The Precursors Of Today’s Engineers

The precursors of today’s engineers listed in the quotation from Wickenden had no classes and few or no books from which to learn scientific principles. How can you explain their success?William Wickenden remarks were direct to the facts that the first engineers were self though, geniuses in nature and well skill in technical aspects. Even without the formal scientific education they were able to engineer master creation such as the Roma’s aqueducts and others. Their success came from the ability of observation and trial and error and a hands-on in the manufacturing process of the era. 1-2. Compare how well engineering and management satisfy the several parts of the definition of a profession.The engineering profession involves the application of science and mathematics, practical training, experience and work-study to satisfy the human necessities. The management profession involve the way personnel are directed to a specific task or training. The Engineering managemen t profession combine both resulting in a profession that is oriented to brings together the technological problem-solving savvy of engineering and the organizational, administrative, and planning abilities. 1-3. Why is it so difficult to answer the simple question â€Å"How many engineers are there in the United States?† Is the question â€Å"How many physicians are there in the United States?† any? Easier?We can do an approximation of the engineer using the university graduation rate but due the long list of engineering field that doesn’t require state registration as a professional engineer is difficult establish the total engineering working force in the US. Contrary to the engineers the physician need to be register in the state that they are working and for that reason is easier to account for all physicians.Comment on the sensitivity of U.S. engineering employment to a major change in the Department of Defense budget. What types of engineers would be espec ially affected?Working in the department of defense NAVY, I can attest to the fact that reduction in the General funds of the Department of defense will reduce the MILCO projects and then a reduction in the civil engineering work force can be foreseeing.What are the similarities in the definitions of management quoted from authors of management textbooks? Do the definitions provided by business executives differ in any way? Synthesize your own definition of management.From this entire collection of quotes the common factor is the interaction and direction to the human factor that the manager need to performed to achieve the organization goals. All quotes have similar interpretation of management.The work of creating and maintaining environments in which people can accomplish goals efficiently and effectively (Albanese10)†¢ The process of achieving desired results through efficient utilization of human and material resources (Bedeian11) †¢ The process of reaching organizati onal goals by working with and through people and other organizational resources (Certo12) †¢ A set of activities (including planning and decision making, organizing, leading, and control- ling) directed at an organization’s resources (human, financial, physical, and information) with the aim of achieving organizational goals in an efficient and effective manner (Griffin13) †¢ The process by which managers create, direct, maintain, and operate purposive organizations through coordinated, cooperative human effort (McFarland14)†¢ The process of acquiring and combining human, financial, informational, and physical resources to attain the organization’s primary goal of producing a product or service desired by some segment of society (Pringle, Jennings, and Longnecker15)How does the job of supervisor or first-line manager differ from that of a higher-level manager?The first line manager can be call as the â€Å"do man† there are focus in the short ran ge operating plans governing what will be done tomorrow or next week, assign tasks to their workers, supervise the work that is done, and evaluate the performance of individual workers. The higher-level look the operation from 30, 000 feet about sea water overseeing the big picture of all process such as; financing, cost, and business development. 1-7. How does the job of a top manager differ from the jobs in the several levels of middle Management?As specified in the previous questions the top manager focus in the big picture of the organization performance or as they said the NAVY they don’t want to know what is in hot dog the tell me the total hot dogs that we have. Question that they focus, the goals are reached? the funding is in place, all requirements are meet? .Identify the three types of skills needed by an effective manager, as conceived by Robert L. Katz, and describe how the relative need for them might vary with the level of management.The three skills that Katz suggested that the Manager needs are technical, interpersonal and conceptual, He describe that the first line of manager need to have the technical skill due to the position in the lowest level where there are supervising technical personnel. It also mentions that the interpersonal skill is need in the lowest and higher level because the iteration with people. Finally the conceptual skill is inherent to the higher level manager were they need to see the broad picture of the industry that there are managing. 1-9. From the 10 managerial roles provided by Mintzberg, choose three or four that you consider most important for the first-line manager, and explain your selection. Repeat for middle-level and top managers.1. First-line manager: the manager require to be focus in the short range operating plans governing what will be done tomorrow or next week, assign tasks to their workers, supervise the work that is done, and evaluate the performance of individual workers. 2. Leader 3. The di sturbance allocator 4. The resources allocator2. Middle-level manager: They focus in the performance of the operation and served as the link between the lower and high management, The liaison The monitor role The disseminator The negotiator The resources allocator3. High level manager: they focus on overseeing the big picture of all process such as; financing, cost, and business development. The Figured head The spokesman The entrepreneurial 1-10. How would you distinguish between engineering management and management in general?Engineering management require a technical background and expertise in the area of work , the decision making need to be according with the fundamental of sciences and engineering including all cost analysis and life cycle analysis. the general management is oriented to the management of no technical resources such as clerical and no technical personnel. We can simplify saying that depending whom and what are going to be managed is the requirements of the ty pe of manager.

Gender Analysis of Chronicle of a Death Foretold Essay

Write an essay that explores Garcia Marquez’s implicit themes about relationships between men and women in Chronicle of a Death Foretold In Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold there are several types of relationships between men and women that, although opposites on the moral compass, coincide well. These relationships include prostitution and honor, utilitarian marriage and desire, as well as sexual expectations of men and women. These uniquely corresponding relationships present a number of themes regarding gender throughout the selection, and are able to grant us a greater understanding of the circumstances surrounding the small town in the story. Prostitution and honor are almost opposites by definition, so why is it that they exist in harmony throughout the selection? The reason that these two different things are able to coincide is the distinctive values present in this story. The brothel is a â€Å"house of mercies†(45) that is well attended; as to prove a point at how widely accepted this place is. The sexual expectations of men have a lot to do with these values as men are expected to be experienced come marriage, bringing great honor if the wife is pure. The relationship between prostitution and honor reveals the theme of use of women as property whose value is determined by appearance and purity. The theme of the use of women as property is further elaborated in the relationship between sexual expectations of men and women. The sexual expectations of men and the sexual expectations of women are very different. Men are to be experienced and should have visited the brothel and gotten past the initial hesitation and fear of sex by the time that they are married, making the theme of a patriarchal society very clear. On the other hand, women are supposed to be pure until the time of marriage comes, so that they may bring honor and prestige to themselves, their family and their husbands. If they don’t they may end up being punished by their punished by being beat with †such rage that it might seem as they aim to kill†(46) by their mothers. The brothel is one of the only alternatives for women who have not respected this social rule, and serves as a punishment for refusing social norms and keeping their family from advancement. The ever-present struggle between desire and utilitarian marriage serves as the missing factor in the equation of life in this society. A violation of the sexual expectations of women through desire can end in prostitution, reflectively the compliancy of expectations can bring honor resulting in marriage. In conclusion, this patriarchal society has a unique set of rules with predetermined destinations that give a better understanding to the motives of characters such as the Vicario brothers and their sister.

Love at First Sight Essay

Love at First Sight Writing Sample Once upon a time there was a girl. One day she saw a boy she’d never met across a crowded room. Their eyes locked: she froze in her tracks, her face stuck in awe. Her blood ran cold; her fingers began to tingle as a shiver ran through her entire body. 8.2 seconds later the boy flashed her a beaming smile. His expression injected a flood of warmth into her fragile heart and her mouth involuntarily turned up to return the gesture. She didn’t know how or why but she knew at that moment that this boy was the one. This is the true and universal story of a phenomenon known as love at first sight. When I was a child I used to shamble after my mom around the house asking her â€Å"Mommy, what’s it like to be in love?† she always sat me down and answered â€Å"It’s nothing I can explain, sweetie, you’ll know it when you feel it†. How could this be? How could an experience be so complex it can’t be described in words? How on earth could this happen with one look? Science says it’s simple: it’s all in our biological makeup. In a recent article published in Psychology Today; John R. Buri, Ph.D. describes that when we experience an â€Å"instant attraction† neurotransmitter chemicals are released into our nervous system stimulating a powerful â€Å"physiological arousal†. But how far does this stimulant take us? We all know what it’s like to encounter a â€Å"hot† boy or girl on any regular day but this exciting meeting is usually easily forgotten and rarely affects us in any way besides providing topic of conversation among friends (â€Å"Have you seen that new cashier? He is fine! And he totally checked me out today†). Some may say that this brief glitch of pleasure is all that will ever result from a first meeting, but stories all around us attest to something greater. A submission to the PBS segment â€Å"American Love Stories† reads â€Å"I met my husband in an emergency room while he was doing a medical school rotation. I was being  treated for a migraine headache. From twenty-five feet away and despite numerous interruptions, including my pain, our eyes locked, and we married a little over a year later.† This is just one of the tales that pop-up all around us converting the emotionally willing to hopeless romance. The question we must ask, though, is how much of this phenomenon is rooted in fairytales and how much is it rooted in science? In an experiment recently conducted by Cornell University on a sample of fruit flies, female fruit flies were able to sense, upon first encounter, males of the same species that were genetically capable of producing more offspring with them than other males that weren’t. The scientists explained this result by concluding that the female flies were innately â€Å"wired for love† and â€Å"the chemicals and proteins needed for their response [were] already in place, without the need for new genes to be activated†. Though there are differences between the genetics in humans and fruit flies, the same principles may apply. Clara Moskowitz, author of the article â€Å"Love at First Sight Might be Genetic†, refers to an experiment where humans were more attracted to the scents emitted from T-shirts that were not of those who were genetically related to them, proving that human bodies have a natural instinct that prevents inbreeding and is able to â€Å"senseâ₠¬  their better match. It’s hard to imagine the amazing complexity of the human mind and feelings but a lot of people put all of their faith or belief into something they can’t even see or understand. In the article â€Å"Love at First sight† Psychology today reveals that approximately 60% of Americans believe in love at first sight. This might be due to the fact that over 50% said they have experienced it. Whether or not one â€Å"believes† in love at first sight, it’s no question that humans are scientifically capable of it. Our culture is surrounded by the magical idea of true love and impossibly romantic fairytales that seem too good to be true; but maybe the reason these stories seem so out of reach is because they have an outrageous take on relationships and the circumstances in which they develop. So what is love? A romantic duet in a pond under a star-sprinkled sky? A brave, handsome prince rescuing a gorgeous, innocent damsel in distress from a fire-breathing dragon? A happily ever after? Most would have a hard time defining something as mysterious as love, but with the burst of technology in the last decade, scientists have uncovered explanations for more than ever thought possible. Judith Newman investigates her heart out in the Parade Article â€Å"The Science of Love†, breaking down the concept into three chemicals in the brain that each contribute to a different piece of the love puzzle. The first, dopamine, is connected to the addictive feeling of pleasure one may feel around someone they love. Norepinphrine, the second neurotransmitter released, causes the jitters and nerves that result from being in love. The third, Serotonin, balances out the norepinphrine by releasing a calming chemical into the brain. These three transmitters release enough â€Å"mix of emotions† into the body to cause the sensation we know as love. As scientists discover more and more about humans, more and more is revealed about how we were biologically constructed to find a life-long partner. And if love really is just a release of fancy brain chemicals, it’s likely that they can work fast enough to be triggered at first sight; we are pretty smart after all. To make the claim that love is all mental is, well, plain mental; yet to say it is scientifically impossible is just as crazy. It’s plain to see that love happens all around us and most importantly when we’re not expecting it. Not everything can be explained by science, even when it comes to biological instinct, but sometimes a simple meeting of the eyes or a flash of a genuine smile explains it all. Works Cited 1. Love, Home /. â€Å"Love at First Sight, Blind to the Future.† PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. . 2. Moskowitz, Clara. â€Å"Love at First Sight Might Be Genetic | LiveScience.† Live Science. 08 Apr. 2009. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. . 3. Buri, Ph.D, John R. â€Å"Love At First Sight.† Psychology Today. 16 Feb. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. . 4. Newman, Judith. â€Å"The Science of Love.† Parade 12 Feb. 2012: 9+. Print

