Growth Rates Essay

What factors might contribute to a low or high growth rates in a country? There are three categories of factors that contribute to a low or high growth rates. These categories are the demand factor, the efficiency factor, and supply factors. Government spending or exports can lead to a higher to aggregate demand and higher economic growth. â€Å"Economic growth requires increases in total spending to realize the output gain made available by increased production capacity† (McConnell, 2012, p. 513). One way to accomplish this is by lowering interest rates. Lower interest rates make borrowing cheaper. This encourages consumers to spend more money. Efficiency is attained when resources are used â€Å"†¦in the least costly way to produce the specific mix of goods and services that maximizes people’s well-being† (McConnell, 2012, p. 513). For example, when human resources are not being used to their full potential unemployment will increase. As unemployment increases, total spending will decrease. This will lower growth rates. Supply factors such as increases in natural resources, increases in human resources, increases in the supply of capital goods, and improvements in technology create a higher economic growth rate (McConnell, 2012, p. 512). Why do some poor countries experience higher growth rates than others when all face the same challenges? Some poor countries experience higher growth rates than others because of its population, its infrastructure, its natural resources, or a combination of these. One example of government infrastructure are the policies related to patents and copyrights. Additionally, poorer countries tend to adopt more advanced technology from richer countries. Leader countries are constrained by technological process. Why resources are no longer the most important indicators of economic growth disparity among countries? Which other economic and non-economic factors do you think explain the reasons behind growth disparities among countries? As technology improves, resources are no longer the most important indicators of economic growth disparity among countries. Other economic and non-economic factors that help explain growth disparities are greater education and training, improved resource allocation, increases in the quantity of capital, and economies of scale. This means that firms can  produce each output with fewer resources. How can sustainable long-run economic growth be realized? What are the roles of the government in achieving sustainable long-run economic growth? Sustainable long-run economic growth can be realized through institutional structures such as strong property rights, patents and copyrights, efficient financial institutions, literacy and widespread education, free trade, and a competitive market system (McConnell, 2012, pp. 511-512). Government can help achieve long-run economics growth by reinforcing these institutional structures. The government may need to invest in their infrastructure or create policies that help promote growth. China is a great example of long-term economic growth. China’s real output has grown over the past 25 years at a rate of nearly 9 percent per year, quadrupling real output over that period (McConnell, 2012, p. 522). Rising income has led to more saving, greater capital investment, and more direct foreign investment, which has helped fuel growth. Per capita income has increased at an annual rate of 8 percent since 1980, despite China’s population expanding by 14 million people per year (McConnell, 2012, p. 522). Increased use of capital, better technology, labor reallocation from agriculture, and increased privatization has all contributed to greater productivity. China’s growth has been supported by a dramatic increase in exports ($5 billion in 1978 to $1.2 trillion in 2007) (McConnell, 2012, p. 522). McConnell, C. Brue, S. & Flynn, S. (2012). Economics:Principles, Problems, and Policies (19 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. What are the limitations of the GDP in measuring total output and national welfare? What products (services) are excluded from the GDP computation? Gross domestic product(GDP) is defined as â€Å"the total market value of all final goods and services produced annually within the boundaries of the United States, whether by U.S. or foreign-supplied resources† (McConnell, 2012, p. G11). GDP has limitations when measuring total output and national welfare because it is a monetary value. GDP only counts final goods and ignores intermediate goods. If intermediate goods were allowed, multiple counting would occur. GDP is not necessarily a good measure of social  welfare because it doesn’t adjust production for negative externalities. The reason that GDP is an imperfect measure of social welfare is that it does not measure many goods and services that have real economic value. The most obvious case is leisure. Leisure is a normal good. GDP excludes non production transactions â€Å"because they have nothing to do with the generation of final goods† (McConnell, 2012, p. 487).There are two types financial transactions and secondhand sales. Financial transactions include public transfer payments, private transfer payments, and stock market transactions (McConnell, 2012, pp. 487-488). Also illegal goods and resource depletion are excluded. GDP is not reduced by pollution that is produced in processes. Is the GDP measure underestimating or overestimating national production and total income in the economy? Why? GDP is in fact underestimating national production and total national income because there are exclusions. For example, if someone gets paid â€Å"under the table†, this illegal act is not included in the calculation. The same can be said regarding secondhand sales. These sales are happening even though they do not contribute to current production (McConnell, 2012, p. 488). Also, GDP does not take into account inflation. This reduces the actual increase in income. What are the impacts of the shortcomings of the GDP as a measure of the national product and national welfare? As stated earlier, GDP has limitations. It is because of these limitations that a true economic picture cannot be seen. Nonmarket activities are the transactions outside the market, and hence there is no reliable price information about them. Unpaid work or â€Å"under the table† is not included. Leisure is ignored understating well-being. Improved product quality due to technological advances tends to improve welfare because they lower prices. This element is usually excluded from GDP. Finally, the underground economy understates GDP because this income is not included. If included, these activities would show a more accurate picture. Currently, the exclusion of the activities gives consumers as well as other countries a false sense of economic stability. GDP is portrayed to be higher than what it actually is. Reference McConnell, C. B. (2012). Economics:Principles, Problems, and Policies (19 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Declining Morality Essay

Teen pregnancy is occurring everywhere. Profanity has greatly increased in the entertainment industry. Dances are becoming more vulgar and are teaching small children bad habits. Out-of-wedlock births now seem to be common and, therefore, less frowned upon than before. One of the most important challenges to humanity today is obviously our drastic decline in morality. Some may say our morals are even being completely redefined. At this rate, will our generation’s children grow up in an even worse environment than our current situation? One of the most influential causes for society’s decreasing morality is today’s music. Children as young as three years of age are learning such profane language from listening to lyrics without parental supervision and repeating them for their friends to hear. Drug and alcohol abuse, premarital sex, and violence are being especially promoted in current rap music. The dances associated with such songs also suggest these ideas. There should already be a limit to what youth are allowed to hear, and with lack of this supervision along with increasing vulgarity, kids are trying to grow up much too fast. This can connect to the increasing teen pregnancy rate. Marriage used to be morally required in order to reproduce and raise children. Out-of-wedlock births are becoming more popular. This can be linked to dysfunctional families and children being raised without both parents present. Therefore, the youth do not always receive the deserving attention and support needed to lead a successful life. Increasing divorce rates and custody battles also contribute to this issue. All in all, today’s youth are not thriving as they should be. Yet, this is not only effecting young people but also our society as a whole. Morality’s downfall has become an austere issue that must be addressed to the public. If failed to be brought to attention soon, the adolescents of today could possibly wreak havoc on later society.

