Saturday, August 31, 2019

Patriots vs. Loyalists: Impacts on the outcome of the American Revolution

The American Revolutionary War, from 1775 to 1783, was predominantly fought between two groups of people – the Patriots and the Loyalists. In general, both the Patriots and Loyalists were culturally identical, such as speaking the same language, wearing the same clothes, and going to the New World with the same goal – to seek a better life. Then why did the two groups fight against each other during the war? Initially, when the First Continental Congress met and protested against Great Britain’s rule, the colonists had no intention to become independent from the crown but only wanted their rights to be recognized.After the French and Indian War, British enforcement gradually became stricter through acts that were placed on the colonies, which eventually led to the recognition and division between the Patriots and Loyalists. Those who favored the idea of independence and wanted to be free from British rule were known as the Patriots, whereas those who supported th e British and remained loyal to the crown were known as the Loyalists.Overall, the different characteristics that made up the Patriots and Loyalists, the individual support towards their respective sides of the war, and each of their motivations and beliefs greatly impacted the ultimate outcome of the Revolution. Although the Patriots and Loyalists were culturally similar within the colonies, there were many additional characteristics that defined the differences between the two. The Patriots were generally wealthy, better educated, and merchants who didn’t rely on trade with England.They were capable of financially supporting themselves by having the â€Å"plantation owners trade [their produce] within the colonies and the merchants using smuggling among other countries besides Great Britain† (Beverly). Though the Patriots didn’t have to depend on the English to maintain their economy, they suffered greatly because Parliament enacted many indirect taxes, and th en later on creating direct taxes such as the Stamp Act, which were paid by the colonists. The colonists reacted with great fury and annoyance to this British action.In contrast, the Loyalists population usually consisted of government officials, those who had family residing in England, and were wealthier than the Patriots. Since they generally had more money, they were not highly affected by the British taxes imposed on them throughout the years, which the Patriots evidently suffered significantly. Likewise, the Loyalists didn’t have the same hatred towards the British than the Patriots had. This, in response, boosted the Patriots’ motive to fight which eventually helped them win the war.In addition to the different characteristics that made up the population of the Patriots and the Loyalists, each of their contributions to the war impacted the outcomes in a tremendous way. Without the support of the common patriotic â€Å"†¦ men and women in the colonies, such as farmers, lawyers, merchants, ministers, and shopkeepers, their struggle for independence would have failed† (Beverly). These people were the ones that supported the economy, kept it running, and provided supplies to the soldiers fighting in the war.The Loyalists also provided supplies such as armory, gunpowder, and food to the British soldiers and fought alongside with them. Though colonial Loyalists were able to fight alongside with British soldiers, they were only able to assist alongside the soldiers because the British often looked down upon the colonists. Moreover, in order to win the war, the Patriots were willing to â€Å"experience suffering, endurance and perseverance necessary for both the military and supporting civilians† (Dillon). If they were short of this â€Å"will†, it would have been extremely difficult for them to achieve victory.Even though the features of each group and their support in the war effort were significant, the motivations and beliefs of the Patriots and Loyalists made the utmost impact on the outcome of the war. The Patriots were furious because they were forced to pay high taxes to support a government abroad that they had no part or say in, and paying higher taxes than some of the other British colonies to finance England’s wars with France (Allen). They believed the monarch was systematically unjust because they were being treated unfairly and were forced upon many things without their own consent.However, the Loyalists also had their own beliefs because they thought cutting all ties with their â€Å"mother country† will lead to a democratic society led by the Patriots, who were –in their eyes- violent, immoral, and not suitable to make political decisions. The Loyalists believed that without England’s protection, the colonies might not be able to militarily defend themselves and other nations will eventually invade them and take over, if they don’t prevent the Patr iots from losing. Nevertheless, the Patriots had something the Loyalists did not, determination and the drive to keep on fighting until they had reached their goal – freedom.On top of the resentment the Patriots felt, they had a strong ambition to fight until the last soldier standing died, unlike the Loyalists, who were primarily set out to collect money for the king and only determined by greed. It can be argued that the only reason why the Patriots had won the war was because they had aid from the French towards the end of the war. However, this is false because the Patriots had great morale as a whole and unlimited determination to fight till the very end, and strong leaderships such as George Washington and John Adams to keep every individual motivated as they fought against the Loyalists.Therefore, it was not only the French’s help that led to the demise of British rule in the colonies. Ultimately, the Patriot’s victory in the American Revolution was great ly impacted by the Loyalist’s decision to maintain their loyalty and the Patriots’ desire for independence. The two groups differed in separate areas such as general characteristics as a whole, strategies in supporting the war effort, and beliefs to follow that subsequently led to the British’s failure.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 16

