Dolphin 1984

In 1984, he co-founded and led the spin-off company Pain Capital, a highly profitable private equity investment firm that became one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Economy, everyone might wonder what mitt will do and he believes in free enterprise, hard work, and innovation. His plan consist of reduce taxes, spending, regulation, and government programs. Mitt's plan to help The United States of America, is to increase the number in Jobs. Rooney plans to increase trade, energy production, human capital, and labor flexibility. With Rooney in the house, Obama care would be out. Roomers view on healthcare consist of the following: wouldn't affect seniors or those near retirement, would not raise taxes, and support to help the pupil choose between traditional Medicare or private plans.This â€Å"Health Care† Rooney speaks of will provide the same are and medicine like Medicare, but to a coverage. Mitt Rooney is pro-life. He believes that all Americans have a voice, that should not be take away from them. People from whatever background know that millions and millions of abortions happen every year. Rooney would like to go to the Supreme Court and overturn Roe v. Wade. With this in mind, Rooney will have each and every state have their own abortion laws. Rooney will protect the Doctors, nurse, etc. Of Hospitals. Meaning Saint Catherine for example, will not be giving abortions. Rooney will have Judges that know the choice between personal opinion and the law.Rooney believes this statement.. † Why are we taking the lives of the most innocent among Marriage is between one woman and one man, or so believes Mitt Rooney. Rooney says he wants to support traditional marriage. Rooney would like to propose a Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Paul Ryan Bio Ryan was born in Janesville,Wisconsin. He was the youngest child in his family of four. His mother Elizabeth and his father Paul Murray Ryan who was a lawyer. Paul is a fifth generation. Ryan attended SST. Marry Catholic in Janesville, where he was elected president of his Junior class, and then became prom king.As class president Ryan was a representative of the student body on the school board. Following his sophomore year, Ryan took a Job working the grill at McDonald's. He was on his Nicholls ski,track,and varsity soccer teams and played basketball in a Catholic recreational league. He also participated in several academic and social clubs including the Model United Nations. When he was 16, Ryan found his 55 year old father lying dead in bed off heart attack. ISSUES: Mitt Rooney Taxes Reducing and stabilizing federal spending is essential, but breathing life into the resent anemic recovery will also require fixing the nation's tax code to focus on Jobs and growth.To repair the nation's tax code, marginal rates must be brought down to stimulate entrepreneurship, Job creation, and investment, while still raising the revenue needed to fund a smaller, smarter, simpler government. The principle of fairness must be preserved in federal tax and spending policy. Individual Taxes America's individual tax code applies relatively high marginal tax rates on a narrow tax base. Those high rates discourage work and entrepreneurship, as well as savings ND investment. With 54 percent of private sector workers employed outside of corporations, individual rates also define the incentives for Job-creating businesses. Lower marginal tax rates secure for all Americans the economic gains from tax reform. Make permanent, across-the-board 20 percent cut in marginal rates * Maintain current tax rates on interest, dividends, and capital gains * Eliminate taxes for taxpayers with GAG below $200,000 on interest, dividends, and capital gains * Eliminate the Death Tax * Repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (MAT) Corporate Taxes The U. S. Economy's 35 percent corporate tax rate is among the highest in the industrial world , reducing the ability of our nation's businesses to compete in the global economy and to invest and create Jobs at home. By limiting investment and growth, the high rate of corporate tax also hurts U. S. Wages. * Cut the corporate rate to 25 percent * Strengthen and make permanent the R&D tax credit * Switch to a territorial tax system * Repeal the corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (AM Rooney Immigration Rooney tends to emphasize border security and an immigration system that will benefit the economy.To secure the borders, Rooney wants to complete the construction of a high-tech fence along the Southern border with Mexico. He says he wants enough officers for border security, but does not specify if more, or how many, officers might be needed. Additionally, he wants to improve the â€Å"exit verification† system to make sure that immigrants do not overstay their temporary visas. To retain skilled workers, Rooney proposes offering permanent residency status to foreign student s who obtain an advanced degree in math, science or engineering at a U. S. University. For industries that need and use temporary workers from outside the United States, Rooney wants to reform the temporary worker visa system by removing requirements that slow the process of obtaining the visa.To discourage immigrants from entering the country, or staying in the country, without proper documentation, Rooney would like to develop an improved employment verification system for employers to ensure that they are not hiring unauthorized immigrants. During the race for the Republican nomination, Rooney argued that there would be no need to increase deportations of unauthorized immigrants because implementing a functional employment verification system would make it difficult for them to find a bob and they would â€Å"self deport. † Rooney also opposes â€Å"magnets,† or benefits, for unauthorized immigrants that he believes encourages immigrants to enter the country without authorization. When he was governor of Massachusetts, he vetoed a bill that would allow in-state tuition for unauthorized immigrants and opposed driver's licenses for illegal immigrants.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 22

