Modern F. Robert Frost - 1547 Words

David Ahlman Charles Vogel English 2520-601 Due Date: November 9th, 2015 Robert Frost: Modern Multiplicity Robert Frost is a multiple poet. –Louis Untermeyer What is customary and, therefore, stereotypical of modern artistic thought is the belief that only one central meaning can be gathered from any one reading; that these singular interpretations support, give credence and justify hegemonic forces or grand narratives in society. Defining the term â€Å"modern† in his work The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge, Jean-Francois Lyotard â€Å"designate[s]† this name and movement to â€Å"any science †¦ legitimat[ing] itself †¦ [by] making an explicit appeal to some grand narrative† (xxiii). It is thus to the disgust of postmodernists to find Robert Frost’s name, poems and poetry listed with such a narrow-minded, self-aggrandizing, so-called sophisticated group (like T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound and Amy Lowell) since Frost was not a poet who believed science and language—nor the source of science and language—to be singular, but rather ulterior, double speaking or multiplicitous. In shor t, Frost believed duplicity or duplicitous interpretations should be drawn out of the reader with the help of the author through the medium of poetic form which, to him, paradoxically eliminates the author’s influence on the reader. A sample of Frost’s multiplicity or multiplicitous form can be extracted from the opening line of one of his last well-known poems â€Å"Directive† whose first line begins â€Å"Back outShow MoreRelatedThe Unique Influence of Robert Frosts Work894 Words   |  4 Pages Robert Frost is a very well-known poet. Many people were and still are influenced by him and his works. There were different things going on in his life that sometimes impacted his writing, but it never changed the result of his fine works. There are several things that make Frost famous and unique from others. Several people were influences in Frost’s life. His father was a journalist but died when Frost was only ten years old. His mother then took the family to Lawrence, Massachusetts whereRead MoreRobert Frost s The Gift Outright 1313 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Frost Emma Ramsey English 6th Hour December 8, 2012 â€Æ' Robert Frost According to PoetryFoundation.org, â€Å"Robert Frost holds a unique and almost isolated position in American letters.† Robert Frost is very popular for his realistic writings of rural life. He was a great poet and was honored frequently during his lifetime. Frost received four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry and recited his poem, â€Å"The Gift Outright,† at President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in January 1961 which got him nationalRead MoreRobert Frost Essay1396 Words   |  6 PagesRobert Frost Robert Frost is one of the few twentieth century poets to receive critical acclaim and popular acceptance (Magill 728). His simplistic style appeals to the novice and expert poetry reader alike. Robert Frosts understated emotional appeal attracts readers of all literary levels. Frost develops subtly stated emotions and a clever use of imagery in his poetry. Influences on his poetry include his family, work, and other life experiences (Oxford 267). Frost also works to developRead MoreFrostsMending Wall, By Robert Frost841 Words   |  4 PagesNew England. Frost and his neighbor met every spring to wall along their stone wall and fix any problems with it, this is the exact setting of Mending Wall (History). Frosts neighbor, like the neighbor in the poem, always believed in the same saying good fences make good neighbors. The only major difference between the poem and Frosts actual experiences is that in the poem the farmer and his neighbor had orchards, while Frost had a poultry farm (History). To this day Frost remains one ofRead MoreThe Road Not Taken By Robert Frost1477 Words   |  6 Pages Robert Frost was a poet of the 19th and 20th century and his work had a great influence on the way poets of the future would write. Frost influenced poets through his work that contained simple ideas with deeper meanings. These ideas allowed for a different view on the world. â€Å"The Road Not Taken† was written by Robert Frost in 1916. It was a literary work that displays the way in which Frost saw the world around him. His writing style allowed him to express his feelings towards his environmentRead MoreAnalysis Of The Gift Outright722 Words   |  3 PagesThe Gift Outright Robert Frost describes his love for the New England. The Gift Outright is a patriotic poem. This poem was composed in 1936 and published in 1941, a few months later the United States entered World War 2. In the poem The Gift Outright reveals his patriotic fervor and presents the history of his country since the days of colonialism. Frost uses metaphors, similes, naturalistic diction to address his love for his country and what the soldiers feel. The poem is written in iambic pentameterRead MoreEssay about The Psychology of Robert Frost’s Nature Poetry3064 Words   |  13 PagesThe Psychology of Robert Frost’s Nature Poetry Robert Frost’s nature poetry occupies a significant place in the poetic arts; however, it is likely Frost’s use of nature is the most misunderstood aspect of his poetry. While nature is always present in Frost’s writing, it is primarily used in a â€Å"pastoral sense† (Lynen 1). This makes sense as Frost did consider himself to be a shepherd. Frost uses nature as an image that he wants us to see or a metaphor that he wants us to relate to on a psychologicalRead More Arguing for Authenticity: A Comparison and Contrast of Two American Modern Poets, Robert Frost and Langston Hughes2163 Words   |  9 Pages â€Å"[F]uture commentators on American poetry and political issues will not be able to ignore the †¦ authentic voice of the region,† argues Barry Ahearn, author of the article Poetry: 1900 to the 1940s, which discusses the importance of the author writing about his or her region of choice in their poetry and how it affects their writing (Ahearn 373). Ahearn discusses writers such as Sterling A. Brown, Langston Hughes, H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), Robert Frost, Robinson Jeffers, Edna St. VincentRead MoreAleryani. Coach Will Rikard. British Literature. 25 January1836 Words   |  8 PagesAleryani Coach Will Rikard British Literature 25 January 2017 Robert Frost Inspired by many great ones before him, Robert Lee Frost reached the pinnacle of literary and poetic greatness. He lived a life full of suffering, lost most of his loved ones, and even thought of suicide at one point. He loved one woman for forty years. He suffered from depression when he recited Twilight to her and she demurred him. Robert Frost s aesthetic view on the world in his poem stopping by woods on a snowy eveningRead More An Analysis of Mending Wall Essay2101 Words   |  9 PagesAn Analysis of Mending Wall Robert Frost once said that Mending Wall was a poem that was spoiled by being applied. What did he mean by applied? Any poem is damaged by being misunderstood, but thats the risk all poems run. What Frost objects to, I think, is a reduction and distortion of the poem through practical use. When President John F. Kennedy inspected the Berlin Wall he quoted the poems first line: Something there is that doesnt love a wall. His audience knew what he meant and

The At San Jose State University Music Hall - 1073 Words

This performance was located at San Jose State University Music Hall. Most of the audience wore informal attires(dressed casually). The other audience were members from the San Jose State Symphony Orchestra, SJYCO Senior Youth Orchestra, and Ad Lib Orchestra who wore formal attires. Throughout the concert, I was somewhat a casual listener and mostly a referential listener. I was somewhat a casual listener because I didn’t know the name of the artist or piece, however, I paid attention to the music. I considered myself a referential listener because, while I was hearing the presto tempo and crescendo dynamic, I pictured Mickey Mouse running away from an evil monster. When the tempo suddenly changed from presto to adagio and the dynamic changed from crescendo to piano, I imagined a turn of events. The monster returning to its lair and the darkness fading. Flowers growing around Mickey Mouse. The sun appearing and smiling in the sky. I pictured these memories because ever since I was a kid, I’ve watched black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons with the orchestra music playing in the background. As a result, I was a referential listener. I wasn’t a perceptive listener because this event was my first musical performance I’ve ever attended and I was so into the music. The pieces played in this performance were Humoreske by Bernard Alt, Ecos Armonicos by Craig H. Russell, Concerto Grosso by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Finlandia by Jean Sibelius, Concerto for Bass Tuba by RalphShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of Knowledge Program836 Words   |  4 PagesImproving the residence hall experience In response to a survey of residence hall students that measured outcomes of activities outside the classroom and inside residential properties, residence hall coordinators created new marketing and communication strategies. One such strategy, the Nighttime Knowledge Series, will engage students on educational topics using infographic displays at nighttime entry points, complemented by timed social media posts. Exam excellence Illinois State students exceeded nationalRead MoreThe Legacy Of The Band By Paul Reed Smith Guitar Hall Of Fame1513 Words   |  7 PagesPopular music with the strum of his Paul Reed Smith guitar. To this day, at age 67 he is still credited with being the first to create music in which â€Å"uniquely blends Latin-infused rock, jazz, blues, salsa and African rhythms.† (Biography, 1) With a net worth of over 40 million dollars he can be described with many professional titles including singer, songwriter, but most widely known as a guitarist for his band Santana. Santana, described as a Latin Rock band was formed in 1966 in San FranciscoRead MoreIt s The Community College Life For Me949 Words   |  4 PagesUpon High School graduation, all of the people you grew up with move on and go their separate ways. Some join the military, some a 4 year university, and some stay home and work. I chose a 2 year college first. I thought that this was the best fit for me due to financial st ruggles, finding a place to live, family health issues and even my own mental health issues. Even though the things you learn inside of the classroom are very important, learning that college will change you, value selfishnessRead MorePinoy Youth’s Preference for Kpop (Korean Pop) Music: How Does It Affect Their Taste for Opm (Original Pilipino Music)?4877 Words   |  20 Pages(Korean Pop) music: How does it affect their taste for OPM (Original Pilipino Music)? CHAPTER IV RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This particular research study aims to determine the Pinoy Youth’s Preference for Korean Pop Music and how does it affect their taste for Original Pilipino Music (OPM). Regarding this, the researchers will seek to know whether factors like rhythm and music composition of Korean Popular Music really affect the Pinoy teenagers’ preference towards Original Pilipino Music In addition,Read MoreHippies and the Revolution of a Culture3124 Words   |  13 Pagesparticularly music. Folk music and psychedelic rock-the Beatles album Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band was a prime example-were both crucial aspects of hippie culture. This culture reached its peak in the summer of 1967, when a concert in San Franciscos Golden Gate Park kicked off the start of the so-called Summer of Love. The event introduced the music and aesthetic of the hippies to a wider audience and inspired thousands of young people around the country to head to San Francisco, someRead MoreRizals Life, Za ide, Chapter 9 - 13 Summary2806 Words   |  12 Pagesof Leitmeritz tohis visitors. The Burgomaster (town mayor) was also amazed by Rizal’s  Ã¢â‚¬Å"privileged talent†. Rizal and Viola visited the historic city of Prague. They carried letters of  recommendation from Blumentritt to Dr. Wilkom, professor in University of Prague. Rizal and Viola visited the  ³Tomb of Copernicus ´ May 20 they arrived at Vienna capital of Austria-Hungary. They met Norfenfals, one of  the greatest novelist iun that time. They stayed at Hotel Metropole. They also meet two of BlumentrittRead MoreThesis: Violence and Mass Communication7788 Words   |  32 PagesBulacan State University- Laboratory High School A Thesis Proposal Presented to Ms. Marjorie Miguel College of Arts and Letters Bulacan State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Communication Arts II For the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication Major in Broadcasting By Calara, Jerica Mae S.P. Mendoza, Justine Mary Robert A. Navalta, Erl Chak S.J. Panti, Jeaneth D.P. Villalon, Maria Neren E. March 2012 BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITYRead MoreDesign - Student Center Case Study and Analysis (Complete)5503 Words   |  23 Pages†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 33 Bubble Diagram †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 34 ------------------------------------------------- Definition A Student Center A  student activity center  (SAC) is a type of building found on  university  campuses. In the  United States, such a building is more often called a  student union,  student commons, or  student center. The term student union in the USA refers to the building, while internationally,  students union  means the student government. Broadly speakingRead MoreIntroduction to Rizal Course11998 Words   |  48 PagesAlejandrino, serving as Riza’s grandfather. Juan and Cirila had 14 children, one of whom was Francisco Mercado, Rizal’s father who married Teodora Alonzo. Rizal’s father was an erudite man. He took courses in Latin and Philosophy at Colegio de San Jose in Manila. For Rizal, his father was a model father because of his honesty, industry and prudence. Rizal inherited from his father self – respect, serenity and poise, seriousness and a deep sense of dignity. On the other hand, from his motherRead MoreThe Symphony Of The Key Of Change3582 Words   |  15 PagesChristina Cheng Professor Davidson MUSIC 89S: Composers of Influence November 12, 2014 The Symphony in the Key of Change: The Evolving Symphonic Landscape as Beethoven Influenced It The famed American pianist and composer Les Baxter once said, â€Å"Any good music must be an innovation.† Indeed, the works of Beethoven and the successors that he influenced have lived on because they possess a certain quality of enduring musical entrepreneurship. As Beethoven straddled the line between the Classical and

