Based on a business model, write a business plan Assignment

Based on a business model, write a business plan - Assignment Example Sydney has a very active nightlife but most bars located near the Harbour area are expensive and crowded, clients are frequently confronted with unpleasant strangers who have had too much to drink and noisily beeping poker machines. Sinner Party Company would provide their clients with the freedom to choose a private bar service at their own venue, a bar in premises provided by the company, bar supplies, a menu of their preference and even their own guest list, so client has absolutely nothing to worry about except having a good time. The unique offering of the company is that they are licensed to provide sales and service on a mobile basis across Sydney, thus Sinner Party Company can set up a shop at venues that do not hold a liquor license such as the client’s homes. The company would provide bar services for weddings, corporate or private parties. The company is a dedicated project of two enterprising state-licensed individuals who have had more than 10 years of experience in the industry, a team of professionally trained bar tenders, a dedicated creative team. From professional services, wide selection of menu items, themed parties, to exceptional decor and music SPC can customize any soiree to the needs of their client and give them a memorable event. The company requires financial assistance from bank (s) which would be payable over a period of 10 years as the business prospers. Table of Contents Business Plan 1 Sinner Party Company 1 Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 2 1.Background 4 1.1.Mission Statement 4 1.2.Company History 4 1.3.Business Goals of the Firm 5 2.Marketing 6 2.1.Market Research 6 2.2.Market Analysis 6 2.3.Industry Trends 6 2.4.Seasonal Variations 7 2.5.Competition 8 3.SWOT Analysis 9 4.Marketing Mix 10 5.Operations and Production 12 5.1.Licensing Requirements for a business in Sydney 12 Certificate of Registration of a Club 12 Club Licence (Liquor) 12 Food Standards Code 12 APRA Licence - Recorded Music for Dance Use in Nightc lubs 12 Approval to Connect a Private Drain or Sewer with a Public Drain or Sewer 12 Approval to Dispose of Waste into a Public Sewer 12 Australian Business Number Registration (ABN) 12 Compliance Certificate 12 Employer Requirements - Superannuation Guarantee 12 Fair Work Information Statement 12 Final Fire Safety Certificate 12 National Business Name Registration 12 Notification of a Food Business 12 Occupation Certificate 12 5.2.Obtaining a Liquor license 12 5.3.Organizational Chart 13 5.4.Plant and Equipment 14 6.Financial Forecasting 15 6.1.Forecasting Profitability 15 6.2.Forecasting Assets, Financing Requirements and Cahs Flows 17 6.3.Labour Costs 20 7.Time Line for SPC 21 8.Life Cycle of Business 22 9.References 23 Appendix 25 1. Background Since colonisation the pub has been an integral part of the Australian culture, for both social and economic reasons (Kirkby, 1997). Kirkby (1997, p. 19) further writes that pub keeping had a central role in colonisation because it provid ed a place to stay, eat and socialize to travellers and outlying settlers, and eventually became the centres of towns and an essential part of European identity. Since 1990s there was a gradual liberalisation of pubs and nightclubs in Australia because: firstly the pub hours increased and second there was massive expansion in NSW and Victoria where the regulatory requirement of accompanying food with drinks was abandoned (Blocker et al., 2003). Sydney is the financial hub of Australia; it is the home to most major banks and multinational corporations