Twenty-two DEIRDRE THE COUNSELOR must not have had much of a life, because she scheduled our next appointment on a Sunday. I wasn't thrilled about it, seeing as it wasn't just my day off – it was also the day my friends had off. Orders were orders, however, so I grudgingly showed up. â€Å"You're wrong,† I told her as soon as I sat down. We hadn't really addressed the questions from my first session yet. We'd spent our last couple of times talking about my mother and what I thought of the field experience. â€Å"What about?† she asked. She wore a sleeveless floral dress that seemed too cold for a day like today. It also bore an eerie resemblance to the nature photographs that hung around the office. â€Å"About the guy. I don't just like him because I can't have him. I like him because †¦ well, because he's him. I've proven it to myself.† â€Å"Proven it how?† â€Å"It's a long story,† I said evasively. I didn't really want to get into the details of my Adrian compulsion experiment. â€Å"You just have to trust me.† â€Å"What about the other thing we talked about?† she asked. â€Å"What about your feelings about Lissa?† â€Å"That idea was wrong too.† â€Å"Did you prove it to yourself?† â€Å"No, but it wasn't the kind of thing I could really test the same way.† â€Å"Then how can you be sure?† she asked. â€Å"Because I am.† That was the best answer she was going to get. â€Å"How have things been with her recently?† â€Å"Recently how?† â€Å"Have you spent a lot of time together? Kept up with what she's been doing?† â€Å"Sure, kind of. I don't see her as much. She's doing the same things as usual though. Hanging out with Christian. Acing every test. Oh, and she's practically got Lehigh's website memorized.† â€Å"Lehigh?† I explained the queen's offer to Deirdre. â€Å"She won't even be there until fall, but Lissa's already looking at all her classes and trying to figure out what she wants to major in.† â€Å"What about you?† â€Å"What about me?† â€Å"What will you do while she attends classes?† â€Å"I'll go with her. That's what usually happens if a Moroi has a guardian close to her age. They'll probably enroll me too.† â€Å"You'll take the same classes she does?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"Are there classes you'd rather take instead?† â€Å"How do I know? She hasn't even picked the ones she's going to take, so I don't know if I want to take them or not. But it doesn't matter. I have to go with her.† â€Å"And you don't have a problem with that?† My temper was starting to prickle. This was exactly what I hadn't wanted to talk about. â€Å"No,† I said tightly. I knew Deirdre wanted me to elaborate, but I refused to. We held each other's eyes for a few moments, almost like we were challenging the other to look away. Or maybe I was reading too much into it. She glanced down at the mysterious notepad she always held and flipped through a couple of pages. I noticed that her nails were perfectly shaped and painted red. The polish on mine had started to chip. â€Å"Would you rather not talk about Lissa today?† she asked at last. â€Å"We can talk about whatever you think is useful.† â€Å"What do you think is useful?† Damn it. She was doing the question thing again. I wondered if one of the certificates on her wall gave her some sort of special qualification to do that. â€Å"I think it'd be useful if you stopped talking to me like I'm a Moroi. You act like I have choices – like I have the right to be upset about any of this or pick what classes I want to take. I mean, let's say I could choose them. What good would it do? What am I going to do with those classes? Go be a lawyer or a marine biologist? There's no point in me having my own schedule. Everything's already decided for me.† â€Å"And you're okay with that.† It could have been a question, but she said it like a statement of fact. I shrugged. â€Å"I'm okay with keeping her safe, and that's what you keep missing here. Every job has bad parts. Do I want to sit through her calculus classes? No. But I have to because the other part is more important. Do you want to listen to angry teenagers try to block your efforts? No. But you have to because the rest of your job is more important.† â€Å"Actually,† she said unexpectedly, â€Å"that's my favorite part of the job.† I couldn't tell if she was joking or not, but I decided not to pursue it, particularly since she hadn't responded with a question. I sighed. â€Å"I just hate everyone acting like I'm being forced to be a guardian.† â€Å"Who's ‘everyone'?† â€Å"Well, you and this guy I met at Court†¦this dhampir named Ambrose. He's†¦well, he's a blood whore. A guy blood whore.† Like that wasn't obvious. I waited to see if she'd react to the term, but she didn't. â€Å"He made it sound like I was trapped in this life and all that too. But I'm not. This is what I want. I'm good at this. I know how to fight, and I know how to defend others. Have you ever seen a Strigoi?† She shook her head. â€Å"Well, I have. And when I say I want to spend my life protecting Moroi and killing Strigoi, I mean it. Strigoi are evil and need to be wiped out. I'm happy to do that and if I get to be with my best friend in the process, that's even better.† â€Å"I understand that, but what happens if you want other things – things that you can't have by choosing this lifestyle?† I crossed my arms. â€Å"Same answer as before. There are good and bad sides to everything. We just have to balance them as best we can. I mean, are you going to try to tell me that life isn't that way? That if I can't have everything perfect, then there's something wrong with me?† â€Å"No, of course not,† she said, tilting back in her chair. â€Å"I want you to have a wonderful life, but I can't expect a perfect one. No one can. But what I think is interesting here is how you respond and cope when you have to reconcile these contradictory pieces of your life – when having one thing means you can't have another.† â€Å"Everyone goes through that.† I felt like I was repeating myself. â€Å"Yes, but not everyone sees ghosts as a result of it.† It took several heavy seconds for me to finally realize what she was getting at. â€Å"So wait. You're saying that the reason I'm seeing Mason is because I secretly resent Lissa for the things I can't have in my life? What happened to all the trauma I've been through? I thought that was the reason I'm seeing Mason?† â€Å"I think there are a lot of reasons you're seeing Mason,† she said. â€Å"And that's what we're exploring.† â€Å"And yet,† I said, â€Å"we never actually talk about Mason.† Deirdre smiled serenely. â€Å"Don't we?† Our session ended. â€Å"Does she always answer your questions with questions?† I asked Lissa later. I was walking with her through the quad, heading toward the commons for dinner. Afterward, we were going to meet up with the others for a movie. It had been a while since she and I had hung out just by ourselves, and I realized now how much I'd missed it. â€Å"We don't see the same counselor,† she laughed. â€Å"It'd be a conflict of interest.† â€Å"Well, does yours do that then?† â€Å"Not that I've really noticed. I take it yours does?† â€Å"Yeah †¦ it's actually pretty amazing to watch.† â€Å"Who knew the day would come when we'd be comparing notes on therapy?† We both laughed at that. Several moments passed, and then she started to say something. She wanted to tell me about what had happened with Jesse and Ralf, not realizing I already knew. Before she could say anything, though, someone joined us. Dean Barnes. â€Å"Hey, Rose. A bunch of us are trying to figure out why you're on half-time.† Great. I'd known somebody would ask about that sooner or later. And honestly, I was kind of surprised it hadn't happened already. Everyone had been too busy with their own field experiences to give it much thought until now. I had an excuse ready. â€Å"I've been sick. Dr. Olendzki didn't want me going full-time.† â€Å"Really?† he asked, staggering a little. â€Å"I thought they were always talking about how in the real world, you don't get sick days. Or something like that.† â€Å"Well, this isn't the real world, and Dr. Olendzki's word is final.† â€Å"I heard it was because you're a threat to Christian.† â€Å"No, believe me, that's not it.† The scent of alcohol radiating off of him gave me a convenient way to change the subject. â€Å"Have you been drinking?† â€Å"Yeah, Shane got some stuff and had a few of us up in his room. Hey.† â€Å"Hey what?† I asked. â€Å"Don't look at me like that.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Like you disapprove.† â€Å"I'm not,† I argued. Lissa giggled. â€Å"You are, actually.† Dean put on an offended face. â€Å"Hey, it's my day off, and even if it is Sunday, that doesn't mean I can't – â€Å" Something moved beside us. I didn't even hesitate. It was too fast, too covert to be anything friendly. And it was wearing all black. I threw myself between it and Lissa and lashed out at my attacker. In the flurry of activity, I vaguely recognized a guardian who generally taught the elementary novices. Her name was Jane or Joan or something like that. Jean, that was it. She was taller than me, but my fist made contact with her face anyway. She staggered back, and then I noticed another shape coming up beside her. Yuri. I leapt over so that she was between him and me. I kicked her in the stomach. She fell toward him, and both stumbled. In that brief moment, I had my practice stake out and aimed for her heart. I hit the mark, and she immediately stepped aside since she was now technically â€Å"dead.† Yuri and I then faced off. Beyond me, I heard a muffled sound that I suspected was Dean fighting his own attacker or attackers. I didn't have time to check yet. I needed to dispatch Yuri, which was harder since he was stronger than Jean. He and I circled, both feinting and landing blows. Finally, he made his major move, but I was faster and wiggled out of his grip. I stayed out of his reach just long enough to stake him too. As soon as he backed away in defeat, I turned toward Dean. Lissa stood off to the side, watching as Dean sparred with his attacker. It was pathetic, to say the least. I'd given Ryan a hard time, but his mistakes were nothing compared to this. Dean's practice stake was on the ground, and his moves were jerky and unsteady. I decided then that he was more of a liability if he stayed in the fight. I threw myself forward and shoved him out of the way, off toward Lissa. I think I might have pushed hard enough to make him fall, but I didn't care. I needed him out of the way. Facing my opponent, I saw: Dimitri. It was unexpected. Some little voice in the back of my head said I couldn't fight Dimitri. The rest of me reminded that voice that I'd been doing it for the last six months, and besides, he wasn't Dimitri right now. He was my enemy. I sprang toward him with the stake, hoping to catch him by surprise. But Dimitri was hard to catch by surprise. And he was fast. Oh, so fast. It was like he knew what I was going to do before I did it. He halted my attack with a glancing blow to the side of the head. I knew it would hurt later, but my adrenaline was running too strong for me to pay attention to it now. Distantly, I realized some other people had come to watch us. Dimitri and I were celebrities in different ways around here, and our mentoring relationship added to the drama. This was prime-time entertainment. My eyes were only on Dimitri, though. As we tested each other, attacking and blocking, I tried to remember everything he'd taught me. I also tried to remember everything I knew about him. I'd practiced with him for months. I knew him, knew his moves, just as he knew mine. I could anticipate him the same way. Once I started using that knowledge, the fight grew tricky. We were too well matched, both of us too fast. My heart thumped in my chest, and sweat coated my skin. Then Dimitri finally got through. He moved in for an attack, coming at me with the full force of his body. I blocked the worst