Binge Drinking in College Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Binge Drinking in College - Research Paper Example Dasgupta (80) reports that binge drinking is very common among the youth in modern societies. Studies have shown that large numbers of students in colleges and universities consume alcohol heavily. For example, Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol conducted a research in which they studied the rate of drinking among students in colleges and universities within a period of four years in 1993, 1997 and 1999 in America. The researchers selected full-time students randomly and issued them with questionnaires to fill. During each of the three periods of study, 15,000 students responded to the questionnaire. After the results were compiled, they found that out of five students in a college, two of them were binge drinkers. Also, they established that one student out of five in a college is a frequent binge drinker who engages in binge drinking three or more times within a period of fourteen days. According to the study, the rate of alcohol consumption kept on increasing year aft er year. Binge drinking among students in college and universities is a matter of national concern because its effects are detrimental to the development of a country. The government should try to minimize the problem because it not only affects an individual, but also the welfare of the society as a whole. Although, all age groups consume alcohol, studies have shown that youths aged between 18 and 24 years show the highest rate and are, therefore, at a high risk of facing problems associated with heavy drinking.

Proposition 34 Case Essay Example for Free

Proposition 34 Case Essay If the states voters approve it, Proposition 34 will eliminate the death penalty in California and replace it with life in prison without the possibility of parole. Specifically, Proposition 34 will: Repeal the death penalty as maximum punishment for people found guilty of murder and replace it with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Apply retroactively to people already sentenced to death. Require people found guilty of murder to work while in prison, with their wages to be applied to any victim restitution fines or orders against them. Create a $100 million fund to be distributed to law enforcement agencies to help solve more homicide and rape cases. California has seven hundred and twenty five people on death row. Seven of the seven hundred and twenty five people currently on death row have exhausted all appeals and are therefore eligible for execution; although a federal judge said that legal challenges to Californias lethal injection procedure must be resolved before any of them could be executed. The last time a prisoner was put to death in California was in 2006. California is one of 33 states that currently authorize the death penalty. The death penalty in California was judicially invalidated in the 1970s and was then reinstated as Proposition 7 in 1978. Thirteen inmates have been executed since then. Some arguments people are making who are FOR proposition 34 are that more than one hundred innocent people have been sentenced to death in the United States, and some have been executed. Their argument is stating that if proposition 34 is passed then we will never execute an innocent person in California again. Another argument is that California’s death penalty is too closely and broken beyond repair. They argue that one, only thirteen people have been executed since 1967-no one since 2006, most death row inmates die of old age. Two, we waste millions of tax dollars on special housing and taxpayer-financed appeals that can last 25 years. And last but not least in today’s society death row inmates sit around doing nothing. More arguments are that proposition 34 will make convicted killers work and pay into victims’ compensation fund, it will keep the killers in prison until they die, it will free up millions of tax dollars (to help our schools and to catch more murderers and rapists), and it saves money. Supporters are saying people think death penalty is cheaper then life in prison but they are wrong. Supporters also say California will save nearly $1 billion in five years, and the money could be spent on law  enforcement and our schools. Another thing supporters say is that there are more then one million unsolved cases of murders, so if we demolish the death penalty then some money can go to DNA testing, crime labs, and all other tools that help solve rapes and murders. Arguments that non supporters are making is that California is broke and abolishing the death penalty will cost tax payers over $10 0 million in the next four years and many years and many millions more in the future, instead of justice, killers get lifetime housing/healthcare benefits. Proposition 34 is not about saving money, it is about ACLU’s agenda to weaken public safety laws. Proposition 34 lets serial killers, cop killers, child killers, and those who kill the elderly, escape justice. Proponents don’t acknowledge that when California’s death penalty was eliminated before, condemned criminals were released only to rape and kill again. Voters had to restore capital punishment to restore justice. The death penalty is given to less than 2% of murderers whose crimes are so shocking that juries of law-abiding citizens unanimously delivered the sentence. Capital murder victims include: two hundred and twenty five children, forty three police officers, two hundred and thirty five raped and murdered, and ninety tortured and murdered. Non- Supporters also say that ACLU is the problem and that it is the ACLU and supporters who have disrupted fair implementation of the law with endless delays. Other states including Ohio and Arizona give criminals full rights and fairly enforce the death penalty. California can too. Also, that marketing Proposition 34, supporters make cost claims based on newspaper articles and â€Å"studies† written by the ACLU or other death penalty opponents. Department of Corrections data suggests abolishing capital punishment will result in increased long-term costs in the tens of millions, just for housing/healthcare. Taxpayers will spend at least $50,000 annually to care for each convicted killer who didn’t think twice about killing innocent children, cops, mothers and fathers. Non supporters say proposition 34 proponents don’t want you to know that it is not about the money, it is about their political agenda. In my opinion, if I were voting, I would vote no on proposition 34 because I feel that if someone can murder or rape another person then they deserve to die. There are way too many people in this world that are raping and killing others so we need to get rid of the ones already caught. I feel that if people actually start to get executed  for their stupidity then others will start to think twice before they go and rape or kill some one else. If we take away the death penalty then I feel that people will begin to kill and rape even more because in their minds it is â€Å"Hey, it’s only life in prison without parole, I still get benefits and I get to work†. If the death penalty get abolished California is screwed! Works Cited http://www.smartvoter.org/2012/11/06/ca/state/prop/34/

Impact of European Colonialism and Imperialism on African Women Essay e

Effect of European Imperialism on African Women      Ã‚  Ã‚   What effect did the European imperialism in Africa have on the women of both continents? And was this effect advantageous or injurious to the women themselves? Judging by the extremely limited amount of information available on the subject, one could conclude probably a very minimal one. However, upon further investigation, one can see that this effect, although ignored by historians, was very profound and real to the women who lived in Africa in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The majority of the information obtained is about the impact of imperialism on the women of Africa, which is to be expected in today's politically-correct society. However, this causes some difficulty in understanding the consequences of imperialism for women in Europe. Thus that topic won't be addressed here. In Africa, however, the European colonialism completely altered a lifestyle and culture, particularly the roles of women in that culture (Gross and Bingham volume II 52). There is some disagreement as to whether the effects of European imperialism over Africa were detrimental to the progress of women.    It's difficult to understand the effects that Europe had on Africa until one comprehends the state of living for the women before Europeans embarked upon their colonialism. Women were traditionally considered equals or near equals to men in many aspects of some African societies. Farming was the primary occupation of almost every African woman (Gross and Bingham volume I 70). Women were a significant part of the work force and essential to their families' survival (Gross and Bingham volume I 53). Many tribes had female chiefs, and females were given other high-ranki... ...ism." European Imperialism. Online. Internet. 27 Feb. 2000. Available. <http://www.ga.k12.pa.us/academics/US/history/euro/euroread/imp.htm>. "French in West Africa." University of Pennsylvania African Studies. Online. Internet. 27 Feb. 2000. Available. <http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/k-12/french_16178.html>. "Gender, Culture, and Class in Walter Rodney's Writings on Guyana." Saxakali-Publications. Online. Internet. 27 Feb. 2000. Available. <http://saxakali.com/saxakali-publications/moses6.htm>. Gross, Susan Hill and Marjorie Wall Bingham. Women in Africa of the Sub-Sahara, volume I: Ancient Times to the 20th Century. St. Louis Park: Glenhurst Publications, 1982. Gross, Susan Hill and Marjorie Wall Bingham. Women in Africa of the Sub-Sahara, volume II: The 20th Century. St. Louis Park: Glenhurst Publications, 1982.   

