A Study And Definition Of Cabaret Drama Essay

The term ‘cabaret ‘ is derived from the Gallic word for wine basement or tap house, and finally was used to mention to any type of concern that sold alcoholic drinks. However, as historian Lisa Appignanesi explains, popular use ‘conjures up visions of sleazy strip articulations on clammy metropolis streets or cabarets where the extortionate monetary value of cocktails is seldom linked to the meager phase menu ‘ ( 2004: p. 1 ) . Cabaret, since its outgrowth in the late 1800s, has been a popular signifier of amusement, peculiarly during times of subjugation. This can be understood by following its early yearss in Paris, up through the German ‘Kabarett‘ , as it was known, in the 1920s and 1930s. The twelvemonth 1881 is frequently thought of as the ‘beginning ‘ of nightclub, for this was the twelvemonth in whichLe Chat Noir( or ‘Black Cat ‘ ) came into being in the Montmartre subdivision of Paris. However, Appignanesi points out that in the mid-fifteenth century in France, the impression of nightclub was already in being ; wine basements were often the venue for unrecorded amusement: ‘The two signifiers of artistic nightclub which were to emerge some centuries later were already at that place in source: nightclub as a meeting topographic point for creative persons where public presentation or improvisation takes topographic point among equals, and nightclub as an confidant, small-scale but intellectually ambitious review ‘ ( 2004: p. 1 ) . The signifier of nightclub that came into being in 1881 had a more rational and artistic ambiance, possibly in portion due to the formation of a literary society known as the ‘Hydropathes‘ . This was a group of creative persons, chiefly authors and poets, who would convene hebdomadal to portion work with one another. Their popularity grew quickly and their Numberss increased. This, harmonizing to Appignanesi, was the start of the true nature of nightclub: ‘It emerged either as a research lab, a testing land for immature creative persons who frequently intentionally advertised themselves as an daring, or as the satirical phase of modernity, a critically brooding mirror of topical events, ethical motives, political relations and civilization ‘ ( 2004: p. 5 ) .II. Gallic Cabaret By the 18th century France, the tradition of offering nutrient and drink had begun to take clasp ; nevertheless, it was non until the 19th century that the impression of ‘cafes-concerts ‘was to the full accepted. Rearick explains that ‘live ‘ vocalizing was highly common during the 1800s and up until the bend of the century ; record players were non common to the multitudes, so unrecorded amusement was the criterion: ‘In streets and courtyards, the fin-de-siecle Gallic on a regular basis listened to itinerant vocalists, as their ascendants had through the centuries ‘ ( Rearick, 1988: p. 46 ) . In the 1880s and 1890s, thesecafes-concertscontinued to proliferate, so that by the bend of the century there were more than 260 constitutions of the type ( Rearick, 1988: p. 46 ) . The music was uninterrupted, with vocal after vocal being performed, frequently to packed audiences.Le Chat Noir As stated above, 1881 is considered a landmark day of the month in cabaret history, as this was the twelvemonth in whichLe Chat Noir( or ‘Black Cat ‘ ) came into being in the Montmartre subdivision of Paris. Harmonizing to Appignanesi, the symbol of the black cat is derived from the work of Edgar Allan Poe, a clear indicant of the strong literary tradition nightclub was associated with. ‘The first cabaretists gave birth to an eclectic cat ‘ , notes Appignanesi. ‘A cat who could sing, declaim, dance, create shadow dramas, write music, wordss, travesty, and above all, perform ‘ ( 2004: p. 9 ) . Le Chat Noir was the inspiration of Roldolphe Salis, besides known as the Baron de la Tour de Naintre. Its initial place was a infinite of two suites, but its popularity increased so quickly that it shortly took topographic point in much more broad and elegant milieus. Salis is credited with holding introduced the piano to the nightclub, an add-on which greatl y enhanced the popularity of nightclubs among the populace. Salis did this despite the being of a authorities legislative act that prohibited music in nightclubs. This neglect for authorization has come to be associated with cabaret life as we have come to believe of it today. Salis ‘ following move was to ask for more and more creative persons and instrumentalists to pass clip at his constitution. He had become acquainted with fellow creative person Emile Goudeau, who was a Hydropath, and it was through Salis ‘ influence that the Hydropathes moved from the Left Bank to Le Chat Noir in Montmartre. Salis was besides known for his self-aggrandisement ; the cabaret shortly began to print a journalalso known asChat Noirin which he wrote: ‘The Chat Noir is the most extraordinary nightclub in the universe. You rub shoulders with the most celebrated work forces of Paris, meeting at that place with aliens from every corner of the universe ‘ (ChatNoir) . In general, the manner of the diary was frequently marked by macabre narratives, non unlike the work of Poe himself. Humorous essays were besides often featured. It besides contained illustrations, and a figure of postings by Toulouse-Lautrec, many of which can be seen on posting reissues from that era. In the 1880s, the primary illustrators of the diary included Adolphe Willette, Caran d'Ache, Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen, Henri Riviere and George Auriol (Chat Noir) . Cheap and easy accessible, the four-page diary rapidly grew in popularity ( Krafft, 2006: par. 2 ) . It was a signifier of look that was unfastened to everyo ne who wanted their voices to be heard.Shadow Theatre: Precursor of Cinema It is frequently thought that the shadow theater at Chat Noir was instrumental in the beginnings of film. Henri Riviere, whose illustrations appeared in the diary, was one of the cardinal figures involved. Zinc figures were silhouetted against a backlit background, and music and sometimes narrative would be included. The ensuing eyeglassess were rather popular and attracted such celebrated people as Claude Debussy, Eric Satie, and Toulouse-Lautrec ( Krafft, 2006: par. 6 ) . Riviere besides collaborated with George Auriol in the completion of a series of shadow books. These were to a great extent decorated in a Nipponese manner that shortly became known as the genreart nouveau.The most celebrated work that came out of this clip, nevertheless, was a volume known asLes Trente-six Vues de la Tour Eiffel,a series of prints, thirty-six in all, of Paris at the clip. The Nipponese influence is really evident in this work, peculiarly the work of Hokusai in his word pictures of Mount Fuji ( Kr afft, 2006: par. 8 ). The Chat Noir ‘s success was instrumental in doing Montmartre the centre of artistic life in Paris. Although it was non the lone nightclub, it was by far the most celebrated. Other constitutions includedCabaret des Quat'z ‘ Humanistic disciplines,La Lune Rousse,Les Pantins,and the more celebrated Le Mirliton. Le Mirliton is Gallic for ‘reed pipe ‘ , but has the secondary significance of ‘doggerel ‘ . The nightclub was really located in the original place of the Chat Noir, and the creative person most normally associated with it was Aristide Bruant. Bruant was ardently political, and his vocals are full of mentions to the desperation and poorness of victims of societal unfairness. Prisoners, cocottes, and castawaies in general were frequently topics of his work. The wordss were written in the linguistic communication of the streets, and were frequently satirical. Bruant himself was made celebrated in a posting of him that was created by Toulouse-Lau trec. Appignanesi describes his wordss as both acrimonious and hopeful: ‘With his deep affinity for the topics of his vocals, yet without a hint of moralising mawkishness, Bruant exposes the predicament of the lower deepnesss and the demand for alteration ‘ ( 2004: p. 27 ) . His wordss are frequently considered the root of the cabaret chanson tradition. Below are the wordss of a vocal that Bruant composed in 1898 for his election run for the legislative assembly, and one which represents the motives and political subjects that traditionally marked his work: If I were your deputy, Oho! Oho! One can merely seek I would add the word Humanity To the three of our radical call. Alternatively of talking every twenty-four hours For the democracy or the imperium Making addresss that leap into fire, But have nil to state I ‘d defend the mewling baby Of unwed female parents, the hapless old common people Who freeze in the wintry metropolis, They ‘d be every bit warm as a summer ‘s twenty-four hours If I were made deputy In Belleville. ( Bruant, qtd. in Appignanesi, 2004: p. 27 ) We can see in Bruant ‘s wordss the sorts of issues that were relevant and the political ambiance at that clip. It is no surprise that he sings of hungry kids ( ‘mewling babies ‘ ) , unwed female parents, the impoverished, the homeless ‘who freezing in the wintry metropolis ‘ . These were the people who were unaccustomed to holding a voice in society ; nightclub offered them a forum, a manner of self-expression that would hopefully take to the societal reforms that were so urgently needed.Womans in Cabaret Womans were non actively involved in nightclub in these early yearss, but they were non wholly unrepresented. Yvette Guilbert ( 1867-1944 ) was one of the few adult females of this clip period who performed cabaret-type vocals. She got her start in traditional theater in Paris, but shortly moved to Montmartre, which was genuinely the centre of artistic spirit at the clip. Her manner was alone ; she would both talk and sing her wordss, a trait for which she was shortly known as ‘diseuse five de siecle ‘, or end-of-the-century Teller. She appeared chiefly in such locales as the Divan Japonais, the Moulin Rouge, and Les Ambassadeursthough she did non execute in nightclubs themselves. In the early yearss of nightclub, nevertheless, adult females were a rareness: Appignanesi points out that ‘the signifier had to go to Germany and Austria before adult females became an built-in portion of its makeup ‘ ( 2004: p. 29 ) .II. Cabaret in Berlin Cabaret began to distribute in popularity, traveling far beyond the boundaries of Paris and France. It became even more popular all across Europe at the terminal of World War I, where it found a comfy niche in which to boom. Wilhelmine Germany, nevertheless, was non every bit free-spirited as Paris was: ‘A hierarchal construction of authorization prevailed, breeding a battalion of uniformed functionaries, promoting flunkies and political alienation ‘ ( Appignanesi, 2004: p. 36 ) . During this clip period, corruptness was every bit widespread as it was unreliable. In add-on, rigorous censoring made it hard for any sort of art to boom. Artists and authors who expressed thoughts that were considered unacceptableand most thoughts at the clip werewould have their public presentations stopped, their work seized. In some instances, the creative persons themselves would be imprisoned. Around 1900, nevertheless, the ambiance began to alter. Thinkers like Nietzsche began to hold mo re and more influence, and new thoughts and ideas began to go around. Finally, creative persons who had been kept down for so long were eventually free to show themselves. Rootss in Munich At the bend of the century, the metropolis that was known as the centre for the humanistic disciplines in Germany was Munich. This is whereSimplicissimusgot its start and continued to boom. The Schwabing territory was home to a figure of creative persons and performing artists. The terminal of the censoring that had been rampant under the Wilhelminian epoch eventually arrived, and the Weimar Republic had begun. At this point, the old order in Berlin ceased to be, and it shortly became the widely distributed capital of Germany.Otto Julius Bierbaum andDeutsche Chansons In 1900,Deutsche Chansonsmade its introduction. This book, published by Otto Julius Bierbaum, was a aggregation of singable verse forms, including plants by Richard Dehmel, Arno Holz, and Frank Wedekind. Bierbaum was interested in doing art that was available to the people: ‘his purpose was to do art permeate the entireness of life ‘ , notes Appignanesi: ‘Painters today†¦ are doing chairs for people to sit on, non for museums ‘ ( 2004: p. 37 ) . The motion inspired by Bierbaum ‘s efforts to ‘functionalise ‘ poesy is known asJugendstil.This motion had an of import impact on the go oning development of nightclub. From this point on, it would be marked by its willingness to take on popular manners of look: ‘The acceptance of popular signifiers, for whatever motor, cultural or political, was to stay a portion of the nightclub tradition throughout, every bit good as one of the drive forces of modernism ‘ ( Appignanesi, 