Problems and Prospects of Poultry Industry in Bangladesh Essay

Business Ethics of India and China

Business Ethics of India and China Globalization has united nations, yet it has likewise made a brought together moral viewpoint for nations working with each other. Supervisory crews are at long last understanding that there is a universe of moral provokes simply holding on to be found through the expanding advancement of globalization. Morals are an issue for each nation exclusively; however simply envision the additional difficulties achieved by language and social contrasts on a worldwide scale. In this paper I will examine two articles which detail the moral points of view of India and China, how these articles add to the comprehension of worldwide morals, and how the business morals of India and China contrast with those of the United States. Santa Clause Clara University distributed an article by Stephen Rothlin entitled Business Ethics in the Chinese Context which examined the advancement in business morals made by China in 2006 and 2007. In January of 2008 Rothlin, the general secretary of the Center for International Business Ethics in Beijing, China, refreshed the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics Business and Organizational Ethics Partnership with the advancement he had seen since his past visit in 2006. Rothlin talked about six classes including purchaser rights, against debasement action, natural supportability, network commitment, and measures for moral organizations. In every one of these six classes, Rothlin talked about the upgrades he had seen and his suggestions for the regions that he felt required improvement (Business Ethics in the Chinese Context , 2008). Laborers rights and work norms have improved in China through the advancement of the Labor Contract Law. This law presently shields Chinas long haul workers from being terminated without explicit reason. It necessitates that organizations add to worker government managed savings accounts and has upgraded representative wellbeing by improving the guideline of working conditions. This new law additionally secures Chinas kids with kid work guidelines. The biggest test is in guaranteeing that China keeps these new laws and guidelines (Business Ethics in the Chinese Context , 2008). In 2007, China confronted a significant mishap from a flood of item reviews. Rothlin talked on how China ought to improve item security, publicizing, and the issues of morals. Rothlin additionally talked about Chinas against defilement exercises and how the terminating of Mayor Chen Liangyu (which was a piece of the crackdown on debasement) sent a shockwave all through China. Rothlin expressed, We need to depend on the dedication of high ranking representatives to battle defilement, and they [the top officials] lose believability by sitting idle. A significant debasement issue in China is pay off through blessing giving. Rothlin accepted that declining a blessing would be against the social standard in China, however that authorities expected to concentrate on how a set of principles could set explicit cutoff points to giving endowments (Business Ethics in the Chinese Context , 2008). Rothlin examined natural manageability and how the 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing had lured authorities to tidy up the open transportation framework, preserve vitality, and tidy up the water and air contamination issues. The Chinese individuals were urged to help through another assessment framework that was created. Subsequently, social duty had become a developing interest, particularly in the significance of instruction. The last point that Rothlin talked about was the manner by which his organization would grow new morals measures that would be utilized to help distinguish the most moral organizations in China (Business Ethics in the Chinese Context , 2008). Rothlin built up the 18 Rules of International Business Ethics (Schulman, 2006). These guidelines are: Rule 1 If you endeavor to comprehend the estimations of various societies, you will discover normal focuses. Rule 2 If you break down the realities, you will understand that genuineness and dependability advantage you. Rule 3 If you break down contextual investigations from alternate points of view, you will find the advantages of reasonable play. Rule 4 Respecting your partners is the most intelligent venture you can make. Rule 5 To build profitability, give protected and sound working conditions. Rule 6 To move trust, make your exhibition straightforward. Rule 7 Your steadfast dispute can lead your organization the correct way. Rule 8 Downsizing your work power is just valuable when you regard every partner. Rule 9 To build up your image name, go about as a reasonable contender. Rule 10 Reduce the hole between the rich and poor by building up another government disability framework. Rule 11 If you act against separation, you will build your efficiency and gainfulness. Rule 12 If you secure protected innovation, all partners will get their due offer. Rule 13 Ongoing changes in data innovation require new types of faithfulness. Rule 14 Your advertising procedure will possibly make sure about your notoriety on the off chance that it observes your drive for quality and greatness. Rule 15 Your monetary accomplishments will possibly remain on firm ground on the off chance that you reduce defilement. Rule 16 Long-term achievement critically calls you to continually think about nature. Rule 17 To turn into a refined player, hone your acumen and develop great habits. Rule 18 Care for your business via thinking about society. The second article I assessed was additionally found on the Santa Clara University site. It was composed by Margaret Steen, an independent creator. Her article entitled Business Ethics in a Global World: Indias Changing Ethics surveys a location to the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics by Jagdish Sheth. Sheth, the official chief of the India, China, and America Institute and an educator of advertising at Emory University, examined Business Ethics in a Global World (Steen, 2007). Sheth talked about manners by which Indian strategic policies are one of a kind. He expressed that he trusted Indias one of a kind strategic approaches would empower the moral conduct of the famous western perspective. Some of Indias interesting strategic policies incorporate corporate social obligation, favors, clanship, and kinship (Steen, 2007). Sheth accepted that the breakdown of socialism was a main consideration in the move from twentieth century business morals to the current 21st century plan of action. He contended that some previously socialist nations have become all around run entrepreneur nations. Some different factors in moving business morals into the 21st century are that prosperous countries are maturing and the customary enterprises don't create the same number of occupations today as they did previously. Individuals in places of intensity have found that financial aspects assume an indispensable job in the consequences of races. The central point that has helped move business morals into the 21st century however is the advancement of data innovation, which has evened the odds for all economies (Steen, 2007). In the article, Sheth accepted that both China and India are very nearly turning out to be imaginative economies and are not simply elective areas for our low-end employments. He accepted that when this occurred, the move would eventually rethink strategic approaches. Indias strategic policies are remarkable and might be good with western strategic policies one day, yet India accepts that favors, clanship, and fellowship are significant in business, while western business morals accept this to be an irreconcilable situation. In the wake of evaluating these two articles, I can see that the business morals of India and China are vastly different than those of the United States. China sees since financial matters are a significant piece of decisions, and Sheth clarified that the explanation George Bush Sr. lost his re-appointment offer was because of the wavering economy. Sheth likewise clarified his conviction that the 21st century will be viewed as the Asian century. Sheth accepted that the Asian culture puts a premium on kinship, clanship, and favors however in American business morals, this would be viewed as a gigantic irreconcilable circumstance (Steen, 2007). Sheth expressed that western business has its own form Procurement divisions in U.S. organizations are bound to purchase from the companys clients (Steen, 2007). Sheth accepted that countries are moving their concentration to partners as opposed to concentrating on investors. Later on, Sheth expressed that morals will be moored to the possibility of business as a calling, like the manner in which the field of medication is presently. There will be worldwide norms of administration, yet their application will be adjusted to neighborhood conditions (Steen, 2007). So with regards to Globalization, India and China are relied upon to be the pioneers in the twentieth century. Some accept that the nineteenth century, or the American century has at long last reached a conclusion. Through globalization, China and India have found that the zone of business morals is an ever-changing condition and subsequently, supervisory groups inside these nations have built up a moral program that empowers them to cooperate morally. Despite the fact that there are obstructions, for example, various dialects, different societies, and a developing number of individuals included China and India have had the option to defeat them so as to cooperate. In this paper I explored two articles from Santa Clara University that talked about the business morals of India and China and how their business morals contrast with that of the United States of America.