Colonization and domestic violence: Strategies

Colonization and domestic violence: Strategies The correlation between colonization and domestic violence is undeniable given the plethora of scholarly and historical data. The main misconception that exists in this area relates to the belief that the violent aspects of colonization and its associated abuse lay directly at the feet of Westerners or other outside cultures and influences. Domestic violence, in its many forms, is forced upon men, women and children from many sources including people in their own society. In addition to the definitions and correlations of colonization and domestic violence, this paper also discusses the colonization, social structure and abuse of Aboriginal Peoples including the Maori tribe of New Zealand, Native Americans, and the First Nation communities of Canada as well as the diseases thrust upon the colonists by the colonizers. Also examined are the relationships between modern abuse related to colonised cultures and its possible prevention. Domestic Violence The United States Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women provides a definition of the various types of domestic violence: We define domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. (2014) The types of domestic abuse include physical, sexual, emotional, economic and psychological abuse. Domestic violence is not limited to any particular race, religion, gender, age, educational or socio-economic factors. For the purpose of this paper, domestic violence is categorized as violent behavior that has been inflicted on one culture by another since colonization took place. Oftentimes the victims are the colonists who are subjected to abuse in its various forms by the colonizers but eventually that abuse transfers into abuse between members of the oppressed culture. The reasons for the abuse may disappear but the behavior can last and even accelerate through future generations. Colonization The term colonization comes from the Latin for â€Å"to inhabit†. Colonisation most often refers to an outside group moving into a previously inhabited area. Ever since man learned to travel, he has desired to conquer new lands either by developing a profitable relationship with the indigenous peoples or, more commonly, by taking over the land and other resources through a threat of force or through direct violence. Colonisation can be beneficial if it is done with respect and cooperation of the inhabitants. Some regions, especially underdeveloped regions, may benefit significantly from colonization by an outside culture. These regions may experience in an increase in world knowledge, medical care, economic growth and more. There are instances however, that show the dark side of colonization and the domestic violence with which it has often been associated. History is filled with tales of forceful colonization despite the language used to describe it – exploration, emin ent domain, settlements. More often than not when a territory is colonised without the express permission of the colonists, violence ensues. The violence may come in the form of a direct attack or through cultural oppression. The colonists may be imprisoned, raped or beaten into submission. This form of abuse lasts much longer than the life span of the abuser and abused. It is carried into future generations through culture, belief systems and trauma, often causing particular cultures to be more prone to the violence committed against their ancestors or, worse, become the abusers. Correlation between Colonisation and Domestic Violence People intent on colonizing new lands or infiltrating existing cultures typically held the strict belief that their religion, politics, education and culture were far superior to that of the indigenous people therefore it was common practice for the new settlers to impart, often forcibly, their culture and belief systems on the indigenous peoples. As a result of this effort, the indigenous peoples were required to take on the characteristics and culture of the invaders, usually due to the threat of violence. Because indigenous people were often less educated than the invading population, they were seen – and treated – as an inferior society. This is not to say that the indigenous cultures were perfect before they were infiltrated by the colonizers. Each culture has its own unique set of beliefs and circumstances. The difference may be that there is limited, if any, knowledge or documentation on the culture of these peoples before they were colonised. Colonization and Patriarchy Patriarchy, the cultural practice of revering the male gender as the head of society, including the family structure, can be directly linked to colonization and the mistreatment of the female gender. Historically speaking, cultures with a patriarchal view held little regard for the female gender which often permitted substandard treatment of females. This treatment often led to various forms of domestic violence. A patriarchal belief system is common even in the modern world although great strides have been made to protect women and children from violent males often taught to be dominant by colonizing cultures. While the majority of the invading people held a patriarchal view, that is not without exception. Many indigenous cultures are matriarchal in nature, particularly the Native American and First Nation communities of Canada. The shift in leadership from matriarchal to patriarchal often caused women to be viewed as inferior as men were taught not to respect women as they once had. As a result, women in many cultures were viewed as little more than property allowing the male population to treat the women in any way they saw fit, including a cycle of domestic violence that would remain in place for generations. According to Kanuha (2002), there are several strategies for claiming superiority over another gender or culture. The first is to convince the colonists that their ways are superior. The second strategy is to create a delineation between the colonizers and the indigenous peoples through segregation including the separation of men and women. The third strategy of colonization is to use domestic violence to control the colonists. This may include any and all forms of physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological abuse. The fourth strategy is to take control of the colonists’ economic resources including natural resources. The fifth strategy is controlling the culture and limiting outside resources of knowledge and information. In some cultures they are permitted to see only media images of women that were created by men; images that often objectified women. Another form of control is to prohibit the use of native language and education as well as to deny the colonists the opportunity to decide or vote on their own futures. While patriarchy is undeniably tied to colonization, it must be mentioned that men also suffered from these same issues. While men may have been seen as dominant, the colonists were second to the colonizers and therefore often suffered from the same abuses as women. Colonisation and Disease One form of domestic violence is to deny one appropriate health care. During the colonization of many regions of the world, indigenous peoples were exposed to and infected to new diseases brought by the colonists yet were denied adequate care. In fact, many of the colonizers were often quarantined from the recently exposed natives to protect them from diseases they brought to the region. The belief was that the natives, unable to withstand any number of exotic pathogens, were biologically inferior. It was the development of world trade routes as well as the desire to conquer new lands that encouraged Europeans to cross borders into previously unexplored territories. As a result, they infected entire cultures with disease, namely tuberculosis and small pox, two diseases responsible for killing the majority of Americans and Europeans in the 18th and 19th centuries. Additionally, the colonizers tended to bring with them newly domesticated animals which added another level of potential disease to the natives. As the mortality rate of the colonists rose, the colonizers were able to increase their presence and domination over the remaining people and their lands. Colonisation of the Maori, Native Americans and the First Communities of Canada The Aboriginal tribes of the South Pacific, particularly the Maori, have a long and violent history of being colonised by Western