2004: p. 37 ) . This meeting of signifier and map may non look surprising to society today, but during this period ofJugenstil,it signified a new manner of looking at the universe. With the terminal of censoring that came through the Weimar period, it was an ideal clip and topographic point for nightclub to develop. However, nightclub in Germany would somewhat switch its focal point. It would go more serious. As it developed and became more widespread and progressively popular, it would besides maturate and lose some of the gaiety it was accorded in Paris. Harmonizing to Appignanesi, a figure of factors, happening about at the same clip, contributed to the birth of nightclub in Germany. The hebdomadal magazine,Simplicissimus, was launched in 1896 by Albert Langen, and frequently contained parts from authors who included Thomas Mann and Rainer Maria Rilke. A satirical publication, it included non merely composing, but sketchs every bit good, and was diagrammatically rather advanced and bold. It often took on political issues, such as the 1897 jurisprudence punishing workers who went on work stoppage. AfterDeutsche Chansonsmade its introduction, things began to alter at a rapid gait. It shortly became clear that Berlin accepted nightclub as a meeting topographic point for creative persons and authors. The hub of activity at the bend of the century had been Munich, as stated earlier, peculiarly the Schwabing territory. Appignanesi asserts that this meeting of endowment along with a carnival atmosphere ‘resulted in Munich ‘s bring forthing one of the most fertile and interesting of European nightclubs ‘ ( 2000: p. 42 ) , and one that spread throughout the state during the Weimar old ages.The Eleven Executioners Lex Heinzewas the name given to the rigorous jurisprudence that gave constabularies the power to interfere in artistic affairs in Germany. The constabulary took full advantage of this power, and in a figure of ways. Confiscation of publications such as books or magazines was common. Even public presentation art was affected: parts of a public presentation could be deleted, sometimes full Acts of the Apostless. Furthermore, piquing creative persons or authors could be imprisoned. A group of Secessionist painters,Simplicissimusstaff members, and pupils and histrions from the academic Dramatic Union, formed a protest group, eleven of whom would come to be known as ‘the Eleven Executioners ‘ . What they planned to ‘execute ‘ , harmonizing to Appignanesi, was the really thought of societal lip service itself. She explains that ‘these hangmen of the position quo knew that if they performed publically they would be harassed by censoring, and so they called them selves a nine which played merely to invited invitees, one dark every hebdomad ‘ ( 2004: p. 44 ) . In this manner, they were able to execute without intervention. A sample of their vocals is below: It looms on high that black block We judge heartily and Pierce. Blood ruddy bosom, blood ruddy frock, Our merriment is ever ferocious. Any enemy of the clip Will run into the executioner ‘s axe Any friends of decease and offense, We ‘ll decorate with vocal and rime. ( qtd. in Appignanesi, 2004: p. 44 ) As in the plants of Bruant, subjects of equality and equity were normally found in the vocals performed by the Executioners. They were socially witting and really much aware of the predicament of those society held in small respect: the destitute members of society, those who most needed to be heard but had small opportunity of holding that happen. Among the most celebrated of the Executioners was Frank Wedekind. Wedekind ‘s disfavor of authorization was good established by the clip he joined their ranks. He was known for composing parody and satires that mocked the hypocritical behaviours of those in power. In add-on, he was known to hold a strong phase presence, and would give long, strident public presentations that would electrify audiences both in their dramatic bringing and their hideous content. Below is an illustration of Wedekind ‘s incendiary sarcasms: I have murdered beloved Auntie Alice, My Auntie so old and so frail. Motivated by greed and maliciousness I went directly on the hoarded wealth trail. Her small house was merely huming With bills, with portions and with gold. I heard my Auntie ‘s heavy external respiration But that left me absolutely cold. I merely followed my intuition In the dark I opened her door And stab her without suppression My Auntie sighed and breathed no more. The aureate coins were weighing me down, Her organic structure was heavy as lead, But I dragged Auntie without a scowl Through the garden and into the shed. I have murdered beloved Auntie Alice, My Auntie so old and so frail. I ‘m immature, so immature, yet out of maliciousness They ‘ve sentenced me to life-long gaol. ( qtd. in Appiganesi, 2004: p. 49 ) The rough sarcasm and scratchy daring of this and other ballad-type vocals were one of Wedekind ‘s hallmarks, and it was non long before he extended this into lampoon. Nothing was considered sacred ; he even wrote a lampoon of the national anthem,Deutschland, Deutschland & A ; Atilde ; ?ber alles.In this instance, nevertheless, he published the piece under a anonym. In actuality, the span of clip the Eleven Executioners were together as a group was non really long. However, the impact they had was immense. The group had all but disbanded by 1903. Yet, during that clip, they were able to convey their message to all parts of the state, and they were considered instrumental in distributing cabaret itself. They are frequently credited with assisting to popularise the genre and convey it to Vienna, the artistic capital of pre-war Europe.IV. Later Cabaret Christopher Isherwood Christopher Isherwood ‘s plants include two semi-autobiographical novels that are an of import portion of cabaret history:Berlin NarrativesandGoodbye to Berlin.In fact, Bob Fosse ‘s 1972 movieCabaretwas inspired byGoodbye to Berlin. This aggregation of pieces is about life in Berlin during 1930 and 1931, at the beginning of the Nazi rise to power. ‘More than doing monsters, hence, the Berlin novels account for how monsters are made when history itself becomes monstrous ‘ , notes Shuttleworth. ( 2000: p. 160 ) . ‘If the concluding sense of the texts is that the trespass of life by art is black, they are every bit clear that the separation of art from life is impossible, and that the thought of an ingenuous universe, claiming genuineness or objectiveness, is a psychotic belief dangerous in itself ‘ ( Shuttleworth, 2000: p. 160 ) .Cabaret in Film:Cabaret The movieCabaret,directed by Bob Fosse, was released in 1972. Immediately popular, the movie shortly became a authoritative. In it, one can acquire an thought of what nightclub was like in 1932 Berlin.Cabaretwas inspired by Christopher Isherwood ‘sGoodbye to Berlin, a aggregation of pieces, some of which are autobiographical, approximately life in Berlin during 1930 and 1931, at the beginning of the Nazi rise to power. The pieces are valuable as a description of a important period in German and universe history, and the consequence the altering political tide had on the universe of nightclub. ‘Isherwood ‘s portrayal of the Berlin demimonde and of the morally belly-up center categories has by and large been taken to uncover a cultural status, or allow us state a widespread province of head, which somehow explainsand possibly even foretoldwhat was to go on in Europe and the universe at big during the following 15 old ages ‘ ( Bucknell, 2000: p. 13 ) . The narrative opens up with the Kit Kat Klub, in Berlin. It is set in the late 20s, before the subjugation of Hitler had settled in. The Kit Kat Klub was an existent nightclub in Berlin during the 1930s. This is the common bond that links American Sally Bowles with several other colourful characters who are representative of society of the clip. Among them was a affluent German politician, a British instructor, and of class, the all-knowing Master of Ceremonies. Enormously celebrated, the movie is still considered a authoritative, and is frequently seen as a metaphor for the suicide that was subsequently to follow as fascism engulfed Germany.Cabaret in Film: The Blue Angel The Blue Angel,starring Marlene Dietrich, is another classic in which the Weimar cabaret manner is considered to be accurately depicted. It is slackly based onProfessor Unrath,the novel by Heinrich Mann. Dietrich, who was comparatively unknown at the clip, played Lola-Lola, the star of the Blue Angel, a character known for her bold, audacious gender. Professor Immanuel Rath is a headmaster, known for his deficiency of a sense of temper and his Puritan attack to life. Upon detecting that some of his pupils have been patronizing The Blue Angel, he decides to demo up at the nightclub himself, trusting to catch pupils in the act. His visit opens up a new universe to himthe animal, free, loose universe of cabaret lifeand after trying this, it is clear that he will ne'er be the same.V. Conclusion By following the development of the nightclub genre, from its early yearss in Paris, up through the German ‘Kabarett‘ , as it was known, in the 1920s and 1930s, one can see how it became steadfastly entrenched as a vehicle for the oppressed. The twelvemonth 1881 is frequently thought of as the landmark day of the month for the start of nightclub, for this was the twelvemonth in whichLe Chat Noircame into being in Paris. However, as has been pointed out, the impression of nightclub was already in being ; wine basements were often the venue for unrecorded amusement as far back as the 15th century. Cabaret shortly became known as a meeting topographic point for creative persons, authors, and performing artists ; it game them a common assemblage topographic point in which chumminess was established, thoughts were shared, and history was made. The signifier of nightclub that came into being in 1881 had a more rational and artistic ambiance, influenced greatly by the literary group ofHydropathes. It spread, as we have seen, throughout Europe ; with the terminal of the censoring that had been rampant under the Wilhelminian epoch, nightclub settled in Berlin, a place in which it flourished and matured. As the genre developed, it became more widely accepted every bit good as progressively popular ; it besides matured and lost some of the gaiety it was known for in Paris. Historically, nightclub has been the voice of freedom. It has represented advancement and been both a vehicle for self-expression and an instrument of alteration. Throughout history, we have seen that catastrophes will happen, events over which we have no controlwe besides have seen that we have, and will, rally from them. To that terminal, we have art. But if, as Appignanesi points out, ‘the creative person ‘s metaphorical gun is no peculiarly powerful arm, it can still incite displacements of consciousness ‘ ( 2004: p. 251 ) . Art can remind us that there is another manner of making things, a fresh world that we can keep onto and trust for. But ‘art ‘ has non ever been known for its handiness. Cabaret is, in that sense, the art of the people, a oasis that has historically attracted those for whom society holds in small respect: the impoverished, the fringy, the less fortunatethose who most needed to be heard but have small opportunity of holding that h appen.Mentions Appignanesi, Lisa. 2004.The Cabaret.New Haven and London: Yale University Press. Berg, James, and Freeman, Chris, eds. 2000.The Isherwood Century: Essaies on the Life and Work of Christopher Isherwood.London: University of Wisconsin Press. Bucknell, Katherine. 2000. ‘Who Is Christopher Isherwood? ‘ In Berg, James, and Freeman, Chris, eds. ,The Isherwood Century: Essaies on the Life and Work of Christopher Isherwood.London: University of Wisconsin Press, pp. 13-30.Chat Noir. n.d. Retrieved electronically on August 25, 2006, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nyu.edu/greyart/exhibits/counter/html/body_chatnoir.html Jackson, Jeffrey. 2000. ‘Music-Halls and the Assimilation of Jazz in 1920s Paris ‘ . Journal of Popular Culture.Fall 2000, Vol. 34, Issue 2, pp. 69-82. Krafft, Scott. 2006. ‘Shadow Theatre of Montmartre ‘ . From the Charles Deering McCormick Library of Particular Collections. Retrieved electronically on August 25, 2006, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.library.northwestern.edu/librarybriefings/archives/000830.html Rearick, Charles. 1988. ‘Song and Society in Turn-of-the-Century France ‘ .Journal of Social History.Fall 1988, Vol. 22, Issue 1, pp. 45-63. Simmons, Sherwin. 2000. ‘Ernst Kirchner ‘s Streetwalkers: Art, Luxury, and Immorality in Berlin, 1913-1916 ‘ .The Art Bulletin,March 2000. Shuttleworth, Antony. 2000. ‘In a Populous City: Isherwood in the Thirties ‘ . In Berg, James, and Freeman, Chris, eds. ,The Isherwood Century: Essaies on the Life and Work of Christopher Isherwood.London: University of Wisconsin Press, pp. 150-161.

