Hair Oil Marketing Essay

Hair oil is a hair care product specifically intended to keep the moisture balance of the hair, as moisture is lost due to strong shampoos and harsh chemicals in water. It can also be considered as conditioner to make the hair soft and pliable. Hair oil can come from natural products such as coconut oil, fruit extracts, milk, lemon oil, rosemary oil and others. Modern hair oils contain fragrances from different natural sources of plants. Musk Hair oil is available with rich coconut and almond mixture of hair oil products with soothing male and famine cent. Indian Market in Hair Oil Industry: Market Trend: Light Hair Oil Break Up: Packaging: 5 C ‘s Of Marketing 1. The study of the 5 Cs of marketing arises is called situation Analysis. 2. Situation analysis is study of the current market or industry in which company wants to launch a new market. 3. In order to launch a new product, a company first needs to study market condition. 4. The conditions are about the number of competitors and their market share, the cost of producing the product, the profit ration etc. 5. So a quick SWOT analysis will reveal where does the company stand in the market and what strategy it should adopt in order to grab a MUSK’s share in the market. The Five C’s are 1. Customer Needs 2. Company Skills 3. Competitors 4. Collaborators 5. Climate or context Customer Needs/ Company Skills/ Competitors through SWOT Analysis: Musk Parent Company Red Cherry Multi Commodity Pvt Ltd Category Personal Care brands – Hair care Sector FMCG Tagline/ Slogan â€Å"Oil of Pride† USP New Product Launch of hair oil brand in India STP Segment Hair oil segment with natural ingredients (Coconut and Almond) Target Group Youth and middle aged and Old men and women in urban and rural area. Positioning 1. A hair oil which nourishes your hair and maintains style at the same time 2. Positioned on the platform of purity and originality of coconut with best quality and resulting in shiny hair and a clear complexion SWOT Analysis Strength 1. Newly Established product with male soothing fragrance and famine scents. 2. Provides shine and softness and makes hair healthy from inside†¨ 3. Contains trusted natural ingredients like Coconut and Almond 4. Strong distribution network across the country 5.Introduction of oil in the market with better fragrances, ingredients and innovation yet using traditional method to extract oil from raw Almond and Coconut. 6. Celebrity/ film star brand ambassadors Weakness 1. New Brand Launched recently 2. Will be Preferred by loyal customers, but youth find other brands attractive†¨ such as Hair Gel and other hair care products 3.Sticky and oily, stains the pillow when used overnight Opportunity 1.Expansion in foreign markets†¨2.Export potential†¨3.Innovation in other hair care products Threats 1.Aggressive competitors†¨2.Threat from new entrants or local players selling oil with natural ingredients†¨3. Well established Brand Like parachutes and Bajaj Almond. Competition Competitors 1.Marico’s parachute 2.Bajaj Almond 3. Dabur 4.Emami Customers 1. Market size and Growth: Total Market Size – 63% of the total Indian Hair Oil Market and growth is increasing 10% annually. 2. Market segments –Urban and Rural Men, Women with Young Age, Middle age and Older age. 3. Retail Channel – where does consumer actually purchase the product?: Product should reach every single possible household, Retail outlet. Kirana shop, Online and Purchase options on social networking sites with discounts. 4. Consumer Information source – where does the consumer obtain information about the  product? Social media penetration, Road Shows, displays, Exhibition and discount offering strategies online, at retail outlets, Kirana shops and at road shows. 5. Trends: how consumers’ needs and preference change over time? Consumer behavior understanding from time to time by getting feedback and surveys at retail out lets, Online, social networking sites, dedicated consumer retention team through consumer forum specially designed for consumer for MUSK Hair Oil. Company: MUSK HAIR OIL 1. Product line I. Coconut based hair oil a. Soothing Male scent b. Soothing female scent II. Almond based hair oil a. Soothing male scent b. Soothing female scent 2. Image in the market MUSK Hair Oil was established on 24th September 2013 in a typical for niche and rural market, Red Cherry Multi Commodity Pvt Ltd envisioned offering trusted quality products made from 100% Coconut and Almond raw material for hair, skin and hair care. The company presently launching their flagship brand â€Å"MUSK Hair Oil† encased in an attractive cylindrical cardboard label (Blue for Male Customer and Pink for Female Customer) gives product a brand new look in keeping with high quality of the oil it encases and hope to successfully cater to diverse competitive markets in India and the suburbs. 3. Technology and Experience Age-old traditional methods and processes are utilized in producing this oil. The almond oil is lightweight, golden-brown oil, which is extracted from sweet almond nuts. The oil from bitter almond nuts on the other hand, is  extremely poisonous and should be avoided. Half of the weight of the sweet almond nut itself comprises of the oil and therefore can be extracted in large amounts. In its pure form, it has little to no odor and has a faint, nutty scent. The oil has a long and extensive history, dating back to the Egyptians where it was used to strengthen hair and as a skin emollient. More than 50% of the oil comprises of monounsaturated fatty acids, making it suitable to be used for culinary purposes as it helps reduce blood cholesterol levels. The oil is also rich in minerals such as magnesium and the vitamins C and E. While the oil might be lightweight, it causes a brown stain to form when it comes into contact with clothes and bed sheets. Therefore, it should be strictly separated from such things. The oil has many established beneficial properties and is widely used in the cosmetic and food industry. It is also one of the most commonly used massage oils today. Strengthens the hair The almond oil provides essential minerals for normal and healthy hair growth. After continual application of the oil, the hair naturally grows thicker and stronger. It also promotes a lustrous, attractive shine on the hair when used in appropriate amounts. Coconut Oil Extraction: The extraction of oil from copra is one of the oldest seed crushing operations. In India and Sri Lanka copra is still crushed for oil extraction in the primitive chekkus as well as in rotary ghanis, expellers and hydraulic presses. The chekku is a fixed wooden or stone mortar inside which revolves on a hard wooden pestle. The pestle is attached to a long pole which is moved round via bullocks, donkey or by human labor. About 20 – 40 kg of copra can be handled by a chekku. Using coconut oil for hair maintenance may sound like an odd regimen, but it’s been proven to be effective. Coconut oil has been known to have a lot of benefits, both when consumed and applied. Specifically for hair and skin, it has been known to restore natural moisture resulting in shiny hair and a clear complexion. Studies have shown that this substance has the ability to penetrate the hair  shaft and to work its way through all layers of the hair strand. It helps reduce loss of protein, and aids in regaining your hair’s natural oil and moisture. More than keeping your hair healthy and shiny, coconut oil has a lot of other benefits as well. The use of coconut oil is not only natural and organic, but also cost-effective. 4. Culture We are committed to deliver 100% natural products, which are manufactured under stringent quality guidelines. Apart from commitment to quality and product authenticity, it is our compliance to timeliness, fair business practices and cost competency that has made us a preferred associate. 5. Goals: Become the market leader in Coconut and Almond based Hair Oil market in India till 2020. Collaborators: 1. Distributor: 2. Supplier: Local Supplier from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal 3. Alliances: Alliances with retail out let, Online shopping Websites and smaller suppliers to create value for them and for the company. Climate or Context b.1. Political and regulatory environment that affect the market. b.2. Economic environment business cycles, inflation rate, interest rates and other issues of economic nature. b.3. Technological environment- new ways of satisfying needs, the impact of technology 4 P’s Of Marketing

Dental Amalgam and the Risks Essay

What is amalgam? Amalgam is a combination of metals that has been used in dentistry for more than 100 years. It is still commonly used today. Although it sometimes is called â€Å"silver amalgam,† amalgam actually consists of a combination of metals. These include silver, mercury, tin and copper. Small amounts of zinc, indium or palladium also may be used. How safe is amalgam? Many studies on the safety of amalgam fillings have been done. In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluated this research. It found no reason to limit the use of amalgam. The FDA concluded that amalgam fillings are safe for adults and children ages 6 and above. Why is mercury used in amalgam? Mercury is used in amalgam because it helps make the filling material pliable. When it is mixed with an alloy powder, it creates a compound that is soft enough to mix and press into the tooth. But it also hardens quickly and can withstand the forces of biting and chewing. Why the concern about mercury in amalgam? Everyone is exposed to mercury through air, drinking water, soil and food. Concerns have been raised, for instance, about the amount of mercury building up in fish as a result of pollution. Mercury enters the air from industries that burn mercury-containing fuels. Mercury from all sources can build up in body organs. As with most substances, the degree of harm caused by mercury in the body is related to the amount. Very low levels don’t cause any ill effects. At higher levels — for instance, when workers are exposed to mercury through their jobs — mercury can cause several symptoms. These include anxiety, irritability, memory loss, headaches and fatigue. Studies have shown that the amount of mercury you are exposed to from your fillings is less than the amount that most people are exposed to in their daily environment or in the food they eat. Do some people have reactions to amalgam? In rare cases, people have allergic reactions to the mercury in amalgam. The American Dental Association says that fewer than 100 cases of this type of allergy have ever been reported. People allergic to amalgam can receive other filling materials. Should pregnant women be concerned about amalgam feelings? Research has not shown any health effects from amalgam fillings in pregnant women. However, mercury can cross the placenta. In general, dentists advise pregnant women to avoid unnecessary dental care. Women should not get amalgam fillings during pregnancy. Dentists can suggest other materials for any pregnant woman who needs a cavity filled. If amalgam is safe, why does my dentist take precautions when handling it? Because dentists work with mercury almost every day, they must take safety precautions. Without protection, dentists can inhale mercury vapors. Over time, this exposure can produce symptoms of mercury toxicity. How is dental amalgam made? To make dental amalgam, dentists mix liquid mercury with a powder containing silver, tin and other metals. Dentists buy special capsules that contain the powder and the liquid mercury, separated by a membrane. They use special machinery to puncture the membrane and mix the amalgam while it is still in the capsule. Once mixing is complete, the capsule is opened. By the time the amalgam is placed in your tooth, the mercury has formed a compound with the other metals. It is no longer toxic.

