefficiency and overconsumption (Pettinger, 2013). A balance therefore needs to be struck by the Government to exercise control over emissions by offsetting against this cost. Canadian government could cease the production of heavily (high carbon) polluting firms. For less polluting firms, Canadian government could set a carbon tax to internalize the externalities. The introduction of carbon tax will shift up the MPC curve to MSC by a tax per unit, forcing the emission generators to pay themselves for their deeds. A carbon tax therefore increases the relative price of carbon-intensive goods though it is very hard to set. The Government should attempt to phase the tax in, by giving the consumer and manufacturer a buffer zone for self-regulation;

Art Exhibition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art Exhibition - Essay Example Michael Criton located Johns â€Å"between Duchamp and Pollack, between the found object and the created abstraction† (Lanchner and Johns, 2009, p. 19). The second work of art is a collection of prints by Johns in which the numbers 0-9 have been created through the methodology of lithography. Lithography is a process where a smooth surface is treated in some areas so that it will retain ink, but leaving others so that the ink will not be retained. The surface is then used as a printing object from which to press an image onto another surface, most often a paper. The works were created between 1960 and 1963 and are simply titled â€Å"0-9†. The two pieces can be compared from a number of elemental concepts in order to further explore the nature of Jasper John’s work. The painting â€Å"Map† was created in the earlier part of his career when the exploration of the ideologies of America were being combined with the explorations of their meanings through the use of ‘readymade’ objects. The blurring of borders speaks of unity while the bursts of color are in motion, commenting on the wide diversity of the nation. The lines of the distinct object of the map are muddled by the use of the paint overtop of them. The colors are vibrant and primary, using red, yellow, and blue in bursts across the work, the colors blending at some points, distinctive at others. The oil paints are thick with the texture of the work dense and mountainous on top of the map. There is a repetition that creates balance within the chaos and while there is no use of perspective, there is a sense of density that is felt that about the object of the map as the colors burst forth across the entirety of the work. Although there seems to be no design to the work, there is a definite balance to the way in which the colors are utilized. They erupt across the painting in light and darkness, yellow splicing through the red and darker blue to

What Factors Affect the Gender Pay Gap in the UK Industries Essay

What Factors Affect the Gender Pay Gap in the UK Industries - Essay Example This research will take both a mixed method approach where both qualitative and quantitative methods will be applied. The incorporation of a mixed method approach will help increase reliability while increasing both internal and external validity. The qualitative method will be used in order to explain the beliefs and the behaviors that surrounds gender pay gap. This method will involve interviews with various individuals that will shed light on the disparity in pay between men and women. The interviews will involve corporate managers; ten shall be interviewed where at least four should be of the opposite gender. In addition, employees drawn from various sectors will be interviewed. Ten companies that are involved in manufacturing of various products and provision of diverse services will be chosen, for every organization, one individual shall be interviewed. In this case, at least 40% of the interviewees should be of the opposite gender. For the quantitative research, a survey of th e payments of individuals across various industries will be done. This data shall be provided under the consent of the management of the respective organizations. Payment data from twenty-five organizations shall be collected. This will help create an understanding of the disparities in gender across occupations as pointed out by Farrell. Both research methods will adhere to ethical standards of research. Firstly, there will be informed consent for both the interviewees as well as the management shall be aware of the use of the payment data. Another aspect is confidentiality; both the interviewee’s information as well as their individuality will be kept confidential, the same will apply to the payment data that is meant for survey purposes. The variables under considerations are two; gender (dependent) and the independent variable will be payment. A relationship will be drawn between the two from the quantitative data obtained through the surveys.

PEST Analysis of Starbuck in China Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

PEST Analysis of Starbuck in China - Coursework Example The object of analysis for the purpose of this assignment is Starbucks, an American coffee company which is operating in many countries worldwide. It has the title of being the largest coffeehouse company with around 25,000 stores. It is renowned for providing hot as well as cold beverages, pastries as well as snacks. It was founded in the year 1971 and has since then, opened up stores in around 62 stores. It was opened by three students who were inclined to sell high quality coffee beans as well as coffee equipment. In 1996, Starbucks opened its first location outside North America in Tokyo, Japan. People`s republic of China is the most populous country of the world and is located in the East Asian region. With around 1.35 billion people in the country, China is now being considered as the fastest growing economy of the world. It has become the second largest economy in terms of nominal GDP and purchasing power parity, after the United States of America. The first Starbucks in china opened in Taiwan in March 1998. The increase in consumer interests and appreciation of coffee resulted in the opening up of new stores in Beijing, Hong Kong as well as Macau. In all, Starbucks has around 1000 stores in China. PEST analysis includes political, economic, social as well as technological factors which have a direct impact on the operations of a firm. Political factors involve the intervention of the government in the economy in terms of tax policies, policies of export as well as other environmental and legal laws. Overall, it also includes other influences which the government can have on an organization`s operations. With regards to the political factors in Hongkong, it has been under the rule of mainland China but it has been allowed to implement its own business laws in the economy. This has made it easier for Starbucks to operate in China. However, Starbucks is required to comply with all the laws and regulations of the country. The Chinese government has introduc ed positive policies to encourage FDI by protecting the interests as well as the legal rights of foreign companies. China also has a consistent political environment as well as lower labor costs which attract foreign companies to start operations in the country. The local government policies including free trade zones and loans have encouraged Starbucks and other multinational to start operations as well as expand its business in China (Business Environment In China: Economic, Political, And Cultural Factors 2013). Another important factor is that these favorable governmental polices do not change with changes in the governments. This makes it easier for the foreign companies to operate. However, it has been observed that these policies and laws are not implemented in the country which affects the sustainability of Chinese economy. Furthermore, the company has lower and inefficient transportation, communication as well as energy resources. The city of Hong Kong, for example, is know n as the most tax-friendly economies of the world because of its low tax system as well as direct taxes only on profits, salaries and properties. The tax rates have remained constant showing the political stability in China, especially in Hong Kong (Starbucks in China, 2013; China Business News-Starbucks soars in China 2013). Economic factors: Economic factors include the inflation rate, interest rates, economic growth and exchange rates which have an impact on business operations. The factor of exchange rates, for example, has an impact on the costs and prices of exports and imports. Interest rates affect the cost of capital of firms which is further related to the growth and expansion of companies. Economic factors i