United Kingdom – group of countries

The United Kingdom is a developed country with a national wealth of 1 1. 73 trillion CAD and a national GDP of 2. 435trillion USD. In 2010, the average wage in the UK for all Jobs was E20,801 (34,113. 64 CAD). The literacy rate within the UK is 99%. The United Kingdom is in stage 4 of the demographic transition model because it has a low birth rate and a low death rate.With a dependency mong youth of 27. 1% and a 26. 9%% dependency ratio with the elderly, the I-JK badly needs the funding to support the elderly and youth as many are not working. The population within the United Kingdom continues to rise with 12. 26 births per 1000 people of the population, and a death rate of 9. 33deaths per 1000 people of the population. This works out to a natural increase rate of 0. 55%. Life expectancy in the UK is 80. 29 years with an infant mortality rate of 4. 5 deaths/ 1000 live births. The UK is a world power and needs the funding to stay that way.The United Kingdom igration rate is currently decreasing from recent years, with less people migrating to the country. However, net migration has increased from September to December of 2012, this new data suggests that the decline seen in net migration has not continued as first thought in June of 2011. 51 5,000 people immigrated to the I-JK in the year ending in June 2012, which is significantly lower than the 589,000 who migrated the previous year. 352,000 emigrants left the I-JK in the same time span. 197,000 migrants arrived to study in the year to June 2012, which is significantly lower than 239,000 in the previous year.Study remains the most common reason stated for migrating to the I-JK. As the data shows, more people are immigrating to the UK than leaving. Already the population is climbing within the United Kingdom based on natural increase and now we have an increased amount of immigrants. It makes for one heavily populated country with many issues on its hands. The United Kingdom has a population that continues to grow at a rapid pace, especially with the elderly. This country needs the funding in order to support the elderly as well as the rapid population increase. 10 million people in the I-JK are over 5 years old.Recent projections are for 5h million more elderly people in 20 years' time and that number is projected to nearly double to around 19 million by 2050. The very old are growing even faster. â€Å"There are currently three million people aged more than 80 years and this is projected to almost double by 2030 and reach eight million by 2050. While one-in-six of the I-JK population is currently aged 65 and over, by 2050 one in-four will be. In 2008 there were 3. 2 people of working age for every person of pensionable age. This ratio is projected to fall to 2. 8 by 2033. † -United KingdomGovernment EIOO billion is spent on people over the working age, which is equal to one-seventh of public expenditure. With the elderly population on the rise, along with more immigrants coming to the United Kingdom, this global power needs the tunding in order to support them. A rising dependency ratio and increasing population can result in disaster for any country. Therefore in order to stop that epidemic, the I-JK needs the funding to offer more schooling opportunities for women. It has been proven that women who stay in school longer are likely to have less children than an uneducated woman.The funding would also go to providing pensions to the elderly. As well as helping immigrants migrate to the I-JK. However these are only short term solutions to this problem. With the population expected to reach 70million by 2021, the government of the I-JK needs to take a look at the land it has available and start thinking about the growing population when it comes to the environment, architecture and designing cities. One solution to the land issue is to build up instead of sideways. If you can build an apartment building instead of a one-story house, doesn't it make sense to do so?You can fit a lot more people in the partment building than the house and it takes up the same amount of land. The United Kingdom has a high standard of living as it ranks among the top countries in the world in several categories. In the United Kingdom, the average household disposable income is 26 904 USD a year. However, there is a considerable gap between the richest and poorest – the top 20% of the population earn nearly six times as much as the bottom 20%. In relation to employment, 70% of people aged 15-64 have a paid Job, with 76% of men and 65% women working.Having a good education is an important requisite for finding a Job. In the United Kingdom, 75% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree. Life expectancy in the country is 81 years, 83 for women and 79 for men. The United Kingdom does very well in terms of terms of water quality with 97% of people saying they are satisfied with the quality of their water. In general, people in the United Kingdom are more satisfied with their lives than many other countries. Living in satisfactory housing conditions is one of the most important aspects of people's lives.Housing is an essential basic need however it should not Just be four walls and a roof. Housing should offer a place to sleep and rest where people feel safe and have privacy and personal space; somewhere they can raise a family. All of these elements help make a house a home. Although these elements make take the back seat to cost. Cost is key when it comes to buying a house. In the I-JK people spend on average 22% of their disposable income in order to keep a roof above their heads. 89% of occupants within the country say they are satisfied with their current housing situation.In the United Kingdom, the average home contains 1. 8 rooms per person and in terms of basic facilities, 99. % of people in the United Kingdom live in dwellings with private access to an indoor flushing toilet. The United Kingdom p rovides more than adequate housing, this contributes to the high standard of living. Finding a Job can be extremely difficult in todays economy, anywhere you go. However it is almost impossible to survive without one, unless you have a massive inheritance. Therefore, Job security and getting a Job directly contribute to standard of living.In the United Kingdom, more than 70% of the working-age population aged 15 to 64 have a paid Job. Young people in the United Kingdom, aged 15-24, face more ifficulties than most countries with an unemployment rate of 20. 0%. Unfortunately, 2 6% ot the labor torce nave been unemployed tor a year or longer. Workers in the United Kingdom rank near the top of the world based on earnings. The I-JK is full of job opportunities and these opportunities contribute to the high standard of living within the country. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each have their own systems of private and publicly funded healthcare.Each country having different policies and priorities has resulted in a number of differences between the systems. Each country provides public healthcare to all I-JK permanent residents that is free at the time of need, paid for from general taxation. In addition, each also has a private healthcare sector which is considerably smaller than the public sector. Population growth can drastically affect the United Kingdom's standard of living. Population growth normally negatively impacts a countrys standard of living because there is more competition for resources.University/college spots will be a lot harder to get and the cost for these institutions are likely to go up as the space they have is finite and they will have more applicants than before. Job competition will increase quickly as people need a source of income to live within the country. The biggest issue with an increased population is the land space available. More homes and buildings will be need to be built to accommodate the increased population. A s available land space begins to become scarce, the cost of the land will become increasingly expensive.As a result, housing and buildings will become more expensive. This can result in a higher level of poverty and a weaker economy. With an increased cost of housing, more and more people will have less disposable income and therefore businesses will hurt. Population growth in a developed country can affect the standard of living in a big way. Poverty can affect anyone but it affects the following 6 groups the most. Family breakdown, education failure, economic dependency, not working, addiction and serious personal debt. Family breakdown can be a divorce, fighting or even Just a misunderstanding.However, children who experience a broken family are more likely to fail school than someone who has a cohesive family. Someone who fails school is less likely to get a Job and therefore be dependent on the government to survive. After this happens addiction may set in as a result of not av ing a Job or purpose in life. Once addiction sets in, serious personal debt can arise as a result of not working yet needing money to feed the addiction. This is a viscous cycle that can start at any point and send someone into poverty. Financial aid will greatly help these people, as the money could go to funding schools in impoverished areas.The aid could also go to addiction programs or creating more job opportunities. Anything to help break this cycle will help decrease the number of people living in poverty. Some current economic problems in the United Kingdom are in the construction and manufacturing industries. Industrial output is now at its lowest level since May 1992 and manufacturing is 20% down on its peak. The Office for National Statistics found most areas of manufacturing were on the slide, with chemical production and wood and paper manufacture leading the downturn. † -The Guardian. Construction outside the capital is dead.Commercial building, a staple to most large firms has never recovered from the financial crisis. Civil engineering has suffered from a lack of infrastructure improvements after a near-E30bn cut in public investment spending. A solution to these problems is to attempt to lure big usinesses into the I-JK and get them to develop areas. However, this may not work, theretore i t the government ot the United Kingdom received the aid money trom Population Probe it could be put to reviving these industries and hopefully making them self-sufficient. Money is one possible solution to reviving these industries.In 50 years' time, the United Kingdom will have a few major concerns in relation to population size. The population of the United Kingdom is expected to reach 70 million by 2021, this can be a huge factor going into the future because the UK is not the biggest country in the world. It will eventually run out of space and resources for the population. An extraordinary amount of money will be needed to keep the economy afloat and keep a high standard of living. Although the standard of living, should drop as housing costs more and more, along with the larger amount of people in the country.Based on the population pyramid the birth rate appears to be declining, if it drops below the death rate in the future, the population of the UK will drop and then a shortage of working age people will result. Especially since the net migration rate has been declining in recent years. However there is a positive to this, there will be less competition in the country. More Jobs will be available and along with other resources. As a result, these items will be easier to acquire, is that a good thing? Will people try as hard as they would if there was more competition?Will everything be done at 80% efficiency because they know they could get another Job with ease? That is the main concern with a birth rate going below the death rate or in other words reaching stage 5 on the demographic transition model. There is a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the future of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom needs money both now and in the future in order to remain a stable country. With a rapidly growing population, especially among the elderly the money, if received today would be used for schooling women, and paying the pensions of the elderly.It has been proven that women who stay in school long have less children than women who do not have post-secondary education. That should help control the growing population. Since net migration to the I-JK has been down in recent years, if the rate of natural increase remains moderate/low, the I-JK should not have to worry about a huge increase in population. Due to the high dependency ratio, the working class cannot cover the pensions of the elderly, therefore government funding would help with that.This would help with the short term problems in the UK but that money will eventually run out. Then the long term crisis on our hands. Hopefully the growing populati on has slowed down but if it has not then building new homes, cities and public transit will be key. Since the amount of land in the country is finite, the money will go towards new ideas of maximizing our land space to allow more people to live within the I-JK. Money is constantly needed in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom desperately needs the funding in order to build for the future and stay afloat during present times.https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.htmlhttp://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/united-kingdomhttp://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/policy/breakthrough-britainhttp://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/key-issues-for-the-new-parliament/value-for-money-in-public-services/the-ageing-population/https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/migrationstatisticsquarterlyreport/february2016https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_United_Kingdo m