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 27

The next morning was another hot one. The air was so thick and humid that just walking down the street felt unpleasantly like getting slapped with a warm, damp washcloth. Even inside the car with the air-conditioning on, Elena could feel her usual y sleek hair frizzing from the humidity. Stefan had turned up at her house just after breakfast, this time with a list of herbs and magical supplies Mrs. Flowers wanted them to find in town for new protection spel s. As they drove, Elena gazed out the window at the neat white houses and trim green lawns of residential Fel ‘s Church as they gradual y gave way to the brick buildings and tasteful store windows of the shopping district at the center of town. Stefan parked on the main street, outside a cute little cafe where they had sipped cappuccinos together last fal , shortly after she'd learned what he was. Sitting at one of the tiny tables, Stefan had told her how to make a traditional Italian cappuccino, and that had led to his reminiscing about the great feasts of his youth during the Renaissance: aromatic soups sprinkled with pomegranate seeds; rich roasts basted with rosewater; pastries with elder flowers and chestnuts. Course after course of sweet, rich, heavily spiced foods that a modern Italian would never recognize as part of his country's cuisine. It had awed Elena when she realized how different the world had been the last time Stefan had eaten human food. He had mentioned in passing that forks had just been coming into fashion when he was young, and that his father had derided them as a foppish fad. Until Katherine had brought a more fashionable and ladylike influence into their home, they had eaten with only spoons and sharp knives for cutting. â€Å"It was elegant, though,† he'd said, laughing at the expression on her face. â€Å"We al had excel ent table manners. You'd hardly have noticed.† At the time, she'd thought his differences from the boys she'd known – the scope of al the history he'd witnessed – was romantic. Now†¦ wel , now she didn't know what she thought. â€Å"It's down here, I think,† said Stefan, taking her hand and returning her to the present. â€Å"Mrs. Flowers said a New Age store has opened up and that they should have most of the things we need.† The shop was cal ed Spirit and Soul, and it was tiny but vibrant, cluttered with crystals and unicorn figurines, tarot cards and dream catchers. Everything was painted in shades of purple and silver, and silky wal hangings blew in the breeze from a little windowsil air conditioner. The air conditioner wasn't strong enough to put much of a dent in the stickiness of today's heat, though, and the birdlike little woman with long curling hair and clattering necklaces who emerged from the back of the shop looked tired and sweaty. â€Å"How can I help you?† she said in a low, musical voice that Elena suspected she adopted to fit in with the atmosphere of the store. Stefan pul ed out the scrap of paper covered in Mrs. Flowers's tangled handwriting and squinted at it. Vampire vision or not, deciphering Mrs. Flowers's writing could be a chal enge. Oh, Stefan. He was earnest, and sweet, and noble. His poet's soul shone through those gorgeous green eyes. She couldn't regret loving Stefan. But sometimes she secretly wished that she had found Stefan in a less complicated form, that the soul and the intel igence, the love and the passion, the sophistication and the gentleness had somehow been possible in the form of a real eighteenyear-old boy; that he had been what he had pretended to be when she first met him: mysterious, foreign, but human. â€Å"Do you have anything made of hematite?† he asked now. â€Å"Jewelry, or maybe knickknacks? And incense with†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He frowned at the paper. â€Å"Althea in it? Does althea sound right?† â€Å"Of course!† said the shopkeeper enthusiastical y. â€Å"Althea's good for protection and security. And it smel s great. The different kinds of incense are over here.† Stefan fol owed her deeper into the shop, but Elena lingered near the door. She felt exhausted, even though the day had barely begun. There was a rack of clothing by the front window, and she fiddled distractedly with it, pushing hangers back and forth. There was a wispy pink tunic studded with tiny mirrors, a little hippieish but cute. Bonnie might like this, Elena thought automatical y, and then flinched. Through the window, she glimpsed a face she knew, and turned, the top hanging forgotten in her hand. She searched her mind for the name. Tom Parker, that was it. She'd gone out on a few dates with him junior year, before she and Matt had gotten together. It felt like a lot more than a year and a half ago. Tom had been pleasant enough and handsome enough, a perfectly satisfactory date, but she hadn't felt a spark between them and, as Meredith had said, â€Å"practiced catch and release† with him, â€Å"freeing him to swim back into the waters of dating.† He had been crazy about her, though. Even after she set him loose, he'd hung around, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes, pleading with her to take him back. If things had been different, if she had felt anything for Tom, wouldn't her life be simpler now? She watched Tom. He was strol ing down the street, smiling, hand in hand with Marissa Peterson, the girl he had started dating near the end of last year. Tom was tal , and he bent his shaggy dark head down to hear what Marissa was saying. They grinned at each other, and he lifted his free hand to gently, teasingly tug on her long hair. They looked happy together. Wel , good for them. Easy to be happy when they were uncomplicatedly in love, when there was nothing more difficult in their lives than a summer spent with their friends before heading off to col ege. Easy to be happy when they couldn't even remember the chaos their town had been in before Elena had saved them. They weren't even grateful. They were too lucky: They knew nothing of the darkness that lurked on the edges of their safe, sunlit lives. Elena's stomach twisted. Vampires, demons, phantoms, star-crossed love. Why did she have to be the one to deal with it al ? She listened for a moment. Stefan was stil consulting with the shopkeeper, and she heard him say worriedly, â€Å"Wil rowan twigs have the same effect, though?† and the woman's reassuring murmur. He would be busy for a while longer, then. He was only about a third of the way down the list Mrs. Flowers had given them. Elena put the shirt back in its place on the rack and walked out of the store. Careful not to be noticed by the couple across the street, she fol owed them at a distance, taking a good long look at Marissa. She was skinny, with freckles and a little blob of a nose. Pretty enough, Elena supposed, with long, straight dark hair and a wide mouth, but not especial y eyecatching. She'd been nobody much at school, either. Vol eybal team, maybe. Yearbook. Passable, but not stel ar grades. Friends, but not popular. An occasional date, but not a girl who boys noticed. A part-time job in a store, or maybe the library. Ordinary. Nothing special. So why did ordinary, nothing-special Marissa get to have this uncomplicated, sunlit life, while Elena had been through hel – literal y – to get what Marissa seemed to have with Tom and yet she still didn't get to have it? A cold breeze touched Elena's skin, and she shivered despite the morning's heat. She looked up. Dark, cool tendrils of fog were drifting around her, yet the rest of the street was just as sunny as it had been a few minutes before. Elena's heart began to pound hard before her brain even caught up and realized what was happening. Run! something inside her howled, but it was too late. Her limbs were suddenly heavy as lead. A cool, dry voice spoke close behind her, a voice that sounded eerily like the observational one inside her own head, the one that told her the uncomfortable truths she didn't want to acknowledge. â€Å"Why is it,† the voice said, â€Å"that you can only love monsters?† Elena couldn't bring herself to turn around. â€Å"Or is it that only monsters can truly love you, Elena?† the voice went on, taking on a softly triumphant tone. â€Å"Al those boys in high school, they only wanted you as a trophy. They saw your golden hair and your blue eyes and your perfect face and they thought how fine they would look with you on their arm.† Steeling herself, Elena slowly turned around. There was no one there, but the fog was growing thicker. A woman pushing a strol er brushed past her with a placid glance. Couldn't she see Elena was being wrapped in her own private fog? Elena opened her mouth to cry out, but the words stuck in her throat. The fog was colder now, and it felt almost solid, like it was holding Elena back. With a great effort of wil , she forced herself forward, but could stagger only as far as the bench in front of a nearby store. The voice spoke again, whispering in her ear, gloating. â€Å"They never saw you, those boys. Girls like Marissa, like Meredith, can find love and be happy. Only the monsters bother to find the real Elena. Poor, poor Elena, you'l never be normal, wil you? Not like other girls.† It laughed softly, viciously. The fog pressed thicker around her. Now Elena couldn't see the rest of the street, or anything beyond the darkness. She tried to get to her feet, to move forward a few steps, to shake off the fog. But she couldn't move. The fog was like a heavy blanket holding her down, but she couldn't touch it, couldn't fight it. Elena panicked, tried once more to surge to her feet, opened her mouth to cal , Stefan! But the fog swirled into her, through her, soaking into her every pore. Unable to fight back or cal out, she col apsed. It was stil freezing cold. â€Å"At least I have clothes on this time,† Damon muttered, kicking at a piece of charred wood as he trudged across the barren surface of the Dark Moon. The place was beginning to get to him, he had to admit. He had been wandering this desolate landscape for what felt like days, although the unchanging darkness here made it impossible for him to know for sure how much time had passed. When he had awakened, Damon had assumed he would find the little redbird next to him, eager for his company and protection. But he'd awoken alone, lying on the ground. No phantom, no grateful girl. He frowned and poked one tentative foot into a heap of ash that might conceal a body, but was unsurprised to find nothing but mud beneath the ash, smearing more filth onto his once-polished black boots. After he'd arrived here and started searching for Bonnie, he'd expected that at any moment, he might stumble across her unconscious body. He'd had a powerful image of what she would look like, pale and silent in the darkness, long red curls caked with ash. But now he was becoming convinced that, wherever the phantom had taken Bonnie, she wasn't here. He'd come here to be a hero: defeat the phantom, save the girl, and ultimately save his girl. What an idiot, he thought, curling his lip at his own foolishness. The phantom hadn't brought him to wherever it was keeping Bonnie. Alone on this ash heap of the moon, he felt oddly rejected. Didn't it want him? A sudden powerful wind pushed against him, and Damon staggered backward a few steps before regaining his balance. The wind brought a sound with it: Was that a moan? He altered his course, hunching his shoulders and heading for where he thought the sound had come from. Then the sound came again, a sad, sobbing moan echoing behind him. He turned back, but his footsteps were closer together and less confident than usual. What if he was wrong and the little witch was hurt and alone somewhere on this godforsaken moon? He was terribly hungry. He pushed his tongue against his aching canines, and they grew knife-sharp. His mouth was so dry; he imagined the flow of sweet, rich blood, life itself pulsing against his lips. The moaning came once more, from his left this time, and again he swerved toward it. The wind blew against his face, cold and wet with mist. This was al Elena's fault. He was a monster. He was supposed to be a monster, to take blood unflinchingly, to kil without a second thought or care. But Elena had changed al that. She had made him want to protect her. Then he had started looking out for her friends, and final y even saving her provincial little town, when any self-respecting vampire would have either been long gone when the kitsune came, or enjoyed the devastation with warm blood on his lips. He'd done al that – he'd changed for her – and she stil didn't love him. Not enough, anyway. When he'd kissed her throat and stroked her hair the other night, who had she been thinking of? That weakling Stefan. â€Å"It's always Stefan, isn't it?† a clear, cool voice said behind him. Damon froze, the hairs on the back of his neck rising. â€Å"Whatever you tried to take from him,† the voice continued, â€Å"you were just fighting to even the scales, because the fact is that he got everything, and you had nothing at al . You just wanted things to be fair.† Damon shuddered, not turning around. No one had ever understood that. He just wanted things to be fair. â€Å"Your father cared for him much more than he did for you. You've always known that,† the voice went on. â€Å"You were the oldest, the heir, but Stefan was the one your father loved. And, in romance, you have always been two steps behind Stefan. Katherine already loved him by the time you met her; then the same sad story happened al over again with Elena. They say they love you, these girls of yours, but they have never loved you best, or most, or only, not even when you give them your whole heart.† Damon shuddered again. He felt a tear run down his cheek and, infuriated, wiped it away. â€Å"And you know why that is, don't you, Damon?