The Return: Midnight Chapter 34

â€Å"You've been fed and taken care of as best as we can manage,†Meredith said, looking at allthe taut, frightened young faces turned toward her in the basement. â€Å"And now there's just one thing I want to ask of you in return.†She made an effort and steadied her voice. â€Å"I want to know if anybody knows of a mobile phone that connects to the Internet, or a computer that is Stillworking. Please, please – if you even think you know where one might be, tel me.† The tension was like a thick rubber cord, dragging Meredith toward each of the pale, strained faces, dragging them to her. It was just as well that Meredith was essential y well – balanced. About twelve hands went up immediately, and their lone five-year-old whispered, â€Å"My mommy has one. And my daddy.† There was a pause before Meredith could say, â€Å"Does anybody know this kid?†and an older girl spoke up before she could. â€Å"She just means they had them before the Burning Man.† â€Å"Is the Burning Man cal ed Shinichi?†Meredith asked. â€Å"‘Course. Sometimes he would make the red parts of his hair burn up way over his head.† Meredith filed that little fact away under Things I do not want to see, honest, cross my heart, ever. Then she shook herself free from the image. â€Å"You guys and girls, please, please think. I only need one, one mobile phone with Internet access that Stillhas power right now. One laptop or computer that is Stillworking now, maybe because of a generator Stillmaking electricity. Just one family with a home generator Stillworking. Anybody?† The hands were down now. A boy she thought she recognized as being one of the Loring siblings, maybe age ten or eleven, said, â€Å"The Burning Man told us that mobile phones and computers were bad. That was why my brother got in a fistfight with my dad. He threw al the mobiles at home in the toilet.† â€Å"Okay. Okay, thanks. But anybody who's seen a working mobile or computer? Or a home generator – â€Å" â€Å"Why, yes, my dear, I've got one.†The voice came from the top of the stairs. Mrs. Flowers was standing there, dressed in a fresh sweat suit. Strangely, she had her voluminous purse in her hand. â€Å"You had – have a generator?†Meredith asked, her heart sinking. What a waste! And if disaster came al because she, Meredith, hadn't finished reading over her own research! The minutes were ticking away, and if everyone in Fel ‘s Church died, it would be her fault. Her fault. She didn't think she could live with that. Meredith had tried, al her life, to reach the state of calm, concentration, and balance that was the other side of the coin from the fighting skil s her various disciplines had taught her. And she had become good at it, a good observer, a good daughter, even a good student for al that she was in Elena's fast-paced, high-flying clique. The four of them: Elena, Meredith, Caroline, and Bonnie had fit together like four pieces of a puzzle, and Meredith Stillsometimes missed the old days and their daring, dominating pseudo-sophisticated capers that never real y hurt anyone – except the sil y boys who had mil ed around them like ants at a picnic. But now, looking at herself, she was puzzled. Who was she? A Hispanic girl named for her mother's Welsh best friend in col ege. A hunter-slayer of vampires who had kitten canines, a vampire twin, and whose group of friends included Stefan, a vampire; Elena, an ex-vampire – and possibly another vampire, although she was extremely hesitant to cal Damon a â€Å"friend.† What did that alladd up to? A girl trying to do her best to keep her balance and concentration, in a world that had gone insane. A girl Stillreeling from what she'd learned about her own family, and now tottering from the need to confirm a dreadful suspicion. Stop thinking. Stop! You have to tel Mrs. Flowers that her boardinghouse has been destroyed. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers – about the boardinghouse – I have to talk to you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Why don't you use my BlackBerry first?†Mrs. Flowers came down the basement stairs careful y, watching her feet, and then the children parted before her like waves on the Red Sea. â€Å"Your†¦?†Meredith stared, choked up. Mrs. Flowers had opened her enormous purse and was now proffering a rather thick al -black object to her. â€Å"It Stillhas power,†the old lady explained as Meredith took the thing in two shaking hands, as if receiving a holy object. â€Å"I just turned it on and it was working. And now I'm on the Internet!† – proudly. Meredith's world had been swal owed up by the smal , grayish, antiquated screen. She was so amazed and excited at seeing this that she almost forgot why she needed it. But her body knew. Her fingers clutched; her thumbs danced over the mini-keyboard. She went to her favorite search page and entered the word â€Å"Orime.†She got pages of hits – most in Japanese. Then feeling a trembling in her knees, she typed in â€Å"Inari.† 6,530,298 results. She went to the very first hit and saw a web page with a definition. Key words seemed to rush out at her like vultures. Inari is the Japanese Shinto deity of rice†¦and†¦foxes. At the entrance to an Inari shrine are†¦statues of two kitsune†¦one male and one female†¦each with a key or jewel carried in mouth or paw†¦These fox-spirits are the servants and messengers of Inari. They carry out Inari's orders†¦. There was also a picture of a pair of kitsune statues, in their fox forms. Each had a front paw resting on a star bal . Three years ago, Meredith had fractured her leg when she was on a skiing trip with her cousins in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She had run straight into a smal tree. No martial arts skil s could save her at the last minute; she knew she was skiing off the groomed areas, where she could run into anything: powder, crud, or iced-over ruts. And, of course, trees. Lots of trees. She was an advanced skier, but she had been going too fast, looking in the wrong direction, and the next thing she knew, she was skiing into the tree instead of around it. Now she had the same sensation of waking up after a head-on into wood. The shock, the dizziness and nausea that were, initial y, worse than the pain. Meredith could take pain. But the pounding in her head, the sickening awareness that she had made a big mistake and that she was going to have to pay for it were unbearable. Plus there was a curious horror about the knowledge that her own legs wouldn't hold her up. Even the same useless questions ran through her subconscious, like: How could I be so stupid? Is this possibly a dream? and, Please, God, can I hit the Undo button? Meredith suddenly realized that she was being supported on either side by Mrs. Flowers and their sixteen-year-old, Ava Wakefield. The mobile was on the cement floor of the basement. She must have actual y started to black out. Several of the younger kids were screaming Matt's name. â€Å"No – I – I can stand up alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Al she wanted in the world was to go into the darkness and get away from this horror. She wanted to let her legs go slack and her mind go blank, to flee†¦ But she couldn't run away. She had taken the stave; she had taken the Duty from her grandfather. Anything supernatural that was out to harm Fel ‘s Church on her watch was her problem. And the problem was that her watch never ended. Matt came clattering down the stairs, carrying their seven-year-old, Hailey, who continual y shook with petit mal seizures. â€Å"Meredith!†She could hear the incredulity in his voice. â€Å"What is it? What did you find, for God's sake?† â€Å"Come†¦look.†Meredith was remembering detail after detail that should have set off warning bel s in her mind. Matt was somehow already beside her, even as she remembered Bonnie's very first description of Isobel Saitou. â€Å"The quiet type. Hard to get to know. Shy. And†¦nice.† And that first visit to the Saitou house. The horror that quiet, shy, nice Isobel Saitou had become: the Goddess of Piercing, blood and pus oozing from every hole. And when they had tried to carry dinner to her old, old grandmother, Meredith had noticed absently that Isobel's room was right under the dol -like old lady's. After seeing Isobel pierced and clearly unbalanced, Meredith had assumed that any evil influence must be trying to travel up, and had worried in the back of her mind about the poor, old, dol -sized grandmother. But the evil could just as easily have traveled down. Maybe Jim Bryce hadn't given Isobel the malach madness after al . Maybe she had given it to him, and he had given it to Caroline and to his sister. And that children's game! The cruel, cruel song that Obaasan – that Inari-Obaasan had crooned. â€Å"Fox and turtle had a race†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And her words: â€Å"There's a kitsune involved in this somewhere.† She'd been laughing at them, amusing herself! Come to that, it was from Inari-Obaasan that Meredith had first heard the word â€Å"kitsune.† And one more additional cruelty, that Meredith had only been able to excuse before by assuming Obaasan had very poor sight. That night, Meredith had had her back to the door and so had Bonnie – they had both been concentrating on â€Å"poor decrepit old Grandma.†But Obaasan had been facing the door, and she was the only one who could have seen – must have seen – Isobel sneaking up behind Bonnie. And then, just as the cruel game song told Bonnie to look behind her†¦ Isobel had been crouching there, ready to lick Bonnie's forehead with a forked pink tongue†¦ â€Å"Why?†Meredith could hear her own voice saying. â€Å"Why was I so stupid? How could I not have seen from the beginning?† Matt had retrieved the BlackBerry and read the web page. Then he just stood, fixed, his blue eyes wide. â€Å"You were right,†he said, after a long moment. â€Å"I want so much to be wrong†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Meredith – Shinichi and Misao are Inari's servants†¦If that old lady is Inari we've been running around like crazy after the wrong people, the hired muscle†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"The damn note cards,†Meredith choked out. â€Å"The ones done by Obaasan. They're useless, flawed. Al those bul ets she blessed should have been no good – but maybe she did bless them – as a game. Isobel even came to me and changed al the characters the old lady had done for the jars to hold Shinichi and Misao. She said that Obaasan was almost blind. She left a tear on my car seat. I couldn't understand why she should be crying.† â€Å"I Stillcan't. She's the granddaughter – probably the third generation of a monster!†Matt exploded. â€Å"Why should she cry? And why do the Post-it Notes work?† â€Å"Because they're done by Isobel's mother,†Mrs. Flowers said quietly. â€Å"Dear Matt, I truly doubt that the old woman is related to the Saitous at all. As a deity – or even a powerful magic-user named after a deity – and undoubtedly a kitsune herself, she surely just moved in with them and used them. Isobel's mother and Isobel had no choice but to carry on the charade for fear of what she'd do to them if they didn't.† â€Å"But Mrs. Flowers, when Tyrone and I pul ed that leg bone out of the thicket, didn't you say that the Saitou women made such excel ent amulets? And didn't you say that we could get the Saitou women to help translate the words on the clay jars when Alaric sent the pictures of them from that Japanese Island?† As for my belief in the Saitou women, Well, I'l have to quibble a little here,†Mrs. Flowers said. â€Å"I couldn't know that this Obaasan was evil, and there are Stilltwo of them who are gentle and good, and who have helped us tremendously – and at great risk to themselves.† Meredith could taste the bitterness of bile in her mouth. â€Å"Isobel could have saved us. She could have said ‘My fake grandmother is real y a demon.'† â€Å"Oh, my dear Meredith, the young are so unforgiving. This Inari was probably instal ed in her house when she was a child. Al she knows at first is that the old woman is a tyrant, with a god's name. Then perhaps some demonstration of power – what happened to Orime's husband, I wonder, to make him go back to Japan – if indeed he went there? He may well be dead. And then Isobel is growing up: shy, quiet, introverted – frightened. This is not Japan; there are no other priestesses here to confide in. And you saw the consequences when Isobel reached out to someone outside of the family – to her boyfriend, Jim Bryce.† â€Å"And to us – Well, to you and Bonnie,†Matt said to Meredith. â€Å"She sicced Caroline on you.† Scarcely knowing what they were doing, they were talking faster and faster. â€Å"We have to go there right now,†said Meredith. â€Å"Shinichi and Misao may be the ones bringing on the Last Midnight, but it's Inari who gives the orders. And who knows? She may dole out the punishments as well. We don't know how big her star bal is.† â€Å"Or where,†said the old woman. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers,†Matt said hastily, â€Å"you'd better stay here with the kids. Ava, here, is reliable, and where's Jacob Lagherty?† â€Å"Here,†said a boy who looked older than fifteen. He was as tal as Matt was, but gangly. â€Å"Okay. Ava, Jake, you're in charge under Mrs. Flowers. We'l leave Saber with you too.†The dog was a big hit among the kids, on his best behavior, even when the younger ones chewed his tail. â€Å"You two just listen to Mrs. Flowers, and – â€Å" â€Å"Matt, dear, I won't be here. But the animals wil surely help to protect them.† Matt stared at her. Meredith knew what he was thinking. Was Mrs. Flowers, so reliable up until now, going somewhere to hide alone? Was she abandoning them? â€Å"And I'l need one of you to drive me to the Saitou house – quickly! – but the other can stay and protect the children as well.† Meredith was both relieved and worried, and clearly Matt was too. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers, this is going to be a battle. You could get hurt or be taken hostage so easily – â€Å" â€Å"Dear Matt, this is my battle. My family has lived in Fel ‘s Church for generations, al the way back to the pioneering times. I believe this is the battle for which I was born. Certainly the last of my old age.† Meredith stared. In the dim light of the basement, Mrs. Flowers seemed suddenly different somehow. Her voice was changing. Even her smal body seemed to be changing, steadying, standing tal . â€Å"But how wil you fight?†Matt asked, sounding dazed. â€Å"With this. That nice young man, Sage, left it for me with a note apologizing for using Misao's star bal . I used to be quite good with these when I was young.†From her capacious purse, Mrs. Flowers pul ed out something pale and long and thin as it unwound and Mrs. Flowers whirled it and snapped it with a loud crack at the empty half of the basement. It hit a Ping-Pong bal , curled around it, and brought it back to Mrs. Flowers's open hand. A bul whip. Made of some silvery material. Undoubtedly magical. Even Matt looked scared of it. â€Å"Why don't Ava and Jake teach the children to play Ping-Pong while we're gone – and we real y must go, my dears. There's not a minute to waste. A terrible tragedy is coming, Ma ma says.† Meredith had been watching – feeling as dazed as Matt looked. But now she said, â€Å"I have a weapon too.†She picked up the stave and said, â€Å"I'm fighting, Matt. Ava, the children are yours to care for.† â€Å"And mine,†Jacob said, and immediately proved his usefulness by adding, â€Å"Isn't that an axe hanging back there near the furnace?† Matt ran and snatched it up. Meredith could see from his expression what he was thinking: Yes! One heavy axe, a tiny bit rusty, but Stillplenty sharp enough. Now if the kitsune sent plants or wood against them, he was armed. Mrs. Flowers was already going up the basement stairs. Meredith and Matt exchanged one quick glance and then they were running to catch up with her. â€Å"You drive your mom's SUV. I'l sit in back. I'm Stilla little bit†¦Well, dizzy, I guess.†Meredith didn't like to admit to a personal weakness, but better that than crashing the vehicle. Matt nodded and was good enough not to comment on why she felt so dizzy. She Stillcouldn't believe her own stupidity. Mrs. Flowers said only one thing. â€Å"Matt, dear, break traffic laws.†