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 1

Statistics show that most mortals sell their souls for five reasons: sex, money, power, revenge, and love. In that order. I suppose I should have been reassured, then, that I was out here assisting with numero uno, but the whole situation just made me feel†¦ well, sleazy. And coming from me, that was something. Maybe I just can't empathize anymore, I mused. It's been too long. When I was a virgin, people still believed swans could impregnate girls. Nearby, Hugh waited patiently for me to overcome my reticence. He stuffed his hands into well-pressed khakis, leaning his large frame against his Lexus. â€Å"I don't see what the big deal is. You do this all the time.† That wasn't exactly true, but we both knew what he meant. Ignoring him, I instead made a great show of studying my surroundings, not that that improved my mood. The suburbs always dragged me down. Identical houses. Perfect lawns. Far too many SUVs. Somewhere in the night, a dog refused to stop yapping. â€Å"I don't do this, † I said finally. â€Å"Even I have standards.† Hugh snorted, expressing his opinion of my standards. â€Å"Okay, if it makes you feel better, don't think of this in terms of damnation. Think of it as a charity case.† â€Å"A charity case?† â€Å"Sure.† He pulled out his Pocket PC, looking briskly businesslike, despite the unorthodox setting. Not that I should have been surprised. Hugh was a professional imp, a master at getting mortals to sell their souls, an expert in contracts and legal loopholes that would have made any lawyer wince in envy. He was also my friend. It sort of gave new meaning to the With friends like these†¦ adage. â€Å"Listen to these stats,† he continued. â€Å"Martin Miller. Male, of course. Caucasian. Nonpracticing Lutheran. Works over at a game store in the mall. Lives in the basement here – his parents' house.† â€Å"Jesus.† â€Å"Told you.† â€Å"Charity or no, it still seems so†¦ extreme. How old is he again?† â€Å"Thirty-four.† † Ew.† â€Å"Exactly. If you were that old and hadn't gotten any, you might seek desperate measures too.† He glanced down at his watch. â€Å"So are you going to do this or not?† No doubt I was keeping Hugh from a date with some hot woman half his age – by which I meant, of course, the age Hugh looked. In reality, he was pushing a century. I set my purse on the ground and gave him a warning glance. â€Å"You owe me.† â€Å"I do,† he conceded. This wasn't my usual gig, thank goodness. The imp normally â€Å"outsourced† this kind of thing but had run into some kind of scheduling problem tonight. I couldn't imagine who he normally got to do this. I started toward the house, but he stopped me. â€Å"Georgina?† â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"There's†¦ one other thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned back around, not liking the tone in his voice. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"He, um, sort of had a special request.† I raised an eyebrow and waited. â€Å"You see, uh, he's really into the whole, like, evil thing. You know, figures if he sold his soul to the devil – so to speak – then he should lose his virginity to a, I don't know, demoness or something.† I swear, even the dog stopped barking at that. â€Å"You're joking.† Hugh didn't respond. â€Å"I'm not a – no. No way am I going to – â€Å" â€Å"Come on, Georgina. It's nothing. A flourish. Smoke and mirrors. Please? Just do this for me?† He turned wistful, cajoling. Hard to resist. Like I said, he was good at his job. â€Å"I'm really in a tight spot†¦ if you could help me out here†¦ it would mean so much†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I groaned, unable to refuse the pathetic look on his broad face. â€Å"If anyone finds out about this – â€Å" â€Å"My lips are sealed.† He actually had the audacity to make a sealing motion. Bending down, resigned, I unfastened the straps on my shoes. â€Å"What are you doing?† he asked. â€Å"These are my favorite Bruno Maglis. I don't want them absorbed when I change.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦ you can just shape-shift them back.† â€Å"They won't be the same.† â€Å"They will. You can make them anything you want. This is just silly.† â€Å"Look,† I demanded, â€Å"do you want to stand out here arguing shoes, or do you want me to go make a man of your virgin?† Hugh clamped his mouth shut and gestured toward the house. I padded away in the grass, the blades tickling my bare feet. The back patio leading to the basement was open, just as Hugh had promised. I let myself into the sleeping house, hoping they didn't have a dog, blearily wondering how I'd reached this low point in my existence. Adjusting to the darkness, my eyes soon discerned the features of a comfortable, middle-class family room: sofa, television, bookshelves. A stairwell rose to the left, and a hallway veered to the right. I turned down the hall, letting my appearance shape-shift as I walked. The sensation was so familiar, so second nature to me, that I didn't even need to see my exterior to know what was happening. My petite frame grew taller, the slim build still staying slim but taking on a leaner, harder edge. My skin paled to death white, leaving no memory of its faint tan. The hair, already to my midback, stayed the same length but darkened to jet black, the fine waviness turning straight and coarse. My breasts – impressive by most standards – became larger still, rivaling those of the comic book heroines this guy had undoubtedly grown up with. As for my outfit†¦ well, away went the cute Banana Republic slacks and blouse. Thigh-high black leather boots appeared on my legs, paired with a matching halter top and a skirt I never could have bent over in. Spiky wings, horns, and a whip completed the package. â€Å"Oh Lord,† I muttered, accidentally taking in the whole effect in a small decorative mirror. I hoped none of the local demonesses ever found about this. They were really quite classy. Turning from the taunting mirror, I stared down the hall at my destination: a closed door with a yellow MEN AT WORK sign attached to it. I thought I could hear the faint sounds of a video game bleeping from beyond, though such noises silenced immediately when I knocked. A moment later, the door opened, and I stood facing a five-foot-eight guy with shoulder-length, dirty blond hair rapidly receding on top. A large, hairy belly peeped out from underneath his Homer Simpson T-shirt, and he held a bag of potato chips in one hand. The bag dropped to the floor when he saw me. â€Å"Martin Miller?† â€Å"Y-yes,† he gasped out. I cracked the whip. â€Å"You ready to play with me?† Exactly six minutes later, I left the Miller residence. Apparently thirty-four years doesn't do much for one's stamina. â€Å"Whoa, that was fast,† Hugh noted, seeing me walk across the front yard. He was leaning against the car again, smoking a cigarette. â€Å"No shit. Got another one of those?† He grinned and handed over his own cigarette, giving me a once-over. â€Å"Would you be offended if I said the wings kind of get me hot?† I took the cigarette, narrowing my eyes at him as I inhaled. A quick check ascertained no one else was around, and I shape-shifted back to my usual form. â€Å"You owe me big,† I reminded him, putting the shoes back on. â€Å"I know. Of course, some might argue you owe me. You got a nice fix from it. Better than you're used to.† I couldn't deny that, but I didn't have to feel good about it either. Poor Martin. Geek or no, committing his soul to eternal damnation was a helluva price to pay for six minutes. â€Å"You wanna get a drink?† Hugh offered. â€Å"No, it's too late. I'm going home. Got a book to read.† â€Å"Ah, of course. When's the big day?† â€Å"Tomorrow,† I proclaimed. The imp chuckled at my hero worship. â€Å"He just writes mainstream fiction, you know. He's hardly Nietzsche or Thoreau.† â€Å"Hey, one doesn't have to be surreal or transcendental to be a great writer. I should know; I've seen a few over the years.† Hugh grunted at my imperious air, giving me a mock bow. â€Å"Far be it from me to argue with a lady about her age.† I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then walked two blocks to where I had parked. I was unlocking the car door when I felt it: the warm, tingling feeling indicative of another immortal nearby. Vampire, I registered, only a millisecond before he appeared beside me. Damn, they moved fast. â€Å"Georgina, my belle, my sweet succubus, my goddess of delight,† he intoned, placing his hands over his heart dramatically. Great. Just what I needed. Duane was quite possibly the most obnoxious immortal I'd ever met. He kept his blond hair shaved to a close buzz, and as usual, he demonstrated terrible taste in both fashion and deodorant. â€Å"Go away, Duane. I have nothing to say to you.† â€Å"Oh come on,† he crooned, his hand snaking out to hold the door as I tried to open it. â€Å"Even you can't play coy this time. Look at you. You're positively glowing. Good hunting, eh?