Friday, February 21, 2020
Portfolio management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Portfolio management - Research Paper Example This means that the investors incline towards investments which offer guaranteed returns at low risk. However, the ability to take higher calculated risk could produce higher returns for the investor. However, the returns are not guaranteed. For this reason, portfolio management attains significance (MAHAJAN, 2009). Portfolio management helps the investor to decide on the weight-age to be allocated to investments in a portfolio of stocks which would not only diversify the risk but at the same time would maximise the returns on investment. Considering the economy of Qatar, a portfolio management has been carried out taking two companies in the Qatar market into consideration. Qatar Economy and Financial sector: Growth of Qatari Market Qatar is the richest Muslim country in the world. Qatar is the leading producer of hydrocarbon and petroleum which makes the economy of Qatar largely dependent on oil and gas. The production of petroleum and hydrocarbon in Qatar contributes to more than 70% of the governmentââ¬â¢s revenue earnings. Also the amount of production of petroleum forms 60% of the countryââ¬â¢s GDP. Nearly 85% of the income earned by Qatar from its exports is done by the country through the export of its petroleum. Qatar maintains a huge reserve of hydrocarbon and petroleum oil. ... Due to the rising global demand of oil in the nineties, the GDP of Qatar grew by a record figure of 94%. Qatarââ¬â¢s economy has been able to achieve an incredible growth rate of GDP to 19.9% in 2011. However, signs of slow down in Qatarââ¬â¢s economy were apparent as it was predicted to grow by 9.8% in 2012 and by 4.5% in 2013. The Qatari economy has seen its GDP grow triply to $173.3 billion from 2005 to 2011 which was reported by the (IMF) International Monetary Fund. Qatar is also looking to produce offshore petroleum and is aiming at diversification of its economy by looking at long term prospects of growth. In the coming years, Qatarââ¬â¢s economy would be slowing down due to the reduction in hydrocarbon reserves. The growth in economy in future would be supported by the non-hydrocarbon areas like petrochemical, construction and manufacturing sectors. Banking, insurance and financial services are prevalent in the financial industry of Qatar. The trading of stocks takes place at the Qatar Exchange and flow of information to the market is used by the investors which reflects the related public events of the past, the instantaneous updates of the present market and also contains a prediction of the related events of future. Comparison between two companies in Qatar stock market: QGMD and GWCS In order to choose between the investment options as a part of portfolio management involving two companies, a comparison between two stocks in the Qatar market has been given below. In order to maximize the return to the investor, the portfolio management provides a direction towards decision making in opting one investment over another or determining the weight-age which should be assigned to the investment options in order to
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
PROGRAM EVALUATION Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
PROGRAM EVALUATION - Research Paper Example The study found its advantages when highlighting procedures of the evaluation using different data instruments like questionnaires, interviews with the insurance members, other data ââ¬âstatistical where obtained from the survey conducted using open ended questions and other sources like newspapers-company newspapers and journals were used. The assessment study was to be done using comparison of the different variable through analysis. I. Evaluation of the benefits of the Insurance Cards to the local and non-local residents; this would be done through conducting of interviews directly to the general public. The interview questions were designed to obtain data like; the number of participants involved, the demographic data of the participants-age, gender, sex, and religion. II. The customer satisfaction was with the health care provided in statistical data is a very essential factor in this paper. This was analyzed using correlation test. The positivity of the test can be helpful to the government since it can help on the campaign of encouraging establishment of more insurance companies that offer medical covers to the general public. This could be achieved through public awareness and encouragement by media or through rallies. The regression trend was also important to be used in the study to determine or forecast the future of UAE in terms of health up keep. III. The standard or quality of health service; this data was collected using survey method. The survey targeted the customers or the people of UAE. Data from 500 participants mainly the general public were reflected to measure the quality of service offered. After an analysis of the results the importance of quality service will increase the establishment of more health Insurance companies. IV. To determine the benefits of the health insurance to the general public; this would be determined using interviews to both the people of UAE and the members of the Insurance companies. A sample of 300 members o f staff were used to conduct this test this number was a 1/3 of the population of members of the company hence it a valid result. Results and interpretations 1. Evaluation of the benefits of the Insurance Cards to the local and non-local residents Method: the data and information was obtained from the general public using interviews- open ended questions were used. The application for the insurance cards has increased since the introduction of health insurance companies in UAE. The number has been increasing rapidly as seen from the bar charts presented above. The number of participants applying has increased by more than 46% from 2005 to 2006. The rapid in the increase of people engaging in health insurance is an indication that the people of UAE are finding an importance of the programs. As indicated from the interviews conducted many people are holding the positive aspects of the insurance cards. The insurance cards have made even the low income and the destitute in the society t o afford medical care at the least cost. Health insurance was distributed evenly according to the information obtained from the participants. At first, health insurance was offered to the individuals between the age of 35-and above. This age group indicated that dependants to these eldest members of the family setting meant that the young benefited from the insurance program since the offers extended to
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Importance of Natural Product Synthesis