How Jessica Alba Became an Entrepreneur and Started her Company

How Jessica Alba Became an Entrepreneur and Started her Company © Shutterstock.com | s_bukleyIn this article, we will cover Jessica Albas journey from being a movie star to becoming a great entrepreneur by looking at 1) some introduction to who Jessica Alba is, 2) how Jessica started The Honest Company, 3) a deep dive into how her company is working, and 4) some thoughts on entrepreneurship from Jessica Alba.INTRODUCTIONJessica Alba is a well-known name in the television and film industry for playing roles in popular films such as ‘Little Fockers’ and ‘Fantastic Four’ along with television series like Entourage and The Office.She has been nominated in the Golden Globe and originally belongs to California. She still carries her humble beginnings with her and never stays behind when it comes to sharing her fortune with the less fortunate. She actively supports charities such as Project HOME, Habitat for Humanity, ONE and Safer Chemicals Healthy Families.Apart from all her social work, she also enjoys being a mother. For Jessica, motherhood is one of the most beautiful experiences that she has ever had. She is a mother of two gorgeous girls, Haven and Honor and she believes that it is the duty of every parent to give their children the best possible start.When I became a mom, I just kind of opened up and got a new perspective. I have fearlessness and a confidence that I think you can only get with experience and age. Some people get it earlier, but it took me a while” says Alba.How ‘Honest’ is Alba?The success of Alba’s life is not only veiled under being successful in her career as an actress and a mother of two beauties. Alba is also an entrepreneur with a company whose net value is $1 billion. That is right! Jessica Alba is the proud founder of The Honest Company. This company offers must-have products for every new family. It offers effective, safe, and natural products that are environmentally friendly and non-toxic.The Honest Company sells baby products that can provide a family with five quintessential products of their choice for only $35.95 a month. From bath and body, diapers, vitamins, feeding, gifts and cleaning to everything that a baby needs, The Honest Company sells it all at very reasonable prices.Jessica Alba’s venture is among the most successful entrepreneurial startups in the Silicon Valley.“It took three years of me spending my own money, trying to figure out where to manufacture, what the product suite would be and what this lifestyle brand is all about. I did a lot of research and funded it with my personal money. Everyone told me I was crazy. It’s not very sexy to make safe household cleaning products.” said Alba.HOW IT HAPPENEDThe idea of The Honest Company came into being when Alba was herself facing difficulty to find natural and harmless products for her newborns. Alba got an allergic reaction through a washing detergent while she was pregnant, and it made her realize that every product around us contains dangerous toxins.As a parent, in her search for safe products for her babies, she gave preference to buying products that were advertised with a green, organic, or natural vision rather than “popular brands”. She found that even the product lines, which were accumulating fame for being “green” were in reality a mere exaggeration. This was a breach of trust for Alba, and she set out on a mission to be that one brand for families that could be trusted.This realization and struggle led her to team up with Christopher Gavigan, an environmental scientist. Ganvigan’s book ‘Healthy Child Healthy World’ inspired Alba to think about developing safer products for families. The book was written to help parents adapt a green and environmentally safer approach for their homes. He was also running an initiative by the same name at that time.It was during his book launch that she met Gavigan for the first time and insisted him on helping her. She was so passionate about this business idea that she reportedly said, “I stalked hi m (Gavigan) for three years after that”.They both shared the same vision: to develop chemical free products that they will buy for their families. The initial idea was very simple and straightforward: Alba wanted a natural world all around her and wanted to contribute to a healthy environment especially for expecting mothers and young children.Gavigan and Alba researched tirelessly on making their dream turn into reality. After thorough research, the rough idea of the business was pitched to Brian Lee, a serial entrepreneur. He refused saying that the idea was not very promising. However, Alba did not give up and worked on refining her research and concept, along with battling with people all around her saying that developing products for mothers and babies is not “sexy” enough. It was after 18 months that Alba approached Lee again and then there was no looking back.Lee, Gavigan, and Alba joined forces to create a brand that contributes to a healthy environment. The Honest Com pany was thus formed in 2011, selling only wipes and diapers.Currently, the business sells a vast array of baby care products including deodorants, baby feed, vitamins, oils, conditioners, shampoos, laundry detergent, formula dispenser, and everything in between.Alba believes in great transparency and ‘honesty’ in business, and that is exactly what her business is based on. According to Alba, it is the responsibility of every parent to provide the best start to their newborns and with a multitude of chemicals present in various baby products, the best start becomes almost an impossibility.Alba and the MediaAlba has agreed on various occasions that her celebrity image has tremendously helped her with the success of The Honest Company. She has also reflected on her positive relationship with the media and how it has played a significant role in the success of her business. Alba made good use of those relationships to make sure that The Honest Company received the maximum limelight .The Honest Company does not manufacture wood toys, totes, and cribs that it sells on its own. Instead, it outsources their production to The Collective, which is a completely ‘green’ initiative. The cribs that the company sells are created by Babyletto and are finished using safe and non-hazardous paints, created from sourced pine.The Honest Company was launched with a charity project involving its cribs. On the sale of every crib, The Honest Company pledged to donate another crib to a child in need. Alba was called up to appear on Ellen Degeneres’ show and right after the show aired, all of the cribs by The Honest Company were sold out.With all the help she has received from the media, she has also reflected on its negative side. While she is up on the media talking about The Honest Company, most people think that she has endorsed the brand rather than being its proud owner. It is, therefore, difficult for people to believe that Alba was the one who came up with the idea. Mo reover, Alba feels that it is easier being an actress than an entrepreneur. Running a business takes long meetings and a lot of stress to cope up with, according to Alba.The struggleWhile Jessica Alba was just thinking about manufacturing environmentally friendly products for families, she was constantly being told by people how the idea does not match her ‘sexy’ image and how the business would fail. She took all of that advice in a positive stride and backed her pitch with great research and pragmatic reasoning. She now realizes that the Honest Company