Money and Federalism Essay example

Money and Federalism Essay example Money and Federalism Essay example Money and Federalism Interdependence of sectors of society compelled government to take larger role. Another factor: Federal government has a superior ability to tax and borrow. Why? Why? States and localities are in an inherently competitive situation with regard to taxation. People and business can move to another state or locality. National government dependent on personal and corporate income tax. State and localities: license fees and property taxes. Federal Government and Money Can raise more taxes than do all the 50 states. Can control the American dollar (the Federal Reserve). Can borrow money to cover its deficits. States and localities can go bankrupt - harder to find credit. Fiscal Federalism Federal government’s revenue raising advantage has helped make money the basis for many of the relations between the national government and state and local government. Carrot and stick approach. Principle method: Grants in Aid. Grants in Aid: The Carrots Defined as: money paid by one level of government to another level of government to be spent for a specific purpose. Have been used to fund projects in: mass transportation health care urban renewal drug rehab housing crime Three types of Grants Categorical- grants given for specific purposes Block- grants given for general purposes Revenue Sharing - grants given with no strings/direction given for its disbursement Two types of categorical grants Formula: those that are distributed according to a formula. Project grants: awarded on a competitive basis through a federal agency The Stick Approach Direct Orders: legal measures adopted by the national government and enforced by civil and criminal penalties that require certain actions by state and local governments. Equal Opportunity Act of 1972: Barred job discrimination by state and local governments on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin. Another Example: Direct Order Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: requires that local governments see to it that all fixed rate public transportation systems be made accessible to the disabled as well as other new public transportation facilities. The national government passes a law that DIRECTLY requires some action on the part of state and local governments. The Stick: Preemption Preemption is the national government’s removal of an area of authority from state and local governments. Example: Clean Air Act 1990, Amendments in 1989 dealing with hazardous and solid waste, Water Quality Act of 1987. Took away state authority and often imposes costs in form of unfunded mandates. Partial Preemption Occurs when the national government establishes minimum standards in certain areas and authorizes state and local governments to exercise primary responsibility for

15 Stock Characters †and How to Restock Them

15 Stock Characters - and How to Restock Them 15 Stock Characters and How to Restock Them 15 Stock Characters and How to Restock Them By Mark Nichol Does the cast of characters in your novel or short story fall under some of these categories? Take care that your characters don’t fall into the clichà © trap: If you find that they resemble one of the stereotypes below, reconsider your characterization or at least provide the dramatis persona with a distinguishing personality characteristic that’s a twist on the same old, same old. 1. Antihero: This character, a protagonist (typically seen in detective and adventure genres) whose personality flaws distinguish him or her from a standard hero, is inherently much more interesting than the upstanding counterpart. The key characteristic is usually misanthropy, but that’s not enough to round a character out. An antihero must have a solid foundation on which to stand. 2. Absent-minded professor: Perhaps Professor Fumblebuttons is just pretending to be a shock-haired scientist who can’t remember where he put his glasses (â€Å"Um, the glasses you’re wearing?†). What’s his motive for his deception? 3. Boy/girl next door: Is John or Mary really what he or she seems? What dark secret does that wholesome countenance conceal? This character easily pales in comparison with a complicated villain or sidekick, so make an extra effort to invest your protagonist with personality or relegate the squeaky-clean persona to a secondary role. 4. Clown/fool: Traditionally, the court jester often someone of fragile mental stability or feigning the same was the only person allowed to mock or question his powerful patron, and his antics involved not only lighthearted entertainment but also sometimes barbed satire or veiled criticism. A comic-relief character needs to be more than just a wisecracking or mischievous type. Perhaps he’s the omniscient narrator, or he’s pretending to be a smart-aleck to divert attention from his true purpose. 5. Damsel in distress: The helpless young maiden is one of the most tired tropes in storytelling and so is the helpless young maiden turned butt-kicking babe. Better yet, imbue your ingenue with the characteristics of another character type, either one on this list or another stock persona. 6. Everyman: The peril of presenting a character designed to represent everyone is that he will appeal to no one. Make sure your everyman (or everywoman, or boy or girl edition) possesses enough distinguishing characteristics to be interesting, even intriguing. Remember: Relentlessly virtuous characters are boring, and stories in which they have no real challenges fail to engage readers. 7. Femme fatale: The enduring appeal of the deceptive villainess is whether she is in fact aiding or thwarting the protagonist. It’s a balancing act to keep readers guessing to the very end of the story- and that may not be enough. What if your femme fatale is herself deceived, either by the protagonist or by a third character? Twists within twists keep this trope fresh. 8. Hooker with a heart of gold: The bad girl turned good girl is a nice repudiation of moral intolerance, but it’s a stale stereotype. As in the case of her sister the femme fatale, readers shouldn’t be able to predict how she will behave. Is a second-act act of kindness part of a climactic ruse? Is she pressured to betray the protagonist, or is it part of her own plot? 9. Knight-errant: This bright-eyed variant of the hero can drag down a story with him (or her) take care that the conscientious crusader is not too glistening of tooth and sparkling of eye. The most interesting knight-errant in literature is Don Quixote, who was an abject failure (and was all the more appealing for his indefatigable idealism). 10. Manic pixie dream girl: This phrase, coined relatively recently, refers to the offbeat and seemingly off-her-rocker character who upends the protagonist’s carefully ordered world. The problem? She’s done and overdone at least in films. For the stereotype to not be stale, there has to be more to her than quirk. Why is she such a goofball? 11. Nerd: Geek, dork, nimrod been there, done that. But, for example, in the brilliant film Brick (film noir meets adolescent angst), the school brain is not an object of scorn but an awkward, laconic human database for the teenage gumshoe and there’s a touch of empathy for him in the way the lead character keeps him at arm’s length. What makes a nerd a nerd? And what makes him (or her) interesting? Hints of depth, or of deviousness, or both. 12. Sidekick: The protagonist’s right-hand man or woman serves as a counterpoint: intrepid vs. timid, serious vs. silly, and so on, one way or the other. Make sure your lead character’s attendant complements him or her, but also keep their relationship fresh by introducing some vulnerability in the main character the subordinate can exploit. 13. Tomboy: The tomboy transformed is a tired trope, not much better than the mousy maiden who becomes a blithe beauty just by taking off her eyeglasses. Resist the urge to go the Cinderella route: If an androgynous or athletic woman or girl refuses to conform to societal standards for feminine appearance, go with it. But why does she rebel against such norms? That’s the key to her character. 14. Tortured artist: In literature as in real life, complicated creative types are tiresome. A broadly comic tortured artist may be an effective device, but the writer must handle this type with care. 15. Wise man: The scholarly mentor is a time-tested element of many classic stories (think Merlin, or Yoda), so any such character must possess distinct traits. Perhaps your story’s wise man is brilliant about some things but inept concerning others he needs his protà ©gà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s help in affairs of the heart, or, like the absent-minded professor, with whom he shares some characteristics, is a sage when it comes to intellectual areas but is at a loss when it comes to practical matters. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†Email EtiquettePredicate Complements

Human Population Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Population - Essay Example Food, water, shelter, healthcare, and security are increasingly becoming a key problem in the society. In Africa, for example, large family sizes are resulting in poor qualities of life. Moreover, population in China and India among other countries in the world exhibits the dire need for controlled population growth on the planet. Insights shed in the video are undoubtedly fundamental to the welfare of the human race. At a personal level, it is important for the contemporary global society to address the issues raised in the program. Water shortages are already hitting many parts of the world. Forest cover has been reducing at an alarming rate across the globe. Education and awareness on contraceptives remain inaccessible to many people around the world. In this respect, the video is an important learning tool for students, parents, social policy makers, and government agencies that deal with population matters. It is important to control and manage global population for improved social, economic, and environmental

Summary 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Summary 2 - Essay Example These investors also have to concentrate on the crucial environmental aspect and the social governance. (Mcknett, 2012) The encouraging gear initiated by the CEOs is that they have seen the usefulness of sustainability in business and the only secret of being more competitive in the business market. He in most occasions as part his job, speaks to the investors. The companies and the investors do not determine the destiny of the earth because they do not possess an indefinite mandate in that in finance theory; they are not subordinate to the sustainability. Through his talking, he stated that consideration of fresh water, clean air and feeding more than 10 billion populations, is a pressing challenge (Mcknett, 2012). Speaker quoted President John F. Kennedy, stated that some risks are associated to long-range, and expenses of comfortable functioning. The speaker summed up his speech by highlighting a quote by Mark Twain â€Å"plan for the future because that’s where you are going to spend the rest of your