Research Paper on San Diego County CAFR Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

On San Diego County CAFR - Research Paper Example The city functions under and is administrated by the State of California’s laws and its own Charter, as periodically modified since its acceptance by the electorate in 1931 (CAFR 24). The weather of San Diego County is portrayed by mild winters with most of the annual rainfall between November to March and warm and dry summers. It is known for its natural deep water harbor, long relationship with the U.S. navy, mild year-round climate, extensive beaches, and latest emergence as a biotechnology and healthcare development center. Most people who visit the county head to the wild animal park, San Diego zoo, sea world or Lego land. The national, regional and international economic condition has badly affected San Diego County’s City services and revenue. It has also exaggerated the health of the business community. In this tough economic environment, the City of San Diego has effectively balanced its annual budget and also implemented them on time i.e. by June 30 each year. This paper will provide an analysis of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) of San Diego County and the city also meet the Governmental Accounting Standard Board (GASB) 34 requirements because the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report has been prepared in conformance with the standards and principles for reporting as set forth by GASB 34. Governmental Accounting Standard Board (GASB) With the implementation of the GASB 34, the financial reporting model for local and state governments has been changed. The financial statements under GASB 34 must include: Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A); Government wide Statements involving Statement of Activities; Statement of Net Assets; Fund Statements; Notes to Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information which includes the budgetary comparison. The CAFR of San Diego County meets the GASB 34 requirements as it is prepared in conformance with the standards and principles for reporting as required in GASB 34. Th e CAFR of the City also contains MD&A, Statement of Net Assets; Statement of Activities; Fund Statements; Notes to Financial Statements and Required Supplementary Information which includes the budgetary comparison of General Funds. The objective of the City’s CAFR is to provide with the financial statement which is of material misstatement. It maintains the accuracy of data; and fairness and completeness of the presentation. In addition, the City is keeping on to progress a complete internal control over the framework of financial reporting to ascertain satisfactory management of taxpayer funds (CAFR 22). According to GASB 34 and 51, in the government wide statements; all major assets are capitalized by the City of San Diego. Capital assets of both proprietary and governmental funds are utilized at the government wide level and proprietary assets are accounted at the fund level (CAFR 41). 2011 2010 With the execution of GASB 54, there was a considerable reclassification betw een Unrestricted and Restricted Net Assets. Restricted Net Assets resulted in an increase of $949,227 i.e. by $376,845 and Unrestricted Net Assets goes down by $394,573 (CAFR 36). The statistical section provides information as required by GASB 44. In addition to the financial sta

Trumans Decision regarding the Atomic Bombs Research Paper

Trumans Decision regarding the Atomic Bombs - Research Paper Example produced and finally in the early morning of July 16, 1945, the first successful testing of an Atomic bomb was conducted at the Trinity test site at Alamogordo, New Mexico. During this time, the allied forces had already captured Germany, but Japan continued to fight the war even with the clear indication of their little chance of winning. It was estimated that in the period between mid-April to mid-July in 1945 Japan displayed ferocity by killing massive number of allied forces. The Japanese government even rejected the proposal made in Potsdam Declaration that proposed the Japanese armed forces to surrender or else face â€Å"prompt and utter destruction† (The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki). Truman believed that the destruction caused by the Atomic bomb in the Japanese cities would place America in a formidable position amongst the other powerful nations of the world. Controversies President Truman experienced many dilemmas that influenced his decision to drop the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Within two weeks of becoming president, he received a full report on the developmental process of the most expensive war material which stated it as â€Å"the most terrible weapon ever known in human history† (Hamby, 18). On 8th May 1945, after Germany surrendered, it was still necessary to defeat the Japanese. Truman’s decision was highly influenced by his past experience of being a combat artillery in the WWI. During that phase he developed a perspective of Japanese fanaticism, and also as American President he wanted to exhibit his diplomatic power by solving the existing difficulties with Soviet Union which was not yet at war with Japan. Many scholars in response to the utter calamity caused by the Atomic bombs professed that Truman deliberately killed and... Japan was always a losing side since the nation’s military power was in no way a match for the U.S. military power. Moreover, by August 1995 fatigue had set in and it was highly possible that the Japanese would surrender by the end of the year. Moreover, I feel the first Atomic bomb could be dropped anywhere near the harbor if the intention was only to scare the Japanese and force them to surrender. Also, I feel the Potsdam Declaration should have been modified, and instead of ordering the Japanese to surrender unconditionally they should have given the chance to say something. There is also the fact that the bomb was dropped on two cities which resulted in deaths of more civilians than soldiers. Finally, the major reason why I cannot support Truman’s decision is that many Japanese people are still suffering from diseases that occurred from the bomb’s radiation. On such grounds which include both political and moral issues, it was an unjustified act by President Truman.

Three of the psychological factors that influence consumer behavior Essay

Three of the psychological factors that influence consumer behavior are perception - Essay Example Finetti notes that online advertising and new media channels "is becoming a larger part of the marketing mix" due to the increasing number of online users who utilize internet-enabled technologies to transact with companies. Second, marketers have to give due consideration to changing consumer preferences towards ethical and socially responsible consumption. The same author observes, for instance, that "more and more companies are going green." Apparently, this is in response to the growing public pressure on corporate actors to contribute to efforts at mitigating the social and environmental problems that business activities and the culture of consumption creates. Lastly, marketers have to take note of the lifestyle and economic changes wherein consumers live in a more fast-paced, time-constrained environment since this inevitably affect the way that consumers evaluate and associate themselves with products and companies.

Holistic Account of Care for a Patient or Client with Complex Needs Essay

Holistic Account of Care for a Patient or Client with Complex Needs - Essay Example this essay, the nurse is going to offer care to a person who has complex needs, the person has a long term COPD and an acute condition of sacral pressure ulcer. The nurse will come up with a care plan to offer to the person in question, while taking note and being sensitive on the above mentioned code of ethics on the patient. Nursing is profession that offers care to patient after the doctor has done his part of the main treatment (Gulanick, 1997). To start with let me define what COPD is. In full the name means – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is a generic name adapted for various lung conditions pertaining to lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis or obstructive. People who have this condition find it challenging to experience normal breathing. The difficulty in breathing arises from the narrowing of airways creating a situation known as obstruction of airflow (Hanania, 2011). The main cause of COPD originates from smoking; its manifestation rises with the period of smoking. The relationship between smoking and lungs is that, the smoke causes irritations and inflammation of the lungs which leads to scarring. As the years go by, the inflammation of the lungs persists and this makes permanent changes to the organs. The walls of the lungs normally thicken making the walls to produce a lot of mucus. The air sacs within the lungs get damaged and soon enough, due to emphysema the lungs elasticity gets lost (Lynes, 2007). Apart from the air sacs getting damaged, the airways get narrowed down and scarred, which automatically leads to breathlessness symptoms, phlegm or cough. Such symptoms qualify to COPD. Others causes of COPD include, genetic disorders, dust and fumes though in rare proportions. This disease normally affects people with a bit of advanced age, the majority of diagnosis occurs in people who are in their fifties, though it is normally manifested at the age of 35. According to gender statistics, in the UK the disease