Europeans. The Maori were once the colonisers of New Zealand, taking over the island through force and causing the genocide of the island’s indigenous peoples. The Maori began to trade with Europe in the 1700s, bartering fish and land for beads, cloth and other items. When potential invaders attempted to invade New Zealand, the Maori embraced violence and beheaded the infiltrators. They often participated in cannibalism rituals which led to a reputation of the Maori as being brutal savages. The shift toward colonisation began when missionaries arrived in New Zealand with the hope of converting the Maori to Christianity. The missionaries traded goods for land and built New Zealand’s first church. The Maori began to trade in muskets which created an arms race between New Zealand and its neighbors. Violence escalated. Although the Maori and the missionaries tended to remain separate, many Maori began to convert to Christianity. Relationships between Britain and the Maori strengthened. Britain wanted the Maori to pledge its allegiance to the throne in exchange for a guarantee that no one would attempt to rob the Maori of their lands. While many Maori refused to link themselves to the Queen, 46 chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, hoping to end the violence. While the Maori as a whole did not willingly shift to British rule, the region began to thrive from the relationship. Eventually, the British established a new capital in Aukland and the country continued to thrive. The history of the Native American tribes is well documented in most school texts. Christopher Columbus believed he had discovered a shorter route to China when he landed in the Bahamas. Columbus, eager to prove that he was a superior explorer sought only three things in his travels – to educate people about God, to gain glory for his explorations, and to gain fame and fortune from the gold, spices and other resources the trip would provide. Due to these factors, Columbus’ arrival in the Bahamas was ill fated for its people. Columbus and his crew pillaged the land and were, in essence, responsible for the deaths of nearly 60,000 inhabitants of the islands over a period of the next 30 years. Upon arriving in America, Columbus discovered that there were people living on this new land. This contact encouraged other people to travel to the New World. The infiltration of Europeans was not welcome by many of the 160 native tribes. While some tribes were friendly with each other and with the Europeans, many were not. Wars ensued. A large percentage of Native Americans were wiped out by the arrival of small pox, diminishing its population by as much as 70%. As the colonisation of the Americas continued, the Europeans began to outnumber the â€Å"savages†, forcing them into more remote areas of the country. Violence continued to escalate between the Europeans and Native Americans. Although it was the Europeans that began the barbaric practice of scalping, the act was solely attributed to the Native Americans who often retaliated in kind. The reputation of the Native Americans as uncivilized savages grew and along with it, any respect for their culture all but vanished. The legacy of the First Nation of communities mirrors that of the Native Americans and, in fact, they are in some way of the same family as their lands were stolen in the name of capitalism and racism. Throughout 100 years of violence between the Europeans and native cultures, the natives continued to be pushed back until eventually the majority of tribes were relegated to reservations. The segregation and loss of their culture created a wider gap between the cultures. Missionaries continued to attempt to colonise the natives by preaching and introducing modern ways into their culture. Domestic violence between factions continued as women were abused, men were beaten and killed. Women and children were also sold into the slave trade as sexual objects. Prevention of Domestic Violence in Colonised Territories It has been stated that the abuse and objectification of indigenous peoples carries with it a dark stain that has permeated generations. In addition to carrying that sense of shame and continued chain of abuse, each individual in the culture also carries with him a sense of being inferior. This sense of inferiority and the legacy of abuse are two of the reasons that indigenous peoples tend to have a higher rate of abuse as well as suicide. The prevention of domestic violence in colonised territories, despite the location, begins with education. In modern society it is known that abuse in any form is morally and ethically wrong as well as being illegal. Still, incidents of abuse occur every day and perpetrators are often allowed to wander free while the abused suffer. Some domestic violence treatment programmes may give special consideration to the history of trauma suffered by a particular culture, particularly those that have been colonised and show a marked increase of substance abuse or number of psychological issues. One such programme, popular in the United States is the Duluth Model in which the abuser is treated based on his history of trauma, beliefs in victimization and power over the abused as well as the shame factor. The programme has been used in the education and court systems to decrease the percentage of abuse, particularly by men. Smith (2006) states: Researchers are beginning to confirm what common sense dictates: that violence between individuals, while influenced by social and cultural variables, is more parsimoniously explained by an examination of individual characteristics, contexts, and functions of behavior. Not surprisingly, empirical research is beginning to identify shame, individual stressors such as substance abuse and trauma history, and personality characteristics as main contributors to violent behavior in intimate relationships. Smith also intimates that while there are many programmes and models that claim to have the best recipe for preventing abuse, it is not clear if one has any superior efficacy. Smith asserts that domestic violence activists and agencies will see the most success when treating the individual ascribed to the abuse. Conclusion The correlation between colonisation and domestic violence has been proven through myriad scholarly articles, texts and studies. Research has shown that the oppression of the colonists by colonisers creates deep inner turmoil that must be expressed. Since the anger, indignation and shame usually cannot be expressed directly at the abuser, the victim may turn those feelings inward which may result in depression, substance abuse, and even suicide. However, some victims will take out those feelings on others that may be weaker than they. In this case, it is often women and children that may suffer from physical, emotional, psychological, financial and verbal abuse. While many social programmes exist to combat domestic violence, they are often not designed to address the underlying trauma of the victim or the abuser. When one culture has been oppressed by another, a sense of inferiority is instilled. The oppressor intends to take what it wants from the oppressed whether it is land, money or even its own women and children. The oppressor often uses whatever means necessary to achieve his goals and will subject the oppressed to various types of violence and abuse. The oppressor may begin to believe that the violence is justified and that belief, that victim or abusive mentality may remain and perhaps even escalate throughout future generations. As women are objectified due to their cultures and perhaps beaten or raped, they tend to believe that the behavior is â€Å"normal† or perhaps even earned. Combatting those emotions and putting an end to domestic violence among the colonised cultures goes much deeper than the formulation of any law or social programme, no matter how valid. The issue must be addressed at the deepest level – the level of one’s belief system. While many pro grammes may treat only the victim or the abuser, it is imperative that both sides of the conflict be dissected and examined. The history of one’s culture can shed light on personal behavior even if the history seems far removed. Learning one’s history as well as becoming educated on healthy forms of communication and interaction are the only ways in which domestic violence can be effectively addressed. Only then is it possible to perhaps not eradicate but at least lessen the occurrences of domestic violence in these and other cultures.