Importance of Natural Product Synthesis History of medicine dates back practically to the existence of human civilization. Historically, the majority of new drugs have been generated from natural products and from compounds derived from natural products. Natural products, including plants, animals and minerals have always been a source of therapeutic agents for many years. Natural products sometimes exhibit pharmacological or biological property that can be of therapeutic benefit in treating diseases. As such, natural products are the active components not only of mostà traditional medicinesà but also of many newer medications. Furthermore, synthetic analogs of natural products with improved potency and safety can be prepared and therefore natural products are often used as Lead Copmpounds forà drug discovery. In fact, natural products are the inspiration for approximately one half of U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs. The birth of the natural product synthesis dates back to 1828 when Friedrich Wà ¶hler synthesized urea, a naturally occurring substance from ammonium cyanate. This event as trivial as it may seem by todayââ¬â¢s standards not only gave birth to a boundless science called organic synthesis but also contributed to a demystification of mother Nature by burying the fact that synthesis of natureââ¬â¢s molecules is her exclusive domain. The second major achievement in the field of organic synthesis is the synthesis of acetic acid from elemental carbon by Kolbe3 in 1845. It is historically significant because Kolbe coined the word Synthesis for the first time to describe the process of assembling a chemical compound from other substances. The total synthesis of naturally occurring pigments alizarin in 1869 by Graebe and Liebermann and indigo in 1878 by Baeyer represent landmark accomplishments in the field. Probably, after urea, the most spectacular total synthesis of the nineteenth c entury was that of Emil Fischerââ¬â¢s (â⬠¡)-glucose not only for the complexity of the target but also for the considerable stereochemical control that accompanied it. Figure 1: Although the precedent was set in the nineteenth century, it was only in the twentieth century the field of total synthesis started to flourish when Robert Burns Woodward synthesized Quinine. This event ushered in the modern era of total synthesis and Woodward who received the 1965 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for several brilliant examples of total synthesis such as his 1954 synthesis of strychnine, cholesterol5 is regarded as the father of modern organic synthesis. Figure 2: Today the art of organic synthesis has improved to astoundingly high levels of sophistication. Through its practice, chemists are able to synthesize organic molecules of all types of structural motifs and for all intents and purposes. Some modern classical examples of total synthesis include the synthesis of prostaglandin PG2à ± and Ginkgolide by E. J Corey, Ingenol by Wood, Brevetoxin by Nicolaou, Vancomycin by Evans, Taxol by Holton6, Nicolaou7, Wender and Danishefsky8 groups independently. The discipline of natural product synthesis today, is an important field of investigation whose dividends stretch from new scientific knowledge to practical applications. Considered by many as the flagship of organic synthesis, natural product synthesis symbolizes the power of chemical synthesis at any given time and defines its scope and limitations. It also serves to improve chemical synthesis by attempting to push its frontiers into higher molecular complexity, diversity, and efficiency. they can synthesize not only the molecules of nature and their analogues, but also myriad other organic molecules for potential applications in many areas of science, technology and everyday life Introduction to THF-containing natural products Tetrahydrofuran (THF)-containing natural products widely occur in several important families of biologically active compounds, such as the annonaceous acetogenins [1] and polyether antibiotics isolated from Streptomyces organisms (ionomycin, lonomycins Aââ¬âC, or monensin) [2]. Itââ¬â¢s worthwhile at this juncture to discuss few THF ring containing natural products such as which have been of paramount importance to the mankind and also to the researchers who have been actively involved in the synthesis and isolation of these natural products. Acetogenins Acetogenins abbreviated as AAGs are a group of THF-Containing natural products isolated from Annonacae species which are vastly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. They exhibit different biological activities such as antitumor, ant-imalarial, anti microbial, anti protozoal, pesticidal activities2. The common structural features of acetogenins include several free hydroxy groups with various stereo centers, differently located oxygenated functional groups and tetrahydrofuran (THF) ring(s) along the long hydrocarbon chain with an à ±, à ²-unsaturated à ´-lactone moiety at the end. Uvaricin, a bis THF acetogenin was the first of the AAGs isolated from Uvaria acuminata in 1982. It exhibited potent anti-cancer activity by inhibiting NADH cells in the mitochondrion. The total synthesis of Hexepi-Uvaricin was published by Hoye in 1994 and subsequently first total synthesis was achieved by Keinan in 1998. Montanacin D is a non classical acetogenin isolated from the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Annona Montana16 by Qin group in 1999, possessing a 4,8-cis THP ring along with a 16,19-trans THF ring. Ionomycin Amphidinolides Amphidinolides constitute a series of unique cytotoxic polyketide macrolides obtained from marine symbiotic dinoflagellates of the genus Amphidinium, which are symbionts of Okinawan marine flatworms Amphiscolops spp.1 They exhibit potent cytotoxic activity against murine lymphoma L1210 cells and human epidermoid carcinoma KB cells. Given below are some important Amphidinolides that incorporate a THF-ring in their structure Pectenotoxins Pectenotoxin (PTX)-group toxins are a group of polyether macrolide compounds found in microalgae and bivalve molluscs of Australia, Japan, New Zealand and some parts of Europe. Their presence in shellfish was discovered due to their high acute toxicity in the mouse bioassay after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of lipophilic extracts of shellfish. Pectinotoxins are exclusively produced by Dinophysis species. In shellfish they are always accompanied by closely related okadaic acid (OA)-group toxins. The common structural features of (PTX)-group toxins include a spiroketal group, three THF-rings, a bicyclic ketal and a six-membered cyclic hemiketal (Allingham et al., 2007). PTX2 is beleived to be the main precursor, from which many PTX-group toxins are derived through biotransformation during metabolism in the gut of bivalves. It is suggested that an oxidation of PTX2 occurs, leading to the formation of other PTX-group toxins, including PTX1, PTX3, and PTX6 PTX-group toxins have been shown to cause cell cycle arrest, cell death and apoptosis. The wide range (10-9 and 10-6 M) of effective concentrations of PTX-group toxins as well as the apparent resistance of some cell lines to the cytotoxic effect of PTX-group toxins indicate the existence of cell-specific factors affecting the sensitivity of biological systems to this group of natural compounds. Studies have confirmed that PTX2 induces apoptosis in several cell lines through multiple mechanisms, involving the perturbation of the cell cycle machinery, inhibition of mitotic separation and cytokinesis through the depolymerization of actin filaments. Oscillariolide and Phormidolide Oscillariolide is a halogenated macrolide isolated from a marine blue-green alga Oscillatoria sp. from Gokashowan-Bay, Mie Prefecture. It exhibits significant cytotoxic activity in the echinoderm egg assay. Phormidolide, a closely related macrolide was isolated from the extract of a laboratory culture of an Indonesian isolate of the cyanobacterium Phormidium sp. It displayed cytotoxicity towards drine shrimp with a LC50 of 1.5 à µM. The characteristic features of both oscillariolide and phormidolide include a trisubstituted bridged THF macrolactone with a long polyhydroxy chain containing a unique terminal bromo diene. Structural elucidation revealed that the polyhydroxy side as well as THF ring of both compounds have same stereochemistry Chagosensine Chagosensine is a sixteen-membered chlorinated macrolide isolated from the methanolic chloroform extract of a bright yellow sponge Leucetta chagosensis usually found in the coral reefs of Red Sea, Aqaba Gulf (Israel). the extract of the Leucetta sp. sponge exhibited potent ability to inhibit the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway. A new mechanism for the action of naamidine A and inhibition of tumor cells was shown.
