Totalitarianism, Violence, and the Color Red in the...

Totalitarianism, Violence, and the Color Red in The Handmaid’s Tale In literature, the color red symbolizes many things, each with its own emotional impact. Red can be associated with violence and bloodshed, or it can be associated with love and intense emotions. In The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred, chosen to be a â€Å"baby-maker† for a couple she was assigned to, desires to escape the dystopian society that she lives in. Thus, Margaret creates a fictional government that uses totalitarianism, violence, and the reoccurring pattern of the color red to illustrate the negative impact it has on women, especially the Handmaids. Throughout The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred recalls her past life before and during the creation of the Republic of†¦show more content†¦They also wear a white habit, which blocks their peripheral vision when walking to the market. â€Å"Everything except the wings around my face is red: the color of blood† (8). The color r ed that the Handmaids are dressed in represents fertility, their main purpose. The desire to conceive a child is what all Handmaids strive to achieve. When a Handmaid has her menstrual cycle each month, the blood serves as a reminder and reinforces what they desire so much. â€Å"Likewise, the blood-red gowns of the Handmaids conjure positive associations with birth and life as well as pejorative links with suffering, shame, and female bondage to reproductive cycles† (enotes). The government stresses the importance of conceiving a child so much, that the Handmaids have become fearful if they do not become pregnant. The Handmaids that are unable to are sent to the colonies to perform hard manual labor and are called â€Å"Unwomen†. This ideology has a negative psychological impact on how the Handmaids view life; it is mostly based on survival. Throughout the novel, Offred’s and the Handmaids’ lives are dominated by the color red. Their garments are red , the doctors who examine them each month wear red armbands, the sidewalks they walk on are red, and the vehicles that transport them to view each birth (the birthmobiles) are red. Red also serves s a symbol of danger and violence to enhance the nature of the government. For

Essay about Gambling - 599 Words

Gambling has effected many people I know in a negative way and the problem is getting increasingly more serious due to the large amount of young adults who are starting to gamble. Teenagers often face routine warnings about drugs and alcohol but Not about gambling. Gambling is highly addictive, and compulsive gamblers have the same symptoms an alcoholic or a person addicted to drugs would have with their addiction , when someone is addicted to gambling they have a brain disease that is chemically and genetically driven, just as addictive as cocaine in certain individuals. The same way a drug addict needs to take drugs in order to maintain a high, a gambler has to gamble in order to experience the high of winning. Every state except three†¦show more content†¦Is estimated that over (2.5 million) people have a gambling problem, That would make it twice as prevalent as cancer among Americans. If you do have a gambling problems professionals recommend that you should get counseling and therapy for your problem. Recently gambling has become an even bigger problem in America with more and more younger adults starting to gamble especially among college students, over 50% of the estimated compulsive gamblers are between the ages of 16-24. a main cause of for this has been Internet gambling as you only have to be 18 years old to make sports bets on various web sites. Also poker has become increasingly popular with young adults and web sites like partypoker.com are increasingly used by young adults. *Statistics prove that teen-age Internet gambling is the fastest growing addiction in American today and this is clearly a problem because the young kids who are rapidly starting to gamble today could eventually become compulsive gamblers. Also in many casinos you only have to be are 18 year olds to gamble, such as at turning stones in upstate New York. There are many ways in which you could gamble especiallly with technology constantly changing. There are Lotteries, scratchoffs, casinos, horse-racing, sports bets, the internet. All can get very addictive. These are scratch offs and they are one of the most common form of gambling, usually when you get gas you see people buy one. they also can become highlyShow MoreRelatedGambling : Illegal Gambling And Commercial Gambling860 Words   |  4 PagesGambling In 2006, the Pew Research Center did many studies on the average American and their gambling habits. Of these studies, â€Å"67% of the people surveyed had gambled in the past year† (â€Å"Supply and Demand†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). â€Å"Gambling is the act of risking something of value on the outcome of an event in hopes of gain†(Schwartz). Gambling has become extremely popular and so complex throughout the thousands of years it has been evolving. 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Gambling unfortunately has created a dark subculture that surrounds gaming such as: crime, prostitution, andRead MoreGambling Addiction : Illegal Gambling2199 Words   |  9 PagesGambling Addiction Walking into the flashing lights, the happy people and seeing people win; are all the start of a bad beginning. Gamblers have a different mindset them some and they need help most of the time. The worse thing for a person just starting out is to see people win because they believe they are going to do the same thing and even more. That is almost never how it turns out; it usually starts with betting small, but gamblers always raise their bets over time even if they are winningRead MoreGambling Essay1011 Words   |  5 Pagesthe bar scene, individuals view gambling as a relaxing and entertaining past time. However, we recently encountered an article by Pathlights entitled â€Å"The Case Against Gambling†. Apparently what we thought was a fun night out, is causing otherwise good citizens to perish under the gambling system. Are we looking at gambling the wrong way? In Gambling There Are No Winners In the article by Pathlights it is made quite clear the major claim is that gambling is impoverishing America. We areRead MoreLegalized Gambling2290 Words   |  10 PagesEconomic Impacts of Legalized Gambling Class # Title By Charles Conner Baltimore, Maryland December 6, 2005 Professor: Dr. Ira Sohn The Economic Impacts of Legalized Gambling Introduction The effect of gambling on the standard of living will be pronounced if the gambling activity is regressive, meaning that the rate of participation (as a percentage of income) declines as people earn higher incomes. In other words, if most gamblers are poor, then gambling is more likely to affectRead MoreEffects of Gambling1138 Words   |  5 PagesTHE EFFECTS OF GAMBLING Most people with gambling problems say they lost control over how much time and money they spend gambling. Meanwhile, they ignored other responsibilities. For them, gambling is an activity that are important to them. Those who gamble excessively often bring problems for the one they love. The effects of gambling can be classified into individuals, family and the society. Each of them had different aspect. With the problems that been brought by those

Illusions And Reality Essay Example For Students

Illusions And Reality Essay Jules de Gaultier stated, Imagination is the only weapon in the war againstreality. I think the war against reality is the process of aging andimagination is our naivet that shields us from the frightening world. Byimagining that situations will never be uncomfortable; girls will neverexperience heartbreak; men will always have jobs to support their families; andpeople will never become sick, we are setting our selves up for a slap in theface when, inevitably, we are forced to notice how the real world works. Disillusionment is the acceptance of truth and the understanding or reality. Tobe disillusioned, one becomes disappointed when his or her opinion or belief isfound out to be false. Usually an act forces them to realize the truth when theyprobably would rather continue in their own beliefs. Santa Clause, for instance,is precisely an illusion. As great and magical it is for a child to believe inthe jolly, fat man with a snow white beard sliding down their chimney onChristmas to leave the good kids presents, there comes a time when kidslearn that Santa is only a spirit; a story told them by the same parents thatactually provided the gifts. The naivetà © of a child who believes this mythis also accompanied by the delight that believing in the myth brings. At sometime, each child comes to the reality that there is no Santa Clause, there isonly the love of the parents who were perpetuating the myth in order to increasethe quality of their childs young life. To find the myth shattered is l ikebursting the bubble, yet, to replace it with the understanding of the motivationis a comfort and there is joy in learning that something was done only to makeones life better. My naivet in the awesome act of driving a car was somewhatlike my belief in Santa. I felt confident that the task was easy, something Ihad the ability to do, and something that I had no reason to believe I would beanything but excellent at doing. I was so confident, in fact, that I was noteven planning to read the drivers manual prior to taking the written test inorder to receive my drivers license. It was only the threat by my mother thatshe would not bring me back to retake the test that convinced me to study. I wastoo cool to NOT be able to drive. I could drive the bumper cars at Six Flags,couldnt I? I could drive my neighbors go-cart, couldnt I? I was anexcellent bicycle rider. What was the big deal about driving a car? I was sococky that I did not even realize that there was anything to be afraid of. I didnot even know that what I didnt know could kill me. I had absolutely nocomprehension of the terrifyingly wonderful and frightening responsibility ofdriving. I had no idea how car accidents happened and no plans to be involved inone. The first step to knowledge is knowing that you are naive. Unfortunately, Iwas too naive to even know that. My time of crisis came not once, not twice, butthree times within six months of receiving a drivers license. When I had beendriving only five days, I never questioned my capability of driving down HolcombBridge Road with the music playing loud and a very excitable girlfriend as mypassenger. What came as a shocking surprise, was that people tend to stopquickly on that particular stretch of road and not give the driver behind themmuch more than a seconds notice. If the driver is a new sixteen year-old whois changing lanes and looking backward, this fact results in a crash. That wouldbe me. Imagine my horror, as I realized I had allowed my car to run into the onein front of me all because I was too confident that nothing like this couldhappen to me. I was devastated by this turn of events. To add insult to injury,I had to pay the $250.00 deductible charge in order to have my car fixed, had tobe without my car for over a month, and had to answer to my parents and friendsas to how this could happen to me, a careful driver! Being responsible, brokeand without a car will crush naivetà ©. It was only two months later when Islammed my car between an electrical pole and the wall of a graveyard that Ibegan to feel that perhaps I did not know as much as I thought I did aboutdriving. Again, I was too busy with my music and my bare feet, to plan where Iwas going in advance. Therefore, when the road came up sooner that I expected, Idid not do a very good job of making my turn. Again, there was a loss of$250.00, my car for a month of repairs, and my parents confidence in myability to drive. When I lost control of my car on rain-slicked Holcomb BridgeRoad and wrecked for the third time, I was ready to accept that I did not havethe ability to drive that I thought I had. It takes experience, I am told, toknow how to handle a car that is skidding and I believe that now. The wisdomgained from my transition from naivet to crisis is immeasurable. I now acutelyunderstand how dangerous driving can be. In fact, I am actually scared to drive. .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 , .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .postImageUrl , .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 , .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1:hover , .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1:visited , .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1:active { border:0!important; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1:active , .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1 .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6e656c2e9a10b76ab71e47040168c5b1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Causes of Child Abuse Essay We will write a custom essay on Illusions And Reality specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now I have even gone so far as to have a panic attack while driving, convinced thatother drivers are going to crash into me. I feel my body tensing and my nervesgoing into overdrive almost every time I get behind the wheel. I know this isnot the safest way to drive, but I honestly cannot help it. Now that Iunderstand the power one has when sitting in the drivers seat, it is almostmore than I can stand. I am hoping that with time and experience, I will becomea confident, safe driver once again. The naà ¯ve dream I once had of drivingas the ultimate freedom for a sixteen year old has been replaced with thecaution that my newfound wisdom has instilled in me. I know now how easy itwould be to become scarred for life, killed, or even to kill someone else. Iwill never again take driving for granted, thinking it is a mindless way to getfrom one place to another. My carefree thrill of driving with no regard toconsequences has forever been changed because I have painfully experiencedreality. Muc h like my belief in Santa Clause for many wonderful years, my bubbleburst when I realized that driving a real car was nothing like driving thebumper car or the go-cart. However, just as I knew my parents let me believe inSanta only as long as it was still good for me, I know that my less-than-stellardriving experience has also been good for me. If I had not had my bump-ups, evenall three of them, I would not have the healthy respect and fear for drivingthat should always be with a person. I know that right now, I have too muchfear, and I do hope to find that balance so that I am a safe, confident driver.