Dentist Career Essay -- miscellaneuos

Dentist Career Dentistry is a career in healthcare that works in the mouth. Dentists are trained to diagnose, prevent, and treat various problems associated with teeth and mouth tissue. It is the job of the dentist to be fully aware of different types of dental problems and be able to recognize those problems through analyzing x-rays, as well as visual variation between individual mouths. The primary focus of dental care is to teach prevention to its patients of how to prevent gum disease, tooth loss, etc. It is the job of the dentist to closely monitor the mouth using various instruments and to properly suggest treatment depending on the diagnosis. All dentists go through at least eight years of schooling after high school and earn a degree in general dentistry this consists of four years of undergraduate work as well as at least four years in dental school. In order to apply to a dental school a prospective student must take an entrance exam known as the Dental Admission Test or DAT. The acceptance process into dental school is highly selective and consists of many parts. Along with the DAT one must also submit an application with an essay and undergo a rigorous interview. Once accepted into a school an individual will receive a degree in general dentistry over the course of four years. Dental schools offer either a degree known as Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a degree known as Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). Each degree is equivalent to the other. An individu...

Reflection on Taking Blood Pressure

A REFLECTIVE ACCOUNT OF A LEARNT SIMULATED SKILL BLOOD PRESSURE. The aim of this essay is to reflect and discuss my knowledge acquired in a simulated learning skill experience which forms part of my training as a student nurse in accordance with the Nurses and Midwifery Council (NMC 2010). (Marieb and Hoehn, 2010, p 703) defined Blood Pressure (BP) as ‘the force per unit area exerted on a vessel wall by the contained blood, and is expressed in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg)’. BP is still one of the essential and widely used assessment tools in healthcare settings.Nurses generally record the arterial BP which is the forced exerted blood that flows through the arteries, to establish a baseline and to determine any risk factors. BP composes of two measurements, the systolic and diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure is when the ventricle contracts and the blood is at the peak normally an average adult is around 120mmHg (Marieb & Hoehn 2010). The diastolic pressure is low er within the arteries and always present when the ventricles are at rest and the aortic valve is close.This essay will discuss the measuring and recording of BP of a colleague in a skills laboratory. During the skills practice, a colleagues BP was measured in the skills laboratory. There are two methods for recording BP direct and indirect with this session it was the indirect technique. The manual auscultatory method measured in the arm on the brachial artery (Richards, and Edwards, 2008). I introduced myself as a student nurse and then explained the procedure involved systematically to relieve any anxieties. The patient needs to understand the process in order to consent (NMC 2010).Ensuring a relaxed and calm environment is essential, emotional and temperature variation and can affect the readings. Hand washing is essential to reduce and prevent the spread of infections especially cross-infection ((Dougherty and Lister 2011). I washed and dried my hands appropriately, after which the equipments were assessed. The equipments used were aneroid sphygmomanometer which had been calibrated and working, a range of cuffs to ensure the right size for the hand, a stethoscope, detergent wipes, a pillow for the hand, a pen and my ote book for documentation. A sphygmomanometer composes of a compression bag, an inflating bulb that is pumped to increase pressure, a manometer to read the pressure applied and is deflated by a control valve. This colleague was sitting, BP may be taken when patients are sitting or lying down not when moving or talking to ensure accurate readings (Jamieson, Whyte and McCall 2007). Primarily BP may be measured in both arms. There may be variations in results for some people especially the elderly it is recommended that the arm with the highest readings is utilized.Patient’s arms should be free of clothing, positioned at heart level and maintained to ensure accurate reading (British Heart Society 2006). Seated in a comfortable position, p alpated the radial and brachial pulse, and then applied the correct size of the sphygmomanometer on the arm. According to the (British Heart Society 2006) 40% of the width and 80% of the arm circumference may be the length of the cuff bladder. Large or small cuffs may result in inaccurate readings. Next palpated the radial pulse then wrapped the cuff round the arm, inflated till the pulse was obliterated.Placed the bladder on the artery and higher to the elbow, allowing the cuffs inferior edge 2 to 3cm over the brachial artery. This will enhance accurate reading allowing easy palpitation of the artery. The patient should be still and quiet through the procedure. Again the brachial artery was palpated, the stethoscope placed firmly on the bare skin on the palpable pulse of the brachial artery as the bulb was used to inflate the cuff immediately for an additional 20 to 30mmHg above the earlier reading (Bickley and Szilagyi 2009). This avoids too much distress as the cuff is inflated n ot more than20 to 30mmhg over the assumed systolic level.The cuff is deflated at a rate of 2 to 3 mmHg per second, on hearing the first pulse, the Korotkoff sound that is the systolic BP which should be recorded from the gauge. The Korotkoff sound is constantly monitored as the cuff continues to be deflated slowly until the pulse sounds have disappeared. Then the fifth Korotkoff sound was recorded as the diastolic BP after another 10 to 20 mmHg the cuff may be completely deflated to avoid limb compression. After the procedure is complete the patient should be informed and left comfortable; the results must be explained and documented.The colleagues BP recorded were 125/80mmHg which was normal. NHS Choices (2012) classifies an ideal BP ranges from 90/60mm/Hg and 140/90mmHg. Around 30% of people who live in England have high blood pressure. A BP reading higher than 140/90mmHg is called Hypertension and one lower than 90/60mmHg is called Hypotension. BP reading may vary depending on ag e, obesity, medications and exercise like running, jogging and jumping. White Coat Syndrome can also affect BP results (Williams, Poulter and Brown 2004). BP was performed on the brachial artery, with some patients it may be inappropriate, alternative sites may have to be considered.BP may be measured in the thigh, underneath the cuff with the stethoscope positioned above the posterior popliteal artery for patients prone with middle bladder (Dougherty and Lister 2011). Due to the environment there was one aspect not done properly, which was ensuring privacy, in future practice procedures must be explained and performed in a quiet environment in a hospital the curtains must closed (NMC 2010). This will provide more accurate results and also alleviate any anxiety the patients may have before or after the procedure.Some results may need further treatments and advice, which should be discussed privately. The second aspect of the simulated learning skill which needs further development i s accuracy in measuring and reading of BP results. During the simulated skills due to the noise within the room it was difficult to hear the first Korotkoff sound. Accurate reading determine prognosis for commencing, assessing and terminating patient’s treatments. According to (NMC 2010) as a student nurse I need to perform this skill efficiently, consistently, with an accurate recording.BP measurement is vital, considering consistency of all nurses and equipments to minimise errors that may contribute to discrepancies in results which can affect clinical treatment decisions. It is recommended that all equipments should be maintained and calibrated regularly in accordance with (NICE 2011) guidelines. The environment should be suitable for BP measurement; if the room temperature is cold it may result in vasoconstriction leading to a high BP and an inaccurate reading. Maintaining adequate space, the patient should be comfortable throughout the procedure to avoid any stress whic h can affect he results. The room should be quiet, so that the Korotkoff sounds can be heard at the appropriate time; all equipment and measurement area reflecting correct body posture and the aneroid sphygmomanometer not obstructed for accessible accurate readings. Ensuring accurate BP results will assist nurses when taking the next reading to recognize how the baseline was determined and assist with the patient’s treatment. Compassion is the key of nursing is empathizing, treating people how you would like to be treated and is expressed from within the act of caring (Chambers R. and Ryder E. 009). Approaching a patient with the right posture is essential; body language should reflect empathy and warmth. By greeting the person with a smile and sitting with the right posture and at the right level will make the patient feel welcome. Throughout the procedure I maintained the right distance ensuring my colleague was comfortable and not distracted by my posture. It is important to use the right tone of voice to explain the procedure to the patient, which may help to calm anxieties. Applying this approach may make the patient feel relaxed and willing to open up.Some patients may be worried about the results explaining it to them with the right posture and voice may make reduce their fears . maintained a reasonable eye contact Anxiety can increase BP; in order to ensure accurate results patients may be reassured and calmed . A breathing technique may help alleviate fears and worries of patients. Ensuring a relaxed and quiet environment is a vital tool for assessments. According to (McCabe and Timmins 2006) Nurses need to interact and relate to patients feelings positively so as not to cause them more pain. Establishing a relationship, to identify and share in their pain and stress.Understanding the patient, will enable them connect and relate more and freely with nurses to efficiently deal with their illness. In conclusion this essay has taught me the import ance of BP in assessing a patient. It has also enabled me to gain knowledge of how accuracy of the BP results is vital for clinical intervention. Also how privacy will help to assist the patient when delivering care. Applying Compassion and understanding may help me to explain the benefits of BP and the complications of not adhering to treatment to the patient. I need to develop my two aspects accurate reading and maintaining privacy for future practice.I have learnt to perform BP more confidently and also in future if any abnormalities are discovered it is important to inform my mentor. This reflective essay has helped me to explore and identify my short falls. Developing the According to the (NMC Code 2010) accurate reading and recording of skills must be adhered to at all times. This essay has taught me the important of Blood Pressure in caring for a patient. References: Bickley, L. S. , and Szilagyi, P. G. (2009) Bates’ Guide to Physical Examination and History taking, 10 th edn. London: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Blood Pressure Asso Available at: http://www. bpassoc. rg. uk/Supportingyou/NICE2011/Patients80 (Accessed :28 April 2012) Chambers, C. and Ryder E, (2009) Compassion and caring in nursing. U. K. Radcliffe Publishing Ltd. Dougherty, L. and Lister, S. The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures 8th edn. U. K. Blackwell Publishing. Jameison,E. M. Whyte, L. A. and McCall, J. M. (2007) Clinical Nursing Practices 5th edn. Philadelphia :Elsevier Ltd. Marieb, E. M. and Hoehn, K. (2010) Human Anatomy and Physiology. 8th edn. San Francisco U. S: Pearson Benjamin Cummings. NHS Choices Helping you prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease Available at: ttp://www. nhs. uk/Planners/NHSHealthCheck/Pages/Healthybloodpressure. aspx (Accessed: 28 April 2012) Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) the Code. Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: NMC. Richards, A. and Edwards, S. (2008) A Nurses Survival Guide to the ward 2nd edn. Philadelphia :Elsevier Ltd. Smith, J. and Roberts R, (2011) Vital Signs for Nurses, U. K. Blackwell Publishing Ltd Williams, B. , Poulter, N. R. and Brown, J. R. (2004) â€Å"Guidelines for management of Hypertension† report of fourth working party of the British hypertension Society, 2004-BHSIV. Journal of Human Hypertension.