Independence of Student in University Life

Independence of Student in University Life â€Å"Away from home†, a rather simple and common phrase that is no stranger to most of the university students whom are studying overseas. Since young, as a child, we were living under the shades of our parents, handled with care in their hands. For them, we are as precious as diamonds, being protected under their wings and not knowing how the world look like because everything had been done for us by the love of our parents. Even when problem strikes, parents will definitely be the first to stand up for us and solve these difficulties without having us as children worry about it.Most of us are growing up in this protected environment; we are almost immune from the threats of the world. Bad news is, one day, you will have to leave that comfort zone and explore what the world has for you. That day will come when students are at the age of extending their studies in the overseas. No matter which university they are going, they would no t be able to bring their parents along. They will have to learn to be independent and know how to take care of themselves. It is a journey of life which most of us have to go through.Some may say that university life is a sign of torture because you are leaving your love ones behind, but mostly it is a process of life that helps gain our confidence towards society and letting us be independent and responsible. Many find it hard to achieve independence because most are raised in a perfect environment, which our parents have kindly built for us. Being independent is where you must have self-confident and such belief in yourself that you can achieve anything you have intent to get.Some people are emotionally dependent to their parents. Well, it is not a fault to depend on your parents because they will never steer you wrong and they love you very much. However, sooner or later, you will realize that they will not be there forever whenever you need them because â€Å"flower withers and human perishes†, one must not become overly attached or dependent on their parents but instead exercise self-contained and self-sufficient. Being independent does not mean that you have to abandon your friends and family and draw a line in between.You will still need someone to talk to during tough times and solve issues that you could not settle on your own. Parents and friends are the pillars that support you, even if they could not help you, they will certainly lend you listening ears, to hear you out whenever you need someone. This is normal as we are only human. As students walk into the world, they will face new things that they had never exposed to. Since they are the â€Å"newbies† of the world, it will be difficult for them to differentiate what is right and what is wrong, they will tend to try anything that seems new to them out of curiosity.Therefore, these overseas students must be strong in their stands and not easily swayed by negative activities such as smoking, drugs, vandalism and so on. The activities that they are participating now will definitely be an influence to their future. A wrong step might lead to a narrow or dim future. At this point, it will be the time to reap what our parents have sown into us – to see how much we have absorbed from their teaching and hopefully the roots of it grows deep in us to avoid temptations of life.In order to allow readers to visualize the big picture more clearly, I had personally interviewed 2 students whom are around school leaving age. A hospitality student, Clement Chai, whom is currently 19 years old stated that, â€Å"Well, before coming over to Singapore, my parents already taught me day by day on how to be independent. Basically living with them is already preparing me to live independently†. Another student that I had interviewed was a Korean student, Yee Won Chan. The 18-year-old enthusiastically mentioned that, â€Å"In such a modern country like Korea, I helped m yself to be very independent by learning and memorizing directions.This has helped me a lot whenever I went overseas. I would never miss my school bus as I would always use the right road to get to the bus station and memorizing would always get me back home before the last train. I wouldn't stress myself too much as I know it would only trouble me and so I took things simple and have a simple life at home†. Based on the above interviews, we can determine that learning to be independent is where the parents must learn to let go of their children and letting them make their own decisions as how Clement Chai has stated previously.This in a way will show the kids that different decisions will lead to different consequences and they will have to learn from it. This is all part of the learning process of being independent. A child has to learn that mum and dad are not going to be always there for you. Hence, at one point, they will have to rely on their own abilities to achieve the ir own goals and for that to happen, parents need to allow kids to experience the real world that they aren't always there to fix the problem.Nevertheless, some people might still live with their parents after finishing university, but university is a step forward which will allow them to learn how to be â€Å"on their own† so to say. For example, managing finances, taking care of the car, making sure to have sufficient food and so on. In a nutshell, university is indeed a platform and also a battleground to train students to become more independent. There may be tough times where these students might not be able to have things done on their own. A true testimony will be from me personally, I lived in Kota Kinabalu but for a better study environment, I have to come to Kuala Lumpur.What strikes me the most is the fear of leaving home. My parents used to do everything for me and I did not know how it is like to be out there in the world. But now when I face problem, there is no body there anymore to help me out. In this situation, I have learned to be independent, doing my own chores, solving problems, save money, and also cook my own meal. It is not easy doing all these but one thing for sure, this has turn me into a strong girl who is able to face the society with strength and confident.