Lifespan Development and Personality Paper free essay sample

Development involves movement from one state to another with the element being change. From the moment we are first conceived, to the day we die, we are constantly changing and developing. Until recently psychologists associated adulthood as a long period of stability followed by a short span of unstable year’s immediately preceding death (Boyd Bee, 2006). The new view is that there are 7 stages: infancy (birth 1), early childhood (2 6), middle childhood (6 12), adolescence (12 18), early adulthood (18 40); middle adulthood (40 60); and late adulthood (60 plus). Each era has a distinct and underlying character of living and each transition causes a basic change in character of an individual’s life, such as career shifts, family. Important changes in development occur in each of these stages which are interpreted to allow an understanding of why a change is occurring. There are three domains of development which are studied in order to understand the age related changes across the lifespan: cognitive, physical and social (Carpenter Huffman, 2010). While some of the changes we undergo are as a result of chance incidents and personal choices, the majority of life changes and stages individual’s pass through are due to biological and psychological heritage. This paper will focus on the infancy stage. Physical Development The speed of physical growth is rapid in the months after birth. In the first few months after birth, infants grow rapidly, gaining nearly one ounce of weight a day and an inch in length each month. Within the space of 2 years, an infant’s body will double in height and quadruple in weight. During infancy bones and muscle also develop quickly. At birth, most bones are soft, pliable and difficult to break. The bones are too small and too flexible to allow newborns to sit up or balance themselves. Calcium and other minerals are deposited into the soft cartilage-like tissues of the young infant causing the bones to harden gradually. In addition to the hardening of bones, the number of bones increases as more develop which become closely interconnected. Muscle fibers become larger and contain less  water whilst stamina improves as the heart gets stronger and the lungs grow. Motor skills advance from simple reflexes to coordinated motor abilities, as the infant progresses from creeping to crawling to walking to running and become able to grasp objects. Neurons grow in increasingly dense connections, becoming coated with layers of myelin, and enabling faster and more efficient message transmission (Feist, 2006). These are many methods and techniques that parents or caregivers can do to stimulate the development of motor, sensory, and perceptual skills in infants. During infancy, motor skills can be developed by incorporate toys into an infant’s daily routine. Toys such as rattles, balls and blocks; anything that they can pick-up, roll, push, allow the infant to explore and figure out what he or she can do. Anything that causes the infant to move, use their hands, feet, arms or legs will aid in the infant learning how to crawl then walk. Infants develop sensory skills by focusing attention on the senses. Taste and smell improve when infants place things in their mouths or by putting things up to their nose. Touch can be developed by allowing the infant to touch an object with different textures, or varying degrees of softness or hardness. Brightly colored toys and lights can aid in visual development. Communication between the caregiver and infant help develop hearing skills as well as playing music. Interaction between a caregiver and an infant aids in the development of the infant’s perceptual skills by playing one-on-one games such as peek-a-boo or moving toys towards and away from them, making them reach for the toy. Cognitive Development Infants take an active role in their cognitive development. The dominant cognitive structures are behavioral schemes that evolve as infants begin to coordinate sensory input (seeing an object) and motor responses (touching an object). Through this integration of sensory and motor skills, the infant is able to obtain information used to construct knowledge of the world. An infant’s mode of thought is very different from that of older children as infant’s problem solving is performed through their actions rather than with their minds. During the first year, two major sensorimotor abilities develop: object permanence and object recognition. Object permanence is the realization that people and objects exist even when they cannot be seen whilst object recognition concerns the characteristics infant’s use to  identify objects such as color, texture and shape. At three months the infant begins cooing and making little sounds such as â€Å"aahh† during conversations with caregivers. By the age of seven months infants are able babble by stringing together consonant-vowel syllables such as â€Å"dadada.† Social, moral and personality development During infancy a baby’s emotional development responses become more developed changing from basic reactions to more complex, self-conscious responses both positive and negative. An infant’s independent behavior increases with parental encouragement in tasks such as feeding, dressing, and toilet training. Infants are able to respond to caregiver’s behavior and trust develops. A development of secure attachment sets stage for childs increasingly independent exploration. Early personality traits, such as introversion and extroversion, develop with infant’s possessing the ability to smile. Language is also an important development. Infants by the age of 1 month have developed different cries for different emotions and needs such as hunger, tiredness, anger and pain. Infants become increasingly aware of their surroundings, especially after 12 months of age. Infant’s gain sense of how to interpret his or her environment through sensory views such as hearing, vision, and communication. When an infant observes another child doing something, depending on the reaction the other child gets from others around him or her, the infant that is observing may try to do similar actions. The infant will then more often than not expect the same type of reaction as the other child received. For example, an infant observes his older siblings playing. He then witnesses one sibling taking a ball away from the other sibling; this then leads him to believe that it is all right for him to take things away from other people. The only way to make him understand that this is not acceptable is to make sure that his siblings are corrected for this type of action and then he too can be corrected when he does this. Theoretical perspectives The social cognitive theory explains how people obtain and maintain certain behavioral patterns (Bandura, 1997) and is perhaps the most influential theory of learning and development with the belief that direct reinforcement cannot account for all types of learning (Kowalski Westen, 2005). Both  the cognitive processing and decision-making skills of the learner are required in order to be effective. Learning as a three way interlocking relationship among the environment, personal factor, and behavior and consists of the three components influencing each other daily. Therefore, according to this theory an individual’s behavior is dynamic and a consequence of the continuous interaction between the person, past events, and the current environment. Thus, describing this learning theory as an internal process that can be affected indirectly or directly. The social learning theory is perhaps the most influential theory of learning and development. This theory explains how people obtain and maintain certain behavioral patterns, while also providing the basis for intervention strategies (Bandura, 1997). While evaluating behavioral change it depends on the factors of the environment, people and behavior. Although rooted with many of the basic concepts of the traditional learning theory, Bandura believed that direct reinforcement was unable to account for all types of learning (Kowalski Westen, 2005). Bandura’s theory added a social element to learning and behavior arguing that people can learn new information and behaviors by watching other people. Known as observational learning (or modeling), this type of learning can be used to explain a wide variety of behaviors and allows for more of an open-minded point of view as the theory bases learning behaviors on not only a cognitive level of understanding but also a social aspect and determines humans also learn through observation. The power of expectancy is also demonstrated by the fact that intermittent schedules of reinforcement produce behavior harder to extinguish than consistently reinforced behaviors (Kowalski Westen, 2005). Conclusion Virtually all aspects of parenting are linked to the development of children. Children are like sponges when it comes to learning and development in the early stages of their lives. As a parent one needs to be careful to set an example that they would want their child(ren) to follow at all times. Parents can facilitate cognitive development by providing a supportive environment, utilizing social interactions and peer teaching, and helping children see the inconsistencies in their thinking. Families impact the development of children by the way they interact with them. By reading to an unborn child, the child will recognize his or her parent’s voices at a  much earlier age and will therefore, begin talking earlier. Parents can increase a child’s socioemotional development and decrease the likelihood of attachment and separation issues depending on how they respond to their child when they do things such as leave the child with a babysitter or with another person who is not an immediate family member. Parents and older siblings who are actively who are engaged with the child will help the child develop language, social, and emotional skills that are advanced for his or her age. Responsive relationships for infants help build positive attachments that support a healthy social-emotional development with these relationships forming the foundation of mental health. The importance is that families have a direct impact on the development of infants. It can go either way depending on how they interact with the child.

