Essay on Human Resource Management

Question: Compose an exposition about the Human Resource Management. Answer: Digests The task has been set up to investigation the two most significant ideas of human asset the board in the current day business world. The two ideas are adaptability at the work environment and work life equalization of the representatives, which are as a rule exceptionally considered by the chiefs nowadays to improve the workplace, expand profitability, hold representatives and increment the degrees of occupation fulfillment among them. The task has been useful in increasing an intensive understanding into the two ideas and picking up information about their past, present and future status. It likewise causes us in understanding the impacts that the long working hours can have on representatives and the activities that an organization can take to encourage work life balance for the human asset in any event, when the organization is experiencing a financial downturn. Presentation The task has been set up to examination the ideas of adaptability and work life balance. The fundamental reason for the task is to contemplate the ideas and discover the elements that profit by the execution of adaptability at the work environment. It further plans to contemplate the impact of long working hours on the human asset and in what manner can the administration advance work life balance even in the times of financial downturn. To concentrate the entirety of the above focuses, we would counsel various online sites and articles to arrive at a resolution. Adaptability at Workplace The cutting edge business world is very intricate and the presentation of globalization has additionally expanded up the complexities. The organizations are presently taking a stab at their endurance in their market and are eager to do whatever would help them in accomplishing an upper hand over different firms. In such a situation, it is practically difficult to accomplish an upper hand through items, administrations or procedures as they can be effectively figured out and duplicated inside no time. Accordingly, the organizations are depending upon their HR to accomplish upper hands which they can't accomplish something else. So as to accomplish such upper hands, the organizations are attempting to set up the most ideal workplace for the representatives with the goal that they can perform well and contribute more towards the general efficiency. Adaptability at work environment is one such methodology that targets improving the work conditions by permitting the administration and the representatives to together choose the working conditions, which would be appropriate to both the gatherings. The fundamental point of work environment adaptability is to give adaptability in the work conditions to the representatives and accomplish an expansion in the profitability and productivity while cutting down the working costs one next to the other. Adaptability is discussed a great deal in the current day associations and is nearly requested by all representatives since it helps the representatives in keeping up a superior harmony between their work life and individual life (Flexibility in the working environment Employee privileges Fair Work Ombudsman, n.d.). Let us talk about certain points of interest of actualizing adaptability at the working environment: Work environment adaptability can help the association in expanding the representatives duty towards the activity and the association. Work environment adaptability can likewise help in expanding the personal satisfaction of the representatives The greatest bit of leeway of actualizing adaptability at the working environment is that it helps in the advancement of profitability and proficiency. Work environment adaptability is an idea that was presented several decades prior. There are a lot of business associations that have put together their examples of overcoming adversity with respect to working environment adaptability while there are additionally associations that have not had the option to execute the idea effectively and have lost their profitability and proficiency because of the disappointment. Adaptability is likewise in an extraordinary interest as the representatives like to work with the organizations that offer adaptability to their workers. Such organizations can keep up a positive picture in the market and can hold their current workforce and draw in new pool of skilled representatives. Besides, various analysts have inferred that working environment adaptability can help in improving the work life parity of the representatives and lessen the degrees of worry among them (why representatives need adaptability, n.d.). Work environment adaptability is ending up being a significant idea in the administration of HR regardless of many accepts that it has lost its unique worldview and is not any more viable as it used to be before. As indicated by Juliet Bourke, the idea of adaptability has lost its unique worldview on the grounds that now a similar work is relied upon to be practiced by a lesser workforce. The perspective of Juliet Bourke is absolutely off base as such things rely on the arrangements that the administration can figure under work environment adaptability. Adaptability doesn't mean all the work for certain representatives and no work for different representatives. Or maybe, it implies that the work is the equivalent for every worker except they are simply permitted to achieve it inside whenever of the day. Further, in the event that solitary a couple of representatives were over-burden with all the work, at that point the scientists couldn't have reasoned that adaptability at working en vironment could help in cutting down the degrees of stress. In this way, it very well may be effortlessly said that working environment adaptability has not lost its unique worldview and the main issues being looked in adaptability are because of the issues in legitimate usage. Ramifications of Long Working Hours on Employees Long working hours or additional time is where the representatives working in an organization are permitted to work for an additional span of time with the goal that they can win more than they get paid for their normal work. It is an outstanding way to deal with procure cash for those workers who are experiencing unforgiving occasions or can't make both their closures meet. It likewise helps the organization in satisfying the requests of the HR when the flexibly gets lower because of startling reasons as the organization can pay extra to the representatives and still complete the work. Be that as it may, the negative effects of long working hours have been painstakingly thought of and they exceed the advantages of long working hours quickly. Let us currently examine a portion of the negative effects of long working hours: Increment in issues identified with soundness of the representatives various specialists have attempted to consider the impact of long working hours on the wellbeing of the representatives and have inferred that there are not kidding negative effects of long working hours on the strength of the workers. A portion of the regular issues, which have been seen as normal in representatives that work for longer hours, are recorded beneath: Expanded chance of wounds because of physical effort Worse hypertension in individuals performing professional employments An expansion in the emotional well-being issues Probability of decrease in incubation age in ladies and birth weight An expansion in the measure of liquor devoured by guys An impressive increment in the quantity of suicides Various investigations have additionally presumed that the representatives who work for over 50 hours in a solitary week have more issues in their families, decreased emotional well-being, chronic drug use and separations. Reduction in profitability Some organizations accept that by making the representatives work for longer lengths, they would have the option to accomplish an expansion in the general efficiency and proficiency, which is clearly false. Representatives are people not machines and they will in general get exhausted with a bit of work on the off chance that they need to do it over and over and for longer terms. At the point when the representatives get exhausted of their work, there would be an undeniable decrease in the profitability and productivity as they would not have any desire to accomplish a similar work over and over. Further, a portion of the representatives may even leave an association which requests that they continue doing an equivalent bit of work for extremely significant stretch of time. Expanded non-appearance one of the most genuine effects of long working hours on the human asset of an organization can be an expansion in the truancy of representatives. At the point when the representatives are given a bit of work which they need to perform over and over and for significant stretches of time, they regularly will in general get exhausted of their work. Long working hours additionally upset the work life parity of the representatives, which at last expands the degrees of worry among them. Thus, at some point or another, the representatives feel worried with their work and will in general take superfluous leaves from their employments so they can take rest and can improve their work life balance. Slowed down work another negative effect of long working hours is slowed down work. Additional time and long working hours are in other manner an arrangement of evaluation that assesses the representatives investing additional effort as money related remunerations. To make the best out of it, the representatives may here and there slow down their standard work with the goal that they can come up with a rationalization and convey it further to their additional time periods. They probably won't work with a similar speed as they would have done without an extra time opportunity. By slowing down the work, they can finish a similar work in additional time and gain additional motivating force (How Does Overtime Affect Employee Performance?, n.d.). Expanded in turnover rates as truancy is one of the results of long working hours, clearly gradually and consistently, the workforce would arrive at a phase where they would incline toward leaving the association as working there would build the remaining task at hand on them and upset their work life balance. Accordingly, they at last quit the associations and wind up expanding the turnover rates. Turnover rates can increment exponentially when associations approach their representatives to work for longer timeframes without really furnishing them with any sort of pay for the additional endeavors put in by them. Division long working hours can likewise cause division in the h