Othello Commentary Essay

Shakespeare’s Othello is a play about love, jealousy and racism. Othello is a Moor, who is kidnapped as a child and brought to Venice, where he grows up, becomes a mercenary and through his bravery rises to the rank of General of the Venetian army. Othello is in love with the beautiful Desdemona, daughter of a senator and is secretly married to her. Iago, his junior, jealous of his success attempts to destroy Othello and Desdemona and through his machinations obliterates love, honour and beauty. This passage marks the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2, and we see Iago come from badmouthing Othello to Roderigo and in this scene, he badmouths Roderigo to Othello. As in the first scene, the reader is sort of a voyeur, listening in to people’s conversations and making judgements or opinions of the characters based on the conversations we hear. Iago is a clever speaker and has a way with words. He has spoken of Othello to Roderigo in the first scene and called him all kinds of insulting names and adjudged him to be a criminal and bestial man. This scene begins with Iago, Othello and some attendants making their entrance. Iago recounts his supposed conversation with Roderigo to Othello and tells him that Roderigo has insulted Othello and Iago had been very upset with him and had tried everything to save Othello’s honour. He had also told Roderigo that despite his experience in battle, he had been overlooked for the job of Othello’s deputy. In his conversation with Othello, he uses â€Å"trade of war† to demonstrate his experience as it his trade and he is an able soldier having killed many men in battle, but though Roderigo insulted Othello, it was only because of his conscience that he had been able to stop himself from stabbing Roderigo. In this manner he is able to show the goodness of his heart and also question Othello, if he remembers that he is an experienced soldier. His use of conscience and â€Å"contrived murder† attempt to show Othello that it would have been like murder, which is planned, and not the right thing to do, though he was very angry with Roderigo and would have liked to stab him, â€Å" Nine or ten times. † By using the number of times he would have liked to stab Roderigo and also â€Å"yerked him here, under the ribs† he portrays his anger but also his indecisiveness. We also see that Iago’s use of â€Å"conscience†, at this time in the play leads to the audience’s knowledge of the reality of his lack of a conscience. Othello is happy that Iago has not taken any undue action and tells him its better that things are as they remain. Iago on the other hand, continues his tirade against Roderigo and tells Othello that Roderigo kept repeating himself, he â€Å"prated† or went on and on insulting Othello and spoke â€Å"such scurvy and provoking terms†. Shakespeare’s use of alliteration â€Å"such scurvy† only emphasise the point that Iago is trying to make that Roderigo used very contemptible terms, which were an insult to Othello’s honour. Iago then tries to show that he is a compassionate man, saying, â€Å"with the little godliness I have†, in an attempt to place himself in Othello’s good books. The use of the words,† full hard forbear him† once again are an attempt to portray Iago in a good light, as he says that it took all of his control not to attack Roderigo. full† and â€Å"hard† both have similar meanings, and are used to show the amount of control it took Iago not to do anything. The next line is an abrupt departure from the subject of Roderigo and Iago suddenly asks Othello, â€Å"Are you fast married? † perhaps this is an attempt by Iago to surprise Othello in to disclosing whether he is really married to Desdemona and the word, †fast† is us ed to suggest whether this marriage has been consummated, as if it has not been then perhaps it could still be annulled. He also suggests that Desdemona’s father is a very powerful man, â€Å"Magnifico†, a word that was used for the most powerful men in Venice. He also implies that the senator is so powerful that he commands more power than the Duke of Venice and will be able to get Desdemona divorced and Othello punished very severely. Shakespeare’s use of â€Å"a voice potential† signifies a power that is extremely strong and that no one will be able to against the voice of the Magnifico. Moreover he will be able to use all the might of the law to destroy Othello, as he is also an outsider and Venetian law favoured the Venetians. Othello, on the other hand, is not cowed by Iago’s words and tells him that he is not afraid and the Magnifico can do as he pleases. He believes that his service to the state and the rest of the wealthy citizens of Venice will be enough to protect him. He believes that his services will â€Å"out tongue† his complaints meaning that his services are worth more than another’s words, even a Magnifico’s. Othello tells Iago that he shall only boast of his descent when it is necessary and will tell the world that he too is a prince and his deficiencies or â€Å"demerits† can speak for themselves when he is in front of men of a lineage as regal as his. He also tells him that it is his good fortune that he has been able to win the hand of someone as gentle as Desdemona. He compares her to the treasures of the ocean, as pearls and other sunken treasure litter the sea floor. This comparison to treasure shows the measure of his love for Desdemona and he is willing to sacrifice everything for her. Othello and Iago are surprised to see some men entering and Iago counsels Othello to hide. He tells him that Desdemona’s father and his friends have come to seek him and suggest he hide. Not surprisingly, Othello refuses as he is a honourable man and has nothing to hide, declaring, â€Å" Not I, I must be found†. The use of repetition, â€Å"I† portrays the strength and self-respect that Othello possesses. In the next line he once again repeats, â€Å"My parts, my title and my perfect soul† the repetition of the word â€Å"my† is once again used to portray the nobleness of his soul and is indicative of his honour. To his question if it is really the senator, Iago replies swearing,† By Janus, I think no. † Shakespeare uses classical allusion her by referring to Janus, the two headed Roman god, signifying Iago’s duplicity. They are met by Cassio, Othello’s lieutenant and some guards, who bid him accompany them, as the Duke wants an audience with him. Cassio uses the words, â€Å"haste-post-haste† signifying the urgency with which Othello is required to accompany them to the Duke. Othello departs while questioning Cassio to the urgency of this command. This passage lays the groundwork and shows the duplicity of Iago and the lengths he is willing to go to integrate himself with Othello, while plotting his downfall. It also becomes evident that Iago and Othello are diametrically opposite characters. Iago, who is willing to do or say anything to achieve his ambitions, while Othello is a honourable man, who is willing to do anything for his love Desdemona and is proud of his achievements and his lineage.

Juvie Three Essay

Imagine that you have stolen a car and got away to help your brother get away from the crime scene where he stole some video games. Then while you are driving after the getaway the car flips over and you wake up behind rusted bars in an orange jumpsuit. Going to juvie is tough for this 14 year old and 2 others but their second chance has luckily come. They are all offered to get out of juvie by Douglas Healy. The three boys have to live in apartment with him in NYC and they have to go to school, work, be involved in a community service and attend therapy sessions. One slipup and they are back to juvie. Terrence, one of the 3 boys tries to escape through the emergency escape but Arjay, another one of the boys, and Gecko stop him and get into an argument. Healy comes and tries to settle it down but falls over and hits the ground unconscious. The boys steal a car and rush him to a hospital. Stealing the car was something they would get sent back to juvie for, so they try to play it off that Healy is still with them even though he has lost his memory and is in the hospital. As they do that they get away from the cops chasing them when breaking Healy out. He regains memory when they are in a battle with the worst gang in NY. Three versus five man battle they were outnumbered. But the cops spot the action on the emergency escape and stop it. Gecko put the car back exactly where he found it after he stole it and they broke out Healy because of all the right reasons even though it was wrong so they are home free. Well not Terence, Gecko, and Arjay but they don’t go to juvie.