A View of Prejudice as Described in Lorraine Hansberry’s Play, A Raisin In The Sun

A View of Prejudice as Described in Lorraine Hansberry’s Play, A Raisin In The Sun A Raisin in the Sun A raisin in the sun is a play about an African American family that is going to receive an inheritance because of a death in the family. In this play their is sexism, racism, and many other cultural differences that we might not have been able to see if we were not in the minority until this play. The African American family in this play is the Younger family there are five youngers living in one small apartment. I think the most important family member is Mama, she is the glue to the whole family and keeps everyone in line. Then theres Walter lee Younger which is mamas son he works as a chauffeur and thinks he is head of the household. Walters wifes name is Ruth she usually minds her own business more than the rest of the family. Mamas daughters name is Beneatha younger she is an aspiring doctor and she knows she can do it even with her being an African American woman. Then theres the youngest which you do not really hear a lot about he is walter and ruths son his name is travis all he wants to do is have a real house. A Raisin in the Sun is a play about the Younger family and it is based in the 1950s while racism and sexism were still taken very serious by many. The Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for ten-thousand dollars which was a lot back in the 1950s. they are receiving this check because Mr. Younger mamas husband died and left them money to take care of themselves because he worked until the day he died. Everyone in the younger family want something different out of the inheritance money. Mama wants to buy a house where her family will not have to struggle anymore. Mamas son walter wants to buy a liquor store with his friends so he can give the family everything they need. Beneatha who wants to become a doctor wants the money to go towards her schooling so she can help people and prove everyone wrong. Ruth and Travis do not really want anything specific but, everyone to be happy. Ruth finds out that she is pregnant with walters second child which they dont have any room for and beenie says â€Å"where is he going to sleep the roof† and ruth gets sad and almost passes out. this shows that they are all under a lot of stress and ruth feels guilty for having another baby. While mama and beenie know about the baby walter doesnt find out until later when beenies friend from africa comes over and they go in the room. Beneatha has a friend from africa bring her things from his homeland so she feels like she is finding her true self which is saying that she doesnt know who she really is and she is supposed to be the one with the strong mind on her shoulders. When the inheritance arrives walter is has a nervous breakdown and leaves the house for a week or so and mama goes looking for him. mama doesnt like seeing her son sad so she eventually ends up giving walter half the money saying to put two thousand in a bank account for bennie his younger sisters schooling and to keep the rest for himself. the money that mama gave walter never gets put into a bank account and ends up getting stolen by his friend Willy Harris.Walter never gets to accomplish his dream of having a liquor store. Meanwhile when walter was losing over half of the inheritance money mama is buying a house that will fit their needs, is in a good neighborhood, and is in her budget. The house that she picks isnt in an African American neighborhood and so she gets a visit from the welcoming committee. A man named Mr. Karl Linder is the welcoming committee and at first the Youngers think he is a nice man and that he wants to help but, then they find out that he only wants to pay them off to not live in the white neighborhood. the white man says that he doesnt want to ruin the block with how much the people who live their work for what they have by â€Å"certain kind of people moving in†. This causes the Youngers to become closer and move in to the new house. Throughout the play their are times that i wondered why would or rather how could people be so set on ruining other peoples lives. I grew up with many different raced people around me throughout my life so i will never fully understand the thought process of racist people. The Youngers seem to be portrayed as hard working people and they want whats best for their family it doesnt make a difference what color they are i would of still watched it the same with no judgement. Racism in the housing industry has been peppered with racism even up into modern times. The racism that is in the housing industry today are not only Towards African Americans its hispanics, whites, and any race. White people can be put out of their house by hispanics that are in gangs and even by other white people throughout the united states. But, most of the racism is pointed toward hispanics and how everyone thinks if you are colored you need to be a gang member of if you dress a certain way you are a gang member. We see it everyday on the news how police officers are even racist and arrest people for no reason. No one knows it happens in the communities also. I have seen people get shot of badly hurt by people that are supposedly protecting their community, Everyone is a victim of some kind of racism in their life even when we are younger. I do not think that people should not feel safe in their own home because of neighborhood racism. In the CBS news Ilyce Glink says Although weve come a long way from blatant, in-your-face housing injustice, racial discrimination still exists, said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. Just because its become less obvious doesnt mean that its less harmful. This statement is completely true many people die because of community racism. Racism in A Raisin in the Sun is almost sickening to most people and i hope that more people see this play to help spread the word about how African American people were treated in the 1950s. Racism is still alive today through communities that want one color out of their neighborhood which is not right either. I hope people eventually learn how not to be racist.

Training and development in HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Training and development in HRM - Essay Example I also expound on the importance of cohesion and conflict resolution mechanisms through leadership, decision making and problem solving. The latter is mainly focused on effective implementation of organizational change with a counter to change resistance from the employees. The selection of effective group members could not go better than the selection of friends to enjoin in a group. As a matter of fact, it is much easier for friends to relate, discuss and/or share ideas as compared to a group consisting of strangers. However, my personal view is that it is much easier for a group of strangers to work efficiently and relate well, with a much easier management or supervision as compared to a group consisting of friends. As I came to learn that, during the period I was part of the ‘The importance of training and development in human resource management’ group, commitment is core for effective human resource coordination and management. On the other hand, it is easier for strange members of a group to relate and experience more since they have much diversity to share and experience. According to research, it is highly probable to get commitment and contribution from members of a group whose members have never priory interacted or worked together. However, challenges are inevitable in group and organizational human resource management. Some of the main challenges I experienced while working in the ‘importance of training and development in human resource management’ group include.

Teamwork and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Teamwork and Leadership - Essay Example It focuses on leadership of the support staff and teamwork involved. It further explores leadership theories in relation to the role played by the support staff in a SEN school setting. The paper suggests a plan that can be used at the workplace to influence improved strategies, approaches and policies for managing teams and groups in an organization. Finally, offers the conclusion and recommendations to the SEN team on how to improve overall management performance. HRM Theory Human resource management refers to the way in which employees’ efforts are managed. HRM conveys a wider and dynamic approach concerning the role of employee management in organizations as stated by Bratton and Gold (2001). However, this term has different meanings in varying organizations and contexts. HRM takes into account the needs of the organization and those of its people. Different employees in a team have individual aspirations and needs. It involves finding out their needs and creating opportun ities where they can develop. In general, HRM relates to all aspects of how an organization relates to its staff in regards to teamwork, training, development and opportunities. This paper focuses on the HRM theory in the education sector. The concept is different in the education sector as it focuses on performance, effectiveness and success (Earley et al. 2004; Stakes and Homby 2000; Nind et al. 2003). Provision of high quality education in SEN schools is dependent on the quality of work put in place. There are two HRM models that can be used to describe the HRM theory which are, commitment based HRM and control based HRM. Commitment based HRM This model is described as a working situation where there is teamwork and shared goals and beliefs (Bratton and Gold 2001). In this case the job is designed for joint implementation and planning (teamwork). Employees work to achieve common goals and objectives. Problems are solved mutually by consulting all the team members. Fulfilment of t he employees’ needs is mandatory. There are effective channels of communication among different staff levels (Lewis and Norwich 2004). This model is contradictory to the current situation in the school. Control- based HRM This model suits best as the leader handles most of responsibility on their own. The management can be described as top- down coordination (Bratton and Gold 2001). There is sub- division of work and each employee is given a specific responsibility and is held accountable for it. Compensation is based on the work done, job evaluation, incentives and appraisal. The management dictates what should be done and the other members of staff are excluded in the decision making process. Strengths and weaknesses of HRM HRM is applicable in the case study as it involves the relationship between the management and employees. It focuses on the needs of the employees and the inclusion of all the members of staff in the decision making process. This approach has several wea knesses since it is business oriented. It is influenced by business policies including competitive advantage whereas schools aim at achieving improved performance and quality improvement in education. Analysis of leadership The concept of leadership within the schools means that the managers are responsible for the work done by others (Gibson 2001). For them be successful, they have to effectively carry out their roles and responsibilities. The major roles played by leaders are, monitoring, supervising and implementation of the

The world we live in Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The world we live in - Assignment Example The world tends to see every one of us from points of views that define our gender, nationality, class, disability, ethnicity, sexuality and many other more (Barak, Leighton & Flavin, 2010). No one can escape all these frames of views. For example, gender is an example of an intersection that is purely of social construct. We live in a world where everyone assumes a binary representation as far as gender is concerned. Some of these intersectional characteristics are badly defined – many people take them as fluid. For instance, everyone represents one gender or another, but for some other people, this is never the case. On the same page, sexuality is a fluid characteristic that echoes with a difference between tastes and preferences from one person to another. Some people can choose to be ‘straight ‘or heterosexual for the rest of their lives, others can be bisexual while the rest can be homosexuals: gays (Barak, Leighton & Flavin, 2010). Everyone fits in one of these groups or another. Class is another aspect of intersectionality that applies to everyone. Class can be viewed from cultural and economic points of views. If an individual is not placed under the rich – high income groups, he or she will definitely belong to the middle income group or the low income group. One can either be poor, rich or in between. These sections cover other subgroups given that the magnitude of wealth is continuous (Barak, Leighton & Flavin, 2010). Everyone falls under some sort of race. One can either be a Negroid, Mongloid or a Caucasian. No one fall out of these three components of race (Chow, Segal & Tan, 2011). These intersectional groups are judged differently. Some are viewed with prestige while others are despised. An individual does not take the picture, but can find his or herself in an intersectional identity that makes him or her feel liberated or oppressed. One can be privileged in one intersection and be