Monday, January 20, 2020
Anti-semitism Essay -- essays research papers fc
For more than two thousand years anti-Semitism has plagued the Jews, however, the term has only been around for about thirty years (Strack 594). Due to the hateful accusations and of those who did not understand their religion, Jews, as a scorned people, gradually became more exclusive and intolerant of other religions. Because of Judaismââ¬â¢s strict adherence to their own beliefs and unwillingness to consider any alternatives, Muslims and Christians have scorned and persecuted Jews. à à à à à First, the Muslimââ¬â¢s basis for anti-Judaism rests primarily on religious beliefs. Islam teaches that Allah, the Muslim god, requires that a good Muslim pray a ritual prayer five times per day, give a token of their income to charity, and if possible a pilgrimage to Mecca, their Holy City (ââ¬Å"The Rise and Spread of Islamâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ). ââ¬Å"Muhammad himself was hostile to the Jewsâ⬠(Rivkin 25) because he believed Allah to be the one true God and saw the Jewish Doctrine of the Trinity to be polytheistic. The Jews, however, rejected all divine worship except their own. Also, Jews had certain laws and customs concerning food and circumcision which further segregated them from the Muslims. All these differences gave rise to mutual rejection between these two groups. As part of his rejection of the Jews, Muhammad abandoned certain Jewish customs, for example, Saturday as the Muslim holy day and Jerusalem as the Muslim holy city (Davies 329). The conve rsion of a Muslim to any other religion was strictly forbidden and punishable by death. The Jews were given the dhimmi status ââ¬Å"meaning that they were not deserving of slaughter and could retain their religious practices in a limited formâ⬠(ââ¬Å"The Spread of Islam to Indiaâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ). Just as slaves, the Jews did not possess full legal rights (ââ¬Å"The Rise and Spread of Islamâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ). These dhimmis were merely tolerated and forced to pay special taxes and wear yellow badges as a means of public identification (Davies 329). Evidence presented by a Jew in court against a Muslim would not be accepted. Dhimmis had to obtain permission before building new places of worship or repairing old ones, and they could never construct worship cites that overshadowed Muslim places of worship. Jews were also prohibited from carrying arms, riding horses or camels, or inheriting from a Muslim (ââ¬Å"The Rise and Spread of Islamâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ). In addition, Jews killed ani mals only a... ... labor by the Christians of the tenth century. à à à à à Finally, Muslims and Christians detested the Jews for being different than them. Anti-Semitism still exists today in many countries. For example, in Syria the government denies Jews the right to vote and restricts their emigration (Levanon 559). As Christians, it is our duty to refrain from slander and false accusations of Jews. Should we only show love to those who share our religious beliefs? Even the pagans love those who love them. (Luke 6:32) Are we not called to be different than the world and show the love of God to all? Bibliography Davies, Alan. ââ¬Å"Anti-Semitism.â⬠The Encyclopedia of Religion. Vol. 1. New York: Macmillan, 1995. Levanon, Yosef. ââ¬Å"Anti-Semitism.â⬠The World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1993. ââ¬Å"The Rise and Spread of Islam, 570-1258.â⬠http://galenet.gale.com Rivkin, Ellis. ââ¬Å"Jews.â⬠Encyclopedia International. Vol. 10. Philippines: Lexicon Publications, 1980. ââ¬Å"The Spread of Islam to India and Southeast Asia, 711-1400.â⬠http://galenet.gale.com Strack, Hermann L. ââ¬Å"Anti-Semitism.â⬠Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics. Vol. 1. New York: Charles Scribnerââ¬â¢s Sons, [n.d.]