truly defines who she is as a person.Honesty all the wayThe Honest Company makes 80% of its sales online. However, it reached a deal in 2014 with Target, which enabled it to distribute its products through chains including Buy Buy Baby, Whole Foods, Nordstrom, and Costco.Jessica Alba chooses the retail partners of the company very carefully as they have to comprehend and appreciate the lifestyle and portfolio of the products. Th e Honest Company is B Corp certified and gives a fraction of its profits to families in need. Gavigan, Lee, and Alba are still in the process of investing in the brand without caring too much about the profit.The launch of the online store of the Honest Company marks its humble beginnings. All of the co-founders wanted to adapt a model in which they will get a chance to cater directly to the final consumer and hence opening up a digital outlet seemed like the correct option. Social feeds and bloggers were approached to give the online store a strong launch.A PEEK INTO THE COMPANYThe Honest Company is not only about creating non-toxic and green products for the family. Instead, it is a complete lifestyle. Therefore, when people are buying their products for their babies or family, they are opting for a complete lifestyle than a single product. The company just began with selling wipes and diapers, and now it sells everything that a mother requires. The company is so successful that b ecoming an IPO is in its pipeline.The office culture of the Honest Company is no different: just like its products, it is a heartfelt experience and lifestyle. Santa Monica, California houses the company’s offices that are branded the color tones of aqua, black and white. The flow of natural sunlight is an absolute quintessential in its office place. The Honest Company’s office is a visual treat.EatingThe place also hosts a kitchen for its employees. Alba was against the typical office environment for the employees and therefore got a kitchen constructed where they can easily prepare quick lunches and healthy snacks.The dividing kitchen wall is created out of wood and has ‘Honest’ written on it with Orange, Pink, Blue and Yellow flowers. The office also hosts a common area where employees can have their lunch in peace. The common area comprises of long wooden tables, and the dividing wall has a TV and a huge black moustache on it for an upbeat look. The office space/showroom is built in the best interests of the employees.SittingThe environment of the showroom is designed to boost creativity among the employees. The seating arrangement is very carefree with comfortable and colorful sofas, which allows creative communication and exchange of ideas. Moreover, instead of conventional conference rooms, the showroom hosts casual gathering spaces where employees can easily collaborate and bath themselves in sunlight.The internal environment is beautifully connected with the external patio that has bamboo trees and a lot of those “green” visual delights. The garage door connects the patio with the workspace. So, employees can stay inside while having a look at what’s going around outside.The patio contains comfortable chairs and tables along with huge umbrellas to provide the much-needed shade on the sunny days. All of the walls were removed from the showroom in order to enable sunlight to pierce through. Moreover, cubicles were removed and formed into c asual rows of communal teams for a home-like office environment.Go GreenNo matter where you look at the showroom, something or the other will remind you of what this business is built for. The organic and green image of the business in applied at every aesthetic corner of the workplace. Jessica Alba’s love for sustainable décor and nature is displayed through the vertical succulent garden in the common room, which is created out of reclaimed wood. Moreover, there are numerous plants around the whole workplace. The office makes use of numerous recycled materials, which comprises of the usage of reclaimed wood throughout the space. From the dividing wooden walls to wooden conference room table, reclaimed wood can probably be stated as the signature style of the whole place.The mango-wood shelves that appear throughout the workspace are created out of sustainable wood and provide both aesthetic value and storage. The same philosophy even transcends looking at the televisions they ha ve around the place; the TV looks amazing placed in front of the aqua colored wall and enclosed with a thin border of the wood.The outside garden is fueled by recyclable water and workers can pick vegetables from the garden and take them to their families if they want.Fun-filledThe joyous environment of the Honest Company is also reflected by the fact that every table has a jar of jellybeans on them. Whenever the employees feel dull, they can just pick some candy and fuel up some creativity in their brains. There is also a 3D game of Tic Tac Toe present, which employees could play around with in their free time.ProductsThe workplace hosts a jungle gym for mommy bloggers to come with their kids and play around while trying out the latest products of the Honest Company. Bloggers can then write about their experiences of the brand to spread a positive word of mouth about the company. There is a wall that comprises of frames containing all the diaper designs that the company has to offe r. The artistic flair of this company shows the various designs it has when it comes to diapers. The entire product line of The Honest Company is displayed in the workspace cum showroom. In 2011, the company offered 17 products, which were all centered on the young mother. Currently, the company sells about 100 products covering different aspects of housekeeping. Therefore, The Honest Company is now the complete home solution rather than only selling products for the babies.InspirationThere is another thing about this workplace which makes it unique: the words. Inspirational words are all over the place to provide the employees with the much-needed inspiration every single day. Let it be the walls or the staircase, anyone entering the workplace can easily lay their eyes on the mission and vision of the Honest Company. One wall has the entire manifesto of the company written over it.The main workplace area that is visible to everyone that enters it is the Tree Of Life which contains photographs of all the employees of this company branching out from the pictures of its founders. The Los Angeles Headquarters of the company employs around 200 people while the Austin office houses a further 100 employees.THOUGHTS ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP FROM JESSICA ALBAWith all success of the Honest Company, Alba now appreciates her acting profession more than ever before as she thinks handling a business is a lot of work. During one interview, she said, “Board meetings are so long.”She also discussed the role of raising money for the business and thinks it is among the most difficult jobs. According to Alba, appearing in movies is less stressful because your whole life does not depend on it. However, when it comes to a business, you life becomes dependent on its success.Jessica Alba truly believes that the journey of entrepreneurship begins with an idea â€" that is all she had in the beginning. She took her idea and researched on it to create a practical feasibility of an ent repreneurial venture. She knew what her mission was and what she wanted to contribute to the environment, and it was her idea that took her ahead in her dream of founding her own business.