The Tourism Industry of Dubai Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Tourism Industry of Dubai - Essay Example Dubai is known internationally as one of the premier tourist destinations of the world, especially among the high-income and elite group of tourists. It is also regarded as one of the richest places in the world where Dubai is always desired for mass tourism. There is apparently an endless variety of vacation opportunities in this part of the world with positive intervention and support from both government and industries. Notably, the government of UAE aims at developing Dubai as the chief tourist destinations in the world, making use of its unique tourism features operating as a differentiated tourist hub and thus obtaining the competitive advantages of almost no close substitutes. The place is considered as the jewel of UAE because of the fact that it offers luxury, sumptuousness and outstanding facilities to the tourists with a magnificent blend of tradition and modern cultures. It has been observed that outstanding hotels, shopping malls, and skyscrapers are the well-known chara cteristics of Dubai. It has been further viewed that Dubai offers great opportunities and verities for all potential tourists in accordance with the taste of the people visiting the city. It has also been noted that the shopping malls of Emirates situated in this place provide a variety of options to the customers from fashion to home furnishing. Furthermore, Dubai also focuses on developing its sports tourism industry sector facilitating various sports through Ski Dubai resort and other similar amenities (Henderson, 2006).... Gigantism engaging huge amounts of money had been the vision of tourism in Dubai owing to which many prominent projects of tourism development have raised significant threat to the scarcity of natural resources. Apart from environmental threats, the city is also affected by regular governmental intervention from the national and international levels, which is often termed as the ‘War Zone’. It is worth mentioning in this context that US military forces had been operating in Dubai, using the city as a vital base to perform spying activities on Iran, which has significantly influenced tourism rates within the city. Money laundering has also been a mostly debated issue in Dubai. Moreover, Dubai is also criticised for the slavery related issues. Behind the ultra modern and luxurious hotels of the city, there lies a dark world where slavery is still being practiced. Issues related to forced labour are also seemed to be quite significant in the city. Irrespective of such issue s, Dubai had been able to maintain its peace avoiding any considerable terrorist attacks and rendering due scope to attract a variety of tourists from around the world (Davis, 2007; Keane & McGeehan, 2008). Emphasising these characteristics of the tourism market in Dubai, the paper would intend to evaluate the extent to which the city deciphers or rather illustrates the features of modern urban tourism. The intention of the paper will be thus concentrated on connoting if Dubai presents a new paradigm of urban tourism. Discussion Illustration of Dubai as a Tourist Place Dubai is known internationally as one of the premier tourist destinations of the world, especially among the

The Issue of Remorse on The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Research Paper

The Issue of Remorse on The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - Research Paper Example Various studies were conducted about the novel and they discuss the symbols, imageries, issues and parallelisms prevailing in The Scarlet Letter. The critical analysis of the novel would start with a brief biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne and also the significant issues faced by the United States of America in its early years would be analyzed in connection to the story. The main focus is on the issue of remorse faced by the main characters of the novel. Nathaniel Hawthorne came from a famous family living in Salem, Massachusetts. His relatives took care of him when his father died in a voyage. He studied at Bowdoin College together with some famous personalities in literature and politics like Horatio Bridge who became a writer, Jonathan Ciley who became a senator, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who became a poet, and Franklin Pierce who became a president of the United States. The personalities mentioned helped Hawthorne to get a public sector job. Afterwards he started as a writer when his works imitate the style of Sir Walter Scott and was considered to be his early writing training. The Transcendentalist Movement of Ralph Waldo Emerson influenced Hawthorne by investing in the Utopian community. The Trancendentalist belief rejects formalism as they promote individualism because humans according to them are more than just sensory realm. Individualism and symbolism became prominent in Hawthorne’s later works especially in The S carlet Letter wherein the Transcendentalist ideals clashed against the ideals of the Puritans. The Custom House was written by Hawthorne as a prologue to The Scarlet Letter and also as an autobiographical essay. His published work became possible through the help of his friends. The Scarlet Letter became famous across time since morality, spirituality and identity of the Americans were affected by the Puritans. During the time of Hawthorne, adultery was considered as a taboo because of prevailing rigidity and formality of culture. The novel became popular to people from all ages across time (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee). The Scarlet Letter made its author a famous writer. After seeing the relevance of the novel to the life and time of Hawthorne, going deeper into the summary would link the history to the story. Spirituality, morality and Puritan influence on the early America were reflected in The Scarlet Letter. The novel went against the norms and showed how the dreaded beha vior and beliefs would be turned from weakness into strength. The story started from a prologue that could be considered as a standalone essay. The essay revealed how the novel was written as the narrator mirrored Hawthorne himself. The narrator worked as a surveyor in the customhouse and he found certain documents bundled and contained a piece of cloth shaped into an A. Since the narrator was careless and lost some important documents, he made a story out of the two-hundred-year-old manuscript made by a past surveyor. His creative thinking produced The Scarlet Letter  and the story opened in a Puritan settlement at Boston during the early years of USA. The scarlet letter â€Å"A† labeled on the chest of the protagonist named Hester Prynne symbolized her crime as viewed by the townspeople. She walked out of a prison cell together with her baby named Pearl. She arrived at Boston when her old and scholarly husband sent her there. Her husband was lost in the voyage and was ass umed to be dead. Because of loneliness, Hester engaged in an affair that led to the birth of Pearl. Afterwards the town elders put Hester Prynne to a public confession to reveal the father of Pearl. She did not reveal the name of

Discussion Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Discussion Topic - Essay Example They are naturally buoyant; this feature helps them stay under water because they keep swimming with ease. Their short tail is not meant for propelling them in water as it is thought; its purpose is storage of fats that enhance their buoyancy. Their mouth looks like that of a duck to facilitate their feeding under water. Platypuses are carnivores. They are bottom feeders. They scoop up shellfish, insects along with their larvae, as well as worms in their bill together with bits of gravel and mud. Since they lack teeth, the bits of gravel plays a major role to assist them chew their food. Other animals also eat platypuses. Their natural predators include snakes, water rats, owls, goannas, and hawks in addition to eagles. There are a reduced number of platypuses in northern Australia due to predation by crocodiles (Nowak, 1999). There are concerns about the reduced population of duck billed platypuses in Australia. Within the past 100 years, their population has been reducing drastically due to a number of factors. The main factor that has contributed to their population is increased mortality because of eaten by many natural predators. The introduction of red foxes for hunting in 1845, has largely contributed to decrease in number of platypuses that live on the main land. Australia is trying to put in place measures that will assist maintain population of platypuses. The climate changes that are being experienced in the world today are not because of nature. In the past years when there were few human activities in the environment, there was no changes in climate as it is being experienced within recent years. Human activities are the main causes of climate changes in the world today. Human activities cause changes in the atmosphere by releasing green house gasses, and aerosols or else small particles into the atmosphere. Major activity that contributes to atmospheric

Speak Essay Example for Free

Speak Essay A Voice for the Hurt High school is supposed to be a fun, new, and exciting experience. The novel Speak is about a social outcast named Melinda and her struggles to fit in in high school. She doesnt have any true friends because no one stays around long enough to hear her story. The book is written by Laurie Halse Anderson. Throughout the novel Melinda shows her emotional discomfort through actions instead of speaking out. In the end she speaks up for herself and she finds a happier state of being. In the beginning of the novel Melinda enters high school being shunned by all of her ld friends and even people she has never met before because she called the cops at a party at the beginning of the summer. Melinda hides her feelings and doesnt speak out about what really happened that night. Instead of speaking she silences herself by her actions. An example of this is how she constantly bites her lips. The fist example of this is right in the beginning of the novel when Melindas ex best friend mouths l hate you, to her from across the room. Melinda bit her lip and tried not to think about it (Anderson 5). She continues to do this to remind herself to stay silent hroughout the novel. Melinda silences herself many other ways too. One of the most intense ways of this is when she cut herself with a paper clip. She says, l open up the paper clip and scratch it across my left wrist. Pitiful. If suicide is a cry for help, then what is this? A whimper, a peep? (Anderson 65) When her mom sees the cuts all she says is that she doesnt have time to deal with it. This shows how Melinda is trying to speak through cutting herself doesnt help. Her mom doesnt care. Her whimper for help is not heard. She needs to speak up about how she was raped. At the end of the novel Melinda finds a happier state of being when she decides to finally speak. There are many factors that lead her to speak. One of ways she finds her voice is by standing up to Heather. Also she tells Rachel about how Andy Evans had raped trying to protect her, but Rachel doesnt listen to her. After she wrote in the bathroom stall other girls also wrote about how much of a creep Andy is. This gives her confidence to speak out about Andy because she knows that she isnt the only girl going through what she went through. At the very end of the novel when Andy tries to rape her again she finds her voice and says no. Once others hear about what happened they understand her story. In art a seniors asks her if she id 0K and says way to go (Anderson 197). Speak is a powerful novel about a young girl who was raped. Melinda silences herself through her actions. She bites her lip as a constant reminder not to speak out. Also she cut herself with a paper clip as a whimper for help instead of Just telling her parents and friends the truth. In the end she finds her voice and simply speak. Speak Essay By JJkatemull