Did Jane Austen intend Henry Tilney to be a traditional hero Essay Example

Did Jane Austen plan Henry Tilney to be a conventional legend Essay Example Did Jane Austen plan Henry Tilney to be a conventional legend Paper Did Jane Austen plan Henry Tilney to be a conventional legend Paper Article Topic: Writing A conventional Gothic epic ordinarily requires the jobs of a saint and a scalawag. Northanger Abbey is Gothic in classification, however Jane Austen is likewise deriding the Gothic type. It is conceivable that she doesnt need a regular saint or scoundrel. The word reference characterizes a miscreant as: An individual blameworthy or fit for extraordinary fiendishness, scalawag; character in a play whose underhanded activities or thought processes are significant in the plot. General Tilneys spouse kicked the bucket of an ailment before the beginning of the novel, leaving the General a single man. General Tilney is a dad of three, he has two children and a little girl. It is the oldest child, Frederick, who is most similar to the General. The other two youngsters, Henry and Eleanor, are not so much like their dad by any stretch of the imagination. Frederick and the General both have maritime status, they are similar in vocation design. They are additionally similar in character. General Tilney is very gaudy, which implies he has a high assessment of himself or is affected. A case of this is the point at which he discovers that Catherine isn't a beneficiary. Jane Austen portrays him as: Enraged with nearly everyone on the planet however himself. The General is additionally shallow and double-dealing, which is demonstrated when Eleanor makes a decent marriage and Jane Austen discloses to us that never had the General adored his little girl so well in the entirety of her long periods of friendship, utility and patient continuance, as when he initially hailed her Your Ladyship! The General is additionally introduced as a remorseless and merciless man. This is indicated best when he everything except tosses Catherine out with no cash or worker to go with her. He gives her a carriage which makes her endure the social insult of getting back in an open vehicle which would have been wrong in the time in which the novel was set. Likewise she didn't get a decision of the time she was to leave and Eleanor had to reveal to her that she needed to leave, disclosing to her that: Tomorrow morning is fixed for your leaving us, and not even the hour is left to your decision; the very carriage is requested, and will be here at seven oclock, and no worker will be offered you. The General has constrained judgment, which is appeared by the simplicity with which he trusts John Thorpes lies about Catherine being a beneficiary. General Tilney is a voracious man. A case of this is his support of a decent connection among Catherine and Henry while he trusts Catherine is a beneficiary. When discussing the morning meal set, subsequent to referencing that he had seen some more that he would have jumped at the chance to purchase, Jane Austen says of the General that: He trusted, nonetheless, that an open door may ere long happen of choosing one-however not for himself, proposing that he trusted Catherine and Henry may get hitched and that she may give it. He is demonstrated to be narrow minded by his craving for his youngsters to make great relationships for his own finishes, paying little heed to their own bliss. Taking a gander at the contrary character attributes over that are typically expected to make someone a miscreant and the adverse character qualities that the General has, it is effortlessly observed that General Tilney isn't a reprobate. General Tilney is just a miscreant according to Catherine who becomes persuaded that the General had executed his significant other who, in all actuality, had kicked the bucket of a genuine disease. General Tilney doesnt genuinely influence the plot, as Catherine and Henry get together in any case, which a lowlife would. Albeit General Tilney isn't a charming character and is egotistical, vainglorious, covetous, shallow and cruel, he isn't abhorrent and isn't a scoundrel. The word reference characterizes a legend as A man appreciated for accomplishments and respectable characteristics. Boss male character in a sonnet, play or story. A normal saint in a Gothic tale would be attractive, he would spare the young ladies life and steal her away into the nightfall. He would likewise show other gallant characteristics, for example, being unfathomably solid and daring.. Jane Austen clarifies that Henry Tilney is none of these things. He is depicted in the presentation as less running and attractive than his sibling and no secret joins to his introduction to the world. Henry could be portrayed as a wannabe. Anyway Henry is the finished differentiation to his dad. Henry has an unobtrusive way and is very clever. Henrys mind is once in a while sudden and unusual, for instance his insight into muslin: But then you know madam that muslin consistently goes to some record or other Henry has an entire discussion on muslins with Mrs Allen and Catherine nearly calls him bizarre along these lines. In the novel, Henry is regularly a wellspring of silliness, particularly in his prodding Catherine about her Gothic dreams, which he did a great deal on their excursion to Northanger Abbey. Henry teasingly asks Catherine And would you say you are set up to experience all the detestations that a structure, for example, what one finds out about may create? - Have you a heavy heart? - Nerves fit for sliding boards and embroidery? He has solid standards and uprightness. On the off chance that someone has respectability they are a man or lady of their statement. Henry shows his trustworthiness in his relationship with Catherine he feels himself bound as much in respect as in friendship to Miss Morland. Despite the fact that his dad restricted it, Henry came back to Catherine in Fullerton, so he is very sentimental. Henry takes his expert obligations, in Woodston, truly the commitment of his minister at Woodston obliging him to leave them. Henrys character has predominantly great characteristics. Anyway it contradicts itself in that he is surprising, for instance he says I have no tolerance with such of my sex as scorn to let themselves now and again down to the understanding of yours. This implies he has no tolerance for men who dont get ladies, which would have been surprising at that point. He is appeared as customary, when he visited Catherine in Fullerton, he sat, most commonly noting all Mrs Morlands normal comments about the climate and streets. In any case, saints are unprecedented and that, Henry isn't. Henry isn't a saint, he is excessively odd and trained to be a customary legend. For instance, Henry says to Catherine when he realizes that she will visit him at Woodston, I should proceed to set up a supper for you no doubt. This shows he is trained, as most men in those occasions would not have considered the cooking. Yet, Henry is the nearest thing to a saint in the novel. Henry could, be that as it may, be confused with a legend due to his sentimental side and his coming back to Catherine.

Water security among Egypt ,Ethiopia and Sudan- subject is Essay

Water security among Egypt ,Ethiopia and Sudan-subject is universal connection - Essay Example 98). The stream begins from primarily two nations. The White Nile from Burundi joins the Blue Nile from Ethiopia to frame the Nile Basin. The Nile Basin is the significant wellspring of water for this area providing ten nations with water. Egypt is the conventional client of the water and has practically restrictive rights for removing water from the River Nile. Despite the fact that a non-contributing nation, Egypt profits by a respective 1959 understanding that gives it the biggest assignment in the usage of River Nile’s Water. Sudan, another noncontributing nation, gets the second biggest portion of the river’s assets. Different countries particularly, the contributing ones have, for quite a while, endured water shortage because of the inconsistent circulation of this water. This has made hostility between neighboring nations and was a wellspring of contention among the nations in this area. Nations upstream have, in ongoing time, thought about controlling the utilization of the water (Adar, 2011, pp. 73). Some have, for instance, manufactured huge dams and channels to bind their waters. This issue has been a significant concern which the UN records as one of the most critical policy centered issues. Watershed nations in the Nile Basin have understood that a move from the momentum state must be filled by an increasingly evenhanded sharing of the Nile water. This inclination to abuse more water has been occasioned by the longing to accomplish monetary turn of events. Ethiopia, for instance, has started hydroelectric force extends along the river’s stream. In spite of these endeavors, be that as it may, financial improvement has not been accomplished in numerous nations. The greater part of the nations in the area have long uncertain debates that impede the financial thriving of the individuals (Jacobs, 2012, pp. 37). Common wars, starvations, hardship, and inward and territorial disunity have been the request for the day in these nations. The abberations in the frontier understanding

Environmental studies - Bruce Podobnik - 1100 Words

Environmental studies - Bruce Podobnik (Essay Sample) Content: Bruce Podobnik addresses the possibility of energy shift from fossil fuels to more sustainable global energy sources. An energy shift is a process where a new energy source is harnessed for human consumption (Podobnik 2006: 4). He argues that such energy shift has happened in the past and, therefore, we cannot overrule the possibility of such shifts in the future. The current worldviews do not support the possibility of a viable alternative to oil. There is wide-spread fear that the current world oil reserves will not be able to meet the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s oil demand in the coming decades especially with the current political conflicts and consumption patterns. There are few alternatives to oil in the world today. Podobnik associates the energy panic as a major cause of insurgencies, militarism, competition and geopolitical conflicts.Podobnik bases his argument on world historical developments on the possibility of a global shift from oil to a more viable and sustainab le energy resource. He demonstrates how the world has changed its main source of energy from wood to coal and coal to oil as a political shift, in the 19th-century. The author suggests that such shifts occurred in an unanticipated, non-linear and rapid manner during turbulent times. The current systematic chaos and rebellions that characterize the declining US hegemony are, therefore, an indication of a transformational world shift to another source of energy. However, the author fails to prove whether such a rapid and far-reaching shift is possible in current times.There are three fundamental factors in the past that have facilitated global shift. These are geopolitical conflicts, corporate competition within the energy sector, and social movements within the energy sector. These factors intensify and weaken in recurring manner. Podobnik acknowledges that none of these three factors works in isolation; all three factors should be chained together to bring a new world energy shifts. However, one factor may intensify the other in turbulent times. These factors converge to undermine the viability of previous energy regimes. The factors encourage the growth of new infrastructure, technology and markets of another oil regime that emerges as dominant energy source when the existing energy crisis come to an end. The author, in this case, is right since there is evidence of world order to world chaos, which is greatly impacting our global energy system.Podobnik uses adequate statistics to bolster his argument on world energy shifts. He analyzes the use of coal during the British hegemony (1900-1960) and its decline to give way to the U.S hegemony to its current decline stage (1960-current times). At the time of British hegemony, coal was the fabric of the British society (Podobnik 2006: 1). Increased societal conflicts characterized the waning of British power leading to the loss of profitability and stability of coal as a source of energy. British hegemony declined during the Napoleon Wars, Franco-Prussian war and in the first World-War. During these wars and in the reparations process, oil consumption began to gain popularity. Coal became unstable and was easily replaced and dominated by oil. However, Podobnik argues that the shift to oil was not without intense marketing. The main aim of marketing oil was to create awareness among the public so that it could subsequently overtake the lower priced coal (Podobnik 2006: 12).The growth of oil extraction and automobile use was an important stimulus to the growth of US hegemony. According to the author, it helped reduce the costs of reproducing labor, a factor he believes was important in the post-Second World-War. This factor was an important Keynesian model for providing cheap food, transport, heating, and consumer goods to workers in the capitalist perspective (Podobnik 2006: 12). Nonetheless, U.S hegemony faces a number of crises including the oil crisis, nationalization, terrorism, workers s truggles, and the Middle Eastern Wars (Podobnik2006: 12). Of particular importance is the "Oil Crisis" that is showing signs of the shift from oil to sustainable energy and nuclear power (Podobnik 2006: 12). The author believes that both energy sectors have gained foundations and are set to replace oil in prominence. Oil has met enough challenges such as depletion, militarism, word-wide crisis and climate change among others. However, the author fails to qualify nuclear energy as desirable or possible to exploit at a big scale.The declining US hegemony is enough evidence on the shift from oil energy....