Interpreting Causal Uncertainty Essay Sample free essay sample

Many surveies have been conducted to analyze why people feel the manner they do towards events or state of affairss they perceive as non their stereotyped â€Å"norm† or experiencing unsure as to why person did what they did. In a survey by Gifford Weary and John A. Edwards ( 1994 ) . they define this uncertainness about one’s inability to grok or place causal relationships or causal conditions in society as causal uncertainness ( CU ) . Whether you are seeking to do sense of why your best friend does non desire to travel out to the films or why a alien started speaking to you in an lift. people have this overpowering impulse to understand or ground the cause of another person’s behaviour. so that their reaction is suiting ( Weary. Tobin. A ; Edwards. 2010 ) . The research has show that because of the catholicity of traumatic events in the universe. such as natural catastrophes. school shots. deceases. slaying. and so on. it is plausible that many persons feel t hat they are non capable of adequately finding the causes behind the happening of such societal events ( Weary A ; Edwards. 1994 ) . They found that single differences can be assessed by the causal uncertainness graduated table ( CUS ) ; the CUS measures the person’s response to beliefs ( Weary A ; Edwards. 1994 ) . The demand to understand cause-and-effect relationships within the context of society is likely to act upon the behaviour of some persons ( Weary A ; Edwards. 1994 ) . The inability to understand people’s reactions or inactivity or causal uncertainness symptoms can happen into the feelings of freak out. uncomfortableness. or convulsion ( Aweary et Al. . 2010 ) . It is believed that there are certain conditions that must be in order for a individual to endure from CU. in that there must be some unsure feelings present whether they were caused by the milieus. expected results that were non met. or self-perception ( sensitiveness ) ( Aweary et Al. . 2010 ) . More late research has suggested that the internal issues felt by people high in CU extend to daily contact with aliens. familiarities and friends ( Aweary et Al. . 2010 ) . Namely. causally unsure people tend to avoid face-to-face conversations with aliens. be given to be diffident and the mere interaction with other people can take people with CU to experience rejected ( Aweary et Al. . 2010 ) . Research would propose that people high on the CUS tend to avoid interactions with aliens in general at any degree or planetary uncertainness ( Douglas. 1991 ) . Past negative experiences with aliens weigh to a great extent on how a globally unsure single interacts with person the first clip they meet. more so than merely the general anxiousness one feels during the procedure of â€Å"getting to know† person ( Douglas. 1991 ) . For case. Douglas ( 1991 ) discussed that persons who experience higher degrees of planetary uncertainness are non capable of furthering a logical program on how to steer their behaviours during initial interactions. Therefore. being uncomfortable. self-aware. and missing familiarity in the acquaintanceship processes ( Douglas. 1991 ) . Although planetary uncertainness pertains to the acquaintanceship patterns ( conversations ) and causal uncertainness is applied to societal state of affairss. research workers can contend that similar consequence are apparent with anxiousness. uncomfortableness. or inability to acknowledge societal cues ( Douglas. 1991 ) . The intent of the survey is to be able to research possible accounts for causal uncertainness and the experiences felt when oppugning why person did or did non make what was expected. neglecting to obtain the reply or the inability to grok. Harmonizing to Weary and Edwards’s ( 1994 ) . causal uncertainness feelings originate when persons perceive that there is non hold adequate information to acknowledge the cause of a peculiar event. therefore giving rise to more interpersonal jobs. If an person does non experience that they understand the implicit in purpose of another person’s verbal or gestural communications and behaviour. they are less likely to meet successful and hearty interactions and interpersonal relationships with others and some persons tend to be more down and more socially dying ( Weary A ; Edwards. 1994 ) . Causal uncertainness is found to be positively associated with unhappiness. depression. and anxiousness. which could wholly be deductions of a nega tive definition of initial interactions ( Aweary et Al. . 2010 ) . Additionally. subsequent research has besides found a positive relationship between causal uncertainness and solitariness and shyness ( Aweary et Al. . 2010 ) . Through this research it is safe to presume that people high in CU would be less confidant. have low assurance. and are more tense. drilling. and non friendly. However. in some instances the research shows people with high CU tend to necessitate organisation and have a everyday. take issues more serious and act awkwardly ( Douglas. 1991 A ; Weary et Al. . 2010 ) . Method ParticipantsParticipants were 108 undergraduate pupils. 90 adult females. 19 work forces and 1 did non describe. The participants are enrolled in an Experimental Psychology class at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Persons range in from 18 to 56 old ages ( Average age ( M ) = 25. 14. SD = 7. 44 ) . The ethnicity of participants: 51 European-American. 5 Afro-american. 46 Hispanic/Latino. 5 European-American A ; Hispanic/Latino. 1 Native-American. 1 Afro-american A ; Hispanic/Latino. and 1 did non describe. Participation was voluntary and all responses were gathered during regular category meetings. A debriefing press release followed. Measures To measure causal uncertainness. the causal uncertainness graduated table is a 14 point self-report graduated table designed to measure chronic single differences in the strength and frequence of causal uncertainness beliefs ( Weary A ; Edwards. 1994 ) . Participants indicate on a six-point graduated table to which they strongly agree ( 1 ) to strongly differ ( 6 ) with 14 statements associating to their apprehension of cause and consequence relationships in society. The Causal Uncertainty graduated table ( CUS ) is a step of chronic single differences in causal uncertainness beliefs. for illustration. â€Å"I do non cognize what it takes to acquire along with others† . â€Å"When I see something good happen to others. I frequently do non cognize why it happened† . and â€Å"I frequently do non experience I have adequate information to come to a decision about why things happen to me† ( Weary A ; Edwards. 1994 ) . The entire mark is obtained by summing the sing le point tonss and the higher tonss indicate greater causal uncertainness. average CUS mark = 35. 18 ( SD = 11. 83 runing from 14 1o 69. The CUS has been shown to hold high internal consistence and dependability with a Cronbach’s alpha = . 89 ( good ) . To measure planetary uncertainness. Douglas used an version of the Clatterbuck Uncertainty Evaluation Scale ( CLUES ) which is a step of attributional assurance. an acceptable step of uncertainness that has demonstrated dependability and cogency. CLUES7 includes seven points like â€Å"How confident are you of general ability to foretell how aliens will act? How confident are you of your ability to accurately find if a alien likes you? How confident are you of your ability to accurately foretell a stranger’s values? † and 11 points used define initial interactions. These points measured participant’s perceptual experiences of interactions with aliens: everyday – unpredictable ; superficial-intense ; serious – non-serious ; simple – composite ; adumbrate – non-intimate ; self-aware – self-confident ; cognize how to act – don’t cognize how to act ; relaxed – tense ; pleasant – unpleasant ; interesting à ¢â‚¬â€œ drilling ; uninvolving – affecting ( Douglas. 1991 ) . Participants indicate on a six-point graduated table to which they strongly agree ( 1 ) to strongly differ ( 6 ) . Consequences Contrary to the anticipations in the hypothesis. a no important correlativity was found and causal uncertainness was non related to the participant’s perceptual experiences of initial reactions. Participants with higher degrees of causal uncertainness and from the information gathered and measured. we found that there was no correlativity between persons who were serious versus non-serious. R ( 108 ) = . 01. p = . 891 ; self-aware and less self-assured during initial interactions. R ( 108 ) = . 14. p = . 138 ; pleasant versus non-pleasant: R ( 108 ) = . 11. p = . 251 ; modus operandi or unpredictable ; R ( 108 ) = . 14. p = . 160 ; superficial versus intense: R ( 108 ) = . 05. p = . 160 ; simple or complex: R ( 108 ) = . 13. p = . 191 ; confidant or non-intimate: R ( 108 ) = . 14. p = . 140 ; cognize how to act versus don’t cognize how to act: R ( 108 ) = . 13. p = . 180 ; relaxed or tense: R ( 108 ) = . 05. p = . 602 ; interesting or drilling: R ( 108 ) = . 10. p = . 080 ; uninvolving versus affecting: R ( 108 ) = . 17. p = . 080. These findings suggest that there was no correlativity of causal uncertainness and people’s perceptual experience of initial reactions given that for all 11 definitions of initial interaction. all of the participant’s P values were greater than. 05 ( P gt ; 0. 05 ) . which translates to no important correlativity. Discussion The intent of this survey was to research how causal uncertainness influences the manner in which persons define initial interactions with other persons. Not consistent with our hypotheses. we found that causally unsure individual’s perceptual experience of initial interactions may or may non be more unpredictable than do persons take down in causal uncertainness. Besides non consistent with our hypotheses. it was found that persons with high degrees of causal uncertainness may or may non experience more self-aware and less self-assured during initial interactions. By our participant’s replies and our analysis. no important correlativities exist between causal uncertainness and shallowness and strength. earnestness. predictability. simpleness. familiarity. behaviour. pleasantness. engagement. degrees of involvement and ennui. and friendliness of initial interactions. The findings of our survey did non needfully back up the definition of causal uncertainness as described by Weary and Edwards ( 1994 ) in that those participants high in causal uncertainness perceived initial interactions as more unpredictable. likely due to their perceived inability to place and understand cause-and-effect in footings of societal events. Although. Aweary et Al. ( 2010 ) asserts that causal uncertainness is positively related to emphasis and anxiousness. the deficiency of important correlativity between what was assumed to be accurate within the research and what was shown through our rating of the consequences from our participant’s. leads to merely a suggestion that these issues with anxiousness are merely associated with causal uncertainness and may non be related to a person’s perceptual experience about how an initial interaction will be. Finally. there presently is non adequate research on causal uncertainness to anticipate a concrete causality happening between causal uncertainness and the individual’s perceptual experience with initial interactions. There were restrictions in our survey include a smaller. non-representative sample size of participants. The participants were limited to pupils who are enrolled in an Experimental Psychology class at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. A much larger sample that was non limited to campus might hold resulted in an addition in important correlativities. In add-on to the restriction of a little sample size. our survey had a lower figure of male participants. and 1 that no response participant. Last. our survey was limited in that participants were asked self-reflective inquiries initial interactions and as research has show there can be issues that arise from the trust of persons being realistically honest or supplying untrue replies. In future research. a much larger sample size of participants could be more accurate and it is of import return steps to guarantee males to female ratios are nearer. Finally. there is no uncertainty that future research is likely be performed and is needed in order to betters measure what inquiries should be answered and to derive a more accurate sampling of participants. My contemplation is limited to my little range of cognition on study issued questionnaires every bit good as required reading stuffs. Any future surveies would help in a more accurate decision as to the possibilities of causal uncertainness and those who are affected. These surveies could be helpful in more accurately and extensively analyzing the effects of causal uncertainness in societal scenes. Mentions Douglas. W. ( 1991 ) . Expectations about initial interaction: An scrutiny of the effects of planetary uncertainness. Human Communication Research. 17 ( 3 ) . 355-384. Edwards. J. A. A ; Weary. Gifford. ( 1998 ) . Ancestors of ausal uncertainness and perceived control: a prospective survey. European Journal of Personality. 12. 135-148. Tobin. S. J. . Weary. G. . Brunner. R. P. . Gonzalez. J. . A ; Han. H. A. ( 2009 ) . Causal uncertainness and stereotype turning away: The function of sensed class tantrum. Social Cognition. 27 ( 6 ) . 917-928. Aweary. G. . A ; Edwards. J. A. ( 1994 ) . Individual differences in causal uncertainness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 67 ( 2 ) . 308-318. Aweary. G. . Tobin. S. J. . A ; Edwards. J. A. ( 2010 ) . The causal uncertainness theoretical account revisited. In R. M. Arkin. K. C. Oleson. A ; P. J. Carroll ( Eds. ) . Handbook of the unsure ego ( pp. 78-100 ) . New York. New york: Psychology Press.

