Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Paintings of Theodore, Manet and Miller Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paintings of Theodore, Manet and Miller - Essay Example The essay "Paintings of Theodore, Manet and Miller" analyzes modern art paintings of Theodore, Manet and Miller. In the Theodore's picture, several people can be seen raising their hands meaning they either needed some kind of help or were just trying to send some communication signals to a given place. It is actually very difficult to understand the situation in the picture as some are raising their hands while others lie on the ground desperately. The picture was not also painted using bright color technique. The raft of Medusa tend to bring into display how people especially those in France, were subjected to a miserable life due to some political issues or instability. Apart from that, it also shows or brings into display the social lives of the people and the kind of challenges they faced due political unfairness. There are other activities that a state or country may get involved in and later impacts its people negatively. This was actually, what the picture was meant to show. Very many countries value art because it has nowadays provided or created room for expression. Some things cannot be faced directly due to the consequences involved and proper means of facing them must be looked into very carefully. The pictures or drawings that are in the picture â€Å"raft of Medusa† represented the people of France and the challenges that they faced due to political instability or war. The people raising their hands in the picture are those who are fed up with some of the rules or the country’s political system.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Effects of Welfare Reform

Effects of Welfare Reform Kelsey Campbell Imagine being a single parent having six kids and being able to only afford a two bedroom apartment. While working two jobs just to pay bills, put food on the table, and keep the kids off the streets. Any of the kids school events are missed to pick up extra shifts for that extra dollar. Then one day someone suggests applying for Welfare benefits but what about the kids? What about their image at school? What would their friends think of them? What about the change in lifestyles? What would people think about one using the government for money? While doing some research at the library about Welfare something pops up about Welfare Reform, but what is that? Welfare Reform is when one is given a specific job by the government to complete that must be preformed to receive the welfare benefits. While continuing Welfare Reform research one discovers that with Reform benefits you can also receive money for housing, day cares, and childhood education. Now with Welfare Reform benefits one is able to work only one job while affording a household, groceries, and still yet make it to school functions to see the kids without anyone ever knowing you receive these benefits, also helping keep childrens self-esteem up and keeping the kids from feeling poor.ÂÂ   Welfare Reform greatly affects families through working parents, home care of children, and education upon children. The effects of families on Welfare Reform are through the working parents. Working parents spend their days off at work so they can tend to worry those responsibilities instead of spending quality times with their kids and family which can leave the children unsupervised while parents are away. Although the kids can suffer from the working parent, the working parent also provides the money to pay bills and support the kids. This gives the kids more money through the working parent. Also the working parent through Welfare Reform can receive health care benefits to not only protect the kids but keep them healthy. According to Brandwein the ties that bind Those with reform jobs have a better welfare benefits and better exemption options(Brandwein P32). Those who do reform over welfare accept the responsibility of an acquired job. This job is not an option and must be preformed. The better your job is the less welfare you need to receive with less welfare comes better jobs the more advan ced the job is the further youll go to achieve success with health care and insurance, this will lead to a greater extent of socially advanced and happier children. ÂÂ  While parents are a main focus on how children receive money and how children are brought up, they are also the main source of where the child lives and grows. The care effect of children depends on how children are raised. Children who grow up in foster homes are homeless and parentless. Minors without biological parents or guardians tend to feel unloved, unwanted and worthless. While foster homes are run by the government, the more kids in the system the more money the foster home receives, which also changes with foster childrens age. According to Craig foster care and welfare; Foster parents receive federal money to care for children this makes foster children tax less and foster parents tax free (Craig P124). Not only does foster care effect children whose parents use welfare but adoption can affect children if parents are on welfare. Adoption is a forever home for a child; those on welfare can adopt and dont have restrictions to adopting. Kids who enter a home on welfa re from adoption can lack the feeling of comfort and love. Similarly to how parents are an effect on childhood homes, childhood homes effect what kind of care and education children receive. The care effect of children depends on how children are developed through life. As a child grows up they may be put in day care for parents to work they may be home with a stay at home parent but schooling is inevitable, eventually a child begins school. Neither Child care nor education is cheap, according to Lowry expanding federal responsibilities, the average price to put a child through day care 5 days a week 12 months a year is about $10,000 a year while the average price to put a child through public school is close to $16,000. While on welfare reform you can receive free child care and reduced education to preform jobs, but if a job isnt preformed then child care benefits are lost (Lowry P166). This is an important citation because it proves just how expensive it to just bring children up properly.ÂÂ   Your education makes a different in what you can do in life so an education is an important part of a Childs life; a poorer education makes a poorer future. Children who come up from poorer schools receive a poorer education also making it harder to excel in higher courses at higher age levels of different schools. In conclusion, Welfare Reform has affected many families throughout the working parent, home care of children, and the education skills upon children. Throughout this paper I have explained to you the struggles of a family using Welfare reform and the benefits of a family using Welfare Reform. Remember back to the first paragraph and what parents have to do to provide for child, the struggle to feed, bath, and house children on a low income without help. Now recap on paragraph two, in this paragraph I explained the struggles on foster care and adoption homes that dont use Welfare Reform, and then what positive effects they get through using Welfare Reform; Such as having tax less children in foster care to help reduce tax for foster parents. Last we will review paragraph three, in this paragraph I explained the struggle to put children through day care or schooling with a low income without Welfare Reform, and then I proceeded to explain what benefits Welfare Reform has to help with child/day care and a childhood education. Works Cited Brandwein, Ruth A. The Ties That Bind. Battered Women, Children, and Welfare Reform, edited by Ruth A. Brandwein, SAGE Publications International Educational and Professional Publishers,1999, pp.54-63. McCuen, Gary. Expanding Federal Responsibilities. Welfare Reform; the Politics of Wealth and Poverty. edited by Marcia R. Lowry, Gary E. McCuen Publications Inc,1996, pp.128-139. McCuen, Gary. Foster Care and Welfare. Welfare Reform; the Politics of Wealth and Poverty. edited by Conna Craig, Gary E. McCuen publications Inc,1996, pp. 121-127.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Essay --

The energy challenges in the last few decades and the higher environmental issues around the globe have been pushing many countries to provide incentives for promoting renewable energy source exploitation so as to replace or minimize the use of fossil fuels which emit pollutants and large amount of carbon dioxide. Renewable energy is a source of energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, geothermal heat and biomass. These are naturally replenished when used [1]. Large shares of renewable electricity generation are a promising possibility to address global warming and the rising scarcity of hydrocarbon fuels [2]. Solar energy is a well-known proven technology, because of its availability and it does not have negative effects on the environment compared to other conventional energy such as the use of fossil fuel which gradually increases the earth average temperature and pollution. Solar energy is also one of the most available forms of energy on the earth’s surface. The earth’s surface receives a daily solar dose of 10E+8 kWh, which is equiva...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Case: “Lessons on Leadership from Ann Fudge”

†¢ Openness to Experience: The way she approaches problems, learns new information, and reacts to new experiences are showing that she is open to new experiences and curious. For example, she willingly took 2 years off to travel and see the world—try new things—and define her life by more than her career (Hughes, Ginnett & Curphy, 2012, p. 233). She exposed herself to new cultures and ideas. She is very strategic and has her eye on the big-picture which indicates her high level of openness to experience. Agreeableness: How does she get along with others, as opposed to getting ahead of others?Again, it is likely she would score high on this factor. She is about being out with people (customers and employees) and listening to them. She has the ability to interact effectively with all constituencies of a consumer business. She could engage all three constituents in the same day. She is approachable and optimistic. Extraversion: Fudge is self-confident, competitive, li kes being around people (and in a team environment), decisive, goal-oriented, and drives to make an impact. Neuroticism: How does she react to stress, failure, and personal criticism? Moderate to high on this factor.As her old boss pointed out, she is very comfortable with who she is and is not interested in pretending to be someone else (Hughes, Ginnett & Curphy, 2012, p. 233). This indicates she can handle the personal criticism and deal with it. However, the fact that she decided to take some time off and do other things might show she was not dealing with the stress and pressure well. †¢ Analytic Intelligence: Although not as important in this case, her track record for high levels of success and performance indicates she likely has a high degree of general mental ability.Practical Intelligence: Also known as â€Å"street smarts,† has been important in her new job. She has used her knowledge of the business and industry to land some very big new clients to the firm ( i. e. , Microsoft, Toys R Us). †¢ Benefits: It allowed her to gain new and broader experiences. Perhaps, even it helped increasing her commitment to various and diverse ideas as a way to stimulate thinking and business. She was also true to herself about what she wanted to do to define her life. In addition, it also provided her with a chance to take a break and recharge her battery (and avoid urnout)—in the end this has the chance to make her more of an asset to her organization and employees. Drawbacks: Leaving the industry for 2 years could result in losing contact with the industry as well as updating the current trends. It might hurt her credibility in the sense that others thought she could not â€Å"hack it† when things were getting tough. The perceptions others have might be an initial hurdle, but Fudge appears to have cleared this and other potential drawbacks and is leading Y&R back to the top in this industry.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Succubus Revealed Chapter 9