Christianity and a Western Evangelical Global Theology

Introduction The world has become a global village with the current unprecedented interconnectedness. More people have heard and the good news of Jesus Christ in the present generation than in any other time in history. It is estimated that more Christians in Africa, South American and Asia than there are in Europe and North America. With the current population explosion and various distractions brought by the technological advancements and other forces, more people than ever remain unreached. The church globally needs to reexamine how it implements theology and missionary work to set the stage for evangelism. theological reflection rooted in Gods self-revelation in Scripture and informed by the historical legacy of the Christian community through the ages, the current realities in the world, and the diverse perspectives of Christian communities throughout the world, to greater holiness in living and faithfulness in fulfilling Gods mission in all the world through the church (p. 30). McGarvey (1988) expressed concern in the deliverance of the world from sin by empowering the people of the world to understand sin. Sin is the transgression of the law of God (1 John. 3:4, The Jerusalem Bible) and the world is engulfed in it. Sin has a horrible nature and terrible consequences. Therefore, the world is in dire need for revival and repentance through evangelism. The need for evangelism is even great in reference to the book of Isaiah that says Gods hand is not shortenedShow MoreRelatedDat Based On The Information Given From The Book1686 Words   |  7 PagesMiller is a well known figure in the realm of theological studies. Numerous articles, reviews, translations, and books were written by him. In his educational journey, he obtained numerous degrees (B.A., M.A., Ph.D., Doctorate in Theology, and so on) in Philosophy and Theology. He taught in numerous higher educational institutions mainly in Colorado, USA. 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The kingdom of God is the key to missions which is portrayed in the early church and in Jesus ministry; it is also an evident

Lowering The Drinking Age To 18 Essay - 1788 Words

Whether Or Not Should Drinking Age Be Lowered From 21 to 18 Years This discussion has been going on for long on many forums without a decisive conclusion or agreement. This is mainly because both the arguments for lowering the age to 18 years and not lowering have some substantial facts to support them. The people who are against lowering the drinking age come up with a number of arguments which are explained below. Several states like Michigan, Massachusetts, and Maine in the United States of America lowered their drinking ages to 18. As a direct result there was increase in alcohol related clashes. This clearly shows that the teenagers are not ready to be left to drink freely. This situation can be attributed to the fact that the†¦show more content†¦Another argument supporting not to lower the drinking age is that the earlier a person begins alcohol use, the higher the chances of that person becoming an alcoholic later in life and thus harming their brains. But this is not entirely applicable because starting drinking at the age of 21 c an also lead a person to becoming an alcoholic as well. There are statistics that alcohol consumption has lowered since 1984. Some attribute this to the fact that drinking age is set at 21, but this is not absolutely the reason because even where it is set at 18 people make their own choices of whether to drink or not. It is also evident that setting the drinking age at 21 against 18 does not eliminate teenage drinking problems; instead it just keeps them on hold until the teens get to 21 years of age. In some cases keeping the minimum drinking age at 21 encourages teens to drink more. Hence drinking age should be set at the age of 18. Here are some of the reasons why. Why the drinking age should be lowered to 18 Turning 18 years means that a person has become a responsible adult. 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With an increase of alcohol consumption by underage drinkers, it only seems logical to lower the drinking age to prevent binge drinking, however there are far more consequences to be seen. Lowering the drinking age to 18 will not solve the binge drinking problem among college students but will cause more problems. In this paper I will explain the reason why lowering t he drinking age will not stop binge drinking and the adverse

Theory Counselling and Psychotherapy

Question: Discuss about the Theory Counselling and Psychotherapy. Answer: Introduction: If I were in a position to advise Bilbo, I would do my best to help him. The first thing I would do is to acknowledge that as a young man, he is still in the crystallized phase of intelligence. Meaning, he is not able to make rational decisions because he still has to rely on his experience, knowledge and skills, which in this case is lacking in him. He is neither experienced nor having any skills that he can rely on at this time to deal with the troublesome situation he faces. In this regard, I would use the opportunity to advise him not to be worried. The unfortunate circumstances that had befell his sweetheart Haki are normal human experiences. The fact that Haki suffered from left-sided salpingo-oopherectomy should not worry him a lot. I would encourage him to be confident enough to because he had already made commendable efforts by taking her to the hospital to seek for medical care (Corey, 2013). He would only need to worry a lot if the sick lady had not received any treatment and had a worsening condition. Despite lacking experiences, I would advise Bilbo to accept the situation and move on. It is nonsensical to live in the past and keep on worrying about what has happened. After all, he cannot undo what has occurred. So, what he should do is to use his mind to reason out and critically think about the necessary measures to take to handle the situation. It for this reason that I recommend that he should seek for a further medical intervention to assess the sick ladys condition. At the same time, he should own up and seek for permission from the school administration on behalf of her sick lover. This will show that he can use his intelligence to solve real life challenges (Furnham, 2014). Peter At the age of 61, Peter has definitely become an adult. As an elderly, he is not exempt from the challenges that are faced by the aging persons such as discrimination and isolation. Peter therefore faces a challenge because he is viewed as a burden in the family and a workplace. Worse still, he feels discriminated at the workplace where he is not entitled to benefits like promotion and recognition that are exclusively reserved for the much younger and active employees. Lastly, Peters age has made him prone to chronic illnesses like diabetes that troubles him and his family. In fact, Peters situation may worsen as a result of the negative perception he has about his old age. For example, when he is urged to retire, he is made to feel more rejected and unfit to be in the workplace and may be society in general. This feeling of rejection and isolation can complicate Peters situation and make him more vulnerable to health problems. Therefore, to address Peters situation, he has to be given attentive health care services. Unlike the younger patients, Peter requires more attention. His elderly condition complicates his health status. It makes him prone to multimorbidity, a situation characterized by multiple chronic infections each of which requiring attentive care. At the same time, Peter is aging and might be vulnerable to mental illnesses (Lavallire, Burstein, Arezes Coughlina, 2016). Therefore, Peter should not be regarded as a young diabetes patient because his condition is too complex and can worsen if not keenly monitored by the health care providers and his family. Selina By quitting her job at 45 and insisting on going back to the campus to get a life before its too late Selina is obviously a victim of mid-life crisis. She has been compelled to resign from her workplace because of aging and regrets. She regrets serving as mother and is also remorseful for not accomplishing certain goals in life. She feels ashamed that she did not accomplish educational goals just like the rest of the society (Seo Kim Jung, 2016). That is why she has been concentrating on caring for her family and working in a clothing store. This is a clear proof that Seilna suffers from mid-age crisis-a common developmental problem that occurs during the middle age. Personally, I am convinced that Selina has made a wrong d3cision. Although education is good, it can only be beneficial if acquired at the right time. Human being has a short life span that should be properly planned. So, for Selina, an aging parent to abandon her family responsibilities and go back to college, it means that she is having a developmental challenge that should be addressed. After all, she does not aim at advancing her education, but enjoying campus life. Meaning, she regrets missing that during her tender age. This will actually negatively impact on her family (Harvey, 2007). Apart from bringing financial deficiencies in the family, it will bring shame to the family. No one can be contented to associate with such a mother. References Corey, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Counselling and Psychotherapy. (9th Ed). California: Brooks/Cole. Furnham, A. (2014). Increasing your intelligence: Entity and incremental beliefs about the multiple intelligences.Learning and Individual Differences,32, 163-167. Harvey, D. J. (2007). Understanding Australian rural women's ways of achieving health and wellbeing-a metasynthesis of the literature. Rural and Remote Health, 7(4), 1-12. Jellinger, K. A., Attems, J. (2015). Challenges of multimorbidity of the aging brain: a critical update. Journal of Neural Transmission, 122(4), 505-521. Lavallire, M., Burstein, A. A., Arezes, P., Coughlina, J. F. (2016). Tackling the challenges of an aging workforce with the use of wearable technologies and the quantified-self. Journal of the Facultad de Minas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Medellin Campus, 83(197), 38-43. Seo, E. H., Kim, E. Y., Jung, E. Y. (2016). The Effects of Climacteric Symptoms and Hardiness on Mid-Life Crisis. Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society, 17(4), 454-463.