The English Reformation †English Literature Essay (100 Level Course)

The English Reformation – English Literature Essay (100 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers The English Reformation English Literature Essay (100 Level Course) All this led some people to look to Martin Luther as an innovator. Rome’s interference seemed intolerable, among other things, because of the new nationalistic spirit that was developing in Tudor times. Henry VIII, who had at first defended the Pope against Luther, was finally induced to separate the Church of England from Rome for both political and personal reasons. After his brother Arthur’s death, with a special dispensation of the Pope, he had in fact married his brother’s widow, Catherine, who had borne him a daughter, Mary. But he wanted a male heir. He had more over fallen in love with Anne Boleyn, a lady-in-waiting of the queen. And so, on the pretext that his marriage was illegal according to Canon Law, as Catherine was his sister-in-law, he asked the Pope to declare it void. Pope Clement VIT, who was practically subservient to Charles V of Spain, Catherine’s nephew and the real master of Europe, refused. The king did not accept the Pope’s authority and decided to solve the question through the English clergy and the English Parliament. He replaced his chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, by Thomas More, and made Thomas Cranmer, a churchman favorable to the king’s divorce, Archbishop of Canterbury. Parliament declared that the king’s first marriage was void. In 1533 Henry married Anne Boleyn; England was declared an â€Å"Empire†, that is a â€Å"national State†, in which both civil and ecclesiastical causes were to he decided without the interference of any foreign jurisdiction. Another Act of Parliament in 1534 (Act of Supremacy) declared the king â€Å"Only Supreme Head on Earth of the Church of England†. Sir Thomas More did not accept the repudiation of the Pope’s authority in religious matters, and died on the scaffold in 1535. In 1536 papal authority in England was declared extinct. Research Papers on The English Reformation - English Literature Essay (100 Level Course)Comparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoQuebec and CanadaBringing Democracy to AfricaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMind TravelStandardized Testing19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraPETSTEL analysis of India

Superconductor Definition, Types, and Uses

Superconductor Definition, Types, and Uses A superconductor is an element or metallic alloy which, when cooled below a certain threshold temperature, the material  dramatically loses all electrical resistance. In principle, superconductors can allow electrical current to flow without any energy loss (although, in practice, an ideal superconductor is very hard to produce). This type of current is called a supercurrent. The threshold temperature below which a material transitions into a superconductor state is designated as Tc, which stands for critical temperature. Not all materials turn into superconductors, and the materials that do each have their own value of Tc. Types of Superconductors Type I superconductors act as conductors at room temperature, but when cooled below Tc, the molecular motion within the material reduces enough that the flow of current can move unimpeded.Type 2 superconductors are not particularly good conductors at room temperature, the transition to a superconductor state is more gradual than Type 1 superconductors. The mechanism and physical basis for this change in state is not, at present, fully understood. Type 2 superconductors are typically metallic compounds and alloys. Discovery of the Superconductor Superconductivity was first discovered in 1911 when mercury was cooled to approximately 4 degrees Kelvin by Dutch physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, which earned him the 1913 Nobel Prize in physics. In the years since, this field has greatly expanded and many other forms of superconductors have been discovered, including Type 2 superconductors in the 1930s. The basic theory of superconductivity, BCS Theory, earned the scientists- John Bardeen, Leon Cooper, and John Schrieffer- the 1972 Nobel Prize in physics. A portion of the 1973 Nobel Prize in physics went to Brian Josephson, also for work with superconductivity. In January 1986, Karl Muller and Johannes Bednorz made a discovery that revolutionized how scientists thought of superconductors. Prior to this point, the understanding was that superconductivity manifested only when cooled to  near  absolute zero, but using an oxide of barium, lanthanum, and copper, they found that it became a superconductor at approximately 40 degrees Kelvin. This initiated a race to discover materials that functioned as superconductors at much higher temperatures. In the decades since, the highest temperatures that had been reached were about 133 degrees Kelvin (though you could get up to 164 degrees Kelvin if you applied a high pressure). In August 2015, a paper published in the journal Nature  reported the discovery of superconductivity at a temperature of 203 degrees Kelvin when under high pressure. Applications of Superconductors Superconductors are used in a variety of applications, but most notably within the structure of the Large Hadron Collider. The tunnels that contain the beams of charged particles are surrounded by tubes containing powerful superconductors. The supercurrents that flow through the superconductors generate an intense magnetic field, through electromagnetic induction, that can be used to accelerate and direct the team as desired. In addition, superconductors exhibit the  Meissner effect  in which they cancel all magnetic flux inside the material, becoming perfectly diamagnetic (discovered in 1933). In this case, the magnetic field lines actually travel around the cooled superconductor. It is this property of  superconductors  which is frequently used in magnetic levitation experiments, such as the quantum locking seen in quantum levitation. In other words, if  Back to the Future  style hoverboards ever become a reality. In a less mundane application, superconductors play a role in modern advancements in magnetic levitation trains, which provide a powerful possibility for high-speed public transport that is based on electricity (which can be generated using renewable energy) in contrast to non-renewable current options like airplanes, cars, and coal-powered trains. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