It wasn't until I landed in Seattle on Sunday evening that the full surreal nature of my weekend in Las Vegas hit me. Being there had felt so . . . natural. I suppose part of that was just having old friends like Bastien and Luis around. Yet I'd been pleasantly surprised at how easily I got along with my newer acquaintances, like Phoebe and Matthias. I'd even grown to like Jamie, though I never did see him after that night. Despite my efforts to find him and ask him about Milton, the imp had remained elusive for the rest of my trip. And the show . . . how had that happened? I couldn't even get a solid job here in my current hometown, yet hours after walking off the plane in a strange city, I'd landed what was, in many ways, my dream job. By the time we'd finished our second practice, Matthias was already talking about a special part he planned on creating for me, and several of the other dancers were so disappointed at me leaving for a month, you'd think we'd known each other for years. It had, in spite of my misgivings, been a fantastic weekend. Reality set in when I walked into my condo. Roman was out, with only a note reading Bowling practice tomorrow night to mark his passage. Naturally, the cats were as happy to see me as always. Scratching their heads in turn, I began to think about the logistics of moving both of them with me across state lines. I'd be taking them away from Roman, whom they loved, but there was nothing to be done for that. He couldn't come with us. As a nephilim, he was in constant danger of being hunted down by other immortals, and it was only Jerome's protection that allowed him to have a seminormal life in Seattle. Roman certainly wasn't going to give that up, and besides, Las Vegas was probably the worst place in the world for him to attempt to hide out. A vase of pink-tipped white roses sat on the kitchen table, filling the air with sweetness. I opened up the card and read Seth's scrawled writing: Welcome home. I've been counting the minutes. – S I texted him that I was back and received an answer urging me to come over to Terry and Andrea's for dinner. After leaving a note for Roman assuring him I'd be at practice, I headed out, my mind still spinning with more of the consequences of moving. The condo. I'd have to sell it. Unless I wanted to rent it to Roman? Hell would likely compensate any moving costs, but it'd be up to me to start making the actual arrangements now for things like movers and whatnot. I was good at making plans and organizing things, but all of my skills were useless against the one thing I wanted to bring with me to Las Vegas the most: Seth. I still had no solution for what to do with him. I was met with the usual outpouring of love from his nieces when I arrived, just in time for a chaotic family dinner. With the additional family members, they'd given up any pretense of eating at the kitchen table and had simply taken their paper plates and homemade pizza off to the living room. The casualties of food and furniture were ones Terry and Andrea were long since used to, but Margaret couldn't focus on her dinner for fear of constantly watching the girls and what she perceived as imminent tomato-stained disaster. I was happy to see Andrea out with the family, which wasn't something that happened very often lately. She looked tired but was in good spirits, and from the way the girls vied for position next to her, it was clear they were delighted to have her up and around too. â€Å"Seth says you were out of town,† she told me. â€Å"Anywhere fun?† â€Å"Las Vegas,† I replied. â€Å"Visiting friends.† â€Å"Man,† said Ian. â€Å"I wish I had friends in Las Vegas.† â€Å"I figured it'd be too commercial for you,† said Seth, deadpan. Ian swallowed a bite of his pizza – it apparently wasn't a vegan day – before responding. â€Å"Only if you stay on the Strip and their overpriced luxury hotels. If you poke around in some of the out-of-the-way places, you could find some really cool and obscure dives.† It took nine-year-old Kendall to say what the rest of us were thinking. â€Å"I'd rather stay in luxury. Why would you want to stay in a dive, Uncle Ian?† â€Å"Because it's nonmainstream,† he told her. â€Å"Everyone stays at the nice places.† â€Å"But I like nice things,† she argued. â€Å"Don't you?† â€Å"Well, yes,† he said, frowning. â€Å"But that's not the point – â€Å" â€Å"Then why would you want to stay at bad places?† she pressed. â€Å"You're too young to understand,† he said. Seth chuckled. â€Å"Actually, I think she understands perfectly.† Andrea decided to rest shortly after that, but not before extracting a promise that someone deliver her dessert later on. After doing dishes (which was pretty easy with paper plates), our group dispersed into separate activities. Kendall, Brandy, Margaret, and Terry started up a game of Monopoly while Kayla and the twins settled down to watch The Little Mermaid. Ian joined them, excited for the chance to show how the movie was an example of capitalism destroying America. Seth and I curled up on a nearby loveseat, ostensibly to watch the movie, but instead used the time to catch up. â€Å"How was it, really?† he asked me in a low voice. â€Å"I've been worried about you. Was it as bad as you thought?† â€Å"No,† I said, leaning my head against his chest. â€Å"It was actually . . . pretty good. Would you believe I have a job already ? Like . . . one that's not on Hell's payroll.† â€Å"You can't even get one of those here,† remarked Seth. â€Å"Yeah, the irony's not lost on me. I'm going to be a Vegas showgirl, complete with sequins.† Seth trailed his fingers through my hair. â€Å"That's actually kind of awesome. And hot. If you want to practice, I'd be more than happy to give you some constructive criticism.† I smiled. â€Å"We'll see.† There was a long pause. â€Å"So . . . it's real. This whole thing.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said in a small voice. â€Å"It's real.† I felt him tense and sensed the worry radiating off of him. â€Å"It's okay. We'll figure this out. It's still a month away.† â€Å"I know we will,† he said. â€Å"You and I have overcome crazier things than this, right?† â€Å"Crazier doesn't always mean harder,† I pointed out. â€Å"I mean, when Peter tried to make a ‘retro candle sconce' out of a Pringles can last month, that was pretty crazy – but it was also pretty easy to deal with once we found his fire extinguisher.† â€Å"You see?† said Seth. â€Å"This is what I love about you. I don't even consider that crazy. I consider that ordinary life with you, Georgina. You change all the definitions.† He pressed a kiss to my forehead. We fell silent and watched the movie, though I suspected Seth was paying as little attention as I was. We were both lost in our own thoughts, and I didn't really snap out of it until I heard Ian telling Morgan, â€Å"I like the original fairy tale better. It's pretty alternative, so you've probably never heard of it.† I glanced at the clock and sat up. â€Å"I'm going to go check on Andrea and see if she wants her dessert.† Both Margaret and Terry were quick to offer to do it instead, but I waved them off, assuring them I was fine and that they should return to their game. Andrea was awake, propped up on pillows and reading a book when I came in with the pie. â€Å"You didn't have to do that,† she told me. â€Å"You should've asked Terry.† â€Å"He's busy buying and selling property,† I told her, helping her settle the plate on her lap. â€Å"I couldn't ask him to interrupt that. Besides, he does plenty.† â€Å"He does,† she agreed, smiling wistfully. â€Å"They all do. Even you. It's so strange, having others take care of me. I'm too used to looking after everyone else.† I settled down on a chair near her bed, wondering how often it must be filled lately. Andrea always had someone watching over her. â€Å"It's just for a little while longer,† I said. That got me another smile as she chewed a bite of pie. â€Å"You're very optimistic.† â€Å"Hey, why shouldn't I be? You look great today.† â€Å"Great ‘ironically,' as Ian would say.† She ran a hand through her limp blond hair. â€Å"But I do feel better than I have for a while. I don't know. It's deceptive, Georgina. There are days I feel confident I've beat every cancer cell in my body and others when I can't believe I'm still managing to walk this earth.† â€Å"Andrea – â€Å" â€Å"No, no, it's true.† She paused for more pie, but her eyes took on a vast, knowing look that reminded me eerily of Carter. â€Å"I've accepted it, come to terms with the fact that there's still a good chance I'll die. No one else has. No one else will talk about it. I'm okay with that. If that's what God wills for me, then so be it.† I felt a knot clench in my stomach. I couldn't say much about God, but I'd seen enough of Heaven and Hell to get angry when I heard humans accept their fate as part of some higher purpose. Half the time, it seemed to me the divine powers were making up this game as they went along. â€Å"I'm not worried about me,† Andrea continued. â€Å"But I am worried about them.† That serenity faded, replaced by very real human concern, a mother's fear for her children. â€Å"Terry's strong. So wonderfully strong. But this is hard on him. He can't do it alone, which is why I'm so glad Seth's here. I don't know what we would have done without him. He's the rock supporting us all right now.† The anxiety inside me eased for a few moments, replaced by a spreading warmth as I thought about Seth. â€Å"He's wonderful.† Andrea set down the fork, finished, and extended her hand to me. â€Å"So are you. I'm glad you're part of our family, Georgina. If something happens to me – â€Å" â€Å"Stop – â€Å" â€Å"No, listen. I mean it. If something happens to me, I'll rest easy knowing the girls have you in their lives. Seth and Terry are great, but the girls still need a strong woman role model. Someone to help them through growing up.† â€Å"I'm not that good of a role model,† I said, not meeting her eyes. I was a creature of Hell, someone full of weakness and fear. What could I possibly have to offer such bright, promise-filled creatures like the Mortensen girls? â€Å"You are,† said Andrea adamantly, squeezing my hand. â€Å"They love you and admire you so much. I know they're in good hands.† I swallowed back tears that were threatening to overwhelm me. â€Å"Well,† I said. â€Å"They're in even better hands with you, since we all know you're going to get well soon.† Andrea nodded, giving me an indulgent smile that I suspected she'd perfected after weeks of listening to others insist she was on the verge of recovery. A yawn soon betrayed her, and I carefully took the plate away and asked if she needed anything else. She assured me she didn't. I crept back downstairs and returned the plate to the kitchen, where I found Brandy and Margaret eating pie of their own. I did a double take back toward the living room. â€Å"What happened to Monopoly?† â€Å"Kendall bought us out,† said Margaret. â€Å"Man, I hate playing with her,† grumbled Brandy. â€Å"No one her age should be that good.† â€Å"Don't knock it,† said Seth, strolling in. â€Å"She's going to be supporting us all in fifteen years.† He rested a hand on Brandy's shoulder. â€Å"Did you ask Georgina?† Brandy looked at her feet. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Ask me what?† â€Å"It's nothing,† she said. â€Å"Clearly it's something,† I replied, exchanging looks with Seth. â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"Is this the Christmas dance you were talking about before ?† asked Margaret. Brandy flushed. â€Å"A holiday dance. It's nothing.† â€Å"No way,† I said. â€Å"I'm a big fan of dances. But isn't school out?† â€Å"Yeah, but this is at church. It's a formal they have every year.† She was using a It's no big deal tone, but her expression betrayed how interested she was. The church part surprised me, since last I knew, the Mortensens didn't attend one. But obviously that had changed. Maybe Andrea's illness had played a role. Whatever it was, I could see faith wasn't on the line here, so much as a teenage girl's simple desire to participate in something fun with other people her age. It was a normal rite of passage, one I was guessing she didn't feel worthy of, in light of everything else going on right now with her family. No wonder she was hesitant to mention it. I wondered if maybe there was a boy involved too but certainly wasn't going to ask. She looked mortified enough to be having this discussion in front of her uncle and grandmother. â€Å"You need to shop for a dress?