Report on Digi Telecom Essay

Recently Digi Telecommunications company is ranked as one of the best Telco companies in Malaysia and this is a report with emphasis on their success strategy derived from a financial analysis of up to date financial highlights of Digi Telecommunications. As it is a firm that is continuing to grow strong financially and a firm listed on the Bursa Stock exchange of Malaysia this report contains a few helpful tips and recommendations for Digi to remain successful and keep improving on its financial management strategies. IntroductionThe purpose of this report is to give an analysis of the financial position of Digi Malaysia company, mainly providing essential highlights for potential investors. In this report the content will consist of results of the calculated accounting ratios relevant to reflect profitability and liquidity, a comparison of financial statements and an analysis of the major trends and changes that occurred during the year 2009 and 2010. Another function of this repor t is to enlighten the reader on the main function of financial management and to define the basic and essential terms used in financial management.Other content of this report are a clear indication of the application of appropriate techniques tan one may use in order to determine whether Digi Malaysia is a healthy company for investment. The conclusion of this report will serve as a guideline for improvement as it will consist of a range of suggestions that are meant to help the company to improve its operations and also boost its financial state and becom more effective and attractive to investors.

Speech Analysis Essay

http://www. pbs. org/newshour/character/links/nixon_speech. html PRESIDENT NIXON'S RESIGNATION SPEECH August 8, 1974 Good evening. This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history of this Nation. Each time I have done so to discuss with you some matter that I believe affected the national interest. In all the decisions I have made in my public life, I have always tried to do what was best for the Nation.Throughout the long and difficult period of Watergate, I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to make every possible effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me. In the past few days, however, it has become evident to me that I no longer have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify continuing that effort. As long as there was such a base, I felt strongly that it was necessary to see the constitutional process through to its conclusion, that to do otherwise would be unfaithf ul to the spirit of that deliberately difficult process and a dangerously destabilizing precedent for the future.But with the disappearance of that base, I now believe that the constitutional purpose has been served, and there is no longer a need for the process to be prolonged. I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so. But the interest of the Nation must always come before any personal considerations.From the discussions I have had with Congressional and other leaders, I have concluded that because of the Watergate matter I might not have the support of the Congress that I would consider necessary to back the very difficult decisions and carry out the duties of this office in the way the interests of the Nation would require. I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as President, I must put the in terest of America first. America needs a full-time President and a full-time Congress, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad.To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the President and the Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home. Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow. Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this office. As I recall the high hopes for America with which we began this second term, I feel a great sadness that I will not be here in this office working on your behalf to achieve those hopes in the next 21/2 years.But in turning over direction of the Government to Vice President Ford, I know, as I told the Nation when I nominated him for that office 10 months ago, that the leadership of America will be in good h ands. In passing this office to the Vice President, I also do so with the profound sense of the weight of responsibility that will fall on his shoulders tomorrow and, therefore, of the understanding, the patience, the cooperation he will need from all Americans. As he assumes that responsibility, he will deserve the help and the support of all of us.As we look to the future, the first essential is to begin healing the wounds of this Nation, to put the bitterness and divisions of the recent past behind us, and to rediscover those shared ideals that lie at the heart of our strength and unity as a great and as a free people. By taking this action, I hope that I will have hastened the start of that process of healing which is so desperately needed in America. I regret deeply any injuries that may have been done in the course of the events that led to this decision.I would say only that if some of my Judgments were wrong, and some were wrong, they were made in what I believed at the time to be the best interest of the Nation. To those who have stood with me during these past difficult months, to my family, my friends, to many others who joined in supporting my cause because they believed it was right, I will be eternally grateful for your support. And to those who have not felt able to give me your support, let me say I leave with no bitterness toward those who have opposed me, because all of us, in the final analysis, have been concerned with the good of the country, however our judgments might differ.So, let us all now join together in affirming that common commitment and in helping our new President succeed for the benefit of all Americans. I shall leave this office with regret at not completing my term, but with gratitude for the privilege of serving as your President for the past 51/2 years. These years have been a momentous time in the history of our Nation and the world. They have been a time of achievement in which we can all be proud, achievements that rep resent the shared efforts of the Administration, the Congress, and the people.But the challenges ahead are equally great, and they, too, will require the support and the efforts of the Congress and the people working in cooperation with the new Administration. We have ended America's longest war, but in the work of securing a lasting peace in the world, the goals ahead are even more far-reaching and more difficult. We must complete a structure of peace so that it will be said of this generation, our generation of Americans, by the people of all nations, not only that we ended one war but that we prevented future wars.We have unlocked the doors that for a quarter of a century stood between the United States and the People's Republic of China. We must now ensure that the one quarter of the world's people who live in the People's Republic of China will be and remain not our enemies but our friends. In the Middle East, 100 million people in the Arab countries, many of whom have consider ed us their enemy for nearly 20 years, now look on us as their friends. We must continue to build on that friendship so that peace can settle at last over the Middle East and so that the cradle of civilization will not become its grave.Together with the Soviet Union we have made the crucial breakthroughs that have begun the process of limiting nuclear arms. But we must set as our goal not just limiting but reducing and finally destroying these terrible weapons so that they cannot destroy civilization and so that the threat of nuclear war will no longer hang over the world and the people. We have opened the new relation with the Soviet Union. We must continue to develop and expand that new relationship so that the two strongest nations of the world will live together in cooperation rather than confrontation.Around the world, in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, in the Middle East, there are millions of people who live in terrible poverty, even starvation. We must keep as our goal tu rning away from production for war and expanding production for peace so that people everywhere on this earth can at last look forward in their children's time, if not in our own time, to having the necessities for a decent life. Here in America, we are fortunate that most of our people have not only the blessings of liberty but also the means to live full and good and, by the world's standards, even abundant lives.We must press on, however, toward a goal of not only more and better jobs but of full opportunity for every American and of what we are striving so hard right now to achieve, prosperity without inflation. For more than a quarter of a century in public life I have shared in the turbulent history of this era. I have fought for what I believed in. I have tried to the best of my ability to discharge those duties and meet those responsibilities that were entrusted to me.Sometimes I have succeeded and sometimes I have failed, but always I have taken heart from what Theodore Roo sevelt once said about the man in the arena, â€Å"whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again because there is not effort without error and shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deed, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievements and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. I pledge to you tonight that as long as I have a breath of life in my body, I shall continue in that spirit. I shall continue to work for the great causes to which I have been dedicated throughout my years as a Congressman, a Senator, a Vice President, and President, the cause of peace not just for America but among all nations, prosperity, justice, and opportunity for all of our people. There is one cause above all to which I have been devoted and to which I shall always be devoted for as l ong as I live.When I first took the oath of office as President 51/2 years ago, I made this sacred commitment, to â€Å"consecrate my office, my energies, and all the wisdom I can summon to the cause of peace among nations. † I have done my very best in all the days since to be true to that pledge. As a result of these efforts, I am confident that the world is a safer place today, not only for the people of America but for the people of all nations, and that all of our children have a better chance than before of living in peace rather than dying in war.This, more than anything, is what I hoped to achieve when I sought the Presidency. This, more than anything, is what I hope will be my legacy to you, to our country, as I leave the Presidency. To have served in this office is to have felt a very personal sense of kinship with each and every American. In leaving it, I do so with this prayer: May God's grace be with you in all the days ahead. NOTE: The President spoke at 9: 01 p . m. in the Oval Office at the White House. The address was broadcast live on radio and television. Analyzing Famous Speeches In Richard M.Nixon's very effective resignation speech, Ray Price uses logic and emotion to get his point across: that he wanted to resign and protect his name. Nixon gave this speech on August 8, 1974, because of the political turmoil that was happening in the United States. Richard M. Nixon had to (Kilpatrick). What makes it so remarkable is that he was the only president to resign (Beschloss). Logic was one of the main uses in Ray Prices speech. â€Å"This is the thirty-seventh time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history of this nation.America needs a full-time president and a full-time congress, particularly at this time with problems we face at home and abroad† (Price 2). These are just a couple of examples of logic in this speech. All of the facts that he uses drive his speech to perf ection. â€Å"I would have preferred to carry through to the finish whatever the personal agony it would have involved, and my family unanimously urged me to do so† (Price 1). This was one of the main examples of emotion. He tried to pull at the heart strings of the audience. Ray Price uses this to add to the effectiveness of the speech.Both of these things were used to complement his means to write the speech. He gets his point across using these factors. Overall Ray Price got his point across in a very successful way by using these elements. Kilpatrick, Carroll. â€Å"Nixon Resigns. † Washington Post. Washingtonpost. com, 1974. Web. 17 Mar. 2013 http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/articles/080974-3. html. Beschloss, Michael. â€Å"Richard M. Nixon. † The White House. Www. whitehouse. gov , 2009. Web. 17 Mar. 2013. http://www. whitehouse. gov/about/president/richardnixon.