Western cultures Essay Example for Free

Western cultures Essay

How Firms Become Multinational Enterprises

How Firms Become Multinational Enterprises A multinational enterprise according to Brooke and Remmers is a company that is present in more than one country, the home country and the host country and provides valuable activities in a service or manufacturing area (Dunning, 1993, p.3). Though Maurice Bye 1958 began to see and recognize multinational enterprises by the definition Multi-territorial firm indicating that a MNE was purely given the name by the amount of countries a company occupied(Maurice Bye 1958). Academics see the multinationals in great depth and definitions are slightly different, J.Dunning defines a Multinational enterprise as an enterprise that engages in foreign direct investment (FDI) and owns or controls value adding activities in more than one country (J.Dunning 1992). MNEs therefore, control a package of resources, which they move across national borders, and continue to control over those borders. This transfer is often conceived solely in financial terms, but in practical terms the role of MNEs in tra nsferring capital between countries is one of their less important functions. The critical resources, which multinationals transfer across borders, are the areas of technology and organisation, entrepreneurship and culture. MNEs are imperative because they have the capacity to move technologies and ideas around the world. This gives the firms the potential to serve as engines of growth. This essay will explain why and how firms become multinational enterprise. The subsistence of MNEs might seem apparent, in the sense that firms in the capitalist system exist to make profits, and investing in foreign countries could be seen as a coherent way of making more wealth than staying in one country. In spite of that not all firms in the world are multinational. In addition to this, according to Jack Behrman there are four main types of Multinational corporations motives (Jack Behrman 1972). The first motive, the resource seekers the enterprises, to obtain particular and specific resources at lower real cost that cannot be obtained in their home country aim to invest abroad. One kind of these is the physical resources like, raw materials, minerals, agricultural product and location advantage, which generally involves substantial capital expenditure. Another kind of resources is semi-skilled and unskilled labour that is available at lower costs, in countries developing in advanced industrialization like, Mexico, Taiwan, China and like Primark outsour cing from India. One more motive why firms seeking FDI in resources is to obtain technological skill, management and organizational skills already accessed there. The second motive the market seekers enterprises, aim to prolong or protect existing market or to promote in new markets. Thereby, there are four main reasons firstly, to cope-up with the suppliers and customers who have set up foreign producing facilities. Secondly, to hunt the market, the product needs to be modifying according to the local customers preferences. Thirdly, sometimes it is a lot cheaper to produce in the host country than to export from home country. This is becoming more necessary if there are trade barriers and restrictive government laws. Furthermore, the last reason for market seeking investment is that enterprise wants to have physical presence in the foremost markets served by its competitors. Therefore, companies like Nestle, Bayer and Ford expanded internationally in search of new markets. The third motive the efficiency seekers enterprises want to obtain from the common governance of geographically scattered activities and to have benefit of economies of s cale and of risk diversification. Therefore, enterprises wants to compete on the basis of the product it offers and its ability to diversify its assets and capabilities by exploiting the benefits of producing in several countries. The fourth motive the strategic asset seeker enterprises to sustain their international competitiveness acquire the assets of foreign corporations. Like one company might acquire a business so as to thwart competitor from doing so or another might merge with its foreign rivals or one might acquire suppliers to corner the market for raw materials. Enterprises seeking strategic FDI are trying to protect or advance their long-term competitive position. Apart from these four motives other motives like escape investments, support investments, passive investments also play a big role why firms want to go international (Dunning 1992). Therefore, these motives were and will be the main driving force behind the expansion of MNCs. The ways in which these motives have mainly pushed firms from United States to become MNCs are based on product cycle theory developed by Professor Raymond Vernon. This theory suggests that the starting point for the internationalization process is typically an innovation that a company creates in its home country (Raymond Vernon 1966, p.190-207). Then after the product is launched it is gaining success in its domestic market and finally the product becomes highly standardized and company has gained recognition thereby, the competitors enter the same business. Market now focuses on price so the company has to move its production to low-wage developing countries so as to be above the competition and later has to develop market share in other countries, which they have lost in home country. For example Nokia started as domestic company in Finland but its success at home country led its produc tion and sale to foreign markets. This way firms should analyse their role of management, motives of the organisation and their success at home country and should think of entering foreign market but question here arises how will firms do that. This can be explained on the basis of theories of Internationalisation. The Eclectic paradigm sets out to explain the extent, form and pattern of international production and is founded on the juxtaposition of the ownership- specific advantages of firms contemplating foreign production, the propensity to internalize the cross-border markets for these, and the attractions of a foreign market for the production (Dunning, 1988). The eclectic paradigm, with its emphasis on TCA, i.e. Transaction cost analysis tells how firms and especially MNCs evaluate whether or not to establish a manufacturing subsidiary in a market abroad (Erramilli and Rao, 1993). This information is cost-based, requiring the costs of running a system to be calculated so that the firms can make any evaluation. Thereafter, industrial network approach (Johanson and Mattsson, 1986) and the business strategy approach (Welford and Prescott, 1994) present detailed models incorporating a number of factors which impact upon market entry and the selection of a market entry method. By doing so, it seems clear that information on these factors is a pre-requisite of a firms decision. However the Uppsala model is unique in seeing information about a market, specifically that based on experiential knowledge, as the crucial indicator of market entry and, particularly, market entry mode selection. (Jan Johanson et al. 1977) So, the firms should make an initial commitment of resources to the foreign market, and through this investment it gains local market knowledge. On the basis of this, the company will be able to evaluate its current activities and opportunities for additional investment. Thereby, companies should accumulate their time of entry on the basis of its level of commitment in the foreign market and level of control over foreign activities. This all depends on the nature, form of the firm whether the firm is going to only sell its product or the firm is producing and selling goods and services. At the first stage this can be done by the indirect exporting, licensing/ franchising and then at second stage by direct exporting, direct sales operations in host country, joint ventures and FDI. Firms can potentially enter into international business at any of these stages and decide to prolong at that stage but can go to other stage and choose another option in starting or later period of business. Like, some companies internationalize gradually by moving up the scale from exporting through joint venturing to direct foreign investment. With exceeding industrial period of globalisation firms have shown mounting interest in going abroad because of the increasing need to go international, pressure to procure cheapest inputs, efficiency seeking, the opening up of new markets, considerable changes in location costs and benefits and a strive to strike a balance between globalisation and localisation. Therefore, firms should choose appropriate business options to enter and service the host market on the basis of above discussed Multinational corporations motives and then decide which stages firm will go ahead so that firms corporate objectives are achieved efficiently and effectively. Then domestic firms can face challenge as cross border mergers and acquisitions, MNCs have been constantly increasing and MNCs account for over 40 percent of the worlds manufacturing output and almost a quarter of world trade. So firms should analyse their business prospective on the basis of above discussed Uppsala model, eclectic theory an d other theories and then go ahead. However, international business has taken a quantum leap and is now considered strategically important both by firms and governments. How Firms Become Multinational Enterprises How Firms Become Multinational Enterprises INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ASSIGNMENT II Introduction A significant shift is taking place in the world economy today; previously each nation had different and relatively isolated economies from each other by different barriers to cross border trade. But now we are drastically moving towards an independent global economic system in which different national economies are blending together which is referred as globalization. Independent global economic system has brought effective involvement of numerous firms from various countries in the international market; the shift towards globalization has been accelerating currently, and it looks set to carry forward. Multinational Enterprise An enterprise that operates and has its assets and facilities in more than one country excluding its home country is called as multinational enterprise, such firms has have offices, factories, outlets and etc., in different countries and usually have centralised head office where they co-ordinate global management. The swiftly developing global economy creates many factors and opportunities for business worldwide. It creates opportunities for business to expand their resources, profit and market, this make many firms to become globalized for example Wal-mart , Coca-Cola, Exxon Mobil, Levi Strauss, and Royal Dutch Shell are some of the most successful multinational enterprise in the world. But still many significant differences exist between national markets along many relevant factors which need to be overcome to be successful globally. Why Firms become Multinational Enterprise? As an enterprise operating in an International Business environment provides many new openings to a firm than operating in a domestic environment. A worldwide operation provides an enterprise access to new markets, resources and many other benefits, mainly it also widens the options of strategic moves of the firm against its rivals. Lets discuss the reasons for the firms becoming a Multinational corporation elaborately. The Eclectic Paradigm An effective approach to the study of the internationalization of business was offered by John H. Dunning. The Eclectic paradigm was a dominant framework for explaining the reason for the existence of Multinational enterprises and the determinants of foreign direct investment. Dunning stated three factors to the eclectic paradigm: i. Ownership-specific advantages The enterprise which invests in a foreign country has a competitive advantage and out-competes the firms that operate in the country where the investment is done. The multinational enterprise has advantages of Intangible assets like trade name, brand, and patents. The firm has benefits of reputation, technology and skills of management. ii. Location-specific advantages This advantage is based on the geographical position of the firm; according to this many positive factors like resources, cheap labour, host countrys regulations and political stability are available for the multinational enterprises. iii. Internationalization-specific advantages When a firm enlarge its operations in another country, by acquiring the property of the assets that are abroad its get this internationalization benefit. The firm gets a new market, reduces the production cost and can keep its skills and capabilities internal to the firm. The Product life cycle theory The product life cycle theory was framed by Raymond Vernon, this illustrate that in the beginning stage of the product life cycle the production and the rest of the operations of the product takes place in the home country. First the product will be serving the local market and then world market, when the product gains reputation the production gets relocated abroad to gain from lower labour cost and the other benefits available in host nation. At a point of time the country which invented the product becomes an importer of that product. The best example for this is the invention and production of personal computers by IBM. This is also an essential cause for firms to become a multinational enterprise. The Internationalization theory The market imperfections approach to Foergin direct Investment is typically referred to as internalization theory. The Internationalization theory was developed by Buckley and Casson. This theory states the main reasons for which the firms become a multinational enterprise due to market imperfection. Due to market imperfections, the monopolistic advantage of the firm can be used to widen worldwide to again competitive advantage. A firm overcomes market imperfections by creating its own market by the means of internalisation through this the firms become a multinational enterprises. Resource seeking The firms develop into a multinational enterprise to seek and secure natural resources like raw materials, minerals and human resource. This helps the firms to reduce the labor cost and production cost. Market seeking The multinational enterprises emerge to identify and exploit new markets for their products. This approach is followed by the firms to overcome trade barrier and to reduce high transport cost. Efficiency seeking The firms try to enlarge globally to obtain the efficiency benefits they obtain from the host country like cheap labour force, for example multinational enterprise obtain low cost but labour intensive manufacturing in many Asian countries. Capabilities seeking The firms follow strategic operations by buying existing firms or assets abroad, this is an approach by the firm to seek adequacy in order to sustain and advance its competitive position globally.These are the major reasons for a firm to become a multinational enterprise. How firms become multinational enterprise? Once a firm take on Foregin Direct Investment(FDI) it become a multinational enterprise, a multinational enterprises have substantial direct investment in foreign countries. FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) refers to the long term participation like management, partnership, technology transfer and etc., between a foreign country and a host country. FDI has become a vital accept of global economy, many nations liberalized the regulations for FDI and numerous host economies has have reduced trade barriers for foreign nations to do business in their nation. When a firm decides to enter foreign market and expand to become a multinational enterprise then mainly there are six different modes to enter. Joint venture Establishing a joint venture with a foreign firm has been a feasible mode of enter to the world market. Setting up a firm that is jointly owned and operated by two or more firms is called as joint venture. A firm can gain advantage from a local partners knowledge of the host countrys competitive conditions, culture and political system. Through this joint venture a firm can gain by sharing development cost and high risk of entering a foreign market with the local partner. Wholly Owned Subsidiaries When firm owns 100 percent of the stock then it is termed as wholly owned subsidiary. If a firm wants to compete based on its technology then this will be the most preferred entry mode. Many high-tech firms prefer this mode of entry for overseas expansion. Establishing a wholly owned subsidiary in a foreign market can be done by setting up a new operation in that country or by acquiring an established firm and using that firm to operate. Licensing Licensing is very attractive approach for the firms which lack capital to develop overseas operation. Licensing is an arrangement by a firm to grant the rights to intangible property to another entity for a period of time and in return a fee is charged by the licensor. The advantage of licensing is that the firm does not need to bear the set up cost and risk involved in opening a foreign market. Franchising Franchising is basically a specialized form of licensing in which franchiser sells the intangible property and provide business assistance to the franchisee. The best example for a firm using franchising strategy is McDonalds.   By using this a firm can build up a global operation quickly at a low cost and risk.  Ã‚   Exporting Most of the firms begin their internationalization as an exporter. Exporting reduces the costs of establishing manufacturing operation in the host country. By manufacturing the product in a centralised location and exporting it to world market; the firm may get the picture of substantial scale economies from its global sales volume. Turnkey Projects This is a means of exporting process technology to foreign countries. Under turnkey project, for a foreign client the contractor designs, construct the whole manufacturing unit and also train the operating personnel. After completing the contract, the contractor hands over the key to a plant that is ready for full operation hence this approach is called turnkey. Turnkey projects are common in chemical, petroleum refining and metal refining industries, all of which require costly, complex production techniques. Conclusion Abstaining national trade barriers and advancement in communication, information, and transportation technologies are the main factors which influence the trend towards internationalization. These changes have enabled firms to operate worldwide and emerged different nations market into a single global market. The advantages of the growing global economy should be utilised for the welfare of the people all over the world. BIBLIOGRAPHY Buckley, P.J. and Ghauri, P. 1993. A Theory of International operations: The Internationalization of the firm-A Reader, pp 45-50. Elkahal, S. 1994. The Internationalization of trade: Introduction to International Business, pp. 65-70. Hill, C.W.L. 2000. Entry strategy and strategic alliance: International business-competing in the Global Marketplace, pp. 426-448.