† I scowled at the reference to Martin's life energy, knowing it must be wreathing me. Obstinately, I tried to pry my door open against Duane's hold. No luck. â€Å"He'll be out for days, from the looks of it,† the vampire added, peering at me closely. â€Å"Still, I imagine whoever he was enjoyed the ride – both on you and to hell.† He gave me a lazy smile, just barely revealing his pointed teeth. â€Å"He must have been someone pretty good for you to look as hot as you do now. What happened? I thought you only fucked the scum of the earth. The real assholes.† â€Å"Change of policy. I didn't want to give you false hope.† He shook his head appreciatively. â€Å"Oh Georgina, you never disappoint – you and your witticisms. But then, I've always found whores know how to make good use of their mouths, on or off the job.† â€Å"Let go,† I snapped, tugging harder at the door. â€Å"Why the hurry? I have a right to know what you and the imp were doing over here. The Eastside is my turf.† â€Å"We don't have to abide by your ‘turf rules, and you know it.† â€Å"Still, common courtesy dictates when you're in the neighborhood – literally, in this case – you at least say hello. Besides, how come we never hang out? You owe me some quality time. You spend enough time with those other losers.† The losers he referred to were my friends and the only decent vampires I'd ever met. Most vampires – like Duane – were arrogant, devoid of social skills, and obsessed with territoriality. Not unlike a lot of mortal men I'd met. â€Å"If you don't let me go, you're going to learn a whole new definition of ‘common courtesy.'† Okay, it was a stupid, faux action-movie line, but it was the best I could come up with on the spot. I made my voice sound as menacing as possible, but it was pure bravado, and he knew it. Succubi were gifted with charisma and shape-shifting; vampires had super strength and speed. What this meant was that one of us mingled better at parties, and the other could break a man's wrist with a handshake. â€Å"Are you actually threatening me?† He ran a playful hand along my cheek, making the hairs on my neck stand on end – in a bad way. I squirmed. â€Å"That's adorable. And kind of arousing. I actually think I'd like to see you on the offensive. Maybe if you'd just behave like a good girl – ow !You little bitch!† With both of his hands occupied, I had seized my window of opportunity. A quick burst of shape-shifting, and sharp, three-inch claws appeared on my right hand. I swiped them across his cheek. His superior reflexes didn't let me get very far with the gesture, but I did draw blood before he gripped my wrist and slammed it against the car. â€Å"What's the matter? Not offensive enough for you?† I managed through my pain. More bad movie lines. â€Å"Cute, Georgina. Very cute. We'll see how cute you are by the time I – â€Å" Headlights glimmered in the night as a car turned the corner on the next block and headed toward us. In that split second, I could see the indecision on Duane's face. Our t §?e- §?t §?e would undoubtedly be noticed by the driver. While Duane could easily kill an intervening mortal – hell, it was what he did for a living – having the kill linked to his harassment of me would not look good to our superiors. Even an asshole like Duane would think twice before stirring up that kind of paperwork. â€Å"We aren't finished,† he hissed, releasing my wrist. â€Å"Oh, I think we are.† I could feel braver now that salvation was on the way. â€Å"The next time you come near me's going to be the last.† â€Å"I'm quaking in terror,† he simpered. His eyes gleamed once in the darkness, and then he was gone, moving off into the night just as the car drove past. Thank God for whatever liaison or ice cream run had pulled that driver out tonight. Not wasting any more time, I got into my car and drove off, anxious to be back in the city. I tried to ignore the shaking of my hands on the wheel, but the truth of the matter was, Duane terrified me. I had told him off plenty of times in the presence of my immortal friends, but taking him on alone on a dark street was an entirely different matter, especially since all my threats had been empty ones. I actually abhorred violence in all its forms. I suppose this came from living through periods of history fraught with levels of cruelty and brutality no one in the modern world could even comprehend. People like to say we live in violent times now, but they have no idea. Sure, there had been a certain satisfaction centuries ago in seeing a rapist castrated swiftly and promptly for his crimes, without endless courtroom drama or an early release for â€Å"good behavior.† Unfortunately, those who deal in revenge and vigilantism rarely know where to draw the line, so I'd take the bureaucracy of the modern judicial system any day. Thinking back to how I'd presumed the fortuitous driver was on an ice cream run, I decided a little dessert would do me some good too. Once I was safely back in Seattle, I stopped in a 24-hour grocery store, discovering some marketing mastermind had created tiramisu-flavored ice cream. Tiramisu and ice cream. The ingenuity of mortals never failed to amaze me. As I was about to pay, I passed a display of flowers. They were cheap and a little tattered, but I watched as a young man came in and nervously scanned them over. At last he selected some autumn-colored mums and carried them off. My eyes followed him wistfully, half-jealous of whatever girl would be getting those. As Duane had noted, I usually fed off losers, guys I didn't have to feel guilty about hurting or rendering unconscious for a few days. Those kind did not send flowers and usually avoided most romantic gestures altogether. As for the guys who did send flowers, well, I avoided them. For their own good. That was out of character for a succubus, but I was too jaded to care about propriety anymore. Feeling sad and lonely, I picked up a bouquet of red carnations for myself and paid for it and the ice cream. When I arrived home, my phone was ringing. Setting down my goods, I glanced at the Caller-ID. Caller unknown. â€Å"My lord and master,† I answered. â€Å"What a perfect ending to a perfect night.† â€Å"Save your quips, Georgie. Why were you fucking with Duane?† â€Å"Jerome, I – what?† â€Å"He just called. Said you were unduly hassling him.† â€Å"Hassling? Him?† Outrage surged inside me. â€Å"He started it! He came up to me and – â€Å" â€Å"Did you hit him?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Did you?† I sighed. Jerome was the archdemon of the greater Seattle hierarchy of evil, as well as my supervisor. It was his job to manage all of us, make sure we did our duties, and keep us in line. Like any lazy demon, however, he preferred we create as little work for him as possible. His annoyance was almost palpable through the phone line. â€Å"I did sort of hit him. Actually, it was more of a swipe.† â€Å"I see. A swipe. And did you threaten him too?† â€Å"Well, yes, I guess, if you want to argue semantics, but Jerome, come on! He's a vampire. I can't touch him. You know that.† The archdemon hesitated, apparently considering the outcome of me going head-to-head with Duane. I must have lost in the hypothetical battle because I heard Jerome exhale a moment later. â€Å"Yes. I suppose. But don't provoke him anymore. I've got enough to work on right now without you children having catfights.† â€Å"Since when do you work?† Children indeed. â€Å"Good night, Georgie. Don't tangle with Duane again.† The phone disconnected. Demons weren't big on small talk. I hung up, feeling highly offended. I couldn't believe Duane had tattled on me and then made me out to be the bad guy. Worse, Jerome seemed to have believed it. At least at first. That probably hurt me most of all because, my slacker-succubus habits aside, I'd always enjoyed a kind of indulgent, teacher's pet role with the archdemon. Seeking consolation, I carried the ice cream off to my bedroom, shedding my clothes for a loose nightshirt. Aubrey, my cat, stood up from where she'd been sleeping at the foot of my bed and stretched. Solid white save for some black smudges on her forehead, she squinted green eyes at me in greeting. â€Å"I can't go to bed,† I told her, stifling a yawn. â€Å"I have to read first.† I curled up with the pint and my book, recalling again how I'd finally be meeting my favorite author at the signing tomorrow. Seth Mortensen's writing always spoke to me, awakening something inside I hadn't even known was asleep. His current book, The Glasgow Pact, couldn't ease the guilt I felt over what had happened with Martin, but it filled an aching emptiness in me nonetheless. I marveled that mortals, living so short a time, could create such wonderful things. â€Å"I never created anything when I was a mortal,† I told Aubrey when I'd finished five pages. She rubbed against me, purring sympathetically, and I had just enough presence of mind to put the ice cream away before collapsing back into bed and falling asleep.