School Uniform Essay Example for Free

School Uniform Essay A school uniform makes it easier for the school authorities to recognize students belonging to their school. Authorities can also make out if someone doesnt belong to a school, if someone just manages to sneak in; unless, of course, they go through all the trouble of buying a uniform that fits! †¢ A school uniform also saves the school administrators from having to police what the students wear. There are no daily battles regarding whats appropriate to wear or not for school. †¢ A school uniform apparently also saves students from putting their fashion tastes before their learning requirements. When they dont have to spend time wondering what to wear and how to make a fashion statement, they can devote more time to getting educated. This in turn, lifts their academic performance. †¢ Wearing the same type of dress reduces social snobbery and peer pressure in educational institutions. It is also supposed to reduce incidents of bullying and theft. How do you pick on someone for wearing the same dress as yourself? Why would you steal a pair of shoes you both have and can afford? Thus there are fewer arguments, and following a dress code plays more of a balancing act. †¢ School uniforms cramp the style of gang members. They have to recognize each other by names and faces instead of flaunting aggressively painted jackets, T-shirts with obscene messages, clunky jewelry, and things like that. Instead of my gang and your gang, they also have to think in terms of our school. Its a hard life. On the brighter side, it helps them to live another day and go on to survive in college. †¢ A school uniform can instill a sense of discipline and community feeling. This naturally reduces incidents of violence. Students can come to school without worrying about personal safety. Teachers dont have to double as guards, and can concentrate on teaching. †¢ By wearing a uniform dress code, students can find other means to showcase  their creativeness. †¢ At a very young age, school uniforms instill the spirit of teamwork and one feels proud to be a part of a school, if he/she represents the school for any occasion. †¢ Most importantly, uniforms are cost-efficient, as parents do not have to spend on clothes for their children, thus benefiting them. So, to sum it up, by wearing uniforms, students appear to belong to a single community, they require less time to spend on deciding what to wear and it prevents wrong conduct, thus inculcating discipline in them. Hence, wearing school uniforms seems to be a pretty convincing and stimulating strategy. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/benefits-of-school-uniforms.html Pros of School Uniforms It helps you to find children: If a school is on a trip, or if a child runs away, a school uniform can help teachers to quickly identify children from their school and so prevent them from getting lost. This is a very useful ability for teachers and if it means fewer children going missing its of course a good thing. It prevents competition and teasing: When children wear their own clothes into school, this then becomes a time for them to judge each other. Some children will be more mature than others, some will have better dress sense, and some will have more money at their disposal. What you dont want is some children turning up in fashionable new clothes and bullying the ones in their hand-me-downs who will inevitably feel embarrassed as a result. With a school uniform everyone is the same, thus no one can argue this point. Likewise wearing home clothes can show affiliation – to sports teams, to TV series, or to bands – and this can then cause arguments between the r ival teams. It can enforce a positive attitude: In a work place we dress smartly even though theres normally no uniform in office jobs, and even the self employed are advised to dress as though they were going into an office. The reason for this is that it can make you feel professional, and that that in turn can make you produce a better quality of  work. The same is true of school children and if they are in shirts they will feel more like little workers and less like football fans. It can teach discipline: Though many jobs do not require a uniform, others do. If you children are going to grow up to become nurses or checkout assistants then they may as well get used now to putting on the same uniform day in and out. It shows their age: At the end of the day you want people to know that your children are children. This prevents people from chatting them up or serving them alcohol. By putting them in school uniforms the older looking children then cant pretend to be older than they are. It can be used as an excuse: If a child is misbehaving and needs to be put in line, it can sometimes be difficult for a teacher to find a reason. By telling them off for having their shirt un-tucked though you have a legitimate reason. This is often why there are dress codes in clubs (though some parents would undoubtedly argue this was a bad reason to wear a uniform) Helpful for Teachers * Uniforms allow teachers to teach. Taking away the need to police clothing choices gives teachers a chance to focus on curriculum and not on what the students are wearing. It helps to remove the subjective nature of general clothing guidelines, such as determining what is offensive. Attitude * Uniforms help to change the attitude of those wearing them. Unlike regular clothing choices, you are not likely to pick on someone wearing the exact same thing as yourself. Many a schoolyard fight has begun with someone making fun of someone else regarding the clothing they are wearing. Dressing nicely also helps students to live up to their clothing. There is an innate sense of decorum when we dress for success. People tend to act differently depending on the clothing they are wearing. By creating a uniform specifically designed for attending school, the attitude falls in line. When those clothes are on, it becomes as regular as putting on pajamas, so a brain knows it is time to focus and learn. Sex Factor * Reducing the sex factor also provides motivation to focus on studies. Even when students dress within guidelines, children can find a way to push the limits with how low cut or tight their clothing might be. With a  uniform, that is almost entirely removed. You will no longer have the girl with the low-cut blouse distracting the boys in the classroom. Sense of Belonging * Providing a sense of belonging is an important part of uniformity. When you help to remove the class system by leveling the playing field, it provides students with the opportunity to be included. Clothing is an easy way to point out those who do not have money or support. By eliminating this discrepancy, you have made life easier for all students. Safety * Safety-wise, uniforms make students easily identifiable. It becomes simple to locate those who do not belong on a campus when they are not in the correct clothing. They also prevent the concerns of gangs and other forms of cliques sporting their colors and causing friction between groups or individuals. The main reason schools in America choose not to allow their students to wear their own clothes is because of the gangs. Having a uniform stops gang members from displaying their colours and garb. The schools also believe it helps stop violence and helps instill a sense of pride in the students. It also helps to break down the barriers between different socioeconomic groups. Below are some opinions taken from a messageboard regarding the issue: I feel we should keep to the uniform. It sets an example of the school. It is representation the community. It is easy to point out different people. Also there would be more fights/bulllys due to the lack of fashion. Many schools throughout the U.S. force students grades kindergarten through twelfth to wear uniforms. Students who attend public schools should not have to wear uniforms for four reasons. 1. School uniforms inhibit studentsEUR(TM) individuality. Young people often express their feelings through the clothing that they wear. Uniforms will take away this form of expression. Why should school districts try to make everyone look the same? 2. A school uniform policy inhibits a students freedom of choice. Schools teach students that our country is a free one. But when school boards make students wear what they tell them too it curtails the students freedom. 3. There is the issue of cost. Many parents shop for  their childrens clothes at used and discount stores. Uniforms can cost more money than these families might be able to afford. Also, these students would need to buy additional clothing to wear after school and on the weekends. Thats double the amount of money a family would spend than they would without the uniforms.  wearing comfortable clothing to school. Uniforms are not necessarily comfortable. Also, wearing a uniform might make the student uncomfortable around people outside the school who dont have to wear a uniform. If we want individuality, freedom, and comfort for students while keeping costs down for families, we should not have a school uniform policy for students who attend public schools. In my opinion, right up to year 11 students/kids should have to wear school uniform, it stops all the arguments about who has the latest fashions etc. But when you reach college or 6th form it should stop, because by then your old enough to know not to take the pee out of what people wear. Mind you saying that, most of the people at my 6th form were wallys. Professional: Some say that a child in a school uniform is more likely to take school seriously. Putting on the school uniform signals he or she is going to school just like dad dresses up to go to work. Schools report that when students dress in work clothes rather than play clothes they take a more serious approach to their studies. Promotes Good Discipline: Many think that school uniforms help maintain school discipline, decreasing the amount of discipline problems. The argument is that children today are lacking in self-discipline because parents refuse to discipline them. This makes it more difficult on the teacher who has to deal with classes of 25-30 students at a time. Reduces Fighting and Violence: Schools report that school uniforms decrease fighting and violence that arrise out of arguments over fashionable clothes. Children invariably tease those who do not have trendy clothes. Those who cant afford name brand clothes are often sensitive about their clothing. Schools struggling with  gang problems report that school uniforms help ease tensions. Distractions: Many parents believe that students wearing school uniforms look nicer and that a school uniform policy ensures that children will come to school in appropriate clothing, avoiding distractions such as fads considered to be outlandish or overly revealing. Some students have turned school into an unending fashion show. This disctracts from learning, as some kids spend more time focused on thier clothes than on homework. AdChoices Values: School uniforms stress that individuality and self-expression are not determined by designer clothing or the latest fashion fad. Low Cost: School uniforms are a bargain. They are becoming far less expensive than many other clothes. Schools argue that school uniforms are economical, especially compared to designer clothing, and parents agree given school uniform durability. They say school uniforms last longer because they are made for repeated wash and wear. Many schools capitalize on this by starting used school uniform stores or swap meets. Parents can get used school uniforms at discount prices, or just use them as hand-me-downs between siblings. School Spirit: Some feel wearing a school uniform helps build school spirit. It instills a feeling of belonging. As the Beach Boys said, Be true to your school. Schools report an increase in school pride. Individuality: Supressing individuality is the most commonly cited objection to school uniforms. Educators argue that an academic program encouraging students to pursue individual thought is much more important than what they wear. They inhibit creativity and self-expression, forcing students to conform. Causes Discipline Problems: Some students reject any rules. Forcing them to wear school uniforms only aggravates their rebelious spirit. They alter their school uniform by tightening, widening, shortening, or lengthening them, and teachers are given the impossible task of policing the students on a daily basis. Little  or No Relationship to Academics: Opponents insist that their is no credible evidence that school uniforms improve school discipline or promote higher academic acheivement. The principal argument is that some great students are terrible dressers. Dress does not necessarily improve learning.