Secretors And Non Secretors In Human Population Antigens Biology Essay

Secretors And Non Secretors In Human Population Antigens Biology Essay Human population can be categorized into secretors and non-secretors based on A, B and H antigen on basis of presence or absence of these blood group antigens in the body fluids and secretions, such as saliva, sweat, tears, semen, serum, mucus present in the digestive tract or respiratory cavities etc. Secretors are individuals that secrete blood group antigens in their body fluids while non-secretors are the individuals that do not secrete them in their body fluids and secretions. It is a known fact that ABO blood type is controlled by blood type coding genes present on the chromosome 9q34 but the secretor status of an individual is decided by interaction of a separate gene (called secreting gene) with these blood type genes. The presence of the secreting gene in a persons genome makes him a secretor and absence makes him a non secretor. The gene is designated as (Se) for Secretors and (se) for Non-secretors and it is entirely independent of the blood type A, B, AB or O. The individuals secreting antigens in the body fluid are designated as ABH secretors in blood banks. Individuals having O blood group secrete antigen H, A blood group secrete A and H antigens, B blood group secrete B and H antigens in the fluids. A secretor gene helps a person to gain a degree of protection against different environmental conditions especially the micro flora of a particular environment and also the lectins present in them. It helps them in promoting the growth of friendly, stable blood type intestinal bacterial ecosystem which depends on the blood type antigens present in the mucus of an individual. Secretor status does modify carbohydrates in the fluids present in the body and their secretions and it also affects and influences the attachment and persistence of the micro flora present in the body. Secretors are at a higher advantage than non-secretors. Non-secretors have a potential health disadvantage. They possess many metabolic traits such as carbohydrate intolerance, immune susceptibilities. Different tests are available for determining an individuals secretor status. Most common test uses saliva or other body fluids of an individual for testing the secretor status. These tests are based on the principl e of Agglutination Inhibition where the antigens are neutralized by the corresponding antibodies so that these antibodies will not be further be available to neutralize or agglutinate the same antigens residing on the red blood cells. ELISA could also be used for determining the presence of the secreted Lewis antigens in the saliva or other body fluids. Statistics 1 Place Population Tested % Secretor Frequency % Non-Secretor Frequency New York Negroes 178 61.2 0.38 38.8 0.62 Copenhagen Danes 263 74.0 0.49 26.0 0.51 Japan Japanese 424 75.7 0.51 24.3 0.49 Berlin Germans 363 78.0 0.53 22.0 0.47 Poland Poles 88 79.4 0.54 21.6 0.46 New York Whites 74 82.4 0.58 17.6 0.42 Helsinki Finns 196 86.3 0.63 13.7 0.37 New Mexico American Indians 69 98.5 0.88 1.5 0.12 Utah American Indians 79 100.0 1.00 0 0 The alleles Se and se differ in the frequency and have an anthropological value. They occur in different frequency in different populations. They have a high frequency in the American Indiana and a low frequency in the southern Indians. In US 20% of the population is secretors whereas 80% of the population consist of non-secretors. The fusion allele of the FUT2 (secretor type alpha(1,2)-fucosyltransferase) gene at a high frequency and a new se385 allele in a Korean population SECRETOR AND NON-SECRETOR A person secreting blood group antigens into the body fluids and other secretions like saliva, semen, tear, mucous in the digestive tract and respiratory cavities are named as secretors. In similar terms they put their blood type antigens in the body fluids. They secrete antigens according to their blood type, A secrete antigen A and H, B secret antigen B and H, O secrete antigen O and AB secrete A, B and H antigen. Secretors expresses Lewis b (Leb) antigens on the RBC where as non-secretor expresses Lewis a (Le a) on their RBC.These antigens in the body fluids give additional protection to the individual against the various microorganisms and the lectins present all around us. 15- 20% of the population consists of non-secretor. These individual fail to secrete the blood group antigens in their body fluids hence they become susceptible to bacterial and superficial yeast infections. A large no of them sometimes also suffer from the autoimmune disorder. This could also be correlated with the secretor and non-secretor phenotype. The body secretions of secretors and non-secretors differ quantitatively and also qualitatively. The type and quantity of the antigens present in it differ among different individuals. In some cases the non-secretors may contain the A and B antigens in the saliva but the quantity is less and even quality is very low hence they have similar functional problem. There are certain properties which are specific for secretors and differ in non-secretors. Some are listed below: Intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity ABH secretor correlates the activity of alkaline phosphatase and serum alkaline phosphatase present in the intestine. Non-secretors have low activity of alkaline phosphatase and serum alkaline phosphatase which is responsible for the breakdown of fat and assimilate calcium.2-5 Low molecular weight alkaline is present in both secretors and non-secretors and high molecular weight alkaline phosphatase is present only is secretors.6 Bacterial flora The ABH blood types influence the population of bacteria residing in the local vicinity of the gut mucin glycoproteins. Bacteria produce enzymes that have the capability to degrade the end sugar of A, B, and H blood antigens and which are consumed as food by them. The B antigen degrading bacteria produce enzyme to remove the end alpha-D-galactose and A antigen degrading bacteria produce enzyme to detach N-acetylgalactosamine which are used as a source of food by them.7,8 Blood clotting The secretor and the ABO genetics influence each other and effect upto 60% of the vWf concentration variation in plasma. Raised levels of factor VIII and vWf may cause thrombotic and heart disease in future. Secretors have the slowest clotting time, thinnest blood, least tendency of platelet aggregation, low amount of factor VIII and von Willebrand factor (vWf).9,10 The non-secretors have highest clotting time, thick blood, high amount of factor VIII and von Willebrand factor (vWf) and low bleeding time. The blood viscosity is also influenced by the secretor status of that individual. Phenotype Lewis Characteristics of Clotting Le (a- b-)  Ã‚  maximum action of factor VIII and vWf Very Low bleeding times (seen in A, B and AB) Le (a+ b-) intermediary action Low bleeding times (seen in O) Le (a- b+) minimum action of factor VIII and vWf Very Long bleeding times (seen in O) Blood Type Lewis and Factors effect Blood Clotting Immunoglobulin Variations ABH non-secretors express low concentration of IgG immunoglobulin.11,12 The secretion of varying concentration of diverse constituents of the blood group is controlled by the secretor gene and it also affects the phagocytic activity of the leucocytes which provides an added advantage to the non-secretors. The leucocytes of the non-secretors possess a greater ingestion power when compared to the secretors. The O and B blood group non-secretors have the highest phagocytic activity.13 The presence of different concentration of anti-I in the an individuals serum is affected by the ABO group, secretor status and sex of the individual. The secretors females have a high level of anti-I in the serum as compared to the males.14 The non-secretor have low levels of IgA and IgG antibodies and hence have frequent problems with the heart valve. Genetics and Biochemical pathways The secretion of the blood group antigens in the body fluids and other secretions are genetically influenced by certain allelomorphic genes. Secretor gene contains two alleles (Se) and (se). The dominant gene (Se) is present in the homozygous or heterozygous condition in the secretors which lead to the secretion of antigens into the body fluids. (se) is recessive allele and is present in non-secretors in the homozygous condition. SeSe and seSe produces a dominant secretor phenotype and sese produces a recessive non-secretor phenotype. Basically three genes are responsible for the formation of the A and B antigens. They are namely ABO, Hh, and Sese genes encoding glycosyltransferases which produces the A and B antigens. H antigen present in the individual with O blood group is the precursor for the formation of A and B antigens. H antigen acts as a backbone for A and B antigens. The O gene is considered as amorphic. The allele Hh and Sese reside on each locus and are closely linked together. It is also suggested that one of the allele has arisen by the gene duplication of the other. The second allele on the same locus is really