Impact of Alcohol Misuse on Parenting Capacity

Impact of Alcohol Misuse on Parenting Capacity Introduction: Alcohol and substance abuse has been found to adversely affect the ability of parents to attend to the emotional, developmental and physical necessities of children. Several governmental and health policies have provisions of services to support parents who engage in substance misuse or neglect children (NHS, 2005). Most research focus on the implications of mothers using drugs and the usual treatment method is counselling or residential programmes. Very few research studies have evaluated the impact of substance misuse on parenting capacity along with other disadvantageous conditions such as poverty and unemployment. For parental support services confidentiality is maintained about the parental condition although children often get to know of their parents’ misuse and may feel a sense of shame at their parents condition and at the same time have a fear of being separated from their parents (Barnard, 1999). A recent government framework document has defined parenting capacity as ‘the ability of parents or caregivers to ensure that the child’s developmental needs are being appropriately and adequately responded to, to be able to adapt to the child’s changing needs over time.’ The child’s needs include providing the basic physical needs as well as ‘ensuring the child’s emotional needs are met and giving the child a sense of being specially valued’. According to the Department of Health, ‘Securing the wellbeing of children by protecting them from all forms of harm and ensuring their developmental needs are responded to appropriately are primary aims of Government policy. Local authority social services departments working with other local authority departments and health authorities have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area who are in need and to promote the upbringing of such children, wherever po ssible by their families, through providing an appropriate range of services’(Department of Health, 2000). Promoting the child’s intellectual development is also an important aspect of parenting as the child can develop only through encouragement and stimulation and through demonstrating and modelling control of inappropriate emotions and showing acceptable social behaviour providing a stable family environment. Thus adequate parenting capacity involves attending to the emotional, intellectual and physical needs of a child and promoting a healthy and supportive family environment (Children Act, 1989) Substance misuse, as identified by governmental health department covers both drug and alcohol misuse which is considered to have an adverse impact on the health and behaviour of parents and also on the lives and emotions of the children (Sher 1991). Excessive alcohol consumption severely affects the behaviour of the person who engages in drinking although there are differences in social perception of drug and alcohol use. Drug abuse carries with it more social stigma than alcohol misuse and may be consequently concealed from the family. In this essay we would give a statistical report on the nature and extent of substance misuse especially in Scotland and provide Scottish executive guidelines for child care in cases of parental substance misuse. The impact of parental alcohol misuse has been discussed in detail along with protective measures and social care policies that can provide adequate care to the vulnerable children. The Problem of Alcohol Misuse Alcohol misuse however causes substantial deaths, injuries and health problems and rates of drinking are high in the UK, within Wales and Scotland as well (NHS, 2005). In 1996, an estimated 27% male and 14% females drank beyond limits. 6% of men and 2% of women drink at levels which are considered dangerous. The age at which young people begin drinking is also decreasing rapidly (Department of Health, 2000). Alcohol consumption is the major factor in causing injuries and has been associated with most accidents and drowning deaths. Alcohol also causes significant health problems associated with hypertension, haemorrhages, stroke, cardiovascular disease, liver cirrhosis, alcohol dependence as well as social and behavioural problems. Is has been reported that in Accidents and Emergency departments, 80% of people admitted have alcohol related problems (NHS, 2005). Educational messages, informational campaigns and personal behavioural-change interventions are important in raising awarenes s on the potential dangers of alcohol and the importance of maintaining safe limits in alcohol consumption. Minimal or brief interventions are given at a primary care level and trained nurses provide care and support which are sometimes quite effective in reducing drinking. Family social learning and family social processes are an important influence on adolescent alcohol misuse and more research may be necessary to understand the effectiveness of including family members in group alcohol prevention programmes and the role of parenting skills in prevention of alcohol misuse (Kroll, 2004). The workplace can be another influential factor in reducing or increasing alcohol consumption. Interventions for behavioural modification have to be related to workplace alcohol consumption policy. The UK home office suggests that Rights and responsibilities in relation to alcohol are important in a Government’s approach to alcohol. Although most people drink responsibly but there is general agreement that the scale of disorder fuelled by alcohol is also quite high. According to the Home Office, in 2002/03, 1.2million violent crimes were alcohol related and 44% of all violent crime was fuelled by alcohol. 35% of all attendances at hospital accident and emergency departments are related to alcohol as are 70% of those which occur between midnight and 5 am (Home Office report, 2005). One in five violent incidents due to over-consumption of alcohol takes place around pubs or clubs. All this involves a high cost with crime and disorder resulting in losses of up to  £7.3 billion in a year. According to the NHS – Alcohol Misuse, Chief Nursing Officer Bulletin, 2005. According to Scottish executive 2001, there may be certain differences between alcohol misuse, alcohol problems and alcoholism. The term ‘alcohol misuse’ might refer to a less serious or frequent problem than alcoholism as it may not refer to any addiction but on having alcohol for the sake of it. Alcohol misuse has been largely associated with over-consumption or binge drinking which may be different from habitual consumption. Social or medical services related to alcohol consumption are perceived as curative rather than preventative and people generally seek help after becoming dependent on alcohol and not prior to this. Alcohol problems are associated with daily life problems that begin to take over a person’s life and begin to affect personal behaviour. Alcohol dependency is sometimes seen as an alcohol problem although alcohol problem is more defined not by the amount of alcohol being consumed but by the impact it has on the lives of people around a person wh o engages in such habits. However alcohol physical and emotional dependency is related to alcoholism rather than alcohol misuse or alcohol problems and alcoholics are usually the ones who tend to hide their problems and their dependency which is usually marked by physical helplessness. Extreme misuse of alcohol is again seen as alcoholism although some service providers use the term ‘alcoholic’ with some discretion as some patients may be less comfortable with the term which may even be harmful and detrimental to treatment. Statistics on Alcohol Misuse – The following interesting statistics have been provided by Scottish Executive Publications on Alcohol Misuse: Source: Scottish Executive Publications – Statistics on Alcohol Misuse. Table 1 Casualties which involved motor vehicle drivers or riders with illegal alcohol levels by severity of accident, Scotland *above current drink-drive limit of 80mg alcohol per 100ml of blood [Road Accidents Scotland 2000 SE 2001] The severity of the problem of alcohol consumption could be seen from the report presented which indicates that alcohol related deaths, violence, mental illness, emergency admissions and road accidents have all gone up in the last few years with the UK alcohol consumption also showing a steep rise in the late 90s and early 2000. These problems are especially reflected in parental alcohol consumption cases which have severe adverse impacts on children. Promoting Child Welfare – The Perspective from Scottish Executive The Scottish Executive documents provide the following vision for the welfare of Scottish children: ‘A Scotland in which every child matters, where every child, regardless of his or her family background, has the best possible start in life’. Two important documents have been released for these purposes. ‘For Scotland’s Children’, which was published in 2001, gave advice on how better to integrate children’s services and the ‘Report of the Child Protection Audit and Review 2002’, aimed to improve services for children who experience abuse or neglect at home or elsewhere. The Child Protection Review (2002) states: â€Å"The problems of neglect and problem drug or alcohol use are often related, particularly where household finances are spent on drink or drugs, or the behaviour of the parents or their associates impact on the child’s welfare. Some problems are intergenerational, particularly neglect. We have concerns about the future well being of a large number of children who are now being born into drug misusing families, and ensuring their better protection must be a priority.† Child Protection Committees, Drug/Alcohol Action Teams, and agencies involved in preparing Children’s Service Plans should ensure that all agencies agree on how they will work together to protect children, support families and provide appropriate services (Daniel, 2004). Tackling all kinds of substance misuse is a high priority for the people of Scotland and the Scottish Executive and all methods need to be developed according to Scottish National strategies. One such strategy is Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership and the Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems. Scottish Executive Committee recognises that although not every family with substance misuse experience difficulties, parental substance misuse can have significant and damaging consequences for children at home. The Committee proposes that such children are entitled to help, support and protection even within their own families although sometimes help from agencies are necessary for their safety and security. Parents are also required to support their children and help children to overcome their problems by promoting children’s full potential. The national drugs strategy calls for agencies to assess the needs of children who are neglected by parents on drug misuse and help provide services to these children for their safety and welfare. The Scottish executive has provided guidance to all Drug Action Teams and Child Protection Committees and encouraged these organisations to have local policies on support to help children of drug misusing parents. Within the specified Alcohol Plan for action, children of problem drinkers are also identified as a group with specific needs. Drug and Alcohol Action Teams look at the needs of children whose parents misuse alcohol. The main tenets of the Scottish Executive are given as follows: 1. Children’s welfare is the most important consideration; 2. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that children are protected from harm; 3. We should help children early and not wait for crises – or tragedies – to occur; and 4. We must work together, in planning and delivering services, in assessment and care planning with families, and in multi-disciplinary training. According to the Scottish executive, as there is currently, no national database of problem alcohol users in Scotland, data on alcohol use come from a number of sources: †¢ in 2000, 26% of all women and 44% of all men drank more than twice the daily benchmark on their heaviest drinking day †¢ the proportion of women aged 16-64 drinking more than the weekly recommended limits increased from 13% to 15% from 1995 to 1998 †¢ young people, aged 16-24, in Scotland are drinking more; average weekly consumption in young people aged 16-24 has risen from 1995-1998 for both sexes †¢ men living in the most deprived areas of Scotland are seven times more likely to die an alcohol-related death than those in the least deprived areas †¢ 72% of victims of violent crime reported that their assailant was under the influence of alcohol Recent estimates has also suggested that 40,000-60,000 children in Scotland are affected by their parents’ drug use and 80,000-100,000 are affected by parental alcohol misuse. The following examples give data from two urban areas – Glasgow and Dundee – I A local study of children’s cases, in which Glasgow City Council had sought Child Protection Orders between 1998 and 1999, found that of 111 Orders made on children in 62 families, 44 (40%) cited drug-related risk. 47 of the children were named on the local child protection register, 27 because of concerns about neglect and 16 for physical injury (Quinlan, 2000 cited in Scottish Executive 2002). Source: Scottish Executive II- In Dundee the proportion of children subject to child protection case conferences whose parents were recorded as having problems with alcohol and/or drug misuse, rose from 37% in 1998/1999 to 70% in 2000. Of the 30 children on the child protection register in October 2000, 53% had parents with problems associated with drug and/or alcohol misuse. Source: Scottish Executive The Impact of Parent’s Substance Misuse on Children According to Mountenay (1998) parental substance misuse is neither a necessary nor a sufficient cause of problems in children. However, alcohol and substance misuse greatly increases the risks of family problems and substance misuse in parents can become a focal issue of life and social behaviour of children at home. Mountenay (1998) has further claimed that long term drug or alcohol misuse in parents lead to deteriorating mental health and permanent mental problems for children. Alcohol dependence causes severe problems in households and the fact that drug use is illegal can cause similar problems among children who perceive the problems of their parents with considerable shame and disgust. The problem of children is however mainly ill-researched and less known and they are seen as hidden tragedies or unseen casualties (Wilson, 1982) Due to parental substance misuse, children may be at high risks of maltreatment, emotional and physical neglect, family conflict and inappropriate parental behaviour (Barlow, 1996). Children may be exposed to or get associated with drug or alcohol related crimes and as a consequence they are more likely to show behavioural problems and experience social stigma and isolation and may also themselves become substance mis-users as adults. Since parents on drugs and alcohol spend a lot of time on buying, assessing or obtaining these substances, their emotional or social relationships with their children are hampered as they do not have much time or availability for their children. This problem is especially acute in single parent household and in economically deprived areas, especially when there is no support from relatives or family members. Households in which drug or alcohol abuse is common is characterised by violence, criminal activity and poor or unstable environments. Drug or alcohol dependent parents ultimately make poor relationships and have strained and conflictual relationships with their children. Parents may fail to keep up or perform their parental duties and provide ineffective supervision, inconsistent care or overly punitive or strict discipline which may strain their relations with the children. There may be deficiencies in parenting skills of parents which may in turn have been imbibed from the parents of the drug users who served as poor role models. Barlow (1996) claimed that children of drug using parents may in the long term show serve social and motional difficulties, and may show strong reactions against change, isolation, with difficulty in learning, problems with social humour and estrangement and isolation from family and peers. However the impact of parental alcohol or drug misuse varies according to the age of children and according to which developmental stage they are in. The impact also depends on abilities of children. Children with physical or learning disabilities or with some health problems may be more vulnerable to emotional difficulties due to their parents’ conditions and parents involved in substance misuse may have difficulties in understanding these especially sensitive children or meeting their needs. Thus assessment of care quality and parental support should always consider each child individually. Infants in their pre-school years and babies in general are particularly vulnerable to effects of physical and emotional injury and neglect and this can have damaging effects on their long term development and social adjustment. Neglect can happen when the parent in care is in an alcoholic or drugged condition and unaware of the child’s needs or reactions. Parental commitment to care for children is severely affected when in drugged or alcoholic condition and can lead to inappropriate responses to the questions or concerns of the child. The parents in drugged or alcoholic state may be unhappy, tensed or irritated and can even injure or harm the child under the influence of such conditions (Forrester, 2000). Poor and inconsistent parenting damages the attachment process and unpredictable parental behaviour hinders the child’s cognitive and emotional development. Substance misuse is usually an expensive vice and there may be financial demands on the parents which mean mon ey would be wasted and not used appropriately to improve a child’s material environment. Physical or emotional rejection in such household can prevent children from developing a positive sense of self esteem or even a sense of identity and children may have their physical needs neglected and tend to remain unwashed, uncared and unfed (Sher, 1991). Children may be beaten up and be subjected to direct physical violence and by witnessing direct domestic abuse, they may themselves learn inappropriate behaviour which may take the form of post traumatic stress disorder in which they display emotional symptoms if parental behaviour becomes unpredictable and frightening. Older or primary school children are at increased risks of injury and they may show symptoms of fear of hostility with parents and also anxiety. The gender of the children play an important role and girls may show different reactions to such parental behaviour than boys. Although boys tend to show behavioural problems like aggressiveness, girls can be equally affected. At this stage, poor parental supervision and parental neglect or disinterest can lead to failure in academic attainment and children’s attendance to school can become irregular or erratic. Separation from parents can also cause distress and disrupt social behaviour and academic achievement (Kroll, 2004). Parental behaviour can lead to feelings of embarrassment and shame in these individuals and may be responsible for making children socially isolated for fear of humiliation by friends. Children can also start taking responsibilities for themselves and their younger siblings and may become too independent trying to move away from home and family life. Children and adolescent with drug or alcohol problems at home may not attend school and become delinquent. They may become isolated with no friends, may reject family altogether and experience significant disruption in their education (McKeganey et al, 2002). Without parental support children at adolescence and puberty may have to face increased problems although they may become increasingly beyond parental control. Sexual aggression, bullying tendencies and emotional disturbances may accompany concerns of shame and embarrassment in children to compensate physical neglect by parents. Children with parental substance misuse might develop an early problem of drug and alcohol abuse themselves. Chandy et al (1993) discuss that children of alcoholics constitute an at-risk population and their study attempted to understand the impact of parental alcohol misuse on school performance of children. They used a sample of 838 teenagers from alcohol misusing parents and found that these teenagers performed significantly poorer in all the six measurements of school performance. The study identified that the teenagers who did perform well in school said that their parents have high expectations of them and these teenagers rated themselves highly in terms of health and also claimed to be religious and thus religiousness and parental expectations could be considered as protective factors as identified in this study. In another study by CoSandra et al. (2000) the effects of parental alcohol use on African American and White adults were studied. The study results indic