The Impact of YouTube on Popular Culture free essay sample

Popular culture can be defined in various ways. Depending on one’s definition, popular culture can encompass anything from forms of dance to movies on the big screen. Regardless of one’s definition, it is clear that media has a huge role in reflecting and shaping pop culture. YouTube, a popular video hosting website, is playing an important role in defining current pop culture on a global scale. YouTubes focus has always been Broadcast Yourself (YouTube.com). In todays popular culture, broadcasting yourself has become so mainstream that those who do not post videos on the Internet are often put out of social circles. It is possible for a teenager to be shunned and rejected if he or she cannot be found on YouTube. Those that can be found on the video hosting site sometimes post videos of themselves doing extraordinary acts in an attempt to fit in with the crowd or to compete in a game of can you top this? The impact of YouTube has had both positive and negative effects on today’s popular culture. We will write a custom essay sample on The Impact of YouTube on Popular Culture or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The popular video sharing website has played a central role in creating instant Internet celebrities, promoting musical performers, providing opportunities for political and religious speech, and creating a battleground for issues of censorship, copyright infringement, and privacy rights. All of these phenomena have been the outcome of simply giving people opportunity to post their personal creative expressions in a public forum. YouTube is an outstanding website – and piece of technology – that has radically transformed popular culture and the way we think about broadcasting our voices and our personalities to the world. YouTube has created loads of Internet celebrities, people who become famous when their videos spread like a virus, eventually being viewed by millions. For these users, Internet fame has benefited their lives in truly unexpected ways. An example would be a YouTube user and former receptionist, Brooke Brodack, who was signed by NBCs Carson Daly for an eighteen-month development contract (Hardy). Her comedy video had been viewed by over 45 million people, which led to her discovery and lucrative job offer (Hardy). Another example would be the fictional video blog of lonelygirl15, which gained great popularity and a huge fan base of subscribers. Lonelygirl15 turned out to be the creative expression of three writers. When they were finally discovered, they were offered millions to develop interactive online content (Gannes). Some Internet celebrities posted their videos on YouTube hoping to be discovered, but others like Gary Brolsma, known to many as the â€Å"numa numa guy,† were just posting for the fun of it (Feur and George). Brolsma has since become famous, and his video has become a well known piece of popular culture. Among those hoping to be discovered on YouTube, viewers will find many bands and musical groups who have uploaded music videos of their songs in hopes of building a larger fan base. Bands such as Avenge d Sevenfold have created their own channels, complete with enough songs to fill several albums. Performing artists have also been known to post entire concerts through YouTubes easy to use interface as a way to get their fans hyped for future tours or concerts. The phenomena of bands posting on YouTube is not just an American event. Many foreign music groups have also been spotted throughout YouTubes Music section. European bands such as Epica, Sonata Arctica, and the popular Gothic rock band, Nightwish, have seen their reputation spread like wildfire through YouTube. As these bands tour the globe, fans record videos at concerts, and with the power of technology, upload it directly to YouTube from their Blackberries or iPhones. The power of video sharing has revolutionized the way bands and performing artists get their products to their fans and promote themselves without the aid of recording companies. YouTube has also created an electronic town hall where people can air their opi nions on their governments, the police, or authority in general. Naturally, most of the grievances are negative, blaming the government for all of their problems. Among the negative comments, some might be legitimate because there are certain things the government does not handle well. People have every right to complain, and through YouTube they have a forum when other channels do not work. Of course, some of the complaints are not valid, or perhaps have some validity but are too overwhelming and dramatic. The media coverage of the presidential debates of the 2008 elections were fueled by videos on YouTube – a first in presidential debate history (CNN Political Ticker). While YouTube creates a space for free speech, it is still up to viewers to be thoughtful about the content of what they watch. Besides finding people debating political views, one will also find on YouTube an enormous volume of religious and anti-religious content. With a quick search, the viewer can find v ideo interpretations of the Koran, the Bible, the Torah, or the Book of Mormon. Viewers can also find religious rantings of why each of these texts are superior to the others. Atheists also promote their viewpoints on YouTube, and Christians respond in kind. It is possible to find lengthy video threads of debating videos. One can even find debates between followers of less known deities as seen in the â€Å"Flying Spaghetti Monster vs. Invisible Pink Unicorn† video. YouTube plays an active role in allowing religious people the freedom to broadcast their beliefs, and their opponents to broadcast rebuttals. Naturally, all of this free speech creates controversy. Where there is free speech, it won’t be long before there is censorship, copyright infringement, and legal battles over privacy rights. One clear example that highlights these concerns is the creation of mash-up videos. Mash-up videos are videos created by an author splicing video clips from existing sources wit h audio from other sources. For example, a Harry Potter fan might slice various clips from the many Harry Potter movies that have been released in order to create a false trailer for an upcoming movie. He or she might add cool music to the background or eye-catching titles to grab the audiences attention. He or she might also add fitting voice-overs to compliment the music playing in the background. The video author is creating a new work of art from existing resources, but the controversy comes in because the author has used someone else’s copyrighted work. YouTube has an obligation to remove videos that violate national and international copyright laws. Typically, it is the music companies that have been enforcing their copyrights, so YouTube’s response is often to mute the audio track on a mash-up video. Some cry â€Å"censorship,† but the issues are never quite that simple. Unfortunately, if one tries to use YouTube as source to learn more about what does an d what does not apply as copyright infringement, one will find videos from multiple perspectives on the issue. There aren’t many lawyers who have posted clear instructions for users on this matter. The process of censoring videos on YouTube is also highly subjective. YouTube employees may do some direct observation of user videos, but the website relies more heavily on its users to report suspicious activity. On each video page there is a red flag that displays under the video player that a viewer can click on to flag the video as inappropriate. Clicking on this link will take the viewer to a page where they can explain why they believe the video is inappropriate. The report gets sent to a customer service representative so that it can be investigated. However, if a video gets multiple reports the video may be automatically taken down without investigating the claim. There are many upset YouTube users who claim that their videos were removed even though they were not inapprop riate. These often include videos with religious or political content as well as those that are artistic mash-ups of existing materials. The videos of user complaints can also be found on YouTube. Most recently, YouTube has been policing uploads to cut down on the number of potential copyright infringements. A new uploading technology that they have put in place screens uploads and catches some copyrighted content before it is fully uploaded. When copyrighted content is detected, the upload is rejected. YouTube is applying a technology solution to a problem that was created by technology. The use of the Internet and video sharing websites like YouTube has allowed millions of people to reach larger or more targeted audiences. Some post merely to entertain, others to inform the public about a topic, some to debate critical viewpoints, and some to express their creativity in synthesizing materials to create a new work of art. This has created a number of Internet celebrities, given ba nds a place to test their popularity, allowed political supporters to promote their causes, created space for religious debate, and allowed some to discover their artistic selves. Because YouTube made it easy for people to broadcast themselves, they did. While this has sometimes led to controversy, the website continues to evolve and adapt with the culture, and YouTube is finding innovative solutions while attempting to preserve free speech. Whether one judges the impact of YouTube positively or negatively, the reality is that the video sharing website has become an influential force in today’s society and has forever transformed our options for broadcasting our voices and our personalities to the world.

Turners Thesis essays

Turner's Thesis essays The wide open frontier a place of freedom and promise. Fredrick Jackson Turner states that the frontier changed almost every aspect of the pioneer making them distinctly American. Unfortunately, Turner's thesis as it is called is not true in all aspects. Many historians including Carl Degler who wrote the book "Out of Our Past" disagree with the cultural aspect of the thesis. Throughout his book he cites many pieces of evidence that prove Turner's thesis wrong. One of the pieces of evidence that he presents is the many frontier states constitutions. One of Turner's hypothesis that found wide acceptance among historians is that American democracy is a unique product of the struggle with the wilderness. The main way of proving this point has to been to point out the many democratic features of the western states constitutions.(i.e. universal manhood suffrage, and elected officials) Through this comes the argument that democracy actually spread from the west to the east. This is easily proven wrong however by comparing the western and eastern states constitutions. For example the first states over the Appalachian Mountains Tennessee and Kentucky both modeled their constitutions after the Pennsylvania constitution of 1790 a document which was more conservative than the 1776 laws of the state. Another example of this is the state constitutions of the Ohio-Mississippi region. At that time nicknamed the "Valley of Democracy" yet historia n John Barnhart found only eleven original clauses in Ohio's first constitution which had 106 clauses in total. Another piece of evidence that Degler states in his book is economic. As his book states that it takes a year and a half of an average urban workers pay to start a farm in the west or frontier. In essence this means that the poor urban man is going to become a poor frontiersman with no money to change economically or culturally. ...