rare. The product related to this allele hasnt been discovered yet and hence it is considered as amorph. The oligosaccharide responsible for the formation of the A and B antigen can exist in a simple linear fashion or a complex branched fashion. Infants A, B and H antigens contain high amount of linear chained oligosaccharide whereas oligosaccharides present in an adult contain high amount of branched chained oligosaccharides.15 The A and B antigen is synthesized from a common intermediate known as substance H. The conversion is carried out by the addition of a sugar molecule to the non reducing end of the H oligosaccharide chains. This addition affects the reactivity of H antigen.16,17 The ABH substances are secreted in the Urinary respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract by mucous glands residing there. The secretor gene regulates the synthesis of blood group antigens in the glands of small intestinal mucosa. The secretors and non-secretors produce A and B substances which are basically glycoproteins in pylorus and Brunners glands and produce A and B substances those are soluble in alcohol and glycosphingolipids in nature.18,19,20 The secretors also produce ABH substances in the prostate and lactating mammary glands.20 The secretion of breast is rich in H substance but poor in substance A and virtually absent in substance B. The synthesis of these constituents in the pancreas and secretory cells of sweat gland is not controlled by the secretor gene.21 The blood groups substances were also found in the calyxes and collecting tubules of the secretors (Se) but it could not be concluded that whether they are produced by the kidneys or are generally excreted. These secretions were noticed in the eight to nine weeks old salivary glands and stomach and later it appears throughout the gastrointestinal tract.19,22 Glycosphingolipids carrying the A or B oligosaccharides are present on the membranes of RBCs, epithelial and endothelial cells and are also present in the plasma in the soluble form. The glycoproteins carrying the similar A and B oligosaccharides are responsible for their activity in the body fluids. In the body fluids they are present in the secreted form. The A and B oligosaccharides which do not contain the carrier proteins are present in the milk and urine. The chromosome 19 contains FUT 1 and FUT 2 genes which code for fucosyltransferase.23 FUT genes numbered from 1-7 and form clusters which are responsible for the production of enzymes called as fucosyltranferases. The cluster is located on chromosome 19q13.3. Fucosyltranferase helps in the formation of fucose moiety which is added to the H antigen and further gylcosylate the A or/and B antigens.24,25 H antigen is a basic blood group antigen present in each and every human being but the content varies in different individuals of the same ABO group. A general pattern indicates that its strength varies as O>A2>A2B>B>A1>A1B. Water soluble H antigen has been demonstrated in the saliva and the body fluids of the individuals. H antigens are fucose containing glycan units which are present on the glycolipids or glycoproteins residing on the erythrocytes membrane or in the secretions. The fucosylatedglycans are the substrate for the enzyme glycosytransferases that are responsible for the formation of the Lewis and A, B blood group antigen epitopes. Secretors contain both the alleles whereas non secretor contains the null allele for FUT2 gene. The FUT 2 gene codes for fucosyltranferaseenzyme in the exocrine tissues which lead to formation of antigens in the body secretions and body fluids. The A and B genes produce glycosyltranferase that add sugar to oligosaccharide chains that is converted to H antigen. The H antigen are constructed on the oligosaccharide chain. The oligosaccharide chains could be of two type: Type 1 and type 2.15 The glycosphingolipids present in the plasma and on the membranes of glandular and parenchymal cells and glycoproteins present on the cell surfaces or body fluids carry either the type 1 or type 2 chains. The glycolipids antigens present on the RBC contain type 2 chains. A gene encodes N-acetyl-galactosaminyl-transferase and B gene-encodes galactosaminyl-transferase and add   GalNAc   and  Gal   in alpha (1-3) linkages which is acts on the H gene transferase. The H gene produces fucosyltransferase that add fucose to the terminal Galactose molecule of type 2 chain. It forms an alpha (1-2) linkage. A and B antigens are constructed when the A and B transferases attach respective sugars to the type 1 or type 2 chain substituted with Fucose.26 The secretor gene FUT2 located at 19q13.3 and codes for the activity of the glycosyltransferasesin concert with the FUT1 gene coding for H antigen, needed to assemble both the ABO and Lewis blood group and are active in mucous gland and goblet cells which interact with each other and lead to secretions of antigens in the fluids. The expression patterns of both the genes are different. The FUT1 (H) gene is dominantly expressed in the erythroid tissues which lead to the formation of the H enzyme whereas the FUT2 (secretor) gene is expressed in the secretory tissues and lead to the formation of secretor enzyme. The product of the H enzyme or H gene resides on the erythrocytes and product of secretor gene resides on mucins in secretions. If an individual lack these alleles, he/she will not be able to express the above active enzymes therefore they would be deficient of the substrates which are required by the A or B glycosyltransferases. Therefore they would not express the A and B epitopes. Correlation between Lewis Phenotype and ABH Secretor status The Lewis typing also helps in finding the ABH secretor status. The production of Lewis antigens is genetically controlled. Individuals possessing the Lewis (Le) gene would produce the Lewis antigens which are carried in the plasma by different substances and are absorbed onto the Red blood Cells present in ones blood. The ABO determinants and H/h blood groups factors seem to show structurally corelation to Lewis blood determinants. FUT1 provide the glycans for glycosyltransferases which convert Lewis antigen to ABH antigens. FUT2 allele is expressed in the secretor and is responsible for the expression of type1 H determinant. The secretors convert their Lewis a antigen to Lewis b therefore they are (a-b+) and the non-secretor are (a+b-) as they lack the FUT2 responsible for glycosyltransferase which could convert Lewis a antigen to Lewis b antigen. Lewis (Le) gene and Secreting (Se) gene interact with each other. Initially Lewisais formed and if Se gene is absent in an individual the Lewisa substance is absorbed on the RBC and the individual is typed as Lewisa but in secretors the Se gene controls the activation of the H gene which causes addition of an additional sugar to Lewisa which convert it to Lewisb. Secretors contain both Lewisa and Lewisb in their plasma but absorb Lewisb preferentially on the red blood cells and the individual is typed as Lewisb. Hence we could interpret that presence of Lewis gene would type an individual as Lewisa positive or Lewisb negative or vice versa. An individual could not be positive for both. A person containing both Lewis gene and Secreting gene are typed as Lewisa negative and Lewisb positive whereas a person having the Lewis gene but not the secretor gene is typed as Lewisa positive and Lewisb negative. Individual who does not have Lewis gene regardless of secretor gene is typed as Lewisa negative and Lewisb negative.27,28 Note: Lewis Double Negative (LDN) is a sub type of non secretors but Lewis typing cannot be used for them to determine the ABH secretor status. Detection methods29-31 The presence and absence of the antigens in the body fluids could be detected by Agglutination Inhibition and Lewis typing. Agglutination Inhibition test could be divided into two parts:- Part I Antibody Neutralization: To determining ones secretor status, the saliva of the individual is mixed by the antiserum (Anti-A, Anti-B or Anti-H) available commercially. In secretors the soluble substances i.e. blood group antigens will react with the antibodies present in the antiserum and will get neutralized. Part II Agglutination Inhibition: The bed blood cells obtained commercially are added to the test mixture. In secretors agglutination of the RBC do not take place as no free antibodies are available to agglutinate them. All the antibodies have reacted with the soluble antigens present in the saliva whereas in non-secretors agglutination would occur upon addition of the RBC as no blood group antigens are present in the saliva so antibodies present in the antiserum are not neutralized and hence would be free to react with the test RBC cells which are added to the test mixture. Hence agglutination is a negative test for secretor status and positive test for the non-secretor status. Note: Anti-H lectin containing phytohaemagglutinin virtually specific for human RBC. Thirteen Cucurbitaceaespecies have been investigated for the anti-H activity present in their seed lectins. Lectins has been extracted and purified