Book Banning Essay

Each year, libraries across the United States report hundreds of challenges. The leading causes for contesting a book are sexually explicit content, offensive language and inappropriate subjects for minors [source: American Library Association]. Only a minority of the requests actually make it through to banning the book from its respective library. The Catcher in the Rye. The Scarlet Letter. Huckleberry Finn. Harry Potter. The Diary of Anne Frank. Animal Farm. To Kill a Mockingbird. The Da Vinci Code. The Grapes of Wrath. These literary classics have been vital to the education of many, especially children and adolescents. These great novels both teach important values and educate children about world affairs and classic themes. Unfortunately, each of these novels has been banned at one point in time. Many of these classic stories have been banned because of sexual references, racial slurs, religious intolerance, or supposed witchcraft promotion. Although some may consider these books controversial or inappropriate, many English classes have required us to read these books. Like the teachers that assigned us these books, I believe that even controversial books can ultimately boost, not deter, our educational wealth. I oppose book banning for three main reasons. First, I believe that education should be open to everyone. Everyone should have an opportunity to read any literature of their choosing and form his or her own opinions based on the reading. Micah Issitt lists â€Å"three basic rights covered under the freedom of the press: the right to publish, the right to confidentiality of sources, and the right of citizens to access the products of the press. † My second reason specifically addresses the last right stating that citizens should have access to the press. The government should not restrict books from being published or interfere into personal affairs as this is an infringement of the First Amendment. Finally, I believe that parents should monitor what their own children read, but not have the authority to ban other children from reading these novels. For these reasons, I conclude that the government should play no role in the issue what citizens do and do not read, and that book restriction should remain a solely private matter. At first glance, the debate over banning books appears unimportant. Nevertheless, this debate has divided our nation into those who favor censoring books to protect their impressionable adolescents, and those who argue that education should be open for everybody without interference from the government in restricting the publishing and accessing of these books. Issitt argues that censoring books violates the First Amendment, stating that â€Å"citizens must be free to seek out any media, regardless of content, that they deem appropriate for entertainment, information, or education. Denying the rights of the consumer, in any area, is one of the hallmarks of authoritarianism. † While I do not equate banning books with â€Å"authoritarianism,† we do endorse Issitt’s belief that individual citizens have the right to choose, under their own discretion, what books to read. The First Amendment protects the freedom of expression and speech, and by prohibiting certain messages, the government clearly infringes upon public rights. On the other hand, Healey claims that censorship does not â€Å"repress information that teenagers and children are exposed to,† but merely gives parents the rights to educate their children in the ways they deem appropriate. Though I concede that parents do have the right to monitor what their children read, they do not have the right to remove books from public libraries or monitor what other children in the city read. Healey attempts to persuade readers that â€Å"censorship of books should not be about silencing voices on important topics, but about steering young people toward the best possible literature;† however, she fails to specify what constitutes as â€Å"the best possible literature. † Some of â€Å"the best possible literatures† also happen to cause the most controversy, including Huck Finn, Harry Potter, The Scarlet Letter, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Those who protest against these books have clearly not studied them in depth. For example, the main theme in Huckleberry Finn focuses not on advocating racism, as some suggest, but proving that race does not define a person’s intelligence or capability for compassion. Even Healey admits that â€Å"concerned parents and community members react without taking the time to closely investigate the books they want banned. † While I agree that parents should play an active role in educating their children and as their primary guardians, have the legal right to monitor what their children read, I disagree that this legal right extends to controlling what other children in the neighborhood read as well. Prohibiting children from reading a book will not enhance their moral values. Rather, banning a book more likely will increase curiosity for reading it. I also empathize with parents who ban books with controversial or uncomfortable subjects because they are unsure as to how their children will react or how to explain such topics. A good way to discuss these subjects with children is to read books with various views on the subject so that children can experience multiple points of view before forming their own opinions. Healey herself agrees that such a method â€Å"might help young people better understand the world they live in, the human condition, and issues they face in their culture. † As Healey stated, parents also tend to ban books based on â€Å"moral grounds, although some books have been condemned for their perspectives on civic values and history. † For this very reason, the general public should read these books. Our society, especially our younger children, needs to read these books since fully understanding a topic requires knowledge of both sides. If we choose to disregard even a highly unpopular opinion, we intentionally choose to live in ignorance, only partially educated in a topic we claim to know so well. Without a doubt, if we continue to ban books and ignore what some consider taboo topics, we hinder ourselves and our children from finding ways to solve society’s problems, thus hampering the development of our nation as a whole. Many conservative groups make the argument that the books that have been banned have material that is inappropriate, immoral or contradicting the beliefs they have ingrained in their children and/or their society. Take for consideration the controversial books that tackle difficult, touchy social issues like homosexuality. Books like â€Å"Heather Has Two Mommies,† by Leslea Newman and â€Å"Daddy’s Roommate† by Michael Willhoite (both books written for youth with gay parents) were shot down by conservative groups because they attempted to educate children about homosexuality, an issue parents felt needed to be taught to their respective children by them. While this may seem like a valid argument, really it is just skirting around the actual issue. Book-banning cases usually concern the protection of children and their innocence, but all that is happening is sheltering parents showing an awkward avoidance of their children’s confrontation with uncomfortable matters. It is not only selfish, but also harmful to the overall education of their children. This act of prohibiting books is just the parents’ way of evading of the conversation with their child about these sensitive issues. These two books are issues that Healey brings up in her argument on how groups were upset about the way these books informed their children of homosexuality. Homosexuality and other touchy social issues are part of everyday life, and for a group to attempt to censor this subject from younger society is almost absurd; these issues are not monstrous and the censorship of them not only shows prejudice but lack of respect. Banning books seems to be the most public solution for a private matter- not everyone should have to suffer restrictions because one group feels uncomfortable with the book. That being said, there are often books that contain graphic and often highly inappropriate material; I do consent that these books should be censored at the discretion of the parent, or anyone involved however, no one is forcing books upon others, so we should not be forced to remove them. Other groups would say that it’s also the duty of the government to regulate these books to protect concerned citizens and their families, but I would have to disagree. It’s the exact opposite of the government’s role- our private lives, the books we read, should be regulated and controlled by us. Banning books from public congregations is not what the government was intended to do. Topics that seem socially outlawed in public, let alone published, have been banned because their immoral content may have a negative effect on younger children. In these books, authors doesn’t promote or encourage bad behaviors, they prepare their readers for some of the real world challenges. The child would never be able to learn these things if the book was banned, nor be able to form his or her own opinion about that certain topic. Healey discusses that the book, 33 Snowfish, a â€Å"dark story of three teenage runaways who are victims of various forms of abuse†¦ † by Adam Rapp may be an unsuitable way to educate children on these timely topics. However, having these stories banned all together would just further shelter a child whose parents may not be willing to discuss these issues with them at all. Even though these books center around scary topics, they are educating children on real life matters that they will be exposed to once they venture into the world themselves. Healey goes on to make the point that the books should not be banned as well, since it is a matter of private opinion not one to be made by the public libraries of a community. She suggests that schools should â€Å"inform parents about the kinds of books they offer children† in their libraries and classrooms instead of banning them. With the knowledge that some of these books have to offer, children can learn how not to act and what can be the consequences if they do misbehave. This learning experience could turn around with the help of a parent and pass a positive affect over the child. Clearly, banning books not only hinders a child’s educational development but also leaves them unaware of the true state of the world. Books do not simply impart general information; they heavily influence a child, the future generation. Without regular access to books, both adults and children could not form sound opinions, only narrow-minded ones. Both advocates and opposers of book banning agree that â€Å"books are powerful instruments. † Otherwise, a debate on the subject would neither have arisen nor lasted so long. Because books â€Å"can be used to†¦ inculcate values and transmit ideology, and to stimulate the imagination,† as Healey suggests, any person should remain free to select his or her reading material. This personal issue of selecting reading material has no relation to the government. On the contrary, government action interferes with individual education, a primary American value. Ultimately, children can learn personal responsibility in determining which books to regard and which to discard. In the future, these children will become well-educated adults who can benefit the American society. ————————————————-