Great Opening Lines Examples of How to Begin an Essay

In The Writing of Essays (1901), H.G. Wells offers some lively advice on how to begin an essay: So long as you do not begin with a definition you may begin anyhow. An abrupt beginning is much admired, after the fashion of the clowns entry through the chemists window. Then whack at your reader at once, hit him over the head with the sausages, brisk him up with the poker, bundle him into the wheelbarrow, and so carry him away with you before he knows where you are. You can do what you like with a reader then, if you only keep him nicely on the move. So long as you are happy your reader will be so too. In contrast to the leads seen in Hookers vs. Chasers: How Not to Begin an Essay, here are some opening lines that, in various ways, whack the reader at once and encourage us to read on. I hadnt planned to wash the corpse.But sometimes you just get caught up in the moment. . . .(Reshma Memon Yaqub, The Washing. The Washington Post Magazine, March 21, 2010)The peregrine falcon was brought back from the brink of extinction by a ban on DDT, but also by a peregrine falcon mating hat invented by an ornithologist at Cornell University. . . .(David James Duncan, Cherish This Ecstasy. The Sun, July 2008)Unrequited love, as Lorenz Hart instructed us, is a bore, but then so are a great many other things: old friends gone somewhat dotty from whom it is too late to disengage, the important social-science-based book of the month, 95 percent of the items on the evening news, discussions about the Internet, arguments against the existence of God, people who overestimate their charm, all talk about wine, New York Times editorials, lengthy lists (like this one), and, not least, oneself. . . .(Joseph Epstein, Duh, Bor-ing. Commentary, June 2011)Before the 19th century, when dinosaur b ones turned up they were taken as evidence of dragons, ogres, or giant victims of Noahs Flood. After two centuries of paleontological harvest, the evidence seems stranger than any fable, and continues to get stranger. . . .(John Updike, Extreme Dinosaurs. National Geographic, December 2007)During menopause, a woman can feel like the only way she can continue to exist for 10 more seconds inside her crawling, burning skin is to walk screaming into the sea--grandly, epically, and terrifyingly, like a 15-foot-tall Greek tragic figure wearing a giant, pop-eyed wooden mask. Or she may remain in the kitchen and begin hurling objects at her family: telephones, coffee cups, plates. . . .(Sandra Tsing Loh, The Bitch Is Back. The Atlantic, October 2011)There is a new cell-phone ring tone that cant be heard by most people over the age of twenty, according to an NPR report. The tone is derived from something called the Mosquito, a device invented by a Welsh security firm for the noble purpose of driving hooligans, yobs, scamps, neer-do-wells, scapegraces, ruffians, tosspots, and bravos away from places where grownups are attempting to ply an honest trade. . . .(Louis Menand, Name That Tone. The New Yorker, June 26, 2006)Only a sentence, casually placed as a footnote in the back of Justin Kaplans thick 2003 biography of Walt Whitman, but it goes off like a little explosion: Bram Stoker based the character of Dracula on Walt Whitman. . . .(Mark Doty, Insatiable. Granta #117, 2011)I have wonderful friends. In this last year, one took me to Istanbul. One gave me a box of hand-crafted chocolates. Fifteen of them held two rousing, pre-posthumous wakes for me. . . .(Dudley Clendinen, The Good Short Life. The New York Times Sunday Review, July 9, 2011) What these opening lines have in common is that all have been reprinted (with complete essays attached) in recent editions of The Best American Essays, an annual collection of crackling good reads culled from magazines, journals, and websites. Unfortunately, not all the essays quite live up to the promise of their openings. And a few superb essays have rather pedestrian introductions. (One resorts to the formula, In this essay, I want to explore . . ..) But all in all, if youre looking for some artful, thought-provoking, and occasionally humorous lessons in essay writing, open any volume of The Best American Essays.

Essay on Abstinence Programs Do They Work - 945 Words

Abstinence Programs: Do they Work? In 2005, nearly half of all high school students have had sexual intercourse. Plainly stating that abstinence programs do not work (USA Today). Abstinence programs were beneficial many years ago, but since they are ineffective in delaying teen pregnancy, then teen pregnancy rate has increased. Abstinence programs teach the â€Å"no sex until marriage† clause, but they don’t teach teens about birth control and the consequences of having sex at before they’ve matured. Although many studies argue that abstinence programs are educational and beneficial, other studies will show that they don’t delay teen sex, they don’t prevent the spread of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and are a waste of taxpayers’†¦show more content†¦Sexually active teens that don’t use birth control have a 90% chance of getting pregnant within a year (Guttmacher Institute). Most teens refuse to use birth control for their own personal rea sons. Teens use birth control to opt out of having protected sex† (Center for reproductive Rights 80). There is a high percentage rate of teens that actually use condoms during sex. 74% of females used contraception the first time they had sex (Guttmacher Institute). The percentage of teens that used more than one form of contraception is very low. Approximately 25% of sexually active teens use 2 methods of birth control during sex (Guttmacher Institute). The rate of teens that use condoms and still get pregnant is very low. During the first year of â€Å"typical use†, 20 of teens under the age of 18 using condoms for contraception get pregnant within one year (Abstinence Programs 75). It proves that abstinence programs reach teens that are not easily influenced by sex. Diseases and Teens Teens end up getting sexually transmitted diseases because they are unaware of the consequences of unprotected sex. No abstinence-only program affected the incidence of unprotected vaginal sex (The Australian). Annually 3 million teenagers contract STDs from their partner (Robert Rector). Teens who have early sex not only suffer from STDs, they also have emotional and physical damage. Research shows that young people who become sexuallyShow MoreRelatedAbstinence And Comprehensive Sex Education999 Words   |  4 PagesI lean towards the abstinence side of the argument between abstinence and comprehensive sex education because of my religious beliefs. Although I feel abstinence should be the focus of sex education, I think it is important to teach young people a balance to protect themselves. While researching this topic, it seems that many of the articles have the same idea to teach abstinence along with safe sex which would be comprehensive sex ed. With the ris ing sexual transmitted diseases and pregnanciesRead MoreThe Reality Of Abstinence Versus Sex Education1224 Words   |  5 PagesClarissa Jane Fender Mrs. Presley English 11 10 April 2017 The Reality of Abstinence Versus Sex Education Do you ever stop to wonder what goes through a teen’s mind? Maybe it s the late paper that wasn t turned in for English or the worry of coming home after school to family members being high as a kite, maybe it s the plans for their significant other later on or the so called special night they have planned together. Whether it be one of the topics mentioned or some far off random thoughtRead MoreWhy Abstinence Programs Don t Work1368 Words   |  6 PagesIV 31 March 2015 Why I Believe That Abstinence Programs Don t Work How can people be abstinent if they experience or see sexual content very day? Abstinence programs don t work because we see sexual content on tv every day. Sex Ed classes don’t teach things in the right way. 