Ricardo Semler And New Zealand Essay -- essays research papers

Introduction The biggest challenge facing any business today is change. Ricardo Semlars approach to management revolutionized they way in which Secom did business. However it is of question if Semlars model of business can be successfully transplanted into New Zealand’s business environment and change the way in which they operate. This essay will therefore discuss if Ricardo’s unique approach to business, and how it can be successfully used in the New Zealand business environment. This essay will firstly discuss the idea that profit sharing can motivate workers and how this idea is set up in the New Zealand business environment. Secondly the ways in which employee participation work in New Zealand, and how managers can better understand their workers. Lastly the importance of information sharing to a success of a company, and ways in which this idea has helped New Zealand companies find business success. Therefore this essay will show that Semlar’s approach to management can be successfully adapted to the New Zealand business environment. Background Ricardo Semler at the age of 24, implemented three main management schemes to try and successfully run a business. Stated by some as unique, Ricardo Semelr has gone and taken these schemes and used them in his fathers business Semco. After struggling for many years (close to bankruptcy) because of the high Brazilian inflation rate and poor business model, Ricardo was able to turn this all around. Within 8 years Semco had become one of Brazil’s fastest growing companies with a profit margin of 10% on sales of $32 million. Ricardo puts this down to his three core management techniques of profit sharing, employee implementation and the free flow of information.(Semler, 1989) These management schemes are not new, but Ricardo Semler was able to successfully implement these schemes into the Brazilian business environment, while other companies in Brazil and international companies such as Allis Chalmers failed. Thus it is of question if whether or not New Zealand companies can do wh at Ricardo Semler did. Profit sharing The first of Ricardo’s management schemes is the idea of profit sharing and the effect it has on the employee. Profit sharing is formed on the bases that employees should receive a share of the profits of the company. Semler (1889) believes that the idea of profit sharing shouldn’t be a gimmick... ...environment and hopefully more businesses will do so. Reference list Bell, D.W, & Hanson, C.G. (1987) Profit Sharing and Profitability. London. Kogan Page. Foster, B. & Mackie B.L (2002) Weddels Tomoana: A retrospective study of Workplace Reform. The New Zealand Journal of Human Resources Management, 2, p. 1-10 Killian, K. & Perez, F. (1998) Ricardo Semler and Semco S.A (Report No. A15-98-0024. Thunderbird: American Graduate School of International Management Light, E. (1997) Living the Dream. NZ Business. P34-36 Macfie, R. (2001, October 1st) Making it in New Zealand, Unlimited p. 14-17 Maetzig, R. (1999, December 20th) Not to chicken to try new approach. The daily News. P.5 Semler, R. (1989) Managing Without Managers. Harvard Business Review September/October, 76-84 Sinoski, K. (2004) No Incentive. The independent: New Zealand’s Business Weekly. August/September. P. 18 Smith, A. (1996, September 11) The Highs and Lows. The Dominion, p.20 Smith, D. (1977) Worker Participation: A critical appraisal of present practice in New Zealand. Wellington. Victoria University of Wellington Upfront-Unearned Rewards.(2004) Management . September/October. P. 12

Holden :: essays papers

Holden Holden Caulfield is in many ways a typical teenager, skeptical of all authority and with a truculent attitude. The one value that he espouses is authenticity and morality, although he does not carry any other these characteristics himself. Holden also focuses on authenticity and, in turn, the essential phoniness of others around him but does not see the phoniness in himself. Holden's admission that he is the "most terrific liar." One could meet is an apt statement, for his delusions extend beyond making others believe his deceptions. In fact, it is debatable whether or not people believe Holden's lies. Rather, Holden's ability to lie is most manifest in his own sense of self-delusion. Holden is at a constant war with himself between the way he acts and the way he likes other to act. Continuing to berate others for phoniness, Holden cannot recognize the same sense of vapidity within himself. For example, he claims to be both illiterate and an avid reader, and when identifying his favorite authors he cannot identify any particular reason why he likes those authors' works. A reoccurring theme in the story is how Holden thinks everyone he comes into contact with is a phony, but yet throughout the novel it seems that the phoniest person is Holden. These two sides are contradicting each other . For instance, he says that he hates Ackley and yet when he needs a place to stay after his fight with Stadlater he turns to Ackley for a place to stay. What I think Holden really feels is that Ackley is someone who socially he feels should be a looser but someone who he trusts and can come to in a time of need. Holden seems to harbor a disgust for any type of sexuality, whether Ackley's obviously false boasts or Stradlater's successful seductions. Yet, Holden brags about his own false sexual encounters. To the reader, it could be easy to determine that Holden is sexually frustrated wanting sex but when having the opportunity to have it forcefully declines. Holden continues to show a latent hostility toward everyone he meets, for instance the encounters with Lillian Simmons or Horwitz. In most of these encounters, Holden expresses a false sense of cordiality toward the people he encounters, yet describes only their most negative traits.