After that, things happened very fast, and at the same time with a dreamy slowness. Mary-Lynnette felt her arms grabbed from behind. Something was pulling her hands together-somethingstrong. Then she felt the bite of cord on her wrists, and she realized what was happening. Tied up-I'm going to be helpless-I've got todosomething fast†¦. She fought, trying to wrench herself away, trying to kick. But it was already too late. Her hands were secure behind her back-and some part of her mind noted distantly that no wonder people on cop shows yell when they're handcuffed. Ithurt. Her shoulders gave a shriek of agony as she was dragged backward up against a tree. â€Å"Stop fighting,† a voice snarled. A thick, distorted voice she didn't recognize. She tried to see who it was, but the tree was in the way. â€Å"If you relax itwon't hurt.† . Mary-Lynnette kept fighting, but it didn't make any difference. She could feel the deeply furrowedbark of the tree against her hands and back-and now she couldn't move. Oh, God, oh, God-1 can't get away. Iwas alreadyweak from what Ash and I did-and now I can't move at all. Then stop panicking andthink, her inner voice said fiercely. Use your brain instead of getting hysterical. Mary-Lynnette stopped struggling. She stood panting and tried to get control of her terror. â€Å"I told you. It only hurts when you fight. A lot of things are like that,† the voice said. Mary-Lynnette twisted her head and saw who it was. Her heart gave a sick lurch. She shouldn't havebeen surprised, but she was-surprised and infi nitely disappointed. â€Å"Oh, Jeremy,† she whispered. Except that it was a different Jeremy than the one she knew. His face was the same, his hair, his clothes-but there was something weird about him, something powerful and scary and †¦unknowable. His eyes were as inhuman and flat as a shark's. â€Å"I don't want to hurt you,† he said in that distorted stranger's voice. â€Å"I only tied you up because I didn't want you to interfere.† Mary-Lynnette's mind was registering different things in different layers. One part said, MyGod, he's trying to be friendly, and another part said, Tointerferewith what? and a third part just kept saying Ash. She looked at Ash. He was lyingverystill, andMary-Lynnette's wonderful new eyes that could seecolors in moonlight saw that his blond hair was slowly soaking with blood. On the ground beside himwas a club made of yew – made of the hard yellow sapwood. No wonder he was unconscious. But if he's bleeding he's not dead-oh, God, please,he can'tbe dead-Rowan said that only staking and burning kill vampires†¦. â€Å"I have to take dare of him,† Jeremy said. â€Å"And then I'll let you go, I promise. Once I explain everything, you'll understand.† Mary-Lynnette looked up from Ash to the strangerwith Jeremy's face. With a shock, she realized what he meant by â€Å"take care of.† Three words that were just part of life to a hunterto a werewolf. So now I know about werewolves. They're killers and I was right all along. I was right and Rowan was wrong. â€Å"It'll only take a minute,† Jeremy said-and hislips drew back. Mary-Lynnette's heart seemed to slam violently inside her chest. Because his lips went farther up than any human's lips could. She could see his gums, whitish-pink. And she could see why his voice didn't sound like Jeremy's-it was his teeth. White teeth in the moonlight. The teeth from herdream. Vampire teeth were nothing compared to this. The incisors at the front were made for cutting fleshfrom prey, the canines were two inches long, the teeth behind them looked designed for slicing and shearing. Mary-Lynnette suddenly remembered-somethingVic Kimble's father had said three years ago. He'd said that a wolf could snap off the tail of a full-grown cow clean as pruning shears. He'd been complaining that somebody had let a wolf-dog crossbreed looseand it was going after his cattle†¦. Except that of course it wasn't a crossbreed, Mary-Lynnette thought. It was Jeremy. I saw him everyday at school-and then he must have gone hometo look like this. Tohunt. Just now, as he stood over Ash with his teeth all exposed and his chest heaving, Jeremy looked completely, quietly insane. â€Å"But why?† Mary-Lynnette burst out.†Whydo youwant to hurt him?† Jeremy looked up-and she got another shock. His eyes were different. Before she'd seen them flash white in the darkness. Now they had no whites at all. They were brown with large liquid pupils. Theeyes of an animal. So it doesn't need to be a full moon, she thought. He can change anytime. â€Å"Don't you know?† he said. â€Å"Doesn't anybody understand?This ismy territory.† Oh.Oh †¦ So it was as simple as that. After all their brainstorming and arguing and detective work. In the end it was something as basic as an animal protectingits range. â€Å"For a hunting range, it is small,† Rowan had said. â€Å"They were taking my game,† Jeremy said. â€Å"My deer, my squirrels. They didn't have any right to dothat. I tried to make them leave-but they wouldn't.They stayed and they kept killing†¦.† He stopped talking-but a new sound came fromhim. It started out almost below the range of MaryLynnette's hearing-but the deep rumbling of itstruck some primal chord of terror in her. It was asuncanny and inhuman as the danger-hum of an at tacking swarm of bees. Growling. He was growling. And it wasreal.The snarling growl a dog makes that tells you to turn and run. The sound it makes before it springs at yourthroat†¦. â€Å"Jeremy!† Mary-Lynnette screamed. She threwherself forward, ignoring the white blaze of pain in her shoulders. But the cord held. She was jerked back. And Jeremy fell on Ash, lunging down, head darting forward like a striking snake, like a biting dog, like every animal that kills with its teeth. Mary-Lynnette heard someone screaming â€Å"No!†and only later realized that it was her. She was fight ing with the cord, and she could feel stinging and wetness at her wrists. But she couldn't get free andshe couldn't stop seeing what was happening in frontof her. And all the time that eerie, vicious growling that reverberated in Mary-Lynnette's own head and chest. That was when things went cold and dear. Some part of Mary-Lynnette that was stronger than the panic took over. It stepped back and looked at the entire scene by the roadside: the car, which was still burning, sending clouds of choking white smokewhenever the wind blew the right way; the limpfigure of Ash on the pine needles; the blur of snarling motion that was Jeremy. â€Å"Jeremy!† she said, and her throat hurt, but hervoice was calm-and commanding. â€Å"Jeremy-before you do that-don't you want me tounderstand? You said that was what you wanted. Jeremy,help me understand.† For a long second she thought in dismay that it wasn't going to work. That he couldn't even hear her. But then his head lifted. She saw his face; she saw the blood on his chin. Don't scream, don't scream, Mary-Lynnette toldherself frantically. Don't show any shock. You have to keep him talking, keep him away from Ash. Behind her back her hands were working automatically, as if trying to get out of ropes was something they'd always known how to do. The slick wetness actually helped. She could feel the cords slide a little. â€Å"Please help me understand,† she said again, breathless, but trying to hold Jeremy's eyes. â€Å"I'm your friend-you know that. We go back a long way.† Jeremy's whitish gums were streaked with red. He still had human features, but there was nothing at all human about that face. Now, though-slowly-his lips came down tocover his gums. He looked more like a person andless like an animal. And when he spoke, his voicewas distorted, but she could recognize it as Jere my's voice. â€Å"We do go back,† he said. â€Å"I've watched you sincewe were kids-and I've seen you watching me.† Mary-Lynnette nodded.She couldn'tgetany words out. â€Å"I always figured that someday, when we wereolder-maybe we'd be together. I thought maybe I could make you understand. About me. About everything. I thought you were the one person who might not be afraid†¦.† â€Å"I'm not,† Mary-Lynnette said, and hoped hervoice wasn't shaking too badly. She was saying it to a figure in a blood-spattered shirt crouching over a torn body like a beast still ready to attack. MaryLynnette didn't dare look at Ash to see how badly hewas hurt. She kept her eyes locked on Jeremy's. â€Å"And I think I can understand. You killed Mrs. Burdock, didn't you? Because she was on your territory.† â€Å"Nother; † Jeremy said, and his voice was sharpwith impatience. â€Å"She was just an old lady-she didn't hunt. I didn't mind having her in my range. Ieven did things for her, like fixing her fence andporch for free†¦. And that's when she told methey were coming. Those girls.† Just the way she told me, Mary-Lynnette thought, with dazed revelation. And he was there fixing the fence-of course. The way he does odd jobs for everybody. â€Å"I told her it wouldn't work.† Mary-Lynnette couldhear it again-the beginnings of a snarling growl. Jeremy was tense and trembling, and she could feel her self start to tremble, too. â€Å"Three more hunters in thislittle place †¦ I told her, but she wouldn't listen. She couldn't see. So then I lost my temper.† Don't look at Ash, don't call attention to him, Mary-Lynnette thought desperately. Jeremy's lips were drawing back again as if he needed something to attack. At the same time the distant part of hermind said, So that's why he used a picket=Ash was right;it was an impulse of the moment. â€Å"Well, anybody can lose their temper,† she said, and even though her voice cracked and there were tears in her eyes, Jeremy seemed to calm a little. â€Å"Afterward, I thought maybe it was for the best,† he said, sounding tired. â€Å"I thought when the girls found her, they'd know they had to leave. I waited for them to do it. I'm good at waiting.† He was staring past her, into the woods. Heart pounding, Mary-Lynnette grabbed the opportunity todart a look at Ash. Oh, God, he's not moving at all. And there's so muchblood†¦.I've never seen so much blood†¦. She twisted her wrists back and forth, trying to find some give in the cords. â€Å"I watched, but they didn't go away,† Jeremy said.Mary-Lynnette's eyes jerked back to him. â€Å"Instead youcame. I heard Mark talking to Jade in the garden. She said she'd decided she was going to like it here. And then †¦ I got mad. I made a noise and they heard me.† His face was changing. The flesh was actually moving in front of Mary-Lynnette's eyes. His cheekbones were broadening, his nose and mouth jutting. Hairwas creeping between his eyebrows, turning them into a straight bar. She couldsee individual coarse hairs sprouting, dark against pale skin. I'm going to be sick†¦. â€Å"What's wrong, Mary-Lynnette?† He got up and she saw that his body was changing, too. It was stilla human body, but it was too thin-stretched out.As if it were just long bones and sinews. â€Å"Nothing's wrong,† Mary-Lynnette got out in a whisper. She twisted violently at her cords-and felt one hand slide. That's it. Now keep him distracted, keep him moving away from Ash†¦. â€Å"Go on,† she said breathlessly. â€Å"What happenedthen?† â€Å"I knew I had to send them a message. I cameback the next night for the goat-but you were there again. You ran away from me into the shed.† Hemoved closer again and the moonlight caught his eyes-and reflected. The pupils shone greenish-orange. Mary-Lynnette could only stare. That shadow in the clearing-those eyes I saw. Nota coyote.Him.He was following us everywhere. The very thought made her skin creep. But there was another thought that was worsethe picture of him killing the goat. Doing it carefully, methodically-as a message. That was why he didn't eat the heart and liver,Mary-Lynnette realized. He didn't kill it for foodit wasn't a normal werewolf killing. And he's not a normal werewolf. He wasn't at all like what Rowan had described-a noble animal that hunted to eat. Instead he was †¦ a mad dog. Of all people,Ash had it right. Him and his jokes about rabies †¦ â€Å"You're so beautiful, you know,† Jeremy said suddenly. â€Å"I've always thought that. I love your hair.