The history, current status, and adoption implications of a Financial Coursework

The history, current status, and adoption implications of a Financial Accounting Standards Board ongoing project - Coursework Example Some of the key provisions of the ongoing FASB project include a requirement for entities to prepare their financial statements using liquidation basis of accounting when a liquidation plan has been approved with relevant authorities as well as when a liquidation plan has been imposed by other forces and there is less likelihood that the entity will successfully return from liquidation (North and Wagenen, 2013). On the other hand, the ongoing project seeks to change the financial statement form for entities using the liquidation basis of accounting into a statement of changes in the liquidation net assets. Lastly, the project also require full disclosure of an entity’s liquidation plan, assumptions used in measuring the assets and liabilities, the intended methods, amount of income and costs accrued as well as the expected duration of the liquidation process. This paper describes the FASB’s liquidation basis of accounting project, its history as well as the current stat us of the project. History and background of the Project The history of the current liquidation basis of accounting project began in 1984 when the Financial Accounting Standards Board released Financial Report Survey by AICPA and illustration of Accounting for Enterprises in Unusual Circumstances and Reporting. In fact, this involved a survey conducted on enterprises, which were reorganized or liquidating. The survey focused on offering a brief review of literatures concerning liquidating and reorganized enterprises. Later in 2007, a there was establishment of a project to this agenda by FASB, aimed at dealing with issues regarding liquidation basis of accounting (AIRA, 2012). Additionally, the project was becoming immediate due to the ongoing concern and the effort by FASB to incorporate AICPA’s Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards AU Section 341. In 2008, FASB offers a draft to establish considerations going concern, and later in 2009, adoption of Accounting Sta ndards Codification contributed through authoritative guidance on ways to deal with constitutes liquidation basis accounting (AIRA, 2012). In July 2012, FASB issued a draft of their proposed accounting standards update titled the Liquidation Basis of Accounting to the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC). Prior to the adoption of the project, ASC, the GAAP used to provide very little guidance regarding what is constituting liquidation basis of accounting as well as how the basis of accounting should be applied to any given entity. The added project to FASB agenda was primarily designed to address both the liquidation basis accounting and going concern issues. Current Status Currently, FASB is making preparations in the project to establish ways of communicating effectively to stakeholders on issues regarding standards-setting activities. They are also making necessary project plans by listing the agendas of the project, thereby making estimates of publication dates by the end of 2013 (North and Wagenen, 2013). FASB is making deterring comments to be made of anticipated period of closure in the next four quarters. They are also holding roundtable meeting and making plans to hold other public forums. Moreover, they are setting standards based on establishment of due process on the procedures, which entail extensive consultation. The project plan is focused on facilitating change due to consultation or other reasons.

The Power of Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Power of Poetry - Essay Example To prove the potency of poetry, the poem chosen here is called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ and it was written by Adrienne Rich. This paper seeks to prove how poetry can be used as a powerful medium to convey much more than pretty verses. Poetry can be a vehicle for social critique, literary expertise and so much more. ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ is a relatively short poem of twelve lines that tells the story of the poet’s Aunt, a nervous and diminutive woman who lives in terror of her husband. It has a rhyme scheme of AABB with no variation. This rhyme gives it a very simple, almost childlike quality that belies its serious content. Another great thing about the choice of the structure for this poem is its short length. The brevity of the poem reinforces the tragic brevity of the life of Aunt Jennifer in the poem. Thus, it can already be noted that even the most apparent features of a poem can be of significance and hold more meaning than meet s the eye. To move into the poem itself, the first lines are: ‘Aunt Jennifer's tigers prance across a screen, / Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.’ The first words echo the title of the poem – again, much like a nursery rhyme does, reinforcing the irony of the childlike style against a grim subject. The lines also introduce the subject of the poem: Aunt Jennifer herself and her ‘tigers’. From the use of the metaphor ‘prance across a screen’, one can hazard a guess that these are either tigers that Aunt Jennifer embroiders or knits. The imagery of ‘bright topaz’ against a ‘world of green’ is very visually evocative and also serves the purpose of setting up a contrast that will tie in with the theme at a later point. The lines following these may come as a bit of a surprise to the reader. After introducing the rather pleasant scene of ‘prancing’ tigers of bright topaz, the poet writes: They do not fear the men beneath the tree; They pace in sleek chivalric certainty (Rich 3-4) This negation of fear does not ‘naturally’ follow a description of something. In usual conversation perhaps, or in prose, one would not jump from describing ‘prancing’ to ‘they do not fear.’ This sort of jump in logic to achieve an end – one that will be cleared by the end of the poem – can only be achieved with such mastery and simplicity in poetry. The lines introduce an element of gender. ‘Men beneath the tree’, given the context of tigers, evokes an image of hunters or hunting – a traditionally male activity. ‘Sleek chivalric certainty’ reinforces this image of hunters in their uniforms and presents a picture of masculinity. The oppression of women in a patriarchal world is the major theme of this poem and it is introduced here. Given this knowledge then, the contrast present in ‘bright topaz’ in ‘a world of green’ can appear to symbolize the visible nature of women in a world of men where they seem to ‘stick out’ and cannot blend in easily. The second paragraph of them poem begins with the identical phrase as the first, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s’ – this is a double reinforcing of the children’s nursery rhyme structure which usually has repetitions of phrases like these: Aunt Jennifer's fingers fluttering through her wool Find even the ivory needle hard to pull. The massive weight of Uncle's wedding

Custom Snowboards Inc. Essay Example for Free

Custom Snowboards Inc. Essay The following is a summary report is an analysis of the current financial statements of Custom Snowboards Inc. The company wishes to be considered for an extended long term loan for a European expansion. We have arrived at a selection of key financial statement line items, conducted a risk assessment, and ratios and if the loan is granted, analysis on how to track the progress of the company’s ability to repay the loan. Financial Statement Analysis Income statements and balance sheets were reviewed to summarize the following key points that could impact the loan decision. Horizontal, vertical, trend, and ratio analysis were also reviewed to provide a solid understanding of the financial highlights of Custom Snowboards in the areas of profitability, liquidity, and solvency. Revenue. Revenue includes net sales, cost of goods sold, and gross profit. Gross profit continues to grow at 30.4% with .23%/ $4,900 from year 12 to 13, and .93%/ $19,600 from year 13 to 14. Net sales also showed the same growth at 100%. The company expects continued growth over the next three years and according to the trend analysis, has the ability to do so. This demonstrates the company’s ability to keep overhead under control and maintain constant margin in relation to sales, consistent year after year. The expenses are variable in relation to the sales. Higher gross sales leads to higher operating income available to service debt in the form of interest payments. Operating Expenses. The increase in utilities and other general and admin  expenses should not fluctuate as they are fixed expenses. This should be reviewed to determine if the increase was due to faulty equipment, temporary increase in market costs, or permanent increases. The compensation parts, administration salaries as we as executive compensation increased as well. Overall, the operating income declined from year to year which impacts Custom Snowboards ability to service debt. Net earnings also declined as a result impacting earnings per share. This reflects the company did not manage these expenses well however, Custom Snowboards Inc. has grown as well so the increase could be due to hiring of more employees, or higher quality employees, or awarding those doing well within the company already. This could also impact moral and welfare of employees who become happier and more productive. The trend analysis shows continued growth to balance this bottom line. Assets and Liabilities. Overall, liabilities decreased, assets increased. Although current assets show a decline in year 14, the total assets continue to rise. Cash and cash equivalents have gone up, short-term show a slightly distorted view as the company took out an investment in year 12 which lowered cash and raised investments but then did the opposite as the investment was cashed in. Over the three years, the company shows it had sufficient liquidity to pay current liabilities owed. Increased assets and decreased liabilities shows the company’s ability to pay its long term debt and interest. Current ratio of 7.06 in year 13 and 6.56 in year 14 reiterates the ability to pay debts while maintaining daily operations. This higher current ratio also indicates Custom Snowboards should be taking more risks and investing money back into the company. This loan and consequently the expansion to Europe will deliver exactly that. The company is showing a steady increase in retained earnings as well. Financial Risks The most prevailing financial risks the bank loan officer may take note in is the general and administrative expenses continued increase. The company should review the reasons for the increase as well as the specific area in  which is causing the issue and try to address the issue to lower the expenses. Processes should be developed to eliminate the excess expenses and decrease the risk associated with remaining items. The other risk is the increase in compensation. Maintaining highly qualified and trained staff may be what the company needs. Custom Snowboards will need to ensure employees stay motivated to produce inventory and drive sales. A commissioning program could be implemented in addition to salaries or awards based on performance and higher net sales. Custom Snowboards can minimize risk by continuing to grow sales and reinvesting into the company. Expansion to Europe is one way. Another is to invest money into research and development, and marketing. No increase in research and development happened in the past three years and could prove beneficial to the company. Website create and maintenance can also be used to mitigate risks. A well working website can bring in more sales and possible reduce the compensation budget as employees leave through natural attrition. Another way the company can impact liquidity and mitigate risk is by paying debts on time and as soon as possible. This lowers interest and saves the company money it can be investing in short-term investments. Collecting outstanding debts is also an important way to mitigate risk. Custom Snowboards can maintain its accounts payables increase without increasing portion of long-term debt. The company can mitigate the risk of accounts receivable not paid on time by ensuring products are delivered on time, properly invoiced, and accurate goods. Accounts receivable should be paid under 30 days but accounts payable lengthened to 60. Inventory should remain stable so assets are higher than liabilities. Excess inventory uses capital that should be used in other investments in the company. The company can accurate and strict inventory records to make sure it knows what it has on hand, and what needs to be ordered. Matching billing cycles to production will optimize assets. Building good rapport with vendors and being loyal customers who pay their bills on time could  afford the company certain vendor discounts to lower cost. Ratios Custom Snowboards’ Ratio Analysis was reviewed to determine the company’s ability to repay the principle and interest on the five year loan. The current ratio as discussed previously, shows the company’s ability to pay for its current liabilities, with its current assets. The current ratio shows the company can do just that. Since Custom Snowboards has the ability to pay for its current liabilities 6 times over, that should be a strong indication to the bank that the company has the ability and will pay its short-term loan. The higher number also indicates the company needs to start placing money in profitable investments such as expansion. The acid test ratio, or quick ratio tells the same story as the current ration, without inventory. The debt ratio shows how much of the company’s assets are financed unveiling any hidden debt management issues as well as a long term solvency indicator. In this case, Custom Snowboards debt ratio is a little high with industry standards at about 40%. However, Custom Snowboards’ debt ratio has decreased in year 14 indicating the company is gaining a better handle on its debt management. The average collection period is the amount of days the company waits before payments on received on accounts receivable. Collecting monies creates cash that can be used to make payments on the company’s own debts. Custom Snowboards is receiving payments in 11 days. Winter sports set the bar at a high 32.5 days which shows that Custom Snowboards does a much better job at managing account receivable. Gross profit margin is monies remaining subtracting good sold costs. Gross profit margin pays additional expenses and should not fluctuate. The steady 30.4% shows the bank that Custom Snowboards is consistent and their gross profit is enough to sustain future operations. The operating profit margin includes all expenses. This ratio should be going up as it measures the company’s pricing strategy and operating efficiencies however, Custom Snowboards operating profit margin is declining and will need to be addressed. Net profit margin shows how the company turns revenues into profits from sales. At less than 2%, Custom Snowboards is not doing well in this are either. Winter Sports is well above Custom Snowboards with 5.1%. The bank will not look upon the idea that the company cannot turn sales into profits as a positive. Earnings per share (EPS) indicates profitability for the shareholders. At .10 and .15, Custom Snowboards has proven it can create wealth for its investors. The company is doing better than Winter Sports in this area but should take note of the decline and take steps to ensure this is not a trend. The company’s return on total assets is at 5%. Although dropping from 7.3% the year before, it is still higher than its competitors. As with the earnings per share, Custom Snowboards should take care in ensuring the decline is not a trend. The return on total assets shows the bank that the company can use their assets to create income. Income that can be used to pay loans. The price earnings ratio is the market value of how much an investor is willing to pay for $1 of current earnings, indicating future growth. Custom Snowboards’ price earnings ratio is a higher 30.59 while the competitions is at 29. The bank however, may see the investors were more hesitant in year 14 as the price earnings ratio dropped from 66.22 to 30.59. Finally, times interest ratio measures the company’s ability to pay its interest on debts, pre-tax. Custom Snowboards times interest earned is nearly half Winter Sports 5.10, at 2.65. Failure to pay interest rates could result in financial failure, including bankruptcy. This number indicates that the company can only pay its interest a little over twice  with pre-tax earnings. This leaves little room for error. The bank may see this as a gauge that Custom Snowboards should find ways to increase this number prior to adding more debt.