Compare the film The matrix with Plato’s Allegory of the cave Essay Example

Compare the film The matrix with Plato’s Allegory of the cave Essay Example Compare the film The matrix with Plato’s Allegory of the cave Paper Compare the film The matrix with Plato’s Allegory of the cave Paper Essay Topic: Everything Is Illuminated The Allegory of the Cave is one of Greek philosopher Plato’s most well known works. It is an extended allegory, where humans are depicted as being imprisoned by their bodies and what they perceive by sight only. In the allegory of the cave Plato wanted to show how true reality is not always what it seems. A group of prisoners were chained up in a cave since there childhood, each prisoner was chained to each other by their heads. The prisoners were forced to face a blank wall while they were in the cave. Behind the prisoners there was a fire however the prisoners could not see the fire but between the prisoners and the fire there would a be puppet show where people would walk, talk and carry objects to keep the prisoners amused. The prisoners perceive only shadows of the people and things passing on the walkway; the prisoners hear echoes of the talk coming from the shadows. They perceive the shadows and echoes as reality. Whilst in the cave one prisoner is set free. He stands up and turns around and is forced to look at the fire, after the pain in his eyes from the fire he struggles to see anything. The prisoner is dragged out of the cave and into the world above. At first, the prisoner is so dazzled by the light that he can only look at shadows, then at reflections, then finally at the real objects like trees, flowers and houses. He sees that these are even more real than the shadows were, and that those were only copies of reality. The prisoner has now reached the cognitive stage of thought. He has caught his first glimpse of the most real thing, which is the Forms. In the film The Matrix, the humans trapped in the Matrix are like the people in the cave. They see only what the machines want them to see, but they believe they see reality as it really is. They accept what their senses tell them all that exists. Neo suspects that this is all a lie, but he’s not sure how the Matrix works. Morpheus, who runs the resistance to the Matrix, brings Neo into the Resistance, believing that Neo is the person who has been foreseen by the Oracle to be able to defeat the Matrix In The Allegory of the Cave the people creating the shadows represent the powerful people in society. In The Matrix the puppet-handlers are the machines controlled by Artificial Intelligence. The puppet-handlers use fake surroundings as a way to manipulate the information that the prisoners receive. While the prisoners are being fooled and influenced by the fake reality, the puppet-handlers are too because they are also living inside the artificial world they have created as well. Neo lives in world which is controlled by the matrix agents just like Platos prisoner lives in a world (cave) controlled by the form holders. They both manage to escape from the world as they know it and come to know the world as it really is. Neo, with some help from Morpheus, comes to realize that the life he as been leading so far is nothing but the life of a slave, shaped under the control of the Matrix, protected by the agents. Platos prisoner comes to realize first that the shadows he is looking at are not the truth, they are just shadows cast on the wall by the form holders. He sees the fire and as he follows the path which leads him outside of the cave, he sees the sun and everything else illuminated by it. The characters, simultaneously experience shock and then a feeling of fear when they first perceive what is real. Neo is able to see how humans are grown, hooked on wires, an element which symbolizes control just like the chains which tie the prisoners in Platos cave. In the movie as Morpheus and the group decided to leave the matrix they get attacked by the agents, the agents in the movie are just like the government in the allegory. Morpheus decided to flight against the agents will the rest of the group including Neo decided to get out of the matrix but what they dont know is that they were set up by one of there own Cypher. Cypher hates knowing the truth he wants to go back to his normal comfortable life in the matrix he doesnt want to be part of the experience anymore, so he makes a deal with the agents to get his normal life back he tricks Morpheus. The agents and the government are the same they are like the puppets in the allegory fooling the society to make them believe what they want me to believe not allowing them to see what is the truth. Unlike Plato’s prisoner, who managed to find his way out of the cave without any help from others, Neo is helped out by Morpheus. Neo is then faced with a moment of choice would he take the blue pill and stay in the world of the matrix which is the world of the senses or take the red pill, and come to know reality as it objectively exists. He chooses the red pill therefore giving himself the opportunity to experience the world of the mind, the real world and finds it as mind-blowing as Plato’s prisoner finds the enlighten world outside of the cave. The Mirror right after Neo took the red pill and the distorted spoon illusion before Neo went to the Oracle are simply products of the mind. It is in Plato’s Allegory of the cave where this illusion is happening. It is the mind that makes the spoon and the mirror distorted. It is the mind that makes the spoon inexistent, which is considered to be the truth. This spoon is the copy of the spoon of perfection in the world of forms. The spoon does not move by itself but Neo makes it move. In the Allegory Plato says that the freed prisoner would be confused at what he saw. When Neo is finally confronted with the real world, he is in a state of uncertainty. The realization of the truth is so overwhelming that he throws up and passes out. In The Allegory of the Cave, the Freed prisoner might even feel that what he was seeing now was the illusion and the shadows on the wall were actually more real. The freed prisoners first reaction would be to turn around and return to the false reality because it is less painful and more familiar to him. According to Plato, the freed prisoner must have started to question what he saw in front of him and wondered about where the shadows came from. He must have sensed that something was wrong and he wanted to know the truth. This theme is also found in the movie, Neo is very much like the freed prisoner. As Morpheus tells Neo, Youre here because you know something. Morpheus realizes that Neo has a place in society and is there because of what he knows. For Neo to realise this Morpheus says ‘free your mind, let go of doubt’. In conclusion, Platos story of the cave brings up many philosophical points; and, most importantly, it addresses the issue of societys role in our lives. Trinity tells Neo ‘The Matrix can not tell you who you are. ’ It seems that the differences between The Allegory of the Cave and The Matrix do not prevent them from telling a similar story about the unreliability of the senses. We find Neo, at the end of the film, doing more than simply bending the laws of physics with the Matrix. It seems like he has stepped almost entirely out of that very world. He does not, however, appear in two places at once, but his destruction of one of the agents, and his ability to fly, says that the laws of physics are bent.