Lady Bug in Human Life Analysis Essay

Lady Bug in Human Life Analysis Essay Lady Bug in Human Life Essay Sample Lady Bug in Human Life Essay Sample Entomology is an important study nowadays. This is due to the fact that it helps and enables people to understand the importance of the diverse living organisms. This paper is focusing on ladybug. This insect has been of great importance to the human beings and environment. The ladybird is also known as ladybeetle or ladybird beetle. There exist around five thousand species of this insect. It also a famous fact that ladybird beetle has been always welcome since people consider them as a sign of good luck (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). The ladybird beetles also have appealing colors which may vary. The most common colors that are dominant are orange and red. The ladybug body structure is oval or dome shaped. Their body also consists of three pairs of legs. One ladybug can consume over five thousand insects during its life period (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). It is considered that ladybugs have been accidentally introduced in New Orleans (Evans, Bellamy, 2000). The ladybud infe station has been increasing their population in Louisiana, Pennsylvania and other Northern States of the U.S over the years (Dreistadt, 2004). The purpose of this paper is to identify the different species of the ladybug. Moreover, understanding of the impacts of the ladybag is also demonstrated. The paper also intends to explain the origin of ladybird beetle in the U.S and why it was introduced in the country. In order to successfully understand the nature of this insect, the bug should be analyzed according to its scientific classification. It is also necessary to understand the life stages that the bud undergoes in order to become a satisfied adult. Since the bug is important to the ecosystem, this requires efforts to protect them and ensure that their species are maintained. Classification of the Lady Beetle The scientific name of the ladybug is Coccinellidae Septempunctata (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). They come from the family of the Coccinellidae. Coccinellid is a word that has the Latin origin from the word Cocconeus, which means scarlet (Dreistadt, 2004). The family of Coccinellidae consists mainly of beetles. The lady bud’s habitat is the grass, lands, and forests. Ladybird beetle are classified as omnivore due to their diet, which includes mainly aphids and pollen (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). The ladybug belongs to the kingdom of Animalia and to the class Insecta. The ladybug is also classified in the phylum Arthropoda and corresponds to Coleoptera (Dreistadt, 2004). The ladybird beetle has several species. In Kentucky U.S, there are several species, which include: Coleomegilla mecutata, Harmonia axyridis, Hippodamia convergens, Coccinella septempunctata. Coleomegilla mencutata. They are characterized by their adult and larva consuming on aphids (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). They are also known due to their habit of feeding over fifty percent of pollen grains (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). They are pink with reddish spots. Harmonia axyridis are orange in color, and most of them do not have spots on their body. Hippodamia are also found in Kentucky, and they are orange and black. The size of their body structure is medium. Coccinella septempunctata has also medium body size (Dreistadt, 2004). They are usually characterized by their seven spotted body. In Colorado, there is also a variety of ladybug species, which include Epilachna varivestis and Adalia bipunctata among many others (Dreistadt, 2004). Epilachna varivestic is commonly known as Mexican bean beetle. These species feed the plants and are mainly found on the bean farms. Adalia bipunctata is also a species of the ladybird beetle family. It is commonly known as two spotted lady beetle. It is also easily identified since it has two spots on its body as well as red wing. In Queens land in Australasia, the dominant species of the lady beetle is Henosepilachna guttatopustulata (Slipinski, 2013). This Henosepilachna guttatopustulata feeds primarily the plants. They are reddish with black and little orange color. In New Zealand, there is the Apolinus lividigaster (Slipinski, 2013). This species is black with yellow spots, which makes it different from the other species. They consume aphid as their main diet. Lady Bug Life Cycle The lady beetle life cycle is mainly characterized by the complete metamorphosis. This means that the life cycle has four transitions, namely from the egg, larva, pupa, and adult respectively. Egg Stage The ladybug lays its eggs in the first stage. The insect searches suitable place with a favorable climate and availability of aphid. The eggs laid by lady beetle are yellow and have an oval shape (Dreistadt, 2004). The eggs are usually in clusters, and they are found beneath the surface of the leaves. The eggs of lad bug are unique in a way that they can be differentiated from other eggs laid by the insects (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). The difference includes color and the size of the egg. They are also laid on any leaf as long as there is presence of their prey (Dreistadt, 2004). Then, it takes a period of three to five days for the eggs to hutch and become larva. This is, however, affected by the temperature of the surroundings. Before the egg hutches, it maybe be observed that its color changes can. In the last stage, its color becomes gray (Slipinski, 2013). Larva Stage The larva stage is characterized as a transitional growth of the lady bird beetle from egg stage to pupa. The larva has a bow shaped leg, which is reflected to its appearance (Evans, Bellamy, 2000). The larva molt four times as they grow into the pupa stage. Moreover, its development has three steps and the molting usually occurs between the stages (Slipinski, 2013). This phase takes place during a period of ten to fourteen days. The color of larva is usually orange and black. Its body structure is mainly characterized by its similarity to the alligator and is long in length (Slipinski, 2013). The development of larva takes place in plants whereas their diet at this period is mainly aphid. During this stage, the larva does not move to any place (Dreistadt, 2004). The last phase is also known as pre-pupa stage. Pupa Stage Pupa stage is the period between the larva and adulthood. During the last phase of larva they shad their cover to become pupa later (Dreistadt, 2004). However, some pupas still have the skin from the larva stage, which covers some of its parts. The pupa is mostly black with reddish spots on their body. It is worth notinh that during this period the pupa is on the upper surface of the leaf and it usually faces downwards (Slipinski, 2013). During this stage, the pupa can move when disturbed by anything. Moreover, it also does not eat. The pupa can take five to eight days to become an adult depending on the weather conditions (Slipinski, 2013). Adult The pupa lasts for five to seven days in order to become a full satisfied adult. When the pupa has shed its cover, it is still fragile and soft (Slipinski, 2013). The adult is approximately a quarter inch in length. Their body structure is characterized with three body segments. The segments include head, thorax, and abdomen. The head is the first segment followed by the thorax and then the abdomen respectively. The adults are mostly dark red and pale orange with black spotted body. They are dome shaped and have tiny legs (Slipinski, 2013). Their legs are shiny, and they have antennae, which are also small in size (Dreistadt, 2004). The adult and larva have a common similarity, which is the fact that they both feed aphids. The adult ladybird beetle usually moves to the areas, which are infested with pests and other insects. This is probably due to the fact that they are seeking their own food and a place where they can lay their eggs. A single lady bird can lay eggs from the range of five hundred to seven hundred eggs (Dreistadt, 2004). The lady bird beetle usually migrates to other places if their breeding ground experiences a reduction of pests. During this period, they usually move to the highland where there is presence of nectar and pollen grains, which they opt to consume (Evans, Bellamy, 2000). The beetle also feeds caterpillar, mites, soft scale, aphid and small insects. The adult ladybug can live for a period from two to three years; then, its life cycle is complete. A single ladybird beetle can have two generations annually, which is also dependent to the availability of their prey (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). Origin of the Ladybird Beetle Most of the lady bird beetle is believed to have originated from the Asian countries. However, Asian lady beetle has its roots in the Asian countries, including China, Korea and the other Asian states (Evans, Bellamy, 2000). The name ladybird beetle came from Britain during the time that Europeans experienced infestation of pests that destroyed their agricultural product. They believed that the bug was sent from God after praying to the Virgin Mary to help them curb the damages, which they experienced (Roy, Wajnberg, 2008). The lady bug lives on trees and feeds aphids, soft scale and other small insects. The first lady beetle was found in the state of Louisiana in the U.S in the year of 1988 (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). The ladybug population has increased in the United States and Canada. During the period from 1960 to 1990, the U.S Department of Agriculture established the Asian lady beetle in order to curb the effects of pests in the agricultural sector (Dreistadt, 2004). Co nsequently, the state of Kentucky in the U.S had not been introduced to the ladybug as a means of biological control agent. Moreover, it eventually migrated to Kentucky from the northern and southern states. The species found in Kentacky were several, including the Coleomegilla meculata, Hermonia axyridis and other species (Arnett, et al, 2002). Impact of Lady Bug Introduction The introduction of lady beetle has both positive and negative impact. The positive influence of the insect is mostly connected with its importance for human beings and the ecosystem. This includes the fact that the ladybug is one of biological control agents. This has made the agricultural sector decrease the use of hazardous chemicals in order to reduce the infestation of pests on the farm (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). This ensures that the products are fresh and do not pose any harm to the human after consumption. The ladybird beetle is a positive and efficient means of reducing the pests in the North America (Dixon, 2000). The state introduced the bug in order to prevent pest’s destroying of the agricultural products. The use of lady beetle has also significantly shown that it is a means of employment. People have learned how to keep the beetle for financial purposes (Roy, Wajnberg, 2008). The ladybug also helps to reduce various irritating small insects. The use of l ady bird beetle as a biological control agent has also saved capital, which could be used for the production of chemicals such as pesticide (Slipinski, 2013). This is important for the economy of the country since a lot of its revenue would serve other pressing issues. However, the bug has also negative impact on the human life and the ecosystem. Firstly, the ladybird has caused discomfort to the home owners during the winter seasons (Roy, Wajnberg, 2008). This is due to the fact that they seek shelter in the houses homes during the period. The infestation of lady beetle ruins rug and furniture in the residential places (Roy, Wajnberg, 2008). The insect releases a yellow fluid that has bad smell and is responsible for destroying the fabric (Hodek, van Emden, Honek, 2012). They pass through cracks on the walls and any other openings. Moreover, the ladybird beetle endangers some species of small animals, which may be important for both the environment and human beings (Roy, Wajnberg, 2008). For example, the ladybug consumes small caterpillar, which help in oxidizing the soil which is then used for seeds germination. The negative influence of the lady beetle includes ruining crops in the farms (Slipinski, 2013). This is demonstrated by the Mexican bean beetles, which consume mostly farm crops (Cranshaw, 2009). The ladybug is also not favorable in farms that do not have pests. This is due to the fact that if they do not have their predators, they opt to feed nectar and pollen grain. Pollen is important for the growth of seeds and food in the farms. When they have been adversely consumed, it is expected to have low production of the farm products. The lady beetle also causes allergic respiratory symptom in the people whose houses have been infested with the bug (Sharma, et al, 2006). Protecting and Introducing the Lady bug Ladybugs are important in the human life and that is the main reason for which the beetle has to be protected. This is done by ensuring that the place has the favorable temperature for their breeding (Foottit, 2009). It is also important to keep the farm humid since the ladybug likes breeding on the places with corresponding conditions. In order to ensure that the bugs increase their population, people have to ensure that they find food (Dixon, 2000). This can be done by introducing crop, which has both nectar and pollen grains (Dixon, 2000). This would help them to migrate and come to the farm. The farmer should also try using little insecticide in order to prevent ladybugs from killing (Dreistadt, 2004). Ladybug is an important insect for both human life and the general environment. It has a distinctive color, which enables an easy identification of the small insect. The bug basically undergoes four stages in order to mature into an adult. After becoming an adult, it lays eggs and the same procedure takes place. This process is known as a complete metamorphosis. The adult is then potential in the effort of pest eradicator. Due to this reason, many countries experiencing the hazardous effects caused by the pests opt to use this method. This method is important since it reduces the use of insecticides and pesticides. It is also vital in the agricultural sector because farm products are fresh and undisturbed. These facts increasingly lead to awareness that this form of pest eradication should be established. It is important to note that although its profits are splendid they also pose hazardous reactions to the human beings. This is due to the fact that they infest people homes during t he winter seasons and cause discomfort to the home owner. Finally, the ladybug is important and should be used in order to gain an eco-friendly environment.

Free Essays on Feed the Starving

Feed the Starving On the issue of world hunger the two essays â€Å"Why not use food as food?† and â€Å"The Island of Plenty† present opposing arguments. In â€Å"Why not use food as food?†, George Will argues that because there is such a surplus of food in America, we should use the extra food to aid other starving countries. Johnson C. Montgomery, author of â€Å"The Island of Plenty†, argues the opposite by saying that sharing our food with other nations would only cause a depletion of our resources and the weakening of our country as a whole. Of the two essays, Will’s essay is more persuasive to the reader because though Montgomery’s arguments are more passionate, Will’s objectivity in evaluating the issue is more convincing. Will uses the three different methods of appeal, emotional, ethical, and logical, in his essay. He first uses these when he writes about a dormant limestone mine in Missouri where â€Å"the government stores so much surplus cheese, butter, and powdered milk that a visitor would be hard pressed to walk past it all in one day.† He then goes on to tell the reader about the 20 million people in African countries who will die of starvation if they do not receive food of some kind. From this standpoint, the Americans’ sharing of extra food seems both logical and ethical. After this, Will appeals to the reader’s emotions and sympathy when he describes a picture of a â€Å"child sucking from the withered breast of a woman who could be nineteen years old." On the other hand Montgomery writes, â€Å"If we try to save the starving millions today we will simply destroy what is left of our Eden.† This is an example of an either-or fallacy; a statement that contains flawed logic. He implies that if the United States helps starving people now, eventually the depletion of our nation's resources will occur. He then argues that, by helping other countries, the United States has only increased the amount of st... Free Essays on Feed the Starving Free Essays on Feed the Starving Feed the Starving On the issue of world hunger the two essays â€Å"Why not use food as food?† and â€Å"The Island of Plenty† present opposing arguments. In â€Å"Why not use food as food?†, George Will argues that because there is such a surplus of food in America, we should use the extra food to aid other starving countries. Johnson C. Montgomery, author of â€Å"The Island of Plenty†, argues the opposite by saying that sharing our food with other nations would only cause a depletion of our resources and the weakening of our country as a whole. Of the two essays, Will’s essay is more persuasive to the reader because though Montgomery’s arguments are more passionate, Will’s objectivity in evaluating the issue is more convincing. Will uses the three different methods of appeal, emotional, ethical, and logical, in his essay. He first uses these when he writes about a dormant limestone mine in Missouri where â€Å"the government stores so much surplus cheese, butter, and powdered milk that a visitor would be hard pressed to walk past it all in one day.† He then goes on to tell the reader about the 20 million people in African countries who will die of starvation if they do not receive food of some kind. From this standpoint, the Americans’ sharing of extra food seems both logical and ethical. After this, Will appeals to the reader’s emotions and sympathy when he describes a picture of a â€Å"child sucking from the withered breast of a woman who could be nineteen years old." On the other hand Montgomery writes, â€Å"If we try to save the starving millions today we will simply destroy what is left of our Eden.† This is an example of an either-or fallacy; a statement that contains flawed logic. He implies that if the United States helps starving people now, eventually the depletion of our nation's resources will occur. He then argues that, by helping other countries, the United States has only increased the amount of st...

13 Quotes to Share with Your Dad This Fathers Day

13 Quotes to Share with Your Dad This Fathers Day Good fathers are difficult to find. If you have a gem of a father and you wish to make him feel special, here is your chance. Wish him a very happy fathers day with some brilliant fathers day quotes. If you have shied away from expressing your warm feelings to your father, dont lose this opportunity. These charming fathers day quotes can awaken and rebuild long-lost relationships. Erika Cosby   You know... fathers just have a way of putting everything together. Clarence Budington Kelland He didnt tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. Gabriel Garcia Marquez   A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father. Lord Chesterfield As fathers commonly go, it is seldom a misfortune to be fatherless; and considering the general run of sons, as seldom a misfortune to be childless. National Urban League Slogan   Dont make a baby if you cant be a father. Aldous Huxley   Sons have always a rebellious wish to be disillusioned by that which charmed their fathers. Helen Rowland   A mans desire for a son is usually nothing but the wish to duplicate himself in order that such a remarkable pattern may not be lost to the world. Austin OMalley   The worst misfortune that can happen to an ordinary man is to have an extraordinary father. Confucius   The father who does not teach his son his duties is equally guilty with the son who neglects them. William Penn   He who is taught to live upon little owes more to his fathers wisdom than he who has a great deal left him does to his fathers care. Charles Wadworth   By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks hes wrong. Anonymous   Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys. Tom Wolfe, The Bonfire of the Vanities   Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life.