Advantages And Limitations Of The Swot Model Marketing Essay

Advantages And Limitations Of The Swot Model Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION When individuals or organizations face critical situations where crucial decisions have to be made pertaining to the desired objective that has already been defined/identified, they need methods by which to analyse their current position and to find out ways to achieve their goals by overcoming the problems. But how can individuals/organizations carry out such an analysis? First of all, they must identify what they want to accomplish (the objective), what they already have (current position), what means are available to them (opportunities) and what hurdles they may have to tackle (threats). This requires careful planning. For the success of any organization, business product, or an individual, planning is essential. Planning is â€Å"an act of formulating a strategy for a definite course of action for the accomplishment of an objective.† (Business Dictionary) With the help of planning, an individual can know where he stands, can decide what he wants to achieve a nd can figure out how he can bridge the gap between the two. How is planning done? SWOT analysis is an effective tool which aids strategic planning both for individual as well as organizational growth and development. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. With the help of SWOT analysis, one can specify the personal/organizational objective, can identify the various favourable and/or unfavourable internal as well as external factors that may influence the accomplishment of that objective and on the basis of these one can develop effective strategies that would help in achieving the objective. SWOT analysis can be done on the organizational level as well as on the individual level. In this chapter, we shall focus mainly on SWOT analysis for individuals. BASIC ELEMENTS OF SWOT ANALYSIS As pointed out earlier, SWOT is an acronym for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The SWOT analysis model is composed of these four main elements put together w hich form a framework for analysis. Strengths are the positive attributes of the individual or organization that help to achieve the desired objective/s. Weaknesses are the negative attributes of the individual or organization that hinder the accomplishment of the desired objective/s. Opportunities are the favourable circumstances that can create a possibility for progress which results in the achievement of the desired objective/s. Threats are the unfavourable circumstances that can cause damage to the individual or organization and stop them from accomplishing their desired objective/s. Strengths and weaknesses are the internal factors that influence the individual or organizational objectives. They are internal to the individual or organization and are within their control. They are classified as strengths or weaknesses depending upon the impact that they have on the objective. The attribute that may be seen as strength in the context of one particular objective may prove to be a weakness in a different decision-making context. For example, aggressiveness is normally considered a weakness in an individual’s personality. But when we consider it in the context of soldiers who are trained for combat, aggression is regarded as their strength. On the other hand, opportunities and threats are the external factors that propel the individual or organization towards growth or impede its progress respectively. They are external to the individual or organization and are beyond their control. Thus, the main object of SWOT analysis is to recognize the major internal and external factors that are crucial to achieving the desired personal or business objective.

Confectionery Market Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Confectionery Market - Assignment Example This is a comprehensive statement by MINTEL a marketing intelligence company. This explains the sudden exceptional performance of Cadbury as an impact if the overall chocolate confectionary industry sector. However, questions to be asked at this juncture are: The issue at this pointy in time for Cadbury is to sustain this growth.pattern. However, according to statistics, on one hand it would be able to match tis growth on the other hand other segments are offering greater returns. According to Industry Reports on 2006 Product Announcements and Sales "In 2006, thousands of new confectionery and snack products debuted tempting taste buds of consumers everywhere. 2,910 new confectionery products debuted, and Chocolate: 1,478 "Confectionery sales continue to cluster around major holidays, with Halloween leading sales in 2006 and Easter a close second. Halloween secured its lead with a 2.8 percent growth overall, while Easter stood out in 2006 posting a 7 percent sales increase thanks to a late April celebration. Also making gains, the winter holiday season and Valentine's Day both posted a 1 percent increase in 2006 and ranked third and fourth in overall holiday sales respectively."- www.whatsnewiningredients.com The above statement depicts a new trend in marketing that is of event marketing. All over the world companies are finding events the best way to market their products to the right audience. As for confectionaries, these are impulse products most consumed after reminder advertising, brand awareness on special occasions and events. It is thus no surprise that then sales increase by 1% due to Valentines day. New Product Development "Top trends driving product releases of 2007/08 include flavor fusions, international influences, artisan palate, sweet benefits, simply sugar-free, originally organic, reinventing classics, the dark side and child's play" (www.whatsnewiningredients.com) "Focussed attention in the premium and dark chocolate sectors of the market, which is providing strong growth opportunities. In April, Cadbury Schweppes relaunched the Old Gold dark chocolate brand and added a 70% cocoa variant. As a result, the brand grew 36% in Australia and by over 80% in New Zealand" (www.scoop.co.nz) Dark Chocolate segment: " In July, a new premium chocolate range was launched under the Cadbury Eden brand, positioning the business to tap into this fast growing segment of the market Our second half innovation program continues to build momentum with the exciting launch of Cadbury Eden into the premium chocolate segment"(www.snoop.co.nz, National Confectioners Association) It can be seen from the above statistics that the dark chocolate segment is an upcoming segment for Cadbury. Another segment that has a high potential is the organic food segment. Segmentation The various market segments that Cadbury brands are catering to are: - Cadbury gift boxes- for valentine gifts and for special occasions -priced higher. Cadbury Freddo-sells at a low price for kids to afford it. Cadbury 500 g bar with 10% more chocolate is for families with many

Audit&Assurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Audit&Assurance - Essay Example Therefore the international institutions and the accounting bodies have recognized the need for streamlining the Auditing practices to meet the emerging challenges. International Accounting Standards have been the first step in the right direction to address the issues evolved over a period of time, considering the international implications imposed by the cross border transactions worldwide. Not only the shift in methods of operations and the procedures involved in financial services, but also, the developments that have been continuously taking place in the production processes, information technology, media and the latest technological innovations such as mobile telephony, Global Positioning System (GPS), Social Networks, etc. necessitated revisiting the techniques adopted in auditing as well. The methodologies adopted in relation to auditing need to take into account these industrial and technological developments to enhance the efficacy and lend flexibility to the procedures in line with the fast changing environment. The international Federation of Accountants (IFAC) was set up during 1977 with a view to bring about uniformity in the profession on a global scale. The concept of ‘Assurance’ is of recent origin, has generally come into existence after the companies have resorted to computerization of accounting during1980s. The various accounting scams in the corporate history have only strengthened the resolve to improve the professional standards in line with the technological developments and to enhance the level of transparency, and this paper seeks to study the development of auditing over the period of time. When computerization gathered momentum, the important problems identified in the auditing process were mainly related to the understanding of the concept of the system adopted (especially the software), compatibility of the program with the established accounting practices or the guidelines, the efficacy of the program to discern the pitfalls

Patholophysiology & Management of critical conditions Essay

Patholophysiology & Management of critical conditions - Essay Example pes of stroke that human beings can be affected by; Ischemic stroke is a kind of brain attack that arises when a vessel which transports blood to human brain is blocked by the blood clotting process (Richard, et al, 2009). In this case, the clot creates a barricade, blocking the routine flow of blood. This occurs in two main ways; first there can be a blood clot happening in a brain artery which happens to be very narrow, this process is referred to as â€Å"Thrombotic stroke.† Secondly, there may be a case where a clot breaks off from a completely different location. Alternatively, the blood clot can be transported to the blood vessels in the brain from a different part of the body, in both cases; the clot is a barrier blood flow in the brain. In the condition, the kind of stroke suffered from is referred to as â€Å"embolism† or â€Å"embolic stroke† Another kind of stroke happens when a weak blood vessel happens to burst up in the brain. This makes the blood to start leaking into the brain against the normal way that the brain is intended to function (Kenning, et al, 2012). In both cases, death is always knocking for the victim in case urgent effective medical care is not administered. When a person is affected by stroke, the kind of symptoms that are exhibited depends on the part of the brain that has been affected. It is possible for someone to experience the symptoms without being able to know that its stroke. People should be aware that symptoms of stroke develop unexpectedly and without due warning. For the first few days the symptoms occur on and off, making it hard for one to explain the prevailing body condition. When stroke first occurs, its symptoms are said to be very severe, however, this effects gets worse as time continues. If bleeding happens in the brain, the victim experiences headaches which start as mild but soon become severe. These headaches are prevalent when the victim is lying flat; the severity of the headaches wakes up the victim from

Marginal cost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marginal cost - Essay Example The contribution value for the business proposal is computed by the difference between the marginal costs and the sales from the energy drinks.The above, cost data indicates that the variable cost per unit remains constant whether the business will produce 100 units, 125 or 150 units of energy drinks. It is however, very clear that the cost per unit of production goes down per every increase in the production as illustrated by the chart table above. What as well also stands out is that the cost per unit is also decreasing with the increase of production for the energy drinks. This is due, to the existence of the fixed cost that is spread over an increasing volume of the output for the energy drink by the business.This is the technique, employed in the production departments and management accountants and are used to determine the feasibility of production cost between those that are variable and that change with the production output and with those that are fixed and they do not have any association with the volume of production. Both the fixed and the variable costs are compared with the sales revenue so as to determine the sales volume, value or the production at which the business makes neither a loss nor a profit. This is the breakeven point for a business. This can as well be represented on the break even chart to indicate the costs at the various levels for the business.The company requires a cash budget of about of about  £11,750. Borrowing that should be done should be done in a way as to cover deficiencies.