† I guessed. People always called me for shopping. I used to be bothered by that but then figured I should accept what I'm good at. Brandy nodded, still looking embarrassed. â€Å"When is it?† â€Å"Tuesday.† â€Å"Tuesday . . .† I frowned, thinking of my schedule. Tomorrow, Monday, was taken up with work and bowling practice. That didn't leave a lot of time. â€Å"We might be cutting it close.† â€Å"If you don't have time, it's fine,† Brandy assured me. â€Å"Really.† â€Å"No way,† I told her. â€Å"We can do it Tuesday morning.† Brandy looked down again. â€Å"My dad can pay you back†¦. I'll ask him how much we can spend.† â€Å"Forget it,† said Seth, rustling her hair. She squirmed out of his reach. â€Å"Send the bill to me. You know where I live.† Brandy protested this, but Seth was firm in his offer – as well as his urging that Brandy not mention it to her father. But once Brandy and Seth were in the other room, Margaret caught hold of my sleeve and pulled me back into the kitchen before I could follow. Our interactions hadn't exactly been antagonistic (aside from our initial meeting with the baseball bat), but they hadn't always been pleasant either. I braced myself for some admonishment about dressing Brandy like a whore. â€Å"Here,† said Margaret, shoving some cash into my hands. I looked down and found two fifty-dollar bills. â€Å"Seth's not the only with income around here. He can't keep funding the whole family. Is that enough for what she needs?† â€Å"Er, yes,† I said, trying to hand it back. I'd actually planned on cutting Seth out as well and carrying the bill myself. â€Å"Definitely. You don't have to do this.† Margaret's response was to give me another bill. â€Å"Get her shoes too.† She closed my hand around the cash. â€Å"I don't know what girls her age need when it comes to clothes, but I know you do. The money I can provide. The rest I rely on you for.† That sentiment – that faith in me – was too much, too fast on the heels of the conversation I'd just had with Andrea. â€Å"It's not enough,† I blurted out. â€Å"What I'm doing, compared to everyone else. They're all giving so much. What's a shopping trip next to that?† Margaret fixed me with a piercing gaze that bore no resemblance to the conservative, sweatshirt-wearing matron I'd categorized her as. â€Å"For a girl growing up too fast, whose life is crumbling around her? Everything.† â€Å"I hate this,† I said. â€Å"I hate that this is happening to them.† â€Å"God only gives us what we have the strength to endure,† she said. I'd always hated that saying, largely because it too seemed to go along with the idea of a universe having a plan for everyone, something I'd seen no evidence of. â€Å"They have the strength to get through this. And they have our strength to help them.† I smiled at that. â€Å"You're a remarkable woman, Margaret. They're lucky you're here.† I meant it. She and I might have different philosophies about premarital sex, but her love for them was undiminished. I wasn't the only role model in the girls' lives. She shrugged, looking both flattered and embarrassed by my praise. â€Å"Like you, I'm just trying to do enough – without wearing out my welcome at Seth's.† â€Å"He loves having you,† I said promptly. She rolled her eyes. â€Å"I'm not stupid. I want to keep helping, but I know I can't stay with him forever. He's a grown man, no matter how much I'd like to pretend otherwise.† That made me smile even more. â€Å"Don't worry. I won't tell him you said so.† Nonetheless, I went home with a heavy heart that night. Seth expected to be up late and hadn't wanted me waiting around for him. We were both conscious of how little time we'd had together recently, though, so he told me he'd join me for tomorrow night's bowling practice. As a general rule, he tried to avoid immortal goings-on, but I think he had a morbid fascination with the idea of bowling for Hellish honor. â€Å"Thank God,† said Roman, when I walked in the door. â€Å"I thought you were going to stay at Seth's. There's soup on the stove.† â€Å"No, thanks,† I said. â€Å"I already ate.† â€Å"Your loss,† he said. Judging from the way the cats were circling him for handouts as he settled down on the couch with a bowl, I guess they agreed with him. â€Å"How was it?† My mind was still on the Mortensens, and for a moment, I thought that's what he meant. Then I remembered his single-minded focus and knew he was referring to Las Vegas. â€Å"Surprisingly good,† I told him, sitting down in an armchair. His eyebrows rose. He hadn't expected that answer. â€Å"Oh? Tell me about it.† I did, and he listened attentively while eating his soup. When I'd finished the weekend's recap, he grilled me on nearly everyone I'd met there, immortal and mortal alike. In two days, I didn't have that much life history to report but gave him what I could. â€Å"Well,† he said, â€Å"isn't that lovely.† He made no effort to hide his sarcasm. I sighed. â€Å"You still think this was part of some greater conspiracy ?† â€Å"I think it's terribly convenient that this seemingly routine transfer is fulfilling every possible wish you might have.† I scoffed. â€Å"Aside from the fact that I'm being transferred in the first place. That's hardly something I wanted.† Roman straightened up, and the cats ran for his abandoned bowl. He ticked off points on his right hand. â€Å"Well, let's do a tally, shall we? When I first met you, I asked what your dream job would be. What did you say? A Vegas dancer. And wow! Look what conveniently falls into your lap. And who put it there? In a city full of conniving, backstabbing succubi, you were fortunate to find one as levelheaded as you, complete with the same sense of humor and interests. Funny thing . . . did you even run into any other succubi that entire weekend? In a city packed with them?† â€Å"Roman – â€Å" â€Å"No, no, wait. There's more. How'd you meet this wonder succubus anyway? Through your closest immortal friend, who just happened to have been coincidentally transferred to Las Vegas, hired on by your favorite boss of all time. Are you following this fantasy so far?† â€Å"But why would – â€Å" â€Å"And,† he continued, â€Å"lest you grow homesick for the wacky idiosyncrasies of your friends back here, Vegas is ready to supply you with new ones. A zany drunken imp. Seth 2.0. If you'd stayed longer, they probably would have unearthed an angel and a couple of vampires for you. And let's not discount the fact that you're going to Las Vegas in the first place! The single easiest place for a succubus to get by.† â€Å"Okay, I get what you're saying.† I threw up my hands in exasperation. â€Å"It is perfect. Maybe too perfect. But you're missing one fundamental point. Supposing this is true, that someone has set up the most perfect scenario for me ever, a situation designed to keep me happy, why would they do it at all when the thing that would make me the most happy is to stay in Seattle? Why bother with this alternative? Why not leave me as I am?† Roman's eyes gleamed. â€Å"Because that's the one thing they don't want you to have. They want you out of Seattle, Georgina. They want you out, and they don't want you to complain or look back.† â€Å"But why?† I protested. â€Å"That's what I can't figure out.† â€Å"Give me something else to work with,† he said. â€Å"Hell's not that good. Even the most picture perfect setup has to have a flaw. Was there anything, anything at all this weekend, that felt disingenuous? That smacked of a lie?† I gave him a wry look. â€Å"I was in Las Vegas, hanging out with servants of Hell. Everything was disingenuous.† â€Å"Georgina, think! Anything that seemed legitimately odd. Any contradiction.† I started to deny it but then paused. â€Å"The timeline.† He leaned forward even more. â€Å"Yes? What about it?† I thought back to my first hours in Las Vegas. â€Å"Luis and Bastien both went out of their way to act as though my transfer and Bastien's had been in the works for a while – like Jerome said. But once, Bastien slipped. He sounded like he hadn't been there for very long at all – not nearly as long as they'd said before.† â€Å"Like that maybe he was suddenly pulled in on a moment's notice – to coincide with your transfer?† â€Å"I don't know,† I said, not liking the thought of Bastien being part of some potential conspiracy centered around me. â€Å"He corrected himself, said he misspoke.† â€Å"I'm sure he would say that.† Roman leaned back now, letting all of this sink in. â€Å"Bastien wouldn't lie to me,† I snapped. â€Å"He's my friend. I trust him. He cares about me.† â€Å"I believe you,† said Roman. â€Å"And I believe that he wouldn't lie to you about something that he thought might harm you. But if his higher-ups asked him to tell a white lie – fudge a few days here and there – don't you think he would?† I nearly denied it – but then had to wonder. Bastien had been in trouble off and on with our superiors, his Seattle venture last year a desperate attempt to restore status. If he were pressured enough – threatened, even – to tell me he'd been transferred longer than he actually had, would he? Especially if he thought it was harmless and knew of no nefarious reason behind it? â€Å"But what nefarious reason would be behind all this?† I muttered, not realizing I'd spoken my thoughts aloud until Roman straightened up again. â€Å"That's what we have to figure out. We have to figure out what's happened to you that would've gotten someone's attention – and that happened recently, to spur such a fast response. We know about your slacker record. And we know about Erik looking into your contract.† I blinked. â€Å"Milton.† I quickly told Roman about Hugh's information, about Milton's secret assassin status and trip to Seattle lining up with Erik's death. I also told him about briefly mentioning Milton to Jamie. Roman leaped to his feet. â€Å"Jesus Christ! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? I could've investigated Milton while you were gone. Shit. Now I'm trapped here under bowling duty.† Nephilim had the same travel limitations as lesser immortals. They had to physically travel to places. No teleportation like greater immortals. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"I wasn't thinking. I didn't connect it. And I didn't get a chance to ask Jamie more about Milton. He wasn't around the rest of the time I was in town.† Roman was nodding along with me as he paced. â€Å"Of course he wasn't. I'm sure they made certain he was unavailable before he could tell you any more. And explain again why your initial conversation with him didn't go that far?† I shrugged. â€Å"He was drunk. He got distracted by a debate over gin with Luis.† â€Å"One that Luis initiated, no doubt.† â€Å"I – † I thought about it. â€Å"Yeah. I guess he did. But you're not saying . . . I mean, that's idiotic. Using gin as a distraction to cover up some plot?† Roman's sea green eyes were gazing off in the distance, thoughtful. â€Å"It's not the most ridiculous distraction I've known a demon to use. He could've brought up bowling.† â€Å"Not that again.† Roman snapped his attention back to me, frustration all over his face. â€Å"Georgina, how can you be in denial about this? How can you refuse to believe that Hell is playing some larger game here? After all you've seen and been a part of?† I shot up, angry at the insinuation that had been creeping along here, that I was too oblivious to see what was going on. â€Å"I know! I know they're capable of it. I know they can use means both ingenuous and simple – like gin and bowling – to get what they want. I'm not denying that, Roman. What I just can't grasp yet is the why. Show me that, and I'll get on board with any crazy scheme you want. I need to know why.† Roman came to stand in front of me, resting his hands on my shoulders as he leaned close. â€Å"That is exactly what I intend to find out. And when we do, I have a feeling we'll have blown the lid off of the biggest conspiracy Hell's had in centuries.†