† He was right in her face. She could see the individual pores in his skin with coarse hairs growing out of them. And she couldsmellhim-the feral smell ofa zoo. He reached out to touch her hair, and his handhad dark, thick fingernails. Mary-Lynnette could feelher eyes getting wider. Say something †¦say some thing †¦ don't show you're afraid. â€Å"You knew how Mrs. Burdock's husband was killed,† she got out. â€Å"She told me a long time ago,† Jeremy said almost absently, still moving his fingers in her hair. He'd changed so much that his voice was getting hard to understand. â€Å"I used little sticks from my models †¦you know I make models. And a black iris forhim.Ash.† Jeremy said the name with pure hatred. â€Å"I saw him that day with his stupid T-shirt. The Black IrisClub . . . my uncle belonged to that once. Theytreated him like he was second-class.† His eyes were inches from Mary-Lynnette's; she felt the brush of a fingernail on her ear. Suddenlyshe had the strength to give a violent wrench behind her back-and one hand came free. She froze, afraid that Jeremy would notice. â€Å"I threw the goat on the porch and ran,† Jeremysaid, almost crooning the words as he petted MaryLynnette. â€Å"I knew you were all in there. I was somad-I killed that horse and I kept running. I smashed the gas station window. I was going to bum it downbut then I decided to wait.† Yes,and yes, and yes, Mary-Lynnette thought, even as she carefully worked her other wrist free,even as she stared into Jeremy's crazy eyes andsmelled his animal breath. Yes, of course it was youwe heard running away-and you didn't fall into the hole in the porch because you knew it was there, because you were fixing it. And yes, you were the one who smashed the window-who else would hate the gas station but somebody who worked there? 0Her fingers eased the cord off her other wrist. She felt a surge of fierce triumph-but she controlled her expression and clenched her hands, trying to thinkof what to do. He was so strong and so quick †¦ if she just threw herself at him, she wouldn't have a chance. â€Å"And today you all came to town together,† Jeremy said, finishing the story quietly, through a mouth so inhuman it was hard to believe it could speak English. â€Å"I heard the wayhe was talking toyou. I knew he wanted you-and he wanted to change you into one of them. I had to protect you from that.† Mary-Lynnette said almost steadily, â€Å"I knew youwanted to protect me. I could tell, Jeremy.† She was feeling over the furrowed hemlock bark behind her.How could she attack him when she didn't even have a stick for a weapon? And even if shehad,wood was no good. He wasn't a vampire. Jeremy stepped back. Relief washed over Mary-Lynnette-for one second. Then she saw with horror that he was plucking at his shirt, pulling it off. And underneath †¦there was no skin. Instead there was hair. A pelt that twitched and shivered in the night air. â€Å"I followed you here and I fixed your car so you couldn't leave,† Jeremy said. â€Å"I heard you say youwanted to be a vampire.† â€Å"Jeremy-that was justtalk†¦.† He went on as if she hadn't spoken. â€Å"But that was a mistake. Werewolves are much better. You'll understand when I show you. The moon looks so beautiful when you're a wolf.† Oh,Godand so that was what he meant by pro tecting her, by making her understand. He meant changing her into something like him. I need a weapon. Rowan had said silver was harmful to werewolves,so the old silver-bullet legend must be true. But she didn't haveasilver bullet. Or even a silver dagger †¦ A silver dagger†¦ a silverknife †¦ Behind Jeremy the station wagon was almost invisible in the clouds of smoke. And by now the smoke had the red glow of uncontrolled fire. It's too dangerous, Mary-Lynnette thought. It'sabout to go. I'd never make it in and out†¦. Jeremy was still talking, his voice savage now.†You won't miss the Night World. All their stupid restrictions-no killing humans, no hunting too often. Nobody tells me how to hunt. My uncle tried,but I took care of him-â€Å" Suddenly the creature-it wasn't really a personanymore-broke off and turned sharply. Mary-Lynnette saw its lips go back again, saw its teeth parted and ready to bite. In the same instant she sawwhy-Ash was moving. Sitting up, even though his throat was cut. Lookingaround dazedly. He saw Mary-Lynnette, and his eyes seemed to focus. Then he looked at the thing Jeremy had become. â€Å"You-get away from herl† he shouted in a voiceMary-Lynnette had never heard before. A voice filledwith deadly fury. Mary-Lynnette could see himchange position in a swift, graceful motion, gathering his muscles under him to jump But the werewolf jumped first. Springing like ananimal-except that Jeremy still had arms, and onehand went for the yew club. The club smashed sideways into Ash's head and knocked him flat. And then it fell, bouncing away on the carpet of needles. The werewolf didn't need it-it was baring itsteeth. It was going to tear Ash's throat out, like the horse, like the hiker †¦ Mary-Lynnette was running. Not toward Ash. She couldn't help him barehanded. She ran toward the car, into the clouds of choking smoke. Oh, God, it's hot. Please let me just get there†¦. She could feel the heat on her cheeks, on her arms. She remembered something from an elementary school safety class and dropped to her knees, scrambling and crawling where the air was cooler. And then she heard the sound behind her. The most eerie sound there is-a wolf howling. It knows what I'm doing. It's seen that knife everytime I pry off my gas cap. It's going to stop me†¦. She threw herself blindly into the smoke and heat,and reached the car. Orange flames were shooting crazily from the engine, and the door handle burnedher hand when she touched it. She fumbled, wrenching at it. Open,open†¦ The door swung out. Hot air blasted around her. If she'd been completely human she wouldn't havebeen able to stand it. But she'd exchanged blood withfour vampires in two days, and she wasn't completely human anymore. She wasn't Mary-Lynnette any more †¦but was she capable of killing? Flames were licking up beneath the dashboard. Shegroped over smoking vinyl and shoved a hand under the driver's seat. Find it! Find it! Her fingers touched metal-the knife. The silverfruit knife with the Victorian scrolling that she'd borrowed from Mrs. Burdock. It was very hot. Her handdosed on it, and she pulled it from under the seatand turned †¦ just as something came flying at her from behind. The turning was instinctive-she had to face whatwas attacking her. But what she would always know afterward was that she could have turned withoutpointing theknife at what was attacking her. There was a moment in which she could have slanted it backward or toward the ground or toward herself. And if she'd been the Mary-Lynnette of the old days,she might have done that. She didn't. The knife faced outward. Toward the shape jumping at her. And when the thing landed on top of her she felt impact in her wrist and all theway up her arm. The distant part of her mind said, It went in cleanlybetween the ribs†¦. And then everything was very confused. Mary-Lynnette felt teeth in her hair, snapping for her neck. She felt claws scratching at her, leaving welts on her arms. The thing attacking her was hairy and heavy and it wasn't a person or even a half-person. It was a large, snarling wolf. She was still holding the knife, but it was hard to keep her grip on it. It jerked around, twisting her wrist in an impossible direction. It was buried in the wolf's chest. For just an instant, as the thing pulled away, she got a good look at it. A beautiful animal. Sleek and handsome, but withcrazy eyes. It was trying to kill her with its last panting breath. Oh, God, you hate me, don't you? I've chosen Ashover you; I've hurt you with silver. And now you're dying. You must feel so betrayed†¦. Mary-Lynnette began to shake violently. She couldn't do this anymore. She let go of the knife and pushed and kicked at the wolf with her arms andlegs. Half scrambling and half scooting on her back, she managed to get a few feet away. The wolf stood silhouetted against a background of fire. She couldsee it gather itself for one last spring at her There was a very soft, contained poof. The entirecar lurched like something in agony-and then the fireball was everywhere. Mary-Lynnette cringed against the ground, halfblinded, but she had to watch. So that's what it looks like. A car going up inflames. Not the kind of big explosion you hear in the movies. Justa poof. And then just the fire, going up and up. The heat drove her away, still crawling, but she couldn't stop looking. Orange flames. That was allher station wagon was now. Orange flames shooting every which way out of a metal skeleton on tires. The wolf didn't come out of the flames. Mary-Lynnette sat up. Smoke was in her throat,and when she tried to yell â€Å"Jeremyl† it came out as a hoarse croak. The wolf still didn't come out. And no wonder, with a silver knife in its chest and fire all around it. Mary-Lynnette sat, arms wrapped around herself,and watched the car bum. He would have killed me. Like any good hunter. I had to defend myself, I had to save Ash. And thegirls †¦ he would have killed all of them. And thenhe'd have killed more people like that hiker†¦. He was crazy and completelyevil, because he'd do anything to get what he wanted. And she'd seen it from the beginning. Somethingunder that â€Å"nice guy† exterior-she'd seen it over and over, but she'd kept letting herself get convinced it wasn't there. She should have trusted her feelingsin the first place. When she'd realized that she'dsolved the mystery of Jeremy Lovett and that it wasn't a happy ending. She was shaking but she couldn't cry. The fire roared on. Tiny sparks showered upward. I don't care if it was justified. It wasn't like killingin my dream. It wasn't easy and it wasn't naturaland I'll never forget the way he looked at me†¦. Then she thought,Ash. She'd been so paralyzed she'd almost forgotten him. Now she turned around, almost too frightened to look. She made herself crawl over to where he was still lying. So much blood†¦ how can he be all right? But if he's dead †¦ if it's all been for nothing †¦ But Ash was breathing. And when she touched hisface, trying to find a clean place in the blood, he moved. He stirred, then he tried to sit up. â€Å"Stay there.† Jeremy's shirt and jeans were on the ground. Mary-Lynnette picked up the shirt and dabbed at Ash's neck. â€Å"Ash, keep still†¦.† He tried to sit up again. â€Å"Don't worry. I'll protectyou.† â€Å"Lie down,† Mary-Lynnette said. When he didn't, she pushed at him. â€Å"There's nothing to do. He's dead.† He sank back, eyes shutting. â€Å"Did I kill him?† Mary-Lynnette made a choked sound that wasn't exactly a laugh. She was trembling with relief-Ash could breathe and talk, and he even sounded like hisnormal fatuous self. She'd had no idea how good thatcould sound. And underneath the swabbing shirt she could see that his neck was already healing. Whathad been gashes were becoming flat pink scars. Vampire flesh was incredible. Ash swallowed. â€Å"You didn't answer my question.† â€Å"No. You didn't kill him. I did.† His eyes opened. They just looked at each other for a moment. And in that moment Mary-Lynnette knew they were both realizing a lot of things. Then Ash said, â€Å"I'm sorry,† and his voice had never been less fatuous. He pushed the shirt awayand sat up. â€Å"I'm so sorry.† She didn't know who reached first, but they were holding each other. And Mary-Lynnette was thinking about hunters and danger and laughing at death. About all the things it meant to really belong to the night. And about how she would never look in the mirror and see the same person she used to see. â€Å"At least it's over now,† Ash said. She could feel his arms around her, his warmth and solidity, his support. â€Å"There won't be any more killings. It's over.† It was, and so were a lot of other things. The first sob was hard to get out. So hard thatshe'd have thought there would be a pause beforethe next-but, no. There was no pause between that one and the next, or the next or the next. She cried for a long time. And the fire burned itself out and the sparks flew upward and Ash held her all the while.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