† the creature went on smoothly. â€Å"Stefan. Stefan's always taken everything you've ever wanted. He's gotten the things you wanted before you even saw them, and left nothing for you. Elena doesn't love you. She never has and she never wil .† Something broke inside Damon at the creature's words, and instantly he snapped back to himself. How dare the phantom make him question Elena's love? It was the only true thing he knew. A cold breeze fluttered Damon's clothing. He couldn't hear the moaning now. And then everything went stil . â€Å"I know what you're doing,† Damon snarled. â€Å"You think you can trick me? Do you suppose you can turn me against Elena?† A soft, wet footstep in the mud sounded behind him. â€Å"Oh, little vampire,† the voice said mockingly. â€Å"Oh, little phantom,† Damon said back, matching the creature's tone. â€Å"You have no idea the mistake you just made.† Steeling himself to leap, he whirled around, fangs ful y extended. But before he could pounce, cold strong hands seized him by the throat and pul ed him into the air. â€Å"I'd also recommend burying pieces of iron around whatever you're trying to protect,† the shopkeeper suggested. â€Å"Horseshoes are traditional, but anything made of iron, especial y anything round or curved, wil do.† She'd passed through various stages of disbelief as Stefan had tried to buy up what seemed like every single object, herb, or charm related to protection in the shop, and now had become manical y helpful. â€Å"I think I've got everything I need for now,† Stefan said politely. â€Å"Thank you so much for your help.† Her dimples shone as she rang up his purchases on the shop's old-fashioned metal cash register, and he smiled back. He thought he had managed to decipher every item on Mrs. Flowers's list correctly, and was feeling fairly proud of himself. Someone opened the door to come in, and a cold breeze whooshed into the shop, setting the magical items and wal hangings flapping. â€Å"Do you feel that?† the shopkeeper asked. â€Å"I think a storm's coming.† Her hair, caught by the wind, fanned out in the air. Stefan, about to make a pleasant rejoinder, stared in horror. Her long locks, suspended for a moment, twisted their tendrils into one curling strand that spel ed out, clearly and chil ingly: matt But if the phantom had found a new target, that meant Elena – Stefan whipped around, looking frantical y toward the front of the shop. Elena wasn't there. â€Å"Are you al right?† the shopkeeper asked as Stefan stared wildly around. Ignoring her, he hurried back toward the door of the shop, looking down every aisle, in every nook. Stefan let his Power spread out, reaching for a trace of Elena's distinctive presence. Nothing. She wasn't in the shop. How could he not have noticed her leaving? He pressed his fists into his eyes until little stars burst beneath his lids. This was his fault. He hadn't been feeding on human blood, and his powers were sorely diminished. Why had he let himself get so weak? If he had been at ful strength, he would have realized immediately that she had gone. It was self-indulgent to give in to his conscience when he had people to protect. â€Å"Are you al right?† the woman asked again. She'd fol owed him down the aisles of the store, holding out his bag, and was looking at him anxiously. Stefan took hold of the bag. â€Å"The girl I came in with,† he said urgently. â€Å"Did you see where she went?† â€Å"Oh,† she replied, frowning. â€Å"She went back outside when we were heading off to look through the incense section.† That long ago. Even the shopkeeper had noticed Elena leaving. Stefan gave a jerky nod of thanks before striding out into the dazzling sunlight. He looked frantical y up and down Main Street. He felt a wave of relief when he spotted her sitting on a bench outside the drugstore a few doors down. But then he took note of her slumped posture, her beautiful blond head resting limply on one of her shoulders. Stefan was at her side in a flash, grateful to find her breathing shal ow yet steady, her pulse strong. But she was unconscious. â€Å"Elena,† he said, gently stroking her cheek. â€Å"Elena, wake up. Come back to me.† She didn't move. He shook her arm a bit harder. â€Å"Elena!† Her body flopped on the bench, but neither her breathing nor the steady beat of her heart changed at al . Just like Bonnie. The phantom had gotten Elena, and Stefan felt something inside him tear in two. He had failed to protect her, to protect either of them. Stefan gently slid a hand under Elena's body, cupping her head protectively with his other hand, and pul ed her into his arms. He cradled her against him and, channeling what little Power he had left into speed, began to run. Meredith checked her watch for what felt like the hundredth time, wondering why Stefan and Elena weren't back yet. â€Å"I can't read this word at al ,† Matt complained. â€Å"I swear, I thought my handwriting was bad. It looks like Caleb wrote this with his eyes closed.† He had been running his hands through his hair in frustration and it stood up in messy little spikes, and there were faint blue shadows under his eyes. Meredith took a swig of coffee and held out her hand. Matt passed her the notebook he'd been examining. They'd discovered that she was the best at reading Caleb's tiny, angular handwriting. â€Å"That's an O, I think,† she said. â€Å"Is deosil a word?† â€Å"Yes,† said Alaric, sitting up a little straighter. â€Å"It means clockwise. It represents moving spiritual energy into physical forms. Might be something there. Can I see?† Meredith handed him the notebook. Her eyes were sore and her muscles stiff from sitting al morning and going through Caleb's notebooks, clippings, and pictures. She rol ed her shoulders forward and back, stretching. â€Å"No,† said Alaric after a few minutes of reading. â€Å"No good. This is just about casting a magic circle.† Meredith was about to speak when Stefan appeared in the doorway, pale and wild-eyed. Elena lay unconscious in his arms. Meredith dropped her coffee cup. â€Å"Stefan!† she cried, staring in horror. â€Å"What happened?† â€Å"The phantom's trapped her,† Stefan said, his voice catching. â€Å"I don't know how.† Meredith felt like she was fal ing. â€Å"Oh no, oh no,† she heard herself say in a tiny, shocked voice. â€Å"Not Elena, too.† Matt stood up, glowering. â€Å"Why didn't you stop it?† he asked accusingly. â€Å"We don't have time for this,† Stefan said coldly, and strode past them to the stairs, clutching Elena protectively. In silent accord, Matt, Meredith, and Alaric fol owed him up to the room where Bonnie lay sleeping. Mrs. Flowers was knitting by her bedside, and her mouth opened into an O of dismay when she saw who Stefan carried. Stefan gently placed Elena on the other side of the double bed by Bonnie's pale and tiny form. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Matt said slowly. â€Å"I shouldn't have blamed you. But†¦ what happened?† Stefan just shrugged, looking stricken. Meredith's heart squeezed in her chest at the sight of her two best friends laid out like rag dol s. They were so stil . Even in sleep, Elena had always been more mobile, more expressive than this. Over the course of a thousand sleepovers, ever since they were little, Meredith had seen sleeping Elena smile, rol herself more tightly in the blankets, snuggle her face into the pil ows. Now the pinkand-gold-and-cream-colored warmth of Elena seemed faded and cold. And Bonnie, Bonnie who was so vibrant and quickmoving, she'd hardly ever kept stil for more than a moment or two in her whole life. Now she was motionless, frozen, almost colorless except for the dark dots of her freckles against her pale cheeks and the bright expanse of red hair on her pil ow. If it weren't for the slight rise and fal of their chests, both girls could have been mannequins. â€Å"I don't know,† Stefan said again, the words sounding more panicked this time, and looked up to meet Meredith's eyes. â€Å"I don't know what to do.† Meredith cleared her throat. â€Å"We cal ed the hospital to check on Caleb while you were gone,† she said careful y, knowing what effect her words would have. â€Å"He's been released.† Stefan's eyes flashed murderously. â€Å"I think,† he said, his voice like a knife, â€Å"that we should pay Caleb a visit.† Elena was suspended in darkness. She wasn't alarmed, though. It was like floating slowly under warm water, gently bobbing in the current, and a part of her wondered distantly and without fear whether it was possible that she had never come up out of the waterfal basin at Hot Springs. Had she been drifting and dreaming al this time? Then suddenly she was speeding, bursting upward, and she opened her eyes on dazzling daylight and gulped a long, shaky breath. Soulful, worried dark brown eyes gazed down into hers from a pale face hovering above her. â€Å"Bonnie?† Elena gasped. â€Å"Elena! Thank God,† Bonnie cried, grabbing her by the arms in a viselike grip. â€Å"I've been here al by myself for days and days, or what feels like days and days anyway, because the light never changes, so I can't tel by the sun. And there's nothing to do here. I can't figure out how to get out, and there's nothing to eat, although I'm weirdly not hungry, so I guess it doesn't matter. I tried to sleep to pass the time, but I wasn't getting tired, either. And suddenly you were here, and I was so happy to see you, but you wouldn't wake up, and I was getting real y worried. What's going on?† â€Å"I don't know,† Elena said groggily. â€Å"The last thing I remember is being on a bench. I think I got caught by some kind of mystical fog.† â€Å"Me too!† Bonnie exclaimed. â€Å"Not the bench part, but the fog part. I was in my room at the boardinghouse, and this weird fog trapped me.† She shivered theatrical y. â€Å"I couldn't move at al . And I was so cold.† Suddenly her eyes widened with guilt. â€Å"I was doing a spel when it happened, and something came up behind me and said stuff. Nasty things.† Elena shuddered. â€Å"I heard a voice, too.† â€Å"Do you think I†¦ set something loose? When I was doing the spel ? I've been worrying that maybe I might have done so accidental y.† Bonnie's face was white. â€Å"It wasn't your fault,† Elena reassured her. â€Å"We think it's the phantom – the thing that's been causing the accidents – that it stole your spirit so it could use your power for itself. And now it's taken me, I guess.† She quickly told Bonnie about the phantom, then pushed up on her elbows and real y looked around for the first time. â€Å"I can't believe we're here again.† â€Å"Where?† asked Bonnie anxiously. â€Å"Where are we?† It was midday and a sunlit blue sky stretched brightly overhead. Elena was pretty sure it was always midday here: It certainly had been the last time she'd been here. They were in a wide, long field that seemed to go on forever. As far as Elena could see, there were tal bushes growing – rosebushes with perfect velvety black blooms. Midnight roses. Richly magical roses grown for holding spel s only the kitsune could coat onto them. A kitsune had sent Stefan one of these roses once, with a spel to make him human, but Damon had accidental y intercepted it, much to both brothers' dismay. â€Å"We're in the kitsunes' magic rose field, the one that the Gatehouse of the Seven Treasures opens into,† she told Bonnie. â€Å"Oh,† Bonnie said. She thought for a moment and then asked helplessly, â€Å"What are we doing here? Is the phantom a kitsune?† â€Å"I don't think so,† Elena answered. â€Å"Maybe it's just a convenient place to stash us.† Elena took a deep breath. Bonnie was a good person to be with in a crisis. Not good in the way that Meredith was – Meredith's way was the planning-and-getting-things-done way – but good in that Bonnie looked up at Elena trustingly with big, innocent eyes and asked questions, confident that Elena would know the answers. And Elena would immediately feel competent and protective, as if she could deal with whatever situation they were embroiled in. Like right now. With Bonnie depending on her, Elena's mind was working more clearly than it had for days. Any moment now, she'd come up with a plan to get them out of here. Any moment now, she was sure. Bonnie's cold, smal fingers worked their way into Elena's hand. â€Å"Elena, are we dead?† she asked in a tiny, quavering voice. Were they dead? Elena wondered. She didn't think so. Bonnie had been alive after the phantom took her, but unwakeable. It was more likely their spirits had traveled here on the astral plane and their bodies were back in Fel ‘s Church. â€Å"Elena?† Bonnie repeated anxiously. â€Å"Do you think we're dead?† Elena opened her mouth to respond when a crackling, stomping noise interrupted her. The rosebushes nearby began to thrash wildly, and there was a great rushing sound that seemed to come from every direction at once. The snapping of branches was deafening, as if something huge was shoving its way through the bracken. Al around them, thorny rosebush branches whipped back and forth, although there was no wind. She yelped as one of the waving branches smacked her across the arm, gashing her skin open. Bonnie let out a wail, and Elena's heart beat double time in her chest. She whirled around, pushing Bonnie behind her. She bal ed her hands into fists and crouched, trying to remember what Meredith had taught her about fighting an attacker. But as she looked around, al she could see for miles were roses. Black, perfect roses. Bonnie gave a smal whimper and pressed closer to Elena's back. Suddenly Elena felt a sharp, aching tug rip through her, as if something were being pul ed slowly but firmly out of her torso. She gasped and stumbled, clutching her hands to her stomach. This is it, she thought numbly, feeling as though every bone in her body were being ground to a pulp. I am going to die.