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Medical Assistant Role Influencing Factors Essay Example

Medical Assistant Role Influencing Factors Essay Example Medical Assistant Role Influencing Factors Paper Medical Assistant Role Influencing Factors Paper A health assistant’s procedures are affected by own communication, ethics and organization in many instances. For efficiency, a health assistant has to also recognize required proficiencies, the style of occupation and prevailing environment. The paper will elaborate three instances in which a health assistant’s procedures were affected by personal principles, organization and communication of the health assistant. The first instance illustrates how a health assistants actions were influenced by the communication element. An arthritic woman had lost her husband in the immediate past. The woman was battling with her disease in a hospital lobby and still visibly mourning her husband. To add insult to injury, a patient who was friends with the departed husband was asking how the husband had died. The receptionist health office aide noticed the woman’s agony and her extreme discomfort in the prevailing circumstances ( oppapers. com/essays/Medical-Role-Influencing-Factors/151299). The health assistant walked out of the receptionist enclosure, approached the distraught woman and touched her warmly. The assistant inquired whether the lady would be more comfortable waiting at another location. This show of concern made the woman more composed. The health office aide’s empathy with the bereaved lady is good examples of how a model health assistant ought to behave. The health assistant illustrated to the distraught woman that she truly was devoted to and was concerned about the bereaved woman’s wellbeing in line with the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) dogma. In another instance, a patient’s illness had been erroneously diagnosed and inappropriate medications prescribed for them. That same day, upon realizing the error, the doctor who had attended to the patient about three hours earlier urgently called the health assistant and requested her to immediately trace the patient’s file. That particular health assistant had the habit of clearly and distinctively filing patients’ records as they came. Patients’ phone contacts were conspicuously shown in the very first page of the file. There were no incidences where files were strewn all over the place making it extremely hard to locate a particular file. Thanks to the health assistant’s orderliness, the file was promptly retrieved and the patient called to warn them against taking the earlier prescribed medication. The prompt and orderly personality of the health assistant was very critical since the patient said that she had just had her supper and was contemplating taking the medication. Episode three involves a health assistants ethical principles influencing their actions. One health ethical principle expressly defends the rights of patients to privacy as regards their health records. A man who had previously divorced his wife discreetly approached a health assistant and requested for a copy of his former wife’s hospital records. He explained that he wanted to use them against his former wife in an ongoing divorce lawsuit. The health assistant was even offered a tidy sum of money if he complied. However, the health assistant remained firm and categorically told the man that’s he couldn’t compromise medical ethics for whatever reason. In addition, the health assistant informed the health facility management of the estranged man’s intentions and thus the particular records in question were kept under lock and key in safe custody. This action of the health assistant facilitated the indirect protection of the former patients’ integrity and privacy ( ama-assn. org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/ama-code-medical-ethics/principles-medical-ethics. shtml). References AMA – Principles of medical ethics – retrieved on 3rd April 2009 from ama-assn. org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/ama-code-medical-ethics/principles-medical-ethics. shtml

Monday, October 21, 2019

Harvard Essay Format

Harvard Essay Format Harvard Style Paper Guidelines Harvard Style Cover Page Harvard essay format is very specific and organized. It requires a very particular title page with the following instructions: The title of the paper is placed halfway down the page and written in capital letters. After the title, three lines down write the name of the author in small letters. Move four lines down and place the name of the class. Move one line down put the name of the professor. The next line entails the name of the school. Then move to the next and write the city and state located and the final line should have the date. The cover page of the Harvard essay format gives you all the information one needs to know about the author in question. There are several key components to note when using the Harvard format. The title in a Harvard essay format is right justified. A partial title expresses the main idea in the essay between it, and the page number is exactly five spaces. The Harvard essay format cover sheet would like roughly like this: The Harvard Essay Template by (Name of the author) Name of the Class (Course) Professor Name of University City and State where university is located Date Here are other essay formatting styles: APA ESSAY FORMAT MLA ESSAY FORMAT Paragraphs in a Harvard Format Essay The Harvard essay format paragraphs are highly structured. The first section of the article is supposed to be captivating and entertaining. The article may begin  with a lively quotation or an interesting fact and information that sheds light on the essay in question. The introduction should smoothly lead to the thesis statement. The thesis statement refers to the main idea of the sentence and a summary of what the article body entails. The first sentence in the body paragraph should tell the reader what the paragraph is discussing. The topic sentence is followed by supporting facts that relate to it. The details in the supporting sentences can be facts, quotations or analysis. The paragraph then concludes with a sentence that summarizes what the paragraph is about and leads into the next section smoothly. Subheadings can also be used to introduce new subtopics and are italicized. Transition between the Paragraphs Writing an article using the Harvard format one should show the transition from one paragraph to the next and these paragraphs should be interconnected. The topic should gradually grow from one point to the next. A paragraph in Harvard format has three parts: The topic sentence Supporting details   Closing sentence form Citations in a Harvard Style Paper One can use in-text citations. With the Harvard style, a quote uses the authors name and first initial, year of publication and page number where the information appears. Citation for each fact is provided, if not it is considered plagiarism which is a serious offense. In-text citations for example from J. K. Rowling book published in 2004 page 45 would look like (Rowling J.K,2004,45).These quotes make the Harvard format essay easy to understand and comprehend as one read. Harvard style uses a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial at size 12.  Fancy fonts are not allowed because the Harvard format is used in writing outstanding academic and research essays. The essay should be double-spaced  with smooth left margins. In the Harvard format titles of journals, newspapers or books or websites are italicized in in-text citations while that of poems and short stories is written in quotation marks.  This helps readers know what they are referring to read quickly through an essay written in the Harvard format. Conclusion The conclusion of a Harvard format essay is vital and should be written with high accuracy understanding and mastery. The first sentence of the conclusion is used to put emphasis on the thesis statement and remind the reader what the essay has proved showed or theorized. After the first sentence provides brief information of the main points that were discussed throughout the whole piece to encourage remembrance of the most important points that were discussed. It mainly involves a summary of the main points of the article in other words. The essay should then finish with an outstanding powerful message that leaves the reader still thinking minutes or hours after they have finished reading the article. The conclusion is followed by the reference page which consists of the reference list and is placed in its page known as the reference page. The general format of a Harvard essay referencing is referenced as follows: Book Authors Last Name, First Initial Year of publication The title of book (capitalized) City of Publication: Publisher

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Red King Crab Facts and Identification