Teaching the Client to Take a Radial Pulse Essay -- Teaching-Learning

I chose to write my teaching-learning paper on how to take a radial pulse. I knew â€Å"Nurses are involved in client education to promote wellness, prevent or diagnose illness early, restore optimal health & function if illness has occurred, and assist clients and families to cope with alterations in health status.† (Craven & Hirnle, 2008, p. 347) However, I had to come up with a reason for choosing how to take a radial pulse. I know in the field the client would already have the needs to learn, so I asked my client. I approached the client and asked him to give me a reason why he wanted to learn to take a radial pulse. His first reaction was â€Å"Can I use it to find out if someone is dead?† He said this smiling with a smirk of pure mischievous motives. Shaking my head, I told the client â€Å"Yes, but really, give me a reason.† He followed up with â€Å"Well, I can get information together to see how I can build an exercise regimen. Don’t I need t o know how to do that for exercising?† After explaining to him that yes, you need to reach a target heart rate where you know you are burning calories at best we both decided we discovered our goal for this project. â€Å"The teaching-learning process empowers client to achieve increased wellness or to manage specific healthcare needs.† (C raven & Hirnle, 2008, p.345) Knowing this, I had discovered my goal for the client as well. Before beginning the teaching progress I need to learn about my client’s learning needs. â€Å"Determine what the client needs to know or do to function more independently† (Craven & Hirnle, 2008, p. 348). The best ways to gather information about your client is to ask your client. Therefore, I had asked my client what he knew about taking a radial pulse. His reply was â€Å"I only k... ...necting to your client and understanding their needs before pressing your teaching upon them. No client is willing to learn from someone who is in a hurry and just passing information like it is a voting pamphlet. Every client must be reached on their level to meet their concerns and their needs. Works Cited Carpenito-Moyet, L.J. (2010). Handbook of Nursing Diagnosis 13th Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Craven, R.F., & Hirnle, C.J. (2008). Fundamentals of Nursing: Human Health and Function 6th Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. D’Amico, Med, RN, D, & Barbarito, EdD, RN, C. (2007). Health & Physical Assessment in Nursing. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.. Smith, L. (2003). Help! My patient's illiterate. Nursing, 33(11 Part 1), 32hn6. Retrieved from CINAHL Plus with Full Text database.