Drug Abuse in Iran Essays

Drug Abuse in Iran Essays Drug Abuse in Iran Essay Drug Abuse in Iran Essay Abstract : purpose of this paper is to inform my classmates the rate of substance abuse for Iranian high school students. High school students who are either experienced being prison or awaiting a trial for a crime that they made, either with HIV or without it. This research has been done by me, Dr. Arash and Kamiar Alaei 5 years ago in Iran. Dr. Kamiar Alaei spent over 3 years in prison and his brother Dr. Arash is still in prison for their phenomenon research on AIDS in Iran. I will discuss about the risk factors and social background of 3 Islamic countries, Iran, Kuwait and Iraq. The rate of HIV, and variety of drugs. Just from one high school in Tehran, we had this result, (300 boys) 40. 5 % abused substances at some time in their lives. Among the substance users, the use of cigarette ranked first (36. 9%), followed by alcohol (24. 2%), opium (12. 7%), hashish (8. 7%), Marijuana (8. 2%), heroin (2. 5%), cocaine (2. 5%), hallucinogens (1. 7%), morphine (1. 4%). Only 22. 5 % of the students were still using substances: cigarette 18%, alcohol 13. 5%, opium 2. 3 %, marijuana 2%, hashish 1. 7%, heroin 0. 8%, cocaine 0. 5%, morphine 0. 3% and hallucinogens 0. 3% (Some were using more than one substance). Pleasurable purposes, habit and release of tension were the most common motivations reported for using substances. Introduction I am writing about substance abuse in adolescence in Iran and also how it effects youth when they enter to their early adulthood. A number of research studies of substance use among adolescents, especially students have been carried out in different countries and different levels of educations. Substance use among the youth of Iran especially students is a major concern among researchers and policy makers. In Iran there is a centuries – old tradition of substance use and abuse. For instance opium was known to ancient Persians and has traditionally been used for treating physical and mental stress as well as for pleasurable and social purposes. Use of alcohol is both religiously and legally prohibited in Iran, but use of other substances are legally prohibited, except cigarette, which is not prohibited. the three most common reasons of opiate use among Iranian opiate addicts were enjoyment , physical pain and sedation . Causes, history and background After the narcotics shipments cross the Iranian border they usually are broken up into smaller units so they are more difficult to intercept. 60 percent of the drugs that enter Iran pass on into Turkey, the Caucasus, and the Persian Gulf. The remaining 40 percent stays in the country. The number of people using drugs- from addicts to casual users- is estimated to be around 8 million, ( about a quarter of them are under 19) although the head of the Drug Control Headquarters believes that the real figure could be much higher because most drug abusers want to avoid the stigma of being identified as addicts. 25 The average age of users is falling. A government official says the average addiction age has fallen to 10-19, whereas it used to be 25-29, and the head of the Drug Control Headquarters ascribed the increase in young drug abusers to the country’s population explosion. Drug abuse has led to a growing prison population. Forty percent of all crimes in Iran are drug-related felonies. The head of the Prisons, Security, and Correction Organization said in July 2005 that out of the 3 main juveniles prisons in Iran, Kuwait and Iraq 32,000 were imprisoned for drug addiction. The economy, and especially the high rate of joblessness, tops the list of reasons given by Iranians for drug abuse. Unemployment stands at 14 percent officially and is estimated by outside experts to be in the 25 percent range. This grievance combines with general boredom and a lack of options. A young People always say, â€Å"We’re all jobless. We have nothing to do. We try to do a little bit of business here and there and we get arrested as troublemakers. That’s why there are so many drug addicts here. It’st he despair. †3Another addict said that he had been in combat for forty months during the Iran-Iraq War since he was 14, but when he returned the regime abandoned him. He supported his drug habit with odd jobs and charity, and he warned, â€Å"The youth are becoming drug addicts. hey have no freedom, no jobs, nowhere to go and have fun. So we are all addicts. †National and community leaders are aware of the relationship between jobs and drug abuse. Young people turn to drugs because of â€Å"unemployment, depression, and neglect,† a parliamentary representative said, adding that â€Å"no hope for the future or social joy† are contributory factors7 A Frid ay prayer leader said that unemployment and poverty are among the root causes of drug abuse, and he urged the government to create job opportunities. The availability of drugs also makes an impact. In the words of an individual who deals with addiction treatment and prevention at the Welfare Organization, â€Å"the purchase of heroin has become easier than the purchase of a bottle of milk. To buy bread, we are forced to wait in a line for a long time, but to purchase drugs, no problem exists. †When a war veteran who was describing the lack of alternatives to taking or dealing drugs complained that the local park only has four trees, an opium addict chimed in, â€Å"Instead of trees in our parks, all you find are drug dealers. † There are also other factors contributing to drug abuse in Iran. A member of parliament who also happens to be secretary of the Antidrugs Society attributed drug abuse to the way individuals are treated in society: â€Å"In our society, human beings are not looked upon with dignity and respect, otherwise people who are socially accepted would not turn to drugs. †41 Another parliamentarian explained that culture is behind the demand for drugs: â€Å"Today, the youth are bored with what they have and wish for things they haven’t got. This is rooted in Western culture and should be confronted with the use of cultural tools. †4A supervisor at Shiraz University’s Cultural Center said that culture- not enough sports, depressing and overcrowded dormitories- is a significant reason for the prevalence of drug abuse. 4There also are the kinds of reasons one expects to hear from Iranian officials. One cleric said that weak religious faith is the main reason why people are attracted to drugs. 44 Another cleric said that Iran’s enemies are encouraging the youth to consume drugs. Islamic countries increasingly confront a set of social problems affecting their youth, such as teenage runaways, violence in the family, drug addiction, high risk behavior, crime, prostitution, alcohol abuse phenomena associated with modernity, urbanization, population growth and economic strain. Some Middle Eastern countries initially find it difficult to acknowledge, let alone address, such problems. On the level of values, there appear to be three principle obstacles preventing an open acknowledgement of the kinds of social problems listed above: The belief that these are problems an Islamic society should not have. The posture that if they do occur, they should be dealt with privately by the family/clan, neighborhood or community. The fear is that by helping the affected person, you are validating their conduct and thereby encouraging others to imitate them. This is changing, of necessity. Families and communities are not able to absorb and manage problems as they did in the pa st, in part because traditional structures are no longer intact, and in part because the traditional solutions are increasingly overlaid by new beliefs about what is legal, ethical and appropriate. At the same time, the scope of the problems does not allow them to continue to be swept under the rug. Concepts of human rights, combined with legal reforms and exposure to international debate of the relevant issues, are impacting regional perceptions of these problems. The increased willingness to acknowledge and address sensitive social problems is reflected both in official government reporting, which includes the recognition that these problems exist and are significant, and in public discussion of formerly taboo issues in popular media. See examples at right on teen runaways and family violence from Zanan, an Iranian Womens magazine. ) The Islamic Republic of Iran has become relatively open in its discussion of youth drug addiction, teenage runaways and underage prostitution. Speaking openly about such problems is a first step to recognise the problem. . Fortunately, now we see a greater degree of realism. 1 Theory If I want to describe a theory to explore this problem, I woul d want to go by Erik Erickson theory. The core concept of Eriksons theory is the acquisition of an ego-identity, and the identity crisis is the most essential characteristic of adolescence. Although a persons identity is established in ways that differ from culture to culture, the accomplishment of this developmental task has a common element in all cultures. In order to acquire a strong and healthy ego-identity the child must receive consistent and meaningful recognition of his achievements and accomplishments(Muuss, 1975, p. 55). Adolescence is described by Erikson as the period during which the individual must establish a sense of personal identity and avoid the dangers of role diffusion and identity confusion (Erikson, 1950). The implication is that the individual has to make an assessment of his or her assets and liabilities and how they want to use them. Adolescents must answer questions for themselves about where they came from, who they are, and what they will become. Identity, or a sense of sameness and continuity, must be searched for. Identity is not given to the individual by society, nor does it appear as a maturational phenomenon; it must be acquired through sustained individual efforts. Unwillingness to work on ones own identity formation carries with it the danger of role diffusion, which may result in alienation and a lasting sense of isolation and confusion. The virtue to be developed is fidelity. Adhering to ones values contributes to a stable identity. Based on this theory, identities are lost in Iran, youth are looking to find themselves in their life. They have no hope and future from their perspective is very dark. They hate religion, blame their parents for 1979 revolution, they can adjust between their two worlds, one is the one they see over satellite, western life and one is the one they watch on daily bases. They are lost. So either they study very hard to get an admission from respected universities in other countries and run away from middle east or lose themselves in drug, prostitution, AIDS and unawareness. Establishment of the Triangular Clinic After reporting a huge number of HIV/AIDS youth patient in drug abusers, the estimated age of patients are between 15-19 all males, Medical University and Health Department decided to give an appropriate response to prevent this problem. Initially a large HIV center affiliated to the University hospital was planned. However, fearing that such a move would stigmatize Iran as the epicentre of HIV in the country, this suggestion was at first opposed. However in October 2000 the Triangular Clinic was established. This center is very accessible for patients. The concept of the Triangular Clinic is to tackle three important issues: addressing injecting drug abuse through a harm reduction approach; the treatment of STDs; and care and support for patients. The problems of drug dependence, STDs and HIV are all behavioral in nature and hence, the clinic is a center for the treatment of behavioral disease. By grouping the three together, it is possible to organize a comprehensive and integrated service to the patients. Moreover, avoiding direct reference to HIV alone minimizes any associated stigmatization. This center has provided the patients with, medical services, nursing services and a lot more. The basic diagnosis and recommendation would be how to reduce HIV/AIDS in community and how other people can use the Triangle outside of Iran. Drug abuse treatment In my opinion the first thing which should be considered as the most important strategy would be treating the drug abusing itself and then we can concentrate on HIV/AIDS. tudies have consistently shown that participation in drug abuse treatment is associated with lower rates of drug injection. Treatment for drug addiction has been shown to be effective as an HIV prevention strategy, especially when it is available to the drug user at the time when he or she seeks help. Therefore a comprehensive approach toward IDUs should includ e flexible, accessible and caring treatment systems. Within these systems, drug substitution programs are the most commonly used for IDUs who are addicted to opiates, and within the developed world, methadone is the preferred prescription. It may be used for gradual withdrawal of various age groups or for long term maintenance in populations of older chronic users. Substitute programs do not cure the addiction, but by removing IDUs from lifestyles in the criminal world and attracting them to socially acceptable clinical surroundings, there are better opportunities to decrease injecting and needle sharing behaviors, thereby contributing to a decrease of HIV transmission. This service could be distributed to all population, such as women, children, people who cannot afford because all treatments are for free of cost. Fortunately equitable distribution of health service is accessible to all, but most of the people in community do not will to participate in the program or treatment sessions. HIV primary prevention Primary prevention activities include the training of student when they are still in elementary school. volunteers to raise HIV warned among their families, friends, neighbors and the general public. The volunteers make referrals to individuals seeking help. Seminars and workshops are held for targeted groups such as soldiers, health workers and teachers. Clinic staffs are also involved in raising HIV awareness through mass media campaigns on radio, television and in the local press. In addition, peer education programs and some limited outreach is conducted. Harm reduction and sterile syringe access programs and nursing roles The Clinic (individual and community volunteers) provides risk reduction materials free of charge- condoms, bleach, needles and syringes. Thousand of these materials have been distributed. Serodiscordant couples are provided with condoms on a regular basis from the time of registration at the Clinic and none have seroconverted as yet. Counselling sessions have also been provided to serodiscordant couples to help keep families together and prevent divorce. Unfortunately average age of marriage in lower class family is very low, by the time they are 15, they may even have kids. When implemented as part of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention strategy, sterile syringe access programs play a unique role in engaging hard-to-reach populations at high risk for HIV infection in meaningful prevention interventions and treatment opportunities. Evaluations of these programs indicate that they are an effective part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the injection drug use-related spread of HIV and other blood-borne infections. In addition, they do not encourage the use of illicit drugs. For example, one study in juvenile prison showed 80 percent decrease in HIV incidence attributed to sterile syringe access programs. The cumulative research shows that sterile syringe access programs are effective in reducing the further spread of HIV among drug abusers, their sexual partners, and their children. Furthermore, these programs help to:  ·increase the number of drug users who enter and remain in detoxification and drug treatment programs if they are available to them;  ·disseminate HIV risk reduction information, materials for behavioural change, and referrals for HIV testing and counselling and drug treatment services;  ·reduce injection frequency and needle-sharing behaviors;  ·reduce the number of contaminated syringes in circulation in a community; and  ·Increase the availability of sterile injection equipment, thereby reducing the risk that new infections will spread. Spouse Issue ( Gender) Consider some of the ways in which young women may be implicated in drug use. Women are centrally involved as sexual partners of male IDUs, as careers of people with HIV/AIDS and as people who may be vulnerable, in their own right, to the risk of HIV through drug injecting. The links between drug use, HIV and gender in developing regions are not yet well understood and need further exploration. It is clear however that the problems surrounding HIV and gender are greatly compounded when drug use is an added factor. The relationships between sexual behavior and IDU are quite complex. Women IDUs, who are dependent on men, may fear rejection by their partners if they do not inject drugs. Some people use drugs because they believe the drugs will increase pleasure during sex. Others engage in sex in order to obtain drugs or money to purchase them. Factors placing women drug users at high HIV risk  ·Being