of it, but he was so strong that I was the one who stumbled from the impact. He didn't waste the opportunity and dragged me to the ground, trying to pin me. Being trapped like that by a Strigoi would likely result in the neck being bitten or broken. I couldn't let that happen. So, although he held most of me to the ground, I managed to shove my elbow up and nail him in the face. He flinched, and that was all I needed. I rolled him over and held him down. He fought to push me off, and I pushed right back while also trying to maneuver my stake. He was so strong, though. I was certain I wouldn't be able to hold him. Then, just as I thought I'd lose my hold, I got a good grip on the stake. And like that, the stake came down over his heart. It was done. Behind me, people were clapping, but all I noticed was Dimitri. Our gazes were locked. I was still straddling him, my hands pressed against his chest. Both of us were sweaty and breathing heavily. His eyes looked at me with pride – and a hell of a lot more. He was so close, and my whole body yearned for him, again thinking he was a piece of me I needed in order to be complete. The air between us seemed warm and heady, and I would have given anything in that moment to lie down with him and have his arms wrap around me. His expression showed me that he was thinking the same thing. The fight was finished, but remnants of the adrenaline and animal intensity remained. Then a hand reached down, and Jean helped me stand up. She and Yuri were beaming, as were the spectators who had wandered up. Even Lissa looked impressed. Dean, understandably, looked miserable. I hoped word of my stunning victory would spread around campus as fast as the recent bad stuff about me had. Probably not. â€Å"Well done,† said Yuri. â€Å"You took down all three of us. That was textbook perfect.† Dimitri was on his feet now too. I looked pointedly at the other two guardians because I was pretty sure if I looked at him, my expression would give everything away. My breathing was still heavy. â€Å"I hope †¦ I hope I didn't hurt any of you,† I said. This made all of them laugh. â€Å"That's our job,† said Jean. â€Å"Don't worry about us. We're tough.† She glanced at Dimitri. â€Å"She got you pretty good with her elbow.† Dimitri rubbed his face near his eye, and I hoped I hadn't caused too much damage. â€Å"The student surpasses the teacher,† he joked. â€Å"Or stakes, rather.† Yuri was giving Dean a hard look. â€Å"Alcohol isn't allowed on campus.† â€Å"It's Sunday!† he exclaimed. â€Å"We aren't supposed to be on duty.† â€Å"There are no rules in the real world,† said Jean in a very teacherlike way. â€Å"Consider this a pop quiz. You passed it, Rose. Very nice job.† â€Å"Thanks. Wish I could say the same for my clothes.† I was wet and muddy. â€Å"I'm going to have to go change, Liss. I'll meet you for dinner.† â€Å"Okay.† Her face was alight. She was so proud of me, she could barely contain it. I could also sense her keeping something secret, and I wondered if there would be a congratulations surprise when I saw her later. I didn't probe too deeply, lest I ruin it. â€Å"And you,† said Yuri, tugging at Dean's sleeve, â€Å"are going to take a walk with us.† I met Dimitri's eyes. I wished he could have stuck around and talked. My adrenaline was running high, and I wanted to celebrate. I'd done it. Finally. After all the embarrassment over my fumbles and alleged incompetence, I'd finally proven what I could do. I wanted to start dancing. Dimitri had to go with the others, though, and only a slight nod of his head told me he wished it were otherwise. I sighed and watched them leave, and then I walked back to my dorm alone. Back in my room, I discovered the situation was worse than I thought. Once I'd stripped off my muddy clothes, I realized I was going to need a shower and a good scrubbing before I was presentable. By the time it was all done, nearly an hour had passed. I'd missed most of dinner. I ran back over to the commons, wondering why Lissa hadn't sent me any nagging thoughts. She had a tendency to do that when I was running late. Probably she'd decided I'd deserved a break after my triumph. Thinking about it again, a big grin crept over my face, one that dried up when I headed down the hallway that led to the cafeteria. A big group of people had gathered around something, and I recognized the international sign of a fight. Considering how Jesse's band liked to conduct their beatings in secret, I figured this probably had nothing to do with them. Squeezing through people, I pushed myself forward and peeked over some heads, curious as to who could have drawn such a crowd. It was Adrian and Christian. And Eddie. But Eddie was clearly there in a referee role. He was standing between them, trying to keep them away from each other. Manners gone, I shoved aside the last few people in front of me and hurried to Eddie's side. â€Å"What the hell's going on?† I demanded. He looked relieved to see me. He might be able to fend off our instructors in combat, but this situation was clearly something he was confused about. â€Å"No idea.† I looked at the two combatants. Fortunately, no one seemed to have hit anybody †¦ yet. It also looked as though Christian was the one on the offensive. â€Å"How long did you think you could get away with it?† he exclaimed. His eyes were like blue fire. â€Å"Did you seriously think everyone would keep buying your act?† Adrian looked laconic as usual, but I could see some anxiety under that lazy smile. He didn't want to be in this situation, and, like Eddie, he wasn't even sure how it had happened. â€Å"Honestly,† said Adrian in a weary voice, â€Å"I have no idea what you're talking about. Can we please just go sit down and discuss this reasonably?† â€Å"Sure. Of course you'd want that. You're afraid I might do this.† Christian held up his hand, and a ball of flame danced over his palm. Even under the fluorescent lights, it glowed bright orange with a deep blue core. There were gasps from the crowd. I'd long since gotten used to the idea of Moroi fighting with magic – Christian in particular – but for most, it was still a taboo thing. Christian smirked. â€Å"What have you got to fight back with? Plants?† â€Å"If you're going to go start fights for no reason, you should at least do it the old-fashioned way and throw a punch,† said Adrian. His voice was light, but he was still uneasy. My guess was that he figured he could do better with hand-to-hand than spirit-to-fire. â€Å"No,† interrupted Eddie. â€Å"No one's going to set anyone on fire. No one's going to punch anybody. There's been some huge mistake.† â€Å"What is it?† I demanded. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"Your friend there thinks I'm planning to marry Lissa and carry her off into the sunset,† said Adrian. He spoke to me, but his eyes never left Christian. â€Å"Don't act like it's not true,† growled Christian. â€Å"I know it is. It's been part of your plan – yours and the queen's. She's been backing you the whole time. Coming back here†¦the whole studying thing †¦ it was a scam to get Lissa away from me and tied to your family instead.† â€Å"Do you have any idea how paranoid you sound?† asked Adrian. â€Å"My great-aunt has to manage the entire Moroi government! Do you think she really cares about who's dating who in high school – especially with the state of affairs lately? Look, I'm sorry about all the time I've spent with her†¦we'll find her and figure this out. I really wasn't trying to get between you. There's no conspiracy going on here.† â€Å"Yes, there is,† said Christian. He glanced over at me with a scowl â€Å"Isn't there? Rose knows. Rose has known for a while about this. She even talked to the queen about it.† â€Å"That's ridiculous,† said Adrian, surprised enough that he too shot me a quick glance. â€Å"Right?† â€Å"Well †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I began, realizing this was getting very ugly very quickly. â€Å"Yes and no.† â€Å"See?† asked Christian triumphantly. The fire flew from his hand, but Eddie and I jumped into motion at the same time. People screamed. Eddie grabbed Christian, forcing the fire to fly high. Meanwhile, I grabbed Adrian and slammed him to the floor. It was a lucky division of labor. I didn't want to think what would have happened if Eddie and I had gone for the same person. â€Å"Glad you care,† muttered Adrian, wincing as he lifted his head from the floor. â€Å"Compel him,† I murmured as I helped him up. â€Å"We need to sort this out without someone spontaneously combusting.† Eddie was trying to restrain Christian from leaping forward. I grabbed a hold of one arm to help. Adrian didn't look thrilled about coming any closer, but he obeyed me nonetheless. Christian tried to jerk free but couldn't fight both Eddie and me. Uneasily, probably afraid of his hair catching on fire, Adrian leaned over Christian and made eye contact. â€Å"Christian, stop this. Let's talk.† Christian struggled a little against his restraints, but slowly, his face went slack and his eyes started to glaze over. â€Å"Let's talk about this,† repeated Adrian. â€Å"Okay,† said Christian. There was a collective sigh of disappointment from the crowd. Adrian had used his compulsion smoothly enough that no one suspected. It had looked as though Christian had simply seen reason. As the crowd dispersed, Eddie and I released Christian enough to a lead him over to far corner where we could talk in private. As soon as Adrian broke the gaze, Christian's face filled with fury, and he tried to leap at Adrian. Eddie and I were already holding on. He didn't move. â€Å"What did you just do?† exclaimed Christian. Several people down the hall glanced back, no doubt hoping there'd be a fight after all. I shushed loudly in his ear. He flinched. â€Å"Ow.† â€Å"Be quiet. Something's wrong here, and we need to figure it out before you do something stupid.† â€Å"What's wrong,† Christian said, glaring at Adrian, â€Å"is that they're trying to break up Lissa and me, and you knew about it, Rose.† Adrian glanced at me. â€Å"Did you really?† â€Å"Yeah, long story.† I turned back to Christian. â€Å"Look, Adrian didn't have anything to do with this. Not intentionally. It was Tatiana's idea – and she hasn't even actually done anything yet. It's just her long-term plan – hers alone, not his.† â€Å"Then how did you know about it?† demanded Christian. â€Å"Because she told me – she was afraid that I was moving in on Adrian.† â€Å"Really? Did you defend our love?† Adrian asked. â€Å"Be quiet,† I said. â€Å"What I want to know, Christian, is who told you?† â€Å"Ralf,† he said, looking uncertain for the first time. â€Å"You should have known better than to listen to him,† remarked Eddie, face darkening at the name. â€Å"Except, for once, Ralf was actually telling the truth – aside from Adrian being in on it. Ralf's related to the queen's best friend,† I explained. â€Å"Wonderful,† said Christian. He seemed calm enough, so Eddie and I released him. â€Å"We've all been played.† I looked around, suddenly taken aback by something. â€Å"Where's Lissa? Why didn't she stop all of this?† Adrian raised an eyebrow at me. â€Å"You tell us. Where is she? She didn't come to dinner.† â€Å"I can't. †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned. I'd gotten so good at shielding myself when I needed to that long periods of time would go by without me feeling anything from her. This time, I sensed nothing because there was nothing coming from her. â€Å"I can't feel her.† Three sets of eyes stared at me. â€Å"Is she asleep?† asked Eddie. â€Å"I can tell when she's asleep†¦This is something different†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Slowly, slowly, I gained a sense of where she was. She'd been blocking me out on purpose, trying to hide from me, but I'd found her as I always did. â€Å"There she is. She was – oh God!† My scream rang down the hall, echoing Lissa's own screams as, far away, pain shot through her.