Saturday, January 11, 2020
The Host Chapter 59: Remembered
The beginning would feel like the end. I'd been warned. But this time the end was a greater surprise than it had ever been. Greater than any end I'd remembered in nine lives. Greater than jumping down an elevator shaft. I had expected no more memories, no more thoughts. What end was this? The sun is setting-the colors are all rosy, and they make me think of my friendâ⬠¦ what would her name be here? Something aboutâ⬠¦ ruffles? Ruffles and more ruffles. She was a beautiful Flower. The flowers here are so lifeless and boring. They smell wonderful, though. Smells are the best part of this place. Footsteps behind me. Has Cloud Spinner followed me again? I don't need a jacket. It's warm here-finally!-and I want to feel the air on my skin. I won't look at her. Maybe she'll think I can't hear and she'll go home. She is so careful with me, but I'm almost grown now. She can't mother me forever. ââ¬Å"Excuse me?â⬠someone says, and I don't know the voice. I turn to look at her, and I don't know the face, either. She's pretty. The face in the memory jerked me back to myself. That was my face! But I didn't remember thisâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Hi,â⬠I say. ââ¬Å"Hello. My name is Melanie.â⬠She smiles at me. ââ¬Å"I'm new in town andâ⬠¦ I think I'm lost.â⬠ââ¬Å"Oh! Where are you trying to go? I'll take you. Our car is just back -ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"No, it's not far. I was going for a walk, but now I can't find my way back to Becker Street.â⬠She's a new neighbor-how nice. I love new friends. ââ¬Å"You're very close,â⬠I tell her. ââ¬Å"It's just around the second corner up that way, but you can cut right through this little alley here. It takes you straight there.â⬠ââ¬Å"Could you show me? I'm sorry, what's your name?â⬠ââ¬Å"Of course! Come with me. I'm Petals Open to the Moon, but my family mostly calls me Pet. Where are you from, Melanie?â⬠She laughs. ââ¬Å"Do you mean San Diego or the Singing World, Pet?â⬠ââ¬Å"Either one.â⬠I laugh, too. I like her smile. ââ¬Å"There are two Bats on this street. They live in that yellow house with the pine trees.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'll have to say hello,â⬠she murmurs, but her voice has changed, tensed. She's looking into the dusky alley as though she's expecting to see something. And there is something there. Two people, a man and a boy. The boy drags his hand through his long black hair like he's nervous. Maybe he is worried because he's lost, too. His pretty eyes are wide and excited. The man is very still. Jamie. Jared. My heart thumped, but the feeling was peculiar, wrong. Too small andâ⬠¦ fluttery. ââ¬Å"These are my friends, Pet,â⬠Melanie tells me. ââ¬Å"Oh! Oh, hello.â⬠I stretch my hand out to the man-he's the closest. He reaches for my hand, and his grip is so strong. He yanks me forward, right up to his body. I don't understand. This feels wrong. I don't like it. My heart beats faster, and I'm afraid. I've never been scared like this before. I don't understand. His hand swings toward my face, and I gasp. I suck in the mist that comes from his hand. A silver cloud that tastes like raspberries. ââ¬Å"Wha -â⬠I want to ask, but I can't see them anymore. I can't see anythingâ⬠¦ There was no more. ââ¬Å"Wanda? Can you hear me, Wanda?â⬠a familiar voice asked. That wasn't the right nameâ⬠¦ was it? My ears didn't react to it, but something did. Wasn't I Petals Open to the Moon? Pet? Was that it? That didn't feel right, either. My heart beat faster, an echo of the fear in my memory. A vision of a woman with white-and-red-streaked hair and kind green eyes filled my head. Where was my mother? Butâ⬠¦ she wasn't my mother, was she? A sound, a low voice that echoed around me. ââ¬Å"Wanda. Come back. We aren't letting you go.â⬠The voice was familiar, and it was also not. It sounded likeâ⬠¦ me? Where was Petals Open to the Moon? I couldn't find her. Just a thousand empty memories. A house full of pictures but no inhabitants. ââ¬Å"Use the Awake,â⬠a voice said. I didn't recognize this one. Something brushed my face, light as the touch of fog. I knew that scent. It was the smell of grapefruit. I took a deeper breath, and my mind suddenly cleared. I could feel that I was lying downâ⬠¦ but this felt wrong, too. There wasn'tâ⬠¦ enough of me. I felt shrunken. My hands were warmer than the rest of me, and that was because they were being held. Held in big hands, hands that swallowed them right up. It smelled odd-stuffy and a little moldy. I remembered the smellâ⬠¦ but surely I'd never smelled it before in my life. I saw nothing but dull red-the insides of my eyelids. I wanted to open them, so I went searching for the right muscles to do that. ââ¬Å"Wanderer? We're all waiting for you, honey. Open your eyes.â⬠This voice, this warm breath against my ear, was even more familiar. A strange feeling tickled through my veins at the sound. A feeling I'd never, ever felt before. The sound made my breath catch and my fingers tremble. I wanted to see the face that went with that voice. A color washed through my mind-a color that called to me from a faraway life-a brilliant, glowing blue. The whole universe was bright blueâ⬠¦ And finally I knew my name. Yes, that was right. Wanderer. I was Wanderer. Wanda, too. I remembered that now. A light touch on my face-a warm pressure on my lips, on my eyelids. Ah, that's where they were. I could make them blink now that I'd found them. ââ¬Å"She's waking up!â⬠someone crowed excitedly. Jamie. Jamie was here. My heart gave another fluttery little thump. It took a moment for my eyes to focus. The blue that stabbed my eyes was all wrong-too pale, too washed out. It wasn't the blue I wanted. A hand touched my face. ââ¬Å"Wanderer?â⬠I looked to the sound. The movement of my head on my neck felt so odd. It didn't feel like it used to, but at the same time it felt the way it had always felt. My searching eyes found the blue I'd been looking for. Sapphire, snow, and midnight. ââ¬Å"Ian? Ian, where am I?â⬠The sound of the voice coming out of my throat frightened me. So high and trilling. Familiar, but not mine. ââ¬Å"Who am I?â⬠ââ¬Å"You're you,â⬠Ian told me. ââ¬Å"And you're right where you belong.