Specific fatty acids and disease Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Specific fatty acids and disease - Assignment Example However, n-3 fatty acids have antithrombin, antiinflammatory, hypolipidemic and vasodilatory properties (Higdon 34). Benefits of n-3 fatty acids are known for the preventive measures of coronary heart diseases. Studies have shown that during chronic fish oil feeding, concentrations of postprandial triacylglycerol decreases and this causes an increase in plasma cholesterol concentration hence a low rate of coronary artery diseases found in fish eating population. New research findings show Leukotrienes are thought to play an important role in pathology of asthma. Increasing n-3 fatty acids intake decreases the formation of AA-derived leukotrienes (Reisman 6). A number of clinical trials have been used to examine the effects of a long-chained n-3 fatty acid supplementation on asthma. Although there is evidence that n-3 supplementation decreases the inflammatory mediators production of in asthmatic patients meaning the clinical trials have been having inconsistent results. Random control trials of the long-chain n-3 fatty acids supplements in asthmatic children and adults found no consistent effects on clinical measures including asthmatic symptoms, pulmonary function tests or bronchial hyper

A Comparison of Some Methods of Cluster Analysis with SPSS Dissertation

A Comparison of Some Methods of Cluster Analysis with SPSS - Dissertation Example duction to Classification and Clustering Statistical analysis is the process by which those conducting research and analysing data, can determine who or what within a dataset, fit certain patterns and trends. There is always a dependent or prominent variable which is affected by independent variables under different analytical circumstances and then there is clustering a group of people, for example, who may have similar buying propensities or who respond the same way to a certain dosage in a medical treatment (Norusis 361). As Burns and Burns describe it, cluster analysis classifies ‘a mountain of information into manageable meaningful piles’ (552). Clustering into groups helps in identifying and classifying particular categories into a membership, from which a classification rule is determined. In a simple description of cluster analysis, it is a generic name for mathematical operations which determine what classified objects fit closely in a group (Romesburg 2). Analy sis conducted on a batch of rocks as the main group, will show through analysis that some are classified as simple round pebbles, others are quartz, rough diamonds (hopefully) or fool’s gold (typical luck). Characteristics of the rocks then reclassify into smaller clustered groups, depending on the goal of the research (2). Linkage between the variables, the cases and the clusters are a main proponent of cluster analysis (Burns and Burns 1). Classification analysis is used more often in regular research analysis than people realize and there are several ways of approaching classifications, as reviewed in the next section. Information and marketing research has found ways to conduct all types of cluster sampling, for example, in order to learn more about what is happening in their market with consumers, their purchasing habits, and where these are occurring. One popular form of research is through area sampling, where clusters are done by geographic designations such as north, northwest, south, southwest, and so on, or by metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), such as cities, streets, and regional divisions (Hair, Bush, and Ortinau 352). Whatever the sampling is, cluster sample provides that sampling clustered units are divided into exclusive groupings where each cluster is considered a representative of mutually similar components (Zikmund 708). A more common term used in the marketing research field is segmentation when referring to a population group of customers and this can also be cluster sampled by customers in different cities to find out which cities are alike in consumer purchasing (Churchill and Iacobucci 820). In psychology, clustering is a process of putting together groups of people, based on their responses to variables, rather than grouping those variables, such as found in factor analysis (Field 1). From that point, Euclidean distance determines the geometric distance between two objects, also known as cases. In the cases where there are some negative and some positive differences, the distances are squared, therefore providing a positive distance. This is because a negative distance, squared, becomes a positive. A positive distance, squared, remains a positive distance. At the end of squaring all the distances, then they are all summed up and then the square

Sap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sap - Essay Example That is what kind of approach to procuring will be suitable for the organization. Approaches that can be used include group related, plant-specific or enterprise related. Group related approach is one where the organization is responsible for all company codes in a client. Enterprise related is responsible for one company code. Plant specific is one where purchasing organization is responsible for one plant. Defining purchasing organizations helps in availing of the conditions and contractual agreements contained in the reference purchasing booklet. This agreements act as a guide on the relationship between the purchasing organization and the company. SAP ERP offers a lot of possibilities in procurement services. It has an increased importance for companies and individual business departments. The first importance is that SAP ERP has enabled the integration of processes that business department have had to bear. Assign purchasing organization to company code: This involves assigning a unique number to the company. You can either use the transaction O*01 or goto IMG and select among the options. The following options may be included: Assign standard purchasing organization to plant: This involves defining one plant where several purchasing organizations procure as standard plant. Reasons being to enable the system to automatically utilize this standard purchasing organizations. Assign purchase organization to reference purchase organization: This step involves making appropriate settings to enable the purchasing staff to incorporate conditions and contract release orders for a cross-purchasing-organization basis. Contracts can be accessed by several purchasing organizations. Other purchasing organizations can use the conditions of reference of other purchasing organizations. â€Å"When configuring the SAP enterprise structure for procurement I would advise companies with more than one legal entity (=

Isadora Duncan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Isadora Duncan - Research Paper Example Even St. Denis and Shawn were under the influence of Isadora in the use of Greek themes and symphonic music. They recognized that they tried to synchronize orchestra and chorus because Isadora did not try to do that. If she was not born on May 26, 1878, in San- Francisco, but somewhere in ancient Hellas, the priests would probably perceive her gift as an earthly incarnation of the muse Terpsichore. Live she not in agitated Europe at the beginning of the bloody XX century, today’s feminists would probably make her their tribune and role model. She was a real enigma. All her biographers were perplexed by a huge amount of mystical details, concentration of which in a life of a fictional literary protagonist could be the cause for critics to accuse a writer of propaganda of fatalism and artificiality of the plot. Are you the empty vessel or a fire flickering in the vessel? It was not said about her, but once a bright spark of divine fire illuminated her way in art, making famous A merican Isadora Duncan from a beginning ballerina. The fire that lit her way consumed her one day. On that day in May, when Isadora Angela Duncan was born, the mother of the future European star suffered two disappointments: the first sounds she heard recovering from childbirth were vehement cries of depositors of her husband’ bank. Joseph ran away with their savings God knows where. The first thing that the unhappy woman saw was her newborn daughter threshing air almost convulsively. â€Å"I knew that a monster is born, - she said to a midwife. The child can not be normal, she jumped and hopped in my womb and all this is the punishment for the sins of her villain father Joseph ...† She did not see dancing future and destiny in the first movements of the baby. However, despite the complete absence of the gift of foresight, she was able to bring up her daughter and three older children without any help of their phony dad and even gave them good education. Those efforts were not appreciated by little Isadora: being 13 years old, she left school and got addicted to music and dancing. Her first attempt to conquer Chicago ended with a complete failure, except for the first whirlwind romance with a fiery redhead seducer - Ivan Miroski, who burned her soul to such an extent that Isadora preferred to run away from the bitter happiness to Europe in a hold for transportation of livestock. Her perspective was uncertain. On the other side of the Channel her main rival, Mata Hari, was at the zenith of fame at that time. She has already found her creed in dance, undressing in front of the audience, mesmerizing it with Eastern pa. She was lucky enough to find a patroness in the person of the famous actress Campbell. Isadora spread her passion defending the idea that a dance should be a symbol of freedom, progress of natural grace, language of emotion, not a set of rehearsed gestures. Campbell, the queen of London salons, arranged her protege’s debut at a private reception, where presented her as an â€Å"exotic hors-d'oeuvre.† And that was the right decision - bold Isadora, dancing barefoot in a tunic, instead of a pack, copying much of ancient Greek plastic, saw delight in spectators’

Discuss the Pros and cons of ASP.NET MVC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discuss the Pros and cons of ASP.NET MVC - Essay Example MVC pattern is not new, it was created in 1978 and the project Smalltalk Ð ² Xerox PARC, but it is very popular due the number of reasons. The interaction of the user with the MVC is following the natural cycle: the user implements action and in response MVC changes the model of data providing the user with a new look. Then the cycle is repeated. This is very suitable for supplements, which are presented as a HTTP questions and answers. The necessity of the supplement to combine several technologies, for example the database, HTLM and the code, as a rule, is divided into many levels and layers. The models, which are received from these combinations, are natural for MVC conception. ASP.NET MVC Framework realizes the MVC pattern and provides the significant improved division of conceptions. There are still some problems with the supplement: â€Å"the end result is that web forms breaks the stateless nature of the Web. Both Viewstate and Postbacks have been made lot of problems and increased complexity of the web application development. Many web pages having hundreds of KB size of Viewstate that affected the performance of the applications sometime. Developers do not have the control of the rendering HTML of web forms and Server controls that render html with mixed inline style and deprecated tags that does not follows standards† (ASP.net MVC Vs ASP.net Web

International Relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Relation - Essay Example ional anarchy where the international systems currently exists under dislikes and power politics which translates to each state surviving though building up of military (Burchill, et al. 2013). This is a situation where states pursue their own interests but they all agree that each needs to attain as much resources as possible for their own relative gain. This they believe will make them much more independent. These resources are mostly material resources and this leads to classification of the world in terms of the developed and the developing with the developed having much more resources than the developing. An example is some of the Asians nations which for a very long time have been among the developing nation’s lists but have collected so much resource that they are currently almost richer than the United States. A perfect example is China which rose out of nowhere to become currently one of the richest nations with their resources being used all over the world from cars to electronics to clothes and toys and even food products. Other nations that seem to have nothing have also suddenly been accumulating wealth by utilizing their natural resources properly such as the Middle East countries especially Arabian nations such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates which have suddenly become rich because of the oil in their nation (Burchill, et al. 2013). In this proposition, states are considering themselves as the most important actors and hence seeking only what is best for them and not minding how that will play with the rest of the nations in the world. The best example is the xenophobia taking place in South Africa where the foreigners are being killed and chased away from the country or the reasons that they have been utilizing the best resources and having more positive gains than the locals in terms of employment and housing among others (Brock & Dludla, 2015). The locals consider this to be the only way to cater for their own interests and

Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism Essay Example for Free

Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism Essay Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, three of the world’s most dynamic and ancient religions developed in India around the same time. Though each borrowed from, evolved because of, or came into conflict with each other: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism are more than religions, but cross-sections of an entire culture and time period. Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism have many a huge impact on eastern life as we know it. The interactions between humans and environment that these religions have had have been phenomenal. Jainism being the oldest of the three has 12-18 million followers(jaindharmonline.com). Jain migrated from India to other countries beginning with them migrating to Britain and British colonies. In the beginning, a number of â€Å"Gujarati† Jains migrated to coastal towns of East Africa and later moved inland, particularly to Kenya, to open businesses. The Jain community in India represents an affluent and influential minority of the population.Jains now mostly reside in north-east Africa. Buddhism, on the other hand, is the sixth largest religion by population. It has about 367 million followers and is7% of the worlds population(cia.gov). Buddhism spread along land routes of the Silk Road, it underwent profound change. There were great overland trade routes in those days and in later centuries too, that joined China even to the Mediterranean. Along these routes Buddhism spread to northwest India and beyond, along the east-west Silk Route. Hinnduisms origin is much more shrouded though, in terms of its religious development there are now two basic theories that attempt to explain how Hinduism first developed within India, and they both draw on the famous â€Å"ekam sat viprah bahudah vandanti verse† for their effectiveness. One suggests that at some time towards the end of the Indus Valley Civilization a group of nomadic people called the Aryans moved into northern India from the steppes of central Europe or even Asia Minor while the other theory suggests that Hinduism emerged out of India itself(Dasa). The beliefs for these three religions are mostly the same in essence, they were all founded on the beliefs of peace and prosperity. They are also known as â€Å"The Paths of Enlightenment†. Hinduism ,though believed by many to be a polytheistic religion, the basis of Hinduism is the belief in the unity of everything. This totality is called Brahman. The purpose of life is to realize that we are part of God and by doing so we can leave this plane of existence and rejoin with God. This enlightenment can only be achieved by going through cycles of birth, life and death known as samsara. Ones progress towards enlightenment is measured by his karma. This is the accumulation of all ones good and bad deeds and this determines the persons next reincarnation. Jainism has many similarities to Hinduism and Buddhism which developed in the same part of the world. They believe in karma and reincarnation as do Hindus, but they believe that enlightenment and liberation from this cycle can only be achieved through asceticism. In Buddhism, nirvana is freedom from the cycle of rebirth, when a being turns into a state of non-being, or Sunya, looses its identity and becomes nothing. These religions were all derived out of India which used the caste system for their government. The buildings made for these religions were all complex and amazing in nature. Buddhists temples were mostly built in natural environments, such as forests and tops of hills. Hindu temples were built in more urban environments and used red paints for most of their buildings and temples. And Jain temples were also built in more urban places and used beige and gold paints for their buildings and temples. These religions expanded in many different ways, they all originated in India, and started spreading throughout the world. The two that are most know today are Hinduism and Buddhism, Jainism still has about 16 million followers though. Buddhist temples were built along the Silk Road for prayer for the travelers. Hindu kept most of their temples inside of India unlike the Jainist that moved to northern Africa. It spread outside of Magadha starting in the Buddhas lifetime, and with the reign of the Buddhist Mauryan Emperor Asoka, spread across Nepal straight down to China and all the way to Japan and became one of the dominant religions in these parts of Asia(Chung).Hinduism is a religion] of the Indian subcontinent of India, with 80.5% of the population identifying themselves as Hindus. The vast majority of Hindus in India belong to Vaishnavite and Shaivite denominations(Thompson Patts) As part of the reaction against Hinduism during its early years, Buddhism rejected the caste system and other forms of social stratification and instead set up an essentially egalitarian society. There are only two religiously important social groups: the monks, who have dedicated their lives to full time pursuit of religious goals, and everyone else. The monks, as a group, are called the sangha(uwacadweb.uwyo.edu). When the Aryans moved into northwest India, they imposed a caste system to organize the new society created by their arrival. The Hindus then put together a hierarchy of four varnas, which later was expanded to include a fifth category. The caste system, which the Hindus followed, initially served to maintain rigid social boundaries between the invaders and the previous inhabitants. By 80 A. D. the Jains were divided into two sects. The Svetambara or white clad live mainly in northern India today(Sprunger). They are more liberal in their interpretation of Mahavirals teaching regarding nudity and allow their monks to wear a white garment. Women are also allowed in their religion and monasteries accepting the possibility that they may find salvation(Sprunger).