Video Game Violence and Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Video Game Violence and Children - Essay Example This paper stresses that  as children grow up, they look to the authoritative role models in their life to determine what behavior is or is not appropriate. Their young minds are impressionable and they constantly absorb new knowledge from their surroundings. When children are subjected to certain actions or behaviors, and if they are not properly coached in the differences between right and wrong, they are likely to repeat the actions or behaviors. The more that they witness certain behaviors, the increased chances they have at mimicking them. Impressionability is similar to the teaching methods found in classrooms in the sense that teachers display concepts that children repeat until they can do them on their own; however, unlike classroom learning, impressionability involves children adapting behaviors of their own accord without being prompted by someone else.  As the discussion declares  the more time that children spend playing violent video games, the more they become fa miliar with the concepts being depicted. Furthermore, there are video games that allow the player to play as a first person and they can experience the game as if they were in it, committing the violent actions themselves instead of witnessing them as a bystander. Adults and teachers feel that these games are â€Å"training programs for children to commit crimes

Business mangament Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business mangament - Essay Example The underlying objective is to meet client demand with the desired tastes and preferences. Resource utilization is a critical aspect to monitor in operations management. The operations management purvey herein can take a number of forms, with the most commonly employed being strategic, tactical and/or operational. Activities that characterize each of the three depend on the operational decisions reached at an individual organization level. This is done by evaluating and assessment the market, customer base and the industry trends. The aim is to strike a long lasting relationship between stakeholders, so that the operational aspects of the firm are effective and efficient prior to the firm’s product and/or service line. The focus of operations management is primarily rooted in fundamental players in the business environment. These players highly influence the functionality and success of firms’ business aspects. Operations management focuses on the customers, suppliers, shareholders, employees and the society (Kumar, 2006, p.153). Customers are the main driving factor in the market. This is because they create market demand, prompting supply of products and services. In the case of shareholders, organizational welfare consequently influences shareholder wealth. The employee aspect of operations management accounts for working conditions at the workplace. Through corporate social responsibility, operations management integrates the society into the firm’s operations. This is done to ensure that business activities by a firm do not affect the society negatively. Based on the interests and the focus of operations management, five specific objectives are pursed. These are: quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost (Khanna, 2007, p.382). Quality addresses product and/or service specifications conformity. In other words, the quality of

Health Care Utilization Essay Example for Free

Health Care Utilization Essay Health care reform is not a recently devised concept. The government and health professionals have studied and tried to establish legislation that would assist the general population with a means of accessing adequate health care for decades. The task has proven itself as a daunting one although studied the world over. Individuals struggle with disease and illness that they cannot afford medical attention and treatment. Insurance companies price gouge or drop individuals from their insurance coverage. Reform has to be implemented to protect the public and provide across the board health care for every situation. Ronald Andersen wrote in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior there is a model of behavior that determines the seeking out of health services (Anderson, 1995). Anderson collaborated with Odin Anderson and wrote The Initial Behavioral Model in 1968 to assist in the analysis of national survey data collected by the Center for Health Administration Studies and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (Andersen Anderson, 1967). The model explains that there are elements that may determine if an individual will access health services. Anderson explained, â€Å"I want to stress that the model was initially designed to explain the use of formal personal health services rather than to focus on the important interactions that take place as people receive care, or on health outcomes†(Andersen, 1968, p. 1). The Initial Behavioral Model (1960s) PREDISPOSING ENABLING USE OF CHARACTERISTICS RESOURCES NEED HEALTH SERVICES Demographic Personal/Family Perceived Social Structure Community  (Evaluated) Health Beliefs (Revisiting The Behavioral Model and Access to Medical Care: Does it Matter?, 1995) The president had legislation passed in 2010 to implement the Affordable Care Act. Today, more than 45 million Americans lack access to affordable health insurance. Additionally, many individuals who do have health insurance have incomplete coverage that may include exclusions for pre-existing conditions, or they may be one-step away from losing coverage because of a change in employment. Individuals with health insurance face increasingly high premiums and medical costs that drive some to bankruptcy or force choices between maintaining health insurance coverage and paying for other household essentials (HHS, 2013). These new regulations will provide consumer protections and the developing of a competitive market. Insurance companies will be required to spend a specific percentage on health care and not excessive administrative costs. There have been major changes to the accessibility of insurance coverage for individuals which have been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition. Insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny insurance coverage for individuals, such as children born with life-threatening illnesses. This will also address lifetime limits on medical care. There has been a health insurance exchange in an effort to pool millions of people and allow them to examine various insurance coverage policies to determine the best policy for them and their families. Health and Human Services has implemented a website for the comparison of the insurance coverage options (HHS, 2013). There have been conversations for decades about the implementation of universal health coverage. The World Health Organization defines it as a goal to ensure that people obtain the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them. It goes on explaining, access to health services enables people to be more productive and active contributors to their families and communities†¦.financial risk protection prevents people from being pushed into poverty when they have to pay for health services out of their own pockets (WHO, 2012). There is a definite similarity with the concepts of universal health care and the Affordable  Care Act now in place in this country. Attempts are being made to ensure that all citizens can access health care and increase their wellbeing in the process. The expansion of Medicaid will benefit multiple low-income citizens who, through no fault of their own, are working at a minimum wage job. They are barely earning too much money to be eligible for assistance and are not making enough of a salary to afford health insurance coverage. It turns into a viscous cycle. The individual has to decide whether it is better to quit work and get assistance for medical care or to continue struggling and still not make the grade. There have been no major issues personally with the implementation of the health care expansion. The insurances that I carry are both the Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid has changed in that they are requiring that there is a primary care physician (PCP) established to oversee medical services provided. The initial visit would be to the PCP where any examination and testing would be performed for the determination of the necessity of a referral. The PCP’s office would organize all medical records and coordinate with the specialist’s staff to establish a consultation. I consider myself an extremely fortunate individual because I have been able to have multiple medical issues addressed and corrected because of the medical coverage. The Medicare coverage is not as restrictive as Medicaid. Medicare allows the individual to access any physician or facility that the patient desires for treatment as long as their insurance is accepted. There has not been any specific positive or negative effect with this coverage. Medicare has provided successfully for preventive measures in my health services such as yearly mammograms, colonoscopy testing every two years (if deemed necessary through findings during prior examination), and comprehensive yearly physical examinations. Unfortunately, there is minimal dental coverage and no eye examinations available. There has been major skepticism with the Affordable Care Act being voted on and implemented in the governmental realm. It is exhibiting a number of positive actions implemented with the creation of this act. It is time that this country gives thought to the individuals which are suffering because of no fault of their own other than being on the lower end of the income scale. Also citizens are pleased with the inclusion of the poor souls battling daily with an affliction that requires more attention and treatment than they could ever afford. It is in this new light that people are viewing the creation of the Affordable Care Act and see that this should prove to be beneficial to every citizen within the national borders. Reference Andersen, R. M. (1995). Revisiting The Behavioral Model and Access to Medical Care: Does it Matter? Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 36, 1-10, retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2137284 Andersen, R.M., Anderson, O.W. (1967), A Decade of Health Services, retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1815595 Health and Human Services (2013), Strengthen Health Care, retrieved from: http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/goal1.html World Health Organization (2012), What is Universal Health Coverage, retrieved from: http://www.who.int/features/qa/universal_health_coverage/en/index.html