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Although abstinence-plus education stillRead MoreAbstinence-only vs. Abstinence-plus1607 Words   |  7 Pagesan effective program in schools that reinforce a clear message of abstaining from sexual activity in addition to informing students of the risks posed by engaging in sexual activity. The political, and religious dissension on this issue has resulted in a procedural stalemate pre venting schools from effectively addressing the problem, and implement a comprehensive sex-education program that benefits young adults in Texas and the rest of the United States. Abstinence-Only programs are currently

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 6 Free Essays

I woke up the next day, determined to go see Erik and get the truth about vampire hunters. Then, as I was brushing my teeth, I remembered yesterday’s other crisis. Seth Mortensen. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Blues CHAPTER 6 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Swearing, I finished up in the bathroom, earning a disapproving look from Aubrey for my profanity. There was no telling how long this tour thing with him might take. I might have to wait until tomorrow to see Erik, and by then, this vampire hunter or whatever could have struck again. I set out for Emerald City, wearing the most nonattractive outfit I could muster: jeans and a turtleneck, with my hair pulled severely back. Paige, all smiles, approached me as I waited for Seth in the cafe. â€Å"You should show him Foster’s and Puget Sound Books while you’re out,† she told me conspiratorially. Still waking up, I took a sip of the mocha Bruce had just made me and tried to reason out her logic. Foster’s and Puget Sound Books were competitors of ours, though not major ones. â€Å"Those places are dives.† â€Å"Exactly.† She grinned at me with her even white teeth. â€Å"Show him those, and he’ll be convinced we’re the best place for him to do his writing at.† I studied her, feeling seriously out of the loop. Or maybe I was just distracted still about the Duane thing. It wasn’t every day one had his immortality revoked. â€Å"Why†¦ would he do his writing here?† â€Å"Because he likes to take his laptop and write in coffee shops.† â€Å"Yeah, but he lives in Chicago.† Paige shook her head. â€Å"Not anymore. Where were you last night? He’s moving here to be closer to his family.† I recalled Seth mentioning his brother, but I had been too caught up in my own mortification to pay much attention. â€Å"When?† â€Å"Now, as far as I know. That’s why this was his last stop on the tour. He’s staying with his brother but plans on finding his own place soon.† She leaned close to me, eyes gleaming predatorily. â€Å"Georgina, if we have a famous author hanging out here regularly, it’ll be good for our image.† Honestly, my immediate concern wasn’t where Seth would be writing. What freaked me out was that he would not be departing for a different time zone anytime soon, a time zone where he could then forget about me and let us both get on with our lives. I could run into him every day now. Literally, if Paige’s wish was realized. â€Å"Won’t that be distracting to his writing if his presence is widely known? Annoying fans and whatnot?† â€Å"We won’t let it become a problem. We’ll make the most of this and respect his privacy. Careful now, here he comes.† I drank more of my mocha, still marveling at the way Paige’s mind worked. She could think of promotional ideas that never would have entered my head. Warren might have been the one to invest capital in this place, but it had been her marketing genius that made it a success. â€Å"Good morning,† Seth told us, walking up to the table. He wore jeans, a Def Leppard T-shirt, and a brown corduroy jacket. The lay of his hair did not convince me he’d brushed it this morning. Paige looked at me pointedly, and I sighed. â€Å"Let’s go.† Seth silently followed me outside, that awkward tension building between us like a solid barrier. He did not look at me; I did not look at him. It was only when we stood outside on Queen Anne Avenue and I realized I had no plan for today that conversation had to occur. â€Å"Where to start? Seattle, unlike Gaul, is not divided into just three parts.† I made the joke more to myself, but Seth suddenly laughed. â€Å"Seattle peninsula est,† he observed, playing off my observation. â€Å"Not exactly. Besides, that’s Bede, not Caesar.† â€Å"I know. But I don’t know very much Latin.† He gave me that quirky, bemused smile that seemed to be his trademark expression. â€Å"Do you?† â€Å"Enough.† I wondered how he would react if I mentioned my fluency in Latin dialects from various stages of the Roman Empire. My vague answer must have been interpreted as lack of interest because he looked away, and more silence fell. â€Å"Is there anything special you wanted to see?† â€Å"Not really.† Not really. Okay. Well. The sooner we got this started, the sooner it would end and I could see Erik. â€Å"Follow me.† As we drove off, I sort of hoped we might naturally flow into meaningful conversation, in spite of our bad start yesterday. Yet, as we traveled, it seemed clear Seth had no intention of carrying on any discourse. I recalled his nervousness in front of the crowd yesterday and even with some of the bookstore staff. This guy had serious social phobias, I realized, though he had made a valiant effort in shedding them during our initial flirtations. Then, I had gone and turned on the back-off vibes, undoubtedly scarring him for life and undoing whatever progress he had made. Way to go, Georgina. Maybe if I could broach some compelling topics, he would muster his earlier confidence and bring back our rapport – in a platonic way, of course. I attempted to recall my profound questions from last night. And once again, they eluded me, so I switched to mundane ones. â€Å"So your brother lives around here?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"What part?† â€Å"Lake Forest Park.† â€Å"That’s a nice area. Are you going to look for a place up there?† â€Å"Probably not.† â€Å"Do you have another place in mind then?† â€Å"Not really.