Next order mult. papers and PPT. they need to build on each other too Essay

Next order mult. papers and PPT. they need to build on each other too - Essay Example The customer has added to the complaint that after a period of three months the cylinder head had started to show leaks and he had to get repairs done. After a period of five months the engine had started showing problems that were repaired and by that time the warranty had expired so a new engine had to be bought. I have noticed similar complaints in the case of the 1997 as well as the 2000 models of Ford Expedition. In addition to the oil cylinder and the engine problems the one point that has been raised very aggressively by the customers is that the company has not been too helpful in paying the repairs for the losses. It has been mentioned by one of the customers that her expedition had been reporting errors in the gasket and she asked our organization for the repairs that was under warranty. But for unknown reasons our organization had been unable to pay for the losses and had not paid for the repairs either. All the complaints can be summarized by saying that there are problems in the case of the head gasket as well as the oil cylinder. The engine might be in need of being rechecked in a detailed manner so that the newer Expedition do not show such problems as these are the problems in the Expedition models that have become, sadly, well known among the people. The organization’s reputation is the most important to me and the other clients. Any kind of issues that might be harmful to the company’s reputation have to be dealt with in a strategic manner so the future clients can be made to trust the organization. The issues that we might face in the future, as I might say, need to be dealt with at this very point so that they are resolved at an earlier stage rather than being delayed. The customers are the main stake holders for the organization and we, at Ford Motors respect this relationship in the business. The customers need to be heard regarding their complaints so all the trust is regained in order that they

Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Business Plan - Essay Example That is the reason why the â€Å"Business Plan† report should contain some fundamental parameters like the overall market and the financial analysis of the business. In this particular case of opening franchise business a detailed company summery and ownership structure is also needed to be included. This is because the strength and weaknesses of the original company is being reflected in the respective franchise. The basic marketing strategy and product offering remains same throughout all the franchises. Here in this particular case a franchise is being opened in an international location. Thus a detailed market analysis of the company is required prior to any financial assumptions. This business plan will distinctly contain three sections. The first section will contain the company background (PinkBerry), the second section will give an overview of the general marketing strategy of PinkBerry and the third section will give an estimate of the financial estimates of the propo sed franchise. The Company started its operation in the year 2005 and it has originated mainly from the two cities of Los Angeles and New York and within five years of their operation the company PinkBerry has successfully established its leadership in the frozen yogurt segment. (â€Å"The leading, enduring, frozen yogurt brand for franchising†, 2009). Operating in a very concentrated segment the company has concentrated more on developing a cult-like following in its customer base. Though the company has originated locally, its prime focus is to expand both in the local and the global market simultaneously. Its local growth had hit a landmark as PinkBerry opened its first airport store in the month of September of the year 2009. (â€Å"The leading, enduring, frozen yogurt brand for franchising†, 2009) The other local expansion plans are going on in Northern California, Texas, Washington D.C and Florida. (â€Å"The leading, enduring, frozen yogurt brand for

What are the fundamentals of the criminal investigation Essay

What are the fundamentals of the criminal investigation - Essay Example However, this paper is going to discuss one of the interviews conducted by the writer from a local police man regarding the fundamentals of criminal investigation and how it is conducted in the real world and what are some of the issues which need to consider in order to make this process more effective. The methods of inquiry are the most critical means of achieving the goals set for the criminal investigation. When we asked the question of how and what methods of inquiry the local police adapt during a criminal investigation process, our interview responded that the methods of inquiry largely depend upon the nature and intensity of the crime. The integrity of the personnel involved in enquiring for the crime scene is one of the most critical aspects of the investigation as in many cases, law enforcement personnel bring in their emotions and sentiments while enquiring for the crime committed. There are different methods of inquiry for a crime including forensic testing, on the spot collection of evidence, polygraphing the suspects etc are just few of the methods which according to our interview are adapted by the local police. Regarding the mindset of the investigator during the criminal investigation, he was of the opinion that to remain impartial is one of the toughest jobs for an investigator. Though an investigator shall be an open minded individual and shall consider all the aspects of investigation however, in reality, investigators often lose their professional impartiality and start thinking in more predictive manner which may not be as good for the victims or even suspects. As the writer discussed regarding how an investigator shall behave during the criminal investigation, one issue that emerged is as to how an investigator shall address the evidence and proof. He was of the opinion that while an investigator’s purpose is to solve the crime and

Television Affects on Society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Television Affects on Society - Research Paper Example The paper will provide arguments for and against as to why the television has negatively affected the society. Thesis statement: The society should refrain from excessive viewing of the television. The negative effects of excessive viewing the television such as retarding brain development and obesity, are deleterious to human life as compared to the positive effects like for entertainment and education. In the information age, the use of screen media is inevitable. As cited by Carde Napier, a psycholgical reseacher, in his journal article How Use of Screen Media Affects the Emotional Development of Infants â€Å"there is a critical need for evidence-based guidelines for professionals and guardians about the utilization of screen media†. Screen media, television in particular, has a significant impact on the quality and quantity of the parent and child interactions that are crucial in developing secure attachments (2). Roy Warren in his article Parental Mediation of Preschools Childrens Televsion Viewing argues that guidance and supervision of parents is the to overcoming the potential negative effects of television. (395) Research has indicated that as brains continue to develop after birth, they are shaped by experiences and relationships. Therefore, it is more likely that the infant will be vulnerable to the effects of their environment. Therefore, the children will grow up expecting the TV’s unnatural sights and sounds to be part of their natural life, thus associating their presence with relaxation, enjoyment and security (201). In the current world, parenting is very crucial in child development. The study by Carde Napier in the article How Use of Screen Media Affects the Emotional Development of Infants found out that â€Å"parental attitudes in relation to screen media were very contented to use the television as a source of entertainment and babysitter (5). Some of the parents were actually

A research topic related to religion and the environment Paper

A topic related to religion and the environment - Research Paper Example Indeed the Bible does not directly tell anything about how man should interact with the environment; but concept of ‘nature’ occupies an important part of Christian faith. A devout Christian necessarily believes that the ‘nature’ or in a broader term, the ‘universe’ is the creation of God and man is merely God’s tenant in it. Depending on this doctrinal premise, scholars further build up the Christian environmentalism. Man as the tenant of God on earth should not perturb God’s house. Thus Christianity advocates for an intimate, harmonious and friendly relationship with nature. But the debates on Christianity-and-Environment relationship evolve from the claim that man has been created in the ‘image of God’ which necessarily entails that man is entitled with the ownership of this world. The Christian belief about the ‘ownership status’ of man is supported by the Bible as following: â€Å"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground† (Genesis 1:26 and 28). During the industrial era, the Christian belief persists that since the world is God’s and man is His true representative on earth, the world belongs to man. Such doctrinal reasoning inspired the industrial society to use the environmental resources ruthlessly and recklessly, as Hansberry notes in this regard: â€Å"Some Christians have interpreted this story as giving people the right to exploit the environment.† (1) Behind this ruthless use of earthly resources there is another belief that God is generous and that He has created everything for man’s consumption. But as the concern about man’s harmful impact over nature began to grow, a group of scholars began to emerge under the banner of ‘green Christian environmentalist’ with a view to purporting the harmonious

Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror Essay

Civil Liberties, Habeas Corpus, and the War on Terror - Essay Example 67). In fact, habeas corpus has proved to be much of a political tool as it is a tool of the law. Generally, habeas corpus is the all-important right the constitution gives to people in the USA; a judicial authorization for prisoners to appear before a court of law for the determination of the legality of their detention by the government. (Doyle, 2006, P. 26) In other terms, such detainees or their representative have the right to petition the court for such summon. Though there are instances when the constitution allows for the suspension of habeas corpus, certain unlawful suspensions have been recorded in the history of the US. A case in which habeas corpus may be constitutionally suspended is during a rebellion or an invasion of public security/safety. Illustrations of the instances in which habeas corpus was suspended include during the fight against the Ku Klux Klan in parts of South Carolina, and during the War on Terror. Current studies on habeas corpus have shifted from the traditional judicial view of habeas corpus to the more recent political view of the subject. In fact, these political views and studies on habeas corpus emphasize the role and effects of the president, the congress, political parties, federal/state governments, legal academics, and interest groups (Fisher, 2003, P. 119). These politically oriented studies, for example, have looked into how political parties and the congress have used and suspended the habeas corpus to establish and enforce their opinions on constitutional governance and to undo the legacies of predecessor congresses and governments. This paper explores the habeas corpus with regards to its meaning, history, and applicability in the war on terror, in the Supreme Court, by the Congress, by the president, its use to protect civil liberties, and its suspension since historical times. The Meaning and the Historical Evolution of Habeas Corpus As mentioned earlier, writ of habeas corpus refers to a legally implementable or der by a court of law to a law enforcement or prison official demanding that a detainee be presented before the court for the determination of the lawfulness of the detention/imprisonment (Irons, 1999, P. 13). Habeas corpus thus helps in determining whether a detainee or a prisoner should continue to be detained or imprisoned. The petition must however prove that the detention in question has a legal or factual fault. The right of habeas corpus is thus a constitutional right bestowed on an individual who must show evidences of a wrongful imprisonment in a court of law. Initially, there was a wrong notion that habeas corpus has its origin in the 17th century Magna Charter, which declared that no free man should be imprisoned or have his freedom, liberties, customs banned, exiled, shattered, or shortened without lawful judgment according to the laws of the land or by the judgment of his/her peers (Irons, 1999, P. 19). The origin of habeas corpus in the 17th century has however been di sputed by historians who opine that habeas corpus was first recorded in 1305 during the reign of King Edward I of England. In fact, other sources state that habeas corpus first appeared in the 12th century and were issued by King Henry II. The basis of these earlier writs was that the King would be held responsible for any suspension or restraining of citizen’s liberties. The King was also responsible for deciding when such