Assess the significance of Judith Butler’s work

Assess the significance of Judith Butlers work The modern meaning of the word 'gender' emerged in the 1970s. Its original purpose was to draw a line between biological sex and how particular thoughts and behaviours could be defined as either 'feminine' or 'masculine' (Pilcher & Whelehan, 2004). The reason for using the word 'gender' was to raise awareness of the exaggeration of biological differences between men and women. The popularity of this meaning for the word 'gender' resulted from the efforts of second wave feminism in the 1970s. This essay examines how second wave feminism attempted to construct a 'grand narrative' of women's oppression. It then examines Judith Butler's contribution to post-modern feminist theory through her performative theory of gender and how this fits into post-modern feminist debates. A product of second wave feminism, which began around 1970, was the attempt to place women within a 'grand narrative' history of their oppression. One of the seminal writers on this narrative was Simone de Beauvoir. H er work in describing how women had become 'the other' in her book The Second Sex (de Beauvoir, 1961) laid the foundations for what was to come in the second wave of feminism (Gamble, 2002). De Beauvoir argues that the way in which men think about women is only in relation to their fantasies, that they have no substance of their own. Unfortunately, for de Beauvoir, women have come to accept men's fantasies of womanhood as constituting their own conception of themselves. For de Beauvoir, it was for women to conceive of themselves in their own terms, to take back the power themselves. A criticism of de Beauvoir's approach was that it tended to blame women for their current condition (Gamble, 2002). The second wave feminists of the 1970s, however, such as Millet (1970), pointed to patriarchy as the root cause of women's oppression. It is patriarchy, so Millet argued, that has become a political institution, and from this flows all the other forms of women's oppression. Firestone (197 0) also took a strong line against patriarchy, equating women's oppression to a caste or class system. Ideological support for patriarchy, in Firestone's view, has come from institutions such as the family, marriage along with romantic love. These ideas are referred to as constructing a 'grand narrative', a way of charting the history and development of particular ideas, in this case women's oppression (MacNay, 1997). One of the problems that much feminist thought has come up against in trying to provide a 'grand narrative' of women's oppression is that it is difficult to effectively give all women a common identity (Whelehan, 1995). If the very idea of gender flows from cultural origins, then it is only natural to conclude that gender has different meanings in different cultural contexts. How then can a common identity be posited? Other critics such as Richards (1982), examining second wave feminism from a liberal perspective, have seen it as a movement that has failed. Richards se es many of the feminist approaches as being extreme and unattractive, and not focussing, as she sees it, on rational debate. She criticises feminists for utilising 'eccentric' arguments which do not conform to the normative expectations of philosophical debate. Further, she criticises feminism for ignoring the obvious differences between men and women – such as women's ability to have children – and thereby presenting an unrealistic picture of utopian gender relations.