† Okay, this wasn’t getting us anywhere. Annoyed at how this master of the written word could be so short on spoken ones, I finally decided to cut him out of the conversation altogether. Having him involved was too much work. Instead, I chatted on amiably without him, pointing out the popular spots: Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, the Fremont Troll. I even showed him the shoddier representatives of our competition, per Paige’s instructions. I neglected anything closer to the Space Needle than a brief nod, however. No doubt he’d seen it from Emerald City’s windows and could pay the exorbitant fees to visit it up close if he really needed the tourist experience. We went to the U District for lunch. He followed without protest or comment to my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Our meal progressed quietly as I took a break from talking, both of us eating noodles and staring out the nearby window to watch the bustle of students and cars. â€Å"This is nice.† It was the most Seth had spoken in a while, and I nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. â€Å"Yeah. This place doesn’t look like much, but they make a mean pho.† â€Å"No, I meant out there. This area.† I followed his gesture back to University Way, at first seeing nothing more than disgruntled students hauling backpacks around. Then, expanding my search, I became aware of the other small specialty restaurants, the coffee shops, and the used bookstores. It was an eclectic mix, somewhat tattered around the edges, but it had a lot to offer quirky, intellectual types – even famous, introverted writers. I looked at Seth, who looked back at me expectantly. It was our first direct eye contact all day. â€Å"Are there places to live around here?† â€Å"Sure. If you want to share a house with a bunch of eighteen-year-olds.† I paused, thinking that option might not be so unappealing for a guy. â€Å"If you want something more substantial in this area, it’ll cost you. I guess Cady and O’Neill ensure that’s not really an issue, huh? We can drive around and look, if you want.† â€Å"Maybe. I’d honestly rather go there first.† He pointed across the street, to one of the used bookstores. His eyes flicked back to me uncertainly. â€Å"If that’s okay with you.† â€Å"Let’s go.† I loved used bookstores but always felt a little guilty walking into them. Like I was cheating. After all, I worked around bright, crisp books all the time. I could obtain a reprint of almost anything I wanted, brand new. It seemed wrong to take such visceral pleasure from being around old books, from the smell of aged paper, mildew, and dust. Such collections of knowledge, some quite old, always reminded me of times long past and places I’d seen, triggering a tidal wave of nostalgia. These emotions made me feel both old and young. The books aged while I did not. A gray tabby cat stretched and blinked at us from her spot on the counter as we entered. I stroked her back and said hello to the old man near her. He glanced up briefly from the books he sorted, smiled at us, and returned to his work. Seth stared around at the towering shelves before us, an expression of bliss on his face, and promptly disappeared into them. I wandered over to nonfiction, wanting to peruse the cookbooks. I had grown up preparing food without microwaves and food processors and decided it was high time to let my culinary knowledge expand into this century. Finally settling on a Greek cookbook with lots of colored pictures, I dragged myself away a half hour later and looked for Seth. I found him in the children’s section, kneeling next to a stack of books, completely absorbed. I crouched down beside him. â€Å"What are you looking at?† He flinched slightly, startled by my proximity, and tore his gaze away from his find to look at me. This close, I could see that his eyes were actually more of a golden-amber brown, his lashes long enough to make any girl jealous. â€Å"Andrew Lang’s fairy books.† He held a paperback entitled The Blue Fairy Book. On top of the stack near him sat another called The Orange Fairy Book, and I could only assume the rest followed color-coded suit. Seth glowed with literary rapture, forgetting his reticence around me. â€Å"The 1960s reprints. Not as valuable as, say, editions from the 1800s, but these are the ones my dad had, the ones he used to read to us from. He only had a couple, though; this is the whole set. I’m going to get them and read them to my nieces.† Flipping through the pages of The Red Fairy Book, I recognized the titles of many familiar stories, some I hadn’t even known were still around. I turned the book over and looked inside the cover but found no price. â€Å"How much are they?† Seth pointed to a small sign near the shelf he’d obtained them from. â€Å"Is that reasonable for these?† I asked. â€Å"It’s a little high, but it’s worth it to me to get them all in one go.† â€Å"No way.† I gathered up part of the books, rising. â€Å"We’ll talk him down.† â€Å"Talk him down how?† My lips turned up in a smile. â€Å"With words.† Seth seemed dubious, but the clerk proved an easy target. Most men would eventually cave before an attractive, charismatic woman – let alone a succubus who still sported a residual life force glow. Besides, I had learned bartering at my mother’s knee. The guy behind the counter didn’t stand a chance. By the time I finished with him, he had happily lowered the price by 25 percent and thrown in my cookbook for free. Walking back to my car, arms laden with books, Seth kept glancing at me wonderingly. â€Å"How did you do that? I’ve never seen anything like it.† â€Å"Lots of practice.† A vague answer worthy of one of his. â€Å"Thanks. I wish I could repay the favor.† â€Å"Don’t worry – hey, you can actually. Would you mind running an errand with me? It’s to a bookstore, but it’s a scary bookstore.† â€Å"Scary how?† Five minutes later, we were on our way to see my old friend Erik Lancaster. Erik had been ensconced in the Seattle area long before me, and he was a well-known figure to almost every immortal entity around. Versed in mythology and supernatural lore, he regularly proved to be an excellent resource for all things paranormal. If he had noticed that some of his best patrons never aged, he wisely refrained from pointing that out. The only annoying thing about seeing Erik was that it required a visit to Krystal Starz – a stunning example of New Age spirituality gone wrong. I didn’t doubt the place might have had good intentions back when it opened in the 1980s, but the bookstore now touted a barrage of colorful, highly commercial merchandise more weighted in price than any sort of mystical value. Erik, by my estimation, was the only employee with legitimate concern and knowledge of esoteric matters. The best of his coworkers were simply apathetic; the worst were zealots and scam artists. Pulling up into the store’s parking lot, I immediately felt surprise at the number of cars there. This many people at Emerald City would have constituted a signing, but that sort of event seemed odd in the middle of the workday. A heavy wave of incense poured over us as we entered, and Seth appeared just as surprised as me by all the people and stimuli. â€Å"I might be a minute,† I told him. â€Å"Feel free to look around. Not that there’s much here worth seeing.