10,000 Years of Andean Glacier Melt Explained Research Paper

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Supreme Court Rulings - Essay Example Perhaps the most important aspect of this case is that the decision of the court to convict Johnson was against his right to symbolic speech, and was in the interest of ‘keeping the peace’ and retaining the flag as a symbol of unity. The fact that Johnson was acting in the interest of freedom of speech, using the desecration of the flag to illustrate his perspective, was considered by some (but by no means all; the final decision by the Supreme Court was 5-4 in Johnson’s favor) to be against the First Amendment. The First Amendment was brought into question here because it suggests that any individual in the United States has the freedom of speech, but the issue here is that flag-burning is not a vocal act but a physical one. It was questionable for some whether Johnson’s act should have been protected by the First Amendment or not (). The decision of the Supreme Court led to the invalidation of laws prohibiting the burning of the flag in 48 out of the 50 s tates. The majority evidently found that flag-burning was inappropriate in many cases but not a legal issue, as Johnson would have been free to burn the flag in private. Additionally, flag-burning was not found to be a unique act, in that it should not be separated from the rulings of the First Amendment simply because it is not a vocal act; it is a act symbolic of freedom of speech. Those who were against the choice felt, however, that Johnson was being inappropriate, and that the flag is a sacred or revered object that needs to be protected. Many also felt that as flag-burning had the potential to cause outrage, it was in the interest of peace to ensure that punishment was given. The importance of this case is that it shows that freedom of speech is alive within the United States, despite the fact that this aspect of the First Amendment seems to protect acts that many Americans find unsavory. It is difficult to say which side was in the right here, as is evidenced by how close the ruling of the Supreme Court is. It seems sensible to protect the flag as it is an emblem of the United States, but freedom of speech is another sacred emblem. It seems necessary to uphold the values of both, although perhaps freedom is more valuable than the simple imagery of the flag. Lee v Weisman Lee v Weisman is one of the most important cases in U.S. history because it was the first Supreme Court case regarding the freedom of religion and prayer in schools. Weisman, the father of a child graduating from Nathan Bishop Middle School, sought a restraining order on a rabbi who was due to speak at his daughter’s graduation ceremony. This was refused, and the parents decided to attend the ceremony, despite the fact that it was voluntary. After the ceremony, the family continued to seek litigation, and the vote was decided 5-4 in the Weisman’s favor. The main reason for this decision is that the constitution forbids all types of coerced prayer (not just forced), despite the fact that this prayer was written to be nonsectarian and inclusive. The fact that the Weisman family had a choice in whether to attend the graduation ceremony was also not found to be a suitable defense, because it is such an important occasion that, despite the fact the choice was there, no real choice was offered. The thought of the opposition was that the prayer was ensured to illustrate the

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The Role of the Financial manager SLP - Assignment Example Coupled with the recent developments in the financial performance successes, Apple Inc.’s status as a towering figure among publicly traded companies continues to cement its business. Based on the strong brand presence and financial successes reported continuously at the company, success projections in the near future appear promising due to the sustainability of its business model. The utilization of high-end technologies at Apple Inc. continues to provide a promising future for the company’s growing market. The size of Apple Inc. in the American and global smart technologies segment correspond with the recorded revenue growth hitting $42.1 in the fourth quarter of the just ended trading period (Apple Inc., 2014). Further projections on the company’s future relate to the company’s ratings on management effectiveness standing at 14.96 per cent and 33.61 per cent for return on assets and equity respectively. The sustainability of the software and hardware model at Apple’s products portfolio enables the company to challenge for top honors in the technology market. Apple Inc.’s towering financial power elevates it to the top of the list of American multinationals supporting tens of billions of dollars as stable investment value. Recent income figures in excess of $325 billion supported by quarterly gross margin growth of 38 per cent give an indication of the size of the company (Apple Inc., 2014). In these financial figures, $70.54 billion of gross profit implies that the company posted positive operations in the market that it continues to dominate. According to Yahoo Finance (2014), Apple Inc. trades as AAPL at Nasdaq stock market, with the recent stock market performance standing at a stable price of $109.70 (week opening Nov 10). The price of Apple Inc.’s share a year ago stood at $74.28, which gives an indication of growth by a growth of

Corporate Governance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Corporate Governance - Essay Example Representative government was an essential aspect of the corporation more than partnerships. Since the corporate government’s inception, the responsibility and functions of the board and organization around corporate elections have been the core theme. There is always a problem of how to control limits on executive will and small stakeholder protection. The corporate suffrage gave every member a vote (Becht, Bolton & Roell 2005, p. 2). This was to remove privileges enjoyed by other members over others. The debate on management’s power to solely run a corporation is extremely old. Corporate governance has become a largely outstanding issue in the last two decades. This is because of several issues. First, there has been growth in the global privatization wave for the last two decades. Second, there have been reforms in pension fund and a growth in private savings. Third, it was influenced by the 1980s takeover wave. Fourth, there has been an integration and deregulation of capital markets. Fifth, there has been a concentration on corporate governance due to the East Asia crisis of 1998. Sixth, it has been influenced by a sequence of USA corporate breakdowns and scandals that have grown (Becht, Bolton & Roell 2005, p. 7). The pragmatic information on corporate governance is extremely large. Conversely, there are several techniques that can be employed to resolve issues within conflicting shareholders. They include: shareholders suits and fiduciary roles; hostile takeovers; incentive schemes; large investors; and board of directors. In addition, corporate boards have three core duties: strategic oversight, corporate accountability, and senior level staffing and evaluation. Corporate boards have a duty to assess and endorse core capital investments, strategic plans, and risk management practices and policies. They also supervise implementations that may comprise effectiveness,

Identification of unknown Bacteria Research Paper

Identification of unknown Bacteria - Research Paper Example With regards to the aim of the experiment, which is to identify unknown bacteria from mixed culture #18 using biochemical and morphological test, the two organisms identified had distinct characteristics which were looked for following laboratory tests. Normally, Gram staining is employed to differentiate 2 bacteria groups with different cell wall constituent. The method has the ability to differentiate Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria group; thus the bacterial cells are either colored red or violet. Gram positive bacteria is shown by Violet staining due to a thick layer of peptidoglycan existing   in the cell wall of the bacteria, thus the crystal violet is retained by these cells on a slide. Consequently, Gram negative bacteria is shown by red staining due to a thin layer of peptidoglycan existing in the bacteria cell wall, hence crystal violet is not retained   by bacterial cells. (Winn et al,2006)MacConkey Agar is used to distinguish Gram- negative, lactose-fermenting organisms from organisms that are non-fermentative .It is an inhibitory and differential medium that contains Crystal violets, bile salts, inhibitory agent and neutral red. Neutral red acts as a pH indicator.   Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria is known to be lactose fermenters hence unknown A while Salmonella Typhimurium bacteria is not lactose fermentor thus unknown B. The orinithine decarboxylase test is important for Enterobacteriaceae differentiation. (MacFaddin, 2000). MR-VP broth for Methyl Red test consists of peptone, phosphate buffer and glucose.

Alignment of IT Strategy CP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alignment of IT Strategy CP - Essay Example This paper will candidly and comprehensively explicate why an IT strategy focused on maintaining a cutting-edge technology position is the most effective way to support any kind of overall business strategy. Firstly, from a vaguest and broadest perspective, cutting-edge technology can be described as technological techniques and/or devices that are at the frontier of knowledge, but have been used for a relatively long time jettisoning the unreliability threats to users. Apparently, with cutting-edge technology, a business stays informed on the feasibility of their objects and the possibility of its strategy succeeding. Hence, an IT strategy focused on maintain cutting-edge technology enables the business to triumph by guaranteeing that decisions will be made based on latest available information (Keyes, 2005). Any incongruity of information or rather information asymmetry that would have torpedoed the business’s plan can be thwarted through implementation of IT strategies pinpointed on cutting-edge technology. Additionally, in the past, organizations were unable to bridge the fissure between business and IT professionals due to the perceived dissimilarities in culture, objectives, mutual ignorance and incentives. Consequently, the IT systems proved to be expensive and unable to deliver sufficient returns on investment. However, an IT strategy centered on cutting-edge technology position helps the present organizations to maximize value on investments by openly defining who is responsible for the attainment of certain goals and objectives and unequivocally specifies the indispensable resources (Keyes, 2005). Moreover, the misunderstanding often associated with incorporation of technology into the management of a business is eliminated and replaced with a mutual understanding of how the business’s strategies or objectives will be attained. For