Consultancy Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consultancy Report - Essay Example Further, the practice of recommendations through incentives is a major ethical issue that needs to be curtailed. It is important for the three firms to reorganize their acts and put on a higher degree of professionalism when it comes to competitiveness. It is this way that will lead to lesser unethical practices where there will be lesser stealing of product formula and incentive recommendation practices by the three firms leading to a civilized pharmaceutical industry that other firms will look up to as their model industry. The three companies selected for this discussion are: Novartis AG, GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Pfizer Inc. These companies are the three largest pharmaceutical companies in the world employing over 300,000 people across the world and sharing more than $150 billion in revenues in between them. The three firms are very innovative and compete with each other on their brand equity and image. Ethics is defined as the standards that enable one to tell the difference between right and wrong. Thus, ethics is a standard that can vary for each individual, company or entity. The ethics standards of a truthful and honest person will be higher than that of a regular liar. Ethics is what enables one to judge something as right or wrong. It is highly qualitative and as mentioned earlier, can differ greatly for two entities (Framework for ethical thinking, 2009). Focusing constantly on innovation and quality, it is not possible for any of these firms to engage in quality compromise as it would not only be detrimental to human life but would also endanger there future existence in the market. Thus, ethics is one of the most important pillars of operations in the pharmaceutical industry. However, this quality is not religiously practiced when it comes to competition. Novartis, Pfizer and Glaxo manufacture a wide variety of medicines and drugs that are cures for the same diagnosis: the only differences lie in

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Case Study Example They do this through rallies on weekly basis where they have a system of accumulating customer care points. It is redeemable for various rewards (Kotler & Armstrong, 2012). Through efficient CRM, Harrah’s will manage to learn emergent aspects from customers like how often they visit. This will enable its management ensure better services to the satisfaction of the customers thus giving them a reason to come back again. Therefore, Harrah’s focus will be more on service development strategies as well as ways that will best suit their customers. For instance, Harrah’s will be sending about 250 million mails to members in a year and most customers will prefer this way because the information sent is relevant to them (Kotler & Armstrong, 2012). These Total Reward will be of great benefit to the customers for example during a trip to Atlantic City, someone can pick the busiest weekend where most hotels were booked fully. If he can swipe his Harrah’s Total Reward card in order to use, he can get an available room at reduced rate of 100 dollars a night. This explains how benefiting it is to be a loyal customer and it is motivating to the potential ones. Based on survey so far conducted, the number of people using Total Reward will be approximately 40 million customers. Most of the customers are just ordinary people like teachers, doctors, and bankers from different lifestyles (Kotler & Armstrong, 2012). This is different because for long time the industry has always focused on the rich people. Since the establishment of Total Reward, the annual gambling budget share can rise to 20% while 18% to the customers who preferred gambling at Harrah’s then at their hometown casinos (Kotler & Armstrong, 2012). The services in Harrah’s will bring better returns to the company in terms of revenue from the happy and loyal customers. For instance, as of 2009, Harrah’s became the biggest in the industry with revenue of 10 million dollars

Why Video Games Matter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why Video Games Matter - Essay Example He does this for several days, showing how addicted he is to video games. Nonetheless, in this excerpt, he addresses the relevance of video games, based on his personal experiences. In this excerpt, Blissel specifically talks about the video game Fallout 3 produced by Bethesda in 2008. To show how addictive video games can get, Blissel begins explaining the circumstances around his playing of Fallout 3. In his case, Blissel remembers nostalgically, how he missed to follow the happenings involving one of the most important events in the history of United States. While people were glued on their screens, watching CNN and other authoritative television channels for the election and swearing in of the first black president in the history of United States, Blissel was busy playing Fallout 3. Even though he had planned to play this for only a few hours before he would watch CNN, the game got interesting, and he spent more hours than expected, thus, missing the important historical event (B lissel 349-350). Even though Blissel clearly reveals that video games can be addictive, he goes ahead to defend this art form with a lot of passion. It is true, we are in a generation of gaming, and most people, including children, young people, and even adults will confess their love for video games. Although Blissel tends to criticize video games in this excerpt, he again believes that these can get even better. He thinks of video games as frustrating, in the way one has to kill characters and watch them die: â€Å"I killed his mother, and then everyone else. . .allowing your decisions to establish for your character identity as a skull-crushing monster. . .these pretensions to morality suddenly bored me† (Blissel 358). At the same time, he gives credit to video games, for being dazzling. This is in the way he thinks video games have a storyline. This is what makes him prefer to play video games than watch a film or read a novel. Although a novel has a storyline too, one mi ght not be able to concentrate on it for a few more hours like they can do with video games. Blissel thinks films do not have a storyline in the same way as video games. What makes video games appealing to Blissel is the fact that the player of the game is the one in control; therefore, it can never get boring. Apart from this, Blissel thinks playing video games creates another world for a person. They can escape the real world life, and get into another world, which they create themselves while playing video games. Blissel justifies this with his depressing moments when he would get a break by playing video games. Nonetheless, this excerpt describes in detail, Blissel’s descent into the world of Fallout 3, a video game, which has themes that are a reflection of his own compulsions that are self-destructive (Blissel 353-5). In this excerpt, Blissel generally discusses the relevance and importance of video games in people’s social lives. He as well defends video games f rom those biased against them. However, Blissel’s stand with regard to the importance of video games in the cultural aspect is quite ambivalent. Here, he compares video games to the traditional art forms such as novels and films. Comparison shows both the negative and positive sides of video games. Nonetheless, what comes out is that video games, to a larger extent, show a greater degree of incompatibility with the traditional art forms. Blissel purpose is quite clear in this excerpt. He aims at showing the importance of video games in society. This however, ends up in a two-sided argument, as one cannot establish whether video games are good or

Children's Development, Health and Well-being Essay

Children's Development, Health and Well-being - Essay Example This paper will now discuss the different ways by which children develop in their early years and primary settings, with specific focus on their health and wellbeing. First, a discussion on the developmental needs and conditions of children in their primary school years would be presented, followed by a discussion on the theories and key educational initiatives and how these impact on children’s development. Legislation pertinent to the topic will then be discussed, including the key elements which impact on children’s development, health and well-being. Legislation relevant to schools and children will also be made part of this discussion as a means of understanding the connections between policy and classroom practice. Body During the primary years, learners are highly energetic and highly engaged in physical activity. They are also entering a period of experimentation with various possible identities (Fabian and Dunlop, 2002). They explore themselves and their relati onship and similarities to their peers, including the differences between the male and female gender. They are also able to participate enthusiastically in various activities, as well as to expand their mental development in ways which may be considered reflective (Fabian and Dunlop, 2002). These learners have needs which relate to the application of complicated, dynamic, interactive and cyclical activities. The learning process for these children would have to call for them to elaborate, reformulate, and reflect upon their knowledge and values (Fabian and Dunlop, 2002). In other words, they have to be supported on how their develop responsibility for their learning. The years following conception until birth to the first eight years of the child’s life are crucial to their complete and healthy mental, emotional, and physical growth (Robinson, 2007). Their brain’s rapid development often starts as early as the prenatal stage and continues until after the child’s birth. The cell formation of the child is often already complete before their birth with a newborn infant having about 100 billion brain cells (Robinson, 2007). Their brain maturation as well as the development of their neural pathways is however continued after birth until their early childhood. In effect, early childhood is a time where the environment also has a crucial role to play in determining the eventual direction of the child’s development. The environment impacts on the number of brain cells and connections made, but also how these connections would be wired (Waller, 2009). The goal of removing excess neurons and synapses from the immature brain is a process which goes on until the child’s adolescence, but is especially dramatic during the child’s early years (Waller, 2009). This process is also guided to a significant extent by how the child is experiencing the outside world. According to different studies, if the brain does not gain enough stimulat ion during this critical period, it would be very difficult for the brain to later rewire itself at a later time (MacIntyre, 2007). Poor nutrition before birth and in the first years of the child’s life can also seriously impact on brain development and cause neurological and behavioural issues including learning disabilities and mental retardation (MacIntyre, 2007).

Extra-Credit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Extra-Credit - Essay Example ls with information dissemination of the status of the water quality in the city as well as the different guiding rules in relation to water use and waste water management. This is of utmost importance since the most common issue being faced by the local government is the water contamination. Scientist and researchers in the city are constantly studying the flora and fauna of the water system. In addition, periodic water analyses are undertaken and posted on the city’s official online information site (Terre Haute Website). Based on the study undertaken regarding the effects of the metropolitan water use on the Wabash River through the quantitative analysis of fishes, it had been concluded that in 1998 there is relatively lower overall impact as compared to the 1983 data (Gammon 224). The City of Terre Haute Wastewater Utility is one of the most important establishments in Terre Haute with the main objective towards ecological and environmental preservation of the quality of the water ecosystem. The facility works through the wastewater treatment composed of collection, water treatment process and maintenance (Terre Haute

Funding application for homeless people Coursework

Funding application for homeless people - Coursework Example Not having a permanent roof over their heads, which is a fundamental right of all citizens, goes hand in hand with other problems associated with lack of proper food and clothing. This then causes detrimental effects on their health. And, they are further disadvantaged by not having access to any guidance or information to improve their condition. Compared to other youth who live in families in houses, they are at a disadvantage by not being able to educate themselves for immediate as well as long term benefits and future prospects. It is a deep rut of despair and a vicious cycle of no hope to be in such circumstances. One only needs to look at those who do have homes to live in to see how much of a disadvantage these homeless youth have, not being able to leave normal lives like the rest of us. The health problems that inevitably afflict homeless people cannot be understated. "Homeless people are more likely to suffer injuries and medical problems from their lifestyle on the street, which includes poor nutrition, substance abuse, exposure to the severe elements of weather, and a higher exposure to violence." (http://www.ipedia.net/information/homeless) The youth and children are particularly vulnerable groups of people in this regard. Our projects aims to cater to these disadvantaged people by providing them with what they desperately need; to feed and clothe them; to protect them from the weather, getting involved in wrong types of activities; to protect them from being taken advantage of by criminals, gangs, drug traffickers, organ snatchers, pedophiles, prostitutes etc. Instead we will provide them with decent sheltering facilities, and provision of food to stave off hunger. And, we will help resolve their personal problems through the provision of counseling and information services, then relocate them to a safe permanent abode