A research topic related to religion and the environment Paper

A topic related to religion and the environment - Research Paper Example Indeed the Bible does not directly tell anything about how man should interact with the environment; but concept of ‘nature’ occupies an important part of Christian faith. A devout Christian necessarily believes that the ‘nature’ or in a broader term, the ‘universe’ is the creation of God and man is merely God’s tenant in it. Depending on this doctrinal premise, scholars further build up the Christian environmentalism. Man as the tenant of God on earth should not perturb God’s house. Thus Christianity advocates for an intimate, harmonious and friendly relationship with nature. But the debates on Christianity-and-Environment relationship evolve from the claim that man has been created in the ‘image of God’ which necessarily entails that man is entitled with the ownership of this world. The Christian belief about the ‘ownership status’ of man is supported by the Bible as following: â€Å"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground† (Genesis 1:26 and 28). During the industrial era, the Christian belief persists that since the world is God’s and man is His true representative on earth, the world belongs to man. Such doctrinal reasoning inspired the industrial society to use the environmental resources ruthlessly and recklessly, as Hansberry notes in this regard: â€Å"Some Christians have interpreted this story as giving people the right to exploit the environment.† (1) Behind this ruthless use of earthly resources there is another belief that God is generous and that He has created everything for man’s consumption. But as the concern about man’s harmful impact over nature began to grow, a group of scholars began to emerge under the banner of ‘green Christian environmentalist’ with a view to purporting the harmonious

Baroque of Versailles and Italian baroque Essay

Baroque of Versailles and Italian baroque - Essay Example For the Italians, this involved a number of very unique style buildings. One of the first to use this style was Carlo Manderno, whose famous designs include the Santa Susanna (1) and the Santa Maria della Vittoria. One of the finest examples of his work is in the design of the Santa Susanna. The building is just two stories tall. The lower part has a total of five tiers and the upper level has only three. The construction of all the elements are so designed so that everything points to the middle of the structure, pointing to a loggia - a simple gallery open to the air. Funny enough, he used the old Renaissance style inside the building. You can tell the difference when you cross the street into the Santa Maria della Vittoria (2), where construction was also completed by Carlo Manderno. The interior of the building reveals the expanse of the building, with three chapels separated only by arches and pillars. The style is clearly simple, very strait forward, and also a very enormous wa y of getting a point across. For example, inside is a statue depicting something from the Saint Teresa of Avila (3). The scene portrayed is of a dream she had about an angel peircing her heart with a long shaft, and filling herself with both joy and pain. She is said to be in a contorted posture and the flowing robes, very voluptous looks between -- it was the essense of the Barouque style for the Italians. The statue is larger than life, and purposefully done so. It isn't a complicated piece, just very big, very to the point. Hence the Roman Catholic Church's vision is realizes in such art and architecture -- art that should be very easy for the public to understand the meaning, and so big that it will be unforgettable and symbolizing religious themes. ( Wittkower, R. 1999) French Baroque, often called Classicism, was similar in style to the Italians as to the simplicity and more importantly, the idea that size does matter, and that grandness was to mean you had great power. (Wikipedia Website. 2007) Not all the styles transferred from Italy to France, as the openness and very frank displays of the art was not always in French taste. While the French had no problem getting on with the grandness of their architecture, they had a problem with the bluntness, and preferred slightly subdued style. There were also differences in the architectural structure, given that the French preferred mansard roofs and complex rooflines. During the reign of Louis XIV, new construction was happening to the Louvre. He invited a designer to look into completing the project, but rejected his two design ideas. Because of his focus on Versailles at the time, the Louvre construction was

Compensation Plan - University of Phoenix - HRM Essay Example for Free

Compensation Plan University of Phoenix HRM Essay A good compensation plan must include both aspects, financial and nonfinancial of a rewarding system where financial rewards, or a pay system, assign a monetary value to each job in the organization (a base rate) and an orderly procedure for increasing the base rate (e.g., based on merit, inflation, or some combination of the two) (Cascio, 2005, p. 425). Also, a properly designed Pay for Performance (PFP) Program enables companies to reduce their cost of labor while increasing the average take home pay of their workforce (Jensen, 2009). On the other hand we also will offer nonfinancial systems that will cover indirect aspects such as benefits, professional and personal development. We want to give our sales staff a reason to get out there and sell, sell, sell (Ward). Rewards bridge the gap between organizational objectives and individual expectations and aspirations. To be effective, organizational reward systems should provide four things: (1) a sufficient level of rewards to fulfill basic needs, (2) equity with the external labor market, (3) equity within the organization, and (4) treatment of each member of the organization in terms of his or her individual needs (Cascio, 2005, p. 419). New compensation planPay systems are designed to attract, retain, and motivate employees (Cascio, 2005, p. 419)The new compensation plan will be based in a performance system. If business takes off, more pay goes to workers. If it doesnt, the company is not locked into high fixed costs of labor. 417 This system was chosen since meets the company strategy of growth and objectives and such variable-pay systems almost guarantee cost control. 417 (Cascio, 2005, p. 417) and a well planed recognition system adds to the compensation plan to offset a higher level of discouragement found in a competitive selling environment and also can be used to express gratitude, admiration, and to inspire to greater sales and greater sales initiative (FB Publications, 2005). Our new compensation plan will adopt a combination of base salary plus commission and bonus based on the overall performance. Perhaps the most important objective of any pay system is fairness or equity (Cascio, 2005, p. 419). To ensure the correctness of our plan, a committee has been created  to evaluate each employee performance, keep our compensation plan current and provide support and training at any time needed. We are also taking in consideration that our payment plan should include a three-tier approach of immediate recognition for a job well done, short-term rewards for performance over a month or quarter, and long-term rewards for being a loyal employee over the years (Schoeffler, 2005). -Salary: a monthly salary will be based on the job description of each position and it has the possibility of be complimented and enhanced depending of the employee performance. -Commission: a percentage of the profit will be used to increase the monthly employee compensation. -Bonus: bonuses will be given based on the performance of the sales individual each three months. Percentages will be given according to the goals met, or exceeded, so sales reps will rely on their individual performance. -Team incentives: Team incentives provide an opportunity for each team member to receive a bonus based on the output of the team as a whole (Cascio, 2005, p. 443). Sales personnel will have participation on this incentive to promote a teamwork environment. These events will happen at the end of the year. -On spot bonus: This is going to be granted for exceptional behavior regarding to teamwork efforts, customer satisfaction or any attitude that can be used as an example to the other workers. We may reward the worker with a one-time bonus of $50, $100, or $500 shortly after the noteworthy actions (Cascio, 2005, p. 441). -Incentives When it comes to performance incentives, the possibilities are endless (Cascio, 2005, p. 436), and we plan to use nonfinancial reward system that will include anything an employee values and desires that an  employer is able and willing to offer in exchange for employee contributions (Cascio, 2005, p. 418). Based on the answers compiled from the questionnaire we created, we will develop some entertaining activities such as trips, restaurants, theaters and any other approved selection available in our committee that will be available each three months and also at the end of the year. In our committee we will also make available the following benefits that our employees can choose to participate on:-Employee stock ownership plans As the company grows we will offer participation in the stocks of our company and a limited amount of them available to each employee for purchase. It helps to fulfill a philosophical belief in employee ownership 447. ESOPs do promote an increase in employee willingness to participate in company decisions. Companies that take advantage of that willingness can harness employees energy and creativity (Cascio, 2005, p. 447). -Recognition is a non financial reward and helps to enhance a workers sense of self-respect and esteem by others (Cascio, 2005, p. 418). These recognitions will be done in the yearly meetings where all employees are going to be together and have the opportunity to see their colleagues performance is rewarded. Recognition amongst their peers is still the quintessential motivator, whether theres an incentive program or not (Shearstone)Recent data indicates that people are more attached and committed to organizations that offer family-friendly policies, regardless of the extent to which they benefit personally from the policies (Cascio, 2005, p. 489), therefore our plan also cover other benefits that will be extend to all employees regardless merit or performance. Once you have great employees on board, how do you keep them from jumping ship? One way is by offering a good benefits package. (Entrepreneur Media, Inc, n.d.)†¢Tuition aid†¢Auto insurance†¢Fitness and wellness programs†¢Counseling Service†¢Child adoption†¢Child care Social activities†¢Elder care Referral awards†¢Charter flights Family leaves†¢Flexible work arrangementsWe also developed some benefits options that will  integrate salary and benefits into a package that will encourage the achievement of an organizations goals (Cascio, 2005, p. 470). They will be available to all employees and they can choose among them all. †¢Life insurance†¢Disability insurance†¢Healthy insurance†¢Other medical coverage†¢Sick leave†¢Pension plans†¢Unemployment insurance†¢401KEvidence indicates that the perceived value of benefits rises when employers introduce choice through a flexible benefits package (Cascio, 2005, p. 466). For that reason we expect that this pay system will bring excitement to our workforce since the opportunities are vary. This pay system should also increase motivation of our employees and deepens commitment with our customer to bring success to both the individual and the company. Following are pointed some reason that we expect to succeed with this new plan. -The final compensation at the end of the month has the opportunity to be largely increased according to the employee performance, but yet, the base salary is high enough to give the employees some breathing in order to meet the essential financial obligations. -Commissions, bonuses and team incentives. -Variety of employee services and benefits. -Friendly and family environmentBefore our pay system is implemented training will be given to all employees to ensure understanding of it. A website will be available to answer most common questions and our committee will also be available for further explanation and training as needed. References Cascio, W. F. (2005). Managing Human Resources (7th ed.). : The McGraw−Hill Companies. Entrepreneur Media, Inc (n.d.). The Basics of Employee Benefits. Retrieved April 20, 2009, from http://www.entrepreneur.com/FB Publications (2005). Sale Incentive Ideas Motivating Your Sales Team. Retrieved April 17, 2009, from http://www.associatedcontent.com/Jensen, M. L. (2009). 9 Key Aspects For Successful Pay For Performance Systems. EzineArticles.com. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/Schoeffler, B. (2005). Employee Incentive Plans: Make Them Worthwhile. Insurance Journal. Retrieved from http://www.insurancejournal.com/Shearstone, P. (). Creating Sales Incentive Programs That Work. About.com, 2. Retrieved from http://sbinfocanada.about.com/Ward, S. (). 6 Sure Ways to Increase Sales. About.com. Retrieved from http://sbinfocanada.about.com/