The Purpose Of Online Dating

The Purpose Of Online Dating Hullinger claimed that the purpose online dating is defined as placing and responding to an Internet personal advertisement. The first time meeting through an online service is fast, efficient, safe, and everyone are suitable to use, whatever your background, or who you are looking for. There are million of people all over the world have been using the Internet to meet others for friendship and relationship since the mid 1990s (Jones, 2001). Researchers Parekh and Beresin (2006) noted that todays personal advertisements are popular to both educated and singles people. The rising divorce rate over the last 25 years has led to more singles and older singles. Also young people have trend to postpone marriage until educational or financial goals are achieved. The phenomenon is special appear in women obviously, because since womens movement in the 1960s, women in particular have delayed marring and have a families in order to develop their careers, thats why the number of educated singles is increasing. So its not surprise that Watt and White (1999) assert that through computer communication, people can develop a very close, and potentially important relationship, even they never meet and seen one another. Merkle and Richardson(2000) claimed that as society because more rapid, people have not enough free time and they are hard to balance multiple roles and responsibilities, so people are finding the other way which is non-traditional avenues for social interactions, such as Internet. From this, it showed that one of the reasons of people using the Internet to find love is because the traditional dating methods are not working. Besides, because of the quickly growth of Internet technology in the past few years, many people go online to seek a partner through the Internet. Hence, interpersonal attraction has become an important topic on the internet. This literature review begins in the psychology area with the concept of interpersonal attraction. And then through the description of online dating, finding out one of the important point of interpersonal attraction on the Internet: the roles of name in online dating. Part 1: Interpersonal Attraction A. Traditional Interpersonal Attraction. There are some traditional ways to have a date without online, Silverstein and Lasky (2004) conceived that people meet partner at work (22%), meeting people at pubs(11%) and other smoky places(4%), finding partner at church or interest clubs(6%), meeting people at cruise ship and singers vacations(2%). In other research find that there were some people meeting partner though personal advertisements, and also, someone meet partner through friends (Ellison, Heino, Gibbs, 2006). Its different from the new addition of online dating. In previous studies, men and women have different criteria for choice of mates (Buss, 1987). Its the well known evolution theory. Men are more like to rate womens physical attraction as the important point to find mate, compare to women, who consider mens financial status to be more important than mens physical appearance (Buss, 1994). Thats mean women emphasize the interpersonal dimension of romance, and men stress the physical aspects of attraction, because men and women differ physically and psychologically, and they have different roles in traditional society, thats why there are differences in their perceptions of what is attractive. Men have tendency to find beauty and fit body shape partner, because it can enhance the probability to create a better next generation, on the other hand, for womens consideration, they have tendency to find higher financial and social status, older, stronger partner, because when women are pregnant, they need mens protection and security. All of these concepts are already evident in adolescent males and females (Feiring, 1996). Generally, women tend to prefer men who are older than themselves, since typically income increases with age, men tend to prefer women who are younger because young women have the ability to reproduce more easily(Buss, 1994). When men are being older, the age gap between them and the women they favor as mates increase (Kenrich Trost, 1989). On the other side of traditional attraction perspective was Social Role Theory. Wood and Eagly (2002) claimed that men and women were attracted by people who were valued in a particular society, and also, people control their behaviors which match the gender roles promoted by society. These theorists believe that men are attracted to women who are physically attractive, because female beauty is valued in the society. When being partnered with a female who is physically attractive will increase a mans social status. On the other hand, women liked men who have higher socio-economic status under this theory, such as men who have higher income, professional job and high intelligence. B. Interpersonal attraction on the internet. In online dating, the Internet are given everyone a dating place which equally shown same level of personal information. It increased the opportunity to individuals to talk and truly get to know each others backgrounds, opinions, and life goals to decide if it deserved to meet each other (Jerin Dolinsky, 2001). Merkle and Richardson (2000) suggest that online relationships are different from face to face (FTF) relationships in that there is a different process of interaction, the developmental pattern of FTF relationship begin with initial encounter based on spatial proximity and physical attraction, and then move to the deeper process, find out the similarly and self disclosure. In contrast, online dating relationships process self-disclosure and discovery of similarities first, and then in their first meeting in real world, they have judgment of physical attractiveness. Some people also concern about the online relationships might be ended when the daters shut down the computer, but its not true. Merkle and Richardson (2000) claimed that online daters have strong commitment because of the higher level of self disclosure and intimacy online, more than face-to-face relationship. Besides, Watt and White (1999) discovered that online communication is in many ways significantly different from normal FTF communication. For example, physical appearance may not be used for a mean of effective evaluation. However, in cyberspace, typing speed and grammatical presentation are potentially useful telling skills. Even some research emphasize that the strong commitment in Online relationship, other researcher seems dont agree. Brophy(1997) noted that online dating is totally different from meeting people at a pub. Every body in cyberspace is perfect. They are tall, thin, nice and rich. They are without physical cues to provide reality check, the computer screen becomes a projection for hopes and dreams, and therefore the person on the other end can be imagined as an ideal lover. It was directed deceive in cyberspace, and it is also easy to fall into premature intimacy. Thats why online dating is different from real life dating, real life dating involves time in patience, and however, on the other hand, time in cyberspace is compressed, sometimes it may leads impulsive actions. Part 2: Online Dating Issues A. The Overall Environment on the Internet and Online Dating Service. According to statistics from 2010 report in Internet World Stats, there is almost 1.9 billion people use the Internet in the entire world (www.internetworldstats.com). In this report, there are 800 million of them are Asian(42%), 480 million of them are European(24.2%) and 270 million of them are come from North America(13.5%). Within Asian internet users, a half of them are Chinese (50.9%), and the second place, Japan, 12% of them are Internet users in Asian. In Hong Kong, there are only 1% of them within Asian, it is because Hong Kong is a small city, and there are only 7 million people, but there is almost 70% of Hong Kong residents are Internet user. It has shown the power of Internet within Asians and Hong Kong residents. When researchers face to this huge number in different race of people, its easy to explain that why there are many people make new friends and meet partners through Internet. In the Internet world, almost 100 million Internet users (52%) are visited online dating web site in the year of 2008, 35% of them are come from Europe, 22% of them are Asian, and almost 40% come from other countries. There are 80% of these visitors are join as member in these different online dating services. Therefore, it can conclude that there are 80 million online daters in the world of Internet. About these online dating services, Match.com is the most popular online dating services and it was also the first online dating service in the world launched in 1995 (Benson, Harrison, Koss-Defer Mullen, 2007). Then the researchers had again confirmed Match.com as the leading online dating property in the world. According to the first 2008 report of comScore Media Metrix, the personal sites of Match.com have nearly 35.6 million visitors, more than twice as big as its closest competitor (http://www.realwire.com). Since Match.com was introduced, plenty of Internet dating services had shown up, even Match.com have the highest amount of members (15 million members, 19% of all online daters), the other online dating service are also affect the market, they are friendfinder.com (14 million members, 17.5% of all online daters), yahoo personal (12 million members, 15% of all online daters), date.com(10 million members, 12.5% of all online daters) and others websites including perfectmatch.com, true.com, etc. (http://www.matchmaking-service.net) The above online dating services are the general online dating website. It means that it is popular in the entire world, wherever you are. However, there is some online dating service especially popular in Asian, such as Asia Friendfinder. In Hong Kong, there are also some popular online dating service for Hong Kong online daters, such as hongkongcupid.com, cueasy.com, and hi5.com. Beside there are niche sites for people of different religions, such as hkchristians.com. Recently, there is new software available in iPhone, named DateMe, its a new software for Hong Kong online dater to meet Taiwan and Chinese people. It allowed people chatting with each other immediately, view the personal profile, and send photos or videos. Specific Statistic about Online Dating World. After discuss about the whole environment on the internet and online dating service, here is some researches examined other aspect related to online dating. One of the researches examined ones relationship who met online through virtual environments. Researchers found that there are several types of relationships on the online dating, they are, close relationships which included 40.6%, friendships which included 26.3%, and romantic relationships which 26.3% (Knox et al., 2001). In addition, study by Knox et al. (2001) focused on the number of people who ended up meeting their online target face to face, they found that 33% of participants who had started personal relationships online had later met their relational partner face to face. To consider about online dater seeking and developing relationship, Bryrn and Lenton(2001) found that 60% of a large Canadian sample of online dating service users were looking for a serious relationship, and 3% said they had married someone they met on online dating web sites. Park and Roberts(2007) found that 90% of participants to a survey of Multiple User Dimensions have formed personal relationships. About 40% of those relationships had resulted in face-to-face meeting and 25% were of a romance nature. B. Dating Through Online Dating Services. The above Online dating services are set up for people to meet online and possibly develop a social, romantic, or sexual relationship. Its the newest device where people can find love, friendship, or even sex partners. Lehrman(2009) listed some sites on the internet that help people to be successful in flirting, dating, and finding love in cyberspace. Such online dating services allow individual to set up their profile where they provide personal information, such as ages, gender, personality, hobbies, etc. Some sites require individuals to conduct a personality test so that individuals can be matched on compatibility. Most sites encourage people to include a photograph on their profile. Also, some sites have large membership, including over a hundred thousand members; others are more specialized, for example, for special interest groups, such as vegans or goths. Any other worthy discussion about the online dating service is the payment. Some researchers claimed that any internet user may browse the ads free of charge (Bryrn Lenton, 2001), Indeed, there are some online dating service is free such as Hong Kong Yahoo Personal, Asiafriendfinder.com, and online dating chat room. In these web sites, people can become member for free, but if they would like to contact someone they like, or get more the information of the target, they need to pay as a VIP member to get more functions. Therefore it had shown the fact that if people would like to put personal profiles on the internet, or read other peoples profile, one must pay money and to be the VIP member. Some sites charge a monthly fee and support more function for their online users. When they pay, they can text their ads which include self introductions and an optional photograph or sound recording of each person. Besides, online users can contact each other by E-mail or instant messaging in the intranet. They can receive invitation, send invitation and search other online partners. The search keys always include height, weight, gender, region, hobbies, interests and personalities. Its no doubt that the financial commitment might give some online daters pause, but weighed against the cost, both time and money, it can see that if people choose to go to bars, museums, parties and other events, online dating is actually an economical way to get themselves in front of a huge number of potential mates. Therefore, experts generally agree that paid sites are better than free ones. Silverstein and Lasky (2002) conclude that pay sites are preferable because they require a certain level of commitment by users. The advantages including the requirements of long personal essays with a minimum word count, photos, and payment by credit card which can help make profile posters traceable. The Advantage and Limitation of Online Dating. There are several factors which discuss about the positive ways of online dating. The ability of online dating is which allow people to meet some other people around the world. Online dating world is like an internet global village. According to Jerin and Dolinsky (2001), people can meet other person in the virtual world who has characteristics of their ideal lover. Silverstein and Lasky (2004) conceived that online dating some benefits, one of the benefit is all people know that every person who has posed the personal advertisement online means that I am available and looking for someone, so people no need to ask the embarrassing question like Are you in a relationship?, because the answers is assumed to be No. Also people can know a reasonable amount of data about the online dater they interested, a lot of data such as height, location, education level, vocation, children and religion can be known and shared. Besides, people can know something about how the target think and write from info and personal web blog. People can do all this to understand the target they interested without any costs to go out for dinner at a restaurant. Thats why online dating is more convenient than traditional dating. The whole concept of virtual dating is the community of single prospects available to people whatever people want to meet each other. People not only can log on at odd hours, also people can log on for short amounts of time. Bryrn and Lenton (2007) also stated that the reason of people use online dating services, one of the reasons is that online dating services give the chance to people meet someone who would never meet, such as a Asia person can meet a Africa person. Also it is easier to end a relationship if it is just online. Besides, it offers privacy and confidentiality. However, in the same report, researchers also stated that the biggest disadvantage of online dating is that people sometimes do not tell the truth about themselves, they might be hiding something. When people are communicating online, they do not sense what a person is like. Bryrn and Lenton (2007) reported that internet users who have never used an online dating site perceive lack of control and lack of effectiveness in such sites. The top reason of people do not like using online dating website was they want to see a potential date before actually dating the person. The second reason was that they think online dating is utilitarian, which mean all online dater at least have one goal or they would like to fulfill some desires. If the one cannot satisfy the desire, they may disappear.The third reason is they cannot trust people they meet online. They feel there are better ways to meet people. Daters who have not visited an online dating site have no interest and believe it is too ris ky. Also some online daters do not tell others about their experience with online dating because they regard such matters as personal. Gender in Online Dating. According to Boies(2002)s study, the male and female ratio of users was 2:1. It had shown the consistency with the other study which reported that there are 57% of online dating site members is men (Levitt Dubner, 2004). Some researchers conducted an analysis of internet personal advertisements that were place by college student (Hatala er al., 1999). They discovered a huge difference in gender of the ad placers. The results suggested that men are more open to online dating than woman. However, when considering openness to online dating services, other factors are also need to considerate rather than only think about the gender of ad placers. Because when people are consider traditional men in the society, who had the role of asking women out, it is, explained the behavior of men placing the internet personal ads more often than women, or, on the other hand, it is an extension of traditional dating roles. For the deceit within the online dating, there are some interesting finding between gender different in deceit behavior, the research shown that men more than women claim to make over two hundred grand a year, when in reality less than 1% of them actually earn that much. On the other hand, women typically claim to be 20 pounds less than the national average (Levitt Dubner, 2004). For the meeting tendency of gender, the report of Levitt and Dubner (2004) has shown that the richer man had received more responses, and the better looking woman has received the more responses. On the other aspect, to show the online daters preference, men prefer to date students, artists, musicians, veterinarians, and celebrities while avoiding secretaries, retirees, and woman who work in military or law enforcement, and women prefer dating military men, policemen, firemen, lawyers, and financial executives, but avoid laborers, actors, students, and men who work in food services or hospitality. The Objective of Online Dater. Previous research described some types of online dater. Schwartz (2000) claimed that there are four general categories. It can also reflect the motive of online dater. The first one is the Dabbler, this type of online dater online are going to see what this internet dating thing is all about, but do not usually have any plan other than have fun. The second type is the Nester, which want to find a committed relationship and think the internet as one of many ways to find the one. They are very goal-oriented in that the purpose of socializing online is not about the process of forging friendships, but is about finding their lifetime mate, in other word, they are finding their Mr. or Miss right. The third type is the Hormone, which they want in cyberspace is sex. They know their aim very clearly in the cyberspace. Hormones vary in that some just want virtual sex, some want to meet people in the physical world, of course, there are some Hormones want sex in all manner, shape and form. The forth type is the Seeker, which do not know what they are looking for. Sometime they claimed that they are finding a partner, but sometime they are just looking for sex. Bryrn and Lendon(2007) reported that people use online dating services mainly to find dates and to establish relationship. There are 78% of the online survey respondents said they often used online dating services to meet people. The second reason for using such services is to find someone for a long-term relationship, even love relationship or friendship, there are 58% of respondents have this objective. The third most frequently cited reason for visiting online dating sites is to find sexual partners, there are almost 43% of them used online services for sex. Smaller percentages of respondents often use online dating services out of curiosity, or fun and they are no intention of making face-to-face contact, they are just want casual online chatting and flirting, however, on the other hand, some of them want to find a possible marriage partner. The report also found that younger aged people more often use online dating with no intention of meeting face-to-face, when compared to the older age group. They found that people under the age of 25 or over the age of 59 said they are more likely to use online dating to find sexual partners. For study of college students, the results by the Knox et al. (2001) study suggest that college student used the online dating service more often to establish friendship, rather than develop romantic relationships. In this study, 33% of respondents who met someone online ended up in face-to-face encounters with their Internet friend, 7%of them reported becoming emotionally involved, and 2% ended up living together. Part 3: The Role of Name in Online Dating Self-presentations A. The General Self presentation perspective. Goffmans (1959) theory of strategic self-presentation claimed that It is beneficial to control how other people think about us and that one way of doing so is through optimizing the impression we give others of ourselves. Self-presentation theory assumes that people have a tendency to strategically self present during interpersonal interactions in order to appeal to their audience and conform to their audiences perceived values, a phenomenon also known as impression management(Schau Gilly, 2003). Self presentation in Cyberspace. When self-presentation theory set up initially, it was only apply to describe traditional contact, such as face-to-face contact because they thought that self-presentation involved given like directly speaking, and also give off like body language which was non-verbal cues (Goffman, 1959). It could be argued that the nonverbal cues absent in online environments, such as clothing, gestures, and body language, lead to a weakened ability to self-present. However, many studies have shown that there are unique ways that online communication can foster strategic self-presentation. Vaasts (2007) study on self presentation in online work forums suggests that virtual environments actually allow for an increase in what Goffman calls the mystification aspect of self-presentation. The mystification theory is applicable due to the increased distance between online performers and their audiences. Online performers can also easily leave out aspects of their offline selves that they do not want audiences to know, while emphasizing the aspects they choose to present (Vaast, 2007). Self presentation in profile (Personal advertisements). Toma et al. (2008) try to explain the salience of selective self-presentation in the online dating world: there are millions of profiles to compare between, so daters must manage their presentation, use the best stratagem type personal information, to appear attractive and compare favorably with others. Thus it is unsurprising that many online daters present their best selves rather than providing completely truthful self-representations, since the pressure to appear above average is so incredibly high. The online daters interviewed by Whitty (2008) stressed the importance of creating an attractive profile and admitted to some misrepresentations in the process of trying to attract dates. The argument of profile photo present. The biggest argue of profile, that is, about if the picture available can affect online human attraction. Joinson(2003) pointed out the important of profile photos, for example, people often choose to have a photo of themselves online, and they might also use a webcam while they type, it shown that online dater will typically ignore a profile without photos. However, some researches found another fact. Walther et al. (2006) argued that when there was no photo present, physical attractiveness perception still available, and they also found that the presence of a picture prior to and during love finding had positive affect on social attractiveness for short-term relationship. Actually there are 70% online daters know that ones profile has a picture on it that does not look like them face-to-face, such as women posting glamour photographs, people of both genders posting photographs from as many as ten years ago, or in one reported case, a man posting a picture of his much more attractive brother, with whom he shared some vague resemblance (Whitty Joinson, 2009), thats why the influence of profile photo decay nowadays in online dating. B. The other personal information present except photos. While the argument of profile photo tend to saturated. There are other studies about profile and personal information emergence. For example, in an interesting study by Back, Schmukle, and Egloff (2008) it was found that individuals do make personality stereotypes of email addresses and these personality judgments were fairly accurate. Besides, the name in online dating, also worth to study because online dating services such as match.com always say that a good name in online dating is very important. The traditional view of name. Personality characteristics have been found to be ascribed to certain first names (Mehrabian, 2001). Androgynous names mean more popular, fun and less masculine characteristics for men, on the other hand, that mean more popular, fun, less caring and more masculine characteristics for women than gender-specific names. Less traditionally spelled names mean uniformly less attractive characteristics and more anxiety and neuroticism compared with less common names. Individuals can also receive different treatment from others depending on their name. For instance, Mehrabian and Piercy (1993) found that rare names and rare spellings of names connoted lower levels of success, morality, popularity, warmth and cheerfulness. Similarly, Harari and McDavid (1973) found that less common names randomly assigned to student essays received significantly lower grades than more common names. Name in online dating. Buchanan and Smith (1999) have argued that screen names can be used strategically to present a certain image of one. Drawing from Goffmans (1959) work on presentation of self, many face-to-face contact of image manipulation are absent from computer-mediated interactions. However, in the electronic context the screen name becomes available as another potential aspect of personal front. Assumed that screen names are usually self-generated, they give individuals considerable creative scope for shaping the first impressions they present to others. A screen name can thus be seen as a self-presentational tool that allows its owner to express some aspects of identity or personal attributes. These may be either real or aspiration, and can serve a useful function in defining the image a person will display (Bechar-Israeli, 1995). Research on auction sites has also investigated the meaning names might convey. Shohat and Musch (2003), for instance, found that sellers with German names on an online auction site were more likely to receive winning bids earlier than sellers with Turkish names. These researches showed the important role of name in the profile of online daters.