William Faulkner Essays (952 words) - Modernist Literature

William Faulkner Biography of William Faulkner William Faulkner was an enormous man in literature despite the fact that he stood less than five foot six. He reshaped the way in which the world views literature today. Faulkner was one of the greatest influences to American culture of his time. In fact, his influence spread throughout many years to come. Faulkner started out as a child with a dream, and with this dream he redefined the literary society of America. William Cuthbert Faulkner was born on September 25, 1897, in New Albany, Mississippi. Faulkner was the son of Maud and Murry Faulkner. He was the eldest of four sons, and was named after his great grandfather, who was a bestselling writer of The White Rose of Memphis. When Faulkner was young, he showed an artistic talent for drawing and writing poetry. Estelle Oldham and Phil Stone were acquaintances of him while in his youth who would become important figures in Faulkners future. Stone found great interest in Faulkners poetry, which soon caused him to recognize Williams unmistakable talent. He set out to advise Faulkner and give him models for his study of literature. He said that Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself. (William Faulkner). It was in this way that he conducted his literature, for the rest of his life was sloppy and indulgent. He worked as a postmaster and a scoutmaster for Boy Scouts, and in both he was asked to resign for drinking, and poor work. He dropped out of both high school and college in favor of partying, but during his stay in college, Faulkner was able to create many short stories and poems which were featured in the school newspaper and the yearbook. Faulkner may have been irresponsible and incompetent, but his writings proved to be extravagant works of art that redefined American literature for centuries to come. William Faulkners work was defining to the culture of America during the early 1900s and beyond. Faulkner invented characters to create a saga such as the series of literary works which involved an imaginary county known as Yoknapatawpha. Those works theme was the decay of the Old South, as represented by the Sartoris and Compson families, and the emergence of ruthless and brash newcomers, the Snopeses. (www.olemiss.edu). The New Orleans culture he lived in influenced much of his writing. Many of his great works, including Soldiers Pay, Mosquitoes, and the New Orleans Sketches Collection were written at that locale. He went on to write Sartoris, which he considered to be extremely good but could not get it published. He began writing The Sound and the Fury for fun. That was at the time his writing career was at rock bottom because of his lack of money. It turned out that both of these novels got published. The structure of The Sound and the Fury was revolutionary. It was divided into four parts, and when put together they created a large image of the slow demise of a once- powerful and prominent southern family. The theme of their demise is especially exhibited with the gradual decline of Cady Compson, and her eventual disappearance. Another novel that he had written in 1929, Sanctuary, was one which Faulkner claimed to be simply a moneymaker. Unfortunately, because of its subject, the novel was immediately turned down by the publisher although he eventually got it published. Faulkners writing during these years revolutionized literary culture. Later in his life, Faulkner slowed down in his writing. He moved to Hollywood to be a screenwriter. Faulkner became good friends with Howard Hawks, and his efforts in Hawks scripts granted him on-screen credit. One of the first movies directed by Hawks and which he received credit in was Today We Live which was based on Faulkners short story Turn about. In June 1930, Faulkner married Estelle Oldham. A year later they had a daughter, Alabama, who died after only a few days of being born. In June of 1933, Estelle gave birth to Faulkners only surviving daughter, Jill. In 1949, Faulkner was awarded a Nobel Prize for literature. "His powerful

How to Use a Bug Bomb Safely

How to Use a Bug Bomb Safely Bug bombs, or total release foggers, fill a confined space with pesticides using an aerosol propellant. People tend to think of these products as quick and easy fixes for home insect infestations. In truth, few pests can be wiped out using bug bombs. The devices arent particularly useful for controlling infestations of  cockroaches, ants, or  bed bugs, and for this reason, its important  to know when its appropriate to use them. Used incorrectly, bug bombs can be downright dangerous.  Each year, people ignite fires and explosions by misusing insect foggers. Bug bomb products can also cause respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments, which in the young or elderly can be fatal. If you are planning to use a bug bomb in your home, make sure to do so safely and correctly. Why Bug Bombs Alone Are Not Effective Bug bombs- sometimes called roach bombs- can be a useful part of an integrated pest management program. Alone, however, they are not especially effective. The reason is simple: The pesticide in a bug bomb (which is not always particularly effective against roaches, fleas, bedbugs, or silverfish) kills only those bugs with which it comes in direct contact. Most household pests are well known for their ability to hide under baseboards, inside cupboards and mattresses, in drains, and along baseboards. Set off a fogger  and youll kill off only those bugs that happen to be out in the open at any given moment. Any pests that are inside or under a protective covering will survive to bite another day. Meanwhile, your counters and other surfaces will have been coated with pesticide, meaning youll have to scrub them down before cooking or sleeping on them. If you are serious about eradicating an infestation, youll need to do much more than simply set off a bug bomb. Because it does take work and know-how to safely and effectively rid yourself of pests, you may want to hire a pest control company. Experts may use bug bombs as part of their arsenal, but they will also: Set bait trapsSpray directly into areas that are protected and likely to harbor pestsUse chemicals that are specifically intended to eradicate particular pests; pyrethrin, the main pesticide in foggers, is most effective against flying insects- but not cockroaches or fleas.Return to reapply pesticides as needed How to Use Bug Bombs Safely Bug bombs are somewhat risky as they contain flammable materials including potentially harmful pesticides. To use them safely, follow all of these instructions. Read and Follow All Directions and Precautions When it comes to pesticides, the label is the law. Just as the pesticide manufacturers are required to include certain information on their product labels, you are required to read it and follow all directions correctly. Understand the risks of the pesticides you are using by reading carefully all label sections beginning with danger, poison, warning, or caution. Follow instructions for use, and calculate how much pesticide you need based on the package directions. Most foggers are intended to treat a specific number of square feet; using a large bug bomb in a small space can increase health risks. In addition, most foggers have information about how long to wait before returning to the sprayed area (typically two to four hours). Use Only the Number of Bug Bombs Specified Contrary to popular belief, more is not always better. Manufacturers test their bug bomb products to determine the safest and most effective number to use per square foot of living space. If you use more than the specified number of bug bombs, you only increase the health and safety risks that come with using them. You wont kill any more bugs. Cover All Food and Childrens Toys Prior to Using the Bug Bomb Once the bug bomb is activated, the contents of your home will be covered with a chemical residue. Do not eat any food items that were not covered. Young children tend to put toys in their mouths, so its best to seal toys inside garbage bags or put them in toy boxes or drawers where they wont be exposed to pesticides. You may also want to cover sofas, chairs, and other upholstered furniture that cant be wiped down. Tell Your Neighbors About Your Bug Bomb Plans Condos and apartment buildings usually share common ventilation systems or have cracks and crevices between units. If you live in close quarters, make sure to let your neighbors know when you are using any airborne pesticide product, and ask them to turn off any ignition sources (stove and dryer pilots, for example) in their units. Your neighbors may prefer to cover their adjacent ductwork, too. Unplug Anything That Can Spark The aerosol propellants used in bug bomb products are highly flammable. A gas flame or ill-timed spark from an appliance can easily ignite the propellant. Always turn off all pilot lights, and take the extra precaution of unplugging refrigerators and air conditioners. To be extra safe, place the bug bombs a minimum of six feet from any potential source of a spark. Once You Activate the Bug Bomb, Vacate the Premises Immediately Silly (and obvious) as this may sound, a good number of reported incidents have occurred because individuals were unable to vacate prior to discharge of a bug bomb. In fact, a CDC study on bug bomb safety showed a full 35 percent  of reported health issues occurred because users failed to leave the area after activating the fogger. Before you activate the product, plan your escape. Keep All People and Pets out of the Area for as Long as the Label Indicates For most bug bomb products, you need to vacate the premises for several hours after activating the product. Do not, under any circumstances, return to the property early. You risk serious health issues, including respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments, if you occupy the home prematurely. Dont reenter your home until it is safe to do so according to the product label. Ventilate the Area Well Before Reentering Again, follow the label directions. After the prescribed amount of time to allow the product to work has passed, open as many windows as you can. Leave them open for a minimum of one hour before you allow anyone to reenter the home. Once You Return, Keep Pesticides out of Pets and Peoples Mouths After returning to your home, wipe down any surfaces where food is prepared, or that pets or people may touch with their mouths. Clean all counters and other surfaces where you prepare food thoroughly. If you left pet dishes out and uncovered, wash them. If  you have infants or toddlers who spend lots of time on the floor, be sure to mop. If you left your toothbrushes out, replace them with new ones. Store Unused Bug Bomb Products Safely Children are particularly susceptible to the effects of airborne chemicals, and you shouldnt risk an accidental discharge of pesticides by a curious child. Like all hazardous chemicals, bug bombs should be stored in a childproof cabinet or other secure location. If You Are Exposed to a Bug Bomb While most people understand that they should leave the house after setting off a bug bomb, there are quite a few reasons why someone might be exposed to pesticide-containing fog. According to the CDC, the most common reasons are related to: Bug bombs being set off without warning in apartment buildings with shared ventilation systemsSomeone reentering a building because a bug bomb set off an alarmHomeowners returning too soon after setting off a bug bombInfants and pets being exposed to residual pesticides on blankets, carpets, or other surfaces If youre exposed to pesticide from a bug bomb, you may experience nausea, shortness of breath, dizziness, leg cramps, burning eyes, coughing, or wheezing. These symptoms may be mild or severe; they are, of course, most dangerous among very young children and people who are allergic to the pesticide. If you do experience symptoms, visit the emergency room to avoid complications.