drug users themselves  ·Sexual relations with drug using partners  ·Engaging in commercial sex to support drug use  ·Being (girl) children of injecting drug users Lack of education and vocational skills. Women have increasingly become involved in all forms of drug-related problems and are likely to suffer more severe consequences than men as a result of this involvement. Women IDUs are at increased risk of HIV infection over male IDUs for several reasons, but principally because of their generally subordinate status in society. When drug-using women are also involved in sex work, the risk of acquiring HIV infection through unprotected sex, compounds the existing risk of transmission through the reuse of needles and syringes. Women may also be introduced to drug use by sexual partners who inject their drugs for them. If the sexual partner becomes ill or is imprisoned, these women are at risk for overdose if they are unaware of the dosage they have been injecting, and at risk for HIV, if they must rely on others to inject them. There is less documentation about women drug users than their male counterparts. In most literature specific attention is not devoted to female drug users as a distinct group; consequently in the perception of the general public, female drug users are mostly invisible. As a result of these gender-specific perceptions of drug users, female and male users may differ with regard to their backgrounds, reasons for using drugs, psycho-social problems and resulting needs. Although the ratio of female to male drug users is still low, it has been steadily increasing. This phenomenon coincides with the rise of population mobility, broken families, and collapsing communities. While society in general does not look kindly on drug users, it is even harsher in viewing women who use drugs. A woman who uses drugs for whatever reason and who is infected by HIV seldom receives the sympathy and support that she needs. Also from traditional expectations of women as wife, mother and nurturer. Most of provinces, for example, do not have drug-treatment facilities for pregnant or HIV positive women, nor do they make provisions for child care, even though many women who use drugs are single, separated or divorced. Women who use drugs are often hidden from public view. However, women who are partners of drug users and girls who are daughters of drug users are even less visible and accessible. Non-using women with drug-using partners have different problems, especially if their partners are so heavily addicted as to be unable to function normally. Women often endure verbal, physical and sexual abuse, poverty and deprivation of material comfort and facilities, lack of emotional and social security, concern about the future not only for themselves but also for their children. Some women eventually turn to using drugs as a way of escaping from the harsh realities of their lives. Many women are forced into egging or prostitution to earn money to buy drugs for their partners. Of course, through these activities their risk of HIV infection may rise still further. . Prevention of mother to child HIV transmission and post-exposure prophylaxis HAART (highly active anti-retroviral therapy) prophylaxis is provided for pregnant mother, although so far few women have received it. Health workers occupationally exposed to HIV and wives who have had unprotected sexual contact with their H IV infected husbands have also been given HAART prophylaxis. Due to lack of access to appropriate technology in poor provinces in Iran, sometimes the proper treatment cannot be done for them, and they have to be sent to bigger cities to which have access to technology. Young People Young people are particularly vulnerable to the risks posed by drugs and HIV. Children aged 10 and younger are using illicit drugs in many cities and communities around the world. These young people may live on the streets where risks to health are high and welfare support critically low or in households where information about HIV and illicit drugs is taboo. Young people may be initiated into injecting by more experienced drug users in a greater position of power or trust. This is the main issue which needs to be thought of seriously. The children of drug users are often forced to share the burden of the impact of parental (particularly paternal) drug use, and both boys and girls may be forced into child labour or prostitution in order to support parental drug use. The needs of such children are seldom taken into consideration in program planning or policy formulation exposed to HIV. Access to Treatment and Rehabilitation People with drug abuse problems have different needs. Women, the young, the poor, refugees and religious minorities need easier access to early intervention and services. Once in treatment, drug abusers may need job training and referral, assistance in finding housing and reintegrating into society. Drug abusers who commit crimes require alternative treatment in order to break the cycle of drug abuse and crime. Supportive therapist for PLWHA and the families and nursing roles Psychosocial support (psychotherapist and nurse) for is provided for PLWHA, including support for PLWHA group. Affected family members of PLWHA are offered counselling support to enhance their coping abilities and they are wiling to receive this help. They are counselled to provide support to PLWHA, with an emphasis on improving communication, disclosure and relationship. Recreational activities for PLWHA and their families and friends are also organized. Community- based outreach workers in Kermanshah Triangular Clinic and nursing roles Community-based outreach workers are on the front line in the local community, and they know where, when, and how to contact even the most difficult-to-reach drug users in their neighborhoods. As a trusted and recognized source of information, an outreach worker can help drug users understand their personal risks for HIV and other blood-borne diseases and identify the preventive steps they need to take. As a peer, the indigenous outreach worker can encourage drug users to stop or reduce using and injecting drugs and enter drug abuse treatment. They can provide referrals to drug users for drug-abuse treatment, for testing and counseling for HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and for sterile syringe access programs. Outreach workers (nurses) are a vital link to:  ·educational and risk-reduction information on HIV/AIDS, HBV, HCV, and other STDs;  ·information and materials for behavioral change, including the HIV/AIDS risk-reduction hierarchy, bleach kits to disinfect injection equipment, condoms for safer sex, and instructions for proper condom use and disposal; and  ·Services for testing and counseling for HIV, HBV, HCV, and other STDs; drug abuse treatment; and other community health, prevention, and social programs. Team work As it is concluded from the above paragraphs, none of these strategies and planning can be done without having a good team work. Some of can be achieved by health care professionals, some by community workers, some by supporting their feelings. Coordination of services between the sectors One of the significant aspects of Triangular Clinic is that various services in sectors are coordinated. The Clinic has been taken enormous pains to establish this mechanism, which has ensured that the infected, affected and members of high-risk groups receive the maximum benefits. Key sectors coordinated other than ministry of health (government, which is main system) with include the Red Crescent Society, Imam Welfare Committee and the State Welfare Organization. How drug use and HIV are viewed may also depend on the sector of government concerned with the issue:  ·Health departments may see HIV and drug overdose as the fundamental problems posed by injecting drug use  ·The Police may be more concerned with crime associated with illicit drugs  ·Home Ministries or Patrols may be primarily concerned with suppressing the supply of drugs  ·Chief Ministers may be concerned with the overall impact of drug problems on the community Whatever approaches governments and other policy making agencies take towards illicit drug use, it is important that they carefully consider the full implications of their decisions. Declaring stringent bans on drug use, or advocating imprisonment for all offenders may sound like strong leadership, but in isolation from other public health measures, may simply result in more harm. Red Crescent Society The international organization provides several services in middle east related to the above strategies: financial and material support to PLWHA, HIV counselling for those engaged in high-risk behaviour and a volunteer training program in primary prevention. The Triangular Clinic supports this by facilitating the training and providing information. Volunteers attend the Clinic to help with referrals. . State Welfare Organization The state Welfare Organization provides inpatient and outpatient treatment and rehabilitation services for drug abusers. The Triangular Clinic regularly makes referrals to their abstinence-oriented treatment program. Government The second component of the Comprehensive Drug Control Program of the Islamic Republic of Iran focuses on drug demand reduction (DDR). In this area, the program will develop and enhance the national capacity for preventing drug abuse, as well as for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts. In line with the guidelines of the National Five-Year Drug Demand Reduction Strategy, the project focuses on the consolidation of the Prevention Department of the State Welfare Organization and the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Training, and on the decentralization of drug abuse control initiatives by strengthening local monitoring and control plans of action. The project will contribute to the development of national specialized technical skills and capabilities at central and local levels by providing training to specialists, NGOs and other voluntary organizations. Subsequently, the project will provide financial support and technical guidance for the first steps of drug demand reduction initiatives launched at local levels. A special emphasis will be placed on initiatives of NGOs that promote children s and women s rights. The problem of drug abuse in the penitentiary system will be addressed through ad-hoc activities introducing drug treatment and rehabilitation to the system. Finally, with regard to drug consumption prevention, the project will focus on raising public awareness of the dangers of drug abuse, and it will foster civil society s involvement in the need for the treatment and rehabilitation of addicts. Indicators a) Achievement of the sectoral objectives of the National Five-Year Strategy; ) Capability of the project to respond to new drug abuse trends and unpredicted related phenomena. constraints and policy issue The lack of a supportive policy environment is perhaps the greatest obstacle and challenge for controlling HIV among injecting drug users. Despite the fact that drug use drives the HIV epidemic in the country, the relationship between HIV and drug use is particularly neglected in terms of national policies on both HIV and drugs. Policy dialogue and policy reform are generally lacking with respect to injecting drug use and HIV. This lack of supportive policies makes it extremely difficult for programs to implement the activities necessary to reduce drug-related harm, especially HIV. While some progress is being made, national responses are generally inadequate and are not integrated into national development strategies, poverty reduction strategies and other key areas of development policy and planning. This has particular relevance to government looking to integrate concepts of sustainable human development into policy making processes, thus building the institutional capacity of governments for policy development and implementation. Drugs and HIV policy frameworks often develop at different times through different processes, so it is no surprise that they have often evolved with different goals and approaches. Drug policies in the country do not focus on public health issues such as HIV. Conversely, HIV policies often do not address injecting drug use. Instead, governments and development agencies place priority on finding long-term solutions to problem, rather than addressing the more immediate harm caused by drug use, most notably, HIV. In the absence of effective a correct and effective policies and programs to prevent HIV among IDU, community-based organizations are often the only agencies to implement responses. However the development of effective programs is often inhibited by government policies which prevent the implementation of interventions that have been proven successful elsewhere, such as needle exchange programs and drug substitution. This situation is changing, but often not until HIV has already begun to spread among IDUs. The challenge therefore is to identify ways of engaging governments, local programs and policy makers to develop policies that will support prompt implementation of effective responses to the epidemic among IDUs. To do this, governments and development agencies need better understanding of the nature and extent of the HIV epidemic among IDUs, exposure to different strategies, and examples of programmatic and policy responses for consideration West Kuwait Health Centre Triangular Clinic The Triangular Clinic in West Kuwait Health Center formerly operated as a hepatitis prevention and treatment clinic, but now offers HIV care, STD care and harm reduction services for drug abusers. Patients at the Clinic are largely referred from drug abuse treatment centers and are primarily referred for HIV counseling and care. there was just very minor report ( less than 10 males) from Kuwaiti, but their government was very cooperative with the new idea of opening a free clinic to help their youth, so the third triangular was in Kuwait. unfortunately, they did not provide us with the correct number of IDU North Basra (Iraq) Health Centre Triangular Clinic In July 2000, Iraq was among the countries having reported the large number of AIDS in its IDU adolescence in its prison, 8847 males. So The Clinic was established recently in an existing health center in North Basra. The centre provides family planning, mother and child care, and vaccination services during the mornings and services for drug abusers and their families in the afternoon. The Clinic was established at the health centre to provide better access for patients seeking services and to address the stigma attached to HIV and drug abuse. The Clinic primarily offers voluntary counseling and testing, and provides care and support services for HIV positive injecting drug abusers and their partners. Conclusion The HIV epidemic inIdrug abuser teenager is very complex and involves a mix of social, political, economic and ethical factors that are specific to each location In Iran injecting is a relatively new way of transmitting infectious disease. It is also behavior about which relatively little is known. HIV infection among injecting drug users is a new phenomenon in many places and current policies and programs may be insufficiently relevant to the specific challenges posed by contemporary drug use. We need to understand there are reasons for people to go after drugs. Partially reasons for increasing the Population of adolescence are:  ·Widespread stigma and marginalization in the community  ·Poor health status  ·Unemployment and poverty  ·Lack of access to health and community services  ·Lack of commitment from policy makers  ·Lack of information about risks of drug injecting Which is without government support and committed sectors is not achievable. Although individual groups and private organizations are trying to reduce the problem. References Ahmed R (1998) UNDP Co-Administrator, UN General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem, New York, 9 June 1998 Anderson, E, McFarlane,E. (1996)Community as partner, theory and practice in nursing Ahmadi J, Fakkor A, Malekpour A. Current substance use among psychiatric patient. Archives of Iranian Medicine 2002;8 (5): 223-286. Drug Control Bureau. Annual report of drug control. Tehran: 2001. May Gott, M. , O’Brien-Peterson,L. , (1990). The roles of nurse in health promotion. HIV/AIDS in Iran. Health Deputy of Ministry of Health. Iran. Jan 2001. Imam Khomeini Organization, HIV/AIDS prisoners, Tehran 2003 King’s psychology network Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Five-year program on drug demand reduction. Tehran: 1999. Prison Monthly Journal, Dr. Maghani, Tehran July, 2004 Ministry of Health and Medical Education. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report. Tehran. 2002 Razzhgi EM. HIV/AIDS in association with injecting drug abuse in Iran. Geneva: State Welfare Organization 1999. Tilak P. Pokharel, World Press Review correspondent, Kathmandu, Nepal, June 9, 2003 Unsigned editorial, Yas-e No (reformist), Tehran, Iran, Jan. 12, 2004 UN Agencies. Women on the move. The UN Inter-Agency Gender and Development Group. October 2000 WHO. Men and AIDS, Background document. Regional Office for Eastern Mediterranean. 2000. .