History of Womens Football in England Essay Example for Free

History of Womens Football in England Essay I have chosen to do my essay about the history of women’s football in England. I’ve chosen to write about this because it is a topic which I am interested in as I play for a girl’s football team inside school and out. Also I would like to find out more about women’s football and where and when it all started. In this essay you will find out about the basic history of women’s football heading all the way back from 1895 to present day. I will also write a comparison between men’s football and women’s and share my opinion about 1895-1920 On the 6th April 1895 the first ever women’s football game took place at Preston Park, Brighton. The event was organised to raise funds for local medical charities. In the match North beat South 7-1. Up to 1920 no more women’s matches took place until the first women’s international game when Dick Kerr’s English ladies took on the French Ladies. The result was a 2-0 victory to England; this game had a huge audience of 25,000 people. On Boxing Day 1920 a match took place between Preston and St Helens, Preston winning 4-0. It was the biggest crowd to date for a women’s match with 53,000 spectators. 1921 In 1921 another big match was supposed to take place between London and Paris. This match never went ahead due to the FA. The FA issued a ban against womens football. They stated ‘the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged’. This meant any women caught playing football on the grounds of an affiliated club would be punished for breaking the law. Many women were disgusted by the decision and thought it was very unfair to do this. If I was around in this time I would also be very aggravated by the decision and I would be offended that they still allow men to play. 1969-1971 After 48 years of womens football being banned women wanted to change this. They started to become very annoyed a started campaigning. After a few campaigns 44 women got together to form The Womens Football Association (WFA). They were hoping that they would slowly gain back the right to play womens football. Two years later in 1971 the FA council lifted the ban against women which allowed women to play football once again. It had been fifty years since they had been allowed to play so they knew that the game would be no longer as popular as it was and it would take a while to get it back to the way it was. Not long after the ban was lifted women were advertising for football teams all around the country. 1991-1994 Since 1971 womens football slowly grew bigger and bigger with many small local leagues playing all around the country. In 1991 the WFA launched a national league. It started off with 24 clubs from all around the country it was pretty similar to the womens league we have today. Two years later they found that the league had been very successful so the WFA decided to host a cup competition. In 1993 the WFA held a national cup competition with 137 teams entering from across the nation. Womens football was slowly becoming bigger and gaining popularity. In 1994 the FA took on the administration of the Womens Nation League and the League Cup competition. The league then became The FA Womens Premier League (FAWPL). 1997-1998 In 1997 the FA decided that they were going to develop womens football from the grassroots to the elite level. This meant that more young girls could get involved to gain popularity. In 1998 the first 20 Centres of Excellence were established for young girls. Sponsors were gained for the league and the cup competitions; this raised the profile of the women’s game. Also in 1998 Hope Powell was appointed as the first full-time coach for the England’s Women’s international side. This was a very big thing for the nation. I think this helped the game increase its popularity because it got more people involved in the game from an early age which meant in the future decade’s womens football should be a very popular game. 1999-2002 In 1999 England entered their first Fifa World Cup. The competition was held in the USA and which saw tickets sold out for most matches and over 90,000 at the Final. There had been a competition called the Womens World Championship. This was just like a world cup and it was held in 1991 but England didn’t participate. In 2002 researchers found that football had become the top participated sport for girls and women of England. The FA had not planned for this to happen for another 3 years, so they were well ahead of schedule. 2005-Present In 2005 the UEFA Womens Championship was held in England. The opening matches attracted around 29,000 spectators per game, with around 2.9 million people watching the games live on BBC Two. The tournament was attended by over 115,000 fans within 15 matches. England went out in the group stages, but got a lot of recognition across the nation. Since then womens football has gradually become more popular and has reached the level it is at today. I think it has done well to regain its popularity after the fifty year ban, but I don’t think it will ever get back to the popular state which it was in before the game got banned. FA’s Plan for the Future of Women’s Football The FA has many plans to increase the growth of womens football. They are introducing it to younger people across the country by holding taster days and trials for many football clubs. Also the FA is trying to expand the womens football league into two different leagues just like the men’s. Here is an extract from the article the FA released ‘The Football Association is considering introducing a two-tier Womens Super League (WSL) in 2014. The eight teams that took part in the inaugural WSL season, which ended in August with Arsenal winning the title, have been offered new licences. Sixteen teams had initially applied for membership in 2010, with Sunderland and Nottingham Forest missing out. An FA statement said: Plans being discussed include exploring the introduction of a second tier in 2014.’ I think this is a good idea because it will make the game become more popular across the country. Also with more leagues being introduced this means more spectators which will mean more money is being funded into the association. What I think of the Future of Women’s Football I think womens football has done very well to get back to where it is today due to the ban for fifty years. However, I don’t think that womens football will ever get to the stage like men’s because men’s football has had a lot more time to reach this popularity. Also there is a huge amount of money in the association and it would be practically impossible for women to get to that amount. I do think that womens football will grow bigger and younger girls will start to get involved. The only problem with this is it will take quite some time but they have to make up the time from the ban. Comparison When it comes to football men and women play the exact same game but one seems to be a lot more popular, the men’s. Men’s football was first found in 1314 which is nearly 700 years ago and womens football was first found in 1895 which is not even 120 years ago. Therefore there was 581 years between men and womens football. Somehow this has managed to affect the popularity in the game as it is very rare to find womens football on television when it is averaged that there is one male football match per week shown on television. If you wanted to be a professional footballer whatever sex you are you would get paid, but there is a significant amount of money difference between the genders. The average male Manchester City player would receive around  £86,280 per week plus bonuses and the average female Arsenal player would receive around  £3,000 per week that means that there is  £83280 different in the wages they receive each week. Opinion I think that womens football is different today than men’s because the FA banned it. I think if women were able to play football all the way through the 20th Century I think womens and men’s football would be similar in popularity and the wages. I also think that is very silly that the games are treated differently because they both play the same game, 90 minutes each week and the male are treated much better and receive the better pay when they both do the same job.