SOCIOLOGY - Organizations and Social Change Essay

SOCIOLOGY - Organizations and Social Change - Essay Example Indeed this has proved to be the toughest and challenging activity, for most of America’s activists in politics and also the various community builders who are spread across the country. It is this climate that is currently prevailing within the US, with the various community developing organizations present across the country lobbying for getting the funds approved from the government, so that they can go ahead with their community job training initiatives. IAF, COPS and Metro Alliance are the main organizations that have been formed for community developing activities, that has focused its attention and influence in community development activities, in the areas around San Antonio as well as Texas. â€Å"Invest in us! Invest in us! chanted the six-hundred community residents across San Antonio as leaders of the IAF organizations COPS and Metro Alliance lobbied the mayor and city councilors for the funds to support their job training initiative, Project QUEST†. (www.go odreads.com) Indeed this is the situation of the congregation based community organizations, which are spread across the US. These organizations have to lobby for getting the necessary funds approval from the concerned mayors, if they have to go ahead with the job training initiatives for the small and poor communities across America. ... â€Å"The Texas IAF network asked gubernatorial candidate Ann Richards to support Project QUEST which was agreed upon and she won the election with strong support among low-income Mexican American and African Americans.† (www.goodreads.com) Organizations like the IAF and many others have a very high influence on the political leaders and they get the funds for the various community development and job training initiatives undertaken by them through this political clout. As the COPS organization across the US grew, they could easily get credit to the tune of several millions of dollars in public money, for undertaking various developmental activities which were needed for the communities. But all these types of the different developmental activities of the communities improved, but it was seen that the wages of the individuals residing within these communities did not show any increase. In recent years IAF have become a very powerful organization, with a lot of political influe nce that is inherent in them due to the huge influence on the population, which is residing in these communities. Hence such social organizations like the IAF, COPS and Metro Alliance have resulted in bringing about the much needed social changes and also helped in the upliftment of the poor and needy people, which has automatically resulted in the development of such communities that are scattered around America. Since such communities start developing, the whole economy of the US starts to progress and the power and the influence of these communities start to increase simultaneously â€Å"Publicity for Project Quest outreach went out through training opportunities at IAF, COPS and Metro Alliance church networks through church services and

John Galliano for Dior Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

John Galliano for Dior Crisis - Essay Example In ten years Maison Dior had become one of the most powerful design houses in the industry with Seventh Ave depending on Dior to lead them in a mutually beneficial relationship. In 1957 the company was grossing 17 Million dollars per year, which increased to 22 million by 1958. Yves Saint Laurant, Dior’s handpicked Head Assistant became the head of Dior, but soon left after only six collections when he was called to join the French Army. He had taken up the reigns of the Dior house when he was only twenty-one years old (Blaszczyk 93). Although the design vision of the company has had to change through the transitions of designers over the years, the company pioneered a concept that secured its position in the fashion industry. According to Blaszczyk â€Å"Maison Dior’s achievement in the history of the fashion industry lies in the creation of a format for producing profits while continuing to operate the maison as a viable business for licensing† (105). What the House of Dior did was to create the first example of the power of branding and the idea of licensing was the foundation of how the profits for branding were established. Therefore, one of the most important aspects of the nature of the business is in the perceptions that the public holds for the name of Dior. This is why the crisis that occurred with John Galliano had to be handled with care and surgical precision. The House of Dior Christian Dior is currently owned by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which is owned by Bernard Arnaul. Sidney Toledano, Dior Couture’s chief executive, and the board of directors were responsible for the decision to fire Galliano during the crisis (Saltmarsh). The demographics for Dior are wide and varied, depending on what branch of the company is being discussed. However, the core of the demographics are affluent with an upper class income, varying from those who buy from the runway and are represented by the elite to those with upper middle c lass incomes that can afford higher designer level prices. The House of Dior includes Miss Dior, which is geared towards the younger woman, J’dore, which is currently the perfume that is represented by Charlize Theron, and Diorskin Forever, their skincare line represented by Natalie Portman. Dior lines include accessories, jewelry, watches, baby wear, men’s wear, and of course, women’s wear (Dior). Dior represents glamour, wealth, and couture. The house has always strived to serve the elite of the world. Christian Dior, in defiance of a restriction on fabric during World War II, created pieces in his collection that uses as much as 20 yards of fabric (Blaszczyk 93). While this suggests a sense of social defiance during a time when people were needed to band together, it also represents a belief in the luxury of life and that to live in a restricted form is to limit the possibilities. Dior’s first releases also revolutionized the look of woman. He embraced the large breasts, small waist, and long silhouette with skirts that ended at mid-calf that now still have power in women’s wear creations. His company was run with smart business moves in mind, licensing the products in order to create lines that could extend the brand. Dior is a company to be admired for the products that they produce, the luxurious lifestyle that is the cornerstone

Generation Gap Essay Example for Free

Generation Gap Essay Generation gap can be defined as an opposed division between younger people and older ones. It can be perceived in cultural as well as political fields of society nowadays. Nevertheless, the differences may begin to be bridged in diverse ways within those main fields. On one hand, the existence of clear contrasts between generations as language, fashion and art values may be easily appreciated in the Media, even the streets with graffiti and all kind of artistic works. What are well known among youngsters are the wide variety of codes they are able to create and manage, like the linguistic codes; the clothes they choose to design and wear and even the music they play and listen to, which are changing constantly in order to make adult people feel away from their own matters. In addition, it seems that revolution is an irreplaceable subject kept alive by young people exclusively. What they think is that their ideas are the best ones for he Worlds welfare, especially in the political and social fields. On the other hand, this distance between generations has existed since Ancient times when the elder people ruled all the societies and they were respected and even worshipped in several cases like the Greek and Romans civilizations. It seems that at present times, old people are sent to places of retirement and it may difficult and in the worst situation, impossible to participate in society decisions at all. Nevertheless, what Globalization cannot change nowadays are values. They have never been altered like love, solidarity, wisdom and common sense and they would be thought as bridges between distant generations. In conclusion, the generation gap may produce some misunderstandings in numerous senses whereas it will exist as part of evolution of human beings. However, it would seem to be a challenge to create new bridges to connect both sides through common cultural and political devices.

Development Of The Carol Essay -- essays research papers

The seasonal songs popular in western music, especially in conjunction with the Christmas season, known as carols, have a rich and complex history full of tradition and controversy in the realms of both sacred and secular music. The concept of singing carols to celebrate holidays developed during the 13th century in France, although what was to be known as carol music had been around from centuries earlier. It is believed that when troubadour Saint Francis of Assisi had made the first Greccio crib, he began to sing songs honoring the Nativity and the joy of celebration in religion, for this was a strict Puritanical era wherein communal singing, drama, and any type of festivity was looked down upon in the first place, and absolutely abhorred in religion. The concept of singing these carols gained popularity throughout Europe towards the end of Puritan reign and the growth of the Mystery Play throughout the 14th and 15th centuries. The Mystery Plays were dramatic pieces celebrating the birth of Christ. The basic plainsong and antiphon of the time were lacking the drama required by these performances, and soon religious songs for these performances were being written in the vernacular for these plays. The still popular English "Coventry Carol" dates back to this period. By the end of the 15th century, carols had begun to stand on their own as anonymous pieces of music, and were dung on almost all religious feast days, including Christmas, Easter, and throughout the Spring in celebration of the peoples emancipation from Puritanism. As mentioned earlier, the music that these early carols were based on dates back to the 9th and 10th centuries Medieval period, where it was used as dance music. The word carol itself is derived form the Latin "choraula," which was a monophonic ring dance accompanied by singing during the Medieval era. The form of the early carols followed the binary structure of these dances. It consisted of the stanza, which was basically a verse, and was used as a resting point for the dancers, and the burden, which was a theme repeated at the beginning and ending of each piece as well as between each stanza. It expressed a sort of summary of the music, and was the time for the dancers to really swing. Anothe... ...the 19th century, the better carol music had been weeded out form the worse, and it began to be collected in a more systematic fashion. Countries throughout Europe began to amass their old carol folk songs into collections of national music. An innumerable number of old carol tunes that were hidden in the memory of old country folk were rediscovered and published for the first time. Today Christmas remains the most popular season to celebrate with carols. America has birthed her own collection of Christmas carols, although one will find these more modern 20th century carols to have much less of a connection with religion, if any at all, than the older European carols. A wide variety of carols form various geographic areas and eras continue to be sung by choirs and vocal ensembles, in churches, and for various forms of entertainment. There have even been instrumental arrangements and contemporary renditions of many of the older carols. Although in many ways the carol has been modernized, especially in the American culture, the beautiful simplicity and antiquity of the music, as well as the remarkable history and tradition they imply, cannot be ignored.