How the Rising Cost of Fuel Has Affected Air Travel Research Paper

How the Rising Cost of Fuel Has Affected Air Travel - Research Paper Example This is in the form of efficiency, cutting costs and passing on the costs to travellers. Introduction The rising cost of fuel prices has significant effects on the air travel industry in multiple ways affecting airlines, travellers and other allied sectors. In most ways, the industry has experienced numerous negative impacts as compared to positive impacts. This is to the extent of having some airlines pulling out of certain markets altogether or even quitting the industry altogether. This paper seeks to discuss the impacts of high fuel costs on air travel and its effects to the industry. Recent studies in the airline industry have seen the cost of fuel rise as a result of trends in the world oil prices. As a result, airlines have experienced increased operating costs due to issues of efficiency in fuel consumption and environmental taxes, as well as caps. This way, airlines have sustained increased costs of operation that have affected air travel significantly in regard to the aircr aft acquired and expansion programmes (Cranfield University, n.d). In regard to the acquisition of new aircraft to be used in air travel, the high fuel costs have resulted in improved fuel efficiency. This is in the form of having airplanes with fuel-efficient engines that bring down the amount consumed over a given distance (Cranfield University, n.d). ... Moreover, another field affected in air travel, in reference to the increase in fuel prices, is the expansion of long haul and decline of short haul services (Cranfield University, n.d.). This is following frequent upgrade to aircrafts that have better fuel efficiency as compared to older fleets. Due to the high costs of fuel, the industry is able to adapt accordingly to bring down the costs of operation; and keep up with the ever-rising fuel prices and allowing air travel to cover greater distances with more capacity, and with lesser fuel consumption. Thus, due to high fuel prices, airlines have opted to focus on revenue management strategies to cut all costs of operation. In this case, the high fuel costs have been placed on the traveller to shoulder the burden, in the fare; they pay for the usage of air transport. However, some, instead of passing the cost of fuel directly on to the passengers, they have chosen to have value added services that are optional for the traveller (US B ureau of Labour Statistics, 2012). The services could be in the form of meals offered on board and are gladly accepted and paid for accordingly. In addition, services and costs that cater for fuel are in the form of the service that the passenger would like, such as flying business or economy class and all fees charged for reservation and cancellation of tickets (US Bureau of Labour Statistics, 2012). Thus, the cost of travel has gone high as a result of the levies that are passed on to the traveller. Still on high fares, travellers have, in recent times following high fuel prices, had to pay more for the cost of their luggage. This contributes to the overall cost of travelling by air through charges for hand luggage, overweight luggage and oversize baggage. In

Christian Science Essay Example for Free

Christian Science Essay Modern day America is home to many Protestant groups, most of which had their foundation largely influenced by 19th century Protestantism in the region. During the period, irresistible dynamism rocked American Protestant groups, coinciding with an epoch in which the American society readily allowed the founding of new churches and religious movements. Amid growing revivalism and much freedom to develop, the 19th century also saw mounting interest in millennialism and the rise of Adventism. All these resulted in new Protestant groups, some motivated by the looming Second Coming of Christ and while others invented new religious doctrines. A few broke away from existing churches while others claimed their foundation in new revelations. Among the key churches founded then include the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Christian Science and the Seventh-Day Adventist. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, popular as the Mormons and founded by Joseph Smith, was among the first churches to be formed. In his boyhood, Smith experienced visions via which he was advised against joining existing churches, and told he would be active in restoring true Christianity. In 1823, he was guided by a heavenly messenger named Moroni to a hill in New York, where he discovered strange writing covering two thin golden plates. His translation of the writing, aided by Moroni, is now the Book of Mormon and is based on Christ’s teachings. Mormons deem their faith akin to that founded by Jesus in North America. Although they accept the influence of the old and new testaments, their scriptural doctrine includes the Book of Mormon and two other texts, Doctrines and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price; both based on Smith’s revelations and sermons. The discovery of the Book of Mormons allured many followers to Smith’s church, whose membership is now roughly eight million, with headquarters in Salt Lake City. Christian Science was on its part founded in 1879 by Mary Baker Eddy, originally a member of a Congregational Church. As a young woman, she suffered from nervous disorders that physicians and hypnotists could not cure. She in 1866 claimed to have been totally cured after reading a New Testament account of one of the miraculous healings Jesus performed. She subsequently founded the church, which she described in her book Science and Health. Its members disregard formal creeds and doctrines, with some fully devoting themselves to tutor others how to use ‘scientific prayer’ to access God’s healing love. Christian Science has over 3, 000 congregations in 50 countries, with headquarters in Boston. This church is seen as the source of New Thought, a larger American religious movement attributed to Emma Hopkins. Emma was Baker’s student and a teacher, whose students later formed new versions of New Thought such as the Unity School of Christianity, Religion Science and Divine Science and the Unity Movement. The latter has congregations in most USA cities and abroad. On the Adventist front, the Seventh-Day Adventist is the main church. It was founded by Ellen White. White was a follower of William Miller, a millennialist who founded the first Adventist denomination and wrongly proclaimed Christ would return in 1843 to preside over a final judgment. Ellen experienced many visions that inspired her books. And being a gifted speaker, she drew thousands to her lectures, in which she attributed the delay of the predicted Second Coming to Christians’ failure to obey the Ten Commandments. Today, the church has nearly four million members, with half a million living in the USA. The Jehovah’s Witnesses is also a millennialist group, formed in 1881 by Charles Taze Russell. At 20, Russell’s study of the Bible led him to a verdict that the Second Coming would occur in 1874, when Christ would invisibly return. This was to be followed by the Battle of Armageddon and end of the world in 1914. His ideas drew him hundreds of followers and membership continued to rise even after his prophesy failed to materialize. The church, with headquarters in New York, now has over two million members in 200 countries. They understand Christ to be God’s son but reject the doctrine of the Trinity and still believe that a ‘great tribulation’ is imminent. Considering that the churches discussed here are just the main ones and have followers worldwide, it is clearly evident that 19th century American Protestantism played a middle role in both the origination and molding of the course, and even beliefs, of numerous modern-day churches and movements. References LD.

Instructural planning and design Essay Example for Free

Instructural planning and design Essay It is highly recognized by people that strong educational background and good educational status juxtaposed with a strong conviction to reach a goal could alleviate a person’s status in life. I believe that teachers share the burden of the parents for encouraging children to learn. It is highly regarded that teachers are the next person who has the power to sway children to a path towards the future. It is natural then that selecting programs and lessons for the students are vital in honing the abilities of the children and to help them learn more. Apt learning tools then are essentially the number one concern of the teachers. If teachers have the power to influence children then it would be necessary that they take the load seriously. A failure on the part of the teacher might become a loss for the child’s chances in the near future. Teachers in this case then would have to create plans that could holistically hone the capabilities and abilities of the children as well as encouraging them towards the path of a future determined to attain better education. The best way to do this then is that the teacher should be able to create plans that are recreational in nature as well as informative. I believe that the best way for creating this atmosphere is for teachers to be able to share the enthusiasm that he/she may have for the particular subject that he/she is teaching. Over enthusiasm might be too much optimism but enough impression could leave a definite mark on the children. I find it helpful to create an atmosphere that knowledge could give us the power. Along with this ambiance are the suitable programs and lessons that would be discussed in class. The first thing to consider then is the instructional levels. This level is where a teacher would gauge his/her lessons to a right medium of instruction that he/she would adopt. Dealing with pre-school students would require patience and a level of instruction fit for the students. Take for example in teaching children to read. It should be noted by the teacher that the best way to do this is for him/her to be able to recognize the reading capabilities of each and every student that he/she is handling. The first thing to notice here then is to see if whether or not the capacities of the students are somewhat in tuned with each other. It seems that there would be instances where reading lessons would elicit different responses form the students. The most important thing that the teacher should be able to grasp here is that in the formative years of the children, there could be instances that learning disabilities might occur. Necessarily, the teacher should be able to identify these problems so that he/she could be able to address these problems. A good start would be for the teachers to encourage children to read aloud in the classroom and establish ways that could gain the participation of the children. There would be instances that a child might be reluctant to read in front of the class since he/she would fear to commit mistakes. That is why encouragement is a best solution. The development levels of each if these students may vary then. The background of the students would have to be taken into consideration. There are natural instances that a student may develop faster than others. So in this case the teacher should be able to devise a plan that would encourage the fast learners without disregarding those who are slow to catch up. It is appropriate this way since this would not promote discrimination. Discrimination might only lead to a child to be discouraged about his/her skills. Aside from the proper instructional level, the teacher should be able to grasp the development levels of each student that she has. A best way to do this is through the non verbal communication between you and the students. A simple frown might be seen in different ways but inside a classroom it could be seen as not being able to understand what was said. As what was implied above, it would then be healthy for teachers to be able to adjust along the way for the benefit of the entirety of the class (Siobhan Leahy, 2005). A good example to address developmental level is for the teacher to realize which level he/she is teaching. A math subject during the formative years would be essential for the secondary level of the students. It would then be advisable that the teacher focus on creating an atmosphere where children would not have to resort memorization but also have the full understanding of what they are memorizing. The next thing to be considered is the learning disabilities of the students. Younger children could have the ability to learn to hide these disabilities that is why teachers are suggested to have constant vigilance. It is not an easy task to know which student have learning disabilities and people could not automatically tell (Learning Disabilities, 2007). An example for this instance is a student who is dyslexic. Having a hard time to decipher words and letters is problem for the students and teachers as well since this could hinder the progress that is needed for the student. What the teacher could do if he/she would encounter this problem is to approach the student in a way that would not embarrass him/her. After such deed would be done, the best way for children to catch up with this disability is for the teacher to suggest tutors for the child. This tutor may be the teacher or a special teacher or the parents of the child who has full knowledge in addressing this problem. Alerting the parents could very well help in this instance. In a classroom setting the teacher could devise a lesson plan that could help by using the other senses of the children. It was said that multi-sensory teaching in the classroom could help improve a child’s learning disability. Perusing of the sense of touch could be helpful by asking the students to have a creative output of the letters or numbers. Creative in a sense that the teacher could make the letters or numbers be available for the sense of touch especially when it could help the children cling to have a tangible image of what they are reading (Bradford, 2000). Going back to the reading levels, a teacher then should be able to use appropriate reading materials that his/her students would need. As I have repeatedly said earlier, students’ reaction to a reading material may vary and their abilities may also vary. In this aspect, the teacher could be able to help the child’s development through the parents or the family. It was said that the family, especially the parents, have a great influence on the child. A home conducive for learning is the best recourse for this problem. Of course this may be a problem since not all households are the same for the children. It would then be the responsibility of the teacher to double her efforts in teaching the children. As was also suggested above, teachers should be flexible enough for the betterment of his/her teaching strategies. It would then be necessary that the teacher could be able to devise a concrete curriculum. This curriculum then could serve as a rough draft of what the teacher ought to achieve by the end of every semester. Naturally, these curriculums are usually rigid. Creating a flexible curriculum then could be the best recourse especially when taking into consideration what was said above. The importance of this alignment of curricular goals is that would generate a standard that the teacher ought to be teaching the child at the same time it could give him/her a better idea of what should be learned in the level of what he/she is teaching. The standard then could be checked through the standards of the school. Making the curriculum flexible then would mean that the standards are there but the activities that would be done would vary from time to time especially when other teachers have a tendency to just create a repetitive scene or method of what they were doing for the past years that they were teaching. Take for example, if a teacher is teaching the basics of math and number then arranging the lesson plan according to the standards set would help and then activities would become flexible according to the necessity that these activities would have for a certain aspect of the subject. Some students seldom aim in ‘getting by’ the subject without full understanding that upon reaching the secondary level of math, they have a hard time grasping the complexities that are presented to them. It is essential then that the teacher choose curriculums and activities fit for the goal of understanding math rather than just letting the students memorize the numbers. Leaving a certain shadow of the numbers in the back of a child’s mind would be helpful. In doing what was suggested as a solution for the learning disability, the teacher could then leave the impression of a memory that the child could easily access in his/her mind. Let’s say the number ‘5’, a string glued to the shape of a ‘5’ could help a child in remembering that a five usually feels like making an‘s’ but with a much rigid first curve above and a horizontal line for the top. The plans and how the teachers execute these plans would have to be taken into consideration. Becoming a teacher is no mean feat especially when you have the power to influence the students and it is up to the teacher therefore on how a student might perceive the educational perspective in life. References Bradford, J. (2000). Using Multisensory Teaching Method.Retrieved September 5, 2007, from http://www. dyslexia-parent. com/mag30. html Learning Disabilities. (2007). Retrieved August 21, 2007, from http://www. kidshealth. org/PageManager. jsp? dn=KidsHealthlic=1article_set=32422cat_id=20167 Siobhan Leahy, C. L. , Marnie Thompson, Dylan Wiliam. (2005). Classroom Assessment: Minute by Minute, Day by Day [Electronic Version]. Assessment to Promote Learning, 63, 19-24. Retrieved August 21, 2007 from http://www. ascd. org/portal/site/ascd/template. MAXIMIZE/menuitem. 459dee008f99653fb85516f762108a0c/? javax. portlet. tpst=d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_ws_MXjavax.portlet. Prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journaltypeheaderimage=%2FASCD%2Fimages%2Fmultifiles%2Fpublications%2Felmast. gifjavax. portlet. prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_viewID=article_viewjavax. portlet. prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journalmoid=e9e66a50a9337010VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRDjavax. portlet. Prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_articlemoid=72276a50a9337010VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRDjavax. portlet. prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journalTypePersonalization=ASCD_ELjavax. portlet. begCacheTok=tokenjavax. portlet. endCacheTok=token.