Red King Crab Facts and Identification They are the biggest and most sought-after shellfish in Alaska. What are they? Red king crab. Red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus)  is one of several king crab species. They entice fishers and seafood consumers with their snow-white (edged by red), flavorful meat. If youre a fan of reality TV, you might be familiar with red king crab, as they are one of two species (along with snow, or opilio crab) fished on Deadliest Catch. What Do King Crabs Look Like? As youd probably guess from the name, red king crab have a reddish carapace that can vary from brownish to dark red or burgundy. They are covered in sharp spines. These are the largest crab in Alaska. Since they dont expend as much energy in reproduction, males can grow much larger than females. Females can weigh up to about 10.5 pounds. The largest male on record weighed 24 pounds and had a leg span of about 5 feet.   These crabs have three pairs of legs used for walking and two claws. One claw is larger than the other and is used for crushing prey.   While it may not be apparent, these crabs are descended from hermit crab ancestors. Like hermit crabs, a red king crabs back end is twisted to one side (more drastically in hermit crabs, so they can fit into the gastropod shells that provide their shelter), they have one claw larger than the other, and their walking legs all point backward.   How Do You Distinguish Male King Crabs from Females? How do you tell males from females? There is one easy way: To keep crab populations healthy, only male red king crabs can be harvested, so if youre eating a king crab, it is most likely a male. In addition to size differences, males can be distinguished from females by the flap on their underside, which is triangular in males and rounded in females (this flap is larger in females because it is used to carry eggs).   Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaSubphylum: CrustaceaClass: MalacostracaOrder: DecapodaFamily: LithodidaeGenus: ParalithodesSpecies: P. camtschaticus Where Do Red King Crabs Live? Red king crabs are a cold water species native to the Pacific Ocean, although they were also intentionally introduced into the Barents Sea 200. In the Pacific Ocean, they are found from Alaska to British Columbia and Russia to Japan. They are usually found in waters less than 650 feet deep.   What Do Red King Crabs Eat? Red king crabs feed on a variety of organisms, including algae, worms, bivalves (e.g., clams and mussels), barnacles, fish, echinoderms (sea stars, brittle stars, sand dollars) and even other crabs.   How Do Red King Crabs Reproduce? Red king crabs reproduce sexually, with internal fertilization. Mating occurs in shallow water. Depending upon their size, females can produce between 50,000 and 500,000 eggs. During mating, males grasp the female and fertilize the eggs, which she carries on her abdominal flap for 11-12 months before they hatch. Once they hatch, the red king crab larvae look similar to shrimp.  They can swim, but are largely at the mercy of tides and currents. They go through several molts over 2-3 months and then metamorphose into a glaucothoe, which settles to the ocean bottom and metamorphoses into a crab that spends the rest of its life on the ocean bottom. As they grow, red king crabs molt, which means they lose their old shell and form a new one.  During its first year, a red king crab will molt up to five times.  These crabs are sexually mature at about 7 years old. These crabs are estimated to live up to 20-30 years.   Conservation, Human Uses, and the Famous Crab Fishery After sockeye salmon, red king crab is the most valuable fishery in Alaska.  The crab meat is eaten as crab legs (e.g., with drawn butter), sushi, or in a variety of other dishes.   Red king  crabs are caught in heavy metal pots in a fishery that is famous for its dangerous seas and weather. To read more about red king crab fishing, click here.   Deadliest Catch- a crustacean lovers favorite reality series- tells the harrowing at-sea adventures of the captains and crew on  6 boats. But there were 63 boats in the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery in 2014. These boats caught the 9 million pound quota of crab in about  four weeks. Much of that crab is shipped to Japan.   As for the U.S., it is likely the red king crab you eat isnt caught by the fishermen on the Deadliest Catch  boats. According to  FishChoice.com, in 2013, 80 percent  of the red king crab sold in the U.S. was caught in Russia.   Threats to Red King Crab Populations Although catches of red king crab are steady at the moment,  recent reports  show they are vulnerable to  ocean acidification, a lowering of the oceans pH, which makes it difficult for crabs and other organisms to form their exoskeleton.   Sources Ahyong, S. 2014.  Ã‚  (Tilesius, 1815)Paralithodes camtschaticus. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species.Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  Red King Crab  (). Accessed January 30, 2015.  Paralithodes camtschaticusAlaskan King Crab Company. How to Cook and Prepare Alaskan King Crab Legs. Accessed January 30, 2015.  Carroll, S. B. 2011. A Lesson of Genealogy: Looks Can Be Deceiving. New York Times. Accessed January 30, 2015.  Christie, L. 2012. Deadliest Catch Not So Deadly Anymore. CNN Money. Accessed January 30, 2015.NOAA FishWatch. Red King Crab.  Accessed January 30, 2015.  Soley, S. 2013.  From Ocean to Plate: The Life of the Red King Crab. EarthZine. Accessed January 30, 2015.Stevens, B. J. Adaptations of Crabs to Life in the Deep Sea. NOAA Ocean Explorer. Accessed January 30, 2015.  Welch, L.  Fish Factor: Strong 2015 forecasts for pollock, Bristol Bay salmon. Alaska Journal of Commerce. Accessed January 30, 2015.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Law- jurisprudence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Law- jurisprudence - Essay Example Self – interests, include the acquisition of pleasure and happiness. A society is a group of individuals who strive hard to obtain the maximum benefit from the resources at their disposal (Utiliatarianism, 2000). The relationships they form with other individuals are aimed at achieving the objective of happiness. The concept of utilitarianism states that deriving pleasure and happiness from life is the best way to lead one’s life (Utiliatarianism, 2000). Utilitarians, in addition to promoting this way of life, declare that if individuals strive to use their rational self – interests, then it will benefit society at large. Jeremy Bentham was a renowned British thinker and reformer. He propounded a moral theory, which promoted the thought that the outcome of human action determined the value of such action. Consequently, humans undertake acts that provide them with happiness, whilst avoiding pain or suffering. The hedonistic value of any act could be determined by considering various factors, such as the intensity of the pleasure experienced, the time for which such pleasure lasts, and the possibility it holds out for avoiding collateral harm (Kemerling, 2002). According to Bentham, the happiness of any community is the sum of its individual human interests. The utilitarian principle provides a definition of the moral obligation of individuals. The happiness of a community is based on the actions of its members, which can be harmed by the actions of individuals in the community. Bentham conjectured that social policies could also be evaluated in a similar manner (Kemerling, 2002). It was his considered opinion that these could be assessed by their effect on the well being of the community and the individuals living in it. The objective behind inflicting punishment on criminals was to reduce crime. Punishment effectively reduces crime as it discourages individuals from committing criminal acts. As such, punishment drastically alters the

Friday, October 18, 2019

In relating to the surrounding culture in a post-Christendom world, Essay

In relating to the surrounding culture in a post-Christendom world, what lessons should the Church learn from the pre-Constanti - Essay Example In the twenty-first century the broadly Christian basis of society has given way to something much more diffuse. In particular the absence of a Christian values to underpin governmental regimes is resulting in an increasing number of potential conflicts between Church and State, and suggests that the Church needs to find ways of adapting to a new role outside the main value system of the majority of people. This paper examines the situation of the pre-Constantinian early Church and the way it related to the cultures surrounding it. The Church’s early relationship with Jewish, Roman and Greek culture is examined, and experiences gathered in this pre-Constantinian period are applied to the contemporary situation of the Church, showing that in terms of identity, ethnic relations, attitudes to war, social customs and political engagement, the modern Church has much to learn from its own earlier history. In modern times, as in pre-Constantinian times, Christianity is not the accept ed â€Å"norm†, and its doctrines are not perceived as the core values of society at large. Instead of sustaining and promoting a stable Church/State symbiosis, which we see in the post-Constantinian conceptof â€Å"Christendom†, the Church finds itself on all fronts in danger of entering into conflict through contamination from and resistance to the surrounding cultures. The implications of isolation from the dominant norms are perhaps most significant in the area of evangelism. In pre-Constantinian times, as in present time, any Christian outreach work must start from an assumption that people will require intensive mentoring, apprenticeship and instruction in even the most basic doctrines.1 Nothing can be taken for granted, in terms of factual knowledge or moral training in the family, and the position of outsider that the modern Church occupies means that it must find ways of operating that help to clarify, define and maintain its position in relation to a somewhat hostile environment . The first lesson that the modern Church must learn from this earlier stage in its history is therefore to revisit and re-emphasize its core message through teaching of basic Christian facts and principles. One aspect of early Church history which has perhaps been underplayed by later commentators is the extent to which it harmonized with the cultures around it in the very beginning. An important factor in its first spurt of growth was its focus in cosmopolitan centres, where a multitude of different cultures co-existed with each other without any problem: â€Å"Absorption and adaptation were to mark the progress of the church both in east and west so long as it remained predominantly urban.†2 The trading cities of the Mediterranean were a melting pot for different races but also for different ideas, and the fledgling church took advantage of this relative freedom to develop its structures and systems, often taking selected elements from different cultur al groups around them. Celebration of the Jewish Sabbath, for example, was a custom that was adapted for Christian use but was clearly borrowed from the Jewish tradition. Much of the rhetoric and some philosophical texts for exposition and teaching were borrowed freely

Scholarly paper on Community Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Scholarly paper on Community Nursing - Essay Example In addition, I have applied Gibbs (1998) reflective model to ensure that the structure if this essay is unambiguous and clear (Jasper, 2003). I will look at the incidences using multiple perspectives, which could in future be applied to change some aspects of the practice in future. Reflection is an important practice by nurses as through it, we get to understand as well as explore more of what we should do (Ghaye and Lillyman, 2001). I will use the model to facilitate critical thinking in relation to theories in nursing. Discussion will encompass the ethics on effective nursing practice and the elements that promote effective practice. Descriptions Introduction to Community Health Nursing   Clinical practice seeks to uphold the synthesis of community nursing theory by providing nursing care to clients who are based in the community settings. Implementation and assessment of nursing care are a necessity for clients within the community who suffer from common physiological problems and malfunctions (Jasper, 2003). The synthesis of health strategies using clinical practices in these settings concentrates on the promotion of health prevention of diseases and patient care, as well as to the surrounding communities. Technically, the goal is to protect, preserve, maintain and promote health. Based on the reflective cycle established by Gibbs (1988), I will offer a description of two nursing scenarios that my reflections are based on. In Scenario 1 I had a joint visit with RN to visit a 7-month baby who suffered from congestive heart failure and down syndrome. I did a follow up assessment. At the time, the baby was somewhat stable, but the foster mother was worried that she was going downhill. The baby girl was not responding to her feeds well- she was on 33mls/hr continuous. She weighed 12 pounds, HR- 140, SPO2 – 93 to 96, R-72, her chest sounded clear, but I could tell the baby was having some difficulty breathing because I could see the extra muscles being used, sunken chest and ribs. The foster mom was worried because she could not monitor the baby’s oxygen stats and upset because the hospital did not allow her to take a stats machine home. We reminded her of the things to monitor for such as chest congestion, fever, wheezing etc. She told us that if she needed anything she would call or worst case we would find out if she ends up going to the hospital. I agreed with the mom and felt that if her feeds didn’t get better, her respiration increased and her spo2 decreased she would need to go to the hospital. The foster mom said the last time they went into the hospital, which was a couple days ago her oxygen stat was below 80 percent and it was obvious her baby was going into respiratory distress. The foster mom had been an RN so she knew what she was doing and what to look for. We instilled confidence in her and told her to continue to do what she was doing and monitor the baby and to feel free to call us even if it was just to check oxygen stats over the weekend. We educated her on the tube feeds and told us when the respiration rates are too high it makes it difficult for the baby to eat so if she is worried at all and this persists to take her in. We ended off saying we could come by and check the oxygen stats of the baby