Market Structures: Tesco

This task for Business environment is split in two parts. For Part 1 I will be describing the 4 different market structures that economist usually talk about are perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly and monopoly. Using the 4 market structures I will illustrate using real life case studies and examples how a selected business of my choice has behaved/responded to its market structure and finally describe how the OFT and other regulatory bodies check against anti – competitive behaviours. In the second part of the assignment I will describe the value of international and EU markets to UK firms. My description will include an evaluation of the pros and cons of UK joining the Euro along with that I will describe the impact of 2 EU policies on UK businesses. The business that I have chosen for this assignment is Tesco; this is because Tesco is a multibillion pound international business. Different types of market structures Market structures are the business orientated characteristics of a market; all businesses must focus on these characteristics of the market because these have an effect on the degree of competition in the industry and influence the business product or service pricing decisions. Perfect competition: In a perfect competition there are few entry and exit barriers, in this type of competition the companies target the mass audience and they differentiate their product with minor changes in the product attributes (Homogenous). Homogenous products are identical products or business e.g. aviation all airlines prove one service which is to get their customers from one location to their destination and most customers have no preference or specific type of airline that they want to travel with, most customers will just look for the cheapest airline. In such type of competition most of the companies use Push strategy, i.e. huge efforts will be done through their sales team, the main focus is the product availability. In this type of competition the companies are forced to follow the competitive pricing strategy in order to survive in the industry, i.e. the buyers have the power to influence the price of the product or services. Examples of a perfect competition to its closest definition are in the financial market like stock exchange, currency exchange market and the bonds/certificates market. As the companies are bound to follow market prices the only way the company can have advantage over its competitors is by reducing its operating costs and working at optimum level of efficiency . Monopolistic competition: Under monopolistic competition, the market consists of many buyers and sellers who trade over a range of prices rather than a single market price. A range of prices occurs because sellers can differentiate their offers to buyers. Either the physical products can be varied in quality, features, style or the accompanying services can be varied. Buyers see different in sellers, products and will pay different prices for them. Sellers try to develop differentiate offers for different customer segments and, in addition to price, freely use branding advertising and personal selling to set their offers apart. In this sort of environment the businesses and trades people have somewhat control over their prices because of the products differentiations. Most common examples of monopolistic competitions are: restaurants as in the right area and right type of food they can have their own small portion of monopoly, professional solicitors, building and project managing firms and finally plumbers as there are less of them and more required. Oligopoly: In this type of competition the industry has a small numbers of large dominant firms that have a firm control over the market. In oligopoly there are many entry and exit barriers such as huge investments etc. In this type of industry firms usually follows pull strategy and make huge efforts in marketing and advertising to attract its target customers, the products in the industry could be highly differentiated or even be similar but hard of getting a hold and this is why businesses use branding or homogenous. Due to the low degree of competition theses big giants can decide on their own price which is most suitable for its target audience and these prices will be non-competition prices however there could be potential for collusion and price fixing so that each dominant business can enjoy their market share and have profits accordingly i.e. their profits margin will vary but still always high. Example of oligopolistic business industries are: supermarkets such as Tesco which alone owns 30.4% which is nearly 1/3 of the UK supermarket retail share market share, banking industry, chemicals industry, oil and energy industry, medical drugs and also the news and media broadcasting industry. http://www.retail-week.com/data/kantar-worldpanel/tesco-market-share-up-as-it-piles-pressure-on-asda/5010942.article (Tesco market share) Monopoly: A monopoly has high barriers to entry and firms have strong controls over their prices and they also control the supply of their product which can increase demand of popular products, because a firm with a monopoly has majority of the market share it can decide to have low prices in order to destroy their competitors. A good and most current example of a monopoly is the Apple Company which has created the iPhone, because of the degree of the monopoly there is a high possibility of price discrimination where the customers and the consumers have their choices limited to what is available in the market. There are three different types of monopolies listed as below: Pure monopoly in where the firm is the industry, for example Transport for London, the firm which owns all buses and underground tubes in and around London, this is where consumers have no or very limited choice. Actual monopoly is where the firm has somewhat majority of the market share in the industry, in this case Tesco is the most famous example, Tesco owns over 30.4% of the market share and is the leader in supermarket industry. Natural monopoly is where there are high fixed costs for example the energy industry like gas and electricity as well as water, telecommunications and the transportation industry like underground and rail. The disadvantages of a monopoly is that customer are exploited to high prices and potential supplies have limited choice for demand and this means that the consumers have less choice and again might have to pay higher prices than normal or the monopoly can even use very low price to push their competitors towards administration or bankruptcy. (http://66.102.9.132/search?q=cache:qGV5KxXiB80J:www.bized.co.uk/educators/16-19/economics/firms/presentation/structure.ppt+market+structures&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk) What is Tesco's market structure? Tesco's market structure described by the media is believed to be a monopoly, Tesco has also been through the legal proceedings to prove their innocence, Tesco has accused of being manipulative and gaining monopoly by building stores across towns and cities through the country and Europe but realistically Tesco is an oligopoly, although Tesco is the dominant supermarket it has fairly large competitors who also partly control the market. Tesco accused of ‘Manipulative Monopoly' (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23658062-tesco-accused-of-manipulative-monopoly.do) â€Å"A ‘competition test' to curb the power of the supermarkets was unveiled by the Competition Commission last year as part of a planning shake-up designed to boost competition in the multi-billion pound grocery market. But the tribunal agreed with Tesco that the commission did not fully take account of the fact that the test, relating to planning decisions for larger stores, might have â€Å"adverse effects for consumers†, among other matters.† (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23658062-tesco-accused-of-manipulative-monopoly.do) How has Tesco responded to this structure? Monopoly Vs Oligopoly Tesco has over 4,000 stores across the world and out of those 4,000 Tesco has more than half of them in the UK around 2362 stores and this does not include all the Tesco metro and express stores. (http://www.tescoplc.com/plc/about_us/map/) Tesco themselves say that it is an oligopoly, this is because Tesco is not the only supermarket in the UK, Tesco is the dominant shareholder but cannot be called a monopoly as there are many other firms which are in competition with Tesco e.g. Sainsbury which owns 16.3% of the UK supermarket shares and Morrisons which owns 11.5%, this means the entry barriers to entry are very high because the industry is dominated by small number of large firms which control and own that share market. OFT (Office of Fair Trading) The ‘Office of Fair Trading' is the UK's consumer and competition authority and their mission is to make markets work well for consumers. OFT is a non-ministerial government regulator that was established by government in 1973. Another organisation that does similar commerce to what Office of Fair Trading do, Ofcom is an independent regulator and competition authority, for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. Competition regulators are important in business and are required to ensure equality and a fair deal for all, How does OFT checks anti-competition? OFT plays a leading role in promoting and protecting consumer interests throughout the UK, while ensuring that businesses are fair and competitive. This work is done using the powers granted to the OFT under consumer and competition legislation. OFT gathers intelligence about markets and trader behaviour from a wide range of sources and then they respond to complaints about markets from nominated consumer bodies, where the OFT is able to see potential problems, the OFT undertakes market studies and recommends to take action respectively. In a recent investigation by the OFT has reviled that British Airways has been found guilty over the price of ‘long-haul passenger fuel surcharges' and has paid a penalty of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½121.5m to be imposed by the OFT, therefore enabling the OFT to close its civil investigation and resolve this case. This penalty to the British Airways has been the highest ever imposed by the OFT for violation of competition law and this demonstrates the determination of the OFT to deal strongly with anti-competitive behaviour. In another case, The Royal Bank of Scotland or RBS has also paid a fine of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½28.59 million about 2 months ago in March 2010, after admitting breaches of competition law between October 2007 and February or March 2008, the fine for the bank was reduced from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½33.6 million to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½28.59 million and this was done to reflect RBS's admission and agreement to co-operate. The OFT has a 5 step method of keeping a good eye on business and other organisations these 5 steps start with Analysis, Prioritisation, Prevention, Partnership and Evaluation, the details of all the steps are on their website under ‘What we do'. (http://www.oft.gov.uk/ about/what/#named2) How do other supervising bodies monitor anti-competition? As the OFT only supervises what happens in the United Kingdom, there is the European Union which is active in a wide range of policy areas, from human rights to transport and trade, the European Union monitors all of the 27 countries that are part of the union, using similar techniques as the OFT but on a much larger scale, the policy to monitor and control competition is said as â€Å"A fair deal for all† and this policy is described as: â€Å"Effective competition to provide goods and services cuts prices, raises quality and expands customer choice. Competition allows technological innovation to flourish. The European Commission has wide powers to make sure businesses and governments stick to EU rules on fair competition. But in applying these rules, it can take account of the interests of innovation, unified standards, or small business development.† (http://europa.eu/pol/comp/index_en.htm) United Kingdom supermarket share Following are the 4 leading supermarket chains in the United Kingdom Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons, these fantastic four have a combined share of 75.6 percent of the UK grocery market accord to the research done in the 12 weeks ending 1 November 2009 (Source: Kantar World pane) http://TNS_Worldpanel What is European Union? (http://europa.eu/abc/panorama/index_en.htm) European Union is a unique economic and political society which is in partnership between 27 democratic European countries. What are its aims? Some of the basic aims of the European Union are peace, prosperity and freedom for its 498 million citizens in a fairer, safer world. What results so far? Under the European Union the members can travel and trade freely without any constraints as long as the members are trading in euro (the single European currency). European Union policies ensure safer food and a greener environment, better living standards in poorer regions, joint action on crime and terror, cheaper telecoms and communication, millions of opportunities to study abroad and more How does it work? To make these things happen, EU countries have set up bodies to run the European Union and adopt its legislation. The main ones are: * The European Parliament (representing the people of Europe) * The Council of the European Union (representing national governments) * The European Commission (representing the common EU interest). How can the members have their say? The European Union is not a perfect society but it is an evolving project and constantly has to be improved. If a community or even an individual has an important point to show to the union they must do some of the following starting with: * Contacting their local MP – European Union policies are part of national politics. * Contacting their MEP and cast vote at the European Parliament elections the European Parliament enacts EU laws: (www.europarl.europa.eu) * Contacting their NGOs (consumer associations, environmental pressure groups, etc.) they work with the EU on shaping policies. The EU has developed a single market system of laws which apply to all member states, and ensures the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital, including the elimination of passport controls by the Schengen Agreement between 26 European Union states which I have listed below. European Union executes legislations in justice and home affairs, and maintains common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Austria, Belgium, Czech, Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. (http://www.axa-schengen.com/en/schengen-countries) Value of International markets to UK Non EU Exports * In June 2010 the total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported to countries outside the EU was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.9 billion. * As a comparison the total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported to countries outside the EU in May 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9.4 billion and for June 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8.2 billion. * June 2010 showed a 15.5 per cent increase in exports compared to May 2010 and a 33.0 per cent increase in exports compared to June 2009. * The total 2010 year to date value of UK's trade-in-goods exported excluding June 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½45.5 billion, which has been downwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½6.9 million. * The final total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported for January 2009 to December 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½101.5 billion. Non EU Imports * In June 2010 the total value of trade-in-goods imported to the UK from countries outside the EU was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15.4 billion. * As a comparison the total value of UK's trade-in-goods imported to the UK from countries outside the EU in May 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14.0 billion and for June 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12.0 billion. * June 2010 showed a 9.6 per cent increase in imports compared to May 2010 and a 28.4 per cent increase compared to June 2009. * The total 2010 year to date value of UK's trade-in-goods imported excluding June 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½67.5 billion. * The final total value of UK's trade-in-goods imported for January 2009 to December 2009 remains at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½147.3 billion. (https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=noneufullreport) It can be concluded that UK has less exports to the non EU zone compared to the European