Abortion Issues in Midwifery

Abortion Issues in Midwifery This topic has been chosen to examine in detail the impact of law and ethics upon nursing practice and midwifery, including the ethical dilemmas that face nurses and midwives on a day-to-day basis. It is thereby demonstrated that despite the governance of health professional practice by bodies such as the Royal College of Nursing and the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, ethics and law play a very important role, and health professionals must always act within the law to avoid legal actions being brought against them. The various schools of thought in relation to ethics are also examined and utilisation of the same via decision-making models. In relation to the general ethical dilemmas which face nurses and other healthcare workers in practice, Fletcher et al 1 discuss the ethical principles, explaining that although all health professionals face such dilemmas during practice, a multi-disciplinary approach has to be adopted in solving ethical problems. Fletcher et al outline the main ethical principles applicable to nursing ethics as the principle of respect for persons, respect for autonomy, justice, beneficence and non-maleficence. Fletcher et al explain that the origins of moral philosophy date from 600 BC, and that the two most influential schools of thought are consequentialism and deontology. Consequentialism is explained as the justification of an action by examining the consequences of undertaking that action. Branching out from this school of thought are the various approaches, the first explained is teleological theories or unilitarianism, associated with the philosophical writings of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. Fletcher et al state that Mill stipulated that the utility or ‘happiness’ principle stated that actions can only be regarded as moral if they promote the greater amount of happiness and the absence of pain. Thompson et al 2 explains this ideology as a means to try to justify moral principles with regard to an overall goal or sense of purpose in society, the purpose being the pursuit of happiness, which is ‘built in’ in man. They discuss that that this stemmed from Aristotle in 320 BC, and that this form of ethics is known as teleological eudaemonism, the former word referring to his belief in the ‘built in’ purpose in nature, and the latter word describing the quest for happiness. They further explain the significance to health care, as they are under a duty to try to prevent or reduce pain wherever possible and promote the health and well-being of patients. ______________________________________________________________________________ 1 ‘Ethics, Law and Nursing’ (1995) pp 7-17 2 ‘Nursing Ethics’, pp233-238 Thompson et al justify the means by which health professionals can evaluate what likely consequences of treatment may be including side-effects. As act unilitarianism, although they note that where health professionals have to take into account the wider responsibilities to the patient, the hospital, research or otherwise, then rule utilitarianism is more applicable. They conclude that this ideology emphasises the achievement of goals that are important to the context of human life, and the practical application of principles or rules and that consideration of the consequences of application are important to consider to determine whether a particular course is right or wrong. Fletcher et al set out the separate branches from this notion, ‘act’ and ‘rule’ utilitarianism. Firstly dealing with ‘act’ utilitarianism, this is explained as each action is to be considered according to the consequences that ensue from it, morality determined by examining whether the greatest good came from that act. In relation to ‘rule’ utilitarianism, this is described as following of the general basic rules being in existence, forbidding murder, theft etc, rather than looking at the consequences that may ensue from that action, as by following these rules the greatest good must ensue as a natural result. Fletcher et al also discuss ‘preference’ utilitarianism, as being the allowance of discretion of individuals in undertaking a certain action and to judge the morality of each with regard to their own judgement rather than following a rule or principle. This is plainly applicable to health practice. The second school of thought explained by Fletcher et al is deontology, explained as the promotion of the importance of compliance with a duty when undertaking an action, the consequences thereof being irrelevant when considering to take such an action. This is explained as stemming from religious justification, that the explanation of such duties are the ‘laws’ sent from God, as God can be relied upon to distinguish what is right and wrong. Fletcher et al discuss the contribution to the school of thought by Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher (‘Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals’) who stipulated that the basis of morality lay in the ‘categorical imperative’, a moral command, set by established moral laws. Following such moral rules is regarded as imperative, regardless of the consequences of an action taken in compliance. Fletcher et al emphasise that the deontological perspective reinforces the need to follow obligations, what ought to be done, and how, in a certain situation. The obligations that befall nurses are described as contractual, as part of the terms and conditions of employment; obligations similar to family ones are seen via the role of carer, though artificially created, and moral obligations, such as the obligation to respect patient confidentiality, patient’s autonomy, to do good (beneficence) and to do no harm (non-maleficence). Fletcher et al explain that these obligations can conflict in practice situations. The obligations of nursing staff must be balanced against the rights of the individual as patients, as enshrined in The Patient’s Charter, effective from April 1992. Thompson et al further explain that deontological theories can also be distinguished into act deontology and rule deontology, the former being based upon the ability of an individual to impose their own moral duty into a situation when considering whether to take a form of action, and the latter being the emphasis upon moral duties and laws taking a universal form. They discuss the linkage of this school of thought to religious beliefs, as such rules can be argued as coming directly from God, as in the Ten Commandments. They do not discuss how this school applies to health practice, though it can be seen that this could be applied in paternalism (see below) when considering a patient’s autonomy. Religious writers such as J.F. Keenan, from the Catholic perspective 3 explain that there has been a turn to virtue ethics which has rejected the modern practice of establishing that morality is governed by human rights language, which is considered the extent to which the principle of autonomy can be exercised. Keenan states that virtue ethicists ask whether there is a character building nature to the proposed course of action and that all moral evaluations are subject to a three sided question, who are we, who ought we to become, and how can we get there? He further explains that virtue ethics considers that actions should be considered in the context of whether they will affect the type of person they will become by undertaking that action, rather than asking whether there is a right in a certain way. Fletcher et al discuss the issue of autonomy 4 as a basic principle that health professionals should always fully inform a patient about the diagnosis, forms of treatment available, and obtain his consent thereto, that is to treat him an an ‘autonomous being’. It is discussed that this may cause problems if the patient is mentally impaired or a minor, therefore it is recognised that there cannot be strict adherence to this principle, as patients would often not have the specialist knowledge to enable them to make a well-informed decision. The dilemma described in this instance is that the principle of autonomy can conflict with the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence. Fletcher et al explain that paternalism may be used quite often by health professionals, namely the belief that they can make a decision in terms of treatment on a patient’s behalf without considering their wishes or overriding the same. This is exercised in accordance with the principle of beneficence, though it is explained that usually patients are told and their wishes are taken into consideration. Fletcher et al 5 distinguish between legal rights and natural rights, the former enforceable via courts, and the latter deriving from natural law, originally thought of as coming from God, but in modern terms, has become enshrined in the concept of human rights, which have also become legal rights via the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, itemising rights including the right to liberty and to life. ______________________________________________________________________________ 3 Catholic Medical Quarterly May 1992: Assisted Suicide and the Distinction Between Killing and Letting Die: J. F. Keenan 4 Ethics, Law and Nursing’ (1995) pp 35-56 5 (ibid) pp139-143 Fletcher et al 6 discuss the law governing abortion, stating that it is a criminal offence under section 58 of the Offences against the Persons Act (OPA) 1861 to unlawfully do any act with intent to procure a miscarriage, which made abortion illegal prior to the enactment of the Abortion Act (AA) 1967. Fletcher et al explain that the Abortion Act 1967 did not repeal this earlier Act, but set out grounds which specified when abortion was legal, as a defence to a charge of criminal abortion. They state that this has been amended by section 37 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (HFEA) 1990, which specify five grounds, including that a pregnancy has to be less than 24 weeks advanced; the risk or threat to the mother’s life, mental or physical health is too great to allow continuance of pregnancy; if there is a substantial risk that the child would be born with abnormalities rendering it severely handicapped; and, a unilateral act by a doctor to avert an immediate risk to the life or health of the mother. Fletcher et al explain the right of nurses to exercise a conscientious objection, for example to carrying out an abortion, the rights of which are enshrined under section 4 of the AA 1967 and the HFEA 1990, the former being the refusal to participate in an abortion, the latter a right to refuse to participate in any treatment defined by the Act. This can be utilised where the individual health worker’s personal moral code conflicts with such a practice. However, as stated by McHale and Tingle, 7 this must be actual participation in treatment, not a mere refusal to type a letter of referral 8. It is explained that such an individual can leave him/herself open to a legal action against him for an omission if there is a duty to act, though in practice this is rarely undertaken as another member of staff could perform the same treatment. Nursing staff may also record their objections to a specific course of treatment prescribed by another health professional on personal moral grounds, which might be affected by their contract of employment when the employers make decisions with regard to this. Additionally, Ann Young 9 states that the refusal of the health professional can be made unless the treatment is necessary to save life or prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the mother. However, she criticises the ambiguity of the word ‘grave’ as this could constitute depression as well as a serious heart defect. In Selective Reduction and Feticide: The Parameters of Abortion 10, David Price emphasized that there is ambiguity in the use of the term of abortion by medical practitioners and lawyers alike. He noted that Glanville Williams’ definition of abortion 11 states that For legal purposes, abortion means feticide: the intentional destruction of the foetus in the womb or any untimely delivery brought about with the intent to cause the death of the foetus. ______________________________________________________________________________ 6 (ibid) 7 ‘Law and Nursing’ p 208 8 Jannaway v Salford AHA [1988] 3 All ER 1079 9 ‘Legal Problems in Nursing Practice’p 209 10 (1988) Sweet Maxwell Limited and Contributors: David P.T. Price 11 Textbook of Criminal Law, (2nd ed., 1983), p.292 In the context of non-consensual abortion, Price explains that this can occur where the death of a foetus was caused by an act of non-consensual violence upon a pregnant woman. He argues that this act may not necessarily fall within the definition of a criminal abortion under section 58 OPA 1861, and would rather be treated as an assault. He states that in the United States, courts are prepared to extend the crime of abortion, which is similar to section 58, to non-consensual assaults upon women resulting in foetal death 12 though in this case the man causing foetal death was charged with assault rather than foetal murder. Looking at an American viewpoint, in Bioethics and Medical Ethics 13, Thomas Platt considers that the emphasis on autonomy ignores the deeper metaphysical issue of the degree to which any human act can be regarded as freely chosen. He states that the scientific perspective purely states that human behavior is the result of genetic and environmental factors. He stipulates that it has to be the environment in which a person has been raised which will determine how a person will respond to a suggestion, for example abortion, and that in less technologically developed cultures, they would respond in a different way to the West. Verena Tschudin 14 explains ethical decision making models in many forms including Jameton’s model, which requires identification of the problem, gathering of data to identify options and make a decision to act and then assess the consequences thereof; Crisham’s model; initially ‘massaging’ the dilemma, outlining the options, reviewing the criteria, before the act and evaluation thereof and the Nursing process model, which requires assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. The latter involves a series of questions at assessment level, planning identifies whether the ethical problem is a question of teleology or deontology, with a series of questions to follow, implementation requires consideration of whether one would like to receive the same treatment, and finally evaluation considers whether the act has solved the problem and what was gained, with a series of questions. In relation to the exercise of patient consent, this is described as an exercise of a patient’s autonomy. The UKCC’s guidelines re that the health professional must ‘explain the intended test or procedure to the patient without bias and in as much detail as the patient requires’, and that if no questions have been asked then the health professional should assess the amount of information the patient requires 15. It is explained that a nurse, as per Clause 1 of the UKCC Code of Professional Conduct must ‘act in such a way as to promote and safeguard the interests and well-being of patients and clients’. This is explained to go so far as stating his/her opinion that there has been insufficient information provided to the patient to render the same fully understandable to him and enable him to make a fully informed decision 16, which can affect the judgment given by a doctor. ______________________________________________________________________________ 12 Hollis v. Commonwealth 652 S.W. 2d 61 (Ky. 1983) 13 Medicine, Metaphysics and Morals: Thomas Platt: West Chester University 14 ‘Ethics in Nursing’ p 85-95 15 ‘Exercising Accountability’ 16 (ibid) It is explained further 17 that the principle of autonomy is enshrined in law as the right to self-determination. Written consent is usually provided before surgery, in a standard form from the Department of Health, which has been amended in 1991.The case law relating to consent stems from the general principle that every adult person of sound mind and body has a right to determine what happens to his body, and that a surgeon who performs an operation without his consent has committed an assault 18. However, this principle is heavily qualified is discussed. In the case of informed consent, where the patient is given insufficient information about the risks of a certain procedure, the patient must sue in negligence rather than in battery 19. Even the standard set in negligence is weighted heavily in favour of the health professional, as it has been ruled that a doctor is not guilty of negligence as he has acted in accordance with the accepted practice in that field by other doctors 20. This case was affirmed in Sidaway v Bethlem Royal Hospital 21, and in further subsequent cases such as Blyth v Bloomsbury AHA 22 and Gold v Haringey AHA 23, where the restrictive disclosure policy was supported by general medical opinion. It was highlighted that despite this, Lord Bridge has emphasised in Sidaway 24, that even if a health professional acts in accordance with general practice, the court may still take a decision that there has been non-disclosure of material facts. Specific problems are highlighted in the context of where a patient is incapable of providing consent, which is governed by law. The case law has established that a health professional must only do what is absolutely necessary to save the patient’s life, which does not include removal of a womb if it has been considered a further pregnancy would jeopardise the patient’s life 25. Therefore, it is argued that this principle of doing what is necessary to save a life overrides the right to autonomy 26. However, this does not extend to the life of a foetus in risk 27. Regarding accountability, Fletcher et al 28 states that the Code of Professional Conduct stipulates a registered nurse, midwife or health visitor is personally accountable for her practice, even off-duty. This ties in with the professional’s legal duty of care, as explained by Tingle Cribb 29, deriving from Donoghue v Stevenson 30, as the need to take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions that can be reasonably foreseen to injury a person affected by the acts or omissions, which can result in an action for negligence. Tingle Cribb state that the nurse has to weigh up the potential harm and benefit of the patient at that time, and reach the decision involving the least harm. ______________________________________________________________________________ 17 (Fletcher et al: ibid) 18 Schloendorff v Society of New York [1914] 19 Chatterson v Gerson [1981] 20 Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee [1957] 21 [1985] 22 [1985] 23 [1988] 24 (ibid) 25 Devi v West Midlands AHA 26 Re T 27 Re F (in utero) [1988] 28 (ibid) pp104-129 29 ‘Nursing Law and Ethics’ p 13-19 30 [1932] The professional standards are maintained by the UKCC in the Code of Professional Conduct, and each nurse or midwife is under that duty, though they argue that this standard is set by the profession itself. In the case of an allegation of a breach of such a duty, the health professional can be subject to disciplinary action for misconduct. They explain that accountability merely requires a health professional to be able to justify their actions. Fletcher et al consider that it is important for the professional to have regard to the interests of patients and clients rather than purely the rules of the UKCC. Verena Tschudin 31 states that nurses have both a legal and moral accountability, which arises from patient autonomy. Fletcher et al discuss the dilemmas that may occur in healthcare practice, and where the health professional’s moral code is at odds with her duty, The Code of Professional Conduct stipulates that the professional must ensure that no action or omission by that person will be detrimental to the condition of the patient, which can be seen as the principle of non-maleficence. An example is provided that if the incorrect dose of medicine has been administered to a patient, then that health professional’s self-interest should not override her duty to disclose the error as this could not be argued to be in the patient’s best interests. In relation to professional competence, Fletcher et al state that The Code of Professional Conduct stipulates that a health professional must maintain and improve their professional knowledge and competence. As regards midwives, Fletcher et al state that they requirement is to attend a five-day refresher course, five approved study days every five years or another approved course. There has been an impact in the context of European Community (EC) legislation, as explained by Bridgit Dimond 32, the activities of a midwife are defined in EC Directive 80/155/EEC Article 4, including providing family planning advice to recognise warning signs of abnormalities necessitating doctor referral. Fletcher et al criticise the limitations of the Post-registration Education and Practice Project in 1990 for newly qualified nurses, and those returning to health care practice after five years, requiring five days study leave every three years and demonstration of professional knowledge and competence. However, since then, Ms Dimond has argued that Project 2000 has sought to integrate nurse clinical teaching and practice 33. Fletcher et al explain that ethical dilemmas can arise from the instructions provided by a senior member of staff, which does not accord with the health professional’s personal or moral beliefs. When making a decision on how to act, that professional will have to consider whether she is acting within the law, according to the Code of Professional Conduct, and also in the best interests of the patient as well as her own beliefs. They discuss the remedies available to patients or clients, which are a complaint to the UKCC which would result in a hearing before the Professional Conduct Committee; use of the formal Hospital Complaints Procedure; or a complaint to the nurse’s employer. ______________________________________________________________________________ 31 (ibid) p 116 32 ‘Legal Aspects of Nursing’ pp 444-457 33 (ibid) p 270 In conclusion, in the context of conscientious objections, it has been suggested that there should be ward-based abortions carried out only 34 in special units by professionals who have taken up such jobs as they do not have moral or ethical objections to abortion. Verena Tscudin 35 states that here is however, always a conflict between a nurse or midwife’s duty to preserve life rather than destroy it. The culmination of ethical perspectives in decision-making models assist the professional, though she must also always be mindful of her duty to the patient, the Code of Professional Conduct and the law. ______________________________________________________________________________ 34 Ann Young, p 209 35 (ibid) p 137 BIBLIOGRAPHY Bioethics and Medical Ethics :Medicine, Metaphysics and Morals: Thomas Platt: West Chester University Catholic Medical Quarterly May 1992: Assisted Suicide and the Distinction Between Killing and Letting Die: J. F. Keenan ‘Ethics in Nursing’ (2nd edition) 1992 (Butterworth/Heinemann) pp 85-95: Verena Tschudin ‘Ethics, Law and Nursing’ (1995) Manchester University Press pp 7-17; pp 35-56; pp 139-143: Fletcher et al ‘Legal Aspects of Nursing’ (2nd edition) 1995 (Prenctice Hall) pp 444-457: Bridgit Dimond ‘Legal Problems in Nursing Practice’(2nd edition) 1993 (Chapman Hall) p 209: Ann P.Young ‘Law and Nursing’ (2nd edition) 2001 (Butterworth/Heinemann) p 208: McHale and Tingle ‘Nursing Law and Ethics’1995 (Blackwell) pp 13-19: Tingle Cribb Selective Reduction and Feticide: The Parameters of Abortion ((1988) Sweet Maxwell Limited and Contributors: David P.T. Price ‘Nursing Ethics’(2nd edition) 1993(Churchill Livingstone), pp233-238: Thompson et al 104134 Legally Binding Undertaking 1. I Rebecca Asghar undertake that in line with my contractual obligations this work is completely and wholly original. 2. 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The Magic of Books Essay -- How Education Has Changed My Life