Creators and Parasites in Ayn Rands The Fountainhead Essay -- Ayn Ran

Creators and Parasites in The Fountainhead "The creators concern is the conquest of nature. The parasites concern is the conquest of men," Howard Roark states in his dramatic courtroom speech defending himself after the Cortlandt Homes incident. This quote sums up the two categories of people in rather graphic form. The creator, or non-conformist, being glorified in his attempt to better the very earth itself, independent of the constraints of humanity. The parasite, or conformist, being reduced to the lowest of all species, with a selfish goal of ruling man. This is a goal a conformist will never reach because instead of guiding society, the conformist is bound by societies rules. This accurate depiction can be visibly seen in the characters of Howard Roark, Peter Keating, and Ellsworth Tooey. Howard Roark is a creator, and he knows it. Glorifying himself, although not looking for praise, but rather stating something that is as common to him as a fact. A devout anarchist, Roark views nature as something that man must improve upon. He has no desire for anything from mankind, he does not want to be a leader, or even for others to see the world his way, he simply doesn't care about those things. The destruction of the Cortlandt Housing project is a result of a view that any alterations of a creators plans by a mere parasite perverts something sacred. In keeping with this ideal it appears sickening that any person would lower their talents to the level of standard society, even if they do it for the sake of survival. A creator must never compromise, especially to the whims of lemmin... ...; Roark exists untainted by the disease that is conformity, and is all the better for it. The sad truth that parasites, such as Keating and Toohey, strive to control man, which leads both men to misery and eventual ruin. Keating living in his worse nightmare, alone, and exposed as a fraud. Toohey, on the other hand, continues to appear happy to the general public, but silently fights the knowledge that he will never be a creator. In the end the message is clear, to be a creator is to rise above society and evolve nature, without concern for the group pattern. The parasite, however, attempts to rule men, but ends up being prisoner to them. The path Roark followed required strength of character, drive, and endurance that few posses, but if one can survive going against the grain, they can discover true happiness.

The End or The Journey

The road awards my future goal would be able to modify my personality. The Journey would allow myself to understand my personality even further. Also, the passage towards my future would grant myself the privilege of discovering who I am. I do not understand myself, but a part of the journey is discovering what your intentions, dreams, actions, paths are. The goal would still be at the end. However, the journey is a never-ending adventure. The initial goal would waiver with each action, decision, made. The future is full of different paths, experiencing the different paths would transform a person into a new being.A person is similar to a caterpillar, a transforming creature. The caterpillar changes from a helpless creature into a powerful butterfly and humans grow with each experience they encounter. For example, each day that goes by, science is evolving by the scientists who encounter new Ideas, experiments, and results. Each day passes with change from within. As a future is full of different paths, dreams are full of different results and mindsets. In the life Vive experienced so far, Vive been through many dreams and career paths, the journey towards my future is a never-ending experience.My first dream started as an artist during my elementary school days; that ended when I realized there were other people who were more talented in the arts. However, I continued to sketch as a hobby. My second career path was through history as an anthropologist; that career went down the drain because of money issues. My third dream was a preschool teacher. That dream began with my love for children and is still a possible career selection for my future. My fourth career choice Is a pedantically. Although the choice of continuing school for a long time will probably backfire on me, the desire to alp children has kept that dream alive.My fifth dream Is to be an accountant, my current dream. All the different dreams I've had over the years has set myself towards different results, but my ever-changing demeanor has confused my end result. The future Is unclear and the path Is cloudy, the end Is a mystery and the Journey Is a challenge. People will grow as they move forward. However, there Is no guarantee of growth at the end of the road. The obstacles before a challenger calls for mistakes and growth, not perfection. The end is perfection, but the trek towards he end is full of mistakes, errors, and progress.That is why I believe that the journey is greater than the goal. The End or The Journey By Cindy â€Å"The Journey is far greater than the inn. † I am a sixteen year old girl. As a child, there is a long Journey towards adulthood. There is the pleasure of the Journey taken and the Joy of the end. Some people may more impact on the person. During Journeys, there are obstacles that the Journeyer has to overcome. The road understand myself, but a part of the Journey is discovering what your intentions, dreams, actions, paths are. The goal wou ld still be at the end.However, the Journey is new ideas, experiments, and results. Each day passes with change from within. As a selection for my future. My fourth career choice is a petrifaction. Although the help children has kept that dream alive. My fifth dream is to be an accountant, my current dream. All the different dreams Vive had over the years has set myself result. The future is unclear and the path is cloudy, the end is a mystery and the journey is a challenge. People will grow as they move forward. However, there is no the end is full of mistakes, errors, and progress. That is why I believe that the Journey

Argue On Hostile Takeovers

Lisa Newton argues against hostile takeovers and has many rational reasons backing her point. Takeovers in the past overall have not proven effective nor have they been monetarily beneficial to either the company or the society involved. Corporations are ruined and people, even families, are hurt. In this paper, I will argue against hostile takeovers for these reasons from the standpoint of a utilitarian. Utilitarianism is the â€Å"moral doctrine that we should always act to produce the greatest possible balance of good over bad for everyone affected by our action.† (Shaw & Barry, 59) Actions are evaluated according to their consequences and look to maximize happiness. The view is long-term not just immediately. A hostile corporate takeover is not a positive thing through the eyes of a utilitarian for several reasons. To begin with, the idea of a possible takeover has degenerating effects on a company. â€Å"At the first level there is disruption and millions of dollars† worth of unproductive expense.† (Newton, 189) Effectiveness and productive activity at the upper levels of management comes to a stop and systematical planning disappears. Employees become apprehensive about the security of their jobs and end up spending a majority of their time speculating or searching for another job. It takes a toll on everyone involved in that they feel dishonored or belittled. Utilitarians would argue this is not a moral action since it harms the majority of the people. It is not the greatest good for the greatest number. It may immediately (short-term) benefit those who have done the takeover and those in higher up positions. However, in the long run it may not benefit even anyone. The early results of hostile takeover activity are combined with unnecessary and unwise business practices. The takeover has two destructive effects on corporate†s management. Equity is transformed into debt, leaving the company without protection. Being desperate, management may begin to look for short-term profits and impose by force aggressive actions not previously acted upon. This is deceiving to stockholders since they see high returns and stock prices even though the company does not have a good level of steadiness or security. It also harms the overall society since they usually depend on these large corporations for income and employment. Companies are willing to pay high takeover prices that they engage in severe cost-cutting at every level and at any cost. This sometimes even includes eliminating those who are important in maintaining operations, which is never a good move for the company as a whole. These people will probably have a problem finding other jobs since higher level positions are usually held by people who have been at the company for an extended length of time and are therefore older than others would want a new employee to be at a starting position. The basis of this issue revolves around money and does not consider those individuals involved. The corporate economy is at the mercy of the American dollar. People have become engrossed with making money that they sometimes forget they are dealing with other human beings. The takeover of a corporation may benefit those who are now in charge but not many others involved. Society winds up helping those newly unemployed and sometimes even the company itself. There are no laws to protect or help those who may one day be involved in a hostile takeover. These people have rights since they have contributed a lot of time, effort and even money towards the growth of the company. A corporation is nothing by itself; it is made up of the people with whom it employs. Human needs are not noticed by business practice and they hardly receive the justice deserved. Hostile takeovers are â€Å"harmful to corporate stakeholders, the economy, and the general public.† (Newton, 188) The law should restrict or even prohibit them, which is currently does not. There usually is no protection or justice for those involved. There are laws for anything and everything else to supposedly protect individuals, so why not this? Most often the result is not positive. Individuals are hurt and the corporation is usually killed in the end. More people must argue that the corporation is a moral individual just like others. The reality is that people frequently expect more from takeover defenses than they can deliver. It is rare that any defenses are backed by common sense and critical business strategy, which could help resist a pursuer and help control the terms of the deal. â€Å"As a matter of right, and as a matter of utility, the takeover game should be ended.† (Newton, 194)