Is it Money Well Spent? Election 2004 :: essays research papers

We live in a time where more expensive means more desirable. This year’s election spending has gotten out of hand. It is time for future presidents to ask themselves, is all of this spending necessary? The total spending in the 2004 election was at least 1.2 billion dollars and the total costs of the 2005 inauguration to be 50 million dollars. Advertisements and personal luxuries the President elect and their family indulge in are even pricier than anything is. What exactly are the leaders of this free world spending this much money for? Appearance is a big deal when someone is trying to make an impression. A person has to be able to hold him or herself properly, groom themselves properly, and wear the latest outfits to appeal to the many eyes looking up at them. First Lady Laura Bush, along with her two daughters spent a lump sum of 30 thousand dollars on one out of six outfits they wore during the inaugural bashes held on January 19 and 20. The Presidential suite package at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for inauguration celebrations cost 200 thousand dollars alone. This is 50 thousand dollars more than military necessities that the President claims we desperately need. This includes a fully armored military Humvee and one set of Army body armor. President George W. Bush’s inauguration could have paid for vaccinations and health care for 22 million children impacted by the tsunami disaster, or it could have paid off some of the nation’s 412 billion dollar deficit from last year. Millions of government do llars was spent on construction of the platform, stands at the Capitol, and rigid inauguration security. Is it Money Well Spent? Election 2004 :: essays research papers We live in a time where more expensive means more desirable. This year’s election spending has gotten out of hand. It is time for future presidents to ask themselves, is all of this spending necessary? The total spending in the 2004 election was at least 1.2 billion dollars and the total costs of the 2005 inauguration to be 50 million dollars. Advertisements and personal luxuries the President elect and their family indulge in are even pricier than anything is. What exactly are the leaders of this free world spending this much money for? Appearance is a big deal when someone is trying to make an impression. A person has to be able to hold him or herself properly, groom themselves properly, and wear the latest outfits to appeal to the many eyes looking up at them. First Lady Laura Bush, along with her two daughters spent a lump sum of 30 thousand dollars on one out of six outfits they wore during the inaugural bashes held on January 19 and 20. The Presidential suite package at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for inauguration celebrations cost 200 thousand dollars alone. This is 50 thousand dollars more than military necessities that the President claims we desperately need. This includes a fully armored military Humvee and one set of Army body armor. President George W. Bush’s inauguration could have paid for vaccinations and health care for 22 million children impacted by the tsunami disaster, or it could have paid off some of the nation’s 412 billion dollar deficit from last year. Millions of government do llars was spent on construction of the platform, stands at the Capitol, and rigid inauguration security.

Event and Milieu :: Language Sociology Essays

Event and Milieu ABSTRACT: I consider how the notion of event is used in such important branches of twentieth-century thought as relativity, quantum mechanics, Marxist sociology and psychoanalysis. I show that in each case there is the same concept of event as of a series of communications. It is also shown that this new concept of event corresponds to traditional concepts of historical events. I analyze the difference between the concept of event and that of fact. Since a fact presupposes "an external observer" it is impossible to deal with an event without being involved in it. Since a fact presupposes its permanent logical form as a necessary condition of knowledge about it, any condition of knowledge about an event appears to be empirical itself. I show that the division between history and prehistory has the same basis as that between event and fact. The crucial question is how knowledge about an event is possible. The problem is that the concept of identity applicable to fact appears to be inap plicable to event. However, it appears possible to define an identity of event with an identity of media or "places" of communication. An open system of such "places" we call "milieu." A language is a paradigm for it. However, I suppose that unlike "the linguistic paradigm," the "paradigm of milieu" should refute the idea of the exceptional status of human language. The notion of event became to play a basic role in science with such revolutionary physical theories as relativity and quantum mechanics. Today the notion of event is widely applied also in synergetic. To make clear the importance of the notion of event for sociology and psychology of 20-th century it is enough to name such a key figures of the century as Marx and Freud. The notion of social even (revolution) is essential for Marxism as well as the notion of psychological event (child’s trauma) for Freud’s psychoanalysis. We cannot say that the notion of event was neglected by philosophers of our century: Heidegger and Deleuze among others presented elaborated concepts of event. These concepts (which can not be analyzed here) however do not relate directly to science nor to knowledge in general. What is an event as a matter of knowledge remains beyond considerations of these authors. To answer to the question is the first purpose of this paper. The second purpose of the paper is to elaborate a notion of environment or milieu that as it is shown below appears to be correlative to that of event.

The Effect of Salt on Boiling Temperature of Water

EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE PROJECTS:The Effect of Salt on the Boiling Temperature of Water(Initially prepared by a 4th Grade student)To quickly jump to a section below click on:INITIAL OBSERVATIONCooking instructions tell you to add salt to water before boiling it. PROJECT TITLEThe Effect of Salt on the Boiling Temperature of WaterPURPOSE OF THE PROJECTTo find out how table salt affects the boiling temperature of water. HYPOTHESISAdding table salt to boiling water will cause the water to boil at a higher temperature.MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT ·Table Salt  ·Distilled Water  ·2 Quart Cooking Pot  ·Pint measuring cup  ·Teaspoon and tablespoon measuring spoons  ·Thermometer  ·Stirring spoon EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDUREBoil one quart of distilled water on a stove. Measure the temperature of the boiling water. Record the highest temperature reading. This is the control to compare with. Measure out table salt using a kitchen measuring spoon. Level the spoonful. Add the measured salt to the b oiling water and stir.Measure the temperature of the boiling water with the salt in it. Record the highest temperature reading. Repeat for other amounts of salt. DATAData Obtained: 2/25/95, Mankato, MN|| Amount of boiling water|2 Cups| Temperature of boiling water (Control)|212. 9 °F| Amount of table salt added to boiling water: Run #1|1 Tbl. | Temperature of boiling water after adding salt: Run #1|215. 6 °F| Additional amount of table salt added to boiling water: Run #2|1 Tbl. | Temperature of boiling water after adding salt: Run #2|218.  °F| || EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONSWhen the salt was added to boiling water it bubbled up more, and then stopped boiling. Shortly afterwards, it boiled again. If the thermometer extends beyond the outside of the pot it reads a higher temperature. Heat from the stove burner makes the thermometer read higher. Keep the thermometer over the pot when making temperature measurements. CALCULATIONS ·Total amount of table salt added for Run #1: 0 + 1 = 1 Tbl.  ·Total amount of table salt added for Run #2: 1 + 1 = 2 Tbl.RESULTS|| Temperature of boiling water (Control)|212. 9 °F| Amount of table salt added to boiling water: Run #1|1 Tbl. | Temperature of boiling water after adding salt: Run #1|215. 6 °F| Total amount of table salt added to boiling water: Run #2|2 Tbl. | Temperature of boiling water after adding salt: Run #2|218. 3 °F| || Amount of Table Salt Added VersusWater Boiling TemperatureCONCLUSIONS ·Is the hypothesis correct? Yes. Adding table salt to water causes the water to boil at a higher temperature.  ·Problems with doing the experiments.The temperature readings were hard to make. Gloves had to be worn to keep my hands from getting too hot. Had to be careful that the stove heat was not hitting the thermometer.  ·Other things learned. Be careful when adding salt to boiling water. It makes the water boil vigorously for a second or two. RELATED QUESTIONS ·Why do you think cooking instructions tell you to add salt when boiling water? When the water is hotter, you can cook food faster. Salt also makes the food taste better. || HOME[->0]|| [->0] – .. /index. html