ASEAN Free Trade Area Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ASEAN Free Trade Area - Essay Example The AFTA agreement aims at promoting free trade in the region by bringing down the tax barriers and making the trade related policy framework to be more encouraging. The agreement can be understood as a kind of regional liberalization of trade policies that are favorable for boosting regional trade. Further the article focuses to find out whether if formation of this agreement has created trade creation or trade diversion. Trade creation can be considered as a development whereas trade diversion from the non member nations to the member nations can not be considered as a positive development. An important instrument for applying the trade agreement in the total region is the Common Effective Preferential Tariff scheme that requires the tariff of certain commodity to fall below zero to five percent. These commodities include capital and non capital as well as manufactured goods. This process of liberalization and eliminating the identified commodities from taxable commodities has been phased out in for phases. This has been done in order to prevent any instantaneous impact over the respective national economies of the member countries. A gradual tariff reduction would assure that the change shall be absorbed over a period of years and thus promote trade. After fifteen years of the agreement, it can be observed that the countries have largely succeeded in achieving the goals.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Vulnerable Population in the workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Vulnerable Population in the workplace - Essay Example On the other hand, in their service delivery, psychiatrist nurses experiences some barriers which hinder their services delivery to Alzheimer’s diseases patients. The available barriers in mental healthcare settings magnifies the disorder complications to patients, it hinders access to nurses and other mental health specialists by most patients, increases overreliance on caregivers for assistance and transport, over dependant on entitlement initiatives as well as increasing cognitive impairment (Lyketsos, Toone and Tschanz, 2010). The essay below will focus on the barriers encountered by psychiatrist nurses in their daily activities in psychiatric hospital. The essay will also offer some strategies to decrease or if possible eliminate these barriers. To start with, structural barriers constitute the main hindrance to psychiatric nurses’ quality service delivery. Structural setbacks in most cases influence nurses’ ability to efficiently diagnoses and treat neurops ychiatric complications brought about by Alzheimer’s diseases. Some of the main structural barriers that hamper with service delivery among psychiatric nurses include lack of the required psychiatric and geriatric skills and training as well as inadequate number of trained neuropsychologist and psychiatrist in healthcare systems. The structural barriers are in most cases known to compromise and complicate the care and treatment of Alzheimer’s diseases. Structural barriers in hospital setting have also amplified the burden in families that provide home care services to vulnerable and elderly patients in (Lyketsos, Toone and Tschanz, 2010). Secondly, lack of adequate time, resources, treatment options, and nurses’ abilities to offer comprehensive care to patients has significant negative impact to nurses’ service delivery in mental healthcare systems. The health care system has very limited trained and qualified professionals in psychiatry and referral serv ices. Limited access to qualified psychiatrist nurses and practitioners means that, the available nurses are forced to offer medical care to complicated disorders which are beyond their professional training. Lack of adequate qualified practitioners has also lowered greatly the quality of services offered to patients in healthcare systems. Additionally, patients care is compromised by healthcare setbacks presented in offering the required treatment. Delays in offering apposite services are brought about by inadequate mental healthcare centers which led to delayed access to mental health services. Owing to inadequate number of trained psychiatrists, nurse in most cases are left with no option rather than to offer care to patient before consultation with mental specialist. Other nurses are forced to delay their services to patient which results to complication of the problem (Lyketsos, Toone and Tschanz, 2010). Due to limited available treatment services, nurses also experience brunt of families’ worries and frustration concerning poor services offered by inexperienced practitioners. Limited referral services to intricate disorders have also complicated access to quality services among severely infected patients. Moreover, family perception towards Alzheimer’s diseases symptoms also complicates nurses’ efforts to offer care to Alzheimer’s diseases patients. Access to referral services for medical assistance is extremely a complicated process especially for low income

CRIMINAL LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CRIMINAL LAW - Essay Example Rachel would win the challenge if she did not move her foot. Rachel accepted the challenge. The game started and Charlie was the first to throw a knife which hit Rachel’s ankle resulting in a deep cut and started bleeding. Rachel shouted at Charlie that she would get back to her, if she wasn’t in much pain. Seeing what had happened, Monica shouted to Charlie wondering whether she was crazy. Monica then lamented that she could not believe that Charlie had cut Rachel’s foot and asked whether it was because she hated her since she used to date Ross who still loves her. These comments infuriated Charlie, who grabbed the pair of scissors lying on the table and cut a large chunk of Monica’s hair. Charlie raised her hand again holding the scissors and Monica thought that she was going to cut her again, and so she rushed out of the house. On her way out, Monica met Joey who had heard the commotion and had come to check what was going on. Bumping onto Joey, Monica fell on the floor dislocation the right wrist which she had previously injured a day earlier while playing tennis. Rachel grabbed the frying pan and tried to hit Charlie at the time Joey was entering the apartment. Rachel missed Charlie and instead hit Joey fracturing his nose. In this case, the facts are that, Rachel was aware of the risk and danger she was putting herself into when she agreed to take the challenge that allowed Charlie and Monica to throw knives near her foot. Charlie threw a knife that cut Rachel’s foot resulting in bleeding; this was not intentional but an accident. As a result of infuriation, Charlie cut off a big chunk of Monica’s hair, this was not an accident, and it was intentional. Monica dislocating her arm as a result of bumping onto Joey was purely an accident. Rachel hitting Joey’s nose with a frying pan and fracturing it was not intentional. Based on the facts of this case, the question that arises is what criminal liabilities for the said parties in this case are. Parties Criminal Liability It is very clear, from the facts extrapolated above; the issues of Grievous Bodily Harm, Accidents, and Transferred Malice in relation to injuries are significant to these parties’ liabilities. Neither Rachel, Joey nor Monica, did anything wrong. The harm caused to Rachel by Charlie, the deep cut in Rachel’s foot, is considered involuntary. The potential criminal liability that faces Charlie is the Grievous Bodily Harm statute under section 18 of the 1861 Act, Offences against the Person. According the external elements of the offence-actus reus-a defendant must unlawfully cause any grievous bodily harm or wound1. The deep cut on Rachel’s foot caused by Charlie may constitute a grievous bodily harm or wound, under the rule found in Eisenhower, the continuity of the whole skin be cut rule2. The deep cut on Rachel’s foot caused by Charlie can also be explained under really serious bodily harm as seen in the case DPP v Smith3, but would, however, be up to the jury. According to the mens rea4, for such a liability to accrue, there is a requirement that an act needs to be malicious and with intent. Charlie would most probably fall under section 18 of the 1861 Act, Offences against the Person, which does need intent or malice5. It may be argued that cutting someone’

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Vulnerable Population in the workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Vulnerable Population in the workplace - Essay Example On the other hand, in their service delivery, psychiatrist nurses experiences some barriers which hinder their services delivery to Alzheimer’s diseases patients. The available barriers in mental healthcare settings magnifies the disorder complications to patients, it hinders access to nurses and other mental health specialists by most patients, increases overreliance on caregivers for assistance and transport, over dependant on entitlement initiatives as well as increasing cognitive impairment (Lyketsos, Toone and Tschanz, 2010). The essay below will focus on the barriers encountered by psychiatrist nurses in their daily activities in psychiatric hospital. The essay will also offer some strategies to decrease or if possible eliminate these barriers. To start with, structural barriers constitute the main hindrance to psychiatric nurses’ quality service delivery. Structural setbacks in most cases influence nurses’ ability to efficiently diagnoses and treat neurops ychiatric complications brought about by Alzheimer’s diseases. Some of the main structural barriers that hamper with service delivery among psychiatric nurses include lack of the required psychiatric and geriatric skills and training as well as inadequate number of trained neuropsychologist and psychiatrist in healthcare systems. The structural barriers are in most cases known to compromise and complicate the care and treatment of Alzheimer’s diseases. Structural barriers in hospital setting have also amplified the burden in families that provide home care services to vulnerable and elderly patients in (Lyketsos, Toone and Tschanz, 2010). Secondly, lack of adequate time, resources, treatment options, and nurses’ abilities to offer comprehensive care to patients has significant negative impact to nurses’ service delivery in mental healthcare systems. The health care system has very limited trained and qualified professionals in psychiatry and referral serv ices. Limited access to qualified psychiatrist nurses and practitioners means that, the available nurses are forced to offer medical care to complicated disorders which are beyond their professional training. Lack of adequate qualified practitioners has also lowered greatly the quality of services offered to patients in healthcare systems. Additionally, patients care is compromised by healthcare setbacks presented in offering the required treatment. Delays in offering apposite services are brought about by inadequate mental healthcare centers which led to delayed access to mental health services. Owing to inadequate number of trained psychiatrists, nurse in most cases are left with no option rather than to offer care to patient before consultation with mental specialist. Other nurses are forced to delay their services to patient which results to complication of the problem (Lyketsos, Toone and Tschanz, 2010). Due to limited available treatment services, nurses also experience brunt of families’ worries and frustration concerning poor services offered by inexperienced practitioners. Limited referral services to intricate disorders have also complicated access to quality services among severely infected patients. Moreover, family perception towards Alzheimer’s diseases symptoms also complicates nurses’ efforts to offer care to Alzheimer’s diseases patients. Access to referral services for medical assistance is extremely a complicated process especially for low income