market, in June 2010 total value of goods exported to Europe was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.3Billion compared to the total value of goods exported to the international market which was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.9Billion. International business traffic is an important feature of the UK economy's survival; almost 50% of UK's export is in the Non European Union zone, there fore international market has a vital role to play in UK's economy. The imports of UK data shows that the import from the non European Union zone is increasing i.e. from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14.0 billion to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15.4 billion, hence the UK economy is dependent on the import of essential raw and prepared materials; today the service sector is more and more important to the UK economy as a result of the weakening of the manufacturing sector now imports are crucial and that is why using the international market the UK economy is on the growth as the export data depicts that UK's export is increasing from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8.2 billion to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10.9 billion. Value of European markets to UK EU Exports * In May 2010 the total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported to Member States of the EU was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.3 billion. * As a comparison the total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported to Member States of the EU in April 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½11.6 billion and for May 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9.3 billion. * May 2010 showed a 2.9 per cent decrease in exports compared to April 2010 and a 21.3 per cent increase in exports compared to May 2009. * The total value of UK's trade-in-goods exported for January 2009 to December 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½124.2 billion, which has been upwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½48.5 million. * The total 2010 year to date value of UK's trade-in-goods exported excluding May was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½46.2 billion, which has been upwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½273.6 million. EU Imports * In May 2010 the total value of trade-in-goods imported to the UK from Member States of the EU was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½14.7 billion. * As a comparison the total value of UK's trade-in-goods imported to the UK from Member States of the EU in April 2010 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15.3 billion and for May 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½12.2 billion. * May 2010 showed a 4.2 per cent decrease in imports compared to April 2010 and a 20.8 per cent increase in imports compared to May 2009. * The total value of UK's trade-in-goods imported for January 2009 to December 2009 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½162.7 billion, which has been upwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½238.0 million. * The total 2010 year to date value of UK's trade-in-goods imported excluding May was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½59.2 billion, which has been upwardly revised by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½96.7 million. (https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=euearlypub) The single market benefits the firms, by making it easier & cheaper to do business in other EU countries. No customs tax is charged on goods that are sold or transported between member states. The EU also tries to make each market as similar as possible to ensure fair competition across national borders. Free Movement of Citizens: European citizens have the freedom to live, work, study, and travel in any other EU country. Since 1995 alone, about 100,000 young Britons have spent time studying in another European country. More Jobs: It is estimated the 3.5 million British jobs are dependent on* Britain's membership of the EU. (Source: UK Jobs Dependent) UK joining the Euro (Pros & Cons) Below I have listed the advantages and disadvantages which were discussed by the chancellor Gordon Brown at the times of between 1999 and the year 2002 when the waves of countries in Europe joined the European Union and the currency: Advantages: 1. A single currency should end currency instability in the participating countries (by irrevocably fixing exchange rates) and reduce it outside them. Because the Euro would have the enhanced credibility of being used in a large currency zone, it would be more stable against speculation than individual currencies are now. An end to internal currency instability and a reduction of external currency instability would enable exporters to project future markets with greater certainty. This will unleash a greater potential for growth. 2. Consumers would not have to change money when travelling and would encounter less red tape when transferring large sums of money across borders. It was estimated that a traveller visiting all twelve member states of the (then) EC would lose 40% of the value of his money in transaction charges alone. Once in a lifetime a family might make one large purchase or transaction across a European border such as buying a holiday home or a piece of furniture. A single currency would help that transaction pass smoothly. 3. Likewise, businesses would no longer have to pay hedging costs which they do today in order to insure themselves against the threat of currency fluctuations. Businesses, involved in commercial transactions in different member states, would no longer have to face administrative costs of accounting for the changes of currencies, plus the time involved. It is estimated that the currency cost of exports to small companies is 10 times the cost to the multi-nationals, who offset sales against purchases and can command the best rates. 4. A single currency should result in lower interest rates as all European countries would be locking into German monetary credibility. The stability pact (the main points of which were agreed at the Dublin summit of European heads of state or government in December 1996) will force EU countries into a system of fiscal responsibility which will enhance the Euro's international credibility. This should lead to more investment, more jobs and lower mortgages. Disadvantages: 1. Twenty seven separate countries with widely differing economic performances and different languages have never before attempted to form a monetary union. It works in the United States because the labour market is mobile, helped by the common language and portability of pensions etc. across a large geographical area. Language in Europe is a huge barrier to labour force mobility. This may lead to pockets of deeply depressed areas in which people cannot find work and areas where the economy flourishes and wages increase. While the cohesion funds attempt to address this, there are still great differences across the EU in economic performance. 2. If governments were obliged through a stability pact to keep to the Maastricht criteria for perpetuity, no matter what their individual economic circumstances dictate, some countries may find that they are unable to combat recession by loosening their fiscal stance. They would be unable to devalue to boost exports, to borrow more to boost job creation or cut taxes when they see fit because of the public deficit criterion. In the United States, Texas could not avoid a recession in the wake of the 1986 oil price fall, whereas demand for Sterling changed in the light of the new oil price, adjusting the exchange rate downwards. 3. All the EU countries have different cycles or are at different stages in their cycles. The UK is growing reasonably well, Germany is having problems. This is the reverse of the position in 1990. Since the war the UK economy has tended to have an economic cycle closer to the US than the EU. It has changed because interest rates are set in each country at the appropriate level for it. One central bank cannot set inflation at the appropriate level for each member state. 4. Loss of national sovereignty is the most often mentioned disadvantage of monetary union. The transfer of money and fiscal competencies from national to community level would mean economically strong and stable countries would have to co-operate in the field of economic policy with other, weaker, countries, which are more tolerant to higher inflation. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/single_currency/25081.stm) One of the few reasons that the United Kingdom did not want to join the single European currency with the first wave of countries on 1 January 1999 is that according to the chancellor of the Exchequer at that time in 1999 who was Gordon Brown our current prime minister said that, â€Å"although the government supported the principle of the single currency Britain would not be ready to join at least until the second wave of countries† which occurred in 2002 and during that time he told the European Union that the country should begin to prepare for monetary union but up till now there have been no indications of the United Kingdom joining the European Union currency, Euros. From my understanding there are many possible reasons that the government should consider while joining Euro, joining Euro would reduced exchange rate uncertainty for UK businesses and lower exchange rate transactions costs for both businesses and tourists. Eliminating exchange rates between European countries eliminates the risks of unforeseen exchange rate revaluations or devaluation, further those businesses who involved in commercial transactions in different member states would no longer have to face administrative costs of accounting for the changes of currencies. The loss of national sovereignty is the most often mentioned reason for the UK not joining the monetary union is the transfer of money and financial proficiency from national to community level would mean that economically strong and stable countries would have to co-operate in the field of economic policy with other weaker countries. European policies The European Union is currently active in a wide variety of policies from ‘human rights' to ‘transport and trade'; below is the list of some of the policy areas of the European Union. Agriculture Media Competition Consumers Education Employment Environment External trade Fight against fraud Human rights Taxation Transport Justice, freedom Internal market Customs (http://europa.eu/pol/index_en.htm) Impact of European Union's Competition policy on Tesco Competition policy: A fair deal for all Effective competition provides goods and services cuts prices, raises quality and expands customer choice, allows technological innovation. The European Commission has wide powers to make sure businesses and governments stick to EU rules on fair competition. Competition must be fair It is illegal under EU rules for businesses to fix prices or carve up markets between them. A multinational company like Tesco cannot merge with another giant if that would put them in a position to control the market, though practice this rule only prevents a small numbers of mergers going ahead. If Tesco plans to merge with its competitor, Tesco needs approval from the European Commission, the EUC (European Union Commission) marks their decision depending on the amount of business that Tesco has within the European boundaries. The Commission may agree to a company having a monopoly in special circumstances – for example where costly infrastructure is involved (‘natural monopolies') or where it is important to guarantee a public service. The large may not exploit the small In doing business with smaller firms, Tesco cannot use their bargaining power to impose conditions which would make it difficult for their supplier or customer to do business with its competitors. The Commission can, does and has fined companies for all these practices. No props for lame ducks The Commission also monitors closely how much assistance EU governments make available to business (‘state aid'). This aid can take many forms – loans and grants, tax breaks, goods and services provided at preferential rates, or government guarantees which enhance the credit rating of a company compared to its competitors but in this case this does not apply to Tesco till today as Tesco is already on top of its game. Exceptions that prove the rule Some exceptions to the general rules are possible. The European Union Commission can allow companies like Asda and Morisons to cooperate in developing a single technical standard for the market as a whole. It can allow smaller companies to cooperate if this strengthens their ability to compete with larger ones such as Sainsburys and Tesco. Aid for research and innovation, regional development or small and medium-sized enterprises is often allowable because these serve overall EU goals. Checks and balances The Commission's extensive powers to investigate and halt violations of European Union competition rules are subject to legal review by the European Court of Justice. Businesses regularly have to make appeals against Commission decisions if it seems like a unfair deal. The competition policy stops the Tesco from growing further from their potential market share, something which Tesco has known to be done in the recent years. Effective competition provides goods and services, automatically raises quality and customer choices increase with competition. The policy also allows technological innovation and the European Commission makes sure that these innovations are in the European Unions fair competition policy. Environment: The European Union has some of the highest environment standards in the world, developed over decades to address a wide range of issues. Today the main priorities are combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and reducing health problems from pollution and marking sure that natural resources are being used more responsibly. Climate change Climate change is one of the gravest challenges facing humanity. The European Union plans to reduce greenhouse gases at least 20% by 2020 (compared with 1990 levels), raise in renewable energy's share of the market to 20% and cut overall energy consumption by 20% (compared with projected trends). All businesses like Tesco's are directly affected by this policy as this aims to cut energy consumption and greenhouse gasses by 20%, meaning Tesco will have to recycle more, reuse materials more and reduce wastage and use of non-biodegradable equipment which will have a small dent on their profit. Emissions trading European Union's rewards businesses and organisations, which reduce their CO2 emissions and penalises those that exceed limits. Introduced in 2005, the scheme takes in about 12,000 factories and plants responsible for about half the EU's emissions of CO2. Under the system, European Union governments set limits on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by energy-intensive industries and if they want to emit more CO2 than their quota, they have to buy spare permits but most supermarkets stores do not manufacture and this means that they will have to use eco friendly methods of business and equipment. Tesco has already proven that they are committed towards being eco-friendly, â€Å"Tesco Plc, the world's No.4 retailer, plans to spend over 100 million pounds with British green technology companies over the coming year as it steps up its drive to halve carbon emissions by 2020.† (http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE61203720100203) Environmental health Noise, swimming water, rare species and emergency response -these are just some of the areas covered under the extensive body of environmental legislation that the EU has established over the decades. EU has set binding limits on emissions of fine particles known as PM2.5. Released by cars and trucks, these microscopic particles can cause respiratory diseases. Under the new law, EU countries will have to reduce exposure to fine particles in urban areas by an average 20% by 2020. In 2007 Tesco received the Top online green award for their zero-emission delivery vans. Sustainable development Sustainable development has long been one of the overarching objectives of EU policy. EU leaders launched the first EU sustainable development strategy in 2001 and updated it in 2006 to tackle shortcomings and take account of new challenges. Since then there have been significant efforts in terms of policy. Now the focus is on putting policy into practice in to UK's market. As Tesco manly sells general groceries they are affected by the European Union's environment policy, in a way that it has to source materials from the suppliers who obey and follow the European Union's environment policy, this means that Tesco has limited span of potential suppliers.