The Effect of Article on the Economy Toulouse Dissertation

The Effect of Article on the Economy Toulouse - Dissertation Example Toulouse, the capital city of the region of Midi-Pyrà ©nà ©es in France, is situated on the Garonne River side, in a plain midway between the Atlantic sea and the Mediterranean Sea. It is at present the fourth biggest city in France. Its international airport is just an hour away from Madrid, a one hour away from Paris and almost one hour and twenty minutes away from London. Airbus has done its best in increasing worldwide marketplace share for airplanes â€Å"Aviation industry is an essential part of the Toulouse economy (Toulouse is the home city of Airbus Industries) but is by no means the only high tech industry located there. The city has become Europe's leading space centre with CNES (French Space Agency), Matra Marconi Space, Alcatel Space Industry and Spot Image among others, all with their head offices around Toulouse† (13th Annual Computer Security Incident Handling Conference 2001). Toulouse has turned out to be a one of the center of spaceflight and aviation t in the past 20 years. In addition to 35,000 city dwellers 400,000 people from other part of the globe work in space industries or civil aviation; EADS/ Airbus is one of the largest employers in the area. This particular metropolis has remained comparatively unchanged in spite of the economic boom. Airbus provides tours with excellent services and facilities; and the tour for about 60 minutes consists of a guide who inform the background of the corporation; the screening of a historical / promotional video, and one can also observe the A380 production line. Airbus played a leading function in guaranteeing the sector elaborate communication and a common position on its various environmental impacts, on the foundation of scientific proof, and on the social and economic advantages it generates. The aim of the study is to identify how airbus has affected the economy of Toulouse since its inception in 1970. Due to the economic effect the industry has brought on Toulouse, this particular city has grown. The main reason for the city having grown is the a result of the aerospace industry, which has had a direct effect on the city of Airbus. Background of the Study: Airbus is a one of the leading aircraft and its producers have clients who focus on profitable know-how, technical leadership, and manufacturing competence which have added to its accomplishments in the industry. It was launched in 1970 as a European grouping of German, French, and later, UK, and Spanish business establishments. Air transport facility plays a key function in the economic growth and social development by addressing the rising demand for worldwide mobility. The advantages of air travel facility are becoming more available, more affordable and more significant to citizens from every economic environment and from every part of the world. The production of airbus is a clever move on the part of the top ranking Europe n ations, to complete with the operations of the US Being. Airbus is a configuration of smaller organizations combined into one large unit. The states that are the main players in Airbus are United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Spain. In recent times, airbus has done very well in increasing worldwide marketplace share for airplanes. Airbus is repeatedly trying to increase its market share by trying to reach out to new emerging marketplaces. These new marketplaces like India and China will play a big position in the future for airbus and boeing. Main industries of Toulouse are electronics, aeronautics, biotechnology, and space and information technology. Toulouse hosts the head office of the Airbus and assembly-lines of various airbuses such as A380, A340, A330 and A320. The others (A380, A32, A319 and A318’s interior furnishing) are in the state of Germany, Hamburg. Airbus intends to reposition Toulouse A 320’s bind assembling location to Hamburg, with A350 and A380 manu facture going in the opposite way, as a division of its Power8 Organization Plan initiated by its ex-CEO Christian Streiff. With the

Leadership and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership and management - Essay Example According to Waite, leadership â€Å"covers a complex set of circumstances that include the psyche of the period, the economic situation, and the structure of a culture. In other words, leadership transcends all boundaries† (1). However, not all individuals have the attributes of becoming capable leaders. Influence is the primary concept involved in leadership. It is a human invention process that is compared with successful business control, with powerful, influential and charismatic leaders, and Chief Executive Officers. Daft defines leadership as a relationship between followers and leaders that is based on influence in order to achieve actual changes and results based on their common objectives (4). Daft defines management as â€Å"the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling organizational resources† (14). The efforts in management involve members of an organization focused on a particular goal. Management is therefore a group of people responsible for directing the workforce and ensuring that the organization meets its goals and objectives. Management is the act of getting work done through people. Management has various functions which include, planning, organizing, staffing, motivating, and controlling. Planning involves setting organizational objectives and outlining plans to achieve the objectives, organizing involves classifying and allocating tasks, and supplying necessary power to perform tasks. Staffing includes recruiting relevant and qualified individuals for various positions, motivating involves inspiring people to make great efforts in attaining organizational goals, while controlling involves seeing to it that organizational goals are achieved. Although leaders are sometimes managers and managers have to be leaders, leadership and management are different in a number of ways. While management concentrates on achievement of results through effective acquisition, arrangement, implementation, and regulation of all resources such as money, facilities and people, leadership â€Å"focuses on the most important resource, people. It is the process of developing and communicating a vision for the future, motivating people and gaining their commitment and engagement† (Armstrong and Stephens 5). Management is focused on managing complex issues pertaining planning and budgeting with an aim of producing results, while leadership focuses on producing change by developing a vision that will last for the future, along with strategies that bring about the changes needed. Management involves itself with the development of the capacity to achieve pl ans by creating an organizational structure and developing human system, while leadership organizes people by communicating the new created direction, and the creation of collaboration that understands the vision and is committed to achievement. Management ensures that plans are undertaken through controlling and problem solving, while leadership uses motivation to energize people, leadership tries to satisfy basic human needs through achievement (Armstrong and Stephens 6). Management is the most important human activity; because it’s the basic task of managers at all levels in all business and institutions. A leader has the ability to influence people, while a manager may not. Leaders have three major roles; defining a task, where they ensure to make it clear what they expect a group to do, achieving a task, where they ensure that the group`s purpose and goals are achieved, and maintaining effective relationships. They ensure that a good relationship is built between themsel ves and group members, and among the group

Constitutional Administrative Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Constitutional Administrative Law - Essay Example This supranational policy has greatly affected the sovereignty of member states. The attainment of the United Kingdom (UK) to the European Communities (EC) membership forces it to effect community law in the country. This paper will critically analyse and evaluate how the United Kingdom courts have initiated the community law effectiveness over principles of domestic law, parliamentary sovereignty inclusive. Evaluation of the UK Courts achievements Chief sources of community law emanate from the secondary and primary legislations, which bind the member nations onto the law’s subject. Primary legislation comprises of amendments treaties, accession treaties and original treaties. Secondary legislation is composed of laws formed in treaties accordance. Sovereignty is unrestrained political powers that enacts and makes laws in national parliaments that are neither suspended nor overridden by any other body of institution. The EC Act in 1972 stipulated that the UK had novel sources of law as from the 1st of January 1973(Steiner & Woods 2006, p.72). As highlighted earlier, these sources are the treaties or primary laws of the European communities and the secondary laws legislations. ECJ rulings have a greater implication on the English law. European community is concerned with laws from various sources such as; education, health, consumer policy, competition, companies, fishing and agriculture, free movement of goods and workers, and environment. However, it has no competencies in social and economic areas of the United Kingdom. UK courts have apprehended community law over principles underlying national laws including sovereignty of the parliament by enacting the principle of supremacy and direct effect which have greatly affected the legal system of Britain (Beatson 1998, p. 47). As highlighted by Turpin (2007, p. 41), the UK’s establishment of sovereignty is derived from the convention of British constitution. These sovereign factors include; a futur e parliament cannot be connected by the existing one, the parliament can legislate on matters concerning its choosing such as retrospective legislation, the parliament can create any law and no court can impede such laws. In general terms, it means that the parliament can choose or cancel any law, and courts within UK must enforce them. Being a member of EC, such principles are compromised (MacCormick 1999, p.29). In 1957, the treaty of Rome set up EEC. This treaty made up the primary laws constituted in the EEC constitution. According to Bra & Malanczuk (1997, p. 65), the Rome Treaty is superior to all national or domestic laws. In case there exists a conflict between the treaty of Rome and the parliament, the first one will prevail i.e. the treaty of Rome. Therefore, the constitutional convention that sovereignty is attained by the parliament is contradicted. As asserted by Hunt (1998, p. 109), under some circumstances, a judge fails to apply English statute provisions in the trea ty of Rome. The 1972 European Communities Act under section two presents that all legislations of the parliament passed either after or before the EU act must be applied and construed in agreement with the community law (Borchardt 1991, p. 76). English law must be well interpreted more so, have effect subject to European Community law is supreme principle. Solely, the EC law takes precedence

Is the Death Penalty Applied Fairly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is the Death Penalty Applied Fairly - Essay Example This definition also raises a lot of questions because according to many laws, the death penalty is considered, lawful and non-malicious yet it also involves the killing of human beings by the government or concerned authorities that execute such penalties (Williams, 2002). Those who oppose the death penalty argue that the terms ‘execute’, ‘murder’ and ‘kill’ can be used interchangeably. All the three actions result in the same end because life is lost in all the cases. Those who argue that the death penalty is just and fair fail to realize that they are supporting something that is as wrong as the crime that they purport to punish. Supporting the execution of someone who commits murder is just like committing murder itself. This is because the end result of such actions is the death of the people. Claiming that the death penalty is fair is similar to comparing rape to lovemaking or battery to self defense (Williams, 2002). Those who support tha t the death penalty is applied fairly base their arguments on the fact that the death penalty is a punishment for those who deserve to be killed for what they did. There are many types of punishments that may be given to people who do wrong deeds. These punishments may range from denying a person certain privileges, imprisonment and even the death penalty. The right thing to do according to the law is to ensure that the punishment given fits the crime that was committed. This means that a small crime should be punished in a small way and a very serious crime deserves a punishment of similar magnitude. Law jargon may refer to this as lex talonis which may be generally translated to mean, an eye for an eye. So, if someone kills another person, do they deserve to be killed or get punished in other ways? I do not feel that the death penalty is applied justly or fairly because it is ironic to kill someone who kills another person but not rape someone who rapes another person (Williams, 2 002). The death penalty is not applied fairly because it seems to have a lot of loop holes. As seen earlier, those who support the death penalty do so because they believe that a crime should be punished according to its seriousness. If this was the case, would it be correct to say that rapists should be punished by being raped? If a rapist is considered to be wrong by raping someone else, it is also considered morally incorrect to rape that person with the aim of punishing them. It would be morally degrading to let someone punish the rapist by raping them so that they do not get away with rape and that they do not rape again. Why then would it be right for someone to declare that a killer should be killed? Is this the only means of punishing someone who commits a crime of killing another person? I think that it is also morally incorrect to let someone decide that the life of another person should come to an end for whatever reason (Williams, 2002). Life is very sacred and should be treated as such. No human being has the moral obligation of deciding that another person should live or die for whatever reason. Governments are there to protect the rights and freedoms of their citizens. They should therefore ensure that the lives of their citizens are protected and respected, no matter what they do. When a person is found to have killed another person, the