† He melted away, and I turned my attention to a bright-eyed young man standing near the door and directing the crowd around. â€Å"Are you here for the Gathering?† â€Å"Urn, no,† I told him. â€Å"I’m looking for Erik.† â€Å"Erik who?† â€Å"Lancaster? Older guy? African-American? He works here.† The young lackey shook his head. â€Å"There’s no Erik here. Not as long as I’ve been working here.† He spoke like he’d founded the store. â€Å"How long has that been?† â€Å"Two months.† I rolled my eyes. A veritable veteran. â€Å"Is there a manager around here I can talk to?† â€Å"Well, Helena’s here, but she’s going to be – ah, there she is.† He gestured to the far side of the store where the woman in question appeared as though summoned. Ah yes, Helena. She and I had tangled before. Pale-haired, her neck bestrewn with crystals and other arcane symbols, she stood in a doorway marked meeting room. A teal shawl covered her slim shoulders, and like always, I wondered how old she was. She looked to be in her lower to mid-thirties, but something about her demeanor always made me think she was older. Maybe she’d had a lot of plastic surgery. It would be fitting, really, considering the rest of her trumped-up, artificial persona. â€Å"Everyone? Everyone?† She spoke in this obviously faked, high-pitched voice, meant to sound like a whisper, albeit one that could reach loud volumes. So mostly it came out raspy, like she had a cold. â€Å"It’s time to start.† The masses – thirty or so, I’d say – moved toward the meeting room, and I followed, blending into the crowd. Some of the people around me looked like Helena: theme-dressed, in either all-black or too-vibrant shades, with a plethora of pentagrams, crystals, and ohms in attendance. Others looked like average people, dressed much like me in my work clothes, trailing along in excited curiosity. With a frozen, fake smile plastered across her face, Helena beckoned us into the room murmuring, â€Å"Welcome, welcome. Feel the energy.† When I passed by her, the smile faltered. â€Å"I know you.† â€Å"Yes.† The smile diminished further. â€Å"You’re that woman who works at that big bookstore – that big, commercial bookstore.† A few people stopped and listened to our exchange, no doubt the reason she refrained from pointing out the last time I was in here, I had called her a hypocrite pushing marked-up crap merchandise. Compared to certain national chains, I hardly considered Emerald City commercial. Still, I shrugged in acknowledgment. â€Å"Yeah, what can I say, we’re part of the problem in corporate America. However, we do sell all the books and tarot cards that you do, often at a discount if you’re a member of Emerald City’s Frequent Readers Program.† I mentioned this last part loudly. Extra advertising never hurt. Helena’s weakening smile disappeared altogether, as did some of her raspy voice. â€Å"Is there something I can help you with?† â€Å"I’m looking for Erik.† â€Å"Erik doesn’t work here anymore.† â€Å"Where’d he go?† â€Å"I’m not at liberty to discuss that.† â€Å"Why? Are you afraid I’ll take my business elsewhere? Believe me, you were never in danger of having it.† She raised delicate fingers to her forehead and studied me seriously, eyes nearly going crossed. â€Å"I sense a lot of darkness in your aura. Black and red.† Her voice rose, drawing in the attention of her acolytes. â€Å"You would benefit greatly from some clearing work. A smoky or rutilated quartz might also help. We have excellent specimens of both for sale here. Either would lighten up your aura.† I couldn’t resist a smirk. I believed in auras, knew they were perfectly real. I also knew, however, that my aura looked nothing at all like a mortal one, nor would someone like Helena even be able to see it. Indeed, a true human adept, capable of perceiving such things, would notice that in standing with a group of humans, I would be the only person without a discernible aura. It would be invisible to all, save someone like Jerome or Carter, though some particularly skilled mortal might be able to feel its strength and be understandably cautious. Erik was one such mortal, which was why he always treated me with so much respect. Helena was not. â€Å"Wow,† I crooned. â€Å"I can’t believe you were able to deduce all that without your aura camera.† Krystal Starz proudly touted a camera that would photograph your aura for $9.95. â€Å"Do I owe you something now?† She sniffed. â€Å"I don’t need a camera to see others’ auras. I am a Master. Besides, the spirits who have assembled for this Gathering tell me plenty about you.† My smile increased. â€Å"What do they say?† I’d had little dealings with spirits or other ethereal beings in my long life, but I would know if any were present. She closed her eyes, hands to her forehead again, lines of thought creasing her face. The onlookers watched in wonder. â€Å"They tell me that much troubles you. That the indecision and monotony in your life force you to lash out, and so long as you choose the path of darkness and distrust, you will never find peace or light.† Her blue eyes opened, caught up in her own otherworldly ecstasy. â€Å"They want you to join us. Sit in our circle, feel their healing energy. The spirits will help you to a better life.† â€Å"Like they helped you out of the porn industry?† She froze, paling, and I almost felt bad for a moment. Adepts like Erik weren’t the only ones with reputations in the immortal community. A crackpot like Helena was well known too. Someone who had apparently been a fan of hers back in the day had recognized her from a movie and passed on this bit of dirt to the rest of us. â€Å"I don’t know what you mean,† she finally said, face struggling for control in front of her minions. â€Å"My mistake. You reminded me of someone called Moana Licka. You sort of rub crystals the way she used to rub†¦ well, you get the idea.† â€Å"You are mistaken,† Helena said, voice on the verge of cracking. â€Å"Erik no longer works here. Please leave.† Another retort rose to my lips, but then, beyond her, I caught sight of Seth. He had wandered up to the edge of the crowd, observing the spectacle with the others. Seeing him, I suddenly felt foolish, the thrill of humiliating Helena turning cheap and shallow. Embarrassed, I still managed to hold my head high as I withheld my remarks and walked away from her. Seth fell into step beside me. â€Å"Let me guess,† I said dryly. â€Å"Some people write the stories, and some people live them.† â€Å"I think you can’t help but make a sensation wherever you go.† I assumed he was being sarcastic. Then, I glanced over and saw his frank expression, neither censuring nor snide. His earnestness was so unexpected that I stumbled slightly, paying more attention to him than where I was going. Having a much-deserved reputation for gracefulness, I recovered almost immediately. Seth, however, instinctually held out a hand to catch me. As he did, I suddenly had a flash of†¦ of something. Like that moment of connection back in the map aisle. Or the surge of fulfillment I got when I read his books. It was brief, fleeting, like maybe it hadn’t happened at all. He seemed as surprised as I felt and released my arm tentatively, almost hesitantly. A moment later, a voice behind me broke the spell entirely. â€Å"Excuse me?