Framing And Controlling Media Discourse On Terrorism Criminology Essay

Framing And Controlling Media Discourse On Terrorism Criminology Essay Following the September 11 attacks in 2001 in America, terrorism obtained a global reputation and public reaction throughout the world. Terrorism is not a new phenomenon. It has existed from centuries ago. But that time (September 11, 2001) America was the terrorists target. It was the first time that such massive attack was spread among people around the world by live news. In recent years, the number of stories and news about terrorist and terrorism discourses has been increased, especially after September 11, 2001 in America and July 7, 2005 in London. The Media and the government, as the key institutions in every society, play significant role to create public knowledge toward terrorist and terrorism. It seems that the media, as a tool for presentation of the governments policy, is used and controlled by government in coverage of news about terrorist and terrorism themes. In this essay I am going to address this question: who (which organisation) is managing and controlling media content and discourse about terrorism? According to literatures, (e.g. Hoffman 2006; Paletz 1992) the media is affected directly by governments policy. On the other hand, the media may do the terrorists favours because the media can be also used by terrorists to spread their own news, information and beliefs across society and the world. Altheide (2006), Hoffman (2006) and paletz and Boiney (1992) argue that the media itself plays main role in managing and framing media discourse on terrorist. However, it seems that the media is a device that is used by both government and terrorists to impact on the public mind. Thus, they can utilize the media, negatively or positively, to achieve their goals, meaning that the media does not have complete control over its contents. The reminder of this essay contains of section 2 that discusses about the definition of terrorism,. In section 3 addresses the question of the essay. Finally, section 4 provides the conclusion of the essay. Terrorism and Terrorist In fact, in the last hundred years, terrorism has not much changed. However; a unique and complete definition of this phenomenon does not exist. Despite the expansion of terrorism and its importance for the international security, defining the term terrorism is still faced with uncertainty. One of the main reasons for this ambiguity may be the diversity of terrorists goals and the variety of terrorism forms. Therefore, there is no universally definition of terrorism. On the whole, the word terrorism (terror) means the panic and fear. Common definition of terrorism refers to violent acts and aggressive behaviours which lead to create fear or terror among people. Hoffman (2006) quotes from terrorism group that violent actionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. are shocking. We want to shock people; everywhereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.It is our way of communicating with the people. The concept of shock suggests creating fear and murder, threats and intimidation among people. Among various definitions of terrorism, some of them are provided below: The United State Department of Defence (DOD) define terrorism as the unlawful use of violence or threat of violence to install fear and coerce governments or societies. Terrorism is often motivated by religious, political, or other ideological beliefs and committed in the pursuit of goals that are usually political. According to United Nation in (1992) terrorism means: An anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-) clandestine individual, group or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons, whereby- in contrast to assassination- the direct targets of violence are not the main targets.(http://www.terrorism-research.com) The U.S Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) describes terrorism as: the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives. Taylor (1986) cited in Cottle (2006) sees terrorism as the violence which is done by none -sates groups or individuals. Therefore, he believes that terrorism is not a state-oriented action. Cottle (2006) also believes that Taylors view is more appropriate than the view that points to the state terrorism. Taylors view (1986) is discussable since it seems that in countries with dictatorial government, state is upper hand in terror of oppositions. However, nowadays terrorism is an activity which is related to a particular actors or groups with special ideas. For example, some countries may tend to related terrorism to extremist Muslims. According to Gerrits (1992) cited in Paletz and Schmid (1992) [t]he media may provide insurgent terrorists with a good dose of the oxygen of publicity, but censorship can provide a government with the narcotic of secrecy, which is an even bigger danger to democracy. Cottle (2006) argues that the words terrorists and terrorism are used to say that actions of rebels or/ and oppositions are unlawful and illegitimate. Taheri (1987) says for one mans terrorist will always be anothers freedom fighter, but it can be said with certainly that terrorism is what terrorism does. Although there is not a single view and perspective on terrorism description across the world, terrorism and terrorism related actions carry common concepts which are fear and illegitimating. Types of terrorism To identify who has upper hand in media discourse on terrorist it may be useful to study the types of terrorism. State Terrorism: state terrorism usually refers to the state or states which intervene in the internal affairs of other governments in order to create fear or support of military operations, to weaken and overthrow a government. Domestic Terrorism: This kind of terrorism usually does anti-government activities to create fear among people to obtain attention (Powel, 2011). International terrorism: Emergence of international terrorism has increased in year 1983 (after the explosion of the Marine Battalion Landing Team Headquarters at Beirut International Airport.), and nowadays a considerable rise in international violence, especially in Asian countries, can be seen, especially after 2000 and 2001. The world has witnessed the victim of humans by international terrorism. It seems that international terrorism consists of domestic terrorism and state terrorism which support domestic terrorists. For example, serial explosions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, in which thousands of women and children are sent to the slaughterhouse, can be interpreted as international terrorism activity. Cyber terrorism: Dennings (2000) defines cyber terrorism as a violent attack to computer programmes, networks and secret information that leads to a severe fear and economic and political losses. Cyber terrorism is much more serious than the activity of hacker because cyber terrorism aims critical infrastructures of information technology of a country or government to obtain important information in order to use it against that government and/or special group. As the main classical tool of terrorism is explosion and firearms, the main weapon of cyber terrorist is computer. There are many ways that terrorists can use the computer as a terrorism device. The most important methods of cyber terrorism are hacking and computer viruses, electronic espionage, identity theft and destruction or manipulation of information. Who has upper hand in media discourse on terrorism? This section is going to investigate the source of the media discourse on terrorism. On the whole, if we identify who (government, the media itself or terrorist) benefits from the forming the media content about terrorism we may address better the main question of the essay. The Media or government? The media are at the heart of events because the media would like to break news. Therefore, all the discussions about terrorism come from the media, especially after the September 11 terrorist attacks because it is the media that distribute the news of the terrorism and people are informed formally about the events by the media. Media, in particular, old media such as television, radio and newspaper, has become a platform for covering and publishing the terrorists activities in recent years. As Paletz and Boiney (1992) discusses, Laqueurs (1977) indicates that terrorists tend to attack free societies. The terrorist rational is that the media is free in these societies and, therefore, media can cover violent event and publish the related news immediately. It may mean that in tighten societies the media content and news are controlled by the government and violent events may not be covered completely by the media in such societies. For example, in countries such as Spain and Italy, the press has been prohibited to cover and spread terrorist notice. (Obalance, 1989) .This is what that terrorist does not like it. The media are very well suited for the purposes of terrorists. Terrorists utilize different types of media to informed public people about their targets, values and ideas. Hoffman (2006) argues that terrorism can reach a wider target audience with the media because without media the effect of the act would be glancing. Without massive news coverage the terrorist act would resemble the proverbial tree falling in the forest: if no one learned of an incident, it would be as if it had not occurred. (Nacos 2000) Furthermore, Altheide (2006) discusses that the media is seen as an important part of publics life and known as a kind of communication which conveys news and information beyond the margins. Therefore, the media is seen as a tool which can be used by various institutions and for different targets. The media is important for terrorists because without the media they cannot spread the terror news and also they can use the media as leverage on the governments to gain their political goals (Hoffman, 2006). As the media is known as a linker between government and public it is, therefore, the best tool which government can use to inform people about incidents. Nowadays, the media have an inevitable role in promoting government programs and in creating an atmosphere to shape public opinion and decisions. Therefore, the media always has been regarded by governments. Governments with assistance of the media have achieved the unique power in the domestic and foreign area .Statesmen with using the media implement their policies and programs. Therefore, it is obvious that the government in each country have considerable dominance on the media. It can be seen that the media is a tool in the hands of statesmen and cannot act fully independently. Therefore, it might be true to say that when we discuss about the role of the media on framing and managing terrorism discourses, we investigate, in fact, the role and power of the sate which control the media content. However, one may say that the media itself is the first in managing and forming the contents on terrorism because reaction of the media to a terror and the way that the media coverage the related news are different and this may be criticized for damaging effects. The media may contribute terrorists to distribute fear among people or willingly and unwillingly provide terrorists with important information that worsen the situation in favour of terrorism and against the security and peace. This may cause authorities to meet some demands of terrorists to render the peace and calmness to the society. Cottle(2006) discusses that the media can have a progressive role in relation to violence and terror. In other words, it seems that media can encourage people to think about the causes and effects of terror and violence. This leads to form a pubic judge from people on the events. Cottle (2006) calls this phenomenon as democratize violence. However, in most cases the media may censor the fact of incidents, by media owners such as government, in corporate with public authorities to control and constraint the understanding of people of the event. (Paletz and Boiney, 1992). According to Nosseke (1985) cited in Paletz and Boiney (1992) the best way to avoid the impact of the mass media is to prevent the occurrences of terrorist attacks. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that the media, especially the old media, form and manage all news of terrorism directly and independently without the control of the governmental authorities. Terrorism Since terrorism likes a permanent non-normal situation and fear after its act and media contributes to create such a situation, terrorism is the first to wish control over the media. Miller (1982) argues that there is a relationship between media and terrorism. This relationship is inseparable because the media always covers the terrors news. Terrorism also would like to receive attention of the media. Terrorism, like an ill mannered enfant terrible, is the medias stepchild, a stepchild which the media, unfortunately, can neither completely ignore deny.(Powell, 2011) There are various factors which encourage terrorist to use different types of the media (e.g. the Internet) such as depressing their enemies such as government, creating fear among public, being famous to the public by spreading their targets and release their massages through the media. New media, in particular the Internet, has been increasingly used by terrorists to reach their goals. The evidence shows that the old media has been replaced by the Internet especially in covering terrorism discourses because of accessing speed to the news and events on the Internet. Nowadays, terrorists are not restricted geographically and are not dependent on a particular state politically or financially. To reach their murderous goals, they rely on their advanced communication capabilities, including the Internet. All terrorists have particular websites where they can communicate with their readers and followers and also can convey their propaganda. According to Hoffman (2006), almost without exception, all major (and many minor) terrorist and insurgent groups have Web sites. He then quotes from an American Internet researcher at the U.S. governments Foreign Broadcast and Information Service (FBIS): These days, if youre not on the web, you dont exist. Thus, in virtual space and t he new media environment terrorism is able to manage the media discourse and contents on the terrorism issues more freely than the traditional media because public authorities of a society can control over the old media much better than the new media though government, for example, can block some websites and filter them. Terrorism and the Internet both are related to each other. First, the Internet is a space for the both group and individual terrorists to spread their messages of hate and violence. Second, both individuals and groups have tried to attack some computer networks. This attack is known as cyber-terrorism. Communication via computer is ideal for terrorists because it cannot be controlled, limited or censored and it is free to access for everyone. Moreover, the audiences of the Internet are massive, larger than old media and it is easy, fast and inexpensive to access. More importantly, new media audiences can access a multimedia environment. For example, they can use texts, videos and songs simultaneously. Many Internet sites are used by terrorist for psychological war against governments and their military. They put terrible images and movie clips of executed hostages and captives on web sites or show militaries vehicles which have been blown up with roadside bombings or suicide. For example, Al-Zarqawi in May 2004 put on the Internet some films of cutting off the head of a US hostage. Sometimes terrorists use famous web sites like YouTube which is the best place to spread terrorists news and notices is. Terrorists use text messages and video to weak the enemy morale and scare him. Thus, it seems that terrorism is not controllable with the existence of the new media. They are able publish easily their own news, values and activities with the new media (and even with some news channel of TV). The audience can access the original publications of terrorist the Internet. This suggests that terrorism has upper hand in managing the media discourses on terrorism. Conclusion According to the literatures, it is still difficult to identify who is behind the media content and discourses on terrorism or who manages the media about the terrorism issues. However, nowadays, it can be seen that terrorism can use not only the old media but also electronic and virtual media. The media is very important for terrorists. For example, they use the media to spread some films and videos of attacks to create fear and force government or politicians to do a certain work for terrorists. With the development of the new media such as the Internet, mobile phone and etc. terrorism has been capable to manage the media contents. In this respect, terrorism has upper hand in framing the new media content for itself, though power is in hands of dominant government. Government and politician authorities use the media to apply their policy and control society. Therefore, they usually delete some terrorism related news, present incomplete information and delayed news to the audience or may be able to filter some web sites that are against of their polices. Therefore, we can conclude that the media is an important tool to frame and create discourses on terrorism and both government and terrorist have been trying to control and use the media, old and new, for their particular objectives in various ways. It seems that even in a society with free expression and complete democracy the media cannot choose a policy completely against governments policy, especially in the terrorism issues because government and state has power and control over the media. However, in the virtual environment of the media (e.g. the Internet) the control power of the government has been violated and terrorists have been able to present themselves more freely and form their ow n news contents. Rference Altheide,D.L. (2006). Terrorism and the politics of fear. Lanham, Md.: AaltaMira press. Chapter (6). Cottle,S.. (Ed.). (2006). From terrorism to the global war on terror: The media politics of outrage In Mediatizd conflict: Developments in media and conflict studies. Maiden Head: OU press. Dennings, D. (2000). Cyber terrorism, Testimony before the special Oversight Panel of Terrorism Committee on Armed Services, US House of Representative, 23 may 2000. Georgetown University.(http://www.cs.georgetown.edu/~denning/infosec/cyberterror.html). FBIS, Near East/ South Asia. Israel: Palestinian Television Broadcasts Clip Encour- again Martyrdom. Maarive (Tel Aviv) (Hebrew), August 11, 2003. Gerrits, R.P.J.M. (1992). Terrorists perspectives: memories In Palatz, D. Schmid A. (eds) (1992) Terrorism and the media (pp. 29-61). London: Sage. Hoffman,B. (2006). Inside Terrorism. Revised And Expanded Edition. Clombia University Press Laquers, W. (1977). Terrorism. Boston: Little, Brown. Miller, A.H. (1982). Terrorism, the media, and the law. New York, NY: Transnational Publishers Inc.,U.S. Nacos, B.L. (2000). Accomplice or Witness? The Medias Role in Terrorism. Current History-The Journal Contemporary World Affairs. Nosseke,H.(1985). The impact of mass media on terrorists, supports, and the public at large. In A.Merari (Ed.), On terrorism and combating terrorism (pp.87-94). Frederick, MD: University Publications of America Obalance, Edgar. (1989). Terrorism in the 1980s. (P.118) New York: Sterling Publishing Co. Inc. Paletz,D. Boiney, J. ( 1992). Researchers perpectives. In Palatz, D. Schmid A. (eds) (1992) Terrorism and the media (pp. 6-28). London: Sage. Powell, A.K (2011). framing Islam: An analysis of U.S. Media coverage of Terrorism since 9/11. Communication research, 62:1 pp: 90-112. Taheri, A. (1987). Holy Terror: Inside the world of Islamic Terrorism, Adler Adler. P.3. Taylor,P.(1986). The semantics of political violence: In P. Golding, G. Murdock and P. Schlesinger (eds) Communication politics. Leicester: Leicester University Press. DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated terms. WWW.dtic.mil/doctrine/dod-dictionary/data/t/7591.html. [14 Nov, 2011] http://www.terrorism-research.com/ http://www.fbi.gov/albuquerque/priorities

Free Essay on Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide - Mother Teresa :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Mother Teresa's Little Sisters and Euthanasia In this essay we see Mother Teresa of Calcutta's Little Sisters of the Poor responding to the Europena Parliament's pro-euthanasia measure. In their response is found an insight into death which the Western world lacks. The Little Sisters are knowledgeable from personal experience with the many whom they have seen die. They are also firmly rooted in a strong religious tradition. Both of these considerations make their advice the very best one can hear in the euthanasia debate. "How can the Little Sisters of the Poor, in the service of the elderly, not be concerned about the passing of the principle of euthanasia by a Commission in the European Parliament? We feel that the confusion caused by the text pertaining to the use of extraordinary means to prolong life, palliative care and euthanasia can easily mislead an uninformed public. Yet behind these extremely complicated phrases, the thought is clear: to give doctors the right to satisfy the request for euthanasia, that is to say, to take a person's life. Human dignity does not consist in being able to choose the time of one's death, but in being aware of the fact that one's basic right is the right of respect for life, of respect for human dignity"(Little) The Little Sisters have 150 years of experience in accompanying the elderly up until the end of their lives, and by this experience they are authorized to make known to the public what they have seen and learned. Since their foundation, 17,080 Little Sisters have lived with the dying, and today they are in 30 countries on six continents, with 74 homes in France and Belgium, First World nations. So the dear sisters have expertise with the dying of both the Third World and our world. Making the elderly happy, that is what counts!" Mother Teresa used to say, encouraging the Little Sisters to attain this goal by employing means adapted to each person, to his/her possibilities, tastes, past life, health, etc. Making the elderly happy means believing in the value of their life, and the Little Sisters are witnesses of the extraordinary resources of the elderly. Having a center of interest, doing something they like to do, feeling useful, being able to take initiatives, to communicate, to form friendships, maintaining a facilitated relationship with the family, having contacts with youth: these are factors which provide joy and happiness.