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 2~3

Two The Sea Beast The cooling pipes at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant were all fashioned from the finest stainless steel. Before they were installed, they were x-rayed, ultrasounded, and pressure-tested to be sure that they could never break, and after being welded into place, the welds were also x-rayed and tested. The radioactive steam from the core left its heat in the pipes, which leached it off into a seawater cooling pond, where it was safely vented to the Pacific. But Diablo had been built on a breakneck schedule during the energy scare of the seventies. The welders worked double and triple shifts, driven by greed and cocaine, and the inspectors who ran the X-ray machines were on the same schedule. And they missed one. Not a major mistake. Just a tiny leak. Barely noticeable. A minuscule stream of harmless, low-level radiation wafted out with the tide and drifted over the continental shelf, dissipating as it went, until even the most sensitive instruments would have missed it. Yet the le ak didn't go totally undetected. In the deep trench off California, near a submerged volcano where the waters ran to seven hundred degrees Fahrenheit and black smokers spewed clouds of mineral soup, a creature was roused from a long slumber. Eyes the size of dinner platters winked out the sediment and sleep of years. It was instinct, sense, and memory: the Sea Beast's brain. It remembered eating the remains of a sunken Russian nuclear submarine: beefy little sailors tenderized by the pressure of the depths and spiced with piquant radioactive marinade. Memory woke the beast, and like a child lured from under the covers on a snowy morning by the smell of bacon frying, it flicked its great tail, broke free from the ocean floor, and began a slow ascent into the current of tasty treats. A current that ran along the shore of Pine Cove. Mavis Mavis tossed back a shot of Bushmills to take the edge off her frustration at not being able to whack anyone with her baseball bat. She wasn't really angry that Molly had bitten a customer. After all, he was a tourist and rated above the mice in the walls only because he carried cash. Maybe the fact that something had actually happened in the Slug would bring in a little business. People would come in to hear the story, and Mavis could stretch, speculate, and dramatize most stories into at least three drinks a tell. Business had been slowing over the last couple of years. People didn't seem to want to bring their problems into a bar. Time was, on any given afternoon, you'd have three or four guys at the bar, pouring down beers as they poured out their hearts, so filled with self-loathing that they'd snap a vertebra to avoid catching their own reflection in the big mirror behind the bar. On a given evening, the stools would be full of people who whined and growled and bitched all night long, pausing only long enough to stagger to the bathroom or to sacrifice a quarter to the jukebox's extensive self-pity selection. Sadness sold a lot of alcohol, and it had been in short supply these last few years. Mavis blamed the booming economy, Val Riordan, and vegetables in the diet for the sadness shortage, and she fought the insidious invaders by running two-for-one happy hours with fatty meat snacks (The whole point of happy hour was to purge happiness, wasn't it?), but all her efforts only served to cut her profits in half. If Pine Cove could no longer produce sadness, she would import some, so she advertised for a Blues singer. The old Black man wore sunglasses, a leather fedora, a tattered black wool suit that was too heavy for the weather, red suspenders over a Hawaiian shirt that sported topless hula girls, and creaky black-on-white wing tips. He set his guitar case on the bar and climbed onto a stool. Mavis eyed him suspiciously and lit a Tarryton 100. She'd been taught as a girl not to trust Black people. â€Å"Name your poison,† she said. He took off his fedora, revealing a gleaming brown baldness that shone like polished walnut. â€Å"You gots some wine?† â€Å"Cheap-shit red or cheap-shit white?† Mavis cocked a hip, gears and machinery clicked. â€Å"Them cheap-shit boys done expanded. Used to be jus' one flavor.† â€Å"Red or white?† â€Å"Whatever sweetest, sweetness.† Mavis slammed a tumbler onto the bar and filled it with yellow liquid from an icy jug in the well. â€Å"That'll be three bucks.† The Black man reached out – thick sharp nails skating the bar surface, long fingers waving like tentacles, searching, the hand like a sea creature caught in a tidal wash – and missed the glass by four inches. Mavis pushed the glass into his hand. â€Å"You blind?† â€Å"No, it be dark in here.† â€Å"Take off your sunglasses, idjit.† â€Å"I can't do that, ma'am. Shades go with the trade.† â€Å"What trade? Don't you try to sell pencils in here. I don't tolerate beggars.† â€Å"I'm a Bluesman, ma'am. I hear ya'll lookin for one.† Mavis looked at the guitar case on the bar, at the Black man in shades, at the long fingernails of his right hand, the short nails and knobby gray calluses on the fingertips of his left, and she said, â€Å"I should have guessed. Do you have any experience?† He laughed, a laugh that started deep down and shook his shoulders on the way up and chugged out of his throat like a steam engine leaving a tunnel. â€Å"Sweetness, I got me more experience than a busload o' hos. Ain't no dust settled a day on Catfish Jefferson since God done first dropped him on this big ol' ball o' dust. That's me, call me Catfish.† He shook hands like a sissy, Mavis thought, just let her have the tips of his fingers. She used to do that before she had her arthritic finger joints replaced. She didn't want any arthritic old Blues singer. â€Å"I'm going to need someone through Christmas. Can you stay that long or would your dust settle?† â€Å"I ‘spose I could slow down a bit. Too cold to go back East.† He looked around the bar, trying to take in the dinge and smoke through his dark glasses, then turned back to her. â€Å"Yeah, I might be able to clear my schedule if† – and here he grinned and Mavis could see a gold tooth there with a musical note cut in it – â€Å"if the money is right,† he said. â€Å"You'll get room and board and a percentage of the bar. You bring 'em in, you'll make money.† He considered, scratched his cheek where white stubble sounded like a toothbrush against sandpaper, and said, â€Å"No, sweetness, you bring 'em in. Once they hear Catfish play, they come back. Now what percentage did you have in mind?† Mavis stroked her chin hair, pulled it straight to its full three inches. â€Å"I'll need to hear you play.† Catfish nodded. â€Å"I can play.† He flipped the latches on his guitar case and pulled out a gleaming National steel body guitar. From his pocket he pulled a cutoff bottleneck and with a twist it fell onto the little finger of his left hand. He played a chord to test tune, pulled the bottleneck from the fifth to the ninth and danced it there, high and wailing. Mavis could smell something like mildew, moss maybe, a change in humidity. She sniffed and looked around. She hadn't been able to smell anything for fifteen years. Catfish grinned. â€Å"The Delta,† he said. He launched into a twelve-bar Blues, playing the bass line with his thumb, squealing the high notes with the slide, rocking back and forth on the bar stool, the light of the neon Coors sign behind the bar playing colors in the reflection of sunglasses and his bald head. The daytime regulars looked up from their drinks, stopped lying for a second, and Slick McCall missed a straight-in eight-ball shot on the quarter table, which he almost never did. And Catfish sang, starting high and haunting, going low and gritty. â€Å"They's a mean ol' woman run a bar out on the Coast. I'm telling you, they's a mean ol' woman run a bar out on the Coast. But when she gets you under the covers, That ol' woman turn your buttered bread to toast.† And then he stopped. â€Å"You're hired,† Mavis said. She pulled the jug of white cheap-shit out of the well and sloshed some into Catfish's glass. â€Å"On the house.† Just then the door opened and a blast of sunlight cut through the dinge and smoke and residual Blues and Vance McNally, the EMT, walked in and set his radio on the bar. â€Å"Guess what?† he said to everyone and no one in particular. â€Å"That pilgrim woman hung herself.† A low mumble passed through the regulars. Catfish put his guitar in its case and picked up his wine. â€Å"Sho' 'nuff a sad day startin early in this little town. Sho' 'nuff.† â€Å"Sho' 'nuff,† said Mavis with a cackle like a stainless-steel hyena. Valerie Riordan Depression has a mortality rate of fifteen percent. Fifteen percent of all patients with major depression will take their own lives. Statistics. Hard numbers in a very squishy science. Fifteen percent. Dead. Val Riordan had been repeating the figures to herself since Theophilus Crowe had called, but it wasn't helping her feel any better about what Bess Leander had done. Val had never lost a patient before. And Bess Leander hadn't really been depressed, had she? Bess didn't fit into the fifteen percent. Val went to the office in the back of her house and pulled Bess Leander's file, then went back to the living room to wait for Constable Crowe. At least it was the local guy, not the county sheriffs. And she could always fall back on patient confidentiality. Truth was, she had no idea why Bess Leander might have hung herself. She had only seen Bess once, and then for only half an hour. Val had made the diagnosis, written the scrip, and collected a check for the full hour session. Bess had called in twice, talked for a few minutes, and Val had sent her a bill for the time rounded to the next quarter hour. Time was money. Val Riordan liked nice things. The doorbell rang, Westminster chimes. Val crossed the living room to the marble foyer. A thin tall figure was refracted through the door's beveled glass panels: Theophilus Crowe. Val had never met him, but she knew of him. Three of his ex-girlfriends were her patients. She opened the door. He was dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a gray shirt with black epaulets that might have been part of a uniform at one time. He was clean-shaven, with long sandy hair tied neatly into a ponytail. A good-looking guy in an Ichabod Crane sort of way. Val guessed he was stoned. His girlfriends had talked about his habits. â€Å"Dr.Riordan,† he said. â€Å"Theo Crowe.† He offered his hand. She shook hands. â€Å"Everyone calls me Val,† she said. â€Å"Nice to meet you. Come in.† She pointed to the living room. â€Å"Nice to meet you too,† Theo said, almost as an afterthought. â€Å"Sorry about the circumstances.