A Story Review from the 16th Century Essay

CHARACTERS: THE KING THE EARL OF CORNWALL SIR HUGH LACY, Earl of Lincoln. ROWLAND LACY, otherwise disguised as HANS, nephew of Sir Hugh Lacy ASKEW, another nephew of Sir Hugh Lacy SIR ROGER OATELEY, Lord Mayor of London. Master HAMMON, Master WARNER and Master SCOTT: Citizens of London. SIMON EYRE, the Shoemaker. ROGER, commonly called Hodge, a Journeyman of Simon Eyre FIRK, another journeyman of Simon Eyre RALPH, another Journeyman of Simon Eyre LOVELL, a courtier. DODGER, servant to The Earl of Lincoln A DUTCH SKIPPER. A BOY. ROSE, daughter of Sir Roger, the love interest of Rowland Lacy SYBIL, the maid of Rose MARGERY, wife of Simon Eyre JANE, wife of Ralph SETTING: London and Old Ford, England, as it happened in the 16th century PLOT DEVELOPMENT: With the different sub-plots evolving in The Shoemaker’s Holiday, the central plot is about the desperate love between Rowland Lacy and Rose Oateley.     And they defied the odds:   Rowland did not obey his uncle the Earl of Lincoln to go to war and Rose rejected the arranged marriage with Master Hammon, who is of wealth and nobility from London.     Sir Roger thought Rowland went to war.   Instead, Rowland apparently went to study shoemaking in Germany. He eventually went back to London; disguised himself as Hans a Dutch shoemaker and worked for Simon Eyre, a shoe shop owner and a real shoemaker.   Rowland and Rose went through the maze of re-discovering each other; plotting ways and means to be secretly married; and surmounting the ire and the vehemence of their respectively opposing families.   With the backdrop of the rise of Simon Eyre from being a simple man to achieving success and wealth, such paved the way for eventual happy conclusion of the fulfillment of the love of Rowland and Rose. SYMBOLISM: The Shoemaker’s Holiday generally illustrated basic features of the paradoxes in life:   unrequited love vis-à  -vis the determination to achieve its fulfillment; difference in social standing vis-à  -vis sustaining integrity of an individual inspite of any variance; applying duplicity and deceit to achieve a noble objective; how success can come and test humanness. In analyzing the various plots of The Shoemaker’s Holiday, Conover (1969) said:   â€Å"Achievement, promotion, advancement of all kinds are pictured in the play. For several of the characters in the play Simon Eyre is instrumental to success. The shoemakers, too, rise up the social scale – and Eyre tells them that opportunity is open to all.   Simon Eyre is, of course, the central example of the opportunities for success.   As he rises from shoemaker to Alderman, rich man, Sheriff, and Lord Mayor†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.[though the] â€Å"main plot has to do with the love of young Lacy and the mayor’s daughter†, most critics consider the Eyre action to be central in the play.† With such positive characteristic of the play, it is interesting to note that the author Thomas Dekker conversely led a nearly unknown life of deprivation.   He was constantly in debt and was in and out of prison for his inability to meet his obligations. As reviewed by The Harvard Classics:   â€Å"The play is full of an atmosphere of pleasant mirth, varied with characteristic touches of pathos; and it contains in the figure of Simon Eyre a creation of marked individuality and hilarious humor. It is striking that the most high-spirited picture of London life in the time of Elizabeth should come from the pen of the author who seems to have been more hardly treated by fortune than any of his contemporaries.†Ã‚   (Eliot, 1909) Indeed the tenor of the story is honest and realistic.   All the struggles that came by have been met with acceptance and resolve:   to surpass and emerge as victorious.   The need to bridge differences and misunderstanding were sought.   The overall intention of the theme of the story is allowing the truth of love and dignity of individuality its own due course. In a review of the Early Modern Theatre of the Theatre Studies Department of Duke University, it was noted that:   â€Å"Fantasy and reality blur, giving the plot a surreal quality that would be appealing as a holiday play: wishes come true and hopes are fulfilled.   However, realities do not completely disappear in this drama, ‘they keep returning, unexpectedly, to interrupt, trouble, and question any easy reading that would entertain by way of ignorance or innocence the real cost of social mobility and fluidity that is necessary in a class-ridden society’†¦..Thomas Dekker wrote a drama for the citizens of London, and incorporated social issues and ideas that citizens would be interested in.† (Duke University, undated) HOW THE STORY REFLECTED THE ASPECTS OF THE 16TH CENTURY† It has been described that:   â€Å"Literary development in the earlier part of the 16th century was weakened by the diversion of intellectual energies to the polemics of the religious struggle †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The English part in the European movement known as humanism also belongs to this time. Humanism encouraged greater care in the study of the literature of classical antiquity and reformed education in such a way as to make literary expression of paramount importance for the cultured person. Literary style, in part modeled on that of the ancients, soon became a self-conscious preoccupation of English poets and prose writers. Thus, the richness and metaphorical profusion of style at the end of the century indirectly owed much to the educational force of this movement. The most immediate effect of humanism lay, however, in the dissemination of the cultivated, clear, and sensible attitude of its classically educated adherents, who rejected medieval theological misteaching and superstition.   The school of thought known as humanism, promoted the revival of Greek and Roman artistic and philosophical models that celebrated the worth of the individual.† (MSN Encarta, 2007). Because of a re-invention of the literary style at that time, the common pursuits for greatness and distinctiveness surfaced amongst the writers of that time.   â€Å"The Elizabethan Era is the period associated with the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603) and is often considered to be a golden age in English history. It was the height of the English Renaissance, and saw the flowering of English literature and poetry. This was also the time during which Elizabethan theatre flourished and William Shakespeare, among others, composed plays that broke away from England’s past style of plays and theatre.† (Elizabethan Era, http://www.answers.com/topic/elizabethan-era) With such overall characteristics that prevailed during the 16th century, the aura of prosperity and practical domination and excellence in every aspect of life is exemplified in The Shoemaker’s Holiday.  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"London in the 16th century underwent a transformation. Its population grew 400% during the 1500s, swelling to nearly 200,000 people in the city proper and outlying region by the time an immigrant from Stratford came to town. A rising merchant middle class carved out a productive livelihood, and the economy boomed.†Ã‚   (Shakespeare Resource Center, 2008) The Shoemaker’s Holiday indeed encapsulated everything that is real and positive abounding in that period where new leaps in perspective about life and identity emerged. References: 16th Century Literary History.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://classiclit.about.com/od/16thcenturyinliterature/16th_Century_AD_Literary_History.htm Bellinger, M.F. (1927). â€Å"A Short History of the Drama† www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/shoemakers_holiday.html Conover, J.H. (1969). The Shoemaker’s Holiday:   A Critical Commentary.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.geocities.com/magdamun/dekkerconover.html Early Modern Theatre, Theatre Studies Department, Duke University,   www.duke.edu/web/emt/student_projects/prentice/shoemakersholiday.html Eliot, C.W. (1909-14). The Harvard Classics. www.bartleby.com/47/1/. â€Å"Elizabethan England†.   2008.   Shakespeare Resource Centre   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.bardweb.net/england.html â€Å"Elizabethan Era†. http://www.answers.com/topic/elizabethan-era) â€Å"English Literature,† Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2007 http://encarta.msn.com  © 1997-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. â€Å"French Literature,† Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia 2007 http://encarta.msn.com  © 1997-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The Shoemaker’s Holiday:   A Synopsis www.theatredatabase.com/17th_century/shoemakers_holiday.html An Abstract: Rowland Lacy, the nephew of Sir Hugh Lacy, the Earl of Lincoln, and Rose, the daughter of Sir Roger Oateley, the Lord Mayor of London – are in love, but their families do not approve.     To separate them, Sir Roger sends Rose to the country, in Old Ford.   Sir Hugh sends Rowland to war in France.   Rowland disobeyed Sir Hugh and instead went to Germany and study shoemaking.   Rowland returns to London.   Disguised as a Dutch shoemaker, Rowland went to Simon Eyre, a shoe shop owner, for work and introduced himself as Hans.   Rowland and Simon sealed a very good friendship because when a cargo shipment at a very good price came up for sale, Rowland gave his war gift money to Simon to purchase the cargo.   This made Simon very wealthy.   Sir Hugh learned that Rowland is not in the war in France.   Meantime, Sir Roger was already arranging the marriage of Rose to Master Hammon, rich nobleman from London.   Rose vehemently refuses to marry Master Hammon. Meanwhile, Simon becomes the Sheriff of London and Sir Roger threw a party celebration for Simon in his house in Old Ford.   Simon and his shoemakers were invited.   During the dancing and merrymaking, Rose suspects that Hans is Rowland – inspite of Rowland talking in gibberish English to safeguard his disguise.   After the celebration, Rose and Sybil went to London.   Sybil asked Hans to take the shoe size of Rose and make a new pair of shoes. While Rowland and Rose are struggling for their love in the story, Simon has a journeyman named Ralph who was also sent to war.   Ralph is married to Jane.   Jane thought Ralph was killed in the war.   So she left off and no one knows of her whereabouts. Jane met Master Hammon – not knowing that a failed marriage arrangement transpired between Master Hammon and Rose.   So, Master Hammon was besotted to Jane and asked her to marry him.   Believing that Ralph is dead, Jane agreed and they were set to marry in St. Faith Church in London.   However, Jane wants the last gift of Ralph, a pair of shoes specially made for her, be duplicated to a brand new one to become her wedding shoes.   Master Hammon obliged and went to the shoe shop of Simon Eyre and ordered the duplication.   Meanwhile, Ralph returned to London because he was hurt in the war and was discharged.   Ralph returned to work with Simon and sadly learned that his wife left him for nowhere.    On that day that the shoe duplication for Jane was ordered, Ralph saw it and was therefore sure that it will lead her to his wife Jane.   Going back to the time when Rowland was taking the shoe size of Rose, Rowland had the chance to quietly and secretly instruct Rose to go to the house of Simon Eyre.   At this time, Simon became the new Mayor of London.   And as such, Simon could marry Rose and Rowland.   Eventually, Rose did so and they finally got married.   Sybil revealed the treachery of Rose and Rowland to Sir Roger and Sir Hugh.   But Sir Roger and Sir Hugh was told that the wedding will take place in the St. Faith Church. Whilst Sir Roger and Sir Hugh were on their way to St. Faith Church to take Rose from Rowland (as Hans), Ralph and with his shoemaker friends are already waiting in the church to take Jane from Master Hammon.  Ã‚   When Sir Roger and Sir Hugh arrived, it was a moment that Jane lovingly recognized her husband Ralph and apologized to Master Hammon for the cancellation of the wedding as she is still in love with Ralph.   Sir Roger and Sir Hugh were disgusted that they were seemingly duped because it was a different wedding that was suppose to transpire that moment.    Sir Hugh and Sir Roger nevertheless learned that Rowland and Rose are already married.   Sir Hugh and Sir Roger appealed to the King to nullify the marriage.   But King who has been enamoured with the antics and humanness of Simon as he treats his shoemaker workers fairly; he remains humble inspite of his wealth – worked out a solution to the enmity between the parents of Rowland and Rose and them.   The King divorced Rowland and Rose and re-married them and declared Rowland a knight just so the issue of differences in social standing come to an end.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Public Relations Consultancies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Public Relations Consultancies - Essay Example For convenience whereby if the organization has a number of offices, then consultancy can be able to deliver services that are centrally based for functions that need be organized such as press launches, conferences and receptions. For United Kingdom as an example, there are a considerable number of consultancies that generally range from; the big ones that have international repute to those that are modest, the medium sized and the very small ones. There are also other public relation practitioners, who offer specialized services on a business-to-business basis while others deal with a coverage that is more general and therefore provide a full service for their clients, which it delivers directly to the public (Henslowe, 2003, p. 10). James Grunig focuses on public relations as a function of strategic management in organizations and he helped to explain how public relations professional participate in strategic decision-making processes in an organizational setting. Until recently, the main practitioners of public relations and the main buyers who sought public relation services were the multinational businesses and institutions not only because of their economic size but since they have an appreciation of how important public relations can be. Organisations that deal with this area of business progressively developed sophisticated in how they use communications, which will be able to make public relations to become more popular in Bahrain (Carroll, 2011, p. 25). Promoseven PR is a part of the Promoseven Network and an affiliate of the McCann-Erickson World Group is the market leader in the United Arab Emirates where it ranks as the first among the agencies as the agency that had the highest awareness levels among the clients that seek services in the public relations field. The company provides services like press, public and government relations to independent clients and