â⬠I pulled one of my hands free from the giant's hand that held it. I meant to touch my face, but someone's hand reached toward me, and I froze. The reaching hand also froze above me. I tried to move my hand again, to protect myself, but that moved the hand above me. I started shaking, and the hand trembled. Oh. I opened and closed the hand, looking at it carefully. Was this my hand, this tiny thing? It was a child's hand, except for the long pink-and-white nails, filed into perfect, smooth curves. The skin was fair, with a strange silvery cast to it and, entirely incongruous, a scattering of golden freckles. It was the odd combination of silver and gold that brought the image back: I could see a face in my head, reflected in a mirror. The setting of the memory threw me off for a moment because I wasn't used to so much civilization-at the same time, I knew nothing but civilization. A pretty dresser with all kinds of frilly and delicate things on top of it. A profusion of dainty glass bottles containing the scents I loved-I loved? Or she loved?-so much. A potted orchid. A set of silver combs. The big round mirror was framed in a wreath of metal roses. The face in the mirror was roundish, too, not quite oval. Small. The skin on the face had the same silver undertone-silver like moonlight-as the hand did, with another handful of the golden freckles across the bridge of the nose. Wide gray eyes, the silver of the soul shimmering faintly behind the soft color, framed by tangled golden lashes. Pale pink lips, full and almost round, like a baby's. Small, even white teeth behind them. A dimple in the chin. And everywhere, everywhere, golden, waving hair that stood away from my face in a bright halo and fell below where the mirror showed. My face or her face? It was the perfect face for a Night Flower. Like an exact translation from Flower to human. ââ¬Å"Where is she?â⬠my high, reedy voice demanded. ââ¬Å"Where is Pet?â⬠Her absence frightened me. I'd never seen a more defenseless creature than this half-child with her moonlight face and sunlight hair. ââ¬Å"She's right here,â⬠Doc assured me. ââ¬Å"Tanked and ready to go. We thought you could tell us the best place to send her.â⬠I looked toward his voice. When I saw him standing in the sunlight, a lit cryotank in his hands, a rush of memories from my former life came back to me. ââ¬Å"Doc!â⬠I gasped in the tiny, fragile voice. ââ¬Å"Doc, you promised! You gave me your oath, Eustace! Why? Why did you break your word?â⬠A dim recollection of misery and pain touched me. This body had never felt such agony before. It shied away from the sting. ââ¬Å"Even an honest man sometimes caves to duress, Wanda.â⬠ââ¬Å"Duress,â⬠another terribly familiar voice scoffed. ââ¬Å"I'd say a knife to the throat counts as duress, Jared.â⬠ââ¬Å"You knew I wouldn't really use it.â⬠ââ¬Å"That I did not. You were quite persuasive.â⬠ââ¬Å"A knife?â⬠My body trembled. ââ¬Å"Shh, it's all okay,â⬠Ian murmured. His breath blew strands of golden hair across my face, and I brushed them away-a routine gesture. ââ¬Å"Did you really think you could leave us that way? Wanda!â⬠He sighed, but the sigh was joyful. Ian was happy. This insight made my worry suddenly much lighter, easier to bear. ââ¬Å"I told you I didn't want to be a parasite,â⬠I whispered. ââ¬Å"Let me through,â⬠my old voice ordered. And then I could see my face, the strong one, with the sun-brown skin, the straight black line of the eyebrows over the almond-shaped, hazel eyes, the high, sharp cheekbonesâ⬠¦ See it backward, not as a reflection, the way I'd always seen it before. ââ¬Å"Listen up, Wanda. I know exactly what you don't want to be. But we're human, and we're selfish, and we don't always do the right thing. We aren't going to let you go. Deal with it.â⬠The way she spoke, the cadence and the tone, not the voice, brought back all the silent conversations, the voice in my head, my sister. ââ¬Å"Mel? Mel, you're okay!â⬠She smiled then and leaned over to hug my shoulders. She was bigger than I remembered being. ââ¬Å"Of course I am. Wasn't that the point of all the drama? And you're going to be fine, too. We weren't stupid about it. We didn't just grab the first body we saw.â⬠ââ¬Å"Let me tell her, let me!â⬠Jamie shoved in beside Mel. It was getting very crowded around the cot. It rocked, unstable. I took his hand and squeezed it. My hands felt so feeble. Could he even feel the pressure? ââ¬Å"Jamie!â⬠ââ¬Å"Hey, Wanda! This is cool, isn't it? You're smaller than me now!â⬠He grinned, triumphant. ââ¬Å"But still older. I'm almost -â⬠And then I stopped, changing my sentence abruptly. ââ¬Å"My birthday is in two weeks.â⬠I might have been disoriented and confused, but I wasn't stupid. Melanie's experiences had not gone to waste; I had learned from them. Ian was every bit as honorable as Jared, and I was not going to go through the frustration Melanie had. So I lied, giving myself an extra year. ââ¬Å"I'll be eighteen.â⬠From the corner of my eye, I saw Melanie and Ian stiffen in surprise. This body looked much younger than her true age, hovering on the edge of seventeen. It was this little deception, this preemptive claiming of my partner, that made me realize I was staying here. That I would be with Ian and the rest of my family. My throat thickened, felt oddly swollen. Jamie patted my face, calling my attention back. I was surprised at how big his hand felt on my cheek. ââ¬Å"They let me come on the raid to get you.â⬠ââ¬Å"I know,â⬠I muttered. ââ¬Å"I rememberâ⬠¦ Well, Pet remembers seeing you there.â⬠I glared at Mel, who shrugged. ââ¬Å"We tried not to scare her,â⬠Jamie said. ââ¬Å"She's soâ⬠¦ kind of fragile-looking, you know? And nice, too. We picked her out together, but I got to decide! See, Mel said we had to get someone young-someone who had a bigger percentage of life as a soul or something. But not too young, because she knew you wouldn't want to be a child. And then Jared liked this face, because he said no one could ever disâ⬠¦ distrust it. You don't look dangerous at all. You look the opposite of dangerous. Jared said anyone who sees you would just naturally want to protect you, right, Jared? But then I got the final say, because I was looking for someone who looked like you. And I thought this looked like you. Because she sort of looks like an angel, and you're good like that. And real pretty. I knew you would be pretty.â⬠Jamie smiled hugely. ââ¬Å"Ian didn't come. He just sat here with you-he said he didn't care what you looked like. He wouldn't let anyone else put a finger on your tank at all, not even me or Mel. But Doc let me watch this time. It was way cool, Wanda. I don't know why you wouldn't let me watch before. They wouldn't let me help, though. Ian wouldn't let anyone touch you but him.