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Microbiological Aspects of Decontamination - Essay Example Although not recorded by La Duc et al. (2007, p. 2600) as a common member of clean room microflora, Staphylococci can pose serious health risks to patients and must be looked out for when determining clean room biocontamination. They are the main pathogenic microorganisms in medical device-related infections. Much of their success is caused by their strong surface adhesion and biofilm formation. Biofilms are especially important because they impose a resistance to host defense and antibiotics (von Eiff, et al., 2005, pp. 182). If clean room conditions are suddenly compromised, the sterility of devices prepared in it will be compromised as well. Once the contaminants grow significantly large in the body, localized inflammation, sepsis, or even death can occur (von Eiff, et al., 2005, pp. 183). And because antibiotics do not seem to work, removal of prostheses thus becomes inevitable (von Eiff, et al., 2005, p. 186). It is thus imperative that possibilities for contamination in clean room environments for neurological prostheses production are kept to a minimum. This review looked at rooms for improvement on the current procedures used by The Future Technology Company in ensuring pathogen-free production area for active implantable neurological prostheses manufacture. However, this review was limited to suggesting improvements on the current biocontamination control and sampling methods done in the newly-prepared clean room of the company. However, this review did not suggest improvements that will entail reconstruction of the clean room, as it might pose significant financial pressure onto the company. Nonetheless, reconstruction is not discouraged, and its implementation is with the consent of the company. The company was successful in preparing a formal system of biocontamination control.  

Child Labour and Nikes Views on it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Child Labour and Nikes Views on it - Essay Example Furthermore, because countries independently regulate child employment there is no uniform custom to draw on in this area at all. Accordingly, the scope of what is and isn't child labor is unclear. This will become evident in the discussion below. The starting point for defining child labor is to ask who, in this context, is a child? The difficulty encountered in answering this question highlights one of the most fundamental problems of regulating child labor and goes to the heart of the dilemma of determining when it is acceptable for a child to work. Child labor is considered abhorrent because a child of a certain age does not have the maturity to make decisions or exercise her free will, and is especially physically and psychologically vulnerable (Forastieri, 2002). Defining Labor Defining "labor," in the context of child labor, is almost as difficult as defining a "child." Some practices can be easily identified as labor; mine and factory work are obvious examples. Other practice s, however, are harder to define, and the process of drawing a line between work that is acceptable and work that is not is a tricky one. Whether or not a child is engaged in "labor" must depend on the type of work the child is doing, the effect it has on her, and the amount of time she is expected to spend doing the work (i.e., does it interfere with her education). Whether a child is being paid, or is working in or for the family, does not alter the fact that she may be engaged in labor.... Child labor is considered abhorrent because a child of a certain age does not have the maturity to make decisions or exercise her free will, and is especially physically and psychologically vulnerable (Forastieri, 2002). Defining Labor Defining "labor," in the context of child labor, is almost as difficult as defining a "child." Some practices can be easily identified as labor; mine and factory work are obvious examples. Other practices, however, are harder to define, and the process of drawing a line between work that is acceptable and work that is not is a tricky one. Whether or not a child is engaged in "labor" must depend on the type of work the child is doing, the effect it has on her, and the amount of time she is expected to spend doing the work (i.e., does it interfere with her education). Whether a child is being paid, or is working in or for the family, does not alter the fact that she may be engaged in labor. All that changes in the different scenarios are the obligations of states. Indeed, although states are only specifically required to regulate employment, they are obligated to protect children from all work that interferes with the child's education or is otherwise harmful to the child. Child labor In the past decade, the issue of child labor has attracted increasing attention. In times past, the topic has been the focus of action at both the national and international levels, but it has never been an issue of major concern. However, since the mid-1980s, the world has paid greater attention to its most voiceless inhabitants. The adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) by the General Assembly in 1989 illustrates this general trend. In addition to enumerating new rights, the

Benchmark risk management in Australia, UK and USA Research Paper

Benchmark risk management in Australia, UK and USA - Research Paper Example Since the greatest threat to physical installations and assets is from terrorist activities, therefore, it is pertinent to review what planning and strategies have been defined by the selected police departments in countering terrorist acts and risks associated with them. Geographic Scope United Kingdom, United States of America and Australia Summary of Best Practices related to Risk Management of Physical Assets and Infrastructures Integration of security and safety plans and strategies, so as to ensure that the whole system operates with full force and concentration. Communication and coordination with community in order to bring down risks associated with potential threats. Effective communication of potential threats and risks with concerned authorities and stakeholders. Making use of technology to avoid or prevent damages from unforeseen events. Categorical assessment of risk related to physical assets and infrastructures, so as to understand the degree of risk associated. Integ ration of controlling, coordination and command for risk management. UNITED KINGDOM London Police Department The London Police Department is divided into four directorates which assume different responsibilities. For each of the directorates, a separate risk management strategy is devised by the police department, under the leadership of Stephen Rimmer, the Director of Strategy Modernization and Performance Directorate. In the coming lines, the researcher would discuss a number of risk management strategies adopted by the London Police Department, in order to protect its physical assets from terrorist attacks, natural disasters and riots, but the focus would be on terrorists’ attacks as this factor is considered as being more destructive for physical assets of London Police Department. KEY STRATEGIES TO COUNTER RISK ASSOCIATED WITH PHYSICAL ASSETS London Police Department uses a 360 degree mechanism for its field operators to report any damage in case of terrorist attack, acc ident or natural disaster. Besides, wireless cameras are also installed on the site where physical assets are installed by the Police Department. Risk Management Process and Mechanism By communicating with field operatives, the staff sitting at the central monitoring area fetches information about the damage occurred to the physical assets of the organization. After receiving the information about the damage, the central monitoring area’s staff evaluates the level of risk assumed by the field operatives, occurred to a physical asset. These physical assets might include security check points, railway stations, heavy traffic points, hospitals, shopping malls and etc. The figure given below would help the readers to understand, how this whole process works: As it can be observed, that this is a simple process to avoid any damage from the previously mentioned incidents, that may result in an unfavorable impact on the physical assets of the London Police Department. From evaluatin g, the process enters into the policy formulation or mitigation plan development phase where the experts designs a risk management plan to ensure that the organization does not loss on the monitory value of the physical assets mentioned. The installation of surveillance cameras is another strategy that London Police Department has used wisely over the years to overcome the monitory loss that it incurs from the damage to physical assets of the organizations. These surveillance came

Some Factors That Lead to Success in College Essay Example for Free

Some Factors That Lead to Success in College Essay What should we do to make a good impression at a job interview? Last year, my cousin, Jake, went to a bank to apply for a job. As you know, when you apply for a job, you must be ready to answer a lot of question. Some of the questions that an interviewer may ask you include: educational background, previous jobs, and salaries you earned. The problem with Jake was that he was not prepared for the questions. The interviewer asked Jake a lot of things that he could not answer. Because Jake was not prepared for the interview, he did not get the job. If you do not want to be in that situation, you may want to follow these steps. As you can see, it is necessary to be well prepared for the job interview. Having the answer ready, being properly dressed, and being on time can all help to make a good impression on the interviewer. If you follow these steps, you will soon find yourself sitting behind the desk at that coveted job. Topic:Career you choose after leaving school October 21st, 2010Leave a comment Go to comments Career you choose after leaving school What career would you like to choose after leaving school? (Teacher) Today, it is not easy to choose a career. Hundreds of students pass various examinations every year and compete with one another for positions in the various professions which are not so many as there are applicants. I would, however, like to choose teaching as my career. There are several reasons to consider teacher an interesting job. Being a teacher, we have to learn more. If we teach History or Geography, it is important to read many books to make our teaching lessons more interesting to our students. We therefore gain more knowledge of the subjects that we teach than what we can get from the text books. A large amount of text books for the subjects we teach are not likely enough to help us to become an exciting teacher. In other words, a good teacher often reads many other books which are not related to the subjects he or she is supposed to teach. The large extent of knowledge on different fields make students admire the teacher and love the subject of which he or she is in charge. A teacher has to speak well and clearly so  that students can be able to understand instructions and lectures. This would be a motivation to improve our powers of expression. Even our pronunciation of words will be much better. Moreover, a teacher has more free time to read, learn and take some examinations to acquire more qualifications. Finally, as a teacher we are respected as educated persons. Others will show their respect to teachers and have their great regard for them and opinions that teachers give. For the reasons mentioned above, being a teacher can help me to live a happy meaningful life.