Siddhartha :: essays research papers

The Buddhist religion originated from a man named Siddhartha Gautama who founded the religion in the late 6th century B.C. The Buddhist religion is very different from Western religions which believe in an actual religious figure. The religious beliefs of Buddhists are based on the actual teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Commonly known as The Buddha, he emphasized self-awareness. Much like Hinduism, both of these religions seek enlightenment and attempt to reach nirvana by breaking the â€Å"samsara† cycle of life. As in many Indian re1igions, both believe in concepts such as karma, reincarnation and raja yoga (deep meditation). The most significant difference between the two religions is that the Buddhists believe in the Middle Path to enlightenment. The Middle Path is considered the medium between the extreme practices of the Hindus and the common village practices. Siddhartha decided to seek enlightenment after viewing four disturbing sights. Siddhartha grew up living an extravagant life of a young prince and was raised in luxury to be protected from harsh realities of life. His father was the ruler of the Sakya people. It is said that Siddhartha’s father had summoned fortunetellers to tell of his son's destiny. The fortunetellers’ had two very different predictions for the ruler – they stated that his son was destined for greatness and could reach this greatness two different ways. One prophecy stated that if kept sheltered from the world, he would become the â€Å"Universal King† and unify India by being the greatest conqueror. The other prophecy said that if he were exposed to the world, then he would emerge as a great religious leader and redeem the world. Scared that his son would become a monk Siddhartha’s father decided to create a world where his son would never experience the world completely and shielded him from all kinds of suffering and hardship. He hired only beautiful youn g people to work in the palace and when Siddhartha would go outside the palace riding he would have the streets clear prior of any sickness, death and of all elderly people. According to legend, Siddhartha married a young girl named Yasodhara, at the age of sixteen, and they had a child. One day, Siddhartha ventured outside of the palace where he encountered an old man that was overlooked. Curious, Siddhartha questioned the old man and realized that no one can escape the fact that people age. The second day he saw a man who was terribly ill and he learned of illnesses.

The Homelessness In America Health And Social Care Essay

The stateless population in America is nonspecific, anyone can stop up homeless. Each twelvemonth, more than 3 million people experience homelessness, including 1.3 million kids. Although there are subpopulations at higher hazard, the fastest turning population is Families. Other Subpopulations include veterans, individuals with terrible mental unwellness, individuals with chronic substance maltreatment jobs, Comorbidity, HIV/AIDS, individuals with are victims of domestic force, or unaccompanied young person. Two tendencies are mostly responsible for the rise in homelessness over the past 20-25 old ages: a turning deficit of low-cost rental lodging and a coincident addition in poorness. Persons populating in poorness are most at hazard of going homeless, and demographic groups who are more likely to see poorness are besides more likely to see homelessness. Recent demographic statistics are summarized below.DemographicAge In 2003, kids under the age of 18 accounted for 39 % of the stateless population ; 42 % of these kids were under the age of five ( NLCHP, 2004 ) . This same survey found that unaccompanied bush leagues comprised 5 % of the urban stateless population. However, in other metropoliss and particularly in rural countries, the Numberss of kids sing homelessness are much higher. Harmonizing to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, in 2004, 25 % of homeless were ages 25 to 34 ; the same survey found per centums of stateless individuals aged 55 to 64 at 6 % . National Rate California Rate Solano County Rate%%%Gender Most surveies show that individual homeless grownups are more likely to be male than female. In 2007, a study by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that of the population surveyed 35 % of the homeless people who are members of families with kids are male while 65 % of these people are females. However, 67.5 % of the individual homeless population is male, and it is this individual population that makes up 76 % of the homeless populations surveyed ( U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007 ) . National Rate California Rate Solano County Rate%%%Families The figure of stateless households with kids has increased significantly over the past decennary. Families with kids are among the fastest turning sections of the stateless population. In its 2007 study of 23 American metropoliss, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that households with kids comprised 23 % of the homeless population ( U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2007 ) . These proportions are likely to be higher in rural countries. Research indicates that households, individual female parents, and kids make up the largest group of people who are stateless in rural countries ( Vissing, 1996 ) . All 21 metropoliss with available informations cited an addition in the figure of individuals bespeaking nutrient aid for the first-time. The addition was peculiarly noteworthy among working households. ( U.S. conference of city managers 2008 ) As the figure of households sing homelessness rises and the figure of low-cost lodging units psychiatrists, households are capable to much longer corsets in the shelter system. For case, in the mid-1990s in New York, households stayed in a shelter an norm of five months before traveling on to lasting lodging. Today, the mean stay is 5.7 months, and some studies say the norm is closer to a twelvemonth ( U. S. Conference of Mayors, 2007 and Santos, 2002 ) . For more information, see our fact sheet on Homeless Families with Children. National Rate California Rate Solano County Rate%%%Ethnicity In its 2006 study of 25 metropoliss, the U.S. Conference of Mayor found that the sheltered homeless population is estimated to be 42 percent Afro-american, 38 per centum white, 20 per centum Hispanic, 4 per centum Native American and 2 per centum Asian. ( U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2006 ) . Like the entire U.S. population, the cultural make-up of stateless populations varies harmonizing to geographic location. For illustration, people sing homelessness in rural countries are much more likely to be white ; homelessness among Native Americans and migratory workers is besides mostly a rural phenomenon ( U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1996 ) . National Rate California Rate Solano County Rate%%%VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Battered adult females who live in poorness are frequently forced to take between opprobrious relationships and homelessness. In a survey of 777 homeless parents ( the bulk of whom were female parents ) in 10 U.S. metropoliss, 22 % said they had left their last topographic point of abode because of domestic force ( Homes for the Homeless, 1998 ) . A 2003 study of 100 homeless female parents in 10 locations around the state found that 25 % of the adult females had been physically abused in the last twelvemonth ( American Civil Liberties Union, 2004 ) . In add-on, 50 % of the 24 metropoliss surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors identified domestic force as a primary cause of homelessness ( U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005 ) . Analyzing the full state, though, reveals that the job is even more serious. Nationally, about half of all adult females and kids sing homelessness are flying domestic force ( Zorza, 1991 ; National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2001 ) . For more informa tion, see our fact sheet on Domestic Violence and Homelessness. Twenty two metropoliss reported that, on norm, 15 per centum of stateless individuals were victims of domestic force ( U.S. Conference of Mayors 2008 ) . National Rate California Rate Solano County Rate%%%Veterans Research indicates that 40 % of stateless work forces have served in the armed forces, as compared to 34 % of the general grownup population ( Rosenheck et al. , 1996 ) . In 2005, the U.S. Conference of Mayors ‘ study of 24 American metropoliss found that 11 % of the stateless population were veterans aa‚ ¬ † nevertheless, this does non take gender into history ( U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005 ) . The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that on any given dark, 271,000 veterans are stateless ( National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 1994 ) . For more information, see our fact sheet on Homeless Veterans. The 24 metropoliss supplying this information estimated that 13 per centum of individuals sing homelessness were veterans. Veterans are somewhat over-represented among the homeless population compared to their prevalence in the overall population ( 11.2 per centum ) ( U.S. Conference of Mayors 2008 ) . National Rate California Rate Solano County Rate%%%Person WITH MENTAL ILLNESS Persons with terrible mental unwellness represented about 26 per centum of all sheltered homeless individuals ( Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, 2008 ) . Harmonizing to the Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, merely 5-7 % of stateless individuals with mental unwellness require institutionalization ; most can populate in the community with the appropriate supportive lodging options ( Federal Task Force on Homelessness and Severe Mental Illness, 1992 ) . For more information, see our fact sheet on Mental Illness and Homelessness. The 23 metropoliss that provided information reported that 26 per centum of their stateless population suffered from a serious mental unwellness. By contrast, merely six per centum of the U.S. population suffers from a serious mental unwellness ( U.S. Conference of Mayors 2008 ) . National Rate California Rate Solano County Rate%%%PERSONS Agony FROM ADDICTION DISORDERS Surveies of stateless populations conducted during the 1980s found systematically high rates of dependence, peculiarly among individual work forces ; nevertheless, recent research has called the consequences of those surveies into inquiry ( Koegel et al. , 1996 ) . In Summary, the surveies that produced high prevalence rates greatly over represented long-run shelter users and individual work forces, and used life-time instead than current steps of dependence. While there is no by and large accepted â€Å" charming figure † with regard to the prevalence of dependence upsets among stateless grownups, the U.S. Conference of Mayorsaa‚ ¬a„? figure in 2005 was 30 % , and the often cited figure of approximately 65 % is likely at least dual the existent rate for current dependence upsets among all individual grownups who are homeless in a twelvemonth. Among surveyed homeless people 38 % have an intoxicant job, and 26 % study jobs with other drugs ( National Health Care f or the Homeless Council ) . For more information, see our fact sheet on Addiction Disorders and Homelessness. National Rate California Rate Solano County Rate%%%CausingPoverty Homelessness and poorness are inextricably linked. Poor people are often unable to pay for lodging, nutrient, child care, wellness attention, and instruction. Difficult picks must be made when limited resources cover merely some of these necessities. Often it is lodging, which absorbs a high proportion of income that must be dropped. If you are hapless, you are basically an unwellness, an accident, or a payroll check off from populating on the streets. In 2007, 12.5 % of the U.S. population, or 37,300,00 million people, lived in poorness. The official poorness rate in 2007 was non statistically different than 2006 ( U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2007 ) . Children are overrepresented, composing 35.7 % of people in poorness while merely being 24.8 % of the entire population. Two factors help history for increasing poorness: eroding employment chances for big sections of the work force and the worsening value and handiness of public aid. Employment Worsening rewards have put lodging out of range for many workers: in every province, more than the minimal pay is required to afford a one- or two-bedroom flat at Fair Market Rent.1 ( National Low Income Housing Coalition, 2001 ) . In fact, in the average province a minimum-wage worker would hold to work 89 hours each hebdomad to afford a two-bedroom flat at 30 % of his or her income, which is the federal definition of low-cost lodging ( National Low Income Housing Coalition 2001 ) . Therefore, unequal income leaves many people homeless. The U.S. Conference of Mayors ‘ 2005 study of 24 American metropoliss found that 13 % of the urban stateless population were employed ( U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2005 ) , though recent studies by the U.S. Conference of Mayors have reported every bit high as 25 % . In a figure of metropoliss non surveyed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors – every bit good as in many provinces – the per centum is even higher ( National Coalition for the Homeless, 1997 ) . When asked to place the three chief causes of hungriness in their metropolis, 83 per centum of metropoliss cited poorness, 74 per centum cited unemployment and 57 per centum cited the high cost of lodging. ( U.S. Conference of Mayors 2008 ) . For more information, see our factsheets on Employment and Homelessness and Why Are People Homeless? . Disability Catastrophes Thingss like Fire, Earthquake, Floods and other natural catastrophes How its defined by the Federal Government Literally Homeless. These include people who for assorted grounds have found it necessary to populate in exigency shelters or transitional lodging for some period of clip. Most tragically, this class besides includes people who sleep in topographic points non intend for human habitation ( for illustration, streets, Parkss, abandoned edifices, and subway tunnels ) . These â€Å" street stateless † people may besides utilize shelters on an intermittent footing. Precariously Housed. These are people on the threshold of homelessness. They may be doubled up with friends and relations or paying highly high proportions of their resources for rent. They are frequently characterized as being at at hand hazard of going homeless. A?aˆsA · Sheltered homeless persons include individual grownups, unaccompanied young person, individuals in multi-adult families, and individuals in multi-child families. A?aˆsA · Sheltered homeless individuals in households include individuals in families with at least one grownup and one kid. ] AHAR 2009 Problems Criminalizing the Homeless Beginnings The 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report ( June 2010 ) , U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development – Corrected June 18, 2010