Assignment 3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

3 - Assignment Example The spot gasoline prices are the prices that have an influence on the wholesale of gasoline. This is the price paid by stations when filling their storage tanks. The current price of commodity is $2.18 per gallon (Roseman n.d). This changes depending with season. For instance, during winter the prices are likely to go down by almost a half. The specifications for the commodity have changed since 1998 (Brand n.d). This is as way of keeping up with the new technologies being invented and especially in the oil production and refinery sectors. Also, the changes in the commodity specification are a method of creating environmental friendly products thereby reducing the products negative impacts on the environment (Roseman n.d). Sulphur levels in the Canadian gasoline are not to average more than 30 parts per million. Similarly, the sale of Benzene has been limited to 1.5% by volume. The current future of gasoline is that the prices are likely to shoot. This is because this is what has been trending from February 2015 until March 9 2015 (Roseman n.d). For example, the price was $2.332 on February 23 2015, $2.473 on March 2 2015 and $2.487 on March 9 2015 (Brand n.d). This explains the trend that the prices are going up every week. I expect the price of gasoline to average $3/bbl. The reason for this projection is that the current futures are suggesting a very high uncertainty in the overall price outlook. For instance, the future contracts for May 2015 averaged $52/bbl. This indicates an average of 52% volatility and 95% upper and lower limits. This confirms that the market expectations will widen over time. In my opinion, I would recommend that the projections for the commodity be set a month before the release of the commodity. The executive committee should avoid long duration’s predictions as this is affecting the price of gasoline. For example, if they predict the price shall go up even when the economy is doing great, the