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Pagan Arabia and Islamic Monotheism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pagan Arabia and Islamic Monotheism - Essay Example The physical world is all that existed, and there was no hereafter and no accompanying punishment or reward. Their concept of man's role in the universe was one of hedonistic indifference toward the weak, economic and emotional greed, as well as abusive powers and control of the marginal members of society. It was a world gone mad. Fortunately, Muhammad was charged with shifting this wicked paradigm. Allah instructed Muhammad to spread the message the Divine Essence was One sovereign Lord over all creation. After this life a Hereafter awaits what ones hand puts before them in this life will be their reward eternally. This life is temporary. Our ultimate existence lies in the hereafter. As such, human beings should act in a way that is fair toward his fellow, protective toward the disenfranchised, and obedient to the One True God. The cosmological characteristics of pre-Islamic Arabia differ starkly from the transcendental features of Muhammad's message. They differ in the basic concept of the divine, the existence and nature of the hereafter, and role of humankind in the universe. Further study would demonstrate how Muhammad's contemporaries diverged from the traditional tribal ethics codified in the Qur'an and Sunnah.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Describe the empirical and rationalistic arguments for the existence Essay

Describe the empirical and rationalistic arguments for the existence of God - Essay Example Using this framework, rationalists argue that although no one can claims to have ‘seen’ God, there is enough circumstantial evidence to prove his/her existence. For example, the beauty and splendor of the natural world with its own myriad of complexity and design suggests the existence of a benevolent creator. This is the argument some creationists employ to counter evolutionary biologists’ theories of random genetic mutations. The regularity of natural phenomena such as the rising of the Sun, the waxing and waning of the moon, the presence of other life-forms on earth, are all examples of the work of the omnipresent (yet unobservable) creator or God. Rationalists further argue that the tendency for higher animals to exhibit altruistic behaviour and unconditional love can be taken as more proof. At a broader level, the evil forces in the world need a countervailing positive force in the form of God. Empiricists, on the other hand, present complementary lines of th ought. According to Empiricists, some of the transcendental experiences that occur to humans, whereby the realm of consciousness if elevated to another higher level is proof enough of God’s existence. Indeed, most such transcendental experiences coincide with a religious event such as prayer or divine music, making the associations between the two quite strong. These divine experiences of God’s presence are not usually grasped through sense organs in the course of daily life, but require special dedication to the faith and divinity for the revelation to occur.

Future Trends of Health Care Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Future Trends of Health Care Finance - Essay Example There is an imbalance of the number of people who demand health care, the price they pay and are willing to pay for it in the future, and the number of health care providers who supply the services demanded. This imbalance creates pressures on health care finance. More and more people, including our government and the businesses that cover health care costs of these people, would not be willing to pay an ever-increasing amount to finance health care. Premiums will not be allowed to increase indefinitely, because it is becoming unsustainable for the government to allow it, leading to cut backs in coverage. Many countries experimenting with different schemes are finding it difficult and unpopular to do so (OECD, 2006). As the PWC article and others (Schur, Berk, and Yegian, 2004) noted, the pressure of lower available financing in the face of rising health care costs and prices in the last decade, and the unwillingness of people (including the government) to pay for them indefinitely, are dangers that threaten our future in three ways. And third, our nation and our government will continue to find it a challenge to balance the costs of maintaining an aging population and a dwindling youth population exposed to more serious sicknesses. These are the challenges facing our health care organization. ... These are the challenges facing our health care organization. Unless we make some changes to cope with these challenges that are partly the effects of health care finance trends, we may not survive as a business. We therefore need strategic thinking to guide our organization, our services, and myself, in the next three to five years. Our organization must learn to manage costs, and invest funds in modern equipment and the training of people to continue improving our productivity, making the hospital sustainable. We need to make sure our health care services meet high quality standards without the costs going up too high, so we can continue to charge affordable prices. We also need to start thinking of ethical issues, like "do we provide the care that is needed and requested, or do we limit ourselves to what is financially covered by health insurance" Everyone from management to the youngest employee has to be prepared to face these challenges. The impact of future trends in health care finance affects all providers in different ways, and in the not-for-profit Catholic hospital where I work the issues we need to be prepared for will range from the medical and financial to the ethical and moral. Some Detailed Considerations I am a registered nurse who manages a Same Day Surgery unit in the hospital as part of my job working for the SSM Network, which has as its mission to provide exceptional health care services driven by core values consistent with our organization's heritage and priorities. We are known for our commitment to quality care - we won the Baldridge Quality Award in 2002, an accomplishment that reflects an exceptional

Sunday, August 25, 2019

KEY DEBATES IN MEDIA STUDIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

KEY DEBATES IN MEDIA STUDIES - Essay Example The song competition unites all countries that are geographically located on the territory of Europe in attempt to define the best performance with the help of free televoting. Though the quality of the music on the contest is sometimes very disputable (because most singers and bands choose pop as a preferable genre) the overall impact of the event on European society is rather significant. First of all, it is believed to shape the direction and trends in European cultural development as the Eurovision promotes live performance and unique, and that is why non-trivial, show on the stage. Several world famous stars, such as ABBA for instance, first appeared as participants of the contest. However, many viewers claim that the Eurovision can be regarded as a political show first of all because it reflects Europeans` preferences and negative tendencies in perception of certain countries. The contest also demonstrates quite vividly which countries and the nations of which countries have go od relationships and which relationships are tense. Last year the victory of the Austrian contestant, Conchita Wurst who represents herself as a drag queen, set the whole cultural world in turmoil and provoked active debates regarding the relevance and the influence of the event. Therefore, it is possible to suggest the Eurovision is one of the most controversial music contests on the planet which has its political and cultural implications for the population of Europe and its representation in media must be performed with the help of different, sometimes even opposite approaches. In this paper I will try to analyze how media can utilize various tactics and emphasize different priorities depending on its relation to the realms of state and politics and culture. To begin with it is still necessary to create some adequate image of the Eurovision song contest. Most common people in Europe

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Comparing the CO2 in the school carpark and the field during the day Lab Report