Distinguishing Men From Animals With Culture

Distinguishing Men From Animals With Culture For culture is the sociological term for learned behaviour: behaviour which in man is not given at birth, which is not determined by his germ cells as the behaviour of wasps or the social ants, but must be learned anew from grown people by each new generation. The degree to which human achievements are dependent on this kind of learned behaviour is mans great claim to superiority over all the rest of creation; he has been properly called the culture being animal. Benedict Different people may have different definition of culture. The most common definition of culture is that culture means the mode of human activities, such as human knowledge, learning and belief which are integrated in the symbolic thoughts. Culture includes ideas about identity, nature, social relationship and so on, as well as artifacts. This topic is based on several assumptions. Firstly, this essay assumes that humans are not animals and only men have culture while animals do not have any. I also assumed that culture can be definite. In the following, I will discuss the perspective of human in the point of view for zoologists, and also the inter-specific relationships between human and animals. This might counter my argument of culture distinguishes men from animals. Secondly, I will discuss Zoologist accounts on the human-animals inter-specific relationship To zoologists, all animals (including human beings) are equally interesting. For them, all animals undergo the inter-specific relationship which is in the food chain, i.e. prey, symbiont, competitor, parasite and predator, and human beings exist in these pair of species. According to The Naked Ape (1967) by British zoologist, Desmond Morris, Any species which competes with us for food or space, or interferes with the efficient running of our lives, is ruthlessly eliminatedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Large carnivores have been out other serious competitors and these too have been eliminated wherever the population density of out species has risen above a certain level. Same as in the predator relationship, we humans are involved in it. Morris (1967) stated that larger carnivores such as sharks which are the killers are accounted for more humans deaths than any other is one cannot devour the nutritious corpuses it produces. Moreover, Morris (1967) also pointed out that the inter-specific relationship appears to human and other animals not only in the food chain, but also in other ways. For example, human beings could not resist to say Hi or any other greetings to his/her own pet, such as his/her own dog. Even we all know the animals will not understand, we still could not resist the temptation. We could not explain that. The response was just triggered off inside us when we see the animal. Furthermore, Morris (1967) also pointed out that out love or hatred to the animals is also included in the human-animal relationship. Through this, we can see the inter-specific relationship between human beings and animals exist in the vast amount of cultures, or even, we carried further in these relationships than other animals. Therefore, to zoologists, humans are not unique in these respects. Biological differences between human and other animals However, biologist anthropologists and other biologists may argue that there is something which is different in human than in other animals, which this will lead to human are not animals (which I assumed before). So what distinguishes us from other species on animals? Gorillas and chimpanzees are close primate relative to humans. Compare to chimpanzees, human has 98 percent of genes same as the chimps. The differences between human and chimpanzees were brought by the 2 percent difference in our genes. Biological anthropologists believe that human beings have got a familiar skeletal hallmark. The major difference is that humans are bipedalism (standing on two legs) and the adaptation of the straight, upright gaits. Humans are having particular small teeth and large braincase as well. The 2 percent difference also brought the difference of using modern language to communicate idea. Human beings also use culture, which are complex ideas to survive. These are all the anatomical character of human beings. Human evolution in human brains: What is in the Homo sapiens mind? According to Jerome Kagan (2004), at the end of the first year, human and chimpanzee infants are similar to each other, Both of the species locomote, attend to unexpected or unfamiliar events, and remember where an attractive object disappeared ten seconds earlier. However, 24 months later, maturational changes occur in human brain and it brought four unique quantities for humans: (1) Children can infer varied thoughts and feelings in others; (2) Children use a symbolic language with a grammar and semantic categories for events that share no physical feature; (3) Understand for the concepts of good. Bad, right and wrong; (4) Become consciously aware of some of their intentions and feelings. Moreover, Kagan also stated that chimpanzees are incapable of appreciating the partner intends to engage in reciprocally cooperative act has no implication for the gaining of food or protectionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Every two-year-old child makes this simple assumption automatically. Therefore, it is beli eved that a pair of chimpanzees could not throw a ball back and forth between them, while a pair of humans will assume to throw the ball back. One of the unique characteristic in human brains is the feeling of guilty. Human is the only animal species which will feel guilty, it is not possible even in our close primate relatives such as the chimpanzees. Kagan explained that Guilt requires an agent to know that a voluntary act that could have been suppressed has hurt another. Guilt requires the ability to reflect on a past action that injured another in some way, to realize that the behaviour could have been inhibited, and to appreciate that the self was the cause of the ethical violation. During human evolution, human developed to be conscious and aware to others feeling, while other animals did not. Thus, the feeling of guilty is one feature which makes human unique. Kagan pointed out another unique quality of Homo sapiens is the consciousness of ones feelings, intentions and properties, which is called sensory awareness. According to Kagan, there is not just only one form to awareness. It is believed that all these awareness require the brain circuits. There is awareness in properties such as consciousness in ones physical features, beliefs, talents and social categories. The other form of awareness is the awareness that one is about implement or suppress an action. Neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga believes that there is another form of consciousness which is the interpretation of ones feelings and perceptions. However, these four forms of consciousness are not evolved in the same time, they evolve in different ages in the humans early childhood. In the first year, there will be the appearance of the awareness of sensory. In the second year, children will smile after completing a difficult task. It is not until the third year of life that childr en will be aware of their intentions and that they can describe what they are doing. Finally, in the fourth year, children can regularly integrate the present moment with their recollections of the past and begin to be able to interpret others feeling and perceptions. However, for apes, they do not possess any other forms of consciousness apart from the sensory consciousness. In terms of consciousness, human is unique. Another unique quality in the Homo sapiens is that they are the animal species which are willing to limit their offspring from inclusive fitness (the ability of an organism to ensure the survival of their own offspring or to see how their genes pass on). The family size in human families is thus decreasing. Meanwhile, in other species, they will reproduce the offspring as much as they can, so that their species would not extinct due to any environmental factors, such as drought, lack of food, lack of shelter, disease and so on. For example, female fish will lay their eggs as much as possible so that there will be a greater chance for the eggs being fertilized. Moreover, this will increase the survival rate as most of the eggs will be eaten by other marine animals or bigger fishes. This will ensure their species would not be extinct. The same theory to increase the chance of survival of offspring is also applied in all other animals, such as dogs, cats and turtles. Therefore, human is unique by limiting their offspring. Human cognition Michael Tomasello brought up the idea of ratchet effect in human cultural evolution . The most distinctive characteristic of human cultural evolution as a process is the way that modifications to an artefact or a social practice made by one individual or group of individuals often spread within the group, and then stay in place until some future individuals make further modifications and these then stay in place until still further modifications are made. The major part of the ratchet effect takes place in childhood. Taboos For Vezo people, what makes human different from animals is taboos. They believe that it is taboos which make us humans. Human beings practice a whole range of taboos which animals dont. Lambek (1992) noted that taboos are distinctive at every level of social inclusion, from humanity viewed as a whole down to the individual. The Vezos have different taboos to show respect to animals. According to Astuti (2000), Vezos do not hunt or eat dolphins because they are generous towards human. Therefore, taboos on eating or hunting dolphins as dolphins saved peoples lives by gently keeping them afloat and pushing them back to the land after their canoes had capsized. However, children are too young to know about taboos and moral issues. They do not have taboos. If taboo is the unique quality of human beings, are children considered as animals? For me, children are considered as premature humans, which they do not have much experience on what is happening in the world. Even as I mentioned above, the brains undergoes human evolution and become more consciousness and awareness in their first four years of life. They are unwise and do not understand anything. However, as they grew up, and their perspectives will be changing. For example, after they have faced the life and death of their animal pets or toys, they will understand more about human death. And as what Astuti mentioned, this will contribute to transform their appreciation of the boundary between animals and people Until they understand and appreciate the boundary between animals, they will become a mature human. It takes 5-12 years for a child to become a mature human. Therefore, taboos ma y be a unique quality for Homo sapiens.