â⬠Ian squeezed my hand and leaned in to whisper through all the hair. His voice was so low that I was the only one who could hear. ââ¬Å"I held you in my hand, Wanderer. And you were so beautiful.â⬠My eyes got all wet, and I had to sniff. ââ¬Å"You like it, don't you?â⬠Jamie asked, his voice worried now. ââ¬Å"You're not mad? There's nobody in there with you, is there?â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm not mad, exactly,â⬠I whispered. ââ¬Å"And I-I can't find anybody else. Just Pet's memories. Pet's been in here sinceâ⬠¦ I can't remember when she wasn't here. I can't remember any other name.â⬠ââ¬Å"You're not a parasite,â⬠Melanie said firmly, touching my hair, pulling up a strand and letting the gold slide between her fingers. ââ¬Å"This body didn't belong to Pet, but there's nobody else to claim it. We waited to make sure, Wanda. We tried to wake her up almost as long as we tried with Jodi.â⬠ââ¬Å"Jodi? What happened to Jodi?â⬠I chirped, my little voice going higher, like a bird's, with anxiety. I struggled to get up, and Ian pulled me-it took no effort, no strength to move my tiny new body-into a sitting position with his arm supporting me. I could see all the faces then. Doc, no more tears in his eyes. Jeb, peeking around Doc, his expression satisfied and burning with curiosity at the same time. Next, a woman I didn't recognize for a second because her face was more animated than I'd ever seen it, and I hadn't seen it much anyway-Mandy, the former Healer. Closer to me, Jamie, with his bright, excited smile, Melanie beside him, and Jared behind her, his hands around her waist. I knew that his hands would never feel right unless they were touching her body-my body!-now. That he would keep her as close as he could forever, hating any inch that came between them. This caused me a fierce, aching pain. The delicate heart in my thin chest shuddered. It had never been broken before, and it didn't understand this memory. It made me sorry to realize that I still loved Jared. I wasn't free of that, wasn't free of jealousy for the body he loved. My glance flickered back to Mel. I saw the rueful twist of the mouth that used to be mine, and knew she understood. I continued quickly around the cluster of faces circling my bed, while Doc, after a pause, answered my question. Trudy and Geoffrey, Heath, Paige and Andy. Brandt, evenâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Jodi didn't respond. We kept trying as long as we could.â⬠Was Jodi gone, then? I wondered, my inexperienced heart throbbing. I was giving the poor frail thing such a rough awakening. Heidi and Lily, Lily smiling a pained little smile-none the less sincere for the painâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"We were able to keep her hydrated, but we had no way to feed her. We were worried about atrophy-her muscles, her brainâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ While my new heart ached harder than it had ever ached-ached for a woman I'd never known-my eyes continued around the circle and then froze. Jodi, clinging to Kyle's side, stared back at me. She smiled tentatively, and suddenly I recognized her. ââ¬Å"Sunny!â⬠ââ¬Å"I got to stay,â⬠she said, not quite smug but almost. ââ¬Å"Just like you.â⬠She glanced at Kyle's face-which was more stoic than I was used to seeing it-and her voice turned sad. ââ¬Å"I'm trying, though. I am looking for her. I will keep looking.â⬠ââ¬Å"Kyle had us put Sunny back when it looked like we would lose Jodi,â⬠Doc continued quietly. I stared at Sunny and Kyle for a moment, stunned, and then finished the circle. Ian was watching me with a strange combination of joy and nervousness. His face was higher than it should have been, bigger than it used to be. But his eyes were still the blue I remembered. The anchor that held me to this planet. ââ¬Å"You okay in there?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠¦ I don't know,â⬠I admitted. ââ¬Å"This feels veryâ⬠¦ weird. Every bit as weird as switching species. So much weirder than I would have thought. Iâ⬠¦ I don't know.â⬠My heart fluttered again, looking into those eyes, and this was no memory of another lifetime's love. My mouth felt dry, and my stomach quivered. The place where his arm touched my back felt more alive than the rest of my body. ââ¬Å"You don't mind staying here too much, do you, Wanda? Do you think that maybe you could tolerate it?â⬠he murmured. Jamie squeezed my hand. Melanie put hers on top of his, then smiled when Jared added his to the pile. Trudy patted my foot. Geoffrey, Heath, Heidi, Andy, Paige, Brandt, and even Lily were beaming at me. Kyle had shuffled closer, a grin spreading across his face. Sunny's smile was the smile of a coconspirator. How much No Pain had Doc given me? Everything was glowing. Ian brushed the cloud of golden hair back from my face and laid his hand on my cheek. His hand was so big just the palm covered from my jaw to my forehead; the contact sent a jolt of electricity through my silvery skin. It tingled after that first jolt, and the pit of my stomach tingled along with it. I could feel a warm flush pinking my cheeks. My heart had never been broken before, but it had also never flown. It made me shy; I had a hard time finding my voice. ââ¬Å"I suppose I could do that,â⬠I whispered. ââ¬Å"If it makes you happy.â⬠ââ¬Å"That's not good enough, actually,â⬠Ian disagreed. ââ¬Å"It has to make you happy, too.â⬠I could only meet his gaze for a few seconds at a time; the shyness, so new and confusing to me, had my eyes dropping to my lap again and again. ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠¦ think it might,â⬠I agreed. ââ¬Å"I think it might make me very, very happy.â⬠Happy and sad, elated and miserable, secure and afraid, loved and denied, patient and angry, peaceful and wild, complete and emptyâ⬠¦ all of it. I would feel everything. It would all be mine. Ian coaxed my face up until I looked him in the eyes, my cheeks flushing darker. ââ¬Å"Then you will stay.â⬠He kissed me, right in front of everyone, but I forgot the audience quickly. This was easy and right, no division, no confusion, no objection, just Ian and me, the molten rock moving through this new body, melding it into the pact. ââ¬Å"I will stay,â⬠I agreed. And my tenth life began.