Critical Review on Mcnair chapter 2 from his An Introduction to Essay

Critical Review on Mcnair chapter 2 from his An Introduction to Political Commun - Essay Example He has considered three elements to be important for the establishment of democracy which include rational choice, constitutionality and participation. The author has also discussed the importance of public opinion by calling it a ‘public sphere’ and considered it the collective thoughts and opinions of people about political leaders. Lastly, the book highlights the role of media in the process of political communication. The chapter two of the book ‘Politics, democracy and media’ vividly explains the three features of politics, media and democracy with respect to political communication process. The author has identified several aspects that make up the democratic process. The first among the three elements of a democratic regime is constitutionality which is known as the set of rules and procedures that explain the election process and the conduct of people participating in the process. The second element is participation which represents the number of peo ple that have been legally permitted to vote. For instance, the segments of people that have been bestowed with the right to vote are considered to be eligible to participate in voting process. It means that the societies that have deprived its majority of people from a giving a right to vote are not democratic in its essence. The third factor explaining the democratic process is rational choice which includes not only having the right of choosing between the two political parties but also exerting the right as well. The chapter two of McNair’s book explains another important aspect with respect to political communication which is public opinion. McNair defines public opinion as the private thoughts and opinions of general public regarding the political processes surrounding their country. It is believed to be an important characteristic of a democratic process that it taken into consideration the public opinion of people as manifested by the vote they cast in a collective ma nner favoring one political party. In other words, a democratic government comes into being as a result of the votes given to them by the majority of people in a country representing their public opinion. The author has used the term public sphere for public opinion also which means the arena of social life that gives rise to the formation of public opinion. The book gives a comprehensive understanding of another significant factor playing its part in the democratic process; media. There are five major characteristics of an effective media that is characteristic of a democratic process. Firstly, the media should be able to truly inform the citizens of a country about what is happening around them. It implies explaining the role of media as the force monitoring the activities of a society. Secondly, the media has an educative role that explains the facts of the society by making the people aware of the meanings of various things occurring around them. Thirdly, the media is said to be playing an important role in forming public opinion by providing them with information about the opinions of general public through the platform of media. Fourthly, the media publicizes the part that governmental and public institutions are playing in the interest of general public. For instance, media has been playing an important role in highlighting scandals of various corporations and political organizations thus enabling the citizens to form an opinion for or against them. It hints on the objectivity of media that does not rely on biases and prejudiced

Wrigley Jr. Company Essay Example for Free

Wrigley Jr. Company Essay 1.0 Introduction In June 2002 Blanka Dobrynin, a managing director of Aurora Borealis hedge fund, considers the possible gains from increasing the debt capitalization of The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. Blanka suggests Wrigley raise the amount of $3 billion in debt of the capitalization while Wrigley has been conservatively financed and remained no debt at the end of 2001. This report is aiming to analyze whether Wrigley should use $3 billion debt recapitalization to either pay dividends or to repurchase shares. 2.0 Current Capital Structure Generally, firms can choose among various capital structures in order to maximize overall market value of the company. It is proposed however, that Wrigley issues $3 billion in debt. According to the trade-off theory, the optimal capital structure does exist (Kraus and Litzenberger, 1973). The higher level of debt may increase both bankruptcy and financial cost that lead the firm to go or avoid bankruptcy. However, there are several advantages of raising debt capital. Firstly, tax-deductions which decrease the cost of debt. Secondly, stockholders do not have to share the profit when the firm has excess, as debt holders are limited to their fixed return. Finally, stockholders do have voting right but debt holders do not which means the stockholders are controlling the business. 3.0 The Impacts of Proposed Changes The decision to increase $3 billion debt capitalization of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company by Blanka Dobrynin is to optimize the total value of the company. Firms are often inclined to choose debt over equity in order to use the tax shield. As the increasing of $3 billion debt in Wrigley’s capital structure, its equity value will increase by $1.2 billion due to the tax shield. Also this proposal of recapitalization will help Wrigley’s equity decrease by only $1.8 billion when they payout $3 billion debt, due to the offset by the $1.2 billion tax shield. According to our calculations, through recapitalization Wrigley’s total asset will be $14,459,826, which consists of $3,157,127 debt and $11,302,699 equity. In general, firms prefer to keep a higher level of debt/equity ratio to obtain larger total capital to increase the firm’s total value. But it is obvious that more debt means more risk and more payout. By assessing the spreadsheet, it suggests several reasons for and against the acquisition of debt. If the Wrigley’s debt increases, its credit rating will drop from AAA to BB, which leads to more cost of future financing and value of stocks. However, as debt can increase firm value up to a degree, we recommend that Wrigley’s find an optimal capital structure through further analysis of whether $3 billion of debt provides the smallest possible Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) for the firm. 3.1 Flexibility and Reserves According to Denis (2011), financial flexibility is the ability of a firm to make decisions and handle problems timely. Moreover, the firm should always maximize their firm value on any unexpected changes in investment opportunity and cash flows of the firm. In addition, the firm should prudently raise their capital in the good times to avoid stretching their capabilities too far, and in order to preserve their ability to choose to either borrow or issue equity in future times of need. Therefore, the lower level of firm’s debt, the more financial flexibility a firm has (Investopedia, 2014). Due to that $3 billion new debt existing, the financial flexibility of Wrigley will decline; this financial activity leads to lower ability to borrow money in the future if there are any profitable investment opportunities or any unexpected internal or external shocks. 3.2 The Book and Market Price per Share As is visible from the Appendix One, the decision of how to use the funds raised through debt is an important one as it will impact both the price per share and the book value per share. The price per share will decrease to $48.63 if the debt raised is used to pay out a dividend (decrease in the value of equity), whereas the price per share will increase to $61.53 if it is used to repurchase shares. However, the issuance of debt can have signalling effects for investors. Generally, when firms issue debt it signals to investors that the firm is in a good financial situation as the firm is able to undertake repayments of future interest. Furthermore, the clientele effect can impact the stock price because it assumes that the investors are attracted to the company for its policies and when these change the investors will react and adjust their stock accordingly (Moles Terry, 2005). In addition to this, the issuance of debt and repurchase of stock could signal to investors that managers believe the stock in undervalued. Despite this change in price, the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) will give a more accurate representation of what the change in capital structure implies for the firm, by taking account the costs of debt. 3.3 Weighted Average Cost of Capital Before recapitalisation Wrigley’s WACC was equal to it’s cost of equity (ke), which was calculated at 10.95%. After capitalisation it was found that Wrigley’s WACC decreased to 10.29%. This follows the general pattern of increasing debt resulting in a lower WACC. The cost of debt (kd) rate of 13% was used after we assessed the key industrial financial ratios and compared  them with that of Wrigley’s (See Appendix 2) to conclude that it was in the range between the BB rate of 12.753% and B 14.663% (see Appendices 3 4). Although WACC has decreased, which means that every $1 that Wrigley raises in capital from investors it must pay at least $10.30 in return, it’s Beta has increased from 0.75 to 0.87. This means that Wrigley’s investment is still less volatile than the market, but it has become more in line with the market after recapitalisation. However Beta will not incorporate the risk of financial distress that becomes present once Wrigley have taken out the debt. 4.0 Conclusions and Recommendations Therefore, from our analysis we know that an increase in debt can have adverse affects on flexibility and can have costs associated such as bankruptcy, agency and distress costs, however, due to the tax shield affects and the decrease in WACC we believe there should an increase in the level of debt. In addition, the share price change is not consistent with the change in WACC and it could be assumed that the distress costs associated with the increase in debt would mean the price would actually remain relatively steady to reflect the negligible change. We recommend that Wrigley issue $3 billion of debt in the form of share repurchase plan because this scenario has no defining impact upon WACC – slightly decreasing from 10.95% to 10.29%, and as a company’s main goal is to increase its’ shareholders value. Furthermore there are fewer risks in terms of clientele effect and signalling effect, while also allowing the Wrigley family to maintain their control with their high portion of shares. However, we recommend further analysis to determine what is the optimal level of debt by finding the lowest possible WACC, and therefore maximising the company’s value. 5.0 Reference List DeAngelo, H., DeAngelo, L., Whited T.M., (2011) Capital structure dynamics and transitory debt. Journal of Financial Economics, 99, 235–261. Denis, D J. (2011) Financial flexibility and corporate liquidity. Journal of Corporate Finance, 17(3), 667-674. Franco Modigliani; Merton H. Miller . (Jun., 1958) The American Economic Review, Vol. 48, No. 3. , pp. 261-297. Investopedia. (2014). Complete Guide To Corporate Finance. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/walkthrough/corporate-finance/5/capital-structure/capital-structure.aspx Investopedia (2014). Optimal Capital Structure. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/optimal-capital-structure.asp. [Last Accessed 19 Aug 2014]. Kraus, A. and R. Litzenberger (1973). A State-Preference model of optimal financial leverage. Journal of Finance, Vol. 28, pp. 911-922. Moles, P., Terry, N. (2005). Clientele effect. The Handbook of International Finance Terms. Retrieved from http://www.oxfordreference.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/view/10.1093/acref/9780198294818.001.0001/acref-9780198294818-e-1351 Myers, S.C. (2001). Capital structure. Journal of Economic Perspective, Vol. 15, pp. 81-102. Tsuji, C. (2012) A discussion on the signalling hypothesis of dividend poilcy. The Open Business Journal, 5, 1-7. Retrieved from http://benthamopen.com/tobj/articles/V005/1TOBJ.pdf

Nature and Society in The Dharma Bums and Goodbye, Columbus :: Dharma Bums Essays