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (F.I.S.A.) court Term Paper

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (F.I.S.A.) court - Term Paper Example The particulars of such actions were in effect up until the early 1970s and it was the ‘Keith’ case that predominantly broke the shackles to such unfair means. In 1972 the Keith case was one of the major turnarounds that led to the development of FISA courts in the country. Technically speaking this particular legal case was between the United States’ government and a United States district court. The district court emphasized that an acting attorney general gave specific directive permission to carry out electronic wireless intelligence without a warrant on a US citizen accused of bombing a Central Intelligence Agency building. The Supreme Court firmly rejected the US government’s petition of claiming foreign intelligence on the per se warrant requirement but the court emphasized that according to the legislative structure and constituting to the fourth amendment it is uniquely prohibited to use of warrantless surveillance particularly directed at domestic threats to U.S. national security. The court however did not reach a general consensus on whether it is appropriate to target warrantless surveillance on foreign individuals and agents pertaining to other agencies but opened up a new line of thought for the executive council suggesting that it may be up to the latter body if and how they would significantly indulge in matters related to the mentioned entities and personnel. The Supreme Court however demanded that the congress issue a revised plan for a fool proof constitutional amendment that would ensure as a constitutional element for future electronic wireless surveillance of threats regarding the national security of the United States. Another event... The paper tells that there are several fundamental aspects of the FISA warrants and it solely addresses to two particular fractions of people that may pose a potential threat to the national security of the United States. Firstly warrants are foremost issued to personnel that are categorized as a foreign power. Places or entities that succumb to such definitions may potentially include a foreign government, a diplomat; other representative or employee of a foreign government, a fraction of a foreign nation that is not substantially composed of US persons, an entity openly acknowledged by a foreign government to be directed and controlled by it, or a group engaged in international terrorism or activities in preparation therefore. The second defining figure that a FISA warrant can be issued to, are agents of foreign powers. These may fundamentally include any individual who is not a US person and works for a foreign power inside the united states or an individual who again may not be a US person but engaged in espionage intelligence gathering activities running from within any associated foreign power. However the FISA constitution does also recognize US citizen as also potential National security threats and a FISA warrant can be issued if for some reason they may be suspected with substantial defying evidence of engaging into espionage pertaining to compromising the national security of the United States or involved in clandestine intelligence gathering activities for a foreign power which activities constitute a violation of U.S. criminal statutes.