Thy Womb and Missing the Target Essay Example for Free

Thy Womb and Missing the Target Essay Mendoza’s Thy Womb certainly was not lacking in the areas of cinematography and sound quality. Unlike regular masa films that repel higher class moviegoers with their slightly pixelated picture and muffled dubbing, Thy Womb boasts a crisp picture with a fitting scoring. Only complementing that is the breathtaking grandeur of the surroundings which includes a stroke of luck for the director with the appearance of two Whale Sharks. However, eye-candy is not enough to capture the hearts of the audience. A pretty picture is only just a picture when the message being conveyed is not seen by the viewers. That is my concern with Thy Womb. The plot was very slow-paced. Although the conflict was introduced very early in the film, the resolution to this dragged on really long in what Hollywood films would compress into ten minutes or so. For a viewer like me who is used to fast progressing story lines, the sluggish development was quite a turn-off. That is a big issue since the audience today is used to things like instant coffee and fast loading times for web videos. It is possible for the viewers to be focused on how the plot is so dragging that they miss the point of the film. That could be the reason for the film’s poor performance in cinemas. A critical eye however, would find a certain elegance in how the film slowly develops its community and characters. After further analysis, I was able to discern a possible point being driven at by the film. The film seems to dilly-dally with scenes and events that have nothing to do with the actual conflict, the search for a second wife for Bangas-An. These scenes however, have a theme when put together. They feature how the community values tradition and religion. Several festivals, rituals, and practices were featured in the film. Some were performed at the expense of the safety of involved parties. Especially focused on is the tradition of putting the husband’s wishes over the wife and how women are treated as objects in such a patriarchal community. From these it can be said that Thy Womb features a Badjao community in Tawi-Tawi that values tradition above all else. It is this regard for custom that drives each character as the film progresses. The community as a whole is very much immersed in their tradition. One scene shows the village participating in a festival in the sea, racing boats. Then more of their custom is showcased with a wedding ceremony as well as the meeting of wife prospects for Bangas-An. It is evident that so much value is placed on their traditions that it overshadows their concern for their relationships and safety. While fishing, Bangas-An was shot by thieves. Shaleha nursed him to health and they went back to fishing again despite this danger. This shows that their custom and livelihood of fishing there is what they have grown accustomed to and they would rather go through that again than have to change. Another scene that shows such an attitude is the wedding ceremony mentioned previously. While the couple is doing their dance, gunfire is heard and the crowd panics but the couple is told to continue dancing. Their patriarchal mindset is also demonstrated by various scenes. At the beginning, Shaleha expresses her desire to adopt. However, Bangas-An preferred to have his own kids and just remarry. Then women are treated like objects in stores as their hand in marriage would have to be bought using dowries. Bangas-An chose his wife based on the price and beauty, not romantic attachment. This value for custom in a patriarchal environment allows the audience to understand the driving force of the couple’s actions. Bangas-An and Shaleha obviously have a healthy marriage. One scene shows Bangas-An giving Shaleha expensive clothing for no apparent reason. Then the couple make love despite its fruitlessness. But then, Bangas-An’s desire to have a child of his own blood overshadows their marriage and forces them to separate. His new wife tells him that after the first child she bears him, he would have to leave Shaleha. Only reinforcing the point that the community values tradition above all else, he does make the deal and cuts ties with Shaleha after his first child is born. Shaleha does not go against this because of the patriarchy. Throughout the movie, she herself deals with Bangas-An’s remarriage even if she was not comfortable with the whole thing. She  cooperated with all the rituals and negotiations. But then only putting emphasis on the actual place of women in that community, in the end she was put aside by the very man she helped. In the end, the slow pace of the movie actually had purpose. Every part that featured custom showed how the community was very involved and hands-on in tradition and religion. Each scene with the couple only showed how much they loved each other. This only fortified the reasoning for Bangas-An’s decision to take his new wife over Shaleha. With this, the movie actually presents conflicting emotions and sentiment every character feels. It was not a montage of dilly-dallying after all, but a subtle manner of sending a message.

Listening skills

Listening skills For communication at work, are listening skills important? If so, provide multiple reasons. How would you describe your listening skills? Is listening the same as hearing? What is selective hearing? Good listening skills make workers more productive. The ability to listen carefully will allow employees to better understand assignments and what is expected of them; build rapport with co-workers, bosses, and clients; show support; work better in a team-based environment; resolve problems with customers, co-workers, and bosses; answer questions; and find underlying meanings in what others say. A good listener knows that being attentive to what the other person doesnt say is as important as being attentive to what the person does say. Listening is one of the most important skills that a person should possess. How well a person listens has a major impact on job effectiveness, and on the quality of relationships with others. The way to become a better listener is to practice active listening. This is where a person should make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, to try and understand the total message being sent. When I am providing listening skills, the first thing that I do is pay attention. I want to show the other person that I am listening and I also provide feedback. Listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing is a physical process of taking in sound and unless you are hearing impaired, hearing is in relative terms an easy process. Listening is more difficult; it is a cognitive process requiring brain work. Selective hearing is a way of describing the tendency of some people to ignore things that they dont want to hear. I tend to possess selective hearing at times especially when I am being told to do something. Professional demeanor is a type of demeanor that involves a persons manner and nonverbal emotional tone. Professionalism and an overly serious manner are not one and the same. Highly professional people smile appropriately and they command respect. One thing a person should never do is to try and be somebody, or something they are not. It is important to be natural and to be yourself. First impressions mean so much and a person does not have to say anything for another person to judge their demeanor. When in a meeting or interview, it is important to dress professional. It is not about what accessories are collaborated with your outfit, its about selling yourself or the company that you represent. Presenting a professional demeanor also means that a persons nails are clean and they provide cordial phone mannerisms. It is always important to strive to be a better person that is helpful, kind, and considerate in the workplace. My message is always consistent between the two. I work in corporate America and I understand the value that my company strives for. It is important for me to represent myself while at work and even when I am not at work. I never know who is watching my every move. Professional demeanor to me means the way you carry yourself. That demeanor does not have to be communicated in a business manner but your everyday life. Some people who work in professional environments really dont know how to be professional. A professional person is poised and confident. They handle their business. They understand laid back and professional settings. In a workplace, it is important to understand the dress code. Business casual does not mean capris. A nice pair of slacks and a nice blouse is great. Speaking clearly and staying grounded in great also. The way a person presents themselves should be professional. Loud is not the way to do. I carry myself in a professional and poised way because I want respect and for people to understand that I am about my business. My message is always consistent and I come across to people nice because I want the same treatment. Communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Nonverbal communication is the process of communicating through sending and receiving wordless messages. Such messages can be communicated through gesture, body language or posture; facial expression and eye contact. Nonverbal communication plays a key role in every persons day to day life, from employment to romantic engagements. Visual communication as the name suggests is communication through visual aid. It is the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon. Nonverbal communication is very important to a deaf person who may get many information cues this way. I may use such communication skills as facial expressions and gestures. I may have to touch a deaf person on the shoulder, arm, or leg to get their attention if they are close enough to me. When communicating with a person with bad eyesight, it is important to describe what is being done. I may describe my gestures, facial expressions and what is being presented. I need to make sure that I effective communicate so that way no one will leave the meeting lost as to what is going on. Patience is the key word. I would incorporate some of my team members to help me to find way that we all can understand the issue. The age difference is clearly a factor in this team environment. The oldest member is set in her ways and may want things done from start to finish. Sometimes younger people may slack off just a little. They go with the flow as one would say. I understand that. They may agree but have no idea what is being communicated. Males have their own opinions when it comes to situations. Females want to be right well at least I do. I want things to be in order and mapped out before the plans are taken into action. I understand that language barriers are a huge issue maybe for the latinos and kenyan team members. They have sometimes really strong accents and other team members may have a huge problem understanding what is said. They also may get frustrated because we all cant understand. They may give up. The deaf person and the one with the hearing aid may need someone to translate on paper or everything may have to be drawn out. The key word is team and we all have to go up with plans. I woul d not want anyone to feel left out because they have a difficult timeunderstanding. The team member with the bad eye sight may need everything read to him/her. We would have to describe what is going on. It all can be done though. As Team Leader, what can you do to ensure everyones understanding of task assignments from the meeting? As a team leader, I will not leave the meeting until we all understand. If I have to have a meeting catering to each persons individual need, then I will do that. What are some alternative communication mediums you may utilize in your meeting? We all can help. Some people may have better communication skills with other and so I will involve my team and ask for their help. We can use drawings and tap recorded messages. Whatever can get them all involved. In what ways would you follow-up, after the staff meeting, to ensure communication was a success? I would have one on one communications with each team member to make sure they understand. If they dont I will set aside time for each member and depending on the situation utilize whatI have to make it work. My response Demeanor involves your manner and your nonverbal emotional tone. You may or may not be conscious of the overall emotional undertone that you are exuding.Professionalism and an overly serious manner are not one and the same. Nor is professionalism staid and boring. Highly professional people smile appropriately and they command respect. If you have trouble smiling or appearing approachable in a professional setting, try keeping your mouth open, just a little not gaping just lips slightly parted. This expression communicates that you have an open mind. Pursed, tight lips communicate a closed mind just as arms crossed do. And a tightly closed mouth signals an angry or self-righteous individual. http://www.casualpower.com/business_casual_tips/demeanor.html Presenting a professional demeanor begins with clean nails, clothing appropriate to the workplace, and cordial phone mannerisms. Some people consider these to be the only requirements of professional demeanor. Certainly these help present a professional image, but true professionals do not stop there. Someone striving to be a better person is helpful, kind, and considerate in the workplace. http://bizcovering.com/business/professional-demeanor/