Dry Thunderstormsâ€Their Causes and Dangers

Dry Thunderstorms- Their Causes and Dangers A dry thunderstorm is one that produces little or no rain. While it might seem like a contradiction in terms to have a thunderstorm without precipitation, its actually quite common in areas of the western United States where the heat index can be very high, particularly in late spring and early summer months with low humidity.   How a Dry Thunderstorm Occurs A thunderstorm can be called dry  when temperature and heat gather  below the cloud cover, called the aerial canopy. It will rain, but the rain and other forms of precipitation never manage to reach the ground. The storms rain and any moisture evaporate as they fall and near the earth. In meteorology, this event is called virga.   The #1 Natural Cause of Wildfires Dry thunderstorms  are often the culprits behind massive wildfires when lightning ignites a dry fuel source on the ground during  fire weather  season, which is the hot summer months. Although theres no rain, at least at ground level, these storms still pack plenty of lightning. When lightning strikes in these arid conditions, its called dry lightning and wildfires can easily erupt. Vegetation and flora are often parched and readily ignitable. Even when a light rain does manage to survive and hit earth, this moisture is typically nowhere near enough to have any effect on the fires. These storms can additionally produce severe, strong winds called microbursts that can whip the fires about and shift them, making them hard to battle. The Potential for Dust Storms Dry microbursts are another weather phenomenon associated with dry thunderstorms. When  precipitation evaporates as it nears ground level, this cools the air, sometimes radically and suddenly. This cooler air is heavier and it tends to plummet quickly to earth, creating strong winds. And remember- theres little to no associated rain and moisture here. Thats already evaporated, causing the microburst in the first place. These winds can kick up dust and other debris in arid regions, resulting in sand and dust storms. These storms are called ​haboobs  in the western states that are prone to them.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Ã¢â‚¬â€¹ Staying Safe in a Dry Thunderstorm   Dry thunderstorms can typically be predicted well in advance of the storm so officials can warn residents in vulnerable areas. Incident meteorologists, called IMETs, go on full alert. These specially-trained meteorologists look for the fuels that will help a wildfire spread. IMETs have training in microscale forecasting, fire behavior, and fire operations. They also act as managers who can help coordinate control efforts. Decisions are made on how to best control and contain wildfires based on  predictions of wind speed and direction. Even if you do not receive an alert that the weather in your area is prime for a dry thunderstorm, youll know because you should hear thunder. If rain doesnt arrive before the thunder, simultaneously, or shortly thereafter, a dry thunderstorm- and the potential for fire- is probably imminent. If theres thunder, there  will  be lightning, although the severity of the lightning can vary depending on the storm system. As with any storm, seek shelter if youre outdoors.

61 of Your Favorite Romance Quotes From Literature - Freewrite Store

61 of Your Favorite Romance Quotes From Literature - Freewrite Store We asked our community of passionate writers to tell us their favorite romance lines from literature. If your favorite quote is missing, or this post fails to spark genuine emotion in you, take it up with the community! We, however, stand by our following of romantics and think they did a bang up job. Light a few candles, crack open that box of wine and have the tissues ready. In no particular order, here are 61 of our favorite romance quotes from literature: 1. If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you. - A.A. Milne, Pooh's Little Instruction Book 2. I grant I never saw a goddess go;My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare. - Shakespeare, Sonnet 130 3. I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you. - John Green, The Fault in Our Stars 4. What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for lifeto strengthen each other in all labour, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting? - George Eliot, Adam Bede 5. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips' touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete. - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 6. Wish I could talk to her. Half an hour would be plenty: just ask her about herself, tell her about myself, and - what I’d really like to do - explain to her the complexities of fate that have led to our passing each other on a side street in Harajuku on a beautiful April morning in 1981. This was something sure to be crammed full of warm secrets, like an antique clock built when peace filled the world. - Haruki Murakami, On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning 7. "I am desolate without you, my darling, O, so desolate! I do not mind having to work: but if you will send me one little line, and say, ‘I am coming soon,’ I will bide on, Angel- O, so cheerfully!" "The daylight has nothing to show me, since you are not here, and I don’t like to see the rooks and starlings in the field, because I grieve and grieve to miss you who used to see them with me. I long for only one thing in heaven or earth or under the earth, to meet you, my own dear! Come to me- come to me, and save me from what threatens me!" - Thomas Hardy, Tess of d'Ubervilles 8. I loved youlike a man loves a woman he never touches, onlywrites to, keeps little photographs of. I would haveloved you more if I had sat in a small room rolling acigarette and listened to you piss in the bathroom,but that didn’ happen. - Charles Bukowski, An Almost Made Up Poem   9. I thought an hour ago that I loved you more than any woman has ever loved a man, but a half hour after that I knew that what I felt before was nothing compared to what I felt then. But ten minutes after that, I understood that my previous love was a puddle compared to the high seas before a storm. - William Goldman, The Princess Bride 10. He doesn't want you to be real, and to think and to live. He doesn't love you. But I love you. I want you to have your own thoughts and ideas and feelings, even when I hold you in my arms. - E. M. Forster, A Room With A View 11. It's like time has lost all continuity. Every second with you outweighs days of life before I met you. - Stephanie Meyer, The Chemist 12. "And when it did happen, how did you feel?" "Happy. And then I got afraid that it would vanish as quickly as it came. That it was accidental that I didn't deserve it. It's like this very very nice car crash that never ends." - Douglas Copeland, Microserfs 13. We're all going to die, all of us; what a circus! That alone should make us love each other, but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities. We are eaten up by nothing. - Charles Bukowski,  The Captain is Out to Lunch and the Sailors Have Taken Over the Ship 14. Anyone can love a thing because. That's as easy as putting a penny in your pocket. But to love something despite. To know the flaws and love them too. That is rare and pure and perfect. - Patrick Rothfus, Name of the Wind 15. Nor should you long for a perfect doctrine, my friend. Rather, you should long for the perfection of yourself. - Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game 16. He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. - Emily Brontà «, Wuthering Heights 17. When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots are to become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the desire to mate every second of the day. It is not lying awake at night imagining that he is kissing every part of your body. No ... don't blush. I am telling you some truths. For that is just being in love; which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over, when being in love has burned away. Doesn't sound very exciting, does it? But it is! - Louis de Bernià ¨res, Corelli's Mandolin 18. There is no pretending. I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there's life after that, I'll love you then. - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments 19. To love another is somethinglike prayer and can't be planned, you just fallinto its arms because your belief undoes your disbelief. - Anne Sexton, Admonitions to a Special Person 20. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: O no; it is an ever-fixed mark, That looks on tempests, and is never shaken; - Shakespeare, Sonnet 116 21. By my soul, I can neither eat, drink, nor sleep; nor, what's still worse, love any woman in the world but her. - Samuel Richardson, Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady   22. He wondered how it could have taken him so long to realize that he cared for her, and he told her so, and she called him an idiot, and he declared that it was the finest thing that a man had been called. - Neil Gaiman, Stardust 23. I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul. - Pablo Neruda, Love Sonnet XVII 24. Be careful,You are not in wonderlandI have heard the strange madness long growing in your soul.But you are fortunate.In your ignoranceIn your isolation,you who have sufferedFind where love hides.Give. Share. Lose.Lest we die unbloomed. - Allen Ginsberg 25. If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. - Jane Austen, Emma 26. i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) i am never without it - E. E. Cummings 27. There are darknesses in life, and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights. - Bram Stoker, Dracula 28. I wish I knew how to quit you. - Annie Proulax, Brokeback Mountain 29. I took a photo of us mid-embrace. When I am old and alone, I will remember that I once held something truly beautiful. - Joe Dunthorne, Submarine 30. I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees. - Pablo Neruda,  Love Poem XIV 31. Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope. - Maya Angelou 32. Dear forgiveness, I saved a plate for you. Quit milling around the yard and come inside. -  Richard Siken, Litany in Which Certain Things Have Been Crossed Out 33. If it weren't for her, there would never have been an empty space, or the need to fill it. - Nicole Krause, The History of Love 34. You have been the last dream of my soul. - Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities 35. He stepped down, trying not to look long at her, as if she were the sun, yet he saw her, like the sun, even without looking. - Leo Tolstoy,  Anna Karenina 36. I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun. - Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice 37. †¦but language is like rhythms we beat out on kettles for bears to dance to, when what we want is to make music that will wring tears from the stars. - Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary 38. Emotionlessly she kissed me in the vineyard and walked off down the row. We turned at a dozen paces, for love is a duel, and looked up at each other for the last time. - Jack Kerouac, On The Road 39. Isn't it pretty to think so. - Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises 40. I looked around the empty room - which was no longer empty. There was a voice in it, and a tall slim lovely woman. There was a dark hair in the pillow in the bedroom. The air was full of music. - Raymond Chandler, Playback 41. Often a man wishes to be alone and a girl wishes to be alone too and if they love each other they are jealous of that in each other, but I can truly say we never felt that. We could feel alone when we were together, alone against the others. But we were never lonely and never afraid when we were together. - Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms 42. Though lovers be lost love shall not. -Dylan Thomas, And Death Shall Have No Dominion 43. Love is dope, not chicken soup. - Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues 44. I'll think of it all tomorrow, at Tara. I can stand it then. Tomorrow, I'll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day. - Scarlett O'Hara, Gone with the Wind 45. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. - Jane Austen, Persuasion 46. Love is a hawk with velvet claws Love is a rock with heart and veins; Love is a lion with satin jaws, Love is a storm with silken reins. - Kurt Vonnegut, EPICAC 47. She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together. - J. D. Salinger, A Girl I Knew 48. I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.  I love you  simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this,  in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close. - Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets 49. Her little shoulders drove me mad; I hugged her and hugged her. And she loved it. 'I love love,' she said, closing her eyes. I promised her beautiful love. I gloated over her. Our stories were told; we subsided into silence and sweet anticipatory thoughts. It was as simple as that. You could have all your Peaches and Bettys and Marylous and Ritas and Camilles and Inezes in this world; this was my girl and my kind of girlsoul, and I told her that. - Jack Kerouac, On the Road 50. There is a beauty in the world, though it's harsher than we expect it to be. - Michael Cunningham, The Hours 51. Do I love you? My god, if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches. - William Goldman, The Princess Bride 52. Like all lovers, they spoke much about themselves, as if they might thereby understand the world which made them possible. - John Williams, Stoner 53. Who, being loved, is poor? - Oscar Wild, A Woman of No Importance 54. I want to know you moved and breathed in the same world as me. - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Short Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald 55. But that I know love is begun by time; And that I see, in passages of proof, Time qualifies the spark and fire of it. - Shakespeare, Hamlet 56. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how. - Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind 57. If I knew that today would be the last time I’d see you, I would hug you tight and pray the Lord be the keeper of your soul. If I knew that this would be the last time you pass through this door, I’d embrace you, kiss you, and call you back for one more. If I knew that this would be the last time I would hear your voice, I’d take hold of each word to be able to hear it over and over again. If I knew this is the last time I see you, I’d tell you I love you, and would not just assume foolishly you know it already. - Gabriel Garcà ­a Mrquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude 58. He reached for her and he saw her smile and the voices melded into a single word from God: Home. - Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven 59. We die containing a richness of lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we have plunged into and swum up as if rivers of wisdom, characters we have climbed into as if trees, fears we have hidden in as if caves. - Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient 60.   I was a child and she was a child,In this kingdom by the sea,But we loved with a love that was more than love- I and my Annabel Lee-   - Edgar Allan Poe, Annabel Lee 61. The more you love someone, he came to think, the harder it is to tell them. It surprised him that strangers didn't stop each other on the street to say I love you. - Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything Is Illuminated