from Ulexeuropaeus seeds. It could be used to demonstrate the H secretor status of blood group O individual and also for subgrouping the blood group A individuals. Lewis typing: Individuals carrying the Lewis gene produce Lewis antigens that are carried by the plasma and are also adsorbed on the red blood cells. Lewis antigens do not reside only on the red blood cells. Initially the gene gives rise to Lewisa. If Se gene is present it activates H gene which interact with the Lewisa and add a sugar to Lewisa and hence get converted it to Lewisb. Both Lewisa and Lewisb in present in the plasma of the secretors. If the Se gene is not present then the Lewisa substance is adsorbed on the red cells and individuals are typed as Lewisa. The secretor status of an individual could be determined with help of Lewisa and Lewisb antibodies mixed with an individuals saliva and observing the agglutination macroscopically. Disease Susceptibility among Secretors and Non-secretors Digestive system Non-secretors are more prone to the diseases caused by the oral bacteria in the digestive system of an individual. It includes ulcers, celiac diseases gastric carcinoma pernicious anemia etc. It could lead to dysplasia or increase in the number of cavities present in the digestive tract. Non-secretors are less resistant to the infection caused by Helicobacter pylori which could lead to the formation of peptic and duodenal ulcers.32,33 It could easily colonize and cause inflammation in the non-secretors.34 The non-secretors lack the blood group antigens in the mucus secretions therefore H.pylori attach to the walls of the digestive tract and cause infection. The secretors have a tendency to secrete free ABH antigens in their intestinal secretions which effect the bacterial and lectins adherence to the microvilli present in the gut. The secretors produce these antigens and prevent H.pylori attachment. These antigens act as a decoy in the secretors which prevent them from attaching with the host tissues. The non-secretors also show a lower IgG immune response to the H.pylori. They have extreme rate of bleeding and stomach ulcers but correlation between these complications and the secretor status have not been documented yet. The non-secretors are not able to turn off the digestive enzymes and hence they produce large amount of enzyme pepsin and hence are more prone to duodenal ulcers. 50% of the duodenal ulcers are present in non-secretors. 30-40% of group O individuals are affected by the duodenal ulcers and 15- 20 % are affected by the gastric ulcers. They show a high risk factor along with the gene coding for hyperpepsinogenemia I which impact in the risk of duodenal ulcers.35,36 Group A individuals have a higher tendency of having gastric cancer and pernicious anemia. Statistics shows that 20% of the group A individuals are affected by gastric cancers and 25% are affected by the pernicious anemia. Oral pathology The non-secretors are more prone to oral diseases like mouth and esophagus cancer, epithelial dysplasia etc. They have more cavities than secretors.37 Diabetes The ABH non-secretors and Lewis negative (Le a-b-) individuals have a high risk of developing insulin dependent diabetes or complications arising from diabetes.38,39 Secretors with juvenile diabetes have a low chance of developing retinopathy.40 The ABH non secretors which are affected by insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, they show mean levels of C3c and C4 is lower as compared to ABH secretors. Metabolic Syndrome X The Lewis negative men are predisposing to syndrome X and prothrombic metabolism. They have high levels of BMI, SBP, triglycerides and low levels of insulin in serum and plasma glucose while fasting. This relationship is not true for women and is only applicable for the men.41-43 Respiratory System   Secretors have an added protection against the harmful environmental assaults directed towards our lungs and as usual non-secretors have a health disadvantage. They are over represented among the people suffering from influenza viruses A and B, rhinoviruses, respiratory synsytial virus and echinoviruses.44 Secretors who are miners or smokers do receive a protection against the disastrous effects of the cigarette smoking. Asthma is very common among the individuals working in the coal mines. Upon research it was concluded that asthma among them is also related to the non-secretor phenotype present in them. The non-secretor has a tendency to snore and are more prone to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).45 Heart disease The ABH non-secretor phenotype have a high risk of developing myocardial infarction and Lewis negative individuals have a high risk of developing chronic heart disease (CHD) and also ischemic heart disease (IHD).46 They contain high levels of triglycerides.47 Alcoholism has a positive interaction with the Lewis negative individuals. Alcohol consumption is protective in these individuals.48,49 Autoimmune Disease   Autoimmune disorders such as Sjogrens syndrome, spondylitis, sclerosis, arthropathy, arthritis, and Graves disease are more prone in non-secretors.50-52 The ABH non-secretors affected with graves disease produces high levels of antitubulin antibodies as compared to secretors and are unable to produce the water soluble glycoproteins in the saliva.53 Fetal Loss and Infertility ABO antigens are also found on the sperm of the secretors.54 These are obtained from the seminal secretions present in them. ABO incompatibility could exist between the wife and husband if could affect the fertility of an individual.55,56 This issue has not been properly studied and is therefore under research. Rheumatic Fever The secretors and group O individuals are resistant to Rheumatic fever and more number of cases have been recorded in the non-secretors.57,58 Secretor status could also determine whether the rheumatic fever would be followed by streptococcal pharyngitis or not.59-61 Neisseria species The non-secretors who do not produce water soluble antigens in the saliva are at the risk of getting infected by Neisseria meningcococcal disease.62 The immune capabilities of the secretor provide a relative protection in the secretors. The ABH non-secretors produce low level of anti-meningococcal salivary IgM antibodies which provide protection to the secretors against the microorganism.63 Candida species Non-secretors are barriers of candida species and therefore are frequently affected by the candida infections. The glycocompounds secreted by secretors in the body fluids inhibit adhesins present on the yeast which are responsible for their adhesion with the body tissues.64-66 This leads to the development of the chronic hyperplastic Candidiasis. Statistics shows that 68% on the non-secretors are affected by chronic hyperplastic candidiasis.67 Non-secretor women are affected by recurrent idiopathic vulvovaginal Candidiasis. An individual with a combination of non-secretors and absence of Lewis gene are at relative risk of developing recurrent idiopathic vulvovaginal Candidiasis.68 Tumor Markers The individuals with homozygous active Le alleles (Le/Le) and inactive (se/se) alleles shows a highest mean value of CA19-9 tumor marker.69 The Lewis negative individuals irrespective of Se genotype have negative values for CA19-9. The Lewis negative individuals have higher mean value for DU PAN-2 as compared to Le-positive individuals.70 We can conclude that CA 19-9 marker is not an appropriate tumor marker for Le-negative individuals but DU-PAN-9 is an appropriate tumor marker.71 UTI Non-secretors show a higher risk of getting recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) and renal scars as compared to secretors. This susceptibility is higher among negative Lewis subset. Statistics of a study done on women affected with recurrent urinary tract infection stated that 29% of the non-secretor women were affected by UTI and 26% of Lewis (a-b-) women were affected by the UTI.72-74 The non-secretor phenotype and blood group B and AB phenotype work together to increase the risk of UTI among women. Women and children suffering from renal scarring with and without the antibiotic treatment for UTI are prone to UTI and pyelonephritis.75-77 55-60% of non-secretors develop renal scars and 16% on secretors develop renal scars.78 C-reactive protein levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and body temperature are higher in the non-secretors that in secretors with recurrent UTI.79 Conclusion It concludes that there exist a statistical association between the individuals blood-group secretor phenotype and the diseases they are susceptible to. So knowing your secretor status is advantageous as we can use the nutritional supplements more intelligently and effectively. It also makes us aware of the diseases, illness and metabolic dysfunction we are prone to, difference in the levels of intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity, propensities towards blood clotting, tumor markers and different ingredients of breast milk so that we can manage them before hand and would be prepared for them in the near future.

Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck Essay -- Chrysanthem

Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck "A symbol is an act, person, thing, or spectacle that stands for something else, by association a usually broader idea in addition to its own literal meaning" (Cassill & Bausch, 1728). John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" may seem as a story describing a simple day with the Allen couple. It begins with Elisa Allen working in her garden and her husband, Henry Allen, negotiating with two suited business men that want to purchase steers. They seem to engage in conversations and go about their day as they normally would do. By the time the story ends, they are on their way to dinner and a movie. At first glance, this story may seem as nothing special, just a day in the life of fairly happy couple attempting to enjoy their marriage. However, there is much more under the surface of what is written. The story has a relative amount of symbols which gives light on other details of the story. It is not until after looking at deeper meanings of some of the symbols that there can be a m ore comprehensive reading of the tale. If one takes a good look, one can notice that Henry is an uncommunicative husband, and Elisa craves for more from the relationship, and her life. The lack of passion between Elisa and her husband leads her to use her flowers, the chrysanthemums, and other household tasks as an outlet for the attention that she longs for. Elisa, like many other women, is limited by society's view on women's position in the home. A more clear example of how Elisa feels can be better explained by Steinbeck's description of the where Elisa and Henry live. "The high gray-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On e... ...but romantic. That simple gesture is enough to sustain Elisa for the present time. She probably also realizes that the wine is the most she will get out of Henry for a long time. All of this insight and analysis of the meaning behind Elisa's chrysanthemums is what opens up the undisclosed doors of this story. If one did not look further into the story, it would seem as if the author was providing a bunch of unnecessary pieces of information about a specific day in the life of Elisa Allen. The chrysanthemums, being the key to the story, give a more in-depth understanding of this woman's life and her struggles that would otherwise not be acknowledged. Works Cited: Steinbeck, John. ?The Chrysanthemums.? Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 2nd Compact ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003. 359-366