Friday, January 3, 2020
Racial Profiling Or Prejudice Based Upon Race - 970 Words
American Heritage dictionary states that racism is ââ¬Å"Discrimination or prejudice based upon race. That is exactly what racial profiling is. I am not however arguing that if a person is robbed says the criminal who robbed them was an adult black male that the police should look for everyone other than an adult black male for that crime, but also not try and use that information to persecute younger black males. However, that is not considered profiling in that instance, it is not based on demographics or statistics, and it is based upon actual information about the specific person who did the crime. A report in 2005 by the Missouri attorney general is evidence to the unsuccessfulness of racial profiling. White drivers, who were pulled over and searched on the basis of suspicious behavior, were found to have illegal materials 24% of the time. Black drivers that were searched in a way that reflected an order of racial profiling were discovered to have drugs or other illegal substances 19% of the time. From The Leadership Conference, on the problem of racial profiling, states, ââ¬Å"A study in Arizona shows that during 2006-2007, the state highway patrol was significantly more likely to stop African Americans and Hispanics than Whites on all the highways studied, while Native Americans and persons of Middle Eastern descent were more likely to be stopped on nearly all the highways studied. The highway patrol was 3.5 times more likely to search a stopped Native American than a White,Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Richard Wright s Black Boy 1116 Words à |à 5 PagesEthan Davis Fabiano 14 October 2015 Race Relations Since 1945 The life one will lead is predetermined by the color of their skin, the god they believe in, and the place they were born. A message not unlike this reverberated through society and government in the United States not 70 years ago. Discrimination and prejudice ran rampant throughout all of American society in 1945. Richard Wright as a black author in 1945, a true anomaly for this time, eloquently brought forth this idea inRead MoreRacial Profiling ââ¬Å"Racial Profiling? We donââ¬â¢t do that here. Now Letââ¬â¢s go get that brown fucker!â⬠1200 Words à |à 5 PagesRacial Profiling ââ¬Å"Racial Profiling? We donââ¬â¢t do that here. Now Letââ¬â¢s go get that brown fucker!â⬠ââ¬Å"Racial profiling at its core concerns the invidious use of race or ethnicity as a criterion in conducting stops, searches and other law enforcement investigative procedures. It is premised on the erroneous assumption that any particular individual of one race or ethnicity is more likely to engage in misconduct than any particular individual of another race or ethnicity. Racial profiling in law enforcementRead MoreRacial Profiling And The Justice System994 Words à |à 4 Pagesstarted to see a world that judge people based off their ethnic background, not the content of their character. For yearââ¬â¢s people of all colors, nationalities and genders have been targeted due to fitting a certain description. This behavior is referred to as racial profiling and it is killing, wrongfully accusing and creating division amongst the people and justice system. The justice system m ust redesign the policy and procedures, which relate to racial profiling, because it is not protecting the rightsRead MoreRacial Profiling By Scott Johnson945 Words à |à 4 Pages According to Scott Johnson, ââ¬Å"racial profiling is the use of race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of having committed an offenseâ⬠(Scott Johnson). The United States Supreme Court has ruled that racial profiling violates the constitutional requirement that all persons should be accorded equal protection of the law. However, is this requirement defensible in public policy? It has been proven in previous research studies that racial profiling, if applied correctly, can be a useful defensibleRead MoreThe Difference Between Race And Racism Essay1037 Words à |à 5 Pages Understanding the difference between race and racism is a very controversial topic. Even I am trying to understand the difference between the two words. When individuals think about race the first word that c omes to mind is racism, I would think its the same, but itââ¬â¢s not. When exploring the web to differentiate the meaning of these two words, one-word that keeps popping up is ââ¬Å"racismâ⬠. The words are so similar which makes this topic difficult to write about, but as my English teacher CoarleeRead MoreRacial Profiling, An Unjust Act And A Big Problem1452 Words à |à 6 PagesAccording to the 11 Facts about Racial Discrimination, ââ¬Å"The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics concluded that an African American male born in 2001 has a 32% chance of going to jail in his lifetime, while a Latino male has a 17% chance, and a white male only has a 6% chanceâ⬠(11 Facts about Racial Discrimination 1). Racial profiling, or discriminating against a whole group of people based on their race, is an unjust act and a big problem in our society today. Arresting people because of how they lookRead MoreSociological Theories Of Prejudice And Racism1645 Words à |à 7 PagesSociolo gical Theories of Prejudice and Racism Functionalist theory argues for race and ethnic relations to be functional and thus supply to the melodic conduct and strength of society, racial and ethnic minorities must assimilate into that society. Assimilation is a process by which a minority becomes socially, economically, and culturally absorbed within the dominant society. The assimilation perspective assumes that to become fully fledged members of society, alternative groups must adopt as muchRead MoreAuthoritarian Personality Is A Personality Type971 Words à |à 4 PagesAuthoritarian Personality is a personality type in which an individual inhibits prejudice It is caused by a variety of certain circumstances, which were narrowed down by Adorno, Frenkel-Brunswik, Levinson, and Sanford during the year 1950. Through many tests and analysis of over 2,000 respondents from middle classes Whites to inmates of San Quentin State Prison, they were able to figure out the characteristics associated with authoritarian personality. Th e characteristics include compliance in beliefsRead MoreRacial Profiling in Canada1166 Words à |à 5 PagesRacial profiling is the act of selecting targets for criminal investigation not on behavioural merit, but exclusively on markers of personal identity such as race, ethnicity, and religious orientation (Perry, 2011, p.9). In other words, racial profiling is the by-product of subjecting individuals who are from a particular racial community to a higher degree of scrutiny and surveillance by criminal justice system agents when compared to other racial communities (Wortley and Owusu-Bempah, 2011, p.135)Read MoreWhat Is Race: My Reflection Essay887 Words à |à 4 Pagestoday to read the article titled ââ¬Å"What is Raceâ⬠by Victor M. Fernandez, RN, BSN and found myself agreeably intrigued and in admiration of his thoughts regarding race. Victor touched on an extremely insightful and significant topic; one that most people have sturdy opinions about. Race ââ¬â what is it? What does this mean to you? What does it mean to our upcoming careers in the nursing field? I trust that how we characterize and assess our awareness of race is due exclusively to how we were raised. I