Gothenburg Disco Fire Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Gothenburg Disco Fire - Research Paper Example The research included the methodical, participants, equipment, procedure, results, argument and recommendation to the issue. The consequences and outcomes of the Gothenburg disco fire such as death, injuries, and damaged properties are critically analyzed. Moreover, the government had to act and protect the sovereignty and image of Sweden to the rest of the world by taking legal measures to solve the problem. A prosecution on the individuals who were suspected to hold the main responsibility of the inferno was carried out. The number of the guilty and innocent suspects is mentioned and the charges imposed on them. This unit will discuss on a research about the causes of Gothenburg Disco Fire, the consequences of the inferno, and the criminal prosecution on the suspects. The fire was believed to have started on the third flour of the premises of the Macedonian organization, in which the high school students had organized a disco party to celebrate Halloween. According to relevant sources, it is believed that the fire was intentionally started on the stairway facing the emergency exits (Klingsch, 2010). This was the leading cause of the innumerable death causalities, since the emergency exist was not used because of the fierce fire set up. Consequently, there was only one small exit door that did not allow the students escape easily (Klingsch, 2010). The victims were trapped inside the disco hall because of a jam at the door; hence, having no way to pass. The confident youths who did not want to be burnt by the fierce fire opted to jump to save their lives through the windows. The window was estimated to be 5 meters high, making it a challenge to some youths who feared height. It is believed that the fire security was pitiable on the ground, since th ey failed to perform their part adequately despite the fact that they had acted promptly by coming scene early.

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

Leadership - Case Study Example The university in so doing will require the stakeholders to show acceptance and positive regard towards the expected change. They can attain this issue through being polite and considerate instead of being arrogant when criticizing the change efforts. All the stakeholders or interested individuals as well as the subordinates should be treated with respect as individual. When A.F will be required to provide his explanation for the new selection, he will need to be patient and helpful when giving instructions and explanations (Tsui, Zhang, Wang, Xin, & Wu, 2006). The university needs to express their confidence in A.F to be able to make a good selection that will be used to in the future to help in achieving the course objectives. For A.F to be able to make a good choice of book that everyone will support, he will need to involve all the staff and everyone important to his selection process. He will also need to delegate responsibilities to people, a committee like, to help in making section decision. He will also need to provide relevant information and materials needed by the team t make a good selection. A.F will also need, among other efforts, to let the team develop confidence in him, encourage and support group initiatives as well as recognizing important contribututions from the team members. When it is established that student evaluation of the course that was updated for the new textbook are revealing extremely poor student satisfaction, there are various steps that need to be taken in order to deal with the situation. The first step to deal with it will be to increase the textbook supplies in case the dissatisfaction is because of the shortage in supply of the books. At the same time, if the cause of dissatisfaction is that the textbook is user unfriendly, experienced personnel should be added to help the students with how to go about reading the book (Turnley & Bolino, 2001). Similarly, a

In what ways does the environment appear to shape organisations Essay

In what ways does the environment appear to shape organisations - Essay Example Political stability and civilized social culture are some other environmental factors; organizations are looking for before investing in a country. Most of the African countries are infamous for the internal agitations and political instability. Such countries are incapable of attracting foreign direct investment because of the negative environment they possess for the business build up. In short, healthy environment is essential for organizations to cement their bases and strategies. Business Psychology is one of the rapidly developing business segments in which the psychology of the employees, and the environmental parameters (customers, society and other stakeholders) are comprehensively investigated. Proper awareness of psychological dimensions of the environment can help the organization immensely in advertising, public relations and the way in which the organization visualise its customers and in the management of organization- employee relationships. This paper briefly explains the environmental impacts on organizations. Musacco Ph.D (2009) has argued that harassment, mobbing, bullying, and emotional abuses are common at the workplaces which resulted in increased fear and minimal trust between workers (Musacco Ph.D, 2009, p.2). No two individuals are alike either in their physical appearance or in their behaviours. An organization is a place where different people from different social, economical, cultural, communal and political backgrounds are working together. These people may have extremely different attitudes and characters. Even though they are working for the same organization, it is difficult for them to leave all their individual differences outside the organization and work for the common objectives inside the organization. Different opinions and views may occur between workers which may often result in harassment, mobbing, bullying, and emotional