Vanadyl Sulfate: Could it be a wonder drug for the future? :: Sports Medicine Health Essays

Vanadyl Sulfate: A Wonder Drug For The Future? Introduction In the competitive world of sports, athletes are always trying to get an edge. When practice is not enough, many athletes try to change their diets to gain an advantage over the competition. To make more educated decisions about what they eat, many athletes look closely at what happens to food once it enters their bodies. From studying the gastrointestinal and endocrine systems, athletes and researchers have learned to appreciate the role of insulin in athletic performance. In order to enhance performance, researchers have developed a product called vanadyl sulfate, which supposedly mimics the effects of insulin. While its effectiveness as a workout supplement is still in question, vanadyl sulfate also has promise as a possible alternative treatment for diabetes. The Insulin Theory To properly comprehend the importance of insulin and the rational behind wanting to increase it artificially, one must first understand the process of sugar metabolism. Sugar metabolism is the process by which the body converts food into energy that can be used by muscle cells. (http://encarta.msn.com/find/default.asp) The process begins when enzymes break down food into glucose, a simple six carbon sugar that can be easily absorbed in the intestine. From there, the hormone insulin plays several important roles. It is obvious that the cells that make up a person need energy to survive and function. Insulin is crucial in the delivery of energy to cells. In the body, glucose is the standard form of energy after digestion. Unfortunately, glucose's size and structure make it hard for the molecule to pass through the outer membranes of many of the body's cells. Insulin helps to fix this problem. Specifically, insulin bonds with the outer membrane of cells to increase permeability. This enables glucose to pass through the cell membrane more easily and gives the cell access to more energy. Without insulin, it is extremely difficult for glucose in the blood to be used by the body's cells as energy. Conversely, an abundance of insulin increases the rate at which glucose is used by the cells and therefore lowers the amount of glucose left in the bloodstream (Guyton, Hall, 972). In addition to helping to provide the cell with energy, insulin can also help the cell in other ways.