The Futuristic Film, Bladerunner :: Movie Film Essays

The Futuristic Film, Bladerunner In this futuristic film, Harrison Ford is a Bladerunner, a man who by using an eye scanning machine and asking questions can determine if a person is really human or is rather genetically created. In the meantime, three of these non-humans find out they only have a four year lifespan and try to find a way, through foul means more than fair, to extend their lives. This culminates in a rather disturbing fight between the leader of these non-humans and Harrison Ford’s character. When one thinks of a futuristic movie that takes place in New York pictures of flying cars and strange cloths pop into the mind. These are in fact used. In addition to these items however, the city itself is portrayed in a very gloomy light. The very first scene of the movie is an aerial shot of the city at night. The audience can see noting but the outline of buildings and pinpricks of light that are the widows in these buildings. When we get down to street level we see other sources of light such as a digital billboard on the side of a building, car headlights, and light from nearby restaurants, but the overall feel is still dark and dismal. The buildings are all metal and it is constantly raining throughout the movie. Other things used to portray this dingy, dismal feel are open fires and trash in the streets. This feel of the city is contrasted when we go to the office of the man who created these non-humans. The sun is shinning so that we are blinded by it. One almost gets the feel that we are in Egypt because of the sun as well as the fact that the building is open having pillars rather than walls. We also see pyramid like buildings outside. But even this impression is temporary as the creator soon draws down a shade so that the Bladerunner can run his test on the girl. Another interesting portrayal of a building in this movie is the last one where the final battle is fought. It appears to be an abandoned department store as there are many floors and mannequins everywhere. It is literally falling apart, as we see when Harrison Ford crawls through a hole in the ceiling to get to another floor and when the non-human leader punches his head through the wall.

Islam Essay -- essays research papers

The law, defined as the body of rules and principles governing the affairs of a community and enforced by a political authority, is an important facet of any community. It provides guidelines for those in the community to follow so that they may have the most peaceful and problem- free life. Islam takes this notion of peace and obedience and applies to everyday living for the members of its community. Islam law is of great importance to the Muslim community because it provides specific courses of action for living and also supplies mechanisms for considering how to deal with situations that are not discussed in the law. Islam law covers all aspects of life; it has its own personal, moral, civil, ethical, societal, and criminal law. All these laws come from God through revelations that are sent through His angel, Gabriel to the Prophet, Muhammad. The laws have been transmitted over time to the people of Islam in the two forms: the direct word from Allah, namely the Quran and the teac hings of the Prophet, the sunnahs. The primary source of Islamic law which is the foundation of every Muslim’s faith and practice is the Quran. The Quran deals with all subjects that concern humankind, mainly the relationship between God and humankind and how this relationship relates to the guidelines that are required to be followed by all Muslims. Within the Quran are not only instructions of how an individual must conduct his or herself but there are also principles relating to all aspects of...

Challenges of Raising a Disabled Child Essay

Caring for a child with a disability can be challenging due to parenting responsibilities and the difficulties they encounter when interacting with an often unreceptive environment. Consequently, parents can be at increased risk for excessive levels of personal distress which in turn can adversely affect the well being of the child and the entire family unit (Plant & Sanders, 2007). Parents of children with disabilities can be at an increased risk for psychosocial distress (Parish, Rose, Grinstein-Weiss, Richman & Andrews, 2008; Plant & Sanders, 2007). The parenting responsibilities for parents of children with disabilities often require a significant amount of time to complete, can be physically demanding, can disrupt family and social relationships, and can adversely affect caregiver employment (Brannen & Heflinger, 2006; Seller & Heller, 1997). Perhaps as a consequence of these additional impacts, family caregivers of children with disabilities can be at increased risk to experience depression, physical health problems, and decreased quality of life (Feldman, et al. , 2007; Ones, Yilmaz, Cetinkaya, & Calgar, 2002). The added challenges of caring for a child with a disability may lead to more stress and greater physical and emotional health risks for parents and their families (e. g. , increased conflict with spouse; Murphy, Christian, Caplin & Young, 2006) compared to families without a child with a disability (Feldman et al. , 2007). This topic is particularly personal for me because I know first hand the psychological affects and challenges that a handicap child could have on parents, family members, and friends. My son was two months when I notice that something just wasn’t right with him. I noticed him favoring one side instead of looking straight ahead. I mentioned my concerns to our family doctor. His doctor didn’t see it as a problem. She said to just continue to watch him. Two months passed and still no change, so at his next appointment I expressed my concern again. I insisted that she run tests on my son immediately. I knew something seemed different; I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I had already had two other boys so something just didn’t sit right with me. The doctor sent my son to be tested at University of Maryland Hospital and my son was diagnosed with Hydrocephalus Dandywalker Malformation with Palsy. He had to have surgery at six months to have a shunt placement to drain the water from his brain. I was devastated. My husband and I went through several defense mechanisms. The first I believe was denial. We didn’t want to face the fact that something was wrong with our child, our baby. He seemed so perfect when he was born just a few months ago. We went through repression, rationalization and intellectualization. We couldn’t wrap our minds around the fact that our child would be different from other children. Nobody wants to believe that something is wrong with their child. I felt a little embarrassed for fear of what people might think about our child or what someone would say. So many things raced around my mind. We wanted to blame the doctors; maybe they did something wrong in my prenatal care. I went over in my mind again and again of every little thing I did when pregnant to ensure that I had did everything I was supposed to do. I didn’t drink, smoke or do drugs. What happened? We tried to search our family history genetics. We just came up empty. My husband and I became depressed, frustrated, and angry. I felt helpless about my son’s condition. I wasn’t sure what to do. Finally, I began to investigate my son’s condition. I read all I could get my hands on. I searched for schools and other medical resources to help me address my son’s needs. In the back of my mind I was still trying to make sense of the fact that my son had a developmental and neurological problem that would affect him for the rest of his life. I wondered what restrictions we would face now and in the future. I still wasn’t sure if I could cope with his lack of development neurologically, physically, mentally or emotionally. I began to question God. I wondered why me. I wasn’t sure if I would have to stop working. I wondered how we as a family would work together to stay a family. I had so many questions, but no answers. I prayed asking God for help and guidance. Later, I began to realize that I had to be strong. I had to accept what the reality was with my son and his disability. It hasn’t been easy. We faced many financial problems, medical issues, several hospitalizations for my son, divorce; daycare issues especially since my son needed twenty four hour daycare. Day care is very expensive as well as diapers and wipes for disabled children. Insurance covers some things but not enough. A person has to be making next to nothing in order to get any assistance from the government; we needed assistance regardless of what we made monetary. I would have never known what disabled families went through to get their voice heard and children’s needs assisted unless I had to face these great challenges myself. So much goes into raising a child with disabilities. There are many variables that factor into taking care of a disabled child. Financial hardships are another important factor that influences parents’ wellbeing. In general families with children with disabilities experience much higher expenditures than other families (Newacheck and Kim, 2005) found that, on average, the total annual health care expenditures for children with disabilities were more than three times as much compared to children without disabilities. The financial strain incurred by families of children with disabilities is likely due to increased expenses related to the child’s needs as well as loss of employment or inability to work because of parenting responsibilities (Murphy et al. , 2006; Parish et al. 2008; Worcester et al. , 2008). Inability to engage in employment can also lead to feelings of isolation, a lack of fulfillment and low self-esteem (Shearn & Todd, 2000). Families of children with disabilities often report feeling isolated from the community (Freedman& Boyer, 2000; Worcester et al. , 2008). What I’ve learned from researching the challenges of raising a child with disabilities; as well as bein g a parent of a disabled child is that there is still so much more to be done. There is still research that hasn’t been touched regarding parents and their disable children. We the parents have to be the voices for our disable children. We have to be better informed about what our disabled children rights are. We have to be willing and ready to fight on behalf of our disable children. Parents and state officials have to work to get better laws passed to accommodate disabled children. Disabled children need better health care programs, better schools; a place for them to be themselves. Parents need a place to relax and not have to worry about dirty looks that people who don’t have disabled children give them. Parents shouldn’t have to feel ashamed that they have disabled children. We shouldn’t be looked down upon because our children are different. Our children shouldn’t be bullied or treated like they are worthless. Our children are special. They deserve the best that we can help them to achieve in life. They deserve a chance like the rest of us. We’ve got to come together and help each other to provide a better life for all! The questions we should ask researchers to study are many. One could be what’s being done to assist parents with disabled children? Are there programs to assist parents in child care for disabled children? Normal daycare centers are for infants through 12 years of age. As of today my disabled son is 16 years old and there’s really no day care for children his age. Another question is why do they go according to parents’ income in order to assist with social security disability? A parent shouldn’t have to be jobless in order to obtain assistance from social security disability. Yet a person who walks into social security disability and say my back hurt or that they have a condition can obtain money; work the system while the truly disabled suffer. There are so many people working the disability system and really aren’t disabled. We have to help the programs we have for our disabled children actually help the disabled children. In conclusion caring for a child with a disability can be challenging, but many of these challenges are likely due to a lack of necessary environmental supports. Future research should expand on these findings and policy makers, scientists and providers should give particular attention to the environmental support needs of parents in order to create policies and interventions that are more family centered.