The books that lined the shelves were of many different colors, of many varying ages, and of many various authors. The bindings were leather and paper and even a cotton fabric material, and the lettering embossed upon them was in gold and silver and sometimes in plain ink. Authors that had been passed on reverently from age to age sat mightily in their rightful places, next to their respective equals: such writers as Defoe and Hawthorne sat side by side, while others, like Whitman and Thoreau surrounded them. Each book had been lovingly placed in its specific niche, and as the little girl gazed about the room, it was obvious to her that many hours had been spent placing and caring for this massive collection. Â   There was a distinct smell about the room--not the moldy mothball scent that a lot of people can smell when they walk into a well-aged library, but a smell that reminded the young girl of school and very faintly of knowledge. Strength seemed to give off a permanent kind of glow in this room, as though the books knew that neither time nor age would ever be able to reach them. The smell of age and wisdom and education overwhelmed the little girl and she stood staring up at the many rows of books in awe. Â   When the old woman came into the room, she found the small girl standing in the center of the room and spinning slowly around as she tried to take in every one of the books with her ... ...ry, it seemed as though the myriad of books that lined the shelves were waiting and expectant, listening, almost, for her first words to the little girl. So much education, so much life remained ahead of the little girl, and she could garner so much experience through reading. The library was replete with more knowledge than anyone could ever gain in one lifetime, and the old woman smiled secretly to herself as she read the title aloud to the little girl. Â   The future of the book, she thought to herself as she began reading the first chapter to the little girl, is our children. Â   The little girl smiled and leaned against her grandmother as the landscape of India unfolded in her mind.

Main Economic Forecasts Essay -- Economics Economy Economical Essays

Main Economic Forecasts   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main economic forecasts used to understand the general outlook of the economy included the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) forecast, the Administrations Forecast, the Blue Chip consensus forecasts and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) forecast. Not all forecasts contained the required indicators for the chosen indicators: employment growth, interest rates, housing starts, and business investment. For this reason, the analysis focused on a combination of the forecasts to understand the relationships among the indicators. Gleaning the economic forecasts led to a general understanding of the economy. Conducting further research on the economic forecasts led to a richer understanding of the selected indicators. The focuses of the economic forecasts were real gross domestic product (GDP) and unemployment. The selected forecasts discussed real GDP and unemployment in depth to give the reader a general understanding of how the economy might respond in the next two years. According to the MBA, real GDP will drop in 2005 in comparison with 2004 and continue to decrease in 2006. In 2007, real GDP will increase slightly in comparison to the previous year. The MBA states the percent change in annual rates will be 4.4 in 2004, 3.8 in 2005, 3.3 in 2006 and 3.5 in 2007. According to CBO, real GDP will decrease in 2005 compared to 2004; GDP will decrease further in 2006 and continue to decrease during the 2007 through 2010. The CBO states the percentage change of real GDP was 4.4 in 2004, will be 3.8 in 2005, 3.7 in 2006 and 3.3 on average for the years 2007-2010. The Blue Chip consensus believes real GDP will decrease in 2005 compared to 2004, and continue to descend for the next two years, 2006 and 2 007. Blue Chip consensus states real GDP for 2004 as 4.4, 2005 will be 3.7, 3.4 in 2006 and 3.5 in 2007. The President’s administration believes real GDP will decrease in 2005 compared to 2004 and will continue to decrease in the next two years as well. According to the President’s administration, real GDP for 2004 was 4.4; and will be 3.7 for 2005, 3.7 for 2006 and 3.5 for 2007. The MBA believes the unemployment rate will decrease from 5.5 in 2004 to 5.2 in 2005 and continue to descend to 5.1 in 2006 and 2007. The CBO believes that unemployment will decrease from 5.5 in 2004 to 5.2 in 2005 and remain at 5.2 through 2010. Blue C... ...f Commerce. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Retrieved April 20, 2005 from http://www.bea.doc.gov/ Housing and interest rate forecast. National Association of Home Builders. Retrieved April 21, 2005, from http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?sectionID=138&genericContentID=631&print=true HR compensation continues to rise: Rising compensation reflects an improving economy and HR's role in corporate growth. HR Magazine. Retireved from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_11_49/ai_n6359691 MBA long-term economic forecast. Mortgage Bankers Association. Retrieved April 20, 2005, from http://www.mortgagebankers.org/ MBA long-term mortgage finance forecast. Mortgage Bankers Association.. Retrieved April 22, 2005 from http://www.mortgagebankers.org/ MBA is most accurate. Federal Reserve of Atlanta. Retrieved April 24, 2005 from http://www.census.gov/ The budget and economic outlook: An update. Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved April 20, 2005 from http://www.cbo.gov/ Real investment in fixed assets and consumer durable goods, 1999-2003. U.S. Department of Commerce. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Retrieve April 20, 2005 from http://www.bea.doc.gov/