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Authoritarian And Authoritarian Leadership Style Essay
Authoritarian, or autocratic, leadership tends to be viewed rather negatively, even though it is among the most common leadership styles in the business world. The term creates a negative image in most minds; an idea of dictators and tyrants. The images are directly translated into the world of leadership, even though authoritarian leadership can have much to offer. In this guide, we will examine the main concepts behind authoritarian leadership and study the core characteristics of the style and the leaders who use it. Weââ¬â¢ll also delve into the advantages and disadvantages of the framework, before looking at examples of authoritarian leaders with their weaknesses and strengths. 1 Understanding the different contexts of authoritarian leadership To understand authoritarian leadership and how it works, you should study the history of it. While authoritarianism has been around for a long time, the idea of didnââ¬â¢t form into an official leadership style until the publication of a few major studies. The work of Resis Likert and Douglas McGregor has heavily influenced the birth and popularity of the leadership style. Rensis Likertââ¬â¢s study of leadership In 1960s, an American social psychologist Rensis Likert developed a model describing different management and leadership styles. He and his colleagues set out to identify how leaderââ¬â¢s communicate with subordinates and what behaviours help improve the productivity of industrial organisations. The Liker four-fold model of leadershipShow MoreRelatedTransformational And Authoritarian Leadership Style1691 Words à |à 7 Pages Transformational or Authoritarian Leadership Style Pamela Walsh Leadership Dr. Maureen Nixon March 9, 2015 Transformational or Authoritarian Leadership Style Over the course of several decades, the depiction of leadership has changed. What was thought to be innovative and participative or transformational tactic to leadership has replaced the classical and autocratic or authoritarian approach. The step forward that not everything old is bad and not everything new is good wasRead MoreTop 2 Leadership Styles : Participative And Authoritarian Leadership957 Words à |à 4 PagesLeading Assessment According to the University of Kent leadership assessment, my top 2 leadership styles are Participative and Authoritarian. Participative leaders let their team participate in the decision-making process. The team is kept informed and allowed to discuss and propose policy changes. This type of leadership is best used when quality is more important than speed and productivity. Pros are better decision-making by the leader and the team feels more in control and motivated to workRead MoreAuthoritarian Leadership Model781 Words à |à 4 PagesAUTHORITARIAN LEADERSHIP Autocratic leadership, also known as authoritarian leadership, is a leadership style characterized by individual control over all decisions and little input from group members. Autocratic leaders typically make choices based on their own ideas and judgments and rarely accept advice from followers. Autocratic leadership involves absolute, authoritarian control over a group. Authoritarian leaders are commonly referred to as autocratic leaders. They provide clear expectationsRead MoreEssay about Leadership Styles in Nursing1410 Words à |à 6 PagesLeadership Styles in Professional Nursing Tami Olson Chamberlain College of Nursing NR351: Transitions in Professional Nursing Summer B Session 2011 Leadership Styles in Professional Nursing Introduction ââ¬Å"Managers with leadership styles that seek and value contributions from staff, promote a climate in which information is shared effectively, promote decision making at the staff nurse level, exert position power, and influence coordination of work to provide a milieu that maintainsRead MoreAnalysis Of Lean On Me By Joe Clark1368 Words à |à 6 Pagesan inner-city high school in Paterson, New Jersey, is the ultimate example of an authoritarian leader. In the movie, Clark approaches his job at a decaying academic setting with single-minded goals: to clean up the school, physically and academically, in order to help the students who have potential to graduate and to get rid of the ones who are destined to fail, according to his perceptions. Clark s leadership style has been both widely praised as successful and a model for similar such schoolsRead MoreThe Theory And The Basic Concepts Behind The Leadership Framework1529 Words à |à 7 PagesThe above outlines the history of t he theory and the basic concepts behind the leadership framework. But what are the building blocks of the authoritarian leadership model? Hereââ¬â¢s a look at the key characteristics, as well as an explanation of the different elements that make the model work. Core characteristics of authoritarian leadership The authoritarian leadership style rests on three core elements. These not only define the role of the leader, but also how the framework should be implementedRead MoreLeadership Style And The President Of The United States Essay1311 Words à |à 6 Pagesthe different aspects of authoritarian leadership, you need to examine leaders whoââ¬â¢ve shown these qualities and characteristics. When it comes to authoritarian framework, the world of politics is naturally the first place to look. But not all authoritarian leaders have been dictators; as the above has shown, the leadership style can sometimes be a force for positive change. Below are five examples of authoritarian leaders, venturing a bit deeper into how they used the style to reach objectives. JohnRead MoreLeadership Styles And Its Impact On Society1323 Words à |à 6 Pagesorganization due to the inventions brought on by technology. Leadership styles have reshaped in the last several years in order to keep up with the latest trends. Years ago there was only one style of leadership that shaped America. It was Authoritarian. In order to understand how leadership styles have changed, all leadershipââ¬â¢s styles must first be explained. Styles of Leadership- Authoritarian, Democratic, and Laissez-Faire ââ¬Å"Authoritarian: perceive others as needing direction, needs to control, andRead MoreLeadership Style Does Not Automatically Suit All Leadership Situations1716 Words à |à 7 PagesOne leadership style does not automatically suit all leadership situations. An accomplished leader requires an awareness of when to be at variance with their leadership approach in accordance to a situation, in order to achieve successful outcomes while corresponding with the interests of group and its members. As clearly evident in an educational context, differing styles of leadership are required from a hierarchical perspective between staff and staff and staff and student interaction. For principalsRead MoreHow Leadership Styles Can Help Promote Patient Safety1209 Words à |à 5 Pagesshare goals. In health care settings, leadership is essential and significant to promote patient safety. An effective leadership will inspire and motivate nurses to create the right culture in clinical setting. No t only will effective leadership reduce preventable harms and errors but also it accelerates the speed of achieving a satisfying health environment for both patients and health care workers. This essay will highlight the importance of effective leadership in clinical setting by starting with
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