Part Three Chapter V

V Ruth stood alone in her lamp-lit sitting room, continuing to grip the telephone she had just replaced in its cradle. Hilltop House was small and compact. It was always easy to tell the location of each of the four Prices, because voices, footfalls and the sounds of doors opening and shutting carried so effectively in the old house. Ruth knew that her husband was still in the shower, because she could hear the hot water boiler under the stairs hissing and clanking. She had waited for Simon to turn on the water before telephoning Shirley, worried that he might think that even her request about the EpiPen was fraternizing with the enemy. The family PC was set up in a corner of the sitting room, where Simon could keep an eye on it, and make sure nobody was running up large bills behind his back. Ruth relinquished her grip on the phone and hurried to the keyboard. It seemed to take a very long time to bring up the Pagford Council website. Ruth pushed her reading glasses up her nose with a trembling hand as she scanned the various pages. At last she found the message board. Her husband's name blazed out at her, in ghastly black and white: Simon Price Unfit to Stand for Council. She double-clicked the title, brought up the full paragraph and read it. Everything around her seemed to reel and spin. ‘Oh God,' she whispered. The boiler had stopped clanking. Simon would be putting on the pyjamas he had warmed on the radiator. He had already drawn the sitting-room curtains, turned on the side lamps and lit the wood-burner, so that he could come down and stretch out on the sofa to watch the news. Ruth knew that she would have to tell him. Not doing so, letting him find out for himself, was simply not an option; she would have been incapable of keeping it to herself. She felt terrified and guilty, though she did not know why. She heard him jogging down the stairs and then he appeared at the door in his blue brushed-cotton pyjamas. ‘Si,' she whispered. ‘What's the matter?' he said, immediately irritated. He knew that something had happened; that his luxurious programme of sofa, fire and news was about to be disarranged. She pointed at the computer monitor, one hand pressed foolishly over her mouth, like a little girl. Her terror infected him. He strode to the PC and scowled down at the screen. He was not a quick reader. He read every word, every line, painstakingly, carefully. When he had finished, he remained quite still, passing for review, in his mind, all the likely grasses. He thought of the gum-chewing forklift driver, whom he had left stranded in the Fields when they had picked up the new computer. He thought of Jim and Tommy, who did the cash-in-hand jobs on the sly with him. Someone from work must have talked. Rage and fear collided inside him and set off a combustive reaction. He strode to the foot of the stairs and shouted, ‘You two! Get down here NOW!' Ruth still had her hand over her mouth. He had a sadistic urge to slap her hand away, to tell her to fucking pull herself together, it was he who was in the shit. Andrew entered the room first with Paul behind him. Andrew saw the arms of Pagford Parish Council onscreen, and his mother with her hand over her mouth. Walking barefoot across the old carpet, he had the sensation that he was plummeting through the air in a broken lift. ‘Someone,' said Simon, glaring at his sons, ‘has talked about things I've mentioned inside this house.' Paul had brought his chemistry exercise book downstairs with him; he was holding it like a hymnal. Andrew kept his gaze fixed on his father, trying to project an expression of mingled confusion and curiosity. ‘Who's told other people we've got a stolen computer?' asked Simon. ‘I haven't,' said Andrew. Paul stared at his father blankly, trying to process the question. Andrew willed his brother to speak. Why did he have to be so slow? ‘Well?' Simon snarled at Paul. ‘I don't think I – ‘ ‘You don't think? You don't think you told anyone?' ‘No, I don't think I told any – ‘ ‘Oh, this is interesting,' said Simon, pacing up and down in front of Paul. ‘This is interesting.' With a slap he sent Paul's exercise book flying out of his hands. ‘Try and think, dipshit,' he growled. ‘Try and fucking think. Did you tell anyone we've got a stolen computer?' ‘Not stolen,' said Paul. ‘I never told anyone – I don't think I told anyone we had a new one, even.' ‘I see,' said Simon. ‘So the news got out by magic then, did it?' He was pointing at the computer monitor. ‘Someone's fucking talked!' he yelled, ‘because it's on the fucking internet! And I'll be fucking lucky not – to – lose – my – job!' On each of the five last words he thumped Paul on the head with his fist. Paul cowered and ducked; black liquid trickled from his left nostril; he suffered nosebleeds several times a week. ‘And what about you?' Simon roared at his wife, who was still frozen beside the computer, her eyes wide behind her glasses, her hand clamped like a yashmak over her mouth. ‘Have you been fucking gossiping?' Ruth ungagged herself. ‘No, Si,' she whispered, ‘I mean, the only person I told we had a new computer was Shirley – and she'd never – ‘ You stupid woman, you stupid fucking woman, what did you have to tell him that for? ‘You did what?' asked Simon quietly. ‘I told Shirley,' whimpered Ruth. ‘I didn't say it was stolen, though, Si. I only said you were bringing it home – ‘ ‘Well, that's fucking it then, isn't it?' roared Simon; his voice became a scream. ‘Her fucking son's standing for election, of course she wants to get the fucking goods on me!' ‘But she's the one who told me, Si, just now, she wouldn't have – ‘ He ran at her and hit her in the face, exactly as he had wanted to when he had first seen her silly frightened expression; her glasses spun into the air and smashed against the bookcase; he hit her again and she crashed down onto the computer table she had bought so proudly with her first month's wages from South West General. Andrew had made himself a promise: he seemed to move in slow motion, and everything was cold and clammy and slightly unreal. ‘Don't hit her,' he said, forcing himself between his parents. ‘Don't – ‘ His lip split against his front tooth, Simon's knuckle behind it, and he fell backwards on top of his mother, who was draped over the keyboard; Simon threw another punch, which hit Andew's arms as he protected his face; Andrew was trying to get off his slumped, struggling mother, and Simon was in a frenzy, pummelling both of them wherever he could reach – ‘Don't you fucking dare tell me what to do – don't you dare, you cowardly little shit, you spotty streak of piss – ‘ Andrew dropped to his knees to get out of the way, and Simon kicked him in the ribs. Andrew heard Paul say pathetically, ‘Stop it!' Simon's foot swung for Andrew's ribcage again, but Andrew dodged it; Simon's toes collided with the brick fireplace and he was suddenly, absurdly, howling in pain. Andrew scrambled out of the way; Simon was gripping the end of his foot, hopping on the spot and swearing in a high-pitched voice; Ruth had collapsed into the swivel chair, sobbing into her hands. Andrew got to his feet; he could taste his own blood. ‘Anyone could have talked about that computer,' he panted, braced for further violence; he felt braver now that it had begun, now that the fight was really on; it was waiting that told on your nerves, watching Simon's jaw begin to jut, and hearing the urge for violence building in his voice. ‘You told us a security guard got beaten up. Anyone could have talked. It's not us – ‘ ‘Don't you – fucking little shit – I've broken my fucking toe!' Simon gasped, falling backwards into an armchair, still nursing his foot. He seemed to expect sympathy. Andrew imagined picking up a gun and shooting Simon in the face, watching his features blast apart, his brains spattering the room. ‘And Pauline's got her fucking period again!' Simon yelled at Paul, who was trying to contain the blood dripping through his fingers from his nose. ‘Get off the carpet! Get off the fucking carpet, you little pansy!' Paul scuttled out of the room. Andrew pressed the hem of his T-shirt to his stinging mouth. ‘What about all the cash-in-hand jobs?' Ruth sobbed, her cheek pink from his punch, tears dripping from her chin. Andrew hated to see her humiliated and pathetic like this; but he half hated her too for landing herself in it, when any idiot could have seen †¦ ‘It says about the cash-in-hand jobs. Shirley doesn't know about them, how could she? Someone at the printworks has put that on there. I told you, Si, I told you you shouldn't do those jobs, they've always worried the living daylights out of – ‘ ‘Fucking shut up, you whining cow, you didn't mind spending the money!' yelled Simon, his jaw jutting again; and Andrew wanted to roar at his mother to stay silent: she blabbed when any idiot could have told her she should keep quiet, and she kept quiet when she might have done good by speaking out; she never learned, she never saw any of it coming. Nobody spoke for a minute. Ruth dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffed intermittently. Simon clutched his toe, his jaw clenched, breathing loudly. Andrew licked the blood from his stinging lip, which he could feel swelling. ‘This'll cost me my fucking job,' said Simon, staring wild-eyed around the room, as if there might be somebody there he had forgotten to hit. ‘They're already talking about fucking redundancies. This'll be it. This'll – ‘ He slapped the lamp off the end table, but it didn't break, merely rolled on the floor. He picked it up, tugged the lead out of the wall socket, raised it over his head and threw it at Andrew, who dodged. ‘Who's fucking talked?' Simon yelled, as the lamp base broke apart on the wall. ‘Someone's fucking talked!' ‘It's some bastard at the printworks, isn't it?' Andrew shouted back; his lip was thick and throbbing; it felt like a tangerine segment. ‘D'you think we'd have – d'you think we don't know how to keep our mouths shut by now?' It was like trying to read a wild animal. He could see the muscles working in his father's jaw, but he could tell that Simon was considering Andrew's words. ‘When was that put on there?' he roared at Ruth. ‘Look at it! What's the date on it?' Still sobbing, she peered at the screen, needing to approach the tip of her nose within two inches of it, now that her glasses were broken. ‘The fifteenth,' she whispered. ‘Fifteenth †¦ Sunday,' said Simon. ‘Sunday, wasn't it?' Neither Andrew nor Ruth put him right. Andrew could not believe his luck; nor did he believe it would hold. ‘Sunday,' said Simon, ‘so anyone could've – my fucking toe,' he yelled, as he pulled himself up and limped exaggeratedly towards Ruth. ‘Get out of my way!' She hastened out of the chair and watched him read the paragraph through again. He kept snorting like an animal to clear his airways. Andrew thought that he might be able to garrotte his father as he sat there, if only there was a wire to hand. ‘Someone's got all this from work,' said Simon, as if he had just reached this conclusion, and had not heard his wife or son urging the hypothesis on him. He placed his hands on the keyboard and turned to Andrew. ‘How do I get rid of it?' ‘What?' ‘You do fucking computing! How do I get this off here?' ‘You can't get – you can't,' said Andrew. ‘You'd need to be the administrator.' ‘Make yourself the administrator, then,' said Simon, jumping up and pointing Andrew into the swivel chair. ‘I can't make myself the administrator,' said Andrew. He was afraid that Simon was working himself up into a second bout of violence. ‘You need to input the right user name and passwords.' ‘You're a real fucking waste of space, aren't you?' Simon shoved Andrew in the middle of his sternum as he limped past, knocking him back into the mantelpiece. ‘Pass me the phone!' Simon shouted at his wife, as he sat back down in the armchair. Ruth took the telephone and carried it the few feet to Simon. He ripped it out of her hands and punched in a number. Andrew and Ruth waited in silence as Simon called, first Jim, and then Tommy, the men with whom he had completed the after-hours jobs at the printworks. Simon's fury, his suspicion of his own accomplices, was funnelled down the telephone in curt short sentences full of swearwords. Paul had not returned. Perhaps he was still trying to staunch his bleeding nose, but more likely he was too scared. Andrew thought his brother unwise. It was safest to leave only after Simon had given you permission. His calls completed, Simon held out the telephone to Ruth without speaking; she took it and hurried it back into its stand. Simon sat thinking while his fractured toe pulsated, sweating in the heat of the wood-burner, awash with impotent fury. The beating to which he had subjected his wife and son was nothing, he did not give them a thought; a terrible thing had just happened to him, and naturally his rage had exploded on those nearest him; that was how life worked. In any case, Ruth, the silly bitch, had admitted to telling Shirley †¦ Simon was building his own chain of evidence, as he thought things must have happened. Some fucker (and he suspected that gum-chewing forklift driver, whose expression, as Simon had sped away from him in the Fields, had been outraged) talking about him to the Mollisons (somehow, illogically, Ruth's admission that she had mentioned the computer to Shirley made this seem more likely), and they (the Mollisons, the establishment, the smooth and the snide, guarding their access to power) had put up this message on their website (Shirley, the old cow, managed the site, which set the seal on the theory). ‘It's your fucking friend,' Simon told his wet-faced, trembling-lipped wife. ‘It's your fucking Shirley. She's done this. She's got some dirt on me to get me off her son's case. That's who it is.' ‘But Si – ‘ Shut up, shut up, you silly cow, thought Andrew. ‘Still on her side, are you?' roared Simon, making to stand again. ‘No!' squealed Ruth, and he sank back into the chair, glad to keep the weight off his pounding foot. The Harcourt-Walsh management would not be happy about those after-hours jobs, Simon thought. He wouldn't put it past the bloody police to come nosing around the computer. A desire for urgent action filled him. ‘You,' he said, pointing at Andrew. ‘Unplug that computer. All of it, the leads and everything. You're coming with me.'