Film Inception Analysis

So, the long awaited film ‘Inception', written and direction by Christopher Nolan, in which Leonardo DiCaprio stars, was finally released. And after weeks of procrastination, I finally sat down and watched it. I had heard from my friends that it was an enthralling movie, with a great plot and truly magnificent acting, but of course I had to decide for myself. The film starts with a memory, or a vision from the future, no one is quite sure. We are then quickly taken back to a time before that memory, and the characters are introduced. We first meet Dom Cobb, a slightly unstable and troubled, but undoubtedly clever, ‘dream thief.' His job, unsurprisingly, involves infiltrating the minds of people and stealing their dreams, to gain an idea of their thoughts and motives. Now at first he seems to be a rather normal man, which a rather abnormal job. However, we are soon introduced to his many flaws and weaknesses. For instance, he often warns his colleagues to never use personal feelings when in a dream, but he constantly takes around the guilt he carries. He feels guilty because his wife committed suicide, and he blames himself. He was trying to extend the idea of mere dream entering, and begin a world changing concept, inception. This means that they would have to plant an idea in someone's mind so that it grows into a feeling and they act upon this feeling, scary stuff really. He did this to his wife successfully, but he made her believe that she was in a dream however she was in reality. We are told that the only way to be released from a dream is to die in the dream, and so she kills herself to return to her ‘reality.' Dom Cobb blames himself for this and so, whenever he enters a dream, she follows him around, attempting to sabotage the whole operation. We are then acquainted with Arthur, Eames, Mr. Saito and Ariadne, and these are all accomplices of the main man. Arthur and Eames are his assistants they support him by acting as his friends or enemies inside the dream. The plot is, to say the least, baffling. Dom Cobb and his buddies decide to enter the mind of one Robert Fischer, to stop him from taking over his father's company and becoming a multimillionaire and providing energy to half the world. Mr. Saito is the man who gives them the job of planting an idea inside Robert Fischer's mind, and so he insists on going into the dream with them. They then go through different levels or phases of dreams, such as level 1, 2 and 3. Level 1 is merely a dream. Level 2 is a dream within a dream, which is confusing, and then Level 3, which is a dream within a dream within a dream, and by this point I was truly bewildered. Although the plot is extremely confusing, it is very well written. The acting is phenomenal, with a special mention going to Leonardo DiCaprio, whose performance was exceptional. It had been said that this film was one which had to be watched twice to gain the full experience and understanding of the plot, and I agree with this wholeheartedly, although it did leave me scratching my head even after the second viewing. The choice of music is also quite good and I was usually left thinking to myself that that song summed up the scene perfectly. The same has to be said with the costumes, they were generally well chosen. The suits were all immaculate, and the snow suits were also quite a nice touch. My favourite scene was definitely the one which confused me the most. The final scene is set in Leonardo DiCaprio's house. He returns, thinking that the children will run away like they normally do, but instead they run towards him. He takes a small object with him, like every other dream thief, to distinguish between dreams and reality. Dom Cobb takes a spinning top, which spins forever when he is in a dream. The viewer thinks he is in a dream, as his children are running back to him, but the spinning top ceases to spin. This, I think, is the scene that confuses many people and it is the reason that many people have to return to see it once more. I hope that ‘Inception' signifies the beginning of a new wave of futuristic films, and if it has paved the way for other similar films to arrive, then I will be glad. This film is definitely worth watching, and I would highly recommend it. While the film is slightly unrealistic in the way that they jovially jump from dream to dream, it is most certainly a film that will stick in my mind for a long time.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 45