My Philosophy :: Education Teaching Essays

My Philosophy Education is important because it serves as a foundation for your quality of life. The over all purpose of any education is to teach children the world. It gives you a structure that is always changing as you learn more and more everyday. I want to become a physical education and health teacher because I feel that the education of a healthy lifestyle and active play need to be incorporated into everyone’s lives. I hope to provide students with the knowledge they need to stay healthy and to desire to be that way. What is my philosophy in teaching? Well, I am eclectic and have a few that I fit into. I find mainly that I am a progressivist. I also agree with certain aspects from the philosophical stances idealism, realism, and existentialism. Being a physical education major, I really do not see how I could become a traditional teacher. I do not picture myself taking on much of a democratic role, especially in the gym setting that I would primarily be in. I assume that I will tak e up the role of a facilitating teacher and have student centered activities where we will learn new things together. I plan to give my students the freedom to make their own decisions for the most part, because no one is going to have fun and want to participate much at all if they are not in an enjoyable setting. There will be rules that my students and I will determine together, and these are what will remain for the entire duration of the class as long as they do not take advantage of the rules or myself. In a way, I will give my students the opportunity to lead their class, as long as they do it responsibly and do not get out of hand. I think that my curricular area is important because of the rise of childhood obesity in the United States today. I hope to contribute, in a way, to the decline of obesity in the future. As a teacher I hope to accomplish the impossible, as I am sure that everyone sets out to do in any field. I want students to leave my class feeling like I care about them and that they belong in my class as well. I want to be one of the teachers that the students look up to and feel comfortable and at ease around. My Philosophy :: Education Teaching Essays My Philosophy Education is important because it serves as a foundation for your quality of life. The over all purpose of any education is to teach children the world. It gives you a structure that is always changing as you learn more and more everyday. I want to become a physical education and health teacher because I feel that the education of a healthy lifestyle and active play need to be incorporated into everyone’s lives. I hope to provide students with the knowledge they need to stay healthy and to desire to be that way. What is my philosophy in teaching? Well, I am eclectic and have a few that I fit into. I find mainly that I am a progressivist. I also agree with certain aspects from the philosophical stances idealism, realism, and existentialism. Being a physical education major, I really do not see how I could become a traditional teacher. I do not picture myself taking on much of a democratic role, especially in the gym setting that I would primarily be in. I assume that I will tak e up the role of a facilitating teacher and have student centered activities where we will learn new things together. I plan to give my students the freedom to make their own decisions for the most part, because no one is going to have fun and want to participate much at all if they are not in an enjoyable setting. There will be rules that my students and I will determine together, and these are what will remain for the entire duration of the class as long as they do not take advantage of the rules or myself. In a way, I will give my students the opportunity to lead their class, as long as they do it responsibly and do not get out of hand. I think that my curricular area is important because of the rise of childhood obesity in the United States today. I hope to contribute, in a way, to the decline of obesity in the future. As a teacher I hope to accomplish the impossible, as I am sure that everyone sets out to do in any field. I want students to leave my class feeling like I care about them and that they belong in my class as well. I want to be one of the teachers that the students look up to and feel comfortable and at ease around.

Madame Bovary: Romantic to Realist Conflict

Emma Ovary is a very complex character with multiple changing aspects to her personality which creates conflict. She begins as a romantic illusion but then morphs into a realist idea. Gustavo Flatter focuses on objectivity more than subjectivity in order to render Judgment to the reader. He reveals the mall conflict through key character elements and dominant symbols; each haltingly the Ironic and romantic illusions of the novel, helping to complete the author's purpose. Utilizing Enema's appearance, past, psychological and emotional elements, Flatter charts the conflict f her romantic illusions versus her reality through the first major emphasis, key character elements, revealing the undercurrents of irony that flows throughout the novel. â€Å"But a knife was wanted; Charles offered his. ‘Ah! ‘ she said to herself, ‘he carried a knife in his pocket like a Peasant† (88). Here, Charles is referred to as a peasant to show her ties to the country-like backgroun d that she wants to escape from. In â€Å"Madame Ovary: Beauty out of Place†, R.P Blackman explains: â€Å"We also see how the great illusion of life to come is part of her revolt against society, and how it wows as a force working outside her-self. Her Vapors' persuade Charles to give up his success-full practice at Totes and go to Honeywell, Into the unknown as If a new routine might provide Emma the force to work out her Illusion Into reality. It Is only Emma who cannot know that It would have made no difference† (484). These attempts are also seen when Flatter writes â€Å"Charles was surprised at the whiteness of her nails.They were shiny, delicate at the tips, more polished than the ivory of Dipped, and almond-shaped† (14). Enema's hands and fingernails seem polished and manicured; however, the hands of a farm girl would be more like those described later on of a girl from the agriculture fair- â€Å"And from the sleeves of her red Jacket looked out two l arge hands with knotty Joints, the dust of barns, the potash of wash- inning the grease of wools had so encrusted, roughened, hardened these that they seemed dirty†¦ † (127). The two sets of hands have obvious contrasting details that yet again bring attention to Emma Ovary's efforts.Not only are they displayed through ere past and physical appearance, but they are also seen through her mental and Inner elements when, during the carriage ride episode, Flatter states â€Å"a bared hand passed be-neat the small blinds of yellow canvas, and threw out some scraps of paper that scattered in the wind, and farther off lighted like white butter-flies on a field of red clover all in bloom† (205). Emma had written in the letter that she could not be Loon's mistress, but she gave in before he read it, and ripped the letter into pieces.In addition to characterization, the symbolism further conveys the undercutting of he illusory ideas that the work has through the dominate exa mples that portray the way her thinking alters from illusions to a sordidness especially in the story of the wedding bouquets, Hypothesis leg, and the beggar's song. â€Å"The orange blossoms were yellow with dust and the silver bordered satin ribbons frayed at the edges. She threw It Into the fire. It flared up more quickly than dry straw. Then It was, Like a red bush In the cinders, slowly devoured. She watched It burn† (58).This finding of her old wedding bouquet symbolizes the disappointment and unhappiness of her f her own bouquet died, and then later on she ends up dying. â€Å"Then Homage represented to him how much Jollier and brisker he would feel afterwards, and even gave him to understand that he would be more likely to please the women; and the stable-boy began to smile heavily' (148). Here, they try to convince Hippest that amputating his leg would be a good idea, but in reality, it was extremely painful and unnatural because he had already become accustomed to the limp.Also discussing this topic, Robert Stableman writes â€Å"Nor is Homage, the apothecary, without illusions- namely, his faith in Progress, a faith which he shared with his century. And, finally, there are the illusions of the bourgeois (their faith in religion, science, government), which are summed up for them in the speech of the councilor at the cornices escaroles† (Three Meanings of Symbolism, 198). To foreshadow Enema's fate, the blind beggar wrote a song about the transformation of her life from a romantic illusion to a sordid idea. ‘†The wind is strong this summer day, Her petticoat has flown away. She fell back upon the mattress in a convulsion. They all drew near. She was dead† (271). The end of the song exposes her and the new realist illusion as her petticoat flies away and she falls to the bed and dies. Throughout the novel Enema's character is transforming from one thing to the next. Beginning as a romantic and ending as a realist in or der to give the reader more of their own opinion. All in all, Gustavo Flatter gives away the central conflict through devices such as key character elements and dominant symbolism to emphasize the different illusions.