Perfect Competition Essay Example

Perfect Competition Essay Example Perfect Competition Essay Perfect Competition Essay Essay Topic: Competition Perfect competition is a market structure with large number of buyers and sellers. There are no barriers to entry into the industry. Firms sell identical products that are perfect substitutes each other. In addition, they are well informed about prices and no have government intervention. Transport cost is negligible hence do not affect pricing. Price determined by the market must be accepted by the buyers and sellers. They are said to be price takers. Therefore, firms have no market power. Each firm in perfect competition seeks to maximize their profit, which equals total revenue minus total cost.Total revenue for a firm is the selling price times the quantity cost [ TR=(P*Q) ] . Total cost is the opportunity cost of production, which includes normal profit. Average revenue tells us how much revenue a firm receives for the typical unit sold. The average revenue equals the price of the good in perfect competition. Marginal revenue is the change in total revenue from an additional unit sold. For competitive firm, marginal revenue equals the price of the good. In the short run, firms can make super-normal profits or losses under perfect competition. The firm has fixed resources and maximizes profit or minimizes loss by adjusting output.When a firm operates in a perfectly competitive market, its supply curve is its short-run marginal cost curve above average variable cost. The firm should not produce, but should shut down in the short run if its loss exceeds its fixed costs. By shutting down, its loss will just equal those fixed costs. The shut down point is the level of output and price at which the firm just covers its total variable cost. For perfect competition, marginal revenue is equal to price as the firm is facing a perfectly elastic demand. Entry and exit is possible in the long run of perfect competitive.Long run firms are attracted into the industry if the supernormal profits are making by the incumbent firms. This is because there are no barriers to entry and there is perfect knowledge. The effect of this entry into the industry is to shift the industry supply curve to the right, which drives down price until the point where all super-normal profits are exhausted. If firms are making losses, they will leave the market as there are freely to exit, and this will shift the industry supply to the left, which increase price and allows those left in the market to derive normal profits.In perfect competition, optimal allocation of resources helped by high degree of competition. Lower price charged for the consumers. Consumer and producers surplus are maximized. This is because the change in demand leads extra supply. But insufficient profit for investment is one of the disadvantages in perfect competition. Besides that, perfect competition cause unequal distribution of goods and income. If there are externalities in production or consumption there is likely to be market failure without government intervention Competitive Markets.Due to the availability of many brands of the handsets in market, sellers share the market to comparatively smaller shares since the products are identical and serve the same intentions. The handsets are in this case standardized due to the functionality aspect they provide to the buyers. The government does not adjust the prices of the mobile phones in ties industry other than the normal taxes on business. The competitive aspect in this sector is mainly via prices such that the handset selling firms compete mainly using the prices (Lee, 2003).This is the ideal competitive environment where the products being sold are homogenous. From the Globe and Mail, deals with lamb prices in Canada. The article indicates that because the Orthodox and Western Christian Easters fall on the same Sunday in 2010, the demand for lamb and braided bread has gone up. And while there is a shortage of lamb there doesnt appear to be a shortage of bread. Lamb prices are up 22% over last year. Lamb producers in Alberta have been trying to convince people to take up the craft of raising sheep and hope that promise of higher prices will be an incentive.

22 Famous Quotes for Easing Heartbreak

22 Famous Quotes for Easing Heartbreak When lovers fight, they often say nasty things to each other. Words fly out without thought or reason  and end up hurting their relationship. In extreme cases, love is shredded to pieces, and the couple breaks up. Did you ever hurt the person you loved? Did you say unwanted things? If you have hurt someone you loved, you have committed a grave folly. It is not easy to repair this mistake. Hurting a person you love may temporarily give you some relief, but it will leave you empty. Sometimes, your loved one ends up so badly hurt that it affects them to the core. She could harden up, and never again expose her vulnerability to you. She may shut herself, not just to you, but also to the rest of the world. If you have hurt someone deliberately or unknowingly, it is time to seek forgiveness. You may have to go to great lengths to win over her trust once again. To be truly repentant, you have to promise yourself never to hurt your loved one again. Watch your words even when you are in a fit of temper. Weigh the pros and cons of every word you utter. If you want to express your anger at an event, target the incident and not the person. Do not make personal comments that slander a persons race, gender, caste, creed, intellect, appearance, character or family. Read these hurting love quotes to understand more about love and hurt. Be sensitive to anothers pain, and feel their sorrow. Mignon McLaughlin In the arithmetic of love, one plus one equals everything, and two minus one equals nothing Mario Puzo, Fools Die Do you believe a man can truly love a woman and constantly betray her? Never mind physically but betray her in his mind, in the very poetry of his soul? Well, its not easy but men do it all the time Henry Rollins Dont do anything by half. If you love someone, love them with all your soul. When you go to work, work your ass off. When you hate someone, hate them until it hurts Kahlil Gibran Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation Natasha Gregson Wagner Falling in love for the first time, and then the heartbreak of having it end, is difficult, but I dont think it would ever hurt as much as when my mother was killed in the boating accident. I feel a part of my heart has already been broken, and that place is reserved for mother Keith Urban For me, my gift is music, and I would probably play a song for them and let them find something in there that they connect with because everybodys struggles are different. Its easy for someone whos not going through it to say, Oh, well just hang in there, but I think its okay to be hurt and crushed and cry and be angry and frustrated - thats all part of it. I think people stopping you from doing that is not helpful at all. Its important to rally around people that love you, because you tend to I certainly tend to isolate myself away from people so as to not worry them, but the people that love you worry anyway, so, you may as well rally yourself around them and let them be there for you cause theres a huge chance that theyll need you some time too Edmund Spenser I hate the day because it lendeth light To see all things, but not my love to see Mary-Kate Olsen I miss him and I love him, and I dont speak with him anymore. Its a hurtful and painful subject Chester Brown I think people should have the legal right to hurt themselves without fearing that theyre going to get locked up for doing so. But on a personal level, if someone I loved was hurting himself or herself in front of me, I would, of course, try to restrain them J. R. R. Tolkien From Return of the Kings But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: someone has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them Barbara Mandrell By our Heavenly Father and only because of God, only because of God. Were like other couples. We do not get along perfectly; we do not go without arguments and, as I call them, fights, and heartache and pain and hurting each other. But a marriage is three of us Rupert Brooke I thought when love for you died, I should die   Its dead. Alone, most strangely, I live on Jennifer Aniston I throw myself into love because I believe in it, but when things dont work you have to take responsibility. You all know things have gone wrong for me. Everybody has laughed, everybody has had a knock at me. It hurts, it always does Tara Reid I wish all the mean people if you want to be mean to each other, just buy a country together and blow each other up. Then wed have no terrorists left. Like, dont kill innocent people for no reason. Its not fair. We love everybody. Wed even like them if they said theyre sorry. Its not fair that innocent people are getting hurt. It makes me sad Janine Turner I wrote my childrens book because I believe there are children that are hurting and may need to know that there is love out there for them- Gods love Francois Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Maxims In jealousy, there is more self-love than love Samuel Butler But is it not Tennyson who has said: Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have lost at all? Anne Hathaway Ive worked with people and Ive known people that were really competitive but Ive always said that I take an Elizabeth Bennett philosophy of life I laugh. I love my job but if it means hurting someone, I wont do it James Matthew Barrie Let no one who loves be unhappy even love unreturned has its rainbow Roy Orbison Love hurts, love scars, love wounds, and mars Thomas Campbell My love lies bleeding Charlie Brown Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.