† He stood at the edge of the marble foyer, as if afraid to step on the white carpet. She walked past him and sat down on the couch. â€Å"Please,† she said, pointing to one of a set of Hepplewhite chairs. â€Å"Sit.† He sat. â€Å"I'm not exactly sure why I'm here, except that Joseph Leander doesn't seem to know why Bess did it.† â€Å"No note?† Val asked. â€Å"No. Nothing. Joseph went downstairs for breakfast this morning and found her hanging in the dining room.† Val felt her stomach lurch. She had never really formed a mental picture of Bess Leander's death. It had been words on the phone until now. She looked away from Theo, looked around the room for something that would erase the picture. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Theo said. â€Å"This must be hard for you. I'm just wondering if there was anything that Bess might have said in therapy that would give a clue.† Fifteen percent, Val thought. She said, â€Å"Most suicides don't leave a note. By the time they have gone that far into depression, they aren't interested in what happens after their death. They just want the pain to end.† Theo nodded. â€Å"Then Bess was depressed? Joseph said that she appeared to be getting better.† Val cast around her training for an answer. She hadn't really diagnosed Bess Leander, she had just prescribed what she thought would make Bess feel better. She said, â€Å"Diagnosis in psychiatry isn't always that exact, Theo. Bess Leander was a complex case. Without compromising doctor-patient confidentiality, I can tell you that Bess suffered from a borderline case of OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. I was treating her for that.† Theo pulled a prescription bottle out of his shirt pocket and looked at the label. â€Å"Zoloft. Isn't that an anti-depressant? I only know because I used to date a woman who was on it.† Right, Val thought. Actually, you used to date at least three women who were on it. She said, â€Å"Zoloft is an SSRI like Prozac. It's prescribed for a number of conditions. With OCD the dosage is higher.† That's it, get clinical. Baffle him with clinical bullshit. Theo shook the bottle. â€Å"Could someone O.D. on it or something? I heard somewhere that people do crazy things sometimes on these drugs.† â€Å"That's not necessarily true. SSRIs like Zoloft are often prescribed to people with major depression. Fifteen percent of all depressed patients commit suicide.† There, she said it. â€Å"Antidepressants are a tool, along with talk therapy, that psychiatrists use to help patients. Sometimes the tools don't work. As with any therapy, a third get better, a third get worse, and a third stay the same. Antidepressants aren't a panacea.† But you treat them like they are, don't you, Val? â€Å"But you said that Bess Leander had OCD, not depression.† â€Å"Constable, have you ever had a stomachache and a runny nose at the same time?† â€Å"So you're saying she was depressed?† â€Å"Yes, she was depressed, as well as having OCD.† â€Å"And it couldn't have been the drugs?† â€Å"To be honest with you, I don't even know if she was taking the drug. Have you counted them?† â€Å"Uh, no.† â€Å"Patients don't always take their medicine. We don't order blood level tests for SSRIs.† â€Å"Right,† Theo said. â€Å"I guess we'll know when they do the autopsy.† Another horrendous picture flashed in Val's mind: Bess Leander on an autopsy table. The viscera of medicine had always been too much for her. She stood. â€Å"I wish I could help you more, but to be honest, Bess Leander never gave me any indication that she was suicidal.† At least that was true. Theo took her cue and stood. â€Å"Well, thank you. I'm sorry to have bothered you. If you think of anything, you know, anything that I can tell Joseph that might make it easier on him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'm sorry. That's all I know.† Fifteen percent. Fifteen percent. Fifteen percent. She led him to the door. He turned before leaving. â€Å"One more thing. Molly Michon is one of your patients, isn't she?† â€Å"Yes. Actually, she's a county patient, but I agreed to treat her at a reduced rate because all the county facilities are so far away.† â€Å"You might want to check on her. She attacked a guy at the Head of the Slug this morning.† â€Å"Is she in County?† â€Å"No, I took her home. She calmed down.† â€Å"Thank you, Constable. I'll call her.† â€Å"Well, then. I'll be going.† â€Å"Constable,† she called after him. â€Å"Those pills you have – Zoloft isn't a recreational drug.† Theo stumbled on the steps, then composed himself. â€Å"Right, Doctor, I figured that out when I saw the body hanging in the dining room. I'll try not to eat the evidence.† â€Å"Good-bye,† Val said. She closed the door behind him and burst into tears. Fifteen percent. She had fifteen hundred patients in Pine Cove on some form of antidepressant or another. Fifteen percent would be more than two hundred people dead. She couldn't do that. She wouldn't let an-other of her patients die because of her noninvolvement. If antidepressants wouldn't save them, then maybe she could. Three Theo Theophilus Crowe wrote bad free-verse poetry and played a jimbai drum while sitting on a rock by the ocean. He could play sixteen chords on the guitar and knew five Bob Dylan songs all the way through, allowing for a dampening buzz any time he had to play a bar chord. He had tried his hand at painting, sculpture, and pottery and had even played a minor part in the Pine Cove Little Theater's revival of Arsenic and Old Lace. In all these endeavors, he had experienced a meteoric rise to mediocrity and quit before total embarrassment and self-loathing set in. Theo was cursed with an artist's soul but no talent. He possessed the angst and the inspiration, but not the means to create. If there was any single thing at which Theo excelled, it was empathy. He always seemed to be able to understand someone's point of view, no matter how singular or farfetched, and in turn could convey it to others with a succinctness and clarity that he seldom found in expressing his own thoughts. He was a born mediator, a peacemaker, and it was this talent, after breaking up numerous fights at the Head of the Slug Saloon, that got Theo elected constable. That and heavy-handed endorsement of Sheriff John Burton. Burton was a hard-line right-wing politico who could spout law and order (accent on order) over brunch with the Rotarians, lunch with the NRA, and dinner with Mothers Against Drunk Drivers and wolf down dry banquet chicken like it was manna from the gods every time. He wore expensive suits, a gold Rolex, and drove a pearl-black Eldor-ado that shone like a starry night on wheels (rapt attention and copious coats of carnuba from the grunts in the county motor pool). He had been sheriff of San Junipero County for sixteen years, and in that time the crime rate had dropped steadily until it was the lowest, per capita, of any county in California. His endorsement of Theophilus Crowe, someone with no law enforcement experience, had come as more than somewhat of a surprise to the people of Pine Cove, especially since Theo's opponent was a retired Los Angeles policeman who'd put in a highly decorated five and twenty. What the people of Pine Cove did not know was that Sheriff Burton not only e ndorsed Theo, he had forced him to run in the first place. Theophilus Crowe was a quiet man, and Sheriff John Burton had his reasons for not wanting to hear a peep out of the little North County burg of Pine Cove, so when Theo walked into his little two-room cabin, he wasn't surprised to see a red seven blinking on his answering machine. He punched the button and listened to Burton's assistant insisting that he call right away – seven times. Burton never called the cell phone. Theo had come home to shower and ponder his meeting with Val Riordan. The fact that she had treated at least three of his ex-girlfriends bothered him. He wanted to try and figure out what the women had told her. Obviously, they'd mention that he got high occasionally. Well, more than occasionally. But like any man, it worried him that they might have said something about his sexual performance. For some reason, it didn't bother him nearly as much that Val Riordan think him a loser and a drug fiend as it did that she might think he was bad in the rack. He wanted to ponder the possibilities, think away the paranoia, but instead he dialed the sheriff's private number and was put right through. â€Å"What in the hell is the matter with you, Crowe? You stoned?† â€Å"No more than usual,† Theo said. â€Å"What's the problem?† â€Å"The problem is you removed evidence from a crime scene.† â€Å"I did?† Talking to the sheriff could drain all of Theo's energy instantly. He fell into a beanbag chair that expectorated Styrofoam beads from a failing seam with a sigh. â€Å"What evidence? What scene?† â€Å"The pills, Crowe. The suicide's husband said you took the pills with you. I want them back at the scene in ten minutes. I want my men out of there in half an hour. The M.E. will do the autopsy this afternoon and this case will close by dinnertime, got it? Run-of-the-mill suicide. Obit page only. No news. You understand?† â€Å"I was just checking on her condition with her psychiatrist. See if there were any indications she might be suicidal.† â€Å"Crowe, you must resist the urge to play investigator or pretend that you are a law enforcement officer. The woman hung herself. She was de-pressed and she ended it all. The husband wasn't cheating, there was no money motive, and Mommy and Daddy weren't fighting.† â€Å"They talked to the kids?† â€Å"Of course they talked to the kids. They're detectives. They investigate things. Now get over there and get them out of North County. I'd send them over to get the pills from you, but I wouldn't want them to find your little victory garden, would you?