Comparing the CO2 in the school carpark and the field during the day and after school day - Lab Report Example The results were obtained from an accurate and tested carbon dioxide meter. With an increase in the number of cars at the car park picking up students after school, there is an increase in CO2 emission to the environment as compared to times when there are no cars on the compound. Burning fossil fuel is the main source of energy to power the vehicles and that means with more vehicles around the compound burning fuel for energy, more CO2 gets released to the environment. Fossil fuels contain elements like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen among others. They release carbon monoxide when burning which mixes with oxygen in the atmosphere to form carbon dioxide. The smoke released from the exhaust pipes of vehicles are essentially carbon dioxide and since they are not trapped in any way, they get released directly to the environment. As many cars park or move around the carpark, the amount of CO2 released directly to the surrounding environment increases. Also, even when the vehicles are not in motion, the engine is still hot and the fuels continue to evapor ate and release CO2. Controlled variables: The carbon dioxide meter. The meter had to be checked to ensure that the initial measure was standard. To ensure no errors were present, different devices were used and the results compared in order to detect any variances which would indicate an error. The CO2 sensor mounted on the stand is placed outside around the carpark and the field area with free air circulation. The sensor was fastened on the clamp stand with the adhesive tape. The digital surveillance cameras were set at strategic locations to ensure that every car driving to the car park was noted and measurement recorded after every thirty minutes timed by the stopwatch. The recordings should be done between 10 a.m-12 p.m. and 3 p.m-5p.m after school. That means that recordings will be taken 4 times during the

Friday, August 23, 2019

Things i dont like Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Things i dont like - Essay Example The dislike of presenting, as far as I can tell from my particular perspective, is rooted in a fear of public speaking. Since this issue is commonly discussed in school, I had expected it to be well covered in literature. This was a correct assumption, but an initial glance at the research and theories of this condition presented a bit of a shock. For some reason, I hadnt considered that the problem might be linked to an anxiety disorder. To make it clear, I was well aware that I felt extremely anxious about presentations, but I did not ever think of it as a health concern. However, it does cause me distress and sometimes impedes my regular life, so an official assessment might tell a different story. This revelation strengthened my resolve, and gave meaning to the new goal of reducing my anxiety in public speaking situations. The next logical step in the process was to determine the factors that underlie the anxious response. A 2010 study (Nelson 282) suggests that biased processing in the brain is associated with anxiety disorders. Their study found that someone with public speaking anxiety is more likely to overestimate the risk of negative social interactions in both frequency and impact. This makes sense from an outside perspective, but I still feel stubborn to admit any exaggeration on my part. This is the kind of information I will need to become more open to, so that I may benefit in the future. Public speaking and presentations are a part of life for students, and so I can only make it easier on myself by letting my guard down and addressing these potential biases in my own cognitive processing. This assignment was to address multiple objects of distain in my life, and it turns out that public speaking anxiety is the perfect segue to the second item I had intended to address . I hate embarrassing situations. In fact, I now understand that the fear of being publically embarrassed is probably the root