Nature and Society in The Dharma Bums and Goodbye, Columbus      Ã‚  Ã‚   From its beginning, the literature of the 1960s valued man having a close relationship with nature. Jack Kerouac shows us the ideal form of this relationship in the story of Han Shan, the Chinese poet. At first, these concerns appear to have little relevance to Goodbye, Columbus by Philip Roth. However, by mentioning Gauguin, Roth gives us a view of man's ideal relationship to nature very similar to the one seen in the story of Han Shan. The stories of Han Shan and Gauguin offer an interesting commentary Neil and Brenda's relationship, as well as insight into its collapse.    From the beginning, 60s literature advocated that man have a close relationship with nature. This is easily seen in Kerouac's The Dharma Bums. In this book, he repeatedly invokes the names of older writers concerned with living a life in harmony with nature. By mentioning such writers as Muir, Thoreau, and Whitman, Kerouac makes a statement about man and nature. The behavior of the characters in the book is in keeping with this environmentalist message. The high points of the book are characterized by a nearness to nature. A good example of this is when Ray and Japhy climb the Matterhorn. The fact that Kerouac peoples his book with characters inspired by people important to the Sixties, such as Gary Snyder and Allen Ginsburg, helps tie these environmental concerns to the decade as a whole.    The most direct example of what Kerouac feels is the ideal relation between man and nature is the story of Han Shan. We are told that Shan is Japhy's hero because he "was a man of solitude who could take off by himself and live purely and true to himself"(Kerouac, The Dharma Bums, 22). By escaping society and living close to nature, he was able to live his life the way the was supposed to. If he had remained in a society in conflict with nature, he would have been twisted and distorted, unable to obtain his true shape. Both Ray and Japhy see reflections of Han Shan in each other.    At first glance, there seems to be little in common between these environmental concerns and Goodbye, Columbus. Nature and Society in The Dharma Bums and Goodbye, Columbus :: Dharma Bums Essays Nature and Society in The Dharma Bums and Goodbye, Columbus      Ã‚  Ã‚   From its beginning, the literature of the 1960s valued man having a close relationship with nature. Jack Kerouac shows us the ideal form of this relationship in the story of Han Shan, the Chinese poet. At first, these concerns appear to have little relevance to Goodbye, Columbus by Philip Roth. However, by mentioning Gauguin, Roth gives us a view of man's ideal relationship to nature very similar to the one seen in the story of Han Shan. The stories of Han Shan and Gauguin offer an interesting commentary Neil and Brenda's relationship, as well as insight into its collapse.    From the beginning, 60s literature advocated that man have a close relationship with nature. This is easily seen in Kerouac's The Dharma Bums. In this book, he repeatedly invokes the names of older writers concerned with living a life in harmony with nature. By mentioning such writers as Muir, Thoreau, and Whitman, Kerouac makes a statement about man and nature. The behavior of the characters in the book is in keeping with this environmentalist message. The high points of the book are characterized by a nearness to nature. A good example of this is when Ray and Japhy climb the Matterhorn. The fact that Kerouac peoples his book with characters inspired by people important to the Sixties, such as Gary Snyder and Allen Ginsburg, helps tie these environmental concerns to the decade as a whole.    The most direct example of what Kerouac feels is the ideal relation between man and nature is the story of Han Shan. We are told that Shan is Japhy's hero because he "was a man of solitude who could take off by himself and live purely and true to himself"(Kerouac, The Dharma Bums, 22). By escaping society and living close to nature, he was able to live his life the way the was supposed to. If he had remained in a society in conflict with nature, he would have been twisted and distorted, unable to obtain his true shape. Both Ray and Japhy see reflections of Han Shan in each other.    At first glance, there seems to be little in common between these environmental concerns and Goodbye, Columbus.

Deception Point Page 4

Although the job was difficult and required long hours, the position was a badge of honor for her, a way to assert her independence from her father. Senator Sexton had offered many times to support Rachel if she would quit the post, but Rachel had no intention of becoming financially beholden to a man like Sedgewick Sexton. Her mother was testimony to what could happen when a man like that held too many cards. The sound of Rachel's pager echoed in the marble hall. Again? She didn't even bother to check the message. Wondering what the hell was going on, she boarded the elevator, skipped her own floor, and went straight to the top. 4 To call the NRO director a plain man was in itself an overstatement. NRO Director William Pickering was diminutive, with pale skin, a forgettable face, a bald head, and hazel eyes, which despite having gazed upon the country's deepest secrets, appeared as two shallow pools. Nonetheless, to those who worked under him, Pickering towered. His subdued personality and unadorned philosophies were legendary at the NRO. The man's quiet diligence, combined with his wardrobe of plain black suits, had earned him the nickname the â€Å"Quaker.† A brilliant strategist and the model of efficiency, the Quaker ran his world with an unrivaled clarity. His mantra: â€Å"Find the truth. Act on it.† When Rachel arrived in the director's office, he was on the phone. Rachel was always surprised by the sight of him: William Pickering looked nothing like a man who wielded enough power to wake the President at any hour. Pickering hung up and waved her in. â€Å"Agent Sexton, have a seat.† His voice had a lucid rawness to it. â€Å"Thank you, sir.† Rachel sat. Despite most people's discomfort around William Pickering's blunt demeanor, Rachel had always liked the man. He was the exact antithesis of her father†¦ physically unimposing, anything but charismatic, and he did his duty with a selfless patriotism, shunning the spotlight her father loved so much. Pickering removed his glasses and gazed at her. â€Å"Agent Sexton, the President called me about a half hour ago. In direct reference to you.† Rachel shifted in her seat. Pickering was known for getting to the point. One hell of an opening, she thought. â€Å"Not a problem with one of my gists, I hope.† â€Å"On the contrary. He says the White House is impressed with your work.† Rachel exhaled silently. â€Å"So what did he want?† â€Å"A meeting with you. In person. Immediately.† Rachel's unease sharpened. â€Å"A personal meeting? About what?† â€Å"Damn good question. He wouldn't tell me.† Now Rachel was lost. Keeping information from the director of the NRO was like keeping Vatican secrets from the Pope. The standing joke in the intelligence community was that if William Pickering didn't know about it, it hadn't happened. Pickering stood, pacing now in front of his window. â€Å"He asked that I contact you immediately and send you to meet with him.† â€Å"Right now?† â€Å"He sent transportation. It's waiting outside.† Rachel frowned. The President's request was unnerving on its own account, but it was the look of concern on Pickering's face that really worried her. â€Å"You obviously have reservations.† â€Å"I sure as hell do!† Pickering showed a rare flash of emotion. â€Å"The President's timing seems almost callow in its transparency. You are the daughter of the man who is currently challenging him in the polls, and he demands a private meeting with you? I find this highly inappropriate. Your father no doubt would agree.† Rachel knew Pickering was right – not that she gave a damn what her father thought. â€Å"Do you not trust the President's motives?† â€Å"My oath is to provide intel support to the current White House administration, not pass judgment on their politics.† Typical Pickering response, Rachel realized. William Pickering made no bones about his view of politicians as transitory figureheads who passed fleetingly across a chessboard whose real players were men like Pickering himself – seasoned â€Å"lifers† who had been around long enough to understand the game with some perspective. Two full terms in the White House, Pickering often said, was not nearly enough to comprehend the true complexities of the global political landscape. â€Å"Maybe it's an innocent request,† Rachel offered, hoping the President was above trying some sort of cheap campaign stunt. â€Å"Maybe he needs a reduction of some sensitive data.† â€Å"Not to sound belittling, Agent Sexton, but the White House has access to plenty of qualified gisting personnel if they need it. If it's an internal White House job, the President should know better than to contact you. And if not, then he sure as hell should know better than to request an NRO asset and then refuse to tell me what he wants it for.† Pickering always referred to his employees as assets, a manner of speech many found disconcertingly cold. â€Å"Your father is gaining political momentum,† Pickering said. â€Å"A lot of it. The White House has got to be getting nervous.† He sighed. â€Å"Politics is a desperate business. When the President calls a secret meeting with his challenger's daughter, I'd guess there's more on his mind than intelligence gists.† Rachel felt a distant chill. Pickering's hunches had an uncanny tendency to be dead on. â€Å"And you're afraid the White House feels desperate enough to introduce me into the political mix?† Pickering paused a moment. â€Å"You are not exactly silent about your feelings for your father, and I have little doubt the President's campaign staff is aware of the rift. It occurs to me that they may want to use you against him somehow.† â€Å"Where do I sign up?† Rachel said, only half-joking. Pickering looked unimpressed. He gave her a stern stare. â€Å"A word of warning, Agent Sexton. If you feel that your personal issues with your father are going to cloud your judgment in dealing with the President, I strongly advise that you decline the President's request for a meeting.† â€Å"Decline?† Rachel gave a nervous chuckle. â€Å"I obviously can't refuse the President.† â€Å"No,† the director said, â€Å"but I can.† His words rumbled a bit, reminding Rachel of the other reason Pickering was called the â€Å"Quaker.† Despite being a small man, William Pickering could cause political earthquakes if he were crossed. â€Å"My concerns here are simple,† Pickering said. â€Å"I have a responsibility to protect the people who work for me, and I don't appreciate even the vague implication that one of them might be used as a pawn in a political game.† â€Å"What do you recommend I do?† Pickering sighed. â€Å"My suggestion is that you meet with him. Commit to nothing. Once the President tells you what the hell is on his mind, call me. If I think he's playing political hardball with you, trust me, I'll pull you out so fast the man won't know what hit him.† â€Å"Thank you, sir.† Rachel sensed a protective aura from the director that she often longed for in her own father. â€Å"And you said the President already sent a car?† â€Å"Not exactly.† Pickering frowned and pointed out the window. Uncertain, Rachel went over and gazed out in the direction of Pickering's outstretched finger. A snub-nosed MH-60G PaveHawk helicopter sat idling on the lawn. One of the fastest choppers ever made, this PaveHawk was emblazoned with the White House insignia. The pilot stood nearby, checking his watch. Rachel turned to Pickering in disbelief. â€Å"The White House sent a PaveHawk to take me fifteen miles into D.C.?† â€Å"Apparently the President hopes you are either impressed or intimidated.† Pickering eyed her. â€Å"I suggest you are neither.†