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle Chapter Four

â€Å"But he's got to have a doctor. He looks like he's dying!† said Bonnie. â€Å"He can't. I can't explain right now. Let's just get him home, all right? He's wet and freezing out here. Then we can discuss it.† The job of getting Stefan through the woods was enough to occupy everyone's mind for a while. He remained unconscious, and when they finally laid him out in the back seat of Matt's car they were all bruised and exhausted, in addition to being wet from the contact with his soaking clothes. Elena held his head in her lap as they drove to the boarding house. Meredith and Bonnie followed. Elena gently eased Stefan's head down and slipped out of the car, and saw one of the windows in the house brighten as a curtain was pushed aside. Then she saw a head and shoulders appear at the window, looking down. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers!† she called, waving. â€Å"It's Elena Gilbert, Mrs. Flowers. We've found Stefan, and we need to get in!† The figure at the window did not move or otherwise acknowledge her words. Yet from its posture, Elena could tell it was still looking down on them. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers, we have Stefan,† she called again, gesturing to the lighted interior of the car. â€Å"Please!† â€Å"Elena! It's unlocked already!† Bonnie's voice floated to her from the front porch, distracting Elena from the figure at the window. When she looked back up, she saw the curtains falling into place, and then the light in that upstairs room snapped off. It was strange, but she had no time to puzzle over it. She and Meredith helped Matt lift Stefan and carry him up the front steps. Inside, the house was dark and still. Elena directed the others up the staircase that stood opposite the door, and onto the second-floor landing. From there they went into a bedroom, and Elena had Bonnie open the door of what looked like a closet. It revealed another stairway, very dim and narrow. â€Å"Who would leave their – front door unlocked – after all that's happened recently?† Matt grunted as they hauled their lifeless burden. â€Å"She must be crazy.† â€Å"Sheis crazy,† Bonnie said from above, pushing the door at the top of the staircase open. â€Å"Last time we were here she talked about the weirdest – † Her voice broke off in a gasp. â€Å"What is it?† said Elena. But as they reached the threshold of Stefan's room, she saw for herself. She'd forgotten the condition the room had been in the last time she'd seen it. Trunks filled with clothing were upended or lying on their sides, as if they'd been thrown by some giant hand from wall to wall. Their contents were strewn about the floor, along with articles from the dresser and tables. Furniture was overturned, and a window was broken, allowing a cold wind to blow in. There was only one lamp on, in a corner, and grotesque shadows loomed against the ceiling. â€Å"What happened?† said Matt. Elena didn't answer until they had stretched Stefan out on the bed. â€Å"I don't know for certain,† she said, and this was true, if just barely. â€Å"But it was already this way last night. Matt, will you help me? He needs to get dry.† â€Å"I'll find another lamp,† said Meredith, but Elena spoke quickly. â€Å"No, we can see all right. Why don't you try to get a fire going?† Spilling from one of the gaping trunks was a terry cloth robe of some dark color. Elena took it, and she and Matt began to strip off Stefan's wet and clinging clothes. She worked on getting his sweater off, but â€Å"Matt, could you – could you hand me that towel?† As soon as he turned, she tugged the sweater over Stefan's head and quickly wrapped the robe around him. When Matt turned back and handed her the towel, she wound it around Stefan's throat like a scarf. Her pulse was racing, her mind working furiously. No wonder he was so weak, so lifeless. Oh, God. She had to examine him, to see how bad it was. But how could she, with Matt and the others here? â€Å"I'm going to get a doctor,† Matt said in a tight voice, his eyes on Stefan's face. â€Å"He needs help, Elena.† Elena panicked. â€Å"Matt, no†¦ please. He – he's afraid of doctors. I don't know what would happen if you brought one here.† Again, it was the truth, if not the whole truth. She had an idea of what might help Stefan, but she couldn't do it with the others there. She bent over Stefan, rubbing his hands between her own, trying to think. What could she do? Protect Stefan's secret at the cost of his life? Or betray him in order to save him? Would it save him to tell Matt and Bonnie and Meredith? She looked at her friends, trying to picture their response if they were to learn the truth about Stefan Salvatore. It was no good. She couldn't risk it. The shock and horror of the discovery had nearly sent Elena herself reeling into madness. If she, who loved Stefan, had been ready to run from him screaming, what would these three do? And then there was Mr. Tanner's murder. If they knew what Stefan was, would they ever be able to believe him innocent? Or, in their heart of hearts, would they always suspect him? Elena shut her eyes. It was just too dangerous. Meredith and Bonnie and Matt were her friends, but this was one thing she couldn't share with them. In all the world, there was no one she could trust with this secret. She would have to keep it alone. She straightened up and looked at Matt. â€Å"He's afraid of doctors, but a nurse might be all right.† She turned to where Bonnie and Meredith were kneeling before the fireplace. â€Å"Bonnie, what about your sister?† â€Å"Mary?† Bonnie glanced at her watch. â€Å"She has the late shift at the clinic this week, but she's probably home by now. Only – â€Å" â€Å"Then that's it. Matt, you go with Bonnie and ask Mary to come here and look at Stefan. If she thinks he needs a doctor, I won't argue any more.† Matt hesitated, then exhaled sharply. â€Å"All right. I still think you're wrong, but – let's go, Bonnie. We're going to break some traffic laws.† As they went to the door, Meredith remained standing by the fireplace, watching Elena with steady dark eyes. Elena made herself meet them. â€Å"Meredith†¦ I think you should all go.† â€Å"Do you?† Those dark eyes remained on hers unwaveringly, as if trying to pierce through and read her mind. But Meredith did not ask any other questions. After a moment she nodded, and followed Matt and When Elena heard the door at the bottom of the staircase close, she hastily righted a lamp that lay overturned by the bedside and plugged it in. Now, at last, she could take stock of Stefan's injuries. His color seemed worse than before; he was literally almost as white as the sheets below him. His lips were white, too, and Elena suddenly thought of Thomas Fell, the founder of Fell's Church. Or, rather, of Thomas Fell's statue, lying beside his wife's on the stone lid of their tomb. Stefan was the color of that marble. The cuts and gashes on his hands showed livid purple, but they were no longer bleeding. She gently turned his head to look at his neck. And there it was. She touched the side of her own neck automatically, as if to verify the resemblance. But Stefan's marks were not small punctures. They were deep, savage tears in the flesh. He looked as if he had been mauled by some animal that had tried to rip out his throat. White-hot anger blazed through Elena again. And with it, hatred. She realized that despite her disgust and fury, she had not really hated Damon before. Not really. But now†¦ now, shehated. She loathed him with an intensity of emotion that she had never felt for anyone else in her life. She wanted to hurt him, to make him pay. If she'd had a wooden stake at that moment, she would have hammered it through Damon's heart without regret. But just now she had to think of Stefan. He was so terrifyingly still. That was the hardest thing to bear, the lack of purpose or resistance in his body, the emptiness. That was it. It was as if he had vacated this form and left her with an empty vessel. â€Å"Stefan!† Shaking him did nothing. With one hand on the center of his cold chest, she tried to detect a heartbeat. If there was one, it was too faint to feel. Keep calm, Elena, she told herself, pushing back the part of her mind that wanted to panic. The part that was saying, â€Å"What if he's dead? What if he's really dead, and nothing you can do will save him?† Glancing about the room, she saw the broken window. Shards of glass lay on the floor beneath it. She went over and picked one up, noting how it sparkled in the firelight. A pretty thing, with an edge like a razor, she thought. Then, deliberately, setting her teeth, she cut her finger with it. The pain made her gasp. After an instant, blood began welling out of the cut, dripping down her finger like wax down a candlestick. Quickly, she knelt by Stefan and put her finger to his lips. With her other hand, she clasped his unresponsive one, feeling the hardness of the silver ring he wore. Motionless as a statue herself, she knelt there and waited. She almost missed the first tiny flicker of response. Her eyes were fixed on his face, and she caught the minute lifting of his chest only in her peripheral vision. But then the lips beneath her finger quivered and parted slightly, and he swallowed reflexively. â€Å"That's it,† Elena whispered. â€Å"Come on, Stefan.