The Hobbit

The Hobbit Modern literature often provides an adventure in place of the quest. One example is The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien, published in 1937, in which the protagonist, Bilbo, is disturbed from his peaceful routines in order to embark on a voyage to regain treasure from the savage dragon, Smaug. It exemplifies the journey plot structure, otherwise known as the adventure archetype, for the protagonist attempts to fill his gradually gain heroism through. Most notably, the quest is developed through the elements of character, imagery, and plot in the novel. The development of the protagonist, Bilbo, portrays maturation and personal growth, signifying that the quest is not only for physical possession, but for a fulfillment. Through the development of the quest, the overview of benevolence versus evil emerges through imagery, demonstrating the effectiveness of the novel. In addition, the quest follows a linear plot in the adventure archetype, gradually showing the development of the quest. The nov el is successful in achieving its purpose of the quest not only existing to obtain the physical object through journey, but also to find ones personal self. The maturation of the protagonist, Bilbo, is crucial in the re-discovering of himself. Bilbo at first embarks on the quest as a reluctant, common hobbit, wanting to do nothing with Gandalfs request. Nevertheless, as the novel progresses, Bilbo prevails in the face of danger and adversity, a threat to the status quo. Much of this has to do with fate and destiny. Out of the numerous people in their group, Bilbo is the one who is left unconscious to retrieve the ring that grants invisibility. Another instance is which shows evidence of the maturation of Bilbo is when Bilbo confronts Smaug, the antagonist, solely through sheer luck and chance. Lets have no more argument. I have chose Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a burglar, a burglar he is, or will be when time comes. There is a lot in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (J.R.R Tolkien, 24) Therefore, it can be assumed that a supernatural force or power aids Bilbo on his quest. In this scenario, the fate ruler would be Gandalf, his mentor. There are many instances throughout the quest in which Gandalf â€Å"disappeared† from the group due to an arcane call, leaving Bilbo to lead the dwarves. Therefore, one could also say that fate and self-will controlled the development of the quest. This quest also serves as a metaphor for Bilbos personal growth. Originally, the call to adventure is purely for a physical purpose of retrieving the stolen gold and possessions from Smaug. However, he builds more confidence and resourcefulness through confronting the trolls, escaping with Gollums ring, rescuing the dwarves in Mirkwood, and speaking face-to-face with the great dragon. These conflicts each give him an opportunity to prove himself and his bravery as a burglar. As well, through each of these mischief, he is able to fulfill his personal destiny. The hobbits are generall y known for their timid peaceful way of living. Yet, Bilbos lineage of the Took is known for being adventurous. Without the quest, Bilbo would yet still be in his hobbit hole. He would not have developed into the hero he becomes at the end of his quest. To explain, during the lonesome time in the cave with Gollum, the quest becomes Bilbos own, not of the dwarves physical possession. Through his solo act, Bilbo attempts to fill his â€Å"personal† quest in rediscovering himself. In addition, he hesitates and worries whether or not leaving home was a good idea in many instances throughout the quest. â€Å"To go in quest means to look for something of which one has, as yet, no experience; one can imagine what it will be like but whether ones picture is true or false will be known only when one has found it.† (Fantasy, 99.) By the end of his quest, not only does he regain the Tooks side of his lineage, but also he is very confident and well developed as a hero. This is exe mplified through the robbery of the Arkenstone in order to stop the fury of the dwarves. Therefore, the quest is derived from the protagonist. Bilbo is the purpose and existence for the quest. Therefore, the adventure archetype revolves around Bilbo. Once the adventure is awakened, it unfolds and presents all the possibilities for the character to take leading the character into something greater later on into the story. Belly of the whale gives a series of tests for Bilbo in which he must overcome and develop through. Through his physical journey, one can view the purpose of the quest is for the protagonist to look for something that may or not be a physical possession, however rather a new found self. As we become more familiar with the development of Bilbo, imagery in quest becomes more apparent. Adversaries and tone-differentiating settings present clear perception and imagery. Imagery refers to words that trigger the mind of a reader to recall images or mental pictures. One example of this is in the confrontation with the enemy. Through Bilbo squaring off against enemies, such as the goblins, spiders, and Gollum, one can notice the reoccurring idea of good versus evil. While the good creatures strive for peaceful existence, the sinister figures exist to cause suffering. Even a reluctant hobbit such as Bilbo gets involved in the hassle between good and evil, for he ultimately believed it for a noble cause. On the other hand, sinister creatures constantly threaten such forces of good. The mighty dragon Smaug destroys and kills the towns of humans. One will notice the clear division between good and evil. Race and family lineage also comes into play as the good confronts the evil. As mentioned previously, the evil is not one specific creature, yet many groups of creatures for med together to create a frightening force. The confrontation of the enemy is when the different races of good unite in order to defeat the hordes of evil. Therefore, there is an image of clashing hordes of creatures battling, also known as the Battle of the Five armies. In addition, Bilbos thoughts and feelings often relate to the types of imagery tone established in the setting. For instance, in Gollums cave, Bilbo is simply devastated and frightened at the fact that he was left behind in an unknown, wretched cave. Not only is Bilbos feelings fearful and frightening, but the tone of the setting is set to match his emotions, for the cave is dark and ominous. Imagery exemplifies visualization of any image through words. Yet, The Hobbit shows the process of going through the quest and an overview of quest as a whole. Therefore, imagery shows the effectiveness of quest. â€Å"As imagery is simply descriptive language that evokes sensory experience, it can appeal to any of the sense, and not just the standard five.† (Wikipedia) Through imagery, one is able to understand the quests true implications and whether or not they grasped the basis of its knowledge. In essence, imagery shows the effectiveness of the quest, however does not show the development of the quest as the plot. The plot gradually allows for the development of the quest. The adventure archetype begins off as a jolly adventure with no threat to the status quo, yet ends up in a quest with crucial and decisive matters. Bilbo is disturbed from his routine by an unexpected visit and finds himself on a voyage. â€Å"It is true that what begins in adventure may end in a quest. Tolkiens The Hobbit appears at first to be adventure.† (Fantasy, 101). Not until the graver implications of the novel emerge, does the adventure become more significant. Then Bilbo longs for the common life of the hobbits, yet he also realizes that he cannot regain such life without completing the quest. Each part in the adventure archetype plays a role in the development of Bilbo and the quest. Leaving home is the root of his maturation process as he embarks on the voyage, and the call to adventure signifies essentially the reason for questing. Through the belly of the whale, Bilbo is tested through various confronta tions and obstacles, in which he develops more accordingly in his growth as a hero. As well, the confrontation with the enemy is the resolution of the conflict, as the battle against evil. Therefore, the plot moves in such a linear fashion due to the adventure archetype; scene -by-scene, confrontations after confrontations. The plot also shows the development of quest through the systematic process of the adventure archetype; hence, the quest is developed throughout each part. Therefore, the structure of the quest directly relates to the plot. Nevertheless, each element of the novel derives from the quest. The character emphasizes on the purpose of quest, for it is the protagonists journey, spiritual and physical. Imagery demonstrates the effectiveness of the quest due to the overview image one is able to establish through it. Moreover, the plot exemplifies the development of the quest because of the adventure archetype, which follows a linear patter in sync with the plot, and quest. The dominance of the quest is clear through the development of each elements of the novel. So, why would one need to undertake a personal journey? Is the purpose of a quest truly and simply to gain wealth? Quests are experienced as a sentimental reminder of ones authentic values in life. The personal growth and maturation is what makes each quest unique. â€Å"The quest is always toward final solution. Moreover, it is toward a joy which may transcend individual sacrifice in the sense that things are, by virtue of a completion of the quest, w ell with the world.† (Fantasy, 104) Cited Works Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit. Great Britain: HarperCollinsPublisher, 1937. Fantasy. Canada: greenhaven, 2002. CliffNotes. 2003 .

Where Abortion Goes Wrong Essay -- Pregnancy Birth Papers

Where Abortion Goes Wrong Abortion is wrong. This is a bold statement for a twenty-one-year-old, white male raised in a middle class home, and one that I am not at all comfortable making. It is not just that the debate over abortion is so heated, or that I fear being labeled a Bible-beating fanatic. I am uncomfortable because the issue of abortion is mired in uncertainty. We all know that child abuse and rape are wrong. Under no condition can rape be justified. This is simply a fact that we all accept. The problem of abortion, on the other hand, is not nearly as straightforward. As pointed out by Frederick Turner in Abortion Can be a Moral Sacrifice, pro-life people can be sure that late-term abortions are murder. However, the same surety is not there when they consider two-day old embryos. A similar confusion can be seen by those in the pro-choice camp (Turner, 1992). Here lies the central question: With so much uncertainty surrounding abortion, can and should it ever be legislated? To answer this question, we must first understand the basis for both sides' positions. Misunderstandings have long been the major block to meaningful discussions. The pro-life camp's position is often thought to stem from a hidden agenda to suppress women, whereas the pro-choice position is often linked to loose morals and little emphasis on responsibility. These ideals or traits may be held by a limited number in each group, but they are not indicative of the majority. Most pro-life and pro-choice advocates sincerely believe in their convictions and have legitimate arguments to back up their beliefs. Actually, the arguments of both sides are rooted in the same key principles. The first is an understanding of the worth of the fetus, and, based... ...orn. New York: Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence. Thomson, J.J. (1971). A defense of abortion. In R.M. Baird & S.E. Rosenbaum (Eds.), The ethics of abortion: pro-life vs. pro-choice (pp. 29-44). New York: Prometheus Books. Tooley, M. (1972). Abortion and infanticide. In R.M. Baird & S.E. Rosenbaum (Eds.), The ethics of abortion: pro-life vs. pro-choice (pp. 45-59). New York: Prometheus Books. Turner, F. (1992). Abortion can be a moral sacrifice. In L. Bruno (Ed.), The abortion controversy. (pp. 55-58). Warren, M.A. (1973). On the moral and legal status of abortion. In R.M. Baird & S.E. Rosenbaum (Eds.), The ethics of abortion: pro-life vs. pro-choice (pp. 75- 82). New York: Prometheus Books. Zindler, F.R. (1985). Human life does not begin at conception. In C.P. Cozic (Ed.), Abortion: opposing viewpoints (pp. 17-22). San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc.

Flat Tax :: Essays Papers

Flat Tax Let’s Hear it for the Flat Tax Do you think we should abolish the Internal Revenue Service? If you were to ask your family, friends and neighbors, you would get a resounding YES! That was my outcome when I, as an income tax preparer, surveyed my clients as well as my family, friends and neighbors. The comments ran from â€Å"It’s too complex†, â€Å"It’s unfair† to â€Å"They are too powerful†. Not one person was happy with the tax code as it currently stands. That is not to say people do not want to pay their fair share. They just want an easier, fairer way to do it. To prove the complexity of the IRS Code, Money Magazine asked fifty â€Å"tax experts† to figure hypothetical family’s tax liability each year from 1988 through 1992 and published the results in their March issues. The best year’s result was 1990 when only 48 of the responses were incorrect. If a tax expert could not figure the liability properly how can anyone expect the everyday taxpa yer to do it? The solution quite possibly is the Flat Tax. What will the Flat Tax do for us? The current proposed tax rate of 17% for all income will be more fair. It is much simpler; the tax return for an individual and a business will be postcard size both having only ten lines on them. The proposed flat tax eliminates the tax at a personal level for interest, dividends and capital gains as well as allowing businesses to deduct capital assets in the year of purchase. Currently a capital asset is expensed by taking depreciation over the useful life of the item. Many economists believe these features in the flat tax will stimulate economic growth. According to the Bureau of National Affairs Banking Report â€Å"Some 55 percent of the 156 analysts polled by the National Association of Business Economist think the economy would benefit from some type of flat tax†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Compliance is the final benefit of the flat tax. There will be a higher compliance in filing and paying Federal Income Tax. The flat tax removes the three primary excuses for non-compliance: the complexity, low likelihood of being caught and fact that the current system seems to favor special interests "at my expense†. Flat Tax :: Essays Papers Flat Tax Let’s Hear it for the Flat Tax Do you think we should abolish the Internal Revenue Service? If you were to ask your family, friends and neighbors, you would get a resounding YES! That was my outcome when I, as an income tax preparer, surveyed my clients as well as my family, friends and neighbors. The comments ran from â€Å"It’s too complex†, â€Å"It’s unfair† to â€Å"They are too powerful†. Not one person was happy with the tax code as it currently stands. That is not to say people do not want to pay their fair share. They just want an easier, fairer way to do it. To prove the complexity of the IRS Code, Money Magazine asked fifty â€Å"tax experts† to figure hypothetical family’s tax liability each year from 1988 through 1992 and published the results in their March issues. The best year’s result was 1990 when only 48 of the responses were incorrect. If a tax expert could not figure the liability properly how can anyone expect the everyday taxpa yer to do it? The solution quite possibly is the Flat Tax. What will the Flat Tax do for us? The current proposed tax rate of 17% for all income will be more fair. It is much simpler; the tax return for an individual and a business will be postcard size both having only ten lines on them. The proposed flat tax eliminates the tax at a personal level for interest, dividends and capital gains as well as allowing businesses to deduct capital assets in the year of purchase. Currently a capital asset is expensed by taking depreciation over the useful life of the item. Many economists believe these features in the flat tax will stimulate economic growth. According to the Bureau of National Affairs Banking Report â€Å"Some 55 percent of the 156 analysts polled by the National Association of Business Economist think the economy would benefit from some type of flat tax†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Compliance is the final benefit of the flat tax. There will be a higher compliance in filing and paying Federal Income Tax. The flat tax removes the three primary excuses for non-compliance: the complexity, low likelihood of being caught and fact that the current system seems to favor special interests "at my expense†.