Thursday, August 22, 2019

An argument in support of using abortion in extreme cases Essay Example for Free

An argument in support of using abortion in extreme cases Essay Across America, the topic of abortion is still something that is regarded as taboo to speak about. Even in today’s society where it is more commonly brought up, the stigma surrounding the medical procedure has not gone away. There’s a rift between those who are pro-life and pro-choice, and each group has their own reasoning why or why not abortion should or should not be criminalized. The controversy about abortion is mainly rooted in the pro-life group believing that a fetus has the same rights as a born child and the mother. This stems into our government as well, where we have staunch republicans and democrats arguing back and forth over abortion. This also includes people who are incredibly religious and believe that it would go against God’s wishes, as humans are made in his image. Those who are pro-choice believe safe, legal abortions are a right and should be a readily available option to any woman who chooses to have one, no matter the circumstance. Abortion should definitely be an option and that it should be a woman’s right whether or not to get one, and that she should be the only one to make that decision, not the government. There are many reasons why abortions should be an option, and some of those reasons are that they would help end surprise and unwanted pregnancy, end pregnancy that was caused by rape or incest, and help women who are not in a place to be able to support a child financially or otherwise. Abortion should be a viable option for women without having to worry ab out government involvement, on the state or federal level, or the social stigma surrounding the procedure. Abortion is able to help end surprise pregnancy safely without going to extreme, dangerous lengths. Based on a survey, the percent of women who got an abortion due to unintended pregnancy in 2008 was incredibly low, at under 5% (Finer, et al. 89). Those who argue While having sex, there’s no guarantee that protection will be effective, as condoms can break and birth control does not promise to work 100% at the time. While the average break rate of condoms while being used in a relationship is a mere 7.4% (Althaus 191), there is still that looming risk of it failing. On the other hand, birth control pills are roughly 91% effective, with just a 9% rate of failure (plannedparenthood.org). In the case of either of these contraceptives not working, the risk of pregnancy is high. When people use contraceptives, they are typically trying to avoid becoming pregnant at all costs, and when the methods of prevention fail and one becomes pregnant, it is going against their overall plan. E specially when thinking about teenagers or young adults, this can cause a problem with their future and goals. In 2014, 249,078 babies were born to women between the ages of 15 and 19 (CDC), and while the number is down compared to previous years, it’s important to acknowledge that teenage pregnancy is still an issue around America. While some would argue that an unplanned pregnancy is a miracle, it should be left up to the woman who is pregnant if she wants to keep the baby or not. In the case that she doesn’t, she should be able to turn to Planned Parenthood or another doctor to help assist her with an abortion without any worry about having to do it illegally. Those who argue that they don’t want their tax dollars going towards abortion don’t really have anything to worry about. While Planned Parenthood receives around $500 million in public funding, none of it can legally go towards funding abortions (Kliff). This is why Planned Parenthood and the ide a of safe abortions are such a crucial element of the pro-choice movement. In the state of Florida, health plans cannot cover abortion costs, so if a woman wanted to get one, she would have to purchase a rider at an additional cost (Jerman, et al). While abortions are not covered by health plans, Viagra is and that contributes to the rampant sexism that plagues the United States. In the most extreme cases, women who are raped or forced into an incestuous relationship should have an option to end the pregnancy. Even if a woman does not get raped and just experiences an unplanned pregnancy, she should have control over her body autonomy (Cohen). Pro-lifers tend to forgo giving the mother any sort of value in regards to her interests and reasons why she would give up her fetus. They give the fetus’ rights precedence over the mother’s (Cohen). If a woman gets raped and it results in an unwanted pregnancy, she should not be forced to carry the baby to full term. Some may argue that she should give birth and then just put the child up for adoption, but in a society where so many children are already part of the adoption system, that would not be the most effective idea. In addition, making a woman carry a baby that is her rapists’ is unethical and detrimental to the woman’s mental, and possibly physical, health. Incestuous relationships are not as common as rape, but should still be considered when discussing safe abortions. Chances are, a woman in an incestuous type of relationship would have been raped, which ties into how unethical it would be to have her give birth to the baby. Not only is there the risk of biological defects, but the woman would endure incredible amounts of stress. Forcing a woman to carry a baby after she was raped, either by a stranger or a family member, is torture. The woman would go through her pregnancy reliving the rape repeatedly, remembering the horrible event which would create extreme emotional trauma. Some women just are not capable of supporting a child at the time they become pregnant, whether it’s accidental or purposeful. Different factors can contribute to why a woman cannot support a child, including the environment they are in. Over one in seven women are living in poverty in America (NWLC), and if a woman cannot properly support herself, she cannot provide for a child. If a girl is living in an abusive household, it would be unreasonable to bring a child into such an environment. If it’s an unsafe place for a woman, it would definitely be unsuitable for a child, let alone a baby. While the environment is a contributing factor to why a woman cannot support a child, money is a big reason why as well. A woman is financially unstable and can barely support herself, and she gets pregnant. If she can’t support herself, she will not be able to provide for a child. Despite there being an act that was passed to protect abused women, the Violence Against Women A ct (Kandaswamy), it, unfortunately, doesn’t put a stop to domestic abuse across the country. It does, however, provide more shelters and services to protect women, which gives them another option aside from abortion if they aren’t comfortable with receiving one. While some would suggest putting the child up for adoption in this scenario as well, most women would not want to go through the process of carrying a child and paying for doctors’ appointments if they’re not going to keep the child in the end. The adoption and foster care system in America has over 400,000 children in it (Argys, et al), and while some children get adopted quickly or even reunited with biological parents, many children are stuck in a never-ending cycle of foster families. Adoption, while a good idea to some, could be detrimental to the child in the long-run. If money is already an issue, the cost of being pregnant would take a toll on the girl throughout the nine months. Abortion needs to be a safe option for women, no matter the circumstance of their pregnancy. By the government getting involved in a woman’s decision to get an abortion, or other people protesting to try and get Roe vs. Wade overturned, it presents a question of whether women have the right to do what they want with their bodies. In 2010, anti-abortion activists shifted their rhetoric from the federal government to state governments to force restrictions regarding abortion (Hopkins Tanne), even though 22 out of 50 states had some form of restrictions on the procedure. Most abortions that are performed are done within the first trimester, though there are statistics that say that about 13% of abortions in the United States are done during the second trimester (Boland). Interestingly, Florida abortion laws as of 2017 are more restrictive than many other states (Jerman, et al). Women can only receive abortions 24 weeks after their last period, and even then, they may only choose to get an abortion is their life is in danger (Jerman, et al). A woman’s life should not have to be endangered before the option of abortion is presented to her. Those who believe that is unethical and murder should think about repercussions of forcing a woman to carry a baby they do not want. Pro-life organizations believe it is not morally right to abort a baby, but by making a woman carry out a pregnancy against her will is just cruel, and by definition, unethical. Providing options for safe abortions for women should be included in health care in all states, and unfortunately, that’s not how it is. Using healthcare to back up why abortion should be dealt with better in America is a popular argument, and seems to be the root of arguments on both sides of the topic. While more people are coming around to be accepting of abortion, there are still groups of people vehemently against it for one reason or another. A popular reason for disagreeing with the procedure is based on religious beliefs and support of a traditional family (Johnson, et al. 40). Despite claiming to be religious and in support of all life, their ideas fall short when they oppose abortion, as they could be potentially putting another human life at risk by wanting to deny access to abortion. A good example of claiming to be saving lives, but in the face doing the opposite, rests in a case from Kansas where an anti-abortion activist shot an abortion doctor (Tanne 285). The shooter, Scott Roeder, defended his actions in court by claiming he was really saving lives (Tanne 285). The doctor he shot happened to provide late-term abortions (Tanne 285) for those who needed it, and he was one of the only doctors in the country to provide that service, which creates a new problem of taking away someone who could have saved lives. The idea that killing someone who was an abortion doctor saves lives in the end is nothing sort of ironic An interesting connection to this idea is that those who are at the highest level of moral thinking consider all lives to be special and worth saving, but those who neglect to realize that abortion can save someone’s life fall out from that theory of moral cognitive thinking. That being said, laws restricting abortion are not on a national, federal level but rather on a state by state basis (Tanne 1051), which leaves room for people to protest abortion easier than if it was strictly at a federal level. For many anti-abortion activists, they prohibit abortion because they hold the belief that a baby starts at conception, and that a fetus can feel pain (Tanne 1051). In order to get their views out there, often anti-abortionists will resort to violence. The type of violent acts committed range from arson to bombings and butyric acid attacks (Jacobson, et al. 189). This violent rhetoric they hold has some irony to it considering they yell about how all lives are important, and then they turn and cause loss of life by committing these terrorist acts (Jacobson, et al. 190). In addition to the loss of some life, the attacks caused property damage, the need for more security around the abortion clinics that were attacked, and increased stress on those who worked at the clinics (Jacobson, et al. 190). While those who participate in the violent acts feel like they’re in the right because they’re fighting for a cause they care about, they are really just causing terror and wreck ing havoc around cities. Anti-abortion in the United States has been an ongoing issue for a long time now, and recently the Trump administration have begun working on cutting back support of the UN and the World Health Organization (Vogel 287). The first and possibly biggest problem that arose with this bill is that it brought back a Reagan-era policy that bans nongovernmental organizations that are funded by the United States from providing abortions, informational, referrals, or even advocating for more liberal abortion laws in whichever country the NGOs are in (Vogel 287). It’s been brought back into action throughout every Republican administration since it was initiated when Reagan was in office, and it’s known as a Global Gag Rule. America deciding to revoke funding means that nongovernmental organizations will lose between 8 and 9 billion dollars worth of their funds (Vogel 287). Despite abortion being left on a state to state basis here in the States, the country will now not help other countries that are in need of help of abortion access. The last time this rule was implemented, more than 20 developing countries lost all access to contraceptives, which in turn led to higher abortion rates (Vogel 287). In addition to losing contraceptives, this rule also causes health care services to be completely shut down and cut off in some areas, meaning all citizens lost their health care (Vogel 287). As of this moment it isn’t known how much the rule will affect other countries now, but over time the effects will be seen, whether in lack of access to contraceptives again or having women turn towards unsafe methods to receive an abortion. As far as social paradigms go, the abortion conflict aligns most with the ideas of functionalism and symbolic interactionism (Keirns). Abortion and symbolic interactionism go hand in hand, as that social paradigm is viewed on a micro level, and abortion happens to only affect certain groups of people. One way abortion can be looked at through this lens is by looking at the anti-abortion groups, such as the religious ones and general pro-life crusaders, and examining their views. People’s views are shaped by interactions with other, not counting socialization that they may have experienced growing up. Those who are pro-life are passionate and adamant that the fetus developing is a human and deserves rights of its own, while those who are pro-choice argue that the woman who is carrying the fetus’ should have the decision to terminate her pregnancy if she so chooses.   The conflict between these two groups of people could also align with the conflict theory, however, it doesn’t happen within all of society, which makes abortion better suited for micro theories as opposed to macro. The idea of people who are against abortion and believe that women should carry the baby whether or not she wants it is rooted in sexism, as it reduces a woman down to a baby-carrying stereotype while also neglecting her opinion on the situation. From a structural functionalist point of view (Keirns), those who subscribe to that sociological paradigm could view abortion as something that is negative for family, as the family is viewed as the center of society. This theory is a macro-level theory, which differentiates it from the symbolic interactionist view of abortion, as functionalists would look how abortion works throughout the entire society. To some degree, a functionalist could be pro-choice, if only looking at the potential benefits it could have for society, although, as the family is central to this paradigm, this isn’t as likely as a pro-life functionalist. Functionalism and abortion don’t go as well together as symbolic interactionism do, but functionalists could examine abortion as a way of gauging if a family is no longer the center of society or not. Speaking generally, other sociological ideas that surround the abortion debate include poverty, gender, and culture (Keirns). Poverty is involved when thinking about abortion as it affects so many people, and if someone cannot afford to raise a child, they may turn to abortion as an option or get help from Planned Parenthood. The entire abortion problem is rooted in gender (Keirns), as it is predominantly a woman’s problem, and gender plays a large role in why some are anti-abortion. As stated earlier, many people believe in the notion that a woman should carry a baby no matter the circumstances. In addition to that, women are often shamed for getting abortions and are called derogatory slurs in the process. Whenever that happens, sexism is brought to the forefront of people’s arguments, as calling women by slurs is once again rooted in sexism. When women do get abortions for whatever reason, they could be considered deviant in some eyes, as she is straying away from th e norm some people hold about keeping the child. Finally, culture also plays a role in abortions, as culture influences everything around the world. In the United States, there is a divided culture over abortions, and there’s still a taboo surrounding talking about it sometimes. While it is more openly discussed in modern times, the taboo is still there, which is why some people are uncomfortable to talk about such a thing. While it is still considered controversial to speak about in today’s society, abortion should be a topic that’s freely discussed and improved upon as time goes on. Providing safe abortions for women across the country ensures that they can end surprise pregnancies, not be forced to carry a baby as a result of rape or incest, and give women an option if they are not able to support a child. This debate has gone on for decades now, and there is a very harsh divide between those for and against the medical procedure. Both those who oppose abortion and those who are outspoken advocates of it have strong opinions that frequently clash together. With the current way the country’s politics are, it appears more and more people are being outspoken about their view of it, whether it’s pro-choice or pro-life. In the past few months, there have been marches for and against abortion, and it’s clear that the American people are passionate about this hot topic. Fr om a sociological perspective, the interactions between the pro-life and pro-choice seem to be increasing as new generations emerge and form their own ideas on the topic of abortion. Culture continues to affect abortion, and as time goes on, the abortion fight will continue on with the development of society, whether for worse or for better. However, in the end, it should be a woman to decide on what to do with her body, and not the government, or other Americans. Works Cited About Teen Pregnancy.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Apr. 2016. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Althaus, F. Study Finds Low Condom Breakage Rate, Ties Most Slippage to Improper Use.  Family Planning Perspectives, vol. 24, no. 4, Jul/Aug92, pp. 191-192. EBSCOhost, db02.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=9212211758site=ehost-live. Web. 13 Mar. 2017. Argys, Laura, and Brian Duncan. â€Å"Economic Incentives and Foster Child Adoption.†Ã‚  Demography, vol. 50, no. 3, 2013, pp. 933–954., www.jstor.org/stable/42919906. Web. 13 Mar. 2017. Boland, Reed. â€Å"Second Trimester Abortion Laws Globally: Actuality, Trends, and Recommendations.†Ã‚  Reproductive Health Matters, vol. 18, no. 36, 2010, pp. 67–89., www.jstor.org/stable/25767363. Web. 11 Mar. 2017. Cohen, I. Glenn. Are All Abortions Equal? Should There Be Exceptions to the Criminalization of Abortion for Rape and Incest?.  Journal of Law, Medicine Ethics, vol. 43, no. 1, Spring2015, pp. 87-104. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/jlme.12198. Web. 14 Mar. 17. Finer, Lawrence B., and Kathryn Kost. â€Å"Unintended Pregnancy Rates at the State Level.†Ã‚  Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, vol. 43, no. 2, 2011, pp. 78–87., www.jstor.org/stable/23048865. Web. 11 Mar. 2017 Jacobson, Mireille, and Heather Royer. â€Å"Aftershocks: The Impact of Clinic Violence on Abortion Services.†Ã‚  American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, vol. 3, no. 1, 2011, pp. 189–223., www.jstor.org/stable/25760251. Web. 16 April 17. Johnson, Stephen D., and Joseph B. Tamney. â€Å"Factors Related to Inconsistent Life-Views.†Ã‚  Review of Religious Research, vol. 30, no. 1, 1988, pp. 40–46., www.jstor.org/stable/3511839. Web. 15 April 17. Jones RK and Jerman J, Abortion incidence and service availability in the United States, 2014,  Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2017, 49(1), doi:10.1363/psrh.12015. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Kandaswamy, Priya. â€Å"‘You Trade in a Man For the Man : Domestic Violence and the U. S. Welfare State.†Ã‚  American Quarterly, vol. 62, no. 2, 2010, pp. 253–277., www.jstor.org/stable/40664735. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Keirns, Nathan J., et al.  Introduction to Sociology 2e. Houston, TX, OpenStax College, Rice University, 2015. Kliff, S. 2015. â€Å"A Government Shutdown Fight is Brewing. This One is Over Planned Parenthood.† Vox, September 10. NWLC Analysis of 2014 Census Poverty Data.  NWLC. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. Planned Parenthood Controversy Revives Abortion Debate.  Penn Bioethics Journal, vol. 11, no. 2, Fall2015, p. 7. EBSCOhost, db02.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=117725282site=ehost-live. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Parenthood, Planned. What Is the Effectiveness of Birth Control Pills?  What Is the Effectiveness of Birth Control Pills?  N.p., 27 Dec. 2016. Web. 16 Mar. 2017. Tanne, Janice Hopkins. â€Å"Killer of Kansas Abortion Doctor Is Convicted of Murder.†Ã‚  BMJ: British Medical Journal, vol. 340, no. 7741, 2010, pp. 285–285., www.jstor.org/stable/25673930. Web. 17 April 17. Tanne, Janice Hopkins. â€Å"US Anti-Abortion Activists Use State Laws to Reduce Access.†Ã‚  BMJ: British Medical Journal, vol. 340, no. 7755, 2010, pp. 1051–1051., www.jstor.org/stable/40702011. Web. 15 Mar. 2017. Vogel, Lauren. US Anti-UN, Anti-Abortion Orders Threaten Global Health.  CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, vol. 189, no. 7, 21 Feb. 2017, pp. E287-E288. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1503/cmaj.1095390. Web. 16 April 17. Yung, Corey Rayburn. How to Lie with Rape Statistics: Americas Hidden Rape Crisis.  Iowa Law Review, vol. 99, no. 3, Mar. 2014, pp. 1197-1256. EBSCOhost, db02.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=a9hAN=94993552site=ehost-live. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The impact of societal change on family structures Essay Example for Free

The impact of societal change on family structures Essay The impact of societal change on family structures, functions and resources has become evident through, the acceptance of, same sex marriages/couples, sole parent, extended, foster, nuclear and defacto families, physical, economic, emotional, social, cultural, moral, spiritual, religious and adaptive lifestyles. Statistics from around the world are showing the changing views and perspectives on various roles in the family. It wasnt long ago in Australia, that births outside of marriage were considered to be unacceptable. In those days the young woman was sent off to the country to have her child and give it up for adoption, as to not damage her familys reputation. Nowadays many women are having children out of marriage. Whether it is through the convenience of not being married or an unplanned pregnancy it has become frequently more common and accepted throughout Australia. This also brings in to the equation the growing number of mothers in the workplace. Previously after a woman had a child she did not return to work, but as the number of single mothers in the community has become more acceptable so has the view that women can return to the workforce after they have a child. Through the assistance of government pensions, workplace run childcare and daycare centres, single mothers have the option of full government support or returning to work, with some assistance from the government. Apart from single mothers, there is the issue of single fathers. This could occur through the death of the mother or the mother being unsuitable to her role. Support and acceptance are now widely offered to either single parent. Australians are also showing a trend to marrying later and having fewer children, often preferring to focus on their careers rather then settling down. Previously men and women were expected to have a family in their late teens, but as the necessity to have lots of money the view on this has changed. Also because of IVF and many other resources to help you have a child, both men and women do not feel the rush to have children, compared to people twenty years back. Since the number of babies has dropped dramatically over the past few years, it has brought about an increase of other nationalities to spread across Australia. Also acceptance of inter-racial and inter-religious marriages has become accepted, as many people are coming to terms that all races are th e same. This also brings in the acceptance of adoption, as many couples are starting to adopt children from overseas countries, such as Asia, Africa and Russia, as well as having their own children has increased the number of blended families, in Australia. As Australia now is a growing multicultural society it has accepted and adapted to many multicultural traditions, cultures and beliefs. This has affected the way all Australians think; as we have a more diverse background we are more acceptable and adaptive to change in our society. Divorce was once considered to be a taboo, less than twenty years ago but statistics have proven that this view has been changed dramatically with, out of 331 200 marriages 173 600, will end in divorce. Many of these marriages include children with the average age of the child being seven years old. It has also proven that women are more likely to gain custody of the children then men, and in cases like these 14% of divorced dads end up, either not wanting to see their children or neglecting them emotionally. When divorce does occur there is a dramatic drop in the familys income, assistance is sometimes required from the government to provide for the basic needs, eg food and clothing. As a result of less income the family members become extremely acceptable to breakdowns and stress, which can lead to anger and falling out between family members. This can lead to the reduction of socialisation between family members, as they can no longer stand being around one another. There is a variety of reasons in why more people are becoming divorced, they include, it being easier and more acceptable. In many cases divorced parents end up re-marrying, which creates stepfamilies. The couples who do survive the high divorce mortality rate often after their children leave home become foster parents as many couples seem to believe that having children around will keep them forever young and forever together. The largest societal change by far has been the acceptance of same-sex couples. Previously these couples were shunned by men and women alike, with many suppressing their sexuality. (Homosexuality dates back to Ancient Greece.) Is now only just becoming more readily accepted. There is now almost 18% of outed same sex couples in Australia, with a further more 9%, pursuing IVF or similar treatment to have children. The family functions has also changed through many fathers becoming the stay at home mum and the women, after having the child return to the workforce and become the breadwinners. The good old nuclear family, being 2.3 children, mother, father and a dog has a seemed to have disappeared, with the impact of societal change. People have begun to realise that they can be an individual family and that they do not have to identify and have the same religion, culture and beliefs as everybody else. I believe that the change in society on family structures, functions and resources has changed for the better.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Urban Regeneration And Social Exclusion In Sheffield Geography Essay