Psychological Research Report on Perception Essay -- essays research p

ABSTRACT People are thought to be able to mentally rotate an object so as to be able to imagine it in a different orientation. In this experiment partcipants were presented with two three dimensional objects. Some of the pairs of objects where the same object and some of them where different objects. Partcipants were asked to identify whether the second object was the same as the first one in the pair, even though it was shown as being rotated around a set angle, or if it was a completely different object. The reaction time of the partcipant’s was found to be directly related to the degree of the angle of which the object was rotated. METHODS Participants A total of 11 subject participated in this experiment. These participants were from colleges and universities around the world. There was no personal information collected in this experiment such as sex or age or background. The only information gathered was the reaction time data. Participants in this experiment where informed about the nature of this experiment and asked to consent to participate in it. Materials This experiment was conducted over a computer terminal. Participants where presented with pairs of three dimensional objects. These objects consisted of 16 basic objects each presented in 4 different perspectives each adding up to a total of 64 separate presentations. Half of the object pairs presented where of identical objects but where one of the objects where rotated to a specified degree which were identified as same objects. The other half of the pairs presented where of objects that where mirror images of each other and also rotated around a given angle which where identified as different objects. Design and Procedure This experiment was... ...t are consistent with other experiments involving the mental rotation of objects in that in all of these experiments the time which it takes the participants to make a decision linearly increases with the angle of rotation. These results show that the processes of the mind are consistent with the geometric constraints of the real world. The greater the difference in the orientation of an object in reality is equivalent to the difference in the time it takes for a person to identify that object. This is obviously very helpful in the real world where objects can be imagined to be rotated and used as in the example of a dog which would turn a stick around so as to be able to fit it through a hole. It has been proposed that this ability to imagine objects in different orientations has evolved according to the rules governing physics and geometry in the real world.

Naturalistic Observation Report Essay -- Childhood Observation Essays

Naturalistic observation is a way of observing applicants in their own natural environment without the contestants realizing the observers are present. My observation took me to different places and settings to complete my assignment where I observed the subjects’ reactions and further relate it with concepts of psychology. This assignment is going to look into the observation at different settings by watching people as they go about their normal activities in their own habitats, and will briefly describe the concepts of superego, egocentrism, operant conditioning, pretend play, and lack of conservation. These concepts are common between the ages 4-6 years of age. The paper will also analyze the interactions using a reflective approach on the psychology of young children. The concept of superego plays an active role in our daily lives. Freud’s interpretation of superego is most simply understood in the natural observation when observing the participants in the school setting, where a boy around 5-6 years of age playing around with bunch of kids saw the $20 bill lying on the playground with no one around it. He took the money and turned it into the school office in case anyone came looking for it. He wouldn’t want to lose $20, and hoped that whoever had lost it would ask about it in the office which leads me to believe that the child may have an overly strong superego because of the fact that â€Å"Once the superego emerges, children have a parental voice in their head that keeps them from violating society’s rules and make them guilty or ashamed if they do† (Sigelman & Rider, 2012, p. 49). According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality, the superego is the factor of personality composed of our internalized ideal s that w... ...rst step in a research program. In my observation, I studied different concepts of psychology that are critical in influencing a child development and understands different human behavior as they take place in a daily setting. This gave me an opportunity to notice the participant’s natural behavior, which reduces minimizes biases in my observation and also can be further used as a rich source of hypotheses. As one investigator commented, "The major strength of naturalistic observation is that it allows researchers to study behavior under conditions that are less artificial than in experiments† (Weiten, 2008, p. 347). Works Cited Sigelman, C. K., & Rider, E. A. (2011). Human development across the life-span (7th ed.). Belmont Calif: Wadsworth. Weiten, W. (2010). Psychology: Themes & variations (8th ed.). Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

The Curse Of Right And Wrong :: essays research papers

THE CURSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG Many people treat ethics like a good set of dishes, something to be saved just for special occasions. A monitor poll shows that most Americans think that their country's moral standards are falling and that stronger families must be the solution. Widespread evidence of moral decay can be found in nearly every American city. Things such as sleazy movies, vulgar TV shows, neglected children, and broken families are the type of things most people oppose. In every major region in the country, a majority of people polled agreed that the Nations values have weakened since the 1950's. That view is particularly evident in the South and West. However, there is evidence that shows morality could have also been a problem in our Nations history, especially in politics. President Thomas Jefferson faced longstanding rumors about sexual involvement with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings. President Grover Cleveland laid to rest accusations about fathering an illegitimate child by taking responsibility for that child. In recent years politicians have been caught with prostitutes and survived. Others have admitted to infidelity and seen their political careers plummet. The fact that morality seems to be in decline may be, in large part, due to the media. Advancements in technology have made it possible for peoples lives to be quickly and more widely known; therefore, making the public more aware of what is happening.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Americans look for something to blame for declining morals, they point straight at the media, particularly the entertainment media, and especially TV. Jason Sines of Chase, Md., says 'the worst is television.'; He notes that TV is readily available in the home, and harder to avoid. Other sources like magazines, movies and other media require a trip to the store or the theater. Sines views are widely shared. More than 3 out of 4 Americans say that the values portrayed on television are getting worse. Because of this, children are much more aware of things they shouldn't know about until later in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  'Effects of the 'moral climate' also show up with children, who often reflect both physical and emotional neglect,'; says Ann Echard, a second grade teacher, 'in part because their parents are struggling to keep their heads above the water, and in part simply because some parents are just being selfish.'; When Americans search for answers to moral problems, they often look to the family.