Social reformers Essay Example for Free

Social reformers Essay 1. Gautama Buddha, also known as SiddhÄ rtha Gautama, or simply the Buddha, was a sage on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. Buddha means awakened one or the enlightened one. Buddha is also used as a title for the first awakened being in an era. In most Buddhist traditions, Siddhartha Gautama is regarded as the Supreme Buddha of our age. Gautama taught a Middle Way between sensual indulgence and the severe asceticism found in the Sramana (renunciation) movement common in his region. He later taught throughout regions of eastern India such as Magadha and KoÅ›ala. The times of Gautamas birth and death are uncertain: most historians in the early 20th century dated his lifetime as circa 563 BCE to 483 BCE, but more recent opinion dates his death to between 486 and 483 BCE or, according to some, between 411 and 400 BCE. However, at a symposium on this question held in 1988, the majority of those who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddhas death. These alternative chronologies, however, have not yet been accepted by all other historians. Gautama is the primary figure in Buddhism, and accounts of his life, discourses, and monastic rules are believed by Buddhists to have been summarized after his death and memorized by his followers. Various collections of teachings attributed to him were passed down by oral tradition, and first committed to writing about 400 years later. Primary biographical sources The primary sources for the life of SiddhÄ rtha Gautama are a variety of different, and sometimes conflicting, traditional biographies. These include the Buddhacarita, Lalitavistara SÃ… «tra, MahÄ vastu, and the NidÄ nakathÄ . Of these, the Buddhacaritais the earliest full biography, an epic poem written by the poet AÅ›vaghoá ¹ £a, and dating around the beginning of the 2nd century CE. The Lalitavistara SÃ… «tra is the next oldest biography, a MahÄ yÄ na/SarvÄ stivÄ da biography dating to the 3rd century CE. The MahÄ vastu from the MahÄ sÄ Ã¡ ¹Æ'ghikaLokottaravÄ da tradition is another major biography, composed incrementally until perhaps the 4th century CE. The Dharmaguptaka biography of the Buddha is the most exhaustive, and is entitled the Abhiniá ¹ £kramaá ¹â€¡a SÃ… «tra, and various Chinese translations of this date between the 3rd and 6th century CE. Lastly, the NidÄ nakathÄ  is from the TheravÄ da tradition in Sri Lanka, was composed in the 5th century CE by Buddhaghoá ¹ £a. From canonical sources, the JÄ takas, the Mahapadana Sutta (DN 14), and the Achariyabhuta Sutta (MN 123) include selective accounts that may be older, but are not full biographies. The JÄ takas retell previous lives of Gautama as a bodhisattva, and the first collection of these can be dated among the earliest Buddhist texts. The MahÄ padÄ na Sutta and Achariyabhuta Sutta both recount miraculous events surrounding Gautamas birth, such as the bodhisattvas descent from Tuá ¹ £ita Heaven into his mothers womb. Nature of traditional depictions Queen MÄ yÄ  miraculously giving birth to SiddhÄ rtha. Sanskritpalm leaf manuscript. NÄ landÄ , Bihar, India. PÄ la period Traditional biographies of Gautama generally include numerous miracles, omens, and supernatural events. The character of the Buddha in these traditional biographies is often that of a fully transcendent (Skt. lokottara) and perfected being who is unencumbered by the mundane world. In the MahÄ vastu, over the course of many lives, Gautama is said to have developed supramundane abilities including: a painless birth conceived without intercourse; no need for sleep, food, medicine, or bathing, although engaging in such in conformity with the world; omniscience, and the ability to suppress karma. Nevertheless, some of the more ordinary details of his life have been gathered from these traditional sources. In modern times there has been an attempt to form a secular understanding of SiddhÄ rtha Gautamas life by omitting the traditional supernatural eleme nts of his early biographies. Andrew Skilton writes that the Buddha was never historically regarded by Buddhist traditions as being merely human: It is important to stress that, despite modern Theravada teachings to the contrary (often a sop to skeptical Western pupils), he was never seen as being merely human. For instance, he is often described as having the thirty-two major and eighty minor marks or signs of a mahÄ puruá ¹ £a, superman; the Buddha himself denied that he was either a man or a god; and in the MahÄ parinibbÄ na Sutta he states that he could live for an aeon were he asked to do so. The ancient Indians were generally unconcerned with chronologies, being more focused on philosophy. Buddhist texts reflect this tendency, providing a clearer picture of what Gautama may have taught than of the dates of the events in his life. These texts contain descriptions of the culture and daily life of ancient India which can be corroborated from the Jain scriptures, and make the Buddhas time the earliest period in Indian history for which significant accounts exist.[27][full citation needed] British author Karen Armstrong writes that although there is very little information that can be considered historically sound, we can be reasonably confident that SiddhÄ rtha Gautama did exist as a historical figure.[28][dubious – discuss] Michael Carrithers goes a bit further by stating that the most general outline of birth, maturity, renunciation, search, awakening and liberation, teaching, death must be true. Biography Conception and birth Purported birthplace of Gautama Buddha in Lumbini, a holy shrine also for Hindus, who believe Buddha is the 9th of 10 Dashavataras of Vishnu. Most scholars regard Kapilavastu, present-day Nepal, to be the birthplace of the Buddha.Other possibilities are Lumbini, present-day Nepal Kapileswara, Odisha, present-day India; and Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh, present-day India. According to the most traditional biography, Buddha was born in a royal Hindu family to King Ã…Å¡uddhodana, the leader of Shakya clan, whose capital was Kapilavastu, and who were later annexed by the growing Kingdom of Kosala during the Buddhas lifetime. Gautama was the family name. His mother, Queen Maha Maya (MÄ yÄ devÄ «) and Suddhodanas wife, was a Koliyan princess. Legend has it that, on the night Siddhartha was conceived, Queen Maya dreamt that a white elephant with six white tusks entered her right side, and ten months later Siddhartha was born. As was the Shakya tradition, when his mother Queen Maya became pregnant, she left Kapilvastu for her fathers kingdom to give birth. However, her son is said to have been born on the way, at Lumbini, in a garden beneath a sal tree. The day of the Buddhas birth is widely celebrated in Theravada countries as Vesak. Buddhas birth anniversary holiday is called Buddha Poornima in India as Buddha is believed to have been born on a full moon day. Various sources hold that the Buddhas mother died at his birth, a few days or seven days later. The infant was given the name Siddhartha (PÄ li: Siddhattha), meaning he who achieves his aim. During the birth celebrations, the hermit seerAsita journeyed from his mountain abode and announced that the child would either become a great king (chakravartin) or a great holy man. By traditional account, this occurred after Siddhartha placed his feet in Asitas hair and Asita examined the birthmarks. Suddhodana held a naming ceremony on the fifth day, and invited eight brahmin scholars to read the future. All gave a dual prediction that the baby would either become a great king or a great holy man.[32]Kaundinya (Pali: Kondaà ±Ãƒ ±a), the youngest, and later to be the first arahant other than the Buddha, was reputed to be the only one who unequivocally predicted that Siddhartha would become a Buddha While later tradition and legend characterized Ã…Å¡uddhodana as a hereditarymonarch, the descendant of the Solar Dynasty of Iká ¹ £vÄ ku (PÄ li: OkkÄ ka), many scholars think that Ã…Å¡uddhodana was the elected chief of a tribal confederacy. Early texts suggest that Gautama was not familiar with the dominant religious teachings of his time until he left on his religious quest, which is said to have been motivated by existential concern for the human condition.At the time, many small city-states existed in Ancient India, called Janapadas. Republics and chiefdoms with diffused political power and limited social stratification, were not uncommon amongst them, and were referred to as gana-sanghas. The Buddhas community does not seem to have had a caste system. It was not a monarchy, and seems to have been structured either as an oligarchy, or as a form of republic. The more egalitarian gana-sangha form of government, as a political alternative to the strongly hierarchical kingdoms, may have influenced the development of the Shramana-type Jain and Buddhist sanghas, where monarchies tended toward Vedic Brahmanism. Early life and marriage Departure of Prince Siddhartha Siddhartha was born in a royal Hindu family.[30] He was brought up by his mothers younger sister, Maha Pajapati.[38] By tradition, he is said to have been destined by birth to the life of a prince, and had three palaces (for seasonal occupation) built for him. Although more recent scholarship doubts this status, his father, said to be King Ã…Å¡uddhodana, wishing for his son to be a great king, is said to have shielded him from religious teachings and from knowledge of human suffering. When he reached the age of 16, his father reputedly arranged his marriage to a cousin of the same age named YaÅ›odharÄ  (PÄ li: YasodharÄ ). According to the traditional account,[which?] she gave birth to a son, named RÄ hula. Siddhartha is said to have spent 29 years as a prince in Kapilavastu. Although his father ensured that Siddhartha was provided with everything he could want or need, Buddhist scriptures say that the future Buddha felt that material wealth was not lifes ultimate goal.[38 ] Departure and ascetic life. The Great Departure of Siddhartha Gautama, surrounded by a halo, he is accompanied by numerous guards, maithuna loving couples, and devata who have come to pay homage; Gandhara, Kushan period Prince Siddhartha shaves his hair and becomes an ascetic. Borobudur, 8th century At the age of 29, the popular biography[which?] continues, Siddhartha left his palace to meet his subjects. Despite his fathers efforts to hide from him the sick, aged and suffering, Siddhartha was said to have seen an old man. When his charioteer Channa explained to him that all people grew old, the prince went on further trips beyond the palace. On these he encountered a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. These depressed him, and he initially strove to overcome ageing, sickness, and death by living the life of an ascetic.[39] Accompanied by Channa and riding his horse Kanthaka, Gautama quit his palace for the life of a mendicant. Its said that, the horses hooves were muffled by the gods[40] to prevent guards from knowing of his departure. Gautama initially went to Rajagaha and began his ascetic life by begging for alms in the street. After King Bimbisaras men recognised Siddhartha and the king learned of his quest, Bimbisara offered Siddhartha the throne. Siddhartha rejected the offer, but promised to visit his kingdom of Magadha first, upon attaining enlightenment. He left Rajagaha and practised under two hermit teachers of yogic meditation.[41][42][43] After mastering the teachings of Alara Kalama (Skr. Ä€rÄ Ã¡ ¸ a KÄ lÄ ma), he was asked by Kalama to succeed him. However, Gautama felt unsatisfied by the practise, and moved on to become a student of yoga with Udaka Ramaputta (Skr. Udraka RÄ maputra).[44] With him he achieved high levels of meditative consciousness, and was again asked to succeed his teacher. But, once more, he was not satisfied, and again moved on.[45] Siddhartha and a group of five companions led by Kaundinya are then said to have set out to take their austerities even further. They tried to find enlightenment through deprivation of worldly goods, including food, practising self-mortification. After nearly starving himself to death by restricting his food intake to around a leaf or nut per day, he collapsed in a river while bathing and almost drowned. Siddhartha began to reconsider his path. Then, he remembered a moment in childhood in which he had been watching his father start the seasons plowing. He attained a concentrated and focused state that was blissful and refreshing, the jhÄ na. Awakening See also: Enlightenment in Buddhism The Buddha surrounded by the demons of MÄ ra. Sanskritpalm leaf manuscript. NÄ landÄ , Bihar, India. PÄ la period According to the early Buddhist texts,[web 6] after realizing that meditative jhana was the right path to awakening, but that extreme asceticism didnt work, Gautama discovered what Buddhists call the Middle Way[web 6]—a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification.[web 6] In a famous incident, after becoming starved and weakened, he is said to have accepted milk and rice pudding from a village girl named Sujata.[web 7] Such was his emaciated appearance that she wrongly believed him to be a spirit that had granted her a wish.[web 7] Following this incident, Gautama was famously seated under a pipal tree—now known as the Bodhi tree—in Bodh Gaya, India, when he vowed never to arise until he had found the truth.[46] Kaundinya and four other companions, believing that he had abandoned his search and become undisciplined, left. After a reputed 49 days of meditation, at the age of 35, he is said to have attained Enlightenment.[46][47] According to some traditions, this occurred in approximately the fifth lunar month, while, according to others, it was in the twelfth month. From that time, Gautama was known to his followers as the Buddha or Awakened One (Buddha is also sometimes translated as The Enlightened One). According to Buddhism, at the time of his awakening he realized complete insight into the cause of suffering, and the steps necessary to eliminate it. These discoveries became known as the Four Noble Truths,[47] which are at the heart of Buddhist teaching. Through mastery of these truths, a state of supreme liberation, or Nirvana, is believed to be possible for any being. The Buddha described NirvÄ na as the perfect peace of a mind thats free from ignorance, greed, hatred and other afflictive states,[47] or defilements (kilesas). Nirvana is also regarded as the end of the world, in that no personal identity or boundaries of the mind remain. In such a state, a being is said to possess the Ten Characteristics, belonging to every Buddha. According to a story in the Ä€yÄ cana Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya VI.1) — a scripture found in the PÄ li and other canons — immediately after his awakening, the Buddha debated whether or not he should teach the Dharma to others. He was concerned that humans were so overpowered by ignorance, greed and hatred that they could never recognise the path, which is subtle, deep and hard to grasp. However, in the story, BrahmÄ  Sahampati convinced him, arguing that at least some will understand it. The Buddha relented, and agreed to teach. Formation of the sangha Dhà ¢mek Stà »pa in Sà ¢rnà ¢th, India, site of the first teaching of the Buddha in which he taught the Four Noble Truths to his first five disciples After his awakening, the Buddha met two merchants, named Tapussa and Bhallika, who became his first lay disciples. They were apparently each given hairs from his head, which are now claimed to be enshrined as relics in the Shwe Dagon Temple in Rangoon, Burma. The Buddha intended to visit Asita, and his former teachers, Alara Kalama and Udaka Ramaputta, to explain his findings, but they had already died. He then travelled to the Deer Park near VÄ rÄ Ã¡ ¹â€¡asÄ « (Benares) in northern India, where he set in motion what Buddhists call the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the five companions with whom he had sought enlightenment. Together with him, they formed the first saá ¹â€¦gha: the company of Buddhist monks. All five become arahants, and within the first two months, with the conversion of Yasa and fifty four of his friends, the number of such arahants is said to have grown to 60. The conversion of three brothers named Kassapa followed, with their reputed 200, 300 and 500 disciples, respectively. This swelled the sangha to more than 1,000. Travels and teaching Buddha with his protector Vajrapani, GandhÄ ra, 2nd century CE, Ostasiatische Kunst Museum For the remaining 45 years of his life, the Buddha is said to have traveled in the Gangetic Plain, in what is now Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and southern Nepal, teaching a diverse range of people: from nobles to outcaste street sweepers, murderers such as Angulimala, and cannibals such as Alavaka. From the outset, Buddhism was equally open to all races and classes, and had no caste structure, as was the rule for most Hindus in the-then society. Although the Buddhas language remains unknown, its likely that he taught in one or more of a variety of closely related Middle Indo-Aryan dialects, of which Pali may be a standardization. The sangha traveled through the subcontinent, expounding the dharma. This continued throughout the year, except during the four months of the vassana rainy season when ascetics of all religions rarely traveled. One reason was that it was more difficult to do so without causing harm to animal life. At this time of year, the sangha would retreat to monasteries, public parks or forests, where people would come to them. The first vassana was spent at Varanasi when the sangha was formed. After this, the Buddha kept a promise to travel to Rajagaha, capital of Magadha, to visit King Bimbisara. During this visit, Sariputta and Maudgalyayana were converted by Assaji, one of the first five disciples, after which they were to become the Buddhas two foremost followers. The Buddha spent the next three seasons at Veluvana Bamboo Grove monastery in Rajagaha, capital of Magadha. Upon hearing of his sons awakening, Suddhodana sent, over a period, ten delegations to ask him to return to Kapilavastu. On the first nine occasions, the delegates failed to deliver the message, and instead joined the sangha to become arahants. The tenth delegation, led by Kaludayi, a childhood friend of Gautamas (who also became an arahant), however, delivered the message. Now two years after his awakening, the Buddha agreed to return, and made a two-month journey by foot to Kapilavastu, teaching the dharma as he went. At his return, the royal palace prepared a midday meal, but the sangha was making an alms round in Kapilavastu. Hearing this, Suddhodana approached his son, the Buddha, saying: Ours is the warrior lineage of Mahamassata, and not a single warrior has gone seeking alms The Buddha is said to have replied: That is not the custom of your royal lineage. But it is the custom of my Buddha lineage. Several thousands of Buddhas have gone by seeking alms Buddhist texts say that Suddhodana invited the sangha into the palace for the meal, followed by a dharma talk. After this he is said to have become a sotapanna. During the visit, many members of the royal family joined the sangha. The Buddhas cousins Ananda and Anuruddha became two of his five chief disciples. At the age of seven, his son Rahula also joined, and became one of his ten chief disciples. His half-brother Nanda also joined and became an arahant. Of the Buddhas disciples, Sariputta, Maudgalyayana, Mahakasyapa, Ananda and Anuruddha are believed to have been the five closest to him. His ten foremost disciples were reputedly completed by the quintet of Upali, Subhoti, Rahula, Mahakaccana and Punna. In the fifth vassana, the Buddha was staying at Mahavana near Vesali when he heard news of the impending death of his father. He is said to have gone to Suddhodana and taught the dharma, after which his father became an arahant. The kings death and cremation was to inspire the creation of an order of nuns. Buddhist texts record that the Buddha was reluctant to ordain women. His foster mother Maha Pajapati, for example, approached him, asking to join the sangha, but he refused. Maha Pajapati, however, was so intent on the path of awakening that she led a group of royal Sakyan and Koliyan ladies, which followed the sangha on a long journey to Rajagaha. In time, after Ananda championed their cause, the Buddha is said to have reconsidered and, five years after the formation of the sangha, agreed to the ordination of women as nuns. He reasoned that males and females had an equal capacity for awakening. But he gave women additional rules (Vinaya) to follow. Assassination attempts According to colorful legends, even during the Buddhas life the sangha was not free of dissent and discord. For example, Devadatta, a cousin of Gautama who became a monk but not an arahant, more than once tried to kill him. Initially, Devadatta is alleged to have often tried to undermine the Buddha. In one instance, according to stories, Devadatta even asked the Buddha to stand aside and let him lead the sangha. When this failed, he is accused of having three times tried to kill his teacher. The first attempt is said to have involved him hiring a group of archers to shoot the awakened one. But, upon meeting the Buddha, they laid down their bows and instead became followers. A second attempt is said to have involved Devadatta rolling a boulder down a hill. But this hit another rock and splintered, only grazing the Buddhas foot. In the third attempt, Devadatta is said to have got an elephant drunk and set it loose. This ruse also failed. After his lack of success at homicide, Devadatta is said to have tried to create a schism in the sangha, by proposing extra restrictions on the vinaya. When the Buddha again prevailed, Devadatta started a breakaway order. At first, he managed to convert some of the bhikkhus, but Sariputta and Maudgalyayana are said to have expounded the dharma so effectively that they were won back. Mahaparinirvana The Buddhas entry into Parinirvana. Sanskritpalm leaf manuscript. NÄ landÄ , Bihar, India. PÄ la period The sharing of the relics of the Buddha, ZenyÃ… mitsu-Temple Museum, Tokyo According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta of the Pali canon, at the age of 80, the Buddha announced that he would soon reach Parinirvana, or the final deathless state, and abandon his earthly body. After this, the Buddha ate his last meal, which he had received as an offering from a blacksmith named Cunda. Falling violently ill, Buddha instructed his attendant Ä€nanda to convince Cunda that the meal eaten at his place had nothing to do with his passing and that his meal would be a source of the greatest merit as it provided the last meal for a Buddha.[web 8] Dr Mettanando and Von Hinà ¼ber argue that the Buddha died of mesentericinfarction, a symptom of old age, rather than food poisoning.[48][note 11] The precise contents of the Buddhas final meal are not clear, due to variant scriptural traditions and ambiguity over the translation of certain significant terms; the Theravada tradition generally believes that the Buddha was offered some kind of pork, while the Mahayana tradition believes that the Buddha consumed some sort of truffle or other mushroom. These may reflect the different traditional views on Buddhist vegetarianism and the precepts for monks and nuns. Ananda protested the Buddhas decision to enter Parinirvana in the abandoned jungles of KuÅ›inÄ ra (present-day Kushinagar, India) of the Malla kingdom. The Buddha, however, is said to have reminded Ananda how Kushinara was a land once ruled by a righteous wheel-turning king that resounded with joy: 44. Kusavati, Ananda, resounded unceasingly day and night with ten sounds—the trumpeting of elephants, the neighing of horses, the rattling of chariots, the beating of drums and tabours, music and song, cheers, the clapping of hands, and cries of Eat, drink, and be merry! The Buddha then asked all the attendant Bhikkhus to clarify any doubts or questions they had. They had none. According to Buddhist scriptures, he then finally entered Parinirvana. The Buddhas final words are reported to have been: All composite things (Saá ¹â€¦khÄ ra) are perishable. Strive for your own liberation with diligence (Pali: vayadhammÄ  saá ¹â€¦khÄ rÄ  appamÄ dena sampÄ dethÄ ). His body was cremated and the relics were placed in monuments or stupas, some of which are believed to have survived until the present. For example, The Temple of the Tooth or Dalada Maligawa in Sri Lanka is the place where what some believe to be the relic of the right tooth of Buddha is kept at present. According to the PÄ li historical chronicles of Sri Lanka, the DÄ «pavaá ¹Æ'sa and MahÄ vaá ¹Æ'sa, the coronation of Emperor AÅ›oka (PÄ li: Asoka) is 218 years after the death of Buddha. According to two textual records in Chinese (Ã¥  Ã¥â€¦ «Ã©Æ' ¨Ã¨ «â€" and éÆ' ¨Ã¥Å¸ ·Ã§â€¢ °Ã¨ «â€"), the coronation of Emperor AÅ›oka is 116 years after the death of Buddha. Therefore, the time of Buddhas passing is either 486 BCE according to TheravÄ da record or 383 BCE according to Mahayana record. However, the actual date traditionally accepted as the date of the Buddhas death in TheravÄ da countries is 544 or 545 BCE, because the reign of Emperor AÅ›oka was traditionally reckoned to be about 60 years earlier than current estimates. In Burmese Buddhist tradition, the date of the Buddhas death is 13 May 544 BCE,[49] whereas in Thai tradition it is 11 March 545 BCE.