† His eyelashes fluttered, and with dawning joy she felt his fingers return the pressure of hers. He swallowed again. Those green eyes were dazed and heavy, but as stubborn as she had ever seen them. â€Å"No,† Stefan said, his voice a cracked whisper. â€Å"You have to, Stefan. The others are coming back and bringing a nurse with them. I had to agree to that. And if you're not well enough to convince her you don't need a hospital†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She left the sentence unfinished. She herself didn't know what a doctor or lab technician would find examining Stefan. But she knew he knew, and that it made him afraid. But Stefan only looked more obstinate, turning his face away from her. â€Å"Can't,† he whispered. â€Å"It's too dangerous. Already took†¦ too much†¦ last night.† Could it have been only last night? It seemed a year ago. â€Å"Will it kill me?† she asked. â€Å"Stefan, answer me! Will it kill me?† â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice was sullen. â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"Then we have to do it. Don't argue with me!† Bending over him, holding his hand in hers, Elena could feel his overpowering need. She was amazed that he was even trying to resist. It was like a starving man standing before a banquet, unable to take his eyes from the steaming dishes, but refusing to eat. â€Å"No,† Stefan said again, and Elena felt frustration surge through her. He was the only person she'd ever met who was as stubborn as she was. â€Å"Yes. And if you won't cooperate I'll cut something else, like my wrist.† She had been pressing her finger into the sheet to staunch the blood; now she held it up to him. His pupils dilated, his lips parted. â€Å"Too much†¦ already,† he murmured, but his gaze remained on her finger, on the bright drop of blood at the tip. â€Å"And I can't†¦ control†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It's all right,† she whispered. She drew the finger across his lips again, feeling them open to take it in; then, she leaned over him and shut her eyes. His mouth was cool and dry as it touched her throat. His hand cupped the back of her neck as his lips sought the two little punctures already there. Elena willed herself not to recoil at the brief sting of pain. Then she smiled. Before, she had felt his agonizing need, his driving hunger. Now, through the bond they shared, she felt only fierce joy and satisfaction. Deep satisfaction as the hunger was gradually assuaged. Her own pleasure came from giving, from knowing that she was sustaining Stefan with her own life. She could sense the strength flowing into him. In time, she felt the intensity of the need lessen. Still, it was by no means gone, and she could not understand when Stefan tried to push her away. â€Å"That's enough,† he grated, forcing her shoulders up. Elena opened her eyes, her dreamy pleasure broken. His own eyes were green as mandrake leaves, and in his face she saw the fierce hunger of the â€Å"It isn't enough. You're still weak – â€Å" â€Å"It's enough foryou. † He pushed at her again, and she saw something like desperation spark in those green eyes. â€Å"Elena, if I take much more, you will begin to change. And if you don't move away, if you don't move away from meright now †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena withdrew to the foot of the bed. She watched him sit up and adjust the dark robe. In the lamplight, she saw that his skin had regained some color, a slight flush glazing its pallor. His hair was drying into a tumbled sea of dark waves. â€Å"I missed you,† she said softly. Relief throbbed within her suddenly, an ache that was almost as bad as the fear and tension had been. Stefan was alive; he was talking to her. Everything was going to be all right after all. â€Å"Elena†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Their eyes met and she was held by green fire. Unconsciously, she moved toward him, and then stopped as he laughed aloud. â€Å"I've never seen you look like this before,† he said, and she looked down at herself. Her shoes and jeans were caked with red mud, which was also liberally smeared over the rest of her. Her jacket was torn and leaking its down stuffing. She had no doubt that her face was smudged and dirty, and sheknew her hair was tangled and straggly. Elena Gilbert, immaculate fashion plate of Robert E. Lee, was a mess. â€Å"I like it,† Stefan said, and this time she laughed with him. They were still laughing as the door opened. Elena stiffened alertly, twitching at her turtleneck, glancing around the room for evidence that might betray them. Stefan sat up straighter and licked his lips. â€Å"He's better!† Bonnie caroled out as she stepped into the room and saw Stefan. Matt and Meredith were right behind her, and their faces lit with surprise and pleasure. The fourth person who came in was only a little older than Bonnie, but she had an air of brisk authority that belied her youth. Mary McCullough went straight over to her patient and reached for his pulse. â€Å"So you're the one afraid of doctors,† she said. Stefan looked disconcerted for a moment; then, he recovered. â€Å"It's sort of a childhood phobia,† he said, sounding embarrassed. He glanced sideways at Elena, who smiled nervously and gave a tiny nod. â€Å"Anyway, I don't need one now, as you can see.† â€Å"Why don't you let me be the judge of that? Your pulse is all right. In fact, it's surprisingly slow, even for an athlete. I don't think you're hypothermic, but you're still chilled. Let's get a temperature.† â€Å"No, I really don't think that's necessary.† Stefan's voice was low, calming. Elena had heard him use that voice before, and she knew what he was trying to do. But Mary took not the slightest notice. â€Å"Open up, please.† â€Å"Here, I'll do it,† said Elena quickly, reaching to take the thermometer from Mary. Somehow, as she did so, the little glass tube slipped out of her hand. It fell to the hardwood floor and smashed into several pieces. Uh, I'm sorry! you're not dangerously ill. I can'tmake you go to the clinic. But I'd strongly suggest you get a checkup tomorrow.† â€Å"Thank you,† said Stefan, which, Elena noticed, was not the same as agreeing. â€Å"Elena,you look as if you could use a doctor,† said Bonnie. â€Å"You're white as a ghost.† â€Å"I'm just tired,† Elena said. â€Å"It's been a long day.† â€Å"My advice is to go home and go to bed – and stay there,† Mary said. â€Å"You're not anemic, are you?† Elena resisted the impulse to put a hand to her cheek. Was she so pale? â€Å"No, I'm just tired,† she repeated. â€Å"We can go home now, if Stefan's all right.† He nodded reassuringly, the message in his eyes for her alone. â€Å"Give us a minute, will you?† he said to Mary and the others, and they stepped back to the staircase. â€Å"Good-bye. Take care of yourself,† Elena said aloud as she hugged him. She whispered, â€Å"Why didn't you use your Powers on Mary?† â€Å"I did,† he said grimly in her ear. â€Å"Or at least I tried. I must still be weak. Don't worry; it'll pass. â€Å"Of course, it will,† said Elena, but her stomach lurched. â€Å"Are you sure you should be alone, though? What if – â€Å" â€Å"I'll be fine. You're the one who shouldn't be alone.† Stefan's voice was soft but urgent. â€Å"Elena, I didn't get a chance to warn you. You were right about Damon being in Fell's Church.† â€Å"I know. He did this to you, didn't he?† Elena didn't mention that she'd gone searching for him. â€Å"I – don't remember. But he's dangerous. Keep Bonnie and Meredith with you tonight, Elena. I don't want you alone. And make sure no one invites a stranger into your house.† â€Å"We're going straight to bed,† Elena promised, smiling at him. â€Å"We won't be inviting anybody in.† â€Å"Make sure of it.† There was no flippancy in his tone at all, and she nodded slowly. â€Å"I understand, Stefan. We'll be careful.† â€Å"Good.† They kissed, a mere brushing of lips, but their joined hands separated only reluctantly. â€Å"Tell the and Meredith could go back with Elena. Mary was still clearly suspicious about the night's goings-on, and Elena couldn't blame her. She also couldn't think. She was too tired. â€Å"He said to say ‘thanks' to all of you,† she remembered after Matt had left. â€Å"He's†¦ welcome,† Bonnie said, splitting the words with an enormous yawn as Meredith opened the car door for her. Meredith said nothing. She had been very quiet since leaving Elena alone with Stefan. Bonnie laughed suddenly. â€Å"One thing we all forgot about,† she said. â€Å"The prophecy.† â€Å"What prophecy?† said Elena. â€Å"About the bridge. The one you say I said. Well, you went to the bridge and Death wasn't waiting there after all. Maybe you misunderstood the words.† â€Å"No,† said Meredith. â€Å"We heard the words correctly all right.† â€Å"Well, then, maybe it's another bridge. Or†¦ mmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bonnie snuggled down in her coat, shutting her eyes, and didn't bother to finish. But Elena's mind completed the sentence for her.Or another time. An owl hooted outside as Meredith started the car.