† Turning, I saw a slim teenage girl with cropped red hair and piercings up and down her ears. â€Å"You were looking for Erik, right?† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I can tell you where he’s at. He left about five months ago to start his own store. It’s in Lake City†¦ I forget the name. There’s a light there, with a grocery store and a big Mexican restaurant†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I nodded. â€Å"I know that area. I’ll find it. Thanks.† I eyed her curiously. â€Å"Do you work here?† â€Å"Yeah. Erik was always pretty cool to me, so I’d rather see him get business than this place. I’d have gone with him, but he doesn’t really need any other help, so I’m stuck with Nutso in there.† She jerked her thumb back in Helena’s direction. The girl had a serious, practical demeanor different from most of this place’s employees. I recalled now that I’d seen her helping customers when I’d come in. â€Å"Why do you work here if you don’t like it?† â€Å"I don’t know. I like books, and I need money.† I dug through my purse, searching for one of my rarely used business cards. â€Å"Here. You want a new job, come talk to me sometime.† She took the card and read it, surprise filling her features. â€Å"Thanks†¦ I think.† â€Å"Thanks for the info about Erik.† Pausing, I considered further, and dug out another card. â€Å"If you’ve got a friend – anyone else who works here and is like you – give this to them too.† â€Å"Is that legal?† asked Seth later. † Dunno. But we’re short-staffed at Emerald City.† I figured a specialty store like Erik’s must be closed by now, so instead I turned toward Lake Forest Park to return Seth to his brother’s house. I confess, relief flooded me. Being with one’s hero was tiring, not to mention every interaction between us swung between wildly opposing poles. I’d probably be safer limiting our relationship to me simply reading his books. I dropped him off at a cute, suburban home, its front yard littered with children’s playthings. I saw no sign of the children themselves, much to my disappointment. Seth gathered up his haul of books, gave me another scattered smile as he voiced his thanks, and disappeared into the house. I was almost back to Queen Anne when I realized I’d forgotten to ask him for my copy of The Glasgow Pact. Annoyed, I entered my building and immediately heard the front desk attendant solicit me. â€Å"Miss Kincaid?† I walked over to him, and he handed me a vase of flowers teeming with shades of purple and dark pink. â€Å"These came for you today.† I accepted the vase with delight, inhaling the mingled scents of roses, irises, and stargazer lilies. They had no card. Typical. â€Å"Who brought them?† He gestured beyond me. â€Å"That man over there.† How to cite Succubus Blues CHAPTER 6, Essay examples

Psycho Essays - English-language Films, Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock

Psycho An Analysis of the Opening Sequence from Alfred Hitchcock's Just like a building, a film needs a strong foundation in order to be successful, a foundation which is made up of the starting moments of the film. In Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock successfully uses the opening credit sequence to establish a foundation on which to build an interesting plot, including techniques to elicit involvement by the spectator, and the suggestion of a Psycho theme. A musical composition consisting of quick strokes on tightly wound violins, later used in the famous shower scene, starts to play at the beginning of the sequence. Names begin to slide on and off the screen in a series of horizontal and vertical lines. The top and bottom portions of the names slide onto the screen, followed by the middle portion. The last name to appear is that of Alfred Hitchcock, which settles in the middle of the screen and begins to twitch and flutter in an unusual manner. The credits then dissolve into a long shot of an auspicious section of an unknown city where a building is being constructed (paralleling the idea of Hitchcock shaping a foundation). As this dissolve takes place, a more subtle and mellow music (again composed of string instruments) fills the air, suggesting a stable environment. The sun burns brightly in the sky and a desert landscape is seen in the background through a haze. The shot immediately begins to pan slowly to the right, revealing more city rooftops and streets. As a dissolve zooms us slightly closer to the city and the camera continues to pan, small block letters appear on both sides of the screen and converge in the middle to read PHOENIX, ARIZONA. Hitchcock immediately brings the reoccurring theme of birds into the film by setting the scenery in Phoenix. The camera continues to pan to the right, now moving on to a more dreary side of the city. The next set of titles converges in the center of the screen, reading FRIDAY, DECEMBER ELEVENTH. As the panning continues, a slow zoom begins to bring us closer to one of the buildings. The last title appears in the same fashion as the preceding, TWO FORTY-THREE P.M. Yet another dissolve stops the camera on a rather unattractive wall, slowly zooming in on a window with Venetian blinds drawn down. A cut to a closer view of the window reveals an opening a few inches below the blind in which the camera continues to zoom in on, bringing us into a dark apartment room. Since we have grown accustomed to the bright sun outside, the apartment, in contrast, seems gloomy. The camera pans to the right at the same speed as before, allowing us to make out a couple of blurred objects. Now the picture begins to focus and we see the torso of a shirt less Sam Loomis standing next to a bed where a half-nude Marion Crane lies gazing upward at him. The first words are spoken while at the same time the mu sic comes to a halt. Never did eat your lunch, did you? says Sam. With this line a cut places the camera on a close-up of a small table on which lies a water pitcher, glasses, a paper cup, and a wrapped up uneaten sandwich. Marion answers, I've got to get back to the office. The first half of the opening sequence symbolizes the film's progress as a whole. We are taken from the broad surface view of Phoenix into the depths of its intricate workings. We go from beautiful daylight to a grim darkness. Furthermore, we move from a public and general view to a most private and intimate one, just as the movie will as it progresses. We even duplicate Norman Bates's later action of peeping through a hole to see Marion partially nude as we peep beneath the blind to see the same woman, again partially nude. Hitchcock successfully uses these opening camera shots to foreshadow later events in the film as well as suggest we are not totally unlike Norman. We too have erotic desires that possess our minds. Hitchcock explains that the line between our normal behavior and Norman's abnormal behavior