[50] At his death, the Buddha is famously believed to have told his disciples to follow no leader. Mahakasyapa was chosen by the sangha to be the chairman of the First Buddhist Council, with the two chief disciples Maudgalyayana and Sariputta having died before the Buddha. While in Buddhas days he was addressed by the very respected titles Buddha, ShÄ kyamuni, ShÄ kyasimha, Bhante and Bho, he was known after his parinirvana as Arihant, BhagavÄ /Bhagavat/BhagwÄ n, MahÄ vira,[51] Jina/Jinendra, SÄ str, Sugata, and most popularly in scriptures as TathÄ gata. Relics After his death, the Buddha was cremated and the ashes divided among his disciples. According to the PBS series Secrets of the Dead, an urn containing these was discovered in a stupa at Piprahwa near Birdpur [historical British variant as Birdpore], a Buddhist sacred structure in the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh in India by amateur archaeologist William Claxton Peppe in 1898. They were given to the King of Siam (Thailand) a couple of years later, where they still reside. Physical characteristics Main article: Physical characteristics of the Buddha GandhÄ ran depiction of the Buddha from Hadda, Afghanistan; Victoria and Albert Museum, London An extensive and colorful physical description of the Buddha has been laid down in scriptures. A kshatriya by birth, he had military training in his upbringing, and by Shakyan tradition was required to pass tests to demonstrate his worthiness as a warrior in order to marry. He had a strong enough body to be noticed by one of the kings and was asked to join his army as a general. He is also believed by Buddhists to have the 32 Signs of the Great Man. The Brahmin Sonadanda described him as handsome, good-looking, and pleasing to the eye, with a most beautiful complexion. He has a godlike form and countenance, he is by no means unattractive.(D,I:115). It is wonderful, truly marvellous, how serene is the good Gotamas appearance, how clear and radiant his complexion, just as the golden jujube in autumn is clear and radiant, just as a palm-tree fruit just loosened from the stalk is clear and radiant, just as an adornment of red gold wrought in a crucible by a skilled goldsmith, deftly beaten and laid on a yellow-cloth shines, blazes and glitters, even so, the good Gotamas senses are calmed, his complexion is clear and radiant. (A,I:181) A disciple named Vakkali, who later became an arahant, was so obsessed by Buddhas physical presence that the Buddha is said to have felt impelled to tell him to desist, and to have reminded him that he should know the Buddha through the Dhamma and not through physical appearances. Although there are no extant representations of the Buddha in human form until around the 1st century CE (see Buddhist art), descriptions of the physical characteristics of fully enlightened buddhas are attributed to the Buddha in the Digha Nikayas Lakkhaá ¹â€¡a Sutta (D,I:142).[52] In addition, the Buddhas physical appearance is described by Yasodhara to their son Rahula upon the Buddhas first post-Enlightenment return to his former princely palace in the non-canonical Pali devotional hymn, NarasÄ «ha GÄ thÄ  (The Lion of Men).[web 10] Among the 32 main characteristics it is mentioned that Buddha has blue eyes.[53] Nine virtues The nine virtues of the Buddha appear throughout the Tipitaka.[54] Recollection of the nine virtues of the Buddha is a common Buddhist devotional practice, it is also one of the 40 Buddhist meditation subjects. Araham – Worthy of homage. An Arahant is one with taints destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid done the burden, reached the true goal, destroyed the fetters of being, and is completely liberated through final knowledge. Sammasambuddho – Perfectly self-awakened Reclining Buddha in Jade Temple, Shanghai Some scholars believe that some portions of the Pali Canon and the Ä€gamas contain the actual substance of the historical teachings (and possibly even the words) of the Buddha.[55][56] Some scholars believe the Pali Canon and the Agamas pre-date the MahÄ yÄ na sÃ… «tras.[57] The scriptural works of Early Buddhism precede the Mahayana works chronologically, and are treated by many Western scholars as the main credible source for information regarding the actual historical teachings of Gautama Buddha. However, some scholars do not think that the texts report on historical events.[58][dubious– discuss][59][60] Hajime Nakamura writes that there is nothing in the traditional Buddhist texts that can be clearly attributed to Gautama as a historical figure:[61] [I]n the Buddhist texts there is no word that can be traced with unquestionable authority to Gautama ÅšÄ kyamuni as a historical personage, although there must be some sayings or phrases derived from him. Some of the fundamentals of the teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha are: The Four Noble Truths: that suffering is an ingrained part of existence; that the origin of suffering is craving for sensuality, acquisition of identity, and annihilation; that suffering can be ended; and that following the Noble Eightfold Path is the means to accomplish this; The Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration; Dependent origination: the mind creates suffering as a natural product of a complex process; Rejection of the infallibility of accepted scripture: Teachings should not be accepted unless they are borne out by our experience and are praised by the wise. See the Kalama Sutta for details; Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things that come to be have an end; Dukkha (Sanskrit: duá ¸ ¥kha): That nothing which comes to be is ultimately satisfying; AnattÄ  (Sanskrit: anÄ tman): That nothing in the realm of experience can really be said to be I or mine; NibbÄ na (Sanskrit: NirvÄ na): It is possible for sentient beings to realize a dimension of awareness which is totally unconstructed and peaceful, and end all suffering due to the minds interaction with the conditioned world. However, in some Mahayana schools, these points have come to be regarded as more or less subsidiary. There is disagreement amongst various schools of Buddhism over more complex aspects of what the Buddha is believed to have taught, and also over some of the disciplinary rules for monks. According to tradition, the Buddha emphasized ethics and correct understanding. He questioned everyday notions of divinity and salvation. He stated that there is no intermediary between mankind and the divine; distant gods are subjected to karma themselves in decaying heavens; and the Buddha is only a guide and teacher for beings who must tread the path of NirvÄ Ã¡ ¹â€¡a (PÄ li: NibbÄ na) themselves to attain the spiritual awakening called bodhi and understand reality. The Buddhist system of insight and meditation practice is not claimed to have been divinely revealed, but to spring from an understanding of the true nature of the mind, which must be discovered by treading the path guided by the Buddhas teachings. Other religions Buddha depicted as the 9th Avatar of god Vishnu in a traditional Hindu representation Main article: Gautama Buddha in world religions In Hinduism, Gautama is regarded as one of the ten avatars of God Vishnu.[note 6] The Buddha is also regarded as a prophet by the Ahmadiyyas[62][63][64] and a Manifestation of God in the Bahà ¡Ãƒ ­ faith.[65] Some early Chinese Taoist-Buddhists thought the Buddha to be a reincarnation of Lao Tzu.[66] The Christian Saint Josaphat is based on the life of the Buddha. The name comes from the Sanskrit Bodhisatva via Arabic BÃ… «dhasaf and Georgian Iodasaph.[67] The only story in which St. Josaphat appears, Barlaam and Josaphat, is based on the life of the Buddha.[68] Josaphat was included in earlier editions of the Roman Martyrology (feast day 27 November) — though not in the Roman Missal — and in the Eastern Orthodox Church liturgical calendar (26 August). 2. Annabhau Sathe Despite lack of formal education, Sathe wrote in Marathi 35 novels, one among which was Fakira (1959). Fakira, which is currently in its 19th edition, received a state government award in 1961. There are 15 collections of Sathes short stories. A large number of his short stories have been translated into many Indian and as many as 27 non-Indian languages. Besides novels and short stories, Sathe wrote a play, a travelogue on Russia, 12 screenplays, and 10 ballads powade(Marahti). Sathe wrote directly from his experiences in life, and his novels celebrate the fighting spirit in their characters who work against all odds in life. Early life Annabhau Sathe was born in the village of Wategaon near Sangli in a family belonging to the Dalit [[Mang [Hindu] (caste)|Mang]] community. (The community has been identified by the Indian government as a SCscheduled caste.) Poverty had prevented Sathe from obtaining formal education. His brother Shankarbhau recounts in his biography of Sathe, titled Majhe Bhau Annabhau, that the family members worked as laborers at the site of Kalyan tunnel when it was being constructed. Writings Lok Rajya, a Maharashtra state government fortnightly, published on 1 November 1993, a special commemorative issue concerning Sathe. The state government also issued in 1998 a collection of his works under the title Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Nivadak Sahitya.Amartya shinde and Aditya Shinde,Nerul Navi Mumbai 706 also having good information regarding Annabhau Sathe and his relations with Famous Film Actor Balraj Sahani. Other achievements To generate social awareness, he organized stage performances of powade and tamasha, ethnic dances chiefly performed by women, which are popular in rural Maharashtra. He produced 14 tamasha shows. In the late 1940s, the then Home Minister of the Bombay state government Morarji Desai had banned tamasha shows, but Sathe courageously defied the ban by renaming them as lokanatya. People in Maharashtra conferred the epithet lok shahir on Sathe. On the issue of a postage stamp of Anna Bhau Sathe at Chembur, Mumbai minister Pramod Mahajan called Anna as a saint of Maharashtra. Sathe was an important mobilizer in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. He used the medium of powade to great effect in that movement. Sathe was attracted to communism and had visited USSR. He was a founder member of the Lal Bawta Kalapathak of the Communist Party in Maharashtra. Sathe lived a life of destitution. After spending 22 years in a Ghatkopar (west), chirag nagar slum, Sathe moved to a modest house in Goregaon which the state government provided him in 1968, one year before he died. External links http://www.manase.org/maharashtra.php?mid=68smid=23pmid=8id=800 Authority control VIAF: 13245460 {{Persondata | NAME = Sathe, Annabhau | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = Indian writer | DATE OF BIRTH = August 1, 1920 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = July 18, 1969Tukaram alias Annabhau Sathe was born in the village of Wategaon near Sangli in a family belonging to the Dalit Matang community. on 1st August 1920 (The community has been identified by the Indian government as a scheduled caste.) There are 15 collections of Sathes short stories. A large number of his short stories have been translated into many Indian and as many as 27 non-Indian languages. Besides novels and short stories, Sathe wrote a play, a travelogue on Russia, 12 screenplays, and 10 ballads powade(Marahti). Sathe wrote directly from his experiences in life, and his novels celebrate the fighting spirit in their characters who work against all odds in life. Lok Rajya, a Maharashtra state government fortnightly, published on November 1, 1993, a special commemorative issue concerning Sathe. The state government also issued in 1998 a collection of his works under the title Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Nivadak Sahitya. Other achievements Sathe worked among the poor. To generate social awareness, he organized stage performances of powade and tamasha, ethnic dances chiefly performed by women, which are popular in rural Maharashtra. He produced 14 tamashashows. In the late 1940s, the then Home Minister of the Bombay state government Morarji Desai had banned tamasha shows, but Sathe courageously defied the ban by renaming them as lokanatya. People in Maharashtra conferred the epithet lok shahir on Sathe. on the Occasion of Postage stamp of Anna Bhau Sathe at Chembur,Mumbai Honrable minister Mr.Pramod Mahajan, called Ann as A saint of Maharashtra. Sathe was an important mobilizer in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. He used the medium of powade to great effect in that movement. on the same occasion he sung a Chakkad as Mazi Maina Gavavar Rahili Mazya Jiwachi hottiya Kahili-edited by Prof. Balaji Shinde and Amartya shinde,Nerul Navi Mumbai-706 Sathe was attracted to communism and had visited USSR. He was a founder member of the Lal Bawta Kalapathak of the Communist Party in Maharashtra. Also Annabhu sathe was the member of Matang Samaj Kaminty at Satara and Sagli Personal life Sathe lived a life of destitution. After spending 22 years in a Ghatkopar (west) chirag nagar slum, Sathe moved to a modest house in Goregaon which the state government provided him in 1968, one year before he died. Honors Many cultural organizations and roads in Maharashtra have been named after Sathe. Shahir Bapu Pawar (Solapur, Contact no 8805500620) have written song on Annabhau Sathes life release Adio cassettes CDs also Death-11th July 1969 | PLACE OF DEATH = }}