Break Free of a Nimbostratus A week after my cast has been removed, I stand alone on the footbridge in Knight's Park, leaning my weight on the railing, gazing down at a pond I could walk around in less than five minutes. The water underneath me has a thin layer of ice on top, and I think about dropping rocks through it, but I do not know why, especially since I have no rocks. Even still, I want to drop rocks through the ice so badly, to puncture it, proving that it is weak and temporary, to see the black water below rise up and out of the hole I alone will have created. I think about the hidden fish – mostly those big goldfish people stock the pond with so old men will have something to feed in spring and little boys will have something to catch in the summer – fish now burrowed in the mud at the bottom of the pond. Or are these fish burrowing just yet? Will they wait until the pond freezes completely? Here's a thought: I'm like Holden Caulfield thinking about ducks, only I'm thirty-five years old and Holden was a teenager. Maybe the accident knocked my brain back into teenager mode? Part of me wants to climb up onto the railing and jump off the bridge, which is only ten yards long, only three feet above the pond; part of me wants to break through the ice with my feet, to plunge down, down, down into the mud, where I can sleep for months and forget about all I now remember and know. Part of me wishes I never regained my memory, that I still had that false hope to cling to – that I still had at least the idea of Nikki to keep me moving forward. When I finally look up from the ice and toward the soccer fields, I see that Tiffany has accepted my invitation to meet, just like Cliff said she would. She is only two inches tall in the distance, wearing a yellow ski cap and a white coat that covers most of her thighs, making her look like a wingless angel growing and growing – and I watch her pass the swing sets and the large pavilion with picnic tables inside. I watch her walk along the water's edge until she finally reaches her usual height, which is five feet and a few inches tall. When she steps onto the footbridge, I immediately look down at the thin layer of ice again. Tiffany walks over to me and stands so her arm is almost touching mine, but not quite. Using my peripheral vision, I see that she too is now looking down at the thin layer of ice, and I wonder if she also wishes she could drop some rocks. We stand like this for what seems like an hour, neither of us saying anything. My face gets very cold, until I can no longer feel my nose or ears. Finally, without looking at Tiffany, I say, â€Å"Why didn't you come to my birthday party?† which is a stupid question to pose at this time, I realize, but I can't think of anything else to say, especially since I haven't seen Tiffany for many weeks – not since I screamed at her on Christmas Day. â€Å"My mom said she invited you. So why didn't you come?† After a long pause, Tiffany says, â€Å"Well, like I said in my letter, your brother threatened to kill me if I made contact with you. Also, Ronnie came to my house the day before your party and forbade me to go. He said they never should have introduced us in the first place.† I had already talked to Jake about his threat, but I have a hard time imagining Ronnie saying such a thing to Tiffany. And yet I know Tiffany is telling the truth. She seems really hurt and vulnerable right now, especially because she is sort of chewing on her bottom lip as if it were a piece of gum. Surely Ronnie said these words against Veronica's wishes. His wife would never let him say something so potentially ego-damaging to Tiffany, and the thought of Ronnie keeping Tiffany from attending my party makes me a little proud of my best friend, especially since he went against his wife's wishes to protect me. â€Å"Bros B4 Hos† is what Danny said to me every time I would lament Nikki, back when we were both in the bad place – before he had that second operation. In art therapy class, Danny even made me a little poster with the words written in stylish gold letters, which I hung on the wall space between my bed and my roommate Jackie's – back in the bad place – but one of the evil nurses took Danny's artwork down when I was not in the room, a fact Jackie confirmed by blinking and banging his head against his shoulder. Even though I realize the phrase is sort of sexist (because men should not refer to women as hos), saying â€Å"Bros B4 Hos† in my mind now sort of makes me smile, especially since Ronnie is my best bro in New Jersey, now that Jake and Danny live in PA. â€Å"I'm sorry, Pat. Is that what you want to hear? Well, I'll say it again, I'm really, really fucking sorry.† Even though Tiffany uses the f-word, her voice sort of quivers like Mom's when she says something she truly means, and it makes me think that Tiffany might actually start crying right here on the bridge. â€Å"I'm a screwed-up person who no longer knows how to communicate with the people I love. But I meant everything I told you in my letter. If I were your Nikki, I would have come back to you on Christmas Day, but I'm not Nikki. I know. And I'm sorry.† I don't know what to say in response, so we stand there for many minutes, saying nothing. Suddenly – for some crazy reason – I want to tell Tiffany the ending of the movie, the one that was my old life. I figure she should know the ending, especially since she had a starring role. And then the words are spilling out of me. â€Å"I decided to confront Nikki, just to let her know I remember what happened between us but do not hold any grudges. My brother drove me to my old house in Maryland, and it turns out that Nikki is still living there, which I thought was sort of strange, especially since she has a new me – this guy Phillip who works with Nikki as a fellow English teacher and always used to call me an illiterate buffoon because I never used to read literary books,† I say, leaving out the part about my strangling and punching naked Phillip when I caught him in the shower with Nikki, â€Å"and if I were Phillip, I probably would not want to live in my wife's ex-husband's house, because that is just sort of weird, right?† Tiffany doesn't say anything when I pause, so I just keep on talking. â€Å"When we drove down my old street, it was snowing, which is a little more rare in Maryland and therefore a big deal to little kids. There was only maybe a half inch on the ground – a dusting – but enough to scoop up in your hands. I saw Nikki outside with Phillip, and they were playing with two children – by the colors each was dressed in, I figured the one in navy blue was a little boy and the one mostly in peach was an even littler girl. After we rolled by, I told Jake to circle the block and park the car half a block away so we could watch Nikki's new family play in the snow. My old house is on a busy street, so we weren't likely to draw Nikki's attention. Jake did as I asked and then killed the engine but left the windshield wipers on so he could see. I rolled down my window, as I was in the backseat because of my cast, and we watched the family play for a long time – so long that Jake finally started the car back up and turned on the heat becaus e he was too cold. Nikki was wearing the long green-and-white-striped scarf I used to wear to Eagles games, a brown barn coat, and red mittens. Her strawberry blond hair hung freely from under her green hat, so many curls. They were having a snowball fight; Nikki's new family was having a beautiful snowball fight. You could tell the kids loved their father and mother, and the father loved the mother, and the mother loved the father, and the parents loved the children – as they all tossed the snow at each other so lovingly, taking turns chasing each other, laughing and falling into one another's heavily bundled bodies, and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I pause here because I am having trouble getting the words out of my throat. â€Å"And I squinted hard trying to see Nikki's face, and even from a block away I could tell she was smiling the whole time and was so very happy, and somehow that was enough for me to officially end apart time and roll the credits of my movie without even confronting Nikki, so I just asked Jake to drive me back to New Jersey, which he did, because he is probably the best brother in the entire world. So I guess I just want Nikki to be happy, even if her happy life doesn't include me, because I had my chance and I wasn't a very good husband and Nikki was a great wife, and †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I have to pause again. I swallow several times. â€Å"And I'm just going to remember that scene as the happy ending of my old life's movie. Nikki having a snowball fight with her new family. She looked so happy – and her new husband, and her two children †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stop talking because no more words will come out. It's as if the cold air has already frozen my tongue and throat – as if the cold is spreading down into my lungs and is freezing my chest from the inside out. Tiffany and I stand on the bridge for a long time. Even though my face is numb, I begin to feel a warmth in my eyes, and suddenly I realize I am sort of crying again. I wipe my eyes and nose with my coat sleeve, and then I am sobbing. Only when I finish crying does Tiffany finally speak, although she doesn't talk about Nikki. â€Å"I got you a birthday present, but it's nothing much. And I didn't wrap it or get you a card or anything, because, well †¦ because I'm your fucked-up friend who does not buy cards or wrap presents. And I know it's more than a month late, but anyway †¦Ã¢â‚¬  She takes off her gloves, undoes a few buttons, and pulls my present from the inside pocket of her coat. I take it from her hands, a collection of ten or so heavily laminated pages – maybe four by eight inches each and held together by a silver bolt in the top left corner. The cover reads: SKYWATCHER'S CLOUD CHART An easy to use, durable identifying chart for all outdoor enthusiasts â€Å"You were always looking up at clouds when we used to run,† Tiffany says, â€Å"so I thought you might like to be able to tell the difference between the shapes.† With excitement, I rotate the cover upward so I can read the first heavily laminated page. After reading all about the four basic cloud shapes – stratus, nimbus, cumulus, and cirrus – after looking at all the beautiful pictures documenting the different variations of the four groups, somehow Tiffany and I end up lying on our backs in the middle of the exact soccer field I used to play on when I was a kid. We look up at the sky, and it's a sheet of winter gray, but Tiffany says maybe if we wait long enough, a shape will break free, and we will be able to identify the single cloud using my new Skywatcher's Cloud Chart. We lie there on the frozen ground for a very long time, waiting, but all we see up in the sky is the solid gray blanket, which my new cloud chart identifies as a nimbostratus – â€Å"a gray cloud mass from which widespread and continuous rain or snow falls.† After a time, Tiffany's head ends up on my chest, and my arm ends up around her shoulders so that I am pulling her body close to mine. We shiver together alone on the field for what seems like hours. When it begins to snow, the flakes fall huge and fast. Almost immediately the field turns white, and this is when Tiffany whispers the strangest thing. She says, â€Å"I need you, Pat Peoples; I need you so fucking bad,† and then she begins to cry hot tears onto my skin as she kisses my neck softly and sniffles. It is a strange thing for her to say, so far removed from a regular woman's â€Å"I love you,† and yet probably more true. It feels good to hold Tiffany close to me, and I remember what my mother said back when I tried to get rid of my friend by asking her to go to the diner with me. Mom said, â€Å"You need friends, Pat. Everybody does.† I also remember that Tiffany lied to me for many weeks; I remember the awful story Ronnie told me about Tiffany's dismissal from work and what she admitted to in her most recent letter; I remember just how bizarre my friendship with Tiffany has been – but then I remember that no one else but Tiffany could really even come close to understanding how I feel after losing Nikki forever. I remember that apart time is finally over, and while Nikki is gone for good, I still have a woman in my arms who has suffered greatly and desperately needs to believe once again that she is beautiful. In my arms is a woman who has given me a Skywatcher's Cloud Chart, a woman who knows all my secrets, a woman who knows just how messed up my mind is, how many pills I'm on, and yet she allows me to hold her anyway. There's something honest about all of this, and I cannot imagine any other woman lying in the middle of a frozen soccer field with me – in the middle of a snowstorm even – im possibly hoping to see a single cloud break free of a nimbostratus. Nikki would not have done this for me, not even on her best day. So I pull Tiffany a little closer, kiss the hard spot between her perfectly plucked eyebrows, and after a deep breath, I say, â€Å"I think I need you too.†

Open Ended and Closed Ended Funds

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OPEN-ENDED AND CLOSED-ENDED FUND OPEN END FUND DEFINATION A type of mutual fund that does not have restrictions on the amount of shares the fund will issue. If demand is high enough, the fund will continue to issue shares no matter how many investors there are. Open-end funds also buy back shares when investors wish to sell. CLOSED END FUND DEFINATION A type of fund with a fixed number of shares outstanding, and one which does not redeem shares the way a typical mutual fund does.Closed-end funds behave more like stock than open-end funds: closed-end funds issue a fixed number of shares to the public in an initial public offering, after which time shares in the fund are bought and sold on a stock exchange, and they are not obligated to issue new shares or redeem outstanding shares as open-end funds are. The price of a share in a closed-end fund is determined entirely by market demand, so shares can either trade below their net asset value (â€Å"at a discount†) or above it (â€Å"at a premium†) also called closed-end investment company or publicly-traded fund.The main differences between these funds are; Open-ended funds buy and sell units on a continuous basis and hence allow investors to enter and exit as per their convenience. The units can be purchased and sold even after the initial offering (NFO) period (in case of new funds). Under closed-ended funds their unit capital is fixed and they sell a specific number of units. Unlike in open-ended funds, investors cannot buy the units of a closed-ended fund after its NFO period is over.This means that new investors cannot enter, nor can existing investors exit till the term of the scheme ends. However, to provide a platform for investors to exit before the term, the fund houses list their closed-ended schemes on a stock exchange. The units of an open-ended fund are bought and sold at the net asset value (NAV) CEFs do not have to deal with the expense of creating and redeeming sha res, they tend to keep less cash in their portfolio and they need not worry about market fluctuations to maintain their â€Å"performance record†.Closed end fund prices are determined by supply and demand and not by asset value. Therefore the market price might be greater than or less than the share NPV. The number of outstanding units of a closed-ended fund does not change as a result of trading on the stock exchange. Apart from listing on an exchange, these funds sometimes offer to buy back the units, thus offering another avenue for liquidity regulations ensure that closed-ended funds provide at least one of the two avenues to investors for entering or exiting.On the other hand the number of outstanding units in open-ended fund goes up or down every time the fund house sells or repurchases the existing units. This is the reason that the unit capital of an open-ended mutual fund keeps varying. The fund expands in size when the fund house sells more units than it repurchases as more money is flowing in. The closed-ended funds are free from the worry of regular and sudden redemption and their fund managers are not worried about the fund size. However, open-ended fund have outperformed the closed-ended funds comprehensively.In open-ended funds risk depends on the quality and the kind of portfolio you invest in. One unique risk to open funds is that they may be subject to inflows at one time or sudden redemptions, which leads to a spurt or a fall in the portfolio value, thus affecting your returns. Also, some funds invest in certain sectors or industries in which the value of the in the portfolio can fluctuate due to various market forces, thus affecting the returns of the fund. Investing in closed-end funds is more appropriate for seasoned investors.Depending on their investment objective and underlying portfolio, closed-ended funds can be fairly volatile, and their value can fluctuate drastically. Shares can trade at a hefty discount and deprive you fro m realizing the true value of your shares. Since there is no liquidity, investors must buy a fund with a strong portfolio, when units are trading at a good discount, and the stock market is in position to rise. Open ended funds do not have the flexibility to borrow against their assets thus they cannot use leverage as part of their investment strategy.Close end fund on the other hand have flexibility to borrow against their assets allowing them to use leverage as part of their investment strategy. Closed-end mutual funds continuously trade on the open stock market throughout the day. The prices of these funds are continually shifting to meet supply and demand. On the other hand, open-end mutual funds recalculate their share price once per day when the stock market closes and the value of its underlying stock assets are recalculated.Therefore, investors can buy and sell their shares based on the price of the open-ended mutual fund at the close of the previous business day, when the N AV was recalculated. Closed-ended fund shares can be traded at any time during market opening hours. On the other hand open-end fund can usually be traded only at a time of day specified by the managers, and the dealing price will usually not be known in advance. REFERENCES. Russell Ray. An introduction to Mutual Funds worldwide. 2007 Tripathy P. Mutual Funds : Emerg