Hrm Issues in the Premium Oil and Gas Case Essay

This essay is based on the Premium Oil and Gas Company (POG) case study. POG, as a global, company is functioning in diversified business environment. It causes in fact, a necessity to deal with varied internal and external environmental issues, that occur within the company. Internal business environmental issues are in control of the enterprise. External business environmental issues, on the other hand, are driven by factors, that are beyond the control of the company (e.g. legal issues). According to the executives, POG company aspires to become a truly global enterprise, known for its modern and meritocratic management, supported by outstanding learning organisation. Nevertheless, some major issues can be found at all levels where company operates. This paper is focused on POG strategic issues, related to human resources management (HRM) and is divided into three parts. The first section of this paper provides a brief overview of the company aims and outlines the essay scheme. The following section indicates and analyses two main HRM issues, related to POG case, including general justification of the choice made. At the same time, a series of recommendations for POG is provided, before conclusions will be presented in the third part. Two main issues defined by the author refer to communication and knowledge sharing aspects. In general, one of the most significant platforms for company issues to arise are the culture differences between co-workers. Since internationalisation strategies started being implemented by enterprises on a large scale and the number of multinational companies grew rapidly, also multicultural issues have become the substantial matter to deal with. For POG case, where westernized culture of the headquarter is confronted with eastern way of thinking in Azeri subsidiary (Hercules Meets Buddha), communication issue can be named as one of decisive factors affecting organisational side of the company. The main role of organisational communication (Elving, 2005) is to inform clearly employees about their responsibilities, as well as about company policies and issues. Secondly, communication leads to a better integration and community creation. Hancock and Zayko (1998) also indicate the importance of communication, whereas its lack often provides with resentments between employees. The communication levels in POG may be distinguished between Azeri employees (trainees) and their trainers/colleagues from headquarter, as also between Azeris within their group, what manifests itself in teamwork tasks. The most appropriate theoretical framework to analyse the communication issues in POG seems to be the concept of Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 2001) in relation to Azeri national culture. First dimension in this model refers to uncertainty avoidance, explained by Hofstede (2001, p.161) as â€Å"The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain or unknown situation†. In relation to POG case, there is a strong alienation, suspiciousness and reluctance of Azeri trainees to westernized corporate culture. These types of behaviour seem to be typical reaction on culture shock. In result, high level of uncertainty avoidance successfully reduces the efficiency in communication between them and their western colleagues. The second, and one of the most important dimensions in context of communication is power distance. Mulder (1977) as cited in Hofstede (2001), explained the meaning of power distance by comparison of power determinacy, which is unequal between less and more powerful members of a particular system. Countries like Azerbaijan, exhibit a high degree of power distance, which means that its citizens are a hierarchical society. As a consequence, several problems can be observed in POG communication skills trainings. Firstly, Azeri trainees are afraid of asking questions, as lack of knowledge is seen by them as humiliation. Moreover, there is a strong resistance of rising issues with managers in fear of undermining their authority and damaging relationships with them. Also trying to draw conclusions from mistakes is very difficult, as taking responsibility is uncommon for Azeri people. POG trainers find these behaviours in total opposition to the company brainstorming working patterns, consistent with open and free to ask POG culture. Another dimension in Hofstede’s model is individualism, as opposition to collectivism. There are several main differences between these assumptions (Hofstede, 2011). In individualistic social framework, only immediate family is expected to take care of its member (â€Å"I†- consciousness society). Individualistic approach is concerned with westernized cultures. On the other hand, in collectivist social framework, immediate family is extended to other relatives and non-relative in-group members (â€Å"We†- consciousness society). Definition, which more accurately describes Azeri society is collectivism, what POG trainers assumed to be a solid base to develop team working skills for them. However, as the practice shows, there is a strong recognition of inequality within the group members, resulting from status-conscious society model. In Trompennars and Hampden-Turner seven dimensions’ model (1997), status-conscious approach is defined as ascription theory, where status is based on position. Communication issues arise, when there is a need from trainers to identify responsibilities and contribution of particular members in a team. Communication within the team is also affected by the social status of its members. Next dimension from Hofstede is a differentiation of social attitude in terms of gender. Feminine and Masculine societies can be defined. Feminine society is associated with modest and caring values for both genders. There is a balance between family and work (Hofstede, 2011). Good examples of feminine societies are Scandinavian countries, but also Russia, where the role of women is inherently high and influential in social relations (Camiah and Hollin shead, 2003). On the other hand, masculine societies reflect patriarchal and traditional structure with male leadership and domain role (Sikdar and Mitra, 2012). This approach is close to Azeri social behaviours, where women role in society is quite limited or at least not equal to this of men. In turn to POG case, a significant communication issue arises between Azeri trainees and female L&D officer. Despite her outstanding qualifications, communication barriers are built because of cultural accretions. Male trainees find it insulting to be advised or educated by female. In result, information flow is highly disrupted. The fifth dimension (Long-Term vs. Short-Term Orientation) is not directly linked with communication issues in this case, however, in general it may be an important indication for multicultural issues based on behavioural patterns. Another issue related to communication is language. However, this aspect is also highly linked with knowledge sharing issue and will be explained later on in this paper. Considering the main issues related to the communication in POG, identified in this paper, some changes should be provided in order to cope with these issues. A comparison can be made to Elite Hotel case, where cultural differences had also a strong impact on communication between co-workers. Although some recommendations may be covered in both cases. Firstly, the performance for â€Å"Communication and Team Working† module should be customized. This module, as a key tool of communication, does not suit to cultural differences between Azeri co-workers and company culture management scheme. Practical implementation of company rules will not succeed without understanding of these cultural differences by both sides. Taking into account POG’s aspirations to become a truly global and meritocratic company, responsibility and flexibility in management processes should be embedded. In practice, various cultural trainings, as well as cultural events to build up coherent relations, should be provided at the beginning of the training programs. Such cognitive steps ought to improve communication and become a platform to implement practical aspects of the training programme. â€Å"Communication and Team Working† module modifications shall focus on overcoming of power distance influences, through engaging trainees to an active involvement in discussion and problem solving proposals. Also individual tutorials for Azeri trainees might help them to overcome communication barriers. Inequity in terms of ‘team working’ need to be suspended by cultivation of organizational culture, in order to enhance intercultural and intra-cultural communication. Underestimation of female as a teacher should be confronted with a huge, direct and continuous support from high male authorities to break the stereotypes and teach trainees how to overcome them without losing respect in their own environment. Nevertheless, the competences of L&D officer must be proved by this young female. Knowledge sharing process is concerned as another significant issue related to POG case. Whereas explicit knowledge can be formalized, tacit knowledge is strongly connected with communication. Moving further, communication issues have impact on knowledge transfers. Processes of creating knowledge and its management in organizational level have been studied by many authors. Most of them emphasize the importance of capability to transfer knowledge, as a pivotal factor in fields of organiza tional learning processes (Goh, 2002). The process of sharing knowledge may be considered from different contexts. Transfers may take place within the same unit in organization, throughout different departments, or between subsidiaries. Knowledge can be also shared between individuals, communities and groups; locally, nationally or worldwide. Argote and Ingram (2000, p.151) link these partitions with experience and describe knowledge transfer as â€Å"the process through which one unit (e.g., group, department, or division) is affected by the experience of another†. There are several ways of how knowledge is shared. According to Taylor et al. (1996), there are three main strategies for transferring HRM knowledge. POG strategy characterizes high internal but low external consistency, what indicates centralized HRM system and strong domination of headquarter over its Azeri subsidiary. There are several important individual factors, affecting knowledge transfer. Integrated capability of these factors may either facilitate or impede the HR knowledge transfer (Lecture 2, Knowledge Transfer and Sharing, Figure 2). Accordingly, some issues related to knowledge transfer in POG case are connected and complemented by communication issues, however they demonstrate problems from different view. Firstly, culture differences between co-workers have a large impact on knowledge transfer. The example of female L&D officer is the most appropriate one to adopt, when knowledge absorption is limited by cultural ties. Another issue is connected with motivation and willingness for cooperation, required to achieve mutual benefits. Lack of co-operative behaviours can be observed in terms of sharing opinions or involving into discussion during the meetings with management board. Finally, language skills can determine processes of acquiring knowledge, when Azeri workers need to learn English as an operative language in the company. However, English is not the first language for Dutch workers either, who stand for the majority of the company staff. In terms of recommendations, knowledge sharing issues must be solved by POG executives quite fast, bearing in mind the company staffing plans for the next five years. Generally speaking, POG strategy of HRM should become more integrative (rather than exportive) with high internal and moderate external consistency, in order to optimize solutions for subsidiaries like Azerbaijan. There is also a significant role of trainers and expatiate managers for knowledge transfer capabilities. Country-specific, intercultural training should be conducted for them, as part of their preparation for the job. The Robert Bosh GmbH case is a good example for POG, how to achieve intercultural proximity to improve knowledge transfer. HRM issues in POG company simply highlight, that it is not sufficient for organizations to get adopted to business environment without respecting individuals from different cultures (Trompennars and Hampden-Turner, 1997). Hofstede’s framework clearly indicates these differences, which affect HRM, not only in communication, but also in knowledge transfer. The deeper the differences, the more complex management issues arise. ‘Communication and Team Working’ module should be customized in respect to Azeri culture, rather than be left unified for all subsidiaries. Also implementation of integrative HRM strategy, jointly with higher intercultural sensitiveness of trainers and expatriates could facilitate knowledge absorption capacities of Azeris. Nevertheless, core values of the company management ought to remain unchanged. There are no simple decisions without both positive and negative consequences involved. In fact, there is no single box with tools to fix problems, and various ways may be chosen to follow. List of references: ARGOTE, L., and INGRAM, P., 2000. Knowledge Transfer: A Basis For Competitive Advantages in Firms. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes [online], 82(1), p. 150-169. Available at: http://www.columbia.edu/~pi17/2893a.pdf [Accessed 1 December 2012]. CAMIAH, N., and HOLLINSHEAD, G., 2003. Assessing the potential for effective cross-cultural working between â€Å"new† Russian Managers and western expatriates. Journal of World Business [online] 38, 245-261. Available at: http://wenku.baidu.com/view/862ab85abe23482fb4da4cf7.html [Accessed 5 December 2012] ELVING, W.J.L., 2005. The role of communication in organizational change. Corporate Communications: An International Journal [online], 10(2), pp. 129-138. Available via: Emerald [Accessed 1 December 2012]. GOH, S.C., 2002. Managing effective knowledge transfer: an integrative framework and some practice implications. Journal of Knowledge Management [online], 6(1), pp. 23-30. Available via: Emerald [Accessed 7 December 2012]. HANCOCK, W.M., and ZAYKO, M.J., 1998. Lean production implementation problems, IIE Solutions, 30(6), pp. 38-42. HOFSTEDE, G., 2001. Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviours, institutions, and organizations across nations. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications Inc. HOFSTEDE, G., 2011. Dimensionalizing Cultures: The Hofstede Model in Context. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture [online], unit 2. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/orpc/vol2/iss1/8 [Accessed 3 December 3, 2012]. SIKDAR, A., and MITRA, S., 2012. Gender-role stereotypes: perception and practice of leadership in the Middle East. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues [online], 5(3), pp.146-162. Available via: Emerald [Accessed 5 December 2012]. TAYLOR, S., BEECHLER, S., and NAPIER N., 1996. Towards an integrative model of strategic international human resource management. Academy of Management Review [online], 21(4) pp. 959-985. Available via: Business Source Complete [Accessed 7 December 2012]. TROMPENNARS, F., and HAMPDEN-TURNER, C., 1997. Riding the waves of culture [online], 2nd ed. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Available at: http://khurrambukhari.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/riding-on-the-waves-of-culture.pdf [Accessed 3 December 2012]