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 22~23

Twenty-two Theo The walls of Molly's trailer were plastered with movie posters. He stood in the middle of the living room among the scattered videotapes, magazines, and junk mail and slowly turned. It was her, Molly. She hadn't been lying all this time. Most of the posters were in foreign languages, but every one featured a younger Molly in various states of undress, holding weapons or fighting off bad guys, her hair flying in the wind, a nuked-out city or a desert littered with human skulls and burned-out cars in the background. The adolescent male part of Theo, the part that every man tries to bury but carries to his grave, reared up. She was a movie star. A hot movie star! And he knew her, had in fact put handcuffs on her. If there was only a locker room, a street corner, or a second-period study hall where he could brag about it to his friends. But he didn't really have any friends, except for Gabe maybe, and Gabe was a grown-up. The prurient moment passed and Theo felt guilty about the way he had treated Molly: patronizing her and condescending to her; the way many people treated him when he tried to be something besides a pothead and puppet. He kneeled down to a bookshelf filled with videotapes, found one labeled KENDRA: WARRIOR BABE OF THE OUT LAND (ENGLISH), and slipped it into the VCR and turned on the television. Then he turned off the lights, laid his guns on the coffee table, and lay down on Molly's couch to wait. He watched as the Crazy Lady of Pine Cove battled mutants and Sand Pirates for half an hour before he drifted off to sleep. His mind needed a deeper escape from his problems than the movie could provide. â€Å"Hi, Theo.† He came awake startled. The movie was still casting a flickering light over the room, so he couldn't have been sleeping that long. She stood in the doorway, half in shadow, looking very much like the woman on the television screen. She held an assault rifle at her side. â€Å"Molly, I've been waiting for you.† â€Å"How'd you like it?† She nodded toward the television. â€Å"Loved it. I never realized. I was just so tired†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Molly nodded. â€Å"I won't be long, I just came to get some clean clothes. You're welcome to stay here.† Theo didn't know what to do. It didn't seem like the time to grab one of the pistols off the table. He felt more embarrassed than threatened. â€Å"Thanks,† he said. â€Å"He's the last one, Theo. After him there aren't any more of his kind. His time has passed. I think that's what we have in common. You don't know what it is to be a has-been, do you?† â€Å"I think I'm what they call a never-was.† â€Å"That's easier. At least you're always looking up the ladder, not down. Coming down is scarier.† â€Å"How? Why? What is he?† â€Å"I'm not sure, a dragon maybe. Who knows?† She leaned back against the doorway and sighed. â€Å"But I can kinda tell what he's thinking. I guess it's because I'm nuts. Who would have thought that would come in handy, huh?† â€Å"Don't say that about yourself. You're saner than I am.† Molly laughed, and Theo could see her movie-star teeth shine in the light of the television. â€Å"You're a neurotic, Theo. A neurotic is someone who thinks something is wrong with him, but everyone else thinks he is normal; a psychotic thinks something's wrong with her. Take a poll of the locals, I think I'd come out in the latter category, don't you?† â€Å"Molly, this is really dangerous stuff you're messing with.† â€Å"He won't hurt me.† â€Å"It's not just that. You could go to jail just for having that machine gun, Molly. People are getting killed, aren't they?† â€Å"In a manner of speaking.† â€Å"That's what happened to Joseph Leander, and the guys working the drug lab, right? Your pal ate them?† â€Å"They were going to hurt you, and Steve was hungry. Seemed like great timing to me.† â€Å"Molly, that's murder!† â€Å"Theo! I'm nuts. What are they going to do to me?† Theo shrugged his shoulders and sat back on the couch. â€Å"I don't know what to do.† â€Å"You're not in a position to do anything right now. Get some rest.† Theo cradled his head in his hands. His cell phone, still in the pocket of his flannel shirt, began ringing. â€Å"I could sure use a hit right now.† â€Å"There's some Smurfs of Sanity in the cupboard over the sink – neuroleptics Dr. Val gave me, antipsychotics – they've done wonders for me.† â€Å"Obviously.† â€Å"Your phone is ringing.† Theo pulled out the phone, flipped it open, hit the answer button and watched as the incoming number ap peared on the display. It was Sheriff Burton's cell phone number. Theo hit disconnect. â€Å"I'm fucked,† Theo said. Molly picked up Theo's .357 Magnum from the table, held it on Theo, then picked up Joseph Leander's automatic. â€Å"I'll give these back before I go. I'm going to get some clean clothes and some girlie things out of my bedroom. You be okay here?† â€Å"Yeah, sure.† His head was still hung. He spoke into his lap. â€Å"You're bumming me out, Theo.† â€Å"Sorry.† Molly was gone from the room for only five minutes, in which time Theo tried to get a handle on what had happened. Molly returned with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She was wearing the Kendra costume, com-plete with thigh-high boots. Even in the dim light from the television, Theo could see a ragged scar over her breast. She caught him looking. â€Å"Ended my career,† she said. â€Å"I suppose now they could fix it, but it's a little late.† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Theo said. â€Å"I think you look beautiful.† She smiled and shifted both of the pistols to one hand. She'd left the assault rifle by the door and Theo hadn't even noticed. â€Å"You ever feel special, Theo?† â€Å"Special?† â€Å"Not like you're better than everyone else, just that you're different in a good way, like it makes a difference that you're on the planet? You ever feel that way?† â€Å"I don't know. No, not really.† â€Å"I had that for a while. Even though they were cheesy B movies and even though I had to do some humiliating things to get into them, I felt special, Theo. Then it went away. Well, now I feel that way again. That's why.† â€Å"Why what?† â€Å"You asked me why before. That's why I'm going back to Steve.† â€Å"Steve? You call him Steve?† â€Å"He looked like a Steve,† Molly said. â€Å"I have to go. I'll leave your guns in the bed of that red truck you stole. Don't try to follow, okay?† Theo nodded. â€Å"Molly, don't let it kill anybody else. Promise me that.† â€Å"Promise to leave us alone?† â€Å"I can't do that.† â€Å"Okay. Take care of yourself.† She grabbed the assault rifle, kicked open the door, and stepped out. Theo heard her go down the steps, pause, then come back up. She popped her head in the door. â€Å"I'm sorry you never felt special, Theo,† she said. Theo forced a smile. â€Å"Thanks, Molly.† Gabe Gabe stood in the foyer of Valerie Riordan's home, looking at his hiking boots, then the white carpet, then his boots again. Val had gone into the kitchen to get some wine. Skinner was wandering around outside. Gabe sat down on the marble floor, unlaced his boots, then slipped them off. He'd once been into a level-nine clean room at a biotech facility in San Jose, a place where the air was scrubbed and filtered down to the micron and you had to wear a plastic bunny suit with its own air umbilical to avoid contaminating the specimens. Strangely, he'd had a similar feeling to the one he was feeling now, which was: I am the harbinger of filth. Thank God Theo had made him shower and change before his date. Val came into the sunken living room carrying a tray with a bottle of wine and two glasses. She looked up at Gabe, who was standing at the edge of the stairs as if ready to wade into molten lava. â€Å"Well, come on in and have a seat,† Val said. Gabe took a tentative step. â€Å"Nice place,† he said. â€Å"Thanks, I still have a lot to do on it. I suppose I should just hire a decorator and have done with it, but I like finding pieces myself.† â€Å"Right,† Gabe said, taking another step. You could play handball in this room if you didn't mind destroying a lot of antiques. â€Å"It's a cabernet from Wild Horse Vineyard over the hill. I hope you like it.† Val poured the wine into stemmed bubble glasses. She took hers and sat down on the velvet couch, then raised her eyebrows as if to say, â€Å"Well?† Gabe joined her at the other end of the couch, then took a tentative sip of the wine. â€Å"It's nice.† â€Å"For a local cheapie,† Val said. An awkward silence passed between them. Val made a show of tasting the wine again, then said, â€Å"You don't really believe this stuff about a sea monster, do you, Gabe?† Gabe was relieved. She wanted to talk about work. He'd been afraid that she would want to talk about something else – anything else – and he didn't really know how. â€Å"Well, there are the tracks, which look very authentic, so if they are fake, whoever did them studied fossil tracks and replicated them perfectly. Then there's the timing of the rat migration, plus Theo and your patient. Estelle, was it?† Val set down her wine. â€Å"Gabe, I know you're a scientist, and a discovery like this could make you rich and famous, but I just don't believe there's a dinosaur in town.† â€Å"Rich and famous? I hadn't thought about it. I guess there would be some recognition, wouldn't there?† â€Å"Look, Gabe, you deal in hard facts, but every day I deal with the delusions and constructions of people's minds. They are just tracks on the ground, probably like that Bigfoot hoax in Washington a few years ago. Theo is a chronic drug user, and Estelle and her boyfriend Catfish are artist types. They all have overactive imaginations.† Gabe was put off by her judgment of Theo and the others. He thought for a second, then said, â€Å"As a biologist, I have a theory about imagination. I think it's pretty obvious that fear – fear of loud noises, fear of heights, the capacity to learn fear – is something that we've adapted over the years as a survival mechanism, and so is imagination. Everyone thinks that it was the big strong caveman who got the girl, and for the most part, that may have been true, but physical strength doesn't explain how our species cre-ated civilization. I think there was always some scrawny dreamer sitting at the edge of the firelight, who had the ability to imagine dangers, to look into the future in his imagination and see possibilities, and therefore sur-vived to pass his genes on to the next generation. When the big ape men ended up running off the cliff or getting killed while trying to beat a mas-todon into submission with a stick, the dreamer was standing back thinking, †˜Hey, that might work, but you need to run the mastodon off the cliff.' And, then he'd mate with the women left over after the go-getters got killed.† â€Å"So nerds rule,† Val said with a smile. â€Å"But if fear and imagination make you more highly evolved, then someone with paranoid delusions would be ruling the world.† Val was getting into the theory of it now. How strange to talk to a man who talked about ideas, not property and personal agendas. Val liked it. A lot. Gabe said, â€Å"Well, we didn't miss that by far with Hitler, did we? Evolution takes some missteps sometimes. Big teeth worked pretty well for a while, then they got too big. Mastodons' tusks got so large they would snap the animal's neck. And you've probably noticed that there are no saber-toothed cats around anymore.† â€Å"Okay, I'll buy that imagination is an evolutionary leap. But what about depression?† Talking about mental conditions, she couldn't help thinking about what she'd done to her patients. Her crimes circled in her mind, trying to get out. â€Å"Psychiatry is looking more and more at mental conditions from a physical point of view, so that fits. That's why we're treating depres-sion with drugs like Prozac. But what evolutionary purpose is there for depression?† â€Å"I've been thinking about that since you mentioned it at dinner,† Gabe said. He drained his wineglass and moved closer to her on the couch, as if by being closer, she would share in his excitement. He was in his element now. â€Å"A lot of animals besides humans get depressed. Higher mammals like dolphins and whales can die from it, but even rats seem to get the Blues. I can't figure out what purpose it serves. But in humans it might be like nearsightedness: civilization has protected a biological weakness that would have been weeded out by natural dangers or predators.† â€Å"Predators? How?† â€Å"I don't know. Depression might slow the prey down, make it react less quickly to danger. Who knows?† â€Å"So a predator might actually evolve that preyed on depressed animals?† Right and it's me, Val thought. If I haven't been preying on depressed people, what have I been doing? She suddenly felt ashamed of her home, of the pure materialism of it. Here was an incredibly bright man who was concerned with the pure pursuit of knowledge, and she had sold her integrity for some antiques and a Mercedes. Gabe poured himself another glass of wine and sat back now, thinking as he spoke. â€Å"Interesting idea. I suppose there could be some sort of chemical or behavioral stimulus that would trigger preying on the depressed. Low serotonin levels tend to raise libido, right? At least temporarily?