HR Strategy of Barclays Bank

HR Strategy of Barclays Bank Identify the organisations overall HR strategy and goals Specifically, Barclays outlined the core objectives of its overall HR strategy in its online job portal: To ensure that our people programmes are aligned with the Barclays Commercial Bank business strategy. To train and retain, as well as acquire the best talent in the market. To make Barclays the employer of choice for people in the industry and ensure those already with us will have no intention of leaving. To ensure we have the right people, in the right jobs, doing the right work. (Barclays Bank) From the objectives strategy, one sees that the overall Human Resources strategy of Barclays Bank is guided by two fundamental factors: First, the HR strategy is about governance directed at managing the sheer number and diversity of its employees so that they all function and work according to and towards achieving the organizations business objectives. This is particularly important because Barclays employs more than 123,000 people across the globe (Barclays 2009), covering a wide variety of subsidiaries. Secondly, the HR strategy is, certainly, aimed at attracting, developing and retaining the best people available. In regard to employee development and training in the context of the first dimension to Barclays overall HR strategy the people management a formal learning process has been developed and put in place by the banks human resources managers. The aim here is to instill the behaviors and values seen as pivotal in achieving corporate goals. This HR programme involves basic training in how teams work together, personality profiling, and preferred learning styles. (Ostroff 1999, p. 122) According to Mike Ockenden, a former managing director at Barclays, HR is trying to create a spirit that says we are all one group of people working together towards the customer imperative. (Ostroff, p. 122) In addition, numerous other trainings are continually developed ranging from mentoring programmes, training on new technologies, operational methodologies, courses on team-work, to communication efficiency modules. When it comes to the objective to attract, train and retain the best people, specific programs and initiatives have been introduced. Our people, according to the organization, are the foundation of Barclays success. Its as simple as that. We want the most talented, whatever their style, personality, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. (Barclays 2009) Indeed, the organization implements a policy of diversity and equality in the workplace. Furthermore, the Barclays corporate culture resembles democratized structure: nobody has a private office, nor are there executive parking spaces; employees sit in the same size chairs behind the same size desks; titles are forbidden, and employees use first names when they address one another. (Ostroff, p. 121) This culture creates a conducive environment for innovation and that it promotes and maintains a system that values everyones contribution. Barclays maintains: We promote an inclusive culture where colleagues of all backgrounds are respected and the different perspectives and fresh ideas they can bring to the business are valued. (Barclays 2009) Barclays have also experimented with competency-based pay systems which were expected to provide clarity about how employees can add value through their respective roles in the organization and motivation to perform better. (Holbeche 2009, p. 148) The company boasts of offering one of the highest salary schemes in the industry. The benefits package is consisted of: 1. Financial reward such as competitive salary, discretionary bonuses and recognition schemes wherein employees could receive performance-based gifts and expensive perks; 2) discounts in privileges on Barclays financial services and Barclays shares; 3) health, well-being and retirement benefits. At Barclays, employees also have the option to have flexible work schedules such as part-time work, compressed working week, job-sharing and a nine day fortnight, among others. Then, the organization has also set up a corporate social responsibility policy that aims to boost employee morale and made them proud to work for the company. This policy is contained in the companys sustainability strategy which focuses on three areas: helping address social issues, investing in community initiatives, and volunteerism. In assessing whether Barclays overall human resources strategy and objectives, one needs to look at the statistics. According to Ostroff: The company is meeting its goal of increasing national market share by at least one percentage point each year. This figure represents approximately an 18 percent increase in revenues and a 20 percent increase in profits What is more, Barclays is beating the competition by spending less. (p. 119) Barclays has achieved many of its successes partly because it was able to develop and implement a sound HR strategy and objectives, which are characterized by excellent people management.

Huck Finn :: essays research papers

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is an excellent book. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I had anticipated. It was a great book on life of Huck Finn. The details and settings were outstanding. This was indeed a great novel. The setting of this book was very important to me. It helped to back up how the characters acted. Being set in the 1830s, and in the south; the reader could really relate with how each character acted, talked, and what they thought of others. With the times in the setting and the places it was set helped a lot with understanding the story. The story would have never made sense if it had been in the north or even the Far West. The story was set, in my opinion, in the perfect place and time. It really helped the story come together. In some cases the setting could have been brought out a little more to help out with the descriptions and plots of the story, but in the long run, the setting was pretty much described enough. The characters in Huck Finn were very believable. The way they acted and the way they thought made them seem almost real. To me, Huck stands out the most. He acts like a young boy who is trying to help out people in need of help like Jim. He was friendly, kind, and willing to stand up for what he believed in, good or bad. With the many characters in this book, a few helped bring out the story. The main character, Huckleberry Finn, was an adventurous boy who was kind, smart, and shrewd but, no matter where he went, he always got into trouble. Jim, who was a run away slave, was a very kind man. He is very smart and knowledgeable of natural surroundings, and has good common sense. Jim and Huck were best friends. Widow Douglas was the lady who took care of Huck. She was a sweet lady who tried to teach Huck how to be proper and civilized. Huck’s father was basically a town drunk who would beat Huck when he drank too much. Tom Sawyer was a very mischievous boy who could make any situation seem more excit ing and complex than they really were. He and Huck were friends. In the plot of this story, the situations seem to rise out of the setting that the particular event is at.

Women Sport Athlete Injuries Essay -- essays research papers

The number of girls and women participating in all levels of sports has risen greatly in recent years, and the way they play has changed too. Women's sports used to be played by a slow defensive style. Today, the sports are played with speed, precision, and power. With these changes have come increased injuries, and female athletes have higher injury rates than men in many sports. Knee injuries have been rising in female sports. Anterior crutiate ligament (ACL) injuries have become the most common injury in the knee to female athletes. Females are four times more susceptible to injury then men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ACL is a dynamic structure whose main function is to provide primary restraint to anterior tibial subluxation. It provides secondary restraint limiting internal rotation and restraint with the knee in full extension. Along with the posterior crutiate ligament, it provides the axis for knee rotation and links rotation with flexion and extension.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ligament is primarily made up of two bands, the anteromedial and posterolateral, and an intermediate band sometimes present. The ACL runs from the posteromedial portion of the lateral femoral condyle in an inferior, anterior, and medial orientation to an area just lateral to the medial tibial eminence. The posterolateral band is tightest when the knee is in extension, and the anteromedial band is tightest with the knee in flexion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The majority of ACL injuries suffered during athletic participation are of the noncontact variety. Three main noncontact mechanisms have been identified planting and cutting, straight-knee landing and one-step stop landing with the knee hyperextended. Pivoting and sudden deceleration are also common mechanisms of noncontact ACL injury. Basketball, soccer, and volleyball consistently produce some of the highest ACL injury rates across various age groups. Other activities with a high rate of injury are gymnastics, martial arts, and running. In most sports, injuries occur more often in games than in practice. Many injuries have occurred during the first 30 minutes of play. One-reason physicians are seeing more ACL injuries in female patients that more women play sports, and they play more intensely. But as they continued to do more studies, they are finding that women's higher rate of ACL is probably due ... ...tead of one big one. Building your leg muscles, especially your hamstrings can help prevent ACL injury. Be thoroughly warmed up before jumping and pivoting hard. It is a good idea to be actually sweating when you are warming up. When you are exhausted, you shouldn't be playing. Never play in pain and if the pain continues to return when you begin to play again after resting. Some shoes are too good for playing. If there is too much traction, your foot won't give way on fast stops, and the resulting torque on your knee can rip the ligament. Lastly, stick to a sport you love. If you think you are insecure about the sport you are in, and feel that it is too risky, then go into something that makes you feel comfortable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Females have taken great strides to be able to accomplish as much as males in a male dominant world. Women are more competitive and are able to play at great intensity that was thought impossible several decades ago. It is sad that women have many factors against them, making them more susceptible to injuries. Injuries occur all the time. Although there are many suggestions as to how to prevent ACL injuries, we cannot control everything.

True Portrayal of Children in Lord of the Flies :: Lord of the Flies Essays

True Portrayal of Children in Lord of the Flies In the novel The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, one can see how children react to certain situations. Children, when given the opportunity, would choose to play and have fun rather than to do boring, hard work. Also, when children have no other adults to look up to they turn to other children for leadership. Finally, children stray towards savagery when they are without adult authority. Therefore, Golding succeeds in effectively portraying the interests and attitudes of young children in this novel. When children are given the opportunity, they would rather envelop themselves in pleasure and play than in the stresses of work. The boys show enmity towards building the shelters, even though this work is important, to engage in trivial activities. Af ter one of the shelters collapses while only Simon and Ralph are building it, Ralph clamours, "All day I've been working with Simon. No one else. They're off bathing or eating, or playing." (55). Ralph and Simon, though only children, are more mature a nd adult like and stray to work on the shelters, while the other children aimlessly run off and play. The other boys avidly choose to play, eat, etc. than to continue to work with Ralph which is very boring and uninteresting. The boys act typically of m ost children their age by being more interested in having fun than working. Secondly, all the boys leave Ralph's hard-working group to join Jack's group who just want to have fun. The day after the death of Simon when Piggy ! and Ralph are bathing, Piggy points beyond the platform and says, "That's where they're gone. Jack's party. Just for some meat. And for hunting and for pretending to be a tribe and putting on war-paint."(163). Piggy realizes exactly why the boys have gone to Jack's, which would be for fun and excitement. The need to play and have fun in Jack's group, even though the boys risk the tribe's brutality and the chance of not being rescued, outweighs doing work with Ralph's group which increase their chance s of being rescued. Young children need to satisfy their amusement by playing games instead of doing work. In conclusion, children are more interested