Monday, October 14, 2019

History of the Ming Dynasty

History of the Ming Dynasty The Ming Dynasty was one of great importance in Chinese history, and from its humble beginnings in 1368 came the most impressive architectural achievement in China – The Forbidden City. This city, built by three master architects chosen by Emperor YongLe, became the center of all diplomatic activity for the emperor and those closely associated with him. Over a thousand great buildings were created for the Forbidden City, all to be used by the emperor and his servants. Palaces for domestic life, several more palaces for the empress and her servants, religious buildings, buildings used for political work, and lavish gardens all filled the grounds of the new capital. However, what was most interesting about Emperor YongLes Forbidden City was not that of all the buildings themselves, but the premises upon which they were built, premises of religion and symbolism that remain important to Chinese society to this day. Following the demise of the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty emerged and Emperor Qianlongs six extravagant art collections emerged along with it. These six art collections, some bearing Western influenced, included an assorted amount of ceramics, paintings, sculpture, bronze ware, jade and other minor arts, and all were enmeshed with the art previously brought in to the Forbidden City by Emperor YongLe. The stylistic architectural decisions instituted by Emperor YongLe while building the Forbidden City, along with Emperor Qianlongs six art collections, reflect the importance of religion, symbolism, and art in Chinese culture, and remain to be important aspects of China in present times. The grandson of a peasant who was one â€Å"of only three peasants ever to become an emperor of China,† Emperor YongLe was the third emperor in the Ming Dynasty. YongLe â€Å"fought alongside his father in the Yunnan campaign to clear the country of the last bastion of Mongolian resistance,† and despite being considered as exemplary, he was overlooked as emperor. Instead, the elder emperor, having bypassed his son, chose to make his grandson the emperor. This did not sit well with Emperor YongLe who later usurped his nephew and changed his reign name to that which he is remembered by, YongLe, or â€Å"Perpetually Happy.† YongLe ruled from 1403 to 1424 and tended to be remembered as one of the emperors who had done the most for China, most notably, moving the capital of China from Nanjing to Beijing in the North. It was here that YongLe was approached by one of his spiritual advisors, who told the emperor of a vision he had of a great Imperial city. It was under this particular advisement that the Emperor decided to build this Forbidden City, the center of all life for the emperors, not only during YongLes reign, but for the reigns of emperors during other dynasties as well. In the introduction of the book The Palace Museum: Peking, author Wan-go Wen asserts that â€Å"for every supreme ruler of China, his capital was the center of the earth – not merely the seat of government but a solemn symbol of imperial power and authority and of the ideal polity,† and the Forbidden City was an ideal example of this center of the earth for Emperor YongLe. This imperial palace, was actually named â€Å"the Purple Forbidden City,† and was named as such â€Å"after the Purple Luminous Constellation with Polaris, the North Star, in its center – a heavenly equivalent of the earthly residence of the supreme ruler.† Author Yu Zhuyon claimed that â€Å"fixed in time and space, [the Pole Star] was to be found at the apex of the vault of heaven and the gods of all the other stars revolved around it in homage,† and as the emperor was the leader of all of his people, the idea of Polaris coincided with the idea of the Forbidden City. This religious idea, and comparison of the Emperor to the deity in his â€Å"apex of his vault of heaven,† showed not only how important the Emperor was to his people, but also how the Emperor himself was revered as a god-like incarnation on Earth. Before the Forbidden City was even built, Emperor YongLe put much thought and effort into its construction, bringing in three master architects who were to adhere to the strictest set of religious rules, such as the idea of yin and yang, in the construction and building of the Forbidden City. There were three important aspects in the planning of the City itself, and all three were noted by Yu Zhuyon. The first of these three points was the fact that there was no natural water supply to the Forbidden City itself, so â€Å"water was channeled into it from the Great Liquid Pool at the northwest corner† and this channeling aided in bringing water into the Inner Court. The second of these three points stemmed from the Emperors desire to have a long walkway in his City, much like the wide walkway used at the palaces of the Northern Song dynasty. With careful research and precision, these builders applied the â€Å"Song Layout,† from the aforementioned Northern Song dynasty, which allowed for â€Å"the grandeur of the wide avenue,† which was what the Emperor desired. Finally, Yu Zhuyon explains the third point that was important in the pre-construction of the Forbidden City, that being the creation of a moat behind the Forbidden City in the style that â€Å"corresponded to the arrangement at the Ming palace in Nanjing,† which was built specifically to make the city more secure for the empress, as well as the emperors concubines. It was at this point that construction of the Forbidden City could begin and all the planning could evolve from mere plans to reality. When it finally came time to build the thousand buildings that make up the Forbidden City, three things were done to prepare for it: the collection of timber, the production and transportation of bricks and tiles, and the transportation of large quarrying stones. The work that went into gathering all these items was done by a large amount of people, and many of these people who built the Forbidden City put themselves in grave danger to acquire these supplies. To secure the use of this timber â€Å"involved first rolling [logs] into the dry mountain gullies. They were lashed together to form rafts and left to await the torrents which plunged down the mountainside during the rainy season†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and then, when this timber finally made arrived at its destination, it was put in massive storerooms until it was to be used. The production and transportation of the surface bricks for the walls of the city were not the mud bricks that were commonly used, because these bricks, over time, suffered from a great deal of wear. Instead, the Forbidden City was built with clay bricks which were made first by mixing water and clay together, and then put in the sun to dry. These were not the most important aspects of the building materials in the city – those were the roof tiles that were symbolically representative of the Five elements and the â€Å"golden brick† floor tiles from Suzho. These â€Å"golden bricks† were â€Å"the finest floor tiles, smooth and dense,† and called â€Å"golden bricks† because they sounded like metal when they were hit. Finally came the moving of the heavy quarrying stone, which involved the creation of a slippery slope that builders could push said quarrying stone along. These stones held particular importance in the creation of the Forbidden City, because these specific stones relied on the ideas of space and distance which, when paired with the ideas of yin and yang and the Five elements, reflected many of the major aspects of Chinese cultural beliefs. The idea of space and distance, when applied to the architecture of the Forbidden City correlated with the ideas of â€Å"cosmic environment for the imperial family,† which intertwined itself with the idea of the Emperor being a deity. The theory of the five Elements and the omnipotent idea of yin and yang were also important in the architecture of the Forbidden City as both were pivotal parts of Chinese history. The idea of yin and yang emerged during the Han dynasty in 207 B.C. and has remained a part of the Chinese lifestyle. Under the idea of yin came the ideas of â€Å"maleness, the sun, creation, light, heat, Heaven, dominance, and so on,† while the opposite fell under the ideas of yang. According to Washington State University professor Richard Hooker, all aspects of life could be explained by these two opposite ideas of yin and yang, and these two ideas were applied to the building of the YongLes city. Where even numbers take precedence in the Inner Court (such as the six Western palaces for the empress, and the emperors concubines), odd numbers are dominant in the Outer Court or â€Å"the system of the three halls and five gates.† Following the use of yin and yang in the architecture of the Forbidden City was the use of the Five elements, which were fire, water, metal/gold, wood, and Earth, and each person and creation carried some combination of these elements around in them. These elements all were represented by different colors, and these colors were used in the architecture of the city itself, such as green tiles that represented â€Å"the tenderness of spring and corresponds to the east† being used to tile the Hall that was used for study. The carefully thought out application of yin and yang, as well as the citys Five elements of water, fire, metal/gold, wood, and Earth, reflected the symbolism of these two ideas that, as mentioned previously, still play large roles in the lives of Chinese citizens. To enter the Forbidden City, one must first remove their shoes, and leave their horses and carts outside the palace doors. Inside, the city contains over a thousand buildings, each of these buildings being significant in their own way. There is not a building in the entire compound that is out of place, they all mean something, and have symbolic representations that were well planned out ahead of time. One of the most important of these buildings is the Gate of Great Harmony (also known as the Gate of Supreme Harmony), known as the greatest gate in the entire Forbidden City. The Gate of Great Harmony is the pathway that one must take to reach the Three Great Audience Halls, which are three large buildings that â€Å"occupy the main space of the Forbidden City, covering an expanse of 85,000 sq. m.† This Gate of Great Harmony, described by Weng as â€Å"elegant and expansive,† was oftentimes used by the emperor himself when he spoke to the people in the Forbidden City. To create this gate, â€Å"a new architectural element is now introduced to define the inner style: marble terraces, with intricately carved railings,† which, prior to this time, had never been used. After some time had passed, however, the emperor ceased to use this gate at all. Despite this fact, this particular gate played a role in the symbolism of Heaven on Earth because the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which was built to recreate the aforementioned Heaven on Earth, was accessed through this gate. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest courtyard in the Forbidden City and carries both religious and symbolic importance. Zhuyon wrote that â€Å"this courtyard truly gives rise to the feeling that Heaven is high and earth is broad,† and it was true, as this expansive garden is home to some of the most elaborate pieces of sculpture in the entire Forbidden City. This Hall of Supreme Harmony is also one of religious importance, as it is a Taoist temple that, although not used by YongLe, was in fact used by those who followed after him. The Hall also manages to show symbolic importance because it reflects YongLes application of yin and yang in the Imperial Garden. Just as important, if not more important, than the Outer Court, was the Inner Court, or the domestic area where the emperor and those closely associated to him lived and carried out their daily lives. Though the idea of space and distance was highly regarded and used in the Outer Court with great diligence, it was much harder for the Inner Court to be so spacious. Instead, these palaces and other buildings were built closely together. The Inner Court was the yang to the Outer Courts yin, and everything related to the Inner Court corresponded evenly, such as the Six Western and Six Eastern Palaces that were constructed to house all of the Emperors concubines. The two key features of the Inner Court were not these Six Western and Six Eastern Palaces, but instead remained to be the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the two palaces which were not only home to the Emperor and the Empress, but also the palaces where the Emperor conducted business with his advisors, and where the Emperor â€Å"the emperor lay in state immediately following his death.† Over time, both of these Palaces would undergo incredible amounts of architectural renovation, specifically under the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Emperor Qianlongs renovation to YongLes vision was not his only contribution to the Forbidden City. Instead, his six extravagant art collections were in fact, his greatest contribution to the city itself. These six collections included beautiful pieces of ceramics, paintings and calligraphy, sculpture, bronze ware, jade, and so-called â€Å"minor arts† that remain on display in the Palace Museum in modern times. Though much of the architecture in the Forbidden City reflects the architectural decisions made by YongLe, the art is all reminiscent of Emperor Qianlong and his time in the Palace. Of all the art collections in his possession, it was noted that the collection of paintings and calligraphy were what Emperor Qianlong had the most of. In fact, Qianlong â€Å"practiced [painting and calligraphy] personally and thus saw from the viewpoint of an artist as well as a connoisseur.† Despite seeing from the viewpoint of an artist as well as a connoisseur, Qianlong was not very good at either painting or calligraphy, but that did not deter him from practicing or collecting, and Qianlong actually went so far as to use the example of fourth century artists handwriting to better his own calligraphy. Chinese calligraphy was a great art, with broad, sweeping strokes and vivid colors which were reminiscent of great paintings. These paintings have always been incredibly important in Chinese culture, and the paintings in the Forbidden City were no exception to this. The first Chinese paintings were simple black ink brush strokes on parchment paper, but â€Å"the efforts of later artists in their search for the expression of spirit or essence of all animate and inanimate objects extended from figure painting to landscape and bird and flower paintings†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and this expression of spirit was what Chinese artists became most known for. Zhu Jiajin claimed that â€Å"porcelain is one of Chinas great inventions, achieved through an amalgamation of the two disciplines of science and art,† and this is true. Chinas most important family of art is still to this day ceramics, or â€Å"china.† Though Emperor Qianlongs vast art collection contained pieces of china, some of these were beautiful vases and plates from the Ming Dynasty. Some artisans made vases out of vibrant colors such as blue, red, and black, while others made sculptures out of â€Å"pure white clay called kaolin.† Kaolin was not the only kind of clay that was available, and as time proceeded, many different types of ceramics also originated, and â€Å"under glaze decoration, a technique invented at the Changsha kilns† was used. In this form of decoration, the craftsman would decorate his vase or sculpture with a color, and then they would glaze the art and put it in the kiln. All these styles of ceramic artistry paved the way for other craftsmen in this same style. Sculptures were another form of art that made their way to the Forbidden City, and, as mentioned earlier, some of the most beautiful of these sculptures can be seen in the courtyard of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. â€Å"Stone, bone, horn, ivory, jade, shells, bamboo, and wood† were the chosen mediums that sculptors used to carve important figures of people and animals. One of the greatest discoveries of sculptures associated with the Forbidden City was the tomb of the first Qin Emperor. In this particular tomb was a monumental find that no one had known about, and this was a collection of life-sized clay soldiers and horses that were standing guard over the tomb of this great Emperor. It was said that, though the life-sized sculptures were made of clay, they were buried â€Å"with real chariots and weapons of that time, numbering more than seven thousand – an army sufficient to guard the supreme ruler in his afterlife.† There has been no greater or monumental find of such size and artistry found since this time, with the excavation of this tomb taking many painstaking years. Prior to the use of bronze in the creation of beautiful pieces of art, bronze was used by the Chinese for tools. As time progressed, artists began to craft three beautiful types of vessels that served three specific purposes – vessels for foods, wine vessels, and water vessels. These bronze vessels were used by Chinese nobility and reflected the styles of the times. Some of these sacrificial vessels contained images of people, but in later dynasties, the vessels stopped containing representations of people and turned more towards representations of animals. Artists began to inscribe poignant Chinese characters into their bronze vessels, these â€Å"master craftsmen of over 3,000 years ago were skilled in the art of the making of moulds and casting the finished article and were able to produce superb works which were well balanced with a sense of visual rhythm and strength†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and it was these craftsmen and Qianlongs interest in them that made these bronze vessels exceptional. In all of China, jade is viewed as something that is highly treasure, even above such fine metals as gold. â€Å"Jade is a material of supreme merit, possessing beauty, character, and mystery,† and has been used to make beautiful sculptures, vases, and tools. Chinese poets wrote beautiful poetry about jade, and artisans spent extended amounts of time coming up with innovative ways to cut and style the stone into gorgeous figurines. One of the most exquisite pieces of art from this time period is a sculpture that weighs close to 2000 pounds. This sculpture, called The Nine Elders of Huichang, was carved out of a boulder and has been on display in the Forbidden City for many years. Not only did artists carve sculptures out of jade, they also carved their prose into the sculptures that they created. Qianlong was so much an advocate of jade that he had a workshop built and had artisans come in to make figurines, boxes, and ornaments for him. It was due to Qianlongs immense favoritism of jade that this period of time is viewed as â€Å"the single most eventful era in the history of jade carving,† and there are some accounts that assert that, as a novice artist, Qianlong himself might have attempted to carve jade as well. The last collection of art to remain as an important part of the Forbidden City is that which scholars call â€Å"minor art.† These arts included handicraft arts, lacquer wares, cloisonnà © art, glass blowing, bamboo carving and work done with copper and enamel. One of the most famous of these minor arts artists emerged from the Imperial Palaces artistry workshop. This craftsman, Wu Zhifan, was a prolific bamboo carver who was known to carve â€Å"pagodas, dragon boats and the intricate reticulated balls carved from a single piece of ivory, one inside another and all movable,† and still other craftsmen were handpicked by the emperor himself to come and carve sculptures and other pieces of art for him out of ivory and bamboo. Lacquer ware artists poured lacquer, put it in the sun and then in a damp area, and were able to mold lacquer ware boxes and cups out of it. Another form of art, glass blowing, is one with origins that are unknown to scholars. The artists would blow the glass into vases and then use a glaze to give the glass its â€Å"hardness, brilliance, and colorfulness, which approximate the magical attributes of precious and semiprecious stones.† All of these forms of art were incredibly time consuming, but the finished products were always intricate and beautiful. In China, the Ming and Qing Dynasties remain as two of the most important dynasties in Chinese cultural history. From its humble beginnings in 1368, the Ming Dynasty helped to shape Chinese history forever with the help of its third emperor, the Emperor YongLe. Over a thousand great buildings were created to fulfill Emperor YongLes great vision of a home for the gods on Earth, a Forbidden City that appeared to one of YongLes tutors in an extraordinary vision. This beautiful city that grew in the new capital of Beijing became the center for all activity in China. The most important part of this Imperial City lay in its careful planning and architectural execution. The ideas of symmetry, religion, and symbolism all played a large role in China and all of these ideas were applied to the layout of the city. The premises upon which the city was built remain as some of Chinas most important. Following the demise of the Ming Dynasty, many others followed, but none as important to the Ming Dynasty as the Qing Dynasty, because with the Qing Dynasty came a flourishing art workshop that provided the Palace with an assortment of beautiful art collections. Ceramics, paintings and calligraphy, bronze ware, jade, and other minor arts, were diligently created and enmeshed in the art that was the architecture of the Forbidden City. Emperor YongLes carefully created architectural decisions, paired with Emperor Qianlongs exquisite art collections, were important in reflecting the incorporation of religion, symbolism, and art, in Chinese culture in prior times, and remain as important aspects of China in the present.