† â€Å"I'm leaving now,† Theo said. â€Å"This is the last I will hear of this,† Burton said. He hung up. Theo hung up the phone, closed his eyes, and turned into a human puddle in the beanbag chair. Forty-one years old and he still lived like a college student. His books were stacked between bricks and boards, his bed pulled out of a sofa, his refrigerator was empty but for a slice of pizza going green, and the grounds around his cabin were overgrown with weeds and brambles. Behind the cabin, in the middle of a nest of blackberry vines, stood his victory garden: ten bushy marijuana plants, sticky with buds that smelled of skunk and spice. Not a day passed that he didn't want to plow them under and sterilize the ground they grew in. And not a day passed that he didn't work his way through the brambles and lovingly harvest the sticky green that would sustain his habit through the day. The researchers said that marijuana was only psychologically addictive. Theo had read all the papers. They only mentioned the night sweats and mental spiders of withdrawal in passing, as if they were no more unpleasant than a tetanus shot. But Theo had tried to quit. He'd wrung out three sets of sheets in one night and paced the cabin looking for distraction until he thought his head might explode, only to give up and suck the piquant smoke from his Sneaky Pete so he could find sleep. The researchers obvi-ously didn't get it, but Sheriff John Burton did. He understood Theo's weakness and held it over him like the proverbial sword. That Burton had his own Achilles' heel and more to lose from its discovery didn't seem to matter. Logically, Theo had him in a standoff. But emotionally, Burton had the upper hand. Theo was always the one to blink. He snatched Sneaky Pete off his orange crate coffee table and headed out the door to return Bess Leander's pills to the scene of the crime. Valerie Dr. Valerie Riordan sat at her desk, looking at the icons of her life: a tiny digital stock ticker that she would surreptitiously glance down at during appointments; a gold Mont Blanc desk set, the pens jutting from the jade base like the antennae of a goldbug; a set of bookends fashioned in the likenesses of Freud and Jung, bracing leather-bound copies of The Psychology of the Unconscious, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), The Interpretation of Dreams, and The Physician's Desk Reference; and a plaster-cast bust of Hippocrates that dispensed Post-it notes from the base. Hippocrates, that wily Greek who turned medicine from magic to science. The author of the famous oath that Val had uttered twenty years ago on that sunny summer day in Ann Arbor when she graduated from med school: â€Å"I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but I will never use it to injure or wrong them. I will not give poison to anyone though a sked to do so, nor will I suggest such a plan.† The oath had seemed so silly, so antiquated then. What doctor, in their right mind, would give poison to a patient? â€Å"But in purity and in holiness I will guard my life and my art.† It had seemed so obvious and easy then. Now she guarded her life and her art with a custom security system and a Glock 9 mm. stashed in the nightstand. â€Å"I will not use the knife on sufferers from stone, but I will give place to such as are craftsmen therein.† She'd never had a problem with that part of the oath. She was loathe to use the knife. She'd gone into psychiatry because she couldn't handle the messy parts of medicine. Her father, a surgeon himself, had been only mildly disappointed. At least she was a doctor, of sorts. She'd done her internship and residency in a rehab center where movie stars and rock idols learned to be responsible by making their own beds, while Val distributed Valium like a flight attendant passing out peanuts. One wing of the Sunrise Center was druggies, the other eating disorders. She preferred the eating disorders. â€Å"You haven't lived until you've force-fed minestrone to a supermodel through a tube,† she told her father. â€Å"Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will do so to help the sick, keeping myself free from all intentional wrongdoing and harm, especially from fornication with woman or man, bond or free.† Well, abstinence from fornication hadn't been a problem, had it? She hadn't had sex since Richard left five years ago. Richard had given her the bust of Hippocrates as a joke, he said, but she'd put it on her desk just the same. She'd given him a statue of Blind Justice wearing a garter belt and fishnets the year before to display at his law office. He'd brought her here to this little village, passing up offers from corporate law firms to follow his dream of being a country lawyer whose daily docket would include disagreements over pig paternity or the odd pension dispute. He wanted to be Atticus Finch, Pudd'nhead Wilson, a Jimmy Stewart or Henry Fonda character who was paid in fresh-baked bread and baskets of avocados. Well, he'd gotten that part; Val's practice had supported them for most of their marriage. She'd be paying him alimony now if they'd actually divorced. Country lawyer indeed. He left her to go to Sacramento to lobby the California Coastal Commission for a consortium of golf course developers. His job was to convince the commission that sea otters and elephant seals would enjoy nothing better than to watch Japanese businessmen slice Titleists into the Pacific and that what nature needed was one long fairway from Santa Barbara to San Francisco (maybe sand traps at the Pismo and Carmel dunes). He carried a pocket watch, for Christ's sake, a gold chain with a jade fob carved into the shape of an endangered brown pelican. He played his front-porch, rocking-chair-wise, country lawyer against their Botany 500 sophistication and pulled down over two hundred grand a year in the bargain. He lived with one of his clerks, an earnest doe-eyed Stanfordite with surfer girl hair and a figure that mocked gravity. Richard had introduced Val to the girl (Ashley, or Brie, or Jordan) and it had been oh-so-adult and oh-so-gracious and later, when Val cal led Richard to clear up a tax matter, she asked, â€Å"So how'd you screen the candidates, Richard? First one to suck-start your Lexus?† â€Å"Maybe we should start thinking about making our separation official,† Richard had said. Val had hung up on him. If she couldn't have a happy marriage, she'd have everything else. Everything. And so had begun her revolving door policy of hustling appointments, prescribing the appropriate meds, and shopping for clothes and antiques. Hippocrates glowered at her from the desk. â€Å"I didn't intentionally do harm,† Val said. â€Å"Not intentionally, you old buggerer. Fifteen percent of all depressives commit suicide, treated or not.† â€Å"Whatsoever in the course of practice I see or hear (or even outside my practice in social intercourse) that ought never to be published abroad, I will not divulge, but consider such things to be holy secrets.† â€Å"Holy secrets or do no harm?† Val asked, envisioning the hanging body of Bess Leander with a shudder. â€Å"Which is it?† Hippocrates sat on his Post-its, saying nothing. Was Bess Leander's death her fault? If she had talked to Bess instead of put her on antidepressants, would that have saved her? It was possible, and it was also possible that if she kept to her policy of a â€Å"pill for every problem,† someone else was going to die. She couldn't risk it. If using talk therapy instead of drugs could save one life, it was worth a try. Val grabbed the phone and hit the speed dial button that connected her to the town's only pharmacy, Pine Cove Drug and Gift. One of the clerks answered. Val asked to speak to Winston Krauss, the pharmacist. Winston was one of her patients. He was fifty-three, unmarried, and eighty pounds overweight. His holy secret, which he shared with Val during a session, was that he had an unnatural sexual fascination with marine mammals, dolphins in particular. He'd confessed that he'd never been able to watch â€Å"Flipper† without getting an erection and that he'd watched so many Jacques Cousteau specials that a French accent made him break into a sweat. He kept an anatomically correct inflatable porpoise, which he violated nightly in his bathtub. Val had cured him of wearing a scuba mask and snorkel around the house, so gradually the red gasket ring around his face had cleared up, but he still did the dolphin nightly and confessed it to her once a month. â€Å"Winston, Val Riordan here. I need a favor.† â€Å"Sure, Dr. Val, you need me to deliver something to Molly? I heard she went off in the Slug this morning.† Gossip surpassed the speed of light in Pine Cove. â€Å"No, Winston, you know that company that carries all the look-alike placebos? We used them in college. I need you to order look-alikes for all the antidepressants I prescribe: Prozac, Zoloft, Serzone, Effexor, the whole bunch, all the dosages. Order in quantity.† â€Å"I don't get it, Val, what for?† Val cleared her throat. â€Å"I want you to fill all of my prescriptions with the placebos.† â€Å"You're kidding.† â€Å"I'm not kidding, Winston. As of today, I don't want a single one of my patients getting the real thing. Not one.† â€Å"Are you doing some sort of experiment? Control group or something?† â€Å"Something like that.† â€Å"And you want me to charge them the normal price?† â€Å"Of course. Our usual arrangement.† Val got a twenty percent kickback from the pharmacy. She was going to be working a lot harder, she deserved to get paid. Winston paused. She could hear him going through the glass door into the back of the pharmacy. Finally he said, â€Å"I can't do that, Val. That's unethical. I could lose my license, go to jail.† Val had really hoped it wouldn't come to this. â€Å"Winston, you'll do it. You'll do it or the Pine Cove Gazette will run a front-page story about you being a fish-fucker.† â€Å"That's illegal. You can't divulge something I told you in therapy.† â€Å"Quit telling me what's illegal, Winston. I'm married to a lawyer.† â€Å"I'd really rather not do this, Val. Can't you send them down to the Thrifty Mart in San Junipero? I could say that I can't get the pills anymore.† â€Å"That wouldn't work, would it, Winston? The people at the Thrifty Mart don't have your little problem.† â€Å"You're going to have some withdrawal reactions. How are you going to explain that?† â€Å"Let me worry about that. I'm quadrupling my sessions. I want to see these people get better, not mask their problems.† â€Å"This is about Bess Leander's suicide, isn't it?† â€Å"I'm not going to lose another one, Winston.† â€Å"Antidepressants don't increase the incidence of suicide or violence. Eli Lilly proved that in court.† â€Å"Yes and O.J. walked. Court is one thing, Winston, the reality of losing a patient is another. I'm taking charge of my practice. Now order the pills. I'm sure the profit margin is going to be quite a bit higher on sugar pills than it is on Prozac.† â€Å"I could go to the Florida Keys. There's a place down there where they let you swim with bottlenose dolphins.† â€Å"You can't go, Winston. You can't miss your therapy sessions. I want to see you at least once a week.† â€Å"You bitch.† â€Å"I'm trying to do the right thing. What day is good for you?† â€Å"I'll call you back.† â€Å"Don't push me, Winston.† â€Å"I have to make this order,† he said. Then, after a second, he said, â€Å"Dr. Val?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Do I have to go off the Serzone?† â€Å"We'll talk about it in therapy.† She hung up and pulled a Post-it out of Hippocrates' chest. â€Å"Now if I keep this oath, and break it not, may I enjoy honor, in my life and art, among all men for all time; but if I transgress and forswear myself, may the opposite befall me.† Does that mean dishonor for all time? she wondered. I'm just trying to do the right thing here. Finally. She made a note to call Winston back and schedule his appointments.