† â€Å"Yes,† Val said. That's why the entire town has turned into horndogs, she thought. â€Å"Therefore,† Gabe continued, â€Å"you'd have more animals mating and passing on the depression gene. Nature tends to evolve mechanisms to remain in balance. A predator or a disease would naturally evolve to keep the depressed population down. Interesting, I've been feeling especially horny lately, I wonder if I'm depressed.† Gabe's eyes snapped open wide and he looked at Val with the full-blown terror of what he had just said. He gulped his wine, then said, â€Å"I'm sorry, I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Val couldn't stand it anymore. Gabe's faux pas opened the gate, and she stepped through it. â€Å"Gabe, we have to talk.† â€Å"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She grabbed his arm to stop him. â€Å"No, I have to tell you something.† Gabe braced himself for the worst. He'd fallen out of the lofty world of theory into the awkward, gritty world of first dates, and she was going to drop the â€Å"Don't get the wrong idea† bomb on him. She gripped his arm and her nails dug into his bicep hard enough to make him wince. She said, â€Å"A little over a month ago, I took almost a third of the people in Pine Cove off antidepressants.† â€Å"Huh?† That wasn't at all what he'd expected. â€Å"My God, why?† â€Å"Because of Bess Leander's suicide. Or what I thought was her suicide. I was just going through the motions in my practice. Writing prescriptions and collecting fees.† She explained about her arrangement with Winston Krauss and how the pharmacist had refused to put everyone back on the drugs. When she finished, to wait for his judgment, there were tears welling up in her eyes. He put his arms around her tentatively, hoping it was the right thing to do. â€Å"Why tell me this?† She melted against his chest. â€Å"Because I trust you and because I have to tell someone and because I need to figure out what to do. I don't want to go to jail, Gabe. Maybe all my patients didn't need to be on antidepressants, but a lot of them did.† She sobbed on his shoulder and he began to stroke her hair, then pushed up her chin and kissed her tears. â€Å"It'll be okay. It will.† She looked up into his eyes, as if looking for a hint of disdain, then not finding it, she kissed him hard and pulled him on top of her on the couch. A Higher Power And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? – Revelation 13:4 Twenty-three Steve What horrors can a dragon dream? A creature who has, in his own way, ruled the planet for millions of years, a creature for whom the mingy man mammals have built temples, a creature who has known no predator but time – what could he possibly dream that would frighten him? Call it the knowing? Under a stand of oak trees, sexually satisfied and with a bellyful of drug dealers, the dragon dreamed a vision of time past. The eternal now that he had always known suddenly had history. In the dream he saw himself as a larva, tucked into the protective pouch under his mother's tongue until it was safe to venture out under her watchful eye. He saw the hunting and the mating, the forms he had learned to mimic as his mercurial DNA evolved not through generations, but through regeneration of cells. He saw the mates he had eaten, the three young he had borne as a female, the last killed by a warmblood who sang the Blues. He remembered the chan-ging, not so long ago, from female to male, and he remembered all of it in pictures, not in mere instinctual patterns and conditioned responses. He saw these pictures in the dream, brought on by the strange mating with the warmblood, and he wondered why. For the first time in his five thousand years, he asked, Why? And the dream answered with a picture of all the oceans and swamps, the rivers and bogs and trenches and mountains beneath the sea, and they were all empty of his kind. As sure as if he were floating through the cold black at the end of the universe, where light gives up hope and time chases its tail until it dies from exhaustion, he was alone. Sex does that to some guys. Val â€Å"Oh my God, the rat brains!† Gabe shouted. It was a different response to lovemaking. Val wasn't sure that she might not be hurt, feeling vulnerable as she was, with her knees in the vicinity of her ears, a biologist on top of her, and her panty hose waving off one foot like a tattered battle flag. Gabe collapsed into her arms and she looked over his shoulder to the coffee table to check that they hadn't kicked the wineglasses off onto the carpet. â€Å"Are you okay?† she asked, a little breathless. â€Å"I'm sorry, but I just realized what's going on with this creature.† â€Å"That's what you were thinking about?† Yes, her feelings were definitely hurt. â€Å"No, not during. It came to me in a flash right after. Somehow the creature can attract mammals with lower than normal serotonin levels. And you've got, what, a third of the population running around in antidepressant withdrawal?† She was pissed now, not hurt. She dumped him off her onto the floor, stood up, pulled her skirt down, and stepped away. He scrambled into his pants and looked around for his shirt, which lay in shreds behind the couch. He had a tan that ended at the neckline and just below the shoulders; the rest of him was milk white. He looked up at her from the gap between the couch and the coffee table with a pleading in his eyes, as if he were looking up from a coffin in which he was about to be buried alive. â€Å"Sorry,† he said. He wasn't looking her in the eye, and Val suddenly realized that he was talking to her exposed breasts. She pulled her blouse closed, and a battery of insults rose in her mind, ready to be fired, but all of them were mean-spirited and would serve to do nothing but make them both feel ashamed. He was who he was, and he was honest and real, and she knew that he hadn't meant to hurt her. So she cried. Thinking, Great, crying is what got me into this in the first place. She plopped down on the couch with her face in her hands. Gabe moved to her side and put his arm around her. â€Å"I'm really sorry. I'm not very good at this sort of thing.† â€Å"You're fine. It's just too much.† â€Å"I should go.† He started to stand. She caught his arm in a death grip. â€Å"You go and I'll hunt you down and kill you like a rabid dog.† â€Å"I'll stay.† â€Å"No go,† she said. â€Å"I understand.† â€Å"Okay, I'll go.† â€Å"Don't you dare.† She threw her arms around him and kissed him hard, pulling him back down onto the couch, and within seconds they were all over each other again. That's it, she thought, no more crying. It's the crying that does it. This guy is aroused by my pain. But soon they lay in a panting sweaty pile on the floor and the idea of crying was light-years away. And this time Gabe said, â€Å"That was wonderful.† Val noticed a wineglass overturned by her head, a cabernet stain bleeding over the carpet. â€Å"Is it salt or club soda?† Gabe pulled away far enough to look into her eyes and saw that she was looking at the stained carpet. â€Å"Salt and cold water, I think. Or is that blood?† A drop of sweat dripped off his forehead onto her lips. She looked at him. â€Å"You weren't thinking about that creature that doesn't exist, were you?† â€Å"Just you.† She smiled. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"And a weed-whacker, for some reason.† â€Å"You're kidding.† â€Å"Uh, yes, I'm kidding. I was only thinking of you.† â€Å"So you don't think I'm a horrible person for what I've done?† â€Å"You were trying to do what you thought was right. How could that be horrible?† â€Å"I feel horrible.† â€Å"It's been a long time. I'm out of practice.† â€Å"No, not about this. About my patients. You really think something could be preying on them?† â€Å"It's just a theory. There may not even be a creature.† â€Å"But what if there is? Shouldn't we call the National Guard or something?† â€Å"I was thinking of calling Theo.† â€Å"Theo isn't even a real cop.† â€Å"He deserves to know.† They lay there in silence for a few minutes, staring at the spreading stain on the carpet, feeling the sweat run down their ribs, and listening to the beat of each other's hearts. â€Å"Gabe?† Val whispered. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Maybe we should go to couples' counseling.† â€Å"Should we get dressed first?† â€Å"You were serious about the weed-whacker, weren't you?† â€Å"I don't know where that image came from.† â€Å"There's supposed to be a good couples' guy in San Junipero, unless you'd rather go to a woman counselor.† â€Å"I thought we were going to call the National Guard.† â€Å"Only if it comes to that,† Val said. Thinking, When we tell the shrink about this, I'm leaving out the part about the wine spilling. Theo Is there anything more irritating than people who have just been laid? Especially when you have not. Not for a long time. Oh, it was obvious as soon as they came through Molly's front door, waking Theo for the second time that night: Gabe's grin looking like the oversized grill on an old Chrysler, Val Riordan wearing jeans and almost no makeup; the both of them giddy and giggling and blushing like children. Theo wanted to puke. He was happy for them, but he wanted to puke. â€Å"What?† Theo said. Gabe was obviously amped and trying not to show it. He put his hands in his pockets to keep from waving them around. â€Å"I† – he looked at Val and smiled – â€Å"we think that this creature, if it exists, may be attracted to prey with low serum serotonin levels.† Gabe bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for his statement to sink in. Theo sat there, staring at him, with no discernible change in expres-sion from the weariness he'd worn since they came through the door. He guessed that he was supposed to say something now. â€Å"Molly was here,† Theo said. â€Å"The creature exists. It ate Mikey Plotznik, and Joseph Leander, and who knows who else? She said it's a dragon.† Gabe's grin dropped. â€Å"That's great. I mean, that's horrible, but it's great from a scientific point of view. I have another theory about this species. I think it has some specialized mechanism to affect its prey. Have you been horny lately?† â€Å"There's no need to be arrogant, Gabe. I'm glad you two had a good time, but there's no need to rub it in.† â€Å"No no, you don't get it.† Gabe went on to explain about Val Riordan's decision to take her patients off antidepressants and how the lowering of serotonin levels could lead to increased libido. â€Å"So Pine Cove has been full of horny people.† â€Å"Right,† Theo said. â€Å"And I still can't get a date.† Val Riordan laughed and Theo glared at her. Gabe said, â€Å"The rats I found alive near this trailer, where we think the creature might have been, were mating when I found them. There are some species of carnivorous plants that give off a sex pheromone that attracts their prey. In some species, the behavior of the male – a display, a dance, a scent – will stimulate the ovaries in the female of the species without any physical contact. I think that's what's happened to us.† â€Å"Our ovaries are being stimulated?† Theo rubbed sleep from his eyes. â€Å"I gotta be honest with you, Gabe. I'm not feeling it.† Val turned to Gabe. â€Å"That's not very romantic.† â€Å"It's incredibly exciting. This may be the most elegant predator that the world has ever seen.† Theo shook his head. â€Å"I have no home, no job, no car, there's probably a warrant out for my arrest, and you want me to be excited over the fact that we have a monster in town that makes you horny so he can eat you? Sorry, Gabe, I'm missing the positive side of this.† Val chimed in, â€Å"It may be the reason that you've been able to quit smoking pot so easily.† â€Å"Pardon me? Easily?† Theo wanted to jump off the couch and bitch-slap them both. â€Å"Were you ever able to go this long before?† â€Å"She could be right, Theo,† Gabe said. â€Å"If this thing affects serotonin, it could affect other neurotransmitters.† â€Å"Oh good,† Theo said. â€Å"Let's open a detox clinic. We'll feed half of the patients to the monster and the other half will recover. I can't wait.† â€Å"There's no need to be sarcastic,† Gabe said. â€Å"We're just trying to help.† â€Å"Help? Help with what? Bar fight? I can handle it. Skateboard theft? I'm on it. But my law enforcement experience hasn't prepared me for dealing with this.† â€Å"That's true, Gabe,† Val said. â€Å"Theo's little more than a rent-a-cop. Maybe we should call the sheriff or the FBI or the National Guard.† â€Å"And tell them what?† Theo asked. Rent-a-cop? I'm not even that now, he thought. â€Å"He has a point.† Gabe said. â€Å"We haven't seen anything.† â€Å"That old Blues singer has,† Val said. Theo nodded. â€Å"We need to find him. Maybe he'll†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"He's living with Estelle Boyet,† Val said. â€Å"I have her address in my office.†