Leadership and teamwork in nursing

Leadership and teamwork in nursing ABSTRACT Introduction: The treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis includes antibiotics with or without surgical intervention. Debridement is warranted for the treatment of idiopathic spondylo-discitis in case of neurological deficits, deformity, instability, abscess formation, intractable pain or failure of medical management. The use of instrumentation is still controversial. Objective: Is to evaluate the surgical outcome of idiopathic lumbar spondylodiscitis treated with posterior debridement combined with single-stage posterior instrumentation and autologus bone grafting. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the outcome of 15 cases of idiopathic lumbar spondylo-discitis treated with posterior debridement combined with single-stage posterior instrumentation and grafting. All patients were followed up for up to 1 year post-operative. We evaluated operative time, blood loss, and complications. Visual analogue scale (VAS), activities of daily living (ADL) (Barthel index), C reactive proteins (CRP), and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the preoperative, postoperative and final follow-up periods were used to evaluate the surgical outcome. Results: All 15 cases of lumbar infections resolved without recurrence. Bony union was obtained in all cases. Twelve out of 15 patients (80%) were completely relieved of pain and fully active with improvement neurological deficits, while the other 3 patients (20%) obtained a good result. No post-operative major complications were reported among the studied group. There were two superficial infections, which healed with debridement and antibiotics. Conclusion: According to the results reported in this short study, the proposed technique is an effective and safe treatment for idiopathic lumbar spondylo-discitis, if surgery is mandatory. Keywords: spondylo-discitis, debridement, posterior fixation. INTRODUCTION The increasing number of spinal infections has become a global health concern. It is currently due to reactivation of latent infections, more drug resistant agents and more immuno-compromised patients. It has been shown that delay in diagnosis can lead to increased morbidity and mortality, early diagnosis and treatment are therefore of paramount importance.(1) Spinal infections encompass a spectrum of conditions comprising spondylitis, discitis, spondylodiscitis, pyogenic facet arthropathy, epidural infection, meningitis, polyradiculopathy and myelitis. All of these have a specific presentation and clinical course.(2) Osteomyelitis of the spine accounts for approximately 1 to 7% of all osseous infections. In recent years, there have been an increasing incidence of spinal infections, which is now estimated to occur in approximately 1/100,000 individuals annually. This rise may be attributed to the increasing prevalence of elderly and immuno-compromised individuals in the population.(3) The predominant organism in almost all studies is Staphylococcus aureus, accounting for approximately 40 to 80% of all spinal infections. Other Gram-positive organisms such as S. epidermidis and Streptococcus species are also common.(4) Establishing the diagnosis of vertebral osteomyelitis in a timely fashion is critical to preventing catastrophic neurological injury. In the modern imaging era, magnetic resonance imaging, in particular, has facilitated the diagnosis of osteomyelitis even before the onset of neurological signs or symptoms. Nevertheless, despite advancements in diagnosis, there remains disagreement regarding appropriate treatment. Antibiotics are the main- stay of therapy.(5) The treatment of pyogenic spondylodiscitis with intravenous antibiotics is universally agreed upon. More than 75% of patients can be treated with intravenous antibiotics and immobilization.(6) Although no difference in clinical outcomes has been observed when comparing antibiotics alone with antibiotics plus surgical debridement, debridement of infected and dead tissue removes the source of continuing sepsis, may allow shorter courses of antibiotic treatment and may also allow early mobilization of the patient.(7) Surgery is generally reserved for patients with neurological involvement, spinal instability, severe deformity, and/or those in whom antibiotics alone have not been effective. Current surgical treatment options include anterior or posterior decompression with or without fusion, and with or without instrumentation. The fact that there exist several alternative surgical approaches highlights the lack of a consensus on the optimal operative treatment for vertebral osteomyelitis. The decision to place instrumentation into an infected spinal column remains controversial. Numerous authors have shown that instrumentation in patients with osteomyelitis can be performed safely.(8) There is still controversy about the best surgical treatment. Many spine surgeons are unwilling to place an implant in an infected area. Some authors go one step further and advocate debridement-only surgery, followed by antibiotic treatment and second- stage instrumentation. Other authors propose single-stage anterior decompression, bone grafting and instrumentation.(9) Aim of the work The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the surgical outcome of idiopathic lumbar spondylodiscitis treated with posterior debridement combined with single-stage posterior instrumentation and autologus bone grafting. METHODS This retrospective study included 15 patients (9 males, 6 females) with a mean age of 66 years (range: 43-80) who were admitted to El-Menoufia University Hospitals Neurosurgical Department, in the period from Aug 2007 to Nov 2008. The inclusion criteria were: MRI of lumbo-sacral spine showing evidence of spondylodiscitis. Plain radiographs revealed disc space narrowing with erosion and sclerosis of the adjacent end-plates. Persistent high levels of laboratory tests: white blood cell count (WBC; count/mm3), C-reactive protein (CRP; mg/dl) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; mm/h). Failure of conservative treatment for about 3 months. Development of neurological deficit. The exclusion criteria were: Postoperative spondylodiscitis. Decreasing ESR and CRP levels with conservative treatment. Medically unfit patients. The mean duration of symptoms before admission was 3.7 months (range: 0.5 to 12 months) and the mean duration of conservative treatment before surgery was 2.2 months (range: 1 to 3 months). The average follow-up period was 12 months. Six out of 15 patients (40 %) had an elevated white blood cell count, while all 15 had an elevated ESR and CRP level .Plain radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with and without contrast were performed in all patients. Conservative treatment was given to all cases preoperatively in the form of two bactericidal and synergistic antibiotics were administered intravenously in high doses: mostly a first-generation cephalosporin and an aminoglycoside. Postoperatively, the antibiotics were adapted to the antibiogram performed on the specimens obtained. The duration of treatment was determined by the clinical evolution, the ESR and the C-reactive protein. Generally speaking, the antibiotics were administered intravenously for 6 weeks, and orally for 6 weeks. Patients were operated in the prone position for the posterior instrumentation and grafting. A meticulous debridement of all granulation tissue, devitalized disc and sequestra was carried out to the point where healthy cancellous bone is exposed. Wide decompression of the thecal sac was done, with drainage of any epidural abscess and depridment of any necrotic tissue, which were submitted for bacteriological culture and sensitivity, and histological examination. Finally, trans-pedicular screw fixation was done combined with autologus done chips graft. Postoperatively all patients were immediately mobilized with an external lumbo-sacral orthosis. Duration of surgery and operative blood loss were recorded. The clinical outcome was assessed according to Barthel Index,(10) which has been used since the 1960s because of its high reliability and validity, as regards the activities of daily living (ADL), and the VPAS as regards the severity of back pain. Fig 1: Preoperative sagittal MRI-scan of the lumbar spine. T2-weighted images showing L3-L4 spondylodiscitis. Fig 2: A, B. Postoperative antero-posterior and lateral radiographs showing L3-L4 posterior trans-pedicular screw fixation RESULTS After surgery, infection was successfully controlled in all patients, with return of the white blood cell count, ESR and CRP to normal within a mean period of 4 months (range, 2 to 6 months). Two patients (13% of cases) had a superficial wound infection which healed with debridement and antibiotics. The estimated blood loss was 650 ml (range 450-1000 ml). The mean duration of surgery was 3 hours (range: 2 hours to 4 hours). Bony fusion with incorporation of the graft was achieved in all patients. . Table I: Pre-operative clinical presentations No. % Persistent low back pain 15 100 % Radiculopathy 12 80 % Constitutional symptoms 6 40 % Table II: Pre-operative laboratory findings No. % Elevated ESR 15 100 % Elevated CRP 10 66 % Leukocytosis 6 40 % Table III: Pre-operative radiological leveling No. % L 3/4 spondylodiscitis 8 53 % L4/5 Spondylodiscitis 5 33 % L5/S1 Spondylodiscitis 2 14 % Table IV: Associated risk factors No. % DM 5 33 % Chronic Liver Disease 2 14 % Urinary tract infection 4 28 % Table V: Post-operative outcome according to Barthel Index No. % Excellent 12 80 % Good 3 20 % Total 15 100 % DISCUSSION Although there have been advances in diagnosis and treatment of spinal infections with further refinement of microbiological and histopathological techniques, early detection and management remain a matter of considerable difficulty.(11) A correct diagnosis may be delayed by more than a month in over two thirds of the patients. A rise in the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s elderly and immuno-compromised populations is bringing an increased incidence of pyogenic and granulomatous infections of the spine, hence, timely diagnosis of pyogenic spondylodiscitis with back pain and fever may prevent greater tissue destruction, spinal instability and progressive neurological deficit. Advances in therapy have reduced mortality rates, but early diagnosis is essential for a satisfactory outcome.(12) The exact cause of lumbar spondylodiscitis is controversial; some authors believe that there are two types of spondylodiscitis, a septic form caused by an infectious agent and an aseptic form resulting from an inflammatory reaction. (13) Others believe that there is no such thing as an aseptic spondylodiscitis and that this form is actually the result of a less virulent, low grade infection.(14) Once inoculated, the process of infection and discitis begins. More than often, the main causative organism is not identified. When an organism is identified, the most common infectious etiologic agent is Staphylococcus aureus followed by other Staphylococcus species and anaerobic organisms. Other less common organisms include Streptococcus viridans and other Streptococcus species, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.(15) Traditionally, the mainstay treatment of pyogenic infections of the spine remains medical management, with external immobilization and culture specific antibiotics for a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks. However, large clinical series have demonstrated the need for surgical intervention in up to 43% to 57% of the patients, in case of neurological compromise, deformity, instability, abscess formation, extensive destruction, intractable pain or failure of medical management.(16) Because all the patients in our study were from the low socio-economic class and because of the difficulty to identify the causative organism, we elected not to perform CT guided biopsy and give the patients empirical broad spectrum antibiotics covering both aerobic and anerobic pathogens. It has been reported that the most sensitive laboratory studies indicative of the presence of an inflammatory process are the ESR and the CRP. However, it should be noted that in adults, ESR trends are confused by associated medical conditions. Nevertheless, the ESR was a useful tool in the management of adult pyogenic spondylodiscitis, and the authors of most studies on this matter, view a 60 to 85% reduction in the ESR as compatible with eradication of infection, and this correlates with the results in our study which reported reduction of ESR in 80% of case.(17) MRI is the radiographic imaging modality of choice in diagnosing lumbar spondylodiscitis with a reported sensitivity and specificity of 93% and 97%, respectively. It has been shown that MRI is superior in showing loss of disc space height. This can be accompanied with erosion of the vertebral end plates above and below the infected disc space, and these changes were reported in all cases included in our study.(18) In the surgical treatment of spondylodiscitis, numerous authors have advocated a staged operation with a period of antibiotic therapy bridging the debridement and instrumentation procedures. Open surgical drainage for spondylodiscitis was historically reserved for patients with an epidural abscess. The prognosis is stated to be better when treatment is instituted early during the infection.(19) Posterior debridement combined with trans-pedicular screw fixation has been advocated by several authors. Dai et al(20) obtained 100% of good results with this technique in a series of 22 cases and we used the same technique in this short study. The first series describing the consistent placement of posterior instrumentation at the time of debridement was published in 1988 by Redfern et al(21) In 1996, Rath et al(22) reported on a series of 43 patients with thoracic or lumbar spondylodiscitis who were treated entirely via a posterior approach. This approach is based on the principle that instrumentation placed posteriorly involves a second operating field that is not (at least directly) contaminated. Single-stage procedure surgery (autograft and posterior instrumentation) was used in this study and its results correlates with the Kuklo et al(23) study which included 21 patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis managed by a single-stage with neither recurrence of infection nor perioperative complications. A single-stage procedure has several advantages, such as avoidance of a second anesthesia, reduced blood loss, avoidance of graft displacement during transfers, earlier mobilization, less anxiety for the patient, shortened hospital stay and less expense. (23) According to Barthel Index,(10) 80 % of our patients had an excellent result, without pain or restriction of activity. From a neurological viewpoint, ten patients (83%) of the 12 with a neurological deficit improved and these findings were consistent with Fayazi et al(24) who reported 85% improvement after posterior approach for lumbar spondylo-discitis. After posterior instrumentation, fusion rates up to 93% and 96% have been reported (25) the current study yielded a 100% fusion rate. As stated by Hadjipavlou et al(26) posterior stabilization through instrumentation was the critical factor in these improved results. We believe that posterior instrumentation and grafting is the principal stabilizer of the vertebral column in order to achieve a successful fusion. Conclusion Although this is a limited series, we found that a posterior debridement combined with trans-pedicular screw fixation and autologus grafting may be a safe and effective surgical treatment for selected patients with lumbar spondylodiscitis and may not be associated with recurrent hardware infections and/or any major complications.