Urban Regeneration And Social Exclusion In Sheffield Geography Essay GEO 151: Assessment I In this essay we will be discussing urban regeneration and social exclusion in Sheffield. The research for this essay was conducted as a series of 2 walks and information comes from observation of these areas. The walk chosen was walk 3 which included Netherthorpe, Kelham Island and the Inner City but the focus of this essay is on one section of the walk Kelham Island. Like many areas in Sheffield, Kelham Island was originally an industrial area, particularly in the manufacture of steel. There are still numerous factories and workshops still standing and their proximity to the River Don suggests the river would have once been used to power the industry in this area. To me, these buildings portray the traditional origins of Sheffield as being a highly industrial city, vast non-descript buildings with many large windows which could accommodate the large space required for heavy industry. From observations made whilst undertaking the walk, it becomes clear that these original buildings can now be divided into different types due to urban regeneration. The first of these is residential. Around Kelham Island many of these former factories have been converted into modern flats and apartments. It is great that the developers are choosing to retain the original look of these buildings whilst totally changing their function as I believe it is important to t ry and retain the historical character of a city. The second main usage of these factory buildings is business- mainly offices, although one of the factories is still used for its original function as a factory, and another has been converted into the â€Å"Kelham Island Museum† which contains many historical artefacts from the area and gives visitors the chance to experience the heritage of Kelham Island. This shows 2 other new land uses in the area business and tourism. The remainder of these factories are currently derelict but in the future may be redeveloped or demolished to be replaced by modern apartments or office blocks. Elsewhere in Kelham Island there are a number of large, highly modern looking apartment and office blocks; this area is known as â€Å"Kelham Riverside† and is described by the   Kelham Island website as â€Å"a stylish mixed use development in a picturesque waterside setting† (http://www.kelhamriverside.com). This area is more aesthetically pleasing and in total contrast to the factories nearby it is strange to see these 2 types of buildings sitting side by side. This is the main site of urban regeneration, but also evokes images of social exclusion. It is clear that this entire area has been totally redeveloped recently; all of the buildings looking less than 10 years old and the focus of employment here has shifted from primary to tertiary. The new apartment blocks which overlook the river are very modern, even futuristic looking incorporating chrome and glass into the design it could be said that these buildings, however, have little ‘character whilst the older factory buildings do. From simple observation, this area looks like a particularly nice area to live, but it becomes apparent that social exclusion comes into play here. Firstly, there are no gardens and very little green space at all and there were no parks or even many benches in this area. Facilities included a small number of pubs and upmarket bars and restaurants, a museum for tourists, and little else other than office blocks. The apartments look expensive and seem to be targeted at affluent young professionals without children as there are no apparent facilities that cater towards the needs of children or the elderly (not â€Å"family orientated†). This idea was backed up during walk by the absence of any youths- the only people to be seen were men and women in suits and a few builders who were working on more developments on the riverside. The presence of the builders did however indicate that further development of this area was underway, which may in the future lead to more facilities for other social groups in order to incorporate them more into this area. The atmosphere in this area was one of peacefulness, although I believed this to be due to the fact that the only people that lived in this area were at work, considering it was in the middle of the day. There was a significant lack of any old or young people- just middle aged people in suits. In the most modern part of Kelham Island it seemed eerily quiet and the environment almost sterile due to the large modern yet plain buildings and lack of any graffiti, litter and advertising. It also gave the impression of being a relatively safe area with the availability of secure underground car parks and high CCTV presence. In my opinion, however, such a high CCTV presence could lead to oppression and fear due to constant surveillance by an unknown authority. Many people are very against this form of security and so is another example of social exclusion against those who do not wish to be recorded constantly. One important thing which was noted during the walk was that on one of the walls of the new buildings in Kelham Island was a large plaque which had the name â€Å"European Regional Development Agency† on it. This agency belongs to the EU and is involved in allocation of the European Regional Development Fund; according to the EU website (http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funds/feder/index_en.htm): â€Å"The ERDF aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions. In short, the ERDF finances: direct aid to investments in companies (in particular SMEs) to create sustainable jobs; infrastructures linked notably to research and innovation, telecommunications, environment, energy and transport; financial instruments (capital risk funds, local development funds, etc.) to support regional and local development and to foster cooperation between towns and regions; Technical assistance measures. So, based on this information it seems that the EU thought of South Yorkshire as being less developed as neighbouring regions and have therefore directed a proportion of the ERDF at Kelham Island in order to fulfil the points described above. There were limitations to this study. Firstly, the 2 visits we made were possibly not at the most suitable times, particularly for this area where most of the people living here would have been at work, and any children that do live in the area would have been at school. Another thing was that in this observational walk there was little importance put on personal emotion, or how individuals felt whilst in that particular area. There was also no record of any smells along the walk which is one thing that could possibly be investigated further in any subsequent walks. Word count: 1111 GEO 151: Assessment II Part I For this part of the assessment a series of photos were taken along a route (walk 3) which intended to represent the feel or sense of place in the area regarding social exclusion and regeneration. The 2 photos chosen to be analysed can be seen on the next page (figures 1 and 2). They were both taken at the same time of day (Around 1pm on a Thursday afternoon) and show 2 contrasting areas which are actually only 1-2 minutes walk away from each other, in the area of Sheffield known as Kelham Island. Fig 1 shows one of the more modern looking areas of Kelham Island and demonstrates very obvious urban regeneration as the apartment block buildings on the right hand side of the image are clearly very new. In fact, this whole area looks very clean and tidy, although the lack of people makes the area seem as if it is not inhabited. Behind the apartment buildings and to the left of the image are old factory buildings. It is not clear from the image whether these buildings are currently in use or not but some of the factories in this area have been converted into offices and apartments so it is very likely that being so close to other new developments, urban regeneration would have taken place within these buildings too. I like the fact that these buildings and even a chimney from an old industrial furnace are still standing regardless of the ultra-modern apartments right next to them, it acts to retain the character of the area- being able to market this area to a whole new audience wi thout totally destroying the history ingrained in the factories and workshops which once would have employed the majority of people living here.   The river which runs through the centre of the image would once have been used to power these factories, but has now been developed into a feature and the new pathways and hand railings provide the opportunity to look at the river and brings much character to the area. Social exclusion also comes through in this image, as there is no green space or playing areas for children, no benches or shops very little facilities to support a community. This excludes those who thrive off the community around them which are children and the elderly. Children need other children and spaces to play to fulfil their childhood whilst the elderly require a range of facilities including those which promote sociability with others in the community as they often lead lives of loneliness. This area is not accommodating for either of these types of people. I chose to take a picture of this particular area as I believe it incorporated several elements which were important in portraying Kelham Island the modern apartments, the factories and the river. I also thought this image was an accurate representation of the area during my visit, that being very quiet with few people to be seen.   If a person who was not from Sheffield i believe this image would give them a good idea of what Kelham Island was like, which in my opinion can be described as a cultural mix of historical factories and modern apartments and offices developed to be functional whilst staying true to the heritage of Sheffield. This would be a good image to show to people to give a good idea of what Sheffield looks like a combination of old industry and new development. The second image (Fig 2) shows a totally different scene to that of Fig 1. This is a large industrial looking building which was probably once used as some sort of factory in the past when Sheffields steel industry was booming. Now this building lies empty and disused with windows broken and doors boarded up. Given the fact that this building is disused, the exterior (except the windows) is still in relatively good condition, presumably because these types of buildings were built to be strong and resilient. It is strange in this area how quiet it was considering when this building would have been in use, the sound coming from it and the many other factory buildings in the area would have filled the area. This is a contrasting image as it shows a totally different type of building to Fig 1. Here, it looks as if there has not been any urban regeneration whatsoever as the road is empty apart from one car, the building is disused and the pathways are old and damaged. It does not look lik e a particularly â€Å"run down† area, although it is clear that little if any money has been spent on this site in a long time. If this image were to be shown to a person who was not from Sheffield it would probably serve to confirm the perception that many people have that Sheffield is still a highly industrial city with many ugly buildings. This perception of Sheffield is based on history but is now an outdated view with the amount of money that has and is currently being spent on new development in the area. This image fails to show any of the modern developments which are visible all around the city. GEO 151: EXERCISE 2, PART 2 In the workshop we discussed how the images we took differed from those which we were shown from the pages of tourist guides of Sheffield, local magazines and adverts for places around the city. There were many differences between these images and the photos we took our self, some of them were very obvious (such as the image itself and what it included, what activities were happening and what people were included) and others were more subtle (such as the angles the photos were taken, the time of day, the lighting, etc). We discussed the way that people would perceive these images, particularly if they had never been to Sheffield before and the impression they would get of the city based on these images. The reason why these differences were so apparent was because of the intention of the image and what it was trying to portray. For example, the photos we took ourselves were trying to capture images of social exclusion and urban regeneration so the imagery reflected this. Although they were taken with an aim in mind they were totally natural images as they were not staged, and they were not taken with the intention of implying anything in particular- rather they were accurate representation if the things we saw on our walks which we personally felt reflected urban regeneration and social exclusion. The difference between this and the images we were shown is that most of these had some sort of intention. Those that were on printed materials from organisations such as the Sheffield City Council and Travel South Yorkshire were obviously aimed at attracting tourists to the area.   They were taken by people who are looking to give a good impression of Sheffield and their target audience would be those people who may never have visited Sheffield before and wanted to find out more before they decided to visit. These images focused mainly on either the new, vibrant, modern developments in Sheffield such as the millennium galleries; or the beautiful rugged countryside of Sheffields surrounding areas such as the peak district. The images looked as if they could have been digitally altered to make colours appear more vibrant for example and to give the impression of Sheffield being a clean, modern city which it is in certain areas, but chose not to portray the more deprived areas of Sh effield such as those from the photos we took ourselves. The images on the next page are a sample of those taken from the recommended websites. They show a range of images from around Sheffield and were taken by different people/organisations for different reasons. The 4 large landscapes came from www.creativesheffield.co.uk which is described as â€Å"Creativesheffield is the UKs first ever city development company, charged with delivering Sheffields economic transformation†. The images come from different pages which have individual aims, the headings of which I have written on the images. The first, ‘Live in Sheffield portrays an idyllic, quite countryside area with most of the focus on a family taking a bike ride. The image itself is quite simple and the colours used are earthy and green, again conveying the idea of nature and countryside. There is little going on in the picture, suggesting peace and quiet in the countryside, where families can enjoy a nice day out to escape the hustle and bustle of city living, yet this a rea would not be too far away from Sheffields city centre. This image is aimed at families, such as the one in the image who may be looking to relocate to a city nearby idyllic countryside this image shows that Sheffield can be that place as the peak district is on your doorstep. On the CreativeSheffield page this image is shown at the top of a page where it lists the many benefits of living in Sheffield, and is obviously aimed at people looking to move to Sheffield but maybe wanting some more information. The ‘Develop in Sheffield image is the most obvious image of urban regeneration as it shows a whole landscape of Sheffield showing development. I believe this is an accurate representation of Sheffield as it is currently undergoing a huge amount of regeneration and it is evident that there is a lot of money being spent on the heart of the city redevelopment which is making huge changes to the centre. It shows Sheffield as a sprawling metropolis, but one which is currently b eing given a total makeover, with a vision of the future. The next image, ‘Locate in Sheffield is aimed at businesses looking to locate in Sheffield. It shows an area of Sheffield which looks extremely clean and modern, almost futuristic with the large stainless steel balls dotted around. The large inclusion of glass and steel complements this idea of modernism as they are 2 materials which make a building look sharp and modern. The inclusion of people moving (blurred) in the image is trying to give the impression of Sheffield being a busy commercial centre with people constantly on the go, with a lot going on around Sheffield. All of these images have one thing in common a target audience. Each of them have been taken specifically with a certain audience in mind, rather than randomly as my photos were taken.   Even though the photos which I took had a purpose, which was to portray social exclusion and urban regeneration in different areas around Sheffield, they were taken in a totally natural way and were a reflection of what I saw. I did not intentionally omit anything from the images, however I did intentionally try to incorporate all aspects of what I could see in my surroundings into my images- as a photo is just a snapshot of what I was surrounded by. Also, the images from the website (in most cases) had the intention of marketing Sheffield to a specific market, be that families looking to relocate, or new businesses deciding where to locate their offices. GEO 151 Assessment 3 Part 1 To prepare for the interview i made sure i had all the main questions that i was going to ask the subject ready. I typed these out and left large gaps underneath the questions so that i had enough space to write plenty of notes from the interview. I contacted the subject and arranged a time that was convenient for them, and so that i could get their consent to conduct the interview. I then met up with the subject in my flat so that it would be in a comfortable, quiet environment that was convenient for the subject. I took notes on the interview rather than recording it, which i would probably not do in the future. The conversation flowed well as the questions were well structured and i made a point of using prompts to promote further conversation into a certain topic (for example, â€Å"what do you mean by† or â€Å"can you tell me a bit more about†) However, because i was taking notes the conversation became slightly disjointed as i was having to make notes on intervie w whilst asking questions, so at points i had to pause to catch up on my notes before i could ask the next question. Also, this meant i didnt have a full record of the interview, just brief notes. If i were to do this in the future i would record the interview and make a transcript as this would be more useful for analysis of the data. GEO 151 Assessment 3 Part 2 The data we were provided in the transcribed interviews followed the themes already being analysed throughout this course urban space (and regeneration) and social exclusion; but they also touched on issues of crime and disorder- particularly among the youth and talked extensively about housing and other projects which were being implemented into the community in order to improve the social wellbeing of the people living in these places. In addition to the theme of community, the theme of family was also discussed often in both the interviews and how families help shape a community. The 2 interviewees were from different areas in Scotland one a deprived anonymous area (EDDEP), the other an affluent anonymous area (EDAFF), but looking at similar issues throughout, therefore giving 2 different perspectives. The process of analysis and coding involves carefully reading through material transcribed from an interview and selecting labels to associate with specific parts or whole sections of data. This can apply to single words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs and the codes relate to certain themes or ideas expressed through the text. It may also relate to specific words and phrases. The coding itself involves marking specific part of the text based on these themes or ideas to make it easier to compare and analyse parts of the text that may be relative (for example, sections that discuss similar ideas). This also makes it easier to search the data and find any patterns emerging throughout so that this can be further investigated. To code the interview i was provided, i read through the text twice to make sure I had a complete grasp of the text, and the concepts involved in the interview. After this, i carefully went through the text, picking out common words or themes which i then annotated at the side of the page by hand. Some of these tags were of particular words or simple sentences or references to a theme, but often the tags applied to whole sections of the text and often these tags overlapped. My interpretation of the first interview is that the subject is someone who lives in a deprived area of Edinburgh (EDDEP), talking about their experiences working as a project staff member in this area of Scotland. Throughout the interview, she talks about housing and new developments in the area and the effect this has on social and community problems. In particular the topics included alcoholism and their exclusion from society, however the subject felt that although these alcoholics were excluded from conventional society, they had created their own community and had their own issues and conflicts within this segregated community. Topics also included youth crime and disorder. The subject felt that this crime and disorder among the youth population maybe a result from social exclusion, as EDDEP is a deprived area which offers little to stimulate the youth.   They also mention how family can greatly influence the community in which they live due to the way they deal with youth an d the elderly. The second interview is taken with a councillor for the more affluent area of Edinburgh (EDAFF) and also touched upon housing issues in Edinburgh, with reference to families. In this interview the subject talks more about   the boundaries between the affluent and deprived areas of Edinburgh, and the fear in the community of some of the people living in the deprived areas due to the division between them. Again there is a lot of emphasis on crime and disorder, particularly among the youth of the area, however the problems in this area seem more trivial, as oppose to the serious crime mentioned by the subject in the first interview The strengths of my analysis and interpretation are that I believe that from reading through the interviews several times I managed to get a firm grasp of the issues being covered throughout and was able to find patterns of topics throughout through coding the transcripts. In the future I think I could code the transcripts slightly better as i feel that my labels may be slightly superficial many of them simply describe the topics being discussed in that part, and could be more in depth.   However, i think this form of data is quite valuable as a lot of the topics featured can be explored a lot more in depth than with other methods such as questionnaires. GEO 151 Assessment 3 Part 2 The data we were provided in the transcribed interviews followed the themes already being analysed throughout this course urban space (and regeneration) and social exclusion; but they also touched on issues of crime and disorder- particularly among the youth and talked extensively about housing and other projects which were being implemented into the community in order to improve the social wellbeing of the people living in these places. In addition to the theme of community, the theme of family was also discussed often in both the interviews and how families help shape a community. The 2 interviewees were from different areas in Scotland one a deprived anonymous area (EDDEP), the other an affluent anonymous area (EDAFF), but looking at similar issues throughout, therefore giving 2 different perspectives. The process of analysis and coding involves carefully reading through material transcribed from an interview and selecting labels to associate with specific parts or whole sections of data. This can apply to single words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs and the codes relate to certain themes or ideas expressed through the text. It may also relate to specific words and phrases. The coding itself involves marking specific part of the text based on these themes or ideas to make it easier to compare and analyse parts of the text that may be relative (for example, sections that discuss similar ideas). This also makes it easier to search the data and find any patterns emerging throughout so that this can be further investigated. To code the interview i was provided, i read through the text twice to make sure I had a complete grasp of the text, and the concepts involved in the interview. After this, i carefully went through the text, picking out common words or themes which i then annotated at the side of the page by hand. Some of these tags were of particular words or simple sentences or references to a theme, but often the tags applied to whole sections of the text and often these tags overlapped. My interpretation of the first interview is that the subject is someone who lives in a deprived area of Edinburgh (EDDEP), talking about their experiences working as a project staff member in this area of Scotland. Throughout the interview, she talks about housing and new developments in the area and the effect this has on social and community problems. In particular the topics included alcoholism and their exclusion from society, however the subject felt that although these alcoholics were excluded from conventional society, they had created their own community and had their own issues and conflicts within this segregated community. Topics also included youth crime and disorder. The subject felt that this crime and disorder among the youth population maybe a result from social exclusion, as EDDEP is a deprived area which offers little to stimulate the youth.   They also mention how family can greatly influence the community in which they live due to the way they deal with youth an d the elderly. The second interview is taken with a councillor for the more affluent area of Edinburgh (EDAFF) and also touched upon housing issues in Edinburgh, with reference to families. In this interview the subject talks more about   the boundaries between the affluent and deprived areas of Edinburgh, and the fear in the community of some of the people living in the deprived areas due to the division between them. Again there is a lot of emphasis on crime and disorder, particularly among the youth of the area, however the problems in this area seem more trivial, as oppose to the serious crime mentioned by the subject in the first interview The strengths of my analysis and interpretation are that I believe that from reading through the interviews several times I managed to get a firm grasp of the issues being covered throughout and was able to find patterns of topics throughout through coding the transcripts. In the future I think I could code the transcripts slightly better as i feel that my labels may be slightly superficial many of them simply describe the topics being discussed in that part, and could be more in depth.   However, i think this form of data is quite valuable as a lot of the topics featured can be explored a lot more in depth than with other methods such as questionnaires. GEO 151 Assessment 4 The first section of this module was based on observational methods in qualitative data research. This visual method involved observing the â€Å"real world† the built and natural environment whilst walking a route through Sheffield, specifically taking note of scenes which represent social exclusion and urban regeneration. Although mainly focused on the visual observation of a place, this can also include observation of sounds and smells. The task was to undertake this walk and observe the surroundings, while keeping the themes of social exclusion and urban regeneration in mind, and recording the observations in an appropriate manner. During this walk I mainly focused on the built environment of the area when thinking about urban regeneration, and the people in the area and the facilities available to them for social exclusion. I then had to do a write up of these observations and discuss. I believe this method is an important way to get a good impression of an area, so woul d be an effective way to start a research project about an area. It provides good basic ideas about an area, such as those mentioned. The negatives of this method are that it is not a particularly ‘in-depth method, and much further investigation into an area would be required via other methods. The second section involved visual methods. The task for this section was to photograph scenes of urban regeneration and social exclusion from the walk, so that they could be referred to at a later date and used to compare to other images of Sheffield taken from various sources (magazines, websites, etc). From these photos we could also analyse the impressions that these photos gave of Sheffield, especially to someone who had never visited Sheffield before.  Ã‚   I felt that this method was fairly effective, and a very good way of conveying ideas of urban regeneration more so than urban exclusion to other people through showing them photos that were took. I do feel however that a weakness of this method is that it is highly variable, as the photos represent one snapshot of an area and are not totally representative of a whole area. Also, the images taken would be very different depending on the time of day and even the weather, as poor weather in images can often convey a sense of unwelcoming. In the future I would try to take some panoramic photos which would include far more of the surrounding than by a standard size photograph, and would therefore be more representative of the area. The third method used was â€Å"in depth interviewing†. To prepare for this the task we were asked to carefully read through a transcribed interview and then use coding in order to analyse themes and patterns throughout the text. This gave me an idea about how in depth interviews would slow, and about how I would go about analysing it afterwards. To conduct my own interview, I first had to write a framework for the interview, and contact the subject to make sure I had permission to conduct the interview and to arrange a suitable time and place. Throughout the interview I made sure I used plenty of prompts as well as just questions when I wanted to discuss a poin