The New South and the Civil Rights Movement essays

The New South and the Civil Rights Movement essays Montgomery, the capital of Alabama, became the center of what was a great moral victory for blacks in the South. It was an inevitable even in my thought because there is only so much abuse one can take from authority, especially when it was unfair. Out of this came many individuals who were not afraid to take a step past what was set, to do what they were told and forced not to do. The most notable man who would come out of this would be Dr. Martin Luther King Junior. In the midst of all the injustice of having to stand because a white person needed a seat came a woman who refused to give in to the rules. Rosa Parks on December 1, 1955, refused to give her seat up for a white man, which in turn led to her arrest. A man by the name of E.D. Nixon, president of the NAACP at the time, helped get Mrs. Parks out of jail and saw this as an opportunity to end the segregation of buses in Montgomery. This began a small, but effective chain reaction to begin the bus boycott. Phone calls were made, supporters were recruited, and a new direct way to turn the tide of bus segregation had begun. Mrs. Parks was noted as the "perfect symbol" (Sitkoff 39) because of her appearance. She was dignified, intelligent, respectable, and married (Sitkoff 39). Nixon took the first steps to boycott the buses by calling around and getting support from his contacts. To his surprise, many of the people who were very reluctant to the idea of acting against such an institution such as public transportation vowed their support. So on December 5th, 1955 the Montgomery Bus Boycott began and would now become a great conflict in what was called the Cradle of the Confederacy. Martin Luther King Jr. would step out of the shadows as a new southerner to Montgomery and become the greatest force in the protest. He told the blacks to act with nonviolence, but with love. To act with unity because the only way support works are with the combination of all people...

Gigantophis - Facts and Figures

Gigantophis - Facts and Figures Name: Gigantophis (Greek for giant snake); pronounced jih-GAN-toe-fiss Habitat: Woodlands of northern Africa and southern Asia Historical Epoch: Late Eocene (40-35 million years ago) Size and Weight: About 33 feet long and half a ton Diet: Small animals Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; capacious jaws About Gigantophis Like many other creatures in the history of life on earth, Gigantophis had the misfortune of being the biggest of its kind until its fame was eclipsed by something even bigger. Measuring about 33 feet long from the tip of its head to the end of its tail and weighing up to half a ton, this prehistoric snake of late Eocene northern Africa (about 40 million years ago) ruled the proverbial swamp until the discovery of the much, much bigger Titanoboa (up to 50 feet long and one ton) in South America. To extrapolate from its habitat and the behavior of similar, modern, but much smaller snakes, paleontologists believe that Gigantophis may have preyed on mammalian megafauna, perhaps including the distant elephant ancestor Moeritherium. Ever since its discovery in Algeria over a hundred years ago, Gigantophis had been represented in the fossil record by a single species, G. garstini. However, the identification in 2014 of a second Gigantophis specimen, in Pakistan, leaves open the possibility of another species being erected in the near future. This find also indicates that Gigantophis and madtsoiid snakes like it had a much wider distribution than previously believed, and may well have ranged across the expanse of Africa and Eurasia during the Eocene epoch. (As for Gigantophis own ancestors, these smaller, mostly undiscovered fossil snakes lurk in the underbrush of the Paleocene epoch, the period of time just after the extinction of the dinosaurs).

How Gambling, Chemical Dependency, and Racial Discrimination Affect Essay

How Gambling, Chemical Dependency, and Racial Discrimination Affect our Urban Community - Essay Example Associated to the gambling menace have been the overindulgence in alcohol and other chemical substance whose effects are wholesomely detrimental not only to the individuals in addiction but also to the state at large (ONDCP, n.d., 1-4). Dependence on chemical influence has been in the rise with efforts to curb the menace in the city raising costs of living. Addiction to chemical and substance abuse in Cleveland have been pointed to raise levels of unemployment and in effect poor standards of living. The resources committed to management of these vices by the authorities have detrimental effects to the economy and the outcome is retarded growth to the economy and failure to offer basic services to the citizens. On the other hand, racial prejudice in Cleveland, Ohio has long history with adverse effects recorded. For instance, the issue of racial discrimination fueled the Cleveland Hough uprising of 1966. In like manner to the vices of gambling as well as the overindulgence in chemical substance, the racial discrimination has been associated with great adverse effects to the healthy living of the urban dwellers in Cleveland and the entire Ohio. Discussion In view of the existence of addiction into gambling, chemical substance use as well as the prejudice in racial orientation within Cleveland, this paper seeks to evaluate the effects resultant to the communities living in the urban areas. In particular, this paper will analyze the social, economic as well as cultural impacts that the three vices have on the communities living within the urban areas in Ohio especially in Cleveland. A significant population of the adults in Ohio suffers gambling addiction and the estimate is projected to keep rising every year with increase in Casinos. The gambling disorders are projected to keep rising in years to come with the probability of many adults developing these disorders at one point in their lives. The social economic effects of the conditions developed in gambling diso rders include high levels of debts among others. These are seen to increase the likelihood of these persons to file bankruptcy protection through research support to link gambling and the personal bankruptcy is yet to be revealed. Study have shown that persons with chronic gambling problems suffer high unemployment rates with research revealing that the addiction counts for 8% of the total unemployment problems for these persons. In matters of crime and incarceration within the urban community, the people with the gambling complications have higher likelihood to have been victims at least once in their lives. People with the gambling disorders have higher chances of exhibiting physical ailments, high divorce rates, high suicidal rates, familial abuse as well as higher divorce rates as compared to the rest of the urban dwellers. However, this has not had any empirical evidence as per se. besides, the gambling problem cost the society highly in matters of caring for the economically u nproductive (dependent) working populations as addicts to gambling. Many resources are also directed towards treatment and counseling such persons which in essence affects development, which would otherwise be realized through such resources. Koo and friends in a report show that Ohio in general has not committed enough resources to the management of the gambling prob