A Night To Forget

The wind blow violently through the church-yard, wiping the hair off of Abi's face, as she looked down at her mothers grave. At the corner of a church a man with dark hair and piercing green eyes stared across at her. â€Å"It's no good girls we are going to have to call it a night. It's been absolutely fantastic, hard to believe it's my last night as a single woman, but I will be in no fit state to get married tomorrow if we don't go now,† wailed Jeannie. The mob of giggling girls tumbled out of the night-club, none of them noticing the tall dark man who floated out after them. Wanna lift home Rachel, we're all taking a cab,† screamed one of the girls, clutching on to Jeannie with one hand round her neck holding her upright. â€Å"No, I'm fine you lot, I've drank a bit much, perhaps walking home will clear my head. Anyway it's not far. † â€Å"Ok Rachel, we all know you can look after yourself,† said Jeannie with a wink, and a fit of laughter met her words. With a last fleeting look at the remnants of the wild hen night, Rachel turned to walk the few streets home. Rachel turned the corner, humming softly to herself reminiscing about the night and her friends, † I cant believe there's only one of us left who's still single,† she spoke the words with slight regret, â€Å"At least Jeannie found the man she had always wanted†. â€Å"Pete wouldn't be too happy about the man that was paying me rather too much attention, in the night-club. I wish he was going to be home tonight, we could talk more about, perhaps, getting married ourselves†. She hugged herself at the thought, perhaps it would be her turn to get married next! At that moment two men in the park caught her eye both walking quickly but far apart from one another. One had a huge German shepherd which wagged its tail at the sight of her, but as the man bent down to reprimand it, and she smiled to herself, â€Å"There are loads of people out tonight must have been something big going on†. She debated if she should cut through the park, â€Å"Should I, shan't I, well it'll be quicker. † She crossed the street and entered the park, the swings were squeaking, and the wind whistled through the trees, picking up speed and making her hair cover her face. Someone coughed behind her, she jumped in the air, peering around she breathed a sigh of relief, it was only the butcher Frank. She greeted him and carried on home, the wind continued whistling around her. There was a huge rustling in the evergreen bushes near her feet, she held her breath and looked pointedly up at the increasingly darkening sky, until she felt something brush her hand. She looked down suddenly at the wet floor, the black tarmac path covered with a festering film of moss and the sight that met her eyes was very surprising as it was the great shaggy head of the German Shepherd she had seen earlier. Rain started pouring down in droplets the size of 50 pence pieces and began running of gutters and roofs, the rain plastering her hair to her sweaty face as though buckets of water were being repeatedly dropped on her head. The moon which had given her light, now became covered by the heavy black storm clouds, and it was the occasional lightening strike which seemed to land increasingly closer each time which gave a second of illumination before plunging the street around her into darkness yet again. The sound of a fire alarm rang in the distance but she focused her mind it wasn't something for her to deal with tonight. She started to walk quicker, and glanced behind her but the man seemed to be the same distance away, she broke into a frantic kind of run, her face contorting as she tried to keep her mind, she was so close to the end of the park. As she rounded the next bend, only two streets away from her house, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She peered over her shoulder and was more than a little bit surprised to see the man who had been walking across the park behind her. His hair was dark, and he was exceedingly tall, was he the man who had flirted with her at the night-club? His face was covered in shadow and his eyes were looking at the floor and his hands were in his pockets. She sighed, of course, she did live in a busy area it wasn't that odd for someone to be walking this way. She carried on walking checking behind her every now and then and becoming increasingly worried that after several minutes he still was following her, this couldn't possibly be normal, could it? She started humming again but the tune was slightly distorted as her breathing became shallow and she had to gasp for air as her throat was constricting. She plunged her hand into her bag, it crawling around searching, searching for her keys. Pete always complained that she could never find her keys, suddenly her hand grasped around then. The lights in the house were out, her flat mate wasn't in either, she sprinted up the drive to the house, one last lightening strike making her panic stricken face light up, â€Å"shit, shit† she cried thrusting the bent key into the lock. She gave one vital turn on the key and hear the lock snap open, she threw the door open and slammed it shut behind her and leant back on the door her breath coming out in great rasping breaths. She gave a huge sigh of relief and sunk down onto the rough, wooden floor. â€Å"He was probably innocent and wasn't doing anything wrong but, phew that was just too scary†. Rachel, slowly got to her feet and climbed the winding staircase made of old pine with the creaky first step. As here feet found there way to tiled landing floor she pushed open the door and slowly made her way through the catastrophic mess of books and clothes that was her bedroom all scattered over a periwinkle blue carpet. She then slowly tiptoed through the junk to the bathroom and leant over the bath to turn on the exceedingly rusty, hot tap. A sound met here ears which could not have had anything to do with her, the step at the bottom of the stair had given an almighty creak, her head shot up and she turned to face the door on to the landing. â€Å"That couldn't have been anybody. No I must have imagined it. † Rachel then slipped out of her pale lilac, dress which had rested a couple of inches above her knobbly knees, and pulled on her woollen dressing gown. The water flooded into the bath as she made her way out of the room and slowly descended the old staircase and stumbled into the kitchen, â€Å"I must have drunk far too much† she moaned softly slightly slurring each word. She reached for kettle to fill it with water only to notice the tap was dripping. That couldn't have been her, so she leant forward to turn it on properly. The door creaked behind her and she spun round, no one was there but the door was swinging slowly. Open, shut, open, shut. She crept to the door, but before she had got two paces across the room she uttered a small, quickly stifled shout. She felt something-soft winding itself between her legs. It was Emily, her cat. Rachel got back up from stroking her scary little friend to turn the dripping tap off. No longer was it dripping. She shook her head violently, blond hair cascading over her face, â€Å"no one is in here, its fine. † She cautiously, walked through the door into the hall and felt the soft sheepskin rug rub between her toes, her heart beating hard against her ribcage, and her palms oozing sweat. She turned the corner to climb the stairs, and silently ascended the stairs yet again, and she walked into the bathroom. The water was no longer running, this was no longer a joke someone had to be in the house? â€Å"Raquel are you here? Please tell me your joking around? Its not funny you know, please come out,† she cried into the silence her breath coming out in short gasps, her eyes flitting from the landing and the stairs to her bedroom, the two closest places to her. She fled down the stairs to the kitchen her feet echoing loudly, on the wooden steps. â€Å"No. No, who's in here,† her shouts went unanswered in the big house. She leant back wards against the kitchen ledge and put her hands behind her each on a part of the kitchen worktop. She squeezed her hands against the rough marbled side, and felt some thing rustle under one of her palms. She picked it up, a single scrap of paper and turned round to read it on the kitchen side. Looking forward to seeing you again sweetheart. Her hands began to tremble, and the hairs on the back of her neck stuck up. Bang! The door swung open on its hinges. â€Å"I told you we would meet again†. He said smirking at her, his eyes looking her up and down, his gaze then lingering on her face. â€Å"Y-y-you, shouldn't b-be in here†. She stammered. â€Å"What do u mean I shouldn't be in here, darling. I'm in love with you. We are destined to be together. † â€Å"You've no right to be in here, how'd you get in† Rachel said her voice slightly stronger now, as she regained her senses after the shock of seeing him there. â€Å"Why, do all, of the girls say that, I hated it when the other girls said that! † he said, his greasy voice becoming less cosseting and more fierce. W-w-what do you mean by others,† the stammers returned, her fears now staring her in the face as she realised what he could do. â€Å"Oh, I just meant the other women I liked, not that they are still around anymore. They decided they didn't like me. † His voice suggesting that this was nothing out of the ordinary. â€Å"There was, Miranda, Polly, Florenec and, oh, Abi. † He said counting them off on his fingers. â€Å"W-what do you mean there not around anymore? † she asked tentatively. â€Å"What do you think I mean darling? † he replied. Trying to placate him she responded, â€Å"oh, I expect you mean that they just moved away. † He laughed, â€Å"course they did darling, moved to heaven or hell. † Rachel realised that the man in her house was seriously deranged and that she was in mortal danger. She knew she needed to get away from him, as quickly as possible, but with legs that felt like jelly she wasn't sure how she would achieve this. A strange clicking noise could just be heard coming from the direction of the hall they both turned to it, he asked sharply, â€Å"what's that? She replied, â€Å"Oh I often here that noise I don't know what it is, don't worry about it, knowing that it was the door bell with its nearly flat battery. Rachel knew that all she needed to do now was get to the doorbell with out alerting his suspicions. Suddenly with no warning he lunged forward, wrapping his muscular arm around her defenceless neck. He hissed in her ear, â€Å"Do you think I'm stupid there is someone at the door isn't there? † Rachel slumped forward, her weight catching him unprepared, he staggered under her weight. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through his lower body, he stepped backwards shaking his head, moaning â€Å"what's going on,† not quite comprehending what was happening and completely unprepared for the next sharp blow that struck him over the head knocking him to the floor. There was a huge commotion at the front door, clearly somebody was trying to open it without the benefit of a key. The door suddenly gave way and several huge men powered through the door looking around, in there midst was a familiar hairy face. As the men dealt with the now unconscious would be attacker, Rachel buried her head in Rex the German shepherds shaggy coat. She took a deep breath and turned to her colleagues to ask, â€Å"what the hell kept you. † Her inspector patted her on the back saying, † well done Sergeant you played your role well, the way you stumbled home those orange juices must have been very strong but at least this murdering bastered will soon be under lock and key. â€Å"By the way sergeant exactly w2hat did you do to him before we got here? † she replied smiling, â€Å"that's what comes from having a boyfriend who's a Karate 6th Dan. The operation went smoothly enough, mind you I though Rex was gonna blow our cover when he came to see me through the bushes in the park! â€Å"