Dialogue Essay †Birdseye View of Life and Death :: Dialogue Conversation Essays

Dialogue Essay – Birdseye View of Life and Death Episode One. A Prologue of Sorts. The camera eye sees everything, and sees it calmly and objectively. It pans slowly around the room, beginning at the coffin and the cluster of black-clad mourners gazing down at the body then continuing clockwise catching two or three-person clusters scattered around the room. It sees the pale cream-colored walls and the scarlet carpet. It sees everything in the circle of its passing and calls attention to nothing but the whole, until it reaches me sitting on a loveseat to the left of the deep-red coffin, a girl about the same age as me to my left. It zooms in on my face as I sit there, all emotion drawn out and dried-up ahead of time. Laurie squeezes my arm and lays her cheek on my shoulder. But the camera continues to zoom in on my gaze and cuts to the focus, my mother. It saw her earlier, but now it is beginning to make sense of the situation, catching the subtle details that tell the story. In silence the camera eye peers at her, zooming in inch- by-inch. Like everyone else, she is dressed in black, and like me she is emotionally exhausted. She tries to smile and be strong, but there is nothing behind it but weariness. In her face, everything is weary. And every few moments she presses a white handkerchief to her eyes to dry tears that aren't even coming out any more. Next to her, with his arm around her slumped shoulders is a balding man with one chin too many and a blushed face and a smile that might be able to pass as greasy if it wasn't so creepy and intrusive. He pulls her face to him and gives her a strong hug and tries to be there for her dry-eyed weeping. The camera cuts back to me and sees in my face a glimmer of emotion growing stronger momentarily: disgust. He let go of Ma, and she stood up straight again. She hugged him one more time, briefly, and walked over to me. I quickly wiped the disgust from my face and tried to return the same weary smile she was giving me, but even in her worst moment, I couldn't hope to compare. I stood up. "Hello, Ma," I said. Laurie stood up with me, hugged me, and said, "I guess maybe I should go.

France :: essays research papers

France   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France is a beautiful country. It has lots to do like skiing, swimming, shopping, gambling, drinking, and dining. Here are the topics I will include in my report, government, history, culture, tourist attractions, language, entertainment, transportation, climate, currency, accommodations, and travel tips. Sit back have some wine because you are about to embark on a journey, A Journey to France! Government   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France is a republic with a president and a premier. The president is Jacques Chirac and the premier is Alain Juppe. The legislature consists of the National Assembly and the Senate. The president appoints the premier. He also serves a 7-year term. Ages 18 and up can vote for the president and the legislature. The National Assembly consists of 577 deputies that are elected in their political division. They serve a five-year term. The senate has 319 members that are elected for a five-year term. France is divided into 22 regions, 96 metropolitan areas, 4 overseas departments, 4 overseas territories, and 2 collective territories. History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In ancient times the Celts and Germanic tribes lived in France. When the romans invaded, they called France Gaul. Gaul was eventually annexed. In 400 A.D. the west roman empire's defense began to fall. After that France was an independent country. Hugh Carpet was crowned the first king of France in 987 A.D. In the 1700's the French Revolution started. The end of the French revolution marked the end of absolute power for the French kings. Napoleon seized power in 1799. He founded the first empire in 1804. He was exiled in 1814. Culture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1993 estimate of the French population was 57,566,091. The average population density is 105.8 people per square kilometer. The population distribution is 76% for urban areas and 26% for rural areas. Studies show that the majority prefer houses to apartments. The major religion is Roman Catholic. 99% of the French population is literate. There are 72 universities in France. Tourist Attractions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shopping is a big attraction in France. In Paris, department stores are good places to shop. In Normandy, shops have a rich selection of antiques. Sunday is a good day to shop on in Normandy because many stores have discounts. Normandy has a lot of lace too. The prices are high and the pieces are labor intensive. There are some good beaches in Normandy. It has lots of seaside coasts. There are many widely spaced resorts. On the Atlantic coast there are many waterslides, wavepools, and other water goodies. Paris has lots of culture. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889. It costs $8 to go to the top. It's open daily from 9:30 A. France :: essays research papers France   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France is a beautiful country. It has lots to do like skiing, swimming, shopping, gambling, drinking, and dining. Here are the topics I will include in my report, government, history, culture, tourist attractions, language, entertainment, transportation, climate, currency, accommodations, and travel tips. Sit back have some wine because you are about to embark on a journey, A Journey to France! Government   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  France is a republic with a president and a premier. The president is Jacques Chirac and the premier is Alain Juppe. The legislature consists of the National Assembly and the Senate. The president appoints the premier. He also serves a 7-year term. Ages 18 and up can vote for the president and the legislature. The National Assembly consists of 577 deputies that are elected in their political division. They serve a five-year term. The senate has 319 members that are elected for a five-year term. France is divided into 22 regions, 96 metropolitan areas, 4 overseas departments, 4 overseas territories, and 2 collective territories. History   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In ancient times the Celts and Germanic tribes lived in France. When the romans invaded, they called France Gaul. Gaul was eventually annexed. In 400 A.D. the west roman empire's defense began to fall. After that France was an independent country. Hugh Carpet was crowned the first king of France in 987 A.D. In the 1700's the French Revolution started. The end of the French revolution marked the end of absolute power for the French kings. Napoleon seized power in 1799. He founded the first empire in 1804. He was exiled in 1814. Culture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 1993 estimate of the French population was 57,566,091. The average population density is 105.8 people per square kilometer. The population distribution is 76% for urban areas and 26% for rural areas. Studies show that the majority prefer houses to apartments. The major religion is Roman Catholic. 99% of the French population is literate. There are 72 universities in France. Tourist Attractions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shopping is a big attraction in France. In Paris, department stores are good places to shop. In Normandy, shops have a rich selection of antiques. Sunday is a good day to shop on in Normandy because many stores have discounts. Normandy has a lot of lace too. The prices are high and the pieces are labor intensive. There are some good beaches in Normandy. It has lots of seaside coasts. There are many widely spaced resorts. On the Atlantic coast there are many waterslides, wavepools, and other water goodies. Paris has lots of culture. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889. It costs $8 to go to the top. It's open daily from 9:30 A.

Personal Narrative: Cheerleading :: essays research papers

Cheerleading A jolt of energy rushed through my body and hit my heart when they call me up to get the team trophy. Not fourth, third, or second, but first place for the third year in a row. Being a captain of a team is an amazing experience. You get to see your team physically, mentally, and emotionally prepare for competition. It's a lot of hard work, but if you try your hardest, make all the practices and have a passion for cheerleading its worth it. Every year we take a few weeks to build a competition routine, the out come is incredible, but the celebration is the best part. Preparing for competition is easier said than done, you need a passion to complete the task. Competition is extremely stressful, but amazing at the same time. It?s a process of mixed emotions, not knowing if it?s importance will have a meaning in the end. Having practice six times a week allows us to work on our jumps, cheers, dances, tumbling, and the most difficult, stunting. Just the counts and lifting people in the air is traumatic enough, but repeating it over and over again it gets strenuous. Dancing is relaxing when you have counts to them, but when you have to learn the dance to the music people get confused and don?t know when to leave to the next formation. Team members start getting fed up with each other at the closing stages of practice, it?s just a natural human reaction after practicing with the same fifteen to twenty girls for three hours. At last we had brought all our practicing skills into work at the final stages. After working hard for three solid months it all paid off, the competing mat was beneath our feet. It was as if I could almost hear the girl?s hearts thumping before we walked onto the mat. I couldn?t stop smiling, I had the biggest grin on my face as if I were the cat who just ate the canary. Only when I thought that was enough, my facial expressions were amazing, all the nights I spent in front of the mirror or watching my self through the reflection of the glass door in my kitchen. It?s hard to go first because watching all the other teams compete makes you think, how did I do?

American History Précis Essay

In the short story American History by Judith Ortiz Cofer encourages us to understand our own feeling and being sensitive to the situation around us before we act. Cofer supports her claim by describing Elena’s insensitivity to the president’s death visiting Eugene while everyone was still mourning. Eugene’s Mother assumes that Elena, her family, or Puerto rico immigrants in general are insensitive to the tragedy. â€Å"I don’t know how you people do it,† pg 301 Eugene’s mother also doesn’t understand immigrants and believes herself superior to both Elena and people who are similar to Elena, she believes that she is not sorrowful enough about president Kennedy’s death to want to study with her son. However she doesn’t understand Elena’s feelings of simply wanted to spend time with Eugene, whom she liked and could connect to. † In the same was Elena also fails to understand the situation around her. The author uses dialogue as her mother warns her â€Å"you are heading towards humiliation and pain† pg 300. Unlike Elena, her mother understands the situation around her knowing that Eugenes mother won’t be happy that Elena want to study with her son. The author encourages to understand people feelings around us in order that we can be sensitive to them, which will prevent â€Å"humiliation and pain. † The speaker in this short story is an innocent young girl called â€Å"skinny bones† who goes through hardships and trouble at school. She lives in the crowded el building that houses immigrants from Puerto Rico like herself. Her tone can be described as unhappy and uncontent with her life â€Å"I hated my skinny flat-chested body, and I envied the black girls who could jump rope so fast their legs became blurs. The author writes with a serious tone as she portray the hardship immigrant children faces during this time period. Judith Cofer writes for other young adult who are also developing through hard times, portrayed Puerto Rico – American immigrant life and the difficult time other children gave Elena at school.