Find out whether or not congestion zones are a good idea

Are Congestion Zones A Good Idea? In this report I will be finding out whether or not congestion zones are a good idea, using researched data, charts and tables to back up my ideas. The conclusion of this matter relies on how accurate and reliable the information is. Congestion Zones are used in hope that traffic gets reduced. The mayor of London has recently put congestion zones into place in hopes they will reduce traffic by 15%. Critics of the scheme however, say that it is unworkable and unfair. They also claim it will probably lead to more congestion as people try to avoid the charging areas. Central London has had a dramatic cut in traffic since the introduction of the congestion charge. 40 000 less people are driving through the zone each Some people agree with the congestion charge, and can produce many facts to support their view. My source one can also provide many facts and figures. Source one says that since the congestion zone was put into place, traffic had been cut by 18%, and delays were down by 30% since the congestion zone has been bought in, the advantage of congestion zone was clear as the traffic was rapidly decreasing after the introduction of congestion zones. If the traffic is reduced then there will be no delays so not that much pollution released in to the atmosphere; which leads to climate effects for example global warming. The public transport in the city has improved dramatically by 20%, with 29,000 more people using the service- which will mean much more money towards its improvement. This also contributes to the protection of our planet against climate changes which can have social effects. If more people chose to use the bus or taxi then this would improve their health as they would walk and always go on separate cars. Source one also says that the streets of London were ‘clogged' and the heavy traffic on the roads were costing businesses approximately i2 million a week. Congestion zones are good because people only use them if they really have to, the evidence to this point is in source 1 when it states â€Å"there are 65,000 fewer car trips†, and so this means a cut down on gases being emitted into the air. So, less pollution. Source 1 also states that the costs that people pay are going towards the environment, new more environmentally friendly buses. As i50m is contributed mainly through quicker and more reliable journeys for road and bus users. This is also an advantage as the money is not going to the government but is used to help our transport. The news article declares that, Research, polls and surveys also shows that 75% of Londoners supported the scheme ‘because it works'. That factor that it really helps us as all of the congestion charge is kindly contributed to improving the public transport. Source 2 goes on saying that there research have shown that there was much urgently street works done with the help of this money, such as replacing ancient leaking water pipes. If congestion zones are reducing traffic by 21 per cent and 70,000 cars every day then it must really work. On the other hand congestion zones can also become a disadvantage. For my second source, I have a newspaper article from London Evening Standard news to support my point. In this source, Angie Bray sates that the rate of traffic rose to 2. 6 and 2. 7 minutes per kilometre. This is a disadvantage as if there is a high traffic rate then the will be more pollution caused than cars at normal speed. The number of cars that was entering the congestion zone has rapidly increased from previous years. The newspaper clearly states that â€Å"surely now is the time to start thinking about an alternative way to tackle congestion†. Evidently, the congestion charge did not really work out as the number of cars has risen. The local newspaper gave me evidence that congestion charge was a failure as it states that earlier this month their research has told them that traffic in the morning rush hour was running more slowly than before the scheme began. Angie Bray speaks that the charge has lost its main justification. Which is truly concerning as there is no change in climate. Congestion charge has a knock on effect on the environment and economically. Not many people will want to pass through the zone unless it's necessary, so they would find other alternative ways to pass the area causing more congestion in other roots. This effects the people around that area as they live in an atmosphere filled with bio-products. Thus, many would use buses to travel instead of their own cars. This again results in a disadvantage of congestion zones as there is more buses equals' huge amount of pollution made by one bus against 10 cars. Congestion charges can affect people and also businesses. This is because businesses have lost profits after the congestion zones were placed. As businesses need stock delivery which might need to cross the charging area which trails to extra costs, leading to lower profits. The workers might have to cross the congestion zone to go to work every day, resulting in quitting that job. This again affects the businesses to lose their workers. The evidence from source 1 supports my point as it states that 68% of retail businesses said the scheme would have been better without the charge. Source reliability can make all the difference, which is why I have picked three very reliable sources. My Source one is a report by BBCNEWS. I feel this makes it very reliable. This is because the BBC is a well-known and trusted organisation, backed by the government. The Source also includes exclusive interviews for the BBC by the mayor of the time, Ken Livingstone. This report was published on the 17th February 2004. Though this source is a lot years old, I think it is still reliable, because the evidence is still valid. The Source is very relevant to the question, as it provides facts supported and given by the government, but also includes opinions of Londoners. The Source also has validity, as it addresses all the factors that it claims to. My source 2 is as reliable as source one as it is a report from the local newspaper for London readers. It is well known in London so it is trusted a lot. This report contains exclusive interviews with Angie Bray. However it was published in 22th November 2007 as this means it are a couple of years old, so it is not reliable as this data is not up to date and might not be the case now. My source three holds a great importance of the reliability as it is reliable. This is because facts and figures form the article is as relevant and reliable. As it comes from a trust worthy newspaper article. Because the stats are from the government, they are going to be very reliable indeed, as they will contain no gossip, rumours or assumptions. Out of all my Sources; I feel that my Source two is most reliable. This is due to age, validity, fact, bias, author and the exclusive interviews. This Source shows both positive and negative points about the congestion charge. The congestion charge also has an impact on many other things, which I can place under Social, Economic and Environmental. The social effects are that the people that will be affected by this are local. It will mainly affect local, seeing as those in the area will either have to pay the charge, or they will be facing probable delays on alternate routes, due to the number of people trying to avoid the area. They will also benefit from the cleaner, safer air if they live around the congestion zones. If a person is caught up in heavy traffic their journey times will be unreliable, impacting on all sorts of thing such as family, work, health appointments etc. The economic effects are that for those that have no choice but to pass through the zone it is just adding to their payments. Not only do they have bills and road tax, but now they have to pay i8. 00 every time they need to get somewhere essential, such as my research shows some businesses are being affected by things such for instance stock delivery, which now costs the business more because of the charge. Finally the environmental effects are, obviously pollution plays a big part in the charge. My data shows that the pollution levels inside the zones are decreasing massively. With toxic nitrogen levels dropping quicker but still maintaining a normal level, it seems to be like the charge is working. As for the environment, if a vehicle is moving slowly or stationary, it produces more carbon emissions than if it moves at a normal speed. Thus, more global warming and other climate change which affect animals and humans. The other gases are released like sulphur dioxide, this will cause acid rain and damage the marble and other materials which costs a lot to repair. One of the negative effects of the congestion charge is its knock-on effect on the wider community; with people looking for new routes, surrounding areas could become clogged with congestion, and we would have the same problem all over again. To conclude, after considering all the evidence for both sides, I think that overall congestion charges are a good idea. That's not to say that it doesn't have its negative points though, because it does. The information that most helped me reach my decision was the data I found, and my source 1, BBCNEWS report. This is because I feel the health of the people will be improving, and you can't really argue with that. Also, the fact that the money is being spent on the public- which I think is a brilliant idea. However, like I have said, the congestion charge does not come without its negative points, such as: people paying a ‘double tax' when they have no choice, delays and congestion being created on alternate routes due to drivers trying to avoid the congestion charge area, and also, the fact that some businesses are suffering is something that I find quite unacceptable. So yes, the system does need some tweaking, but overall think it is a good idea that initially solves a problem. I think my conclusion is valid because I have considered all of the evidence and made an educated decision.

The Effects of Warm up in Learning Second Language

The Effects of Warm up in Learning Second Language Abstraction One of the ways to larn the linguistic communication better is holding a good warm up activity. This paper aims to look into the effects of warm up as a category room activity in larning 2nd linguistic communication. It is traveling to hold a critical survey, and over position of some books and essays about this activity. This paper attends to supply the definition of warm up as an activity before the lesson. Then, it is traveling to detect that how could warm up impact the acquisition procedure? It is likely traveling to happen that holding a good warm up activity helps pupils to put for the new lesson. Cardinal words: Warm up activity, 2nd linguistic communication, larning procedure Introduction Warm up is one of the good methods for ESL pupils to larn the 2nd linguistic communication better. This paper introduces the construct of warm up as an activity which attracts pupil ‘s attending and helps them to concentrate on the subject. Literary reappraisal An interesting manner of get downing a lesson could be utilizing activities called warm-up activities or ice-breakers ( Robertson & A ; Acklam, 2000 ) . Teacher could get down warm up activity by utilizing some games, inquiring inquiries and holding treatments which all should be related to the subject or lesson. A warm up activity could assist a instructor to acknowledge the different types of pupil ‘s learning manner. Harmonizing to Cardenas ( 2001 ) , â€Å" Students learn best when they can turn to cognition in ways that they trust. They will larn best through making instead than reflecting † . Therefore, instructor could utilize different manners like drama, presentation, treatment, and wholly we could state by action. A warm up activity helps pupils to set aside any distractions which are in their head and focal point on subject, and it helps ESL pupils to believe in mark linguistic communication. Harmonizing to Peterson ( 2010 ) , â€Å" Get downing your lesson programs with a five minute warm up can function to concentrate your pupils on the subject, open up originative thought and aid to use the acquisition in new ways † . Purpose of the survey This paper assesses the impact of warm up on ESL pupils and purposes to analyze the effects of this activity on the acquisition procedure. It is traveling to analyze these inquiries: 1 ) what are the effects of warm up activity? , and 2 ) how could warm up impact the acquisition procedure? Which offers two hypotheses: 1 ) this activity may assist ESL pupils to believe in mark linguistic communication ( English ) and concentrate on the language,2 ) this activity may merely assist ESL pupils to set aside any distractions and possibly after awhile they will bury whatever they learned. Therefore, this paper is traveling to research the replies of these two inquiries and so it will detect which hypotheses are right. Method In progress this paper mentions two inquiries which are traveling to explicate in this subdivision. This paper by utilizing critical reappraisal about warm up provides the following replies to these inquiries ; 1 )What are the effects of warm up activity? This paper propounds five of import effects for warm up which are explained below. 1 ) Make a friendly environment. A brief warm up activity can construct a relationship between the pupils and the acquisition stuffs ( Hasan & A ; Akhand, 2013 ) .Warm up plants as an ice ledgeman ; it helps pupils to be comfy with the environment and their schoolmates. 2 ) Attract pupil ‘s attending. Walqui ( 2006 ) provinces, â€Å" by concentrating pupil ‘s attending on the chief thoughts, teacher first prepares the pupils for prosecuting them in synergistic undertakings to pattern † ( p.169 ) . A five or ten minute warm up attracts the pupil ‘s attending toward the lesson and besides being physically in the category it helps them being mentally in the schoolroom, excessively. 3 ) Activate the pupil ‘s background cognition. Rumelhart ( 1980 ) provinces, â€Å" we comprehend something merely when we can associate it to something we already know-only when we can associate the new experience to an bing cognition construction † ( as cited in Carrell, 1983, p.82 ) . Students might bury the things which they have learned from the last category or session. Hence, a warm up activity could trip their background cognition ; things they already know or learned. 4 ) Think in English and concentrate on the subject. Kay ( 1995 ) claims that warm ups are different types of activities which help the pupils begin to believe in English, reappraisal antecedently introduced stuffs and go interested in the lesson ( as cited in Velandia, 2008, p. 11 ) . A warm up activity could assist ESL pupils to get down believing in 2nd linguistic communication and bury any distractions and concentrate on the new subject or lesson. 5 ) Increase pupil ‘s engagement. Warm-up activities like gag, game, and perplex set up a positive acquisition environment and do the pupils comfy to take part in the schoolroom ( Joshi, 2006 ) . When a instructor uses warm up, because of its gratifying and interesting characteristic, pupils attends to take part or take topographic point in that activity. Students like to be involved in such an astonishing warm up activity ; it builds a sense of community inside them. Now this paper answers the 2nd inquiry which is: 2 )How could warm up impact the acquisition procedure? Learning procedure is facilitated through constructing a positive relationship with the pupils. A merriment or interesting category mostly depends on the instructors as their personality and learning method actuate the pupils to raise a positive attitude towards larning ( Krishnan & A ; Hoon, 2002 ) . Because of all those effects that warm up activity has on ESL pupils, it is obvious that warm up undertaking could impact the acquisition procedure, excessively. Following is a diagram which displays the effects of warm up undertaking briefly. Diagram: effects of warm up activity Discussion/conclusion This paper, in the intent of the survey, states two hypotheses: 1 ) this activity may assist ESL pupils to believe in mark linguistic communication ( English ) and concentrate on the language,2 ) this activity may merely assist ESL pupils to set aside any distractions and possibly after awhile they will bury whatever they learned. The first 1 is acceptable because it is right and existent, but the 2nd 1 is reject able because it could assist pupils to set away any distractions but when we use warm up activity, it is a reappraisal of what they learned. Hence, they could non bury whatever they learned. In amount up, this paper gets to the point that warm up activity is the best manner for believing in mark linguistic communication, puting for the new lesson, concentrating on the subject, and pulling the attending. Therefore, it should be short, interesting, related to the subject, and be at the pupils level or somewhat above ( i+1 ) to hold their consequence in larning the 2nd linguistic communication. Mentions Akther, A. ( 2014 ) .Role of Warm-up Activity in Language Classroom: A Tertiary Scenario. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //dspace.bracu.ac.bd/bitstream/handle/10361/3553/10303010.pdf? sequence=1 Hasan, M. K. , & A ; Akhand, M. M. ( 2013 ) .Schemes for Enhancing the Use of Textbooks in Language Classrooms at the Tertiary Level. ABAC Journal, 33 ( 2 ) , 1-14. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.abacjournal.au.edu/2013/may2013/01_StrategiesforEnhancing.pdf Pakdel Estaikhbijari, Z. & A ; Khodareza, M. ( 2012 ) .The Effects of Warm-up Tasks on the Persian EFL Students ‘ Writing Ability. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ies/article/viewFile/11691/10636 Peterson, D. ( 2010 ) .Warm-Up Exercises. [ Online ] Available: hypertext transfer protocol: // www.TeachingJobs.com ( September 17, 2010 ) Velandia, R. ( 2008 ) .The Role of Warming Up Activities in Adolescent Students’ Involvement During the English Class. Profile Journal, 10, 9-26. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.redalyc.org/pdf/1692/169214143002.pdf Walqui, A. ( 2006) . Scaffolding Instruction for English Language Learners: A Conceptual Model. The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 9 ( 2 ) , 159- 180. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.educacion.gob.es/exterior/centros/losangeles/es/series/201003-Scaffolding- Walqui.pdf Joshi, M. ( 2006 ) .Diverseness in Lecture-Delivery. Journal of NELTA, 11 ( 1-2 ) , 1-151. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //nelta.org.np/uploads/files/2006.pdf Krishnan, L. A. , & A ; Hoon, L. H. ( 2002 ) .Diaries: hearing to ‘voices’ from the multicultural schoolroom. ELT Journal, 56 ( 3 ) , 227-239. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/56/3/227.full.pdf+html? sid=c6d03ada-4f81-4786- 819c-78335f7f594a Cardenas, M. L. ( 2001 ) .Reacting to Children ‘s Learning Styles. How, 8, 17-22. Robertson, C. , & A ; Acklam, R. ( 2000 ) .Action Plan for Teachers a usher to learning English. London, UK: BBC World Service. Kay, C. ( 1995 ) .Scott Foresman English series. Baltimore, Maryland: Scott Foresman. Carrell, P. L. ( 1983 ) .Some Issues in Analyzing the Role of Schemata, or Background Knowledge, in Second Language Comprehension. Reading in a foreign linguistic communication, 1 ( 2 ) , 81-92. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/PastIssues/rfl12carrell.pdf

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 11

Chapter 11 A SLUG TRAIL OF GOOD CHEER He might have been made of polished mahogany except that when he moved, he moved like liquid. The stage lights reflected green and red off his bald head as he swayed on the stool and teased the strings of a blond Stratocaster with the severed neck of a beer bottle. His name was Catfish Jefferson, and he was seventy, or eighty, or one hundred years old, and not unlike Roberto the fruit bat, he wore sunglasses indoors. Catfish was a bluesman, and on the night before the night before Christmas, he was singing up a forlorn twelve-bar blues fog in the Head of the Slug saloon. Caught my baby boning Santa, Underneath the mistletoe (Lawd have mercy). Caught my baby boning Santa, Underneath the mistletoe. Used to be my Christmas angel, Now she just a Christmas ho. â€Å"I hear dat!† shouted Gabe Fenton. â€Å"Sho-nufF, sho-nuff. True dat, my brutha.† Theophilus Crowe looked at his friend, just one in a whole line of awkward, heartbroken men at the bar, rocking almost in rhythm to the beat, and shook his head. â€Å"Could you possibly be any whiter?† Theo asked. â€Å"I gots the blues up in me,† Gabe said. â€Å"She sho-nuff did me wrong.† Gabe had been drinking. Theo, while not quite sober, had not. (He had shared a toothpick-thin spliff of Big Sur polio weed with Catfish Jefferson between sets, the two of them standing in the back parking lot of the Slug, trying to coax fire out of a disposable lighter in a forty-knot wind.) â€Å"Didn't think you muthafuckas had weather here,† Catfish croaked, having sucked the joint so far down that the ember looked like the burning eye of a demon staring out of a cave of dark finger and lip. (The calluses on the tips of his fingers were impervious to the heat.) â€Å"El Ni;o,† Theo said, letting loose a blast of smoke. â€Å"Say what?† â€Å"It's a warm ocean current in the Pacific. Comes up the coast every ten years or so. Screws up the fishing, brings torrential rains, storms. They think we might be having an El Nià ±o this year.† â€Å"When will they know?† The bluesman had put on his leather fedora and was holding it fast against the wind. â€Å"Usually after everything floods, the wine crop is ruined, and a lot of cliffside houses slide into the ocean.† â€Å"And dat because the water too warm?† â€Å"Right.† â€Å"No wonder the whole country hate your ass,† said Catfish. â€Å"Let's go inside fo' my narrow ass gets blowed back to Clarksville.† â€Å"It's not that bad,† said Theo. â€Å"I think it'll blow over.† Winter denial – Theo did it, most Californians did it – they assumed that because the weather was nice most of the time, it would be nice all of the time, and so, in the midst of a rainstorm, you'd find people outdoors without an umbrella, or when nights dipped into the thirties, you'd still see someone dip-pumping his gas in surfer shorts and a tank top. So even as the National Weather Service was telling the Central Coast to batten down the hatches, as they were about to get the storm of the decade, and even though winds were gusting to fifty knots a full day before the storm made landfall, the people of Pine Cove carried on with their holiday routine like nothing out of the ordinary could happen to them. Winter denial: therein lay the key to California Schadenfreude – the secret joy that the rest of the country feels at the misfortune of California. The country said: â€Å"Look at them, with their fitness and their tans, their beaches and their movie stars, their Silicon Valley and silicone breasts, their orange bridge and their palm trees. God, I hate those smug, sunshiny bastards!† Because if you're up to your navel in a snowdrift in Ohio, nothing warms your heart like the sight of California on fire. If you're shoveling silt out of your basement in the Fargo flood zone, nothing brightens your day like watching a Malibu mansion tumbling down a cliff into the sea. And if a tornado just peppered the land around your Oklahoma town with random trailer trash and redneck nuggets, then you can find a quantum of solace in the fact that the earth actually opened up in the San Fernando Valley and swallowed a whole caravan of commuting SUVs. Mavis Sand even indulged in a little California Schadenfreude, and she was a Californian born and raised. Secretly, she wished for and enjoyed the forest fires every year. Not so much because she liked watching the state burn down, but because for Mavis's money, there was nothing better than watching a burly man in rubber handling a hefty hose, and during the fires, there were plenty of those on the news. â€Å"Fruitcake?† Mavis said, offering a suspicious slice on a dessert plate to Gabe Fenton, who was drunkenly trying to convince Theo Crowe that he had a genetic predisposition toward the blues, using some impressively large words that no one but he understood, and periodically asking if he could get an ;amen; and â€Å"five up high,† which, as it turned out, he could not. What he could get was fruitcake. â€Å"Mercy, mercy, my momma done made a fruitcake look just like that,† Gabe howled. â€Å"Lawd rest her soul.† Gabe reached for the plate, but Theo intercepted it and held it out of the biologist's reach. â€Å"First,† Theo said, â€Å"your mother was an anthro professor and never baked a thing in her life, and second, she is not dead, and third, you are an atheist.† â€Å"Can I get an amen?!† Gabe countered. Theo raised an eyebrow of accusation toward Mavis. â€Å"I thought we talked about no fruitcake this year.† The prior Christmas, Mavis's fruitcake had put two people into detox. She'd sworn that it would be the last year. Mavis shrugged. â€Å"This cake's nearly a virgin. There's only a quart of rum and barely a handful of Vicodin.† â€Å"Let's not,† Theo said, handing the plate back. â€Å"Fine,† Mavis said. â€Å"But get your buddy off his blues jag. He's embarrassing me. And I once blew a burro in a nightclub and wasn't embarrassed, so that's saying something.† â€Å"Jeez, Mavis,† Theo said, trying to shake the picture from his mind. â€Å"What? I didn't have my glasses on. I thought he was a hirsute insurance salesman with talent.† â€Å"I'd better get him home,† Theo said, nudging Gabe, who had turned his attention to a young woman on his right who was wearing a low-cut red sweater and had been moving from stool to stool all night long, waiting for someone to talk to her. â€Å"Hi,† Gabe said to the woman's cleavage. â€Å"I'm not involved in the human experience and I have no redeeming qualities as a man.† â€Å"Me either,† said Tucker Case, from the stool on the other side of the red-sweater woman. â€Å"Do people keep telling you that you're a psychopath, too? I hate that.† Tucker Case, under several layers of glibness and guile, was actually quite broken up over his breakup with Lena Marquez. It wasn't so much that she had become a part of his life in the two days he had known her, but that she had begun to represent hope. And as the Buddha said: â€Å"Hope is merely another face of desire. And desire is a motherfucker.† He'd gone out seeking human company to help dilute the disappointment. In another time, he'd have picked up the first woman he encountered, but his man-slut days had left him lonelier than ever, and he would not tread that lubricious path again. â€Å"So,† Tuck said to Gabe, â€Å"did you just get dumped?† â€Å"She led me on,† Gabe said. â€Å"She tore my guts out. Evil, thy name is woman!† â€Å"Don't talk to him,† Theo said, taking Gabe by the shoulder and unsuccessfully trying to pull him off his bar stool. â€Å"This guy's no good.† The young woman sitting between Tuck and Gabe looked from one to the other, then to Theo, then at her breasts, then at the men, as if to say, Are you guys blind? I've been sitting here all night, with these, and you're going to ignore me. Tucker Case was ignoring her – well, except for inspecting her sweater cakes as he talked to Gabe and Theo. â€Å"Look, Constable, maybe we got off on the wrong foot –  » â€Å"Wrong foot?† Theo's voice almost broke. As upset as he appeared, he appeared to be talking to the woman in the red sweater's breasts, rather than to Tucker Case, who was only a foot beyond them. â€Å"You threatened me.† â€Å"He did?† said Gabe, angling for a better look down the red sweater. â€Å"That's harsh, buddy. Theo just got thrown out of the house.† â€Å"Can you believe guys our age can still fall so hard?† Tuck said to Theo, looking up from the cleavage to convey his sincerity. He felt bad about blackmailing Theo, but, much like helping Lena hide the body, sometimes certain unpleasantries needed to be done, and being a pilot and a man of action, he did them. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Theo asked. â€Å"Well, Lena and I have parted ways, Constable. Shortly after you and I spoke this morning.† â€Å"Really?† Now Theo looked up from the woolly mounds of intrigue. â€Å"Really,† Tuck said. â€Å"And I'm sorry things happened the way they did.† â€Å"That doesn't really change anything, does it?† â€Å"Would it make a difference if I told you that I absolutely did not harm this alleged Dale Pearson, and neither did Lena?† â€Å"I don't think he was alleged,† said Gabe, slurring at the breasts. â€Å"I'm pretty sure he was confirmed Dale Pearson.† â€Å"Whatever,† said Tuck. â€Å"Would that change anything? Would you believe that?† Theo didn't speak right away but appeared to be waiting for an answer from the decolletage oracle. When he looked up at Tuck again he said, â€Å"Yeah, I believe you.† Tuck nearly aspirated the ginger ale he was drinking. When he stopped sputtering he said, â€Å"Wow, you suck as a lawman, Theo. You can't just believe a strange guy who tells you something in a bar.† Tuck wasn't accustomed to being believed by anyone, so to have someone take him at face value†¦ â€Å"Hey, hey, hey,† said Gabe. â€Å"That's uncalled for –  » â€Å"Well, fuck you guys!† said the woman in the red sweater. She jumped up from her stool and snatched her keys off the bar. â€Å"I am a person, too, you know? And these are not speakerphones,† she said, grabbing her breasts underneath and shaking them at the offenders, her keys jingling cheerfully as she did, completely defusing the effect of her anger. â€Å"Oh – my – God,† said Gabe. â€Å"You can't just ignore a person like that! Besides, you're all too old and you're losers and I'd rather be alone on Christmas than spend five minutes with any of you horn dogs!† And with that she threw some cash on the bar, turned, and stormed out of the bar. Because they were men, Theo, Tuck, and Gabe watched her ass as she walked away. â€Å"Too old?† Tuck said. â€Å"She was what, twenty-seven, twenty-eight?† â€Å"Yeah,† Theo said. â€Å"Late twenties, maybe early thirties. I didn't think we were ignoring her.† Mavis Sand took the money off the bar and shook her head. â€Å"You were all paying her proper attention. Woman's got some issues when she's jealous of her own parts.† â€Å"I was thinking about icebergs,† said Gabe. â€Å"About how only ten percent of them show above the surface, yet below lies the really dangerous part. Oh, no, I got the blues on me again.† His head hit the bar and bounced. Tuck looked to Theo. â€Å"You want some help getting him to the car?† â€Å"He's a very smart guy,† said Theo. â€Å"He has a couple of Ph.D.s.† â€Å"Okay. Do you want some help getting the doctor to the car?† Theo was trying to get a shoulder under Gabe's arm, but given that he was nearly a foot taller than his friend, things weren't working very well. â€Å"Theo,† Mavis barked. â€Å"Don't be such a friggin' wanker. Let the man help you.† After three unsuccessful attempts at hefting the bag of sand that was Gabe Fenton, Theo nodded to Tuck. They each took an arm and walked/dragged the biologist toward the back door. â€Å"If he hurls I'm aiming him at you,† Theo said. â€Å"Lena loved these shoes,† said Tuck. â€Å"But you do what you feel like you need to.† â€Å"I have no sex appeal, a rum-pa-pa-pum,† sang Gabe Fenton, in spirit with the season. â€Å"My social skills are nil, a rum-pa-pa-pum.† â€Å"Did that actually rhyme?† asked Tuck. â€Å"He's a bright guy,† said Theo. Mavis creaked ahead of them and held the door. â€Å"So, I'll see you pathetic losers at the Lonesome Christmas party, right?† They stopped, looked at one another, felt camaraderie in their collective loserdom, and reluctantly nodded. â€Å"My lunch is coming up, a rum-pa-pa-pum,† sang Gabe. Meanwhile, the girls were running around the Santa Rosa Chapel, putting up decorations and preparing the table settings for a Lonesome Christmas. Lena Marquez was making her third circumnavigation of the room with a stepladder, some masking tape, and rolls of green and red crepe paper the size of truck tires. (Price Club in San Junipero only sold one size, evidently so you could decorate your entire ocean liner without making two trips.) The act of serial festooning had taken Lena's mind off her troubles, but now the little chapel was starting to resemble nothing more than the nest of a color-blind Ewok. If someone didn't intervene soon the Lonesome Christmas guests would be in danger of being asphyxiated in a festive dungeon of holiday bondage. Fortunately, as Lena was moving the ladder to make her fourth round, Molly Michon snaked a foot inside and pulled the chapel's double doors open; the wind from the growing storm swept in and tore the paper from the walls. â€Å"Well, fuck!† said Lena. The crepe paper swam in a vortex around the middle of the room, then settled into a great wad under one of the buffet tables Molly had set up to one side. â€Å"I told you a staple gun would work better than masking tape,† Molly said. She was holding three stainless-steel pans of lasagna and still managed to get the oak double doors closed against the wind with her feet. She was agile that way. â€Å"This is a historical landmark, Molly. You can't just go shooting staples into the walls.† â€Å"Right, like that matters after Armageddon. Take these downstairs to the fridge,† Molly said, handing the pans to Lena. â€Å"I'll get you the staple gun out of my car.† â€Å"What does that mean?† Lena asked. â€Å"Do you mean our relationships?† But Molly had bounded back out through the double doors into the wind. She'd been making more and more cryptic comments like that lately. Like she was talking to someone in the room besides Lena. It was strange. Lena shrugged and headed back to the little room behind the altar and the steps that led downstairs. Lena didn't like going into the basement of the chapel. It wasn't really a basement; it was more of a cellar: sandstone walls that smelled of damp earth, a concrete floor that had been poured without a vapor barrier fifty years after the cellar had been dug and so seeped moisture and formed a fine slime on top in the winter. Even when the stove was cranked and an electric heater turned on, it was never warm. Besides, the old, empty pews stored down there cast shadows that made her feel as if people were watching her. â€Å"Mmmm, lasagna,† said Marty in the Morning, your drive-time dead guy in the a.m. â€Å"Dudes and dudettes, the little lady has certainly outdone herself this time. Get a whiff of that?† The graveyard was abuzz with moldy anticipation of the Lonesome Christmas party. â€Å"It's highly inappropriate, that's what it is,† said Esther. â€Å"I suppose it's better than that horrible Mavis Sand woman barbecuing again. And how is it that she's still alive, anyway? She's older than I am.† â€Å"Than dirt, you mean?† said Jimmy Antalvo, whose faceprint was still embedded in a telephone pole on the Pacific Coast Highway, where he'd hit it at age nineteen. â€Å"Please, child, if you must be rude, at least be original,† said Malcolm Cowley. â€Å"Don't compound the tedium with cliche.† â€Å"My wife used to put a layer of hot Italian sausage between every layer of cheese and noodles,† said Arthur Tannbeau. â€Å"Now, that was some good eatin'.† â€Å"Sort of explains the heart attack, too, doesn't it?† said Bess Leander. Being poisoned had left a bitter taste in her mouth that seven years of death could not wash away. â€Å"I thought we agreed not to talk about COD guilt,† said Arthur. â€Å"Didn't we agree on that?† COD was shorthand of the dead for Cause of Death. â€Å"We did agree,† said Marty in the Morning. â€Å"I do hope that they sing ‘Good King Wenceslas, † said Esther. â€Å"Shut the fuck up about ‘Good King Wenceslas, would you? No one knows the words to ‘Good King Wenceslas, no one ever has.† â€Å"My, my, the new guy is cranky,† said Warren Talbot, who had once been a painter of landscapes but after liver failure at seventy was fertilizing one. â€Å"Well, it's gonna be a great party to listen to,† said Marty in the Morning. â€Å"Did you hear the constable's wife talking about Armageddon? She's definitely taking a cruise down the Big Nutty.† â€Å"I am not!† shouted Molly, who had come down to the basement to help Lena clear space in the two refrigerators for the salads and desserts that they had yet to unload. â€Å"Who are you talking to?† said Lena, a little frightened at the outburst. â€Å"I think I've made my point,† said Marty in the Morning.