Paradise Lost by John Milton term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Paradise Lost by John Milton term paper - Essay Example venge over this, Satan or the Lucifer, in other words, decided to bring the downfall of man by making them to eat the forbidden fruit in the Paradise or the Garden of Eden. Consequently, one may have the temptation not to believe in Christianity by basing on the reason on what could make God allow Serpent to revenge on His creation (God) if He truly loved them. The story of the Paradise begins from hell where both the Lucifer and his followers recover from the defeat after losing the battle initially in the war they had with God. For example, they constructed a monument that they referred to the Pandemonium where they were weighing the options of making a return to battle or just to forfeit it by accepting the defeat. Consequently, they also had the considerations of exploring the new world contained in the prophesies of creation for effecting the safe infliction of their planned revenge against mankind. As a way of enforcing their mission with full force, Satan decided to undertake the task alone minus engaging his followers. He feared that his followers might suffer extreme damage or run away from him during the battle (Driven, 45). At the onset of the mission, Satan made a return to the earth through the serpent. As a serpent, Satan enticed Eve upon meeting her alone to have a taste of the fruit of the forbidden tree. Adam also with no fate also decided to eat the fruit (McGovern 45). Consequently, the two lost their innocence and, as a result, came to their senses that they are naked. Followed by the urge to protect themselves from shame and despair of such scenario, they became hostile to each other. However, Adam and Eve reconciled with each other despite Gods order to angel Michael to expel them from Paradise. In addition, the angel showed the pair the consequences of disobedience to God due to eating the fruit from the forbidden tree. Adam got saddened upon imagining the consequences of the sin told to him by Angel Michael though he got relieved from

Symbolism of Movie The Matrix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Symbolism of Movie The Matrix - Essay Example Symbolism in this movie is portrayed specifically by the characters and its plot. The movie focuses on how a small group of humans waged war against Artificial Intelligent Machines which seemed to have overtaken humanity (Roz Kaveney 34). In the movie, the machines take part in destruction and simulation of the world. The name of the movie refers to the simulated world, that is, a faked world. Matrix believers, as the movie depicts, agree with everything they do, feel, touch, do or anything that comes in their sight as real. In the movie, Zion City, which is located underground remains as the only human city where the machines have not conquered. Those who are not believers of Matrix together with those who have pulled out, reside in this city. However, just like extentialists like Kierkegaard, who do doubt the existence of God who can help us can be compared to those who believed in the Matrix. They did not believe that there was existence of a better place than where they were at t he moment. The symbolism used in the movie comes directly from the scriptures. It is however not concerned or related with any particular claims of a given religion. In Philosophy, this can be termed as Philosophy of Religion. For instance, the hidden city called Zion in the movie is what, according to the scriptures, called the wilderness. Just like in the scriptures, the wilderness is a truth that not many people know about. The same applies to Zion, which is actually hidden. In addition to this, according to the scriptures, the wilderness is a place God has created to protect his people against the evil when satan knocks at the door. Just like the children of Israel entered the wilderness as a place where they could find refuge, Zion served as a place where those people who did not believe in the Matrix ran to hide against the wicked Artificial Intelligent Machines. Just as an addition, Zion, the name used for the city in the movie, was one of the names given to the Children of I srael. Another area where symbolism is used in the movie, just like in the scriptures, when satan waged war against the children of Israel, not all children ran to the wilderness for hiding. The same applies in the movie where it is seen that all people run to the hidden city for refuge. Most of the key characters taking up various roles in the movie are Hebrews (blacks). This makes one to arrive at a conclusion that the person who did the writing of the movie, most likely was a black person. It is actually true, Sophia Steward, also referred to as the Mother of the Matrix who is a Hebrew Sister is the original author of the movie. The simulation used in the movie portrays the deceptive nature of the satanic world. According to Revelations 12:9, it is said that the great dragon, which is an old serpent also referred to as the Devil or Satan, has his main mission to deceive the world. This simulation, as used in the movie, makes those who believe in the Matrix not to have any questio n marks in their actions, whatever they see and feel. They take everything as real. According to From Alien to the Matrix, it is obvious that some roles were to be played no other group but the Hebrews. It is clear that none of the Hebrews did take up any role associated with the evil. The agents, on the side of characters and characterization, were allocated the most diabolical roles. In essence, they were used to

Educational Linguistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Educational Linguistics - Essay Example The Spartans of Greeks uses the education for military and discipline purposes to make every citizen invincible in war and to develop conformity and obedience. They have physical and military education, moral training, very little intellectual trainings, music, gymnastic and vocational education. All financing was shouldered by the State. The most that we can emulate from the Spartans is the military education and the development of patriotism and discipline. The Athenians are the greatest lawmakers of all time. They use education for creating good citizens, individual excellences and many-sided development. There is civic and moral trainings, physical and intellectual education and arts. This early Athenians have contributed the free development of all human capacities and the Olympic Games. The Later Athenians came by the Sophist, pragmatic and utilitarian, also by Socrates, as education is used for the development of the power of thinking, by Plato, to control by intellectual rulers and by Aristotle, as education is used for rational living. They have moral and professional, vocational, domestic and intellectual trainings, physical, military and civic trainings, aesthetic and cultural education, sports and games. We learned from them, the Socratic method of teaching, the realm of philosophy of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and others. Also the Euclidean geometry and the arts and classical literature. The Romans are also part of the stem of education. Education was for practical purposes, in which it is use to produce men who would be active and efficient in daily life. Also in moral, military, civic and political and religious also for oratorical or in public speaking. They need speech trainings literacy and vocational education. The outstanding contribution of them is the methods of organization, management and administrations. The Early Christians also used education during their times like in learning their relationship with God. Also for their salvation and social relations which are based on love. They use the lecture method in teaching, dialectic or the question and answer method) Aphorism, parable method and figures of speech. They contributed to humanity is the Christianity . The education we have now is the product of the long processes and progressions that happened on the past time. The traditional Education's foundation, that starts from the primitive people, in which the education aims to survival and security from the natural phenomena and from the wild animals and the believed evil spirits, hunger and from other tribes. There is no classrooms intended for studies, their agencies of education is the home and their environment. There is no organization of grades also. All instruction was than informally, enculturation. They learn from observation and imitation, from simple telling and demonstration and also from participation.

Work in a Team and Self-managed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Work in a Team and Self-managed - Essay Example Group members play many roles within a group. First, are the tasks or functional roles. These roles see the project sail through the initial stages up to the action. These include numerous roles such as initiator role that a member proposes original ideas to approach a problem. Information seeker and giver is a role that involves seeking expert information about the issue and providing information to the team. Coordinator role that includes putting together ideas and showing their relationship to make them cohesive. The recorder role involves acting as a secretary to the team. Secondly are the social or maintenance roles. These roles positively create cohesion among the team members. Examples of these roles include harmonizer role that involves uniting the members in cases of differences. The energizer role involves supporting and praising members to create a positive attitude in them, the observer role that includes giving feedback of the team progress.

Why is the auto accident fatality rate so high for teenagers Essay

Why is the auto accident fatality rate so high for teenagers - Essay Example Analysts suggest 25 years as appropriate age for issuance of license. Certain countries are on the verge of passing law for licensing people at the age of 25. This will help in controlling ever increasing accidents in which teens are involved. However, various measures have helped in overcoming the teenage accidents. Teen age drivers are found involved in most of the traffic accidents in the world. Various factors contribute is increasing teenage car accidents. Important causes are night driving, use of alcohol, texting while driving, lack of driving skills, reckless driving, poor hazard detection and not wearing seat belts. National Highway Traffic Association released statistics in 2012 regarding teenage fatal and non-fatal accidents due to various causes (â€Å"Teenage Driver Crash Statistics†). According to statistics 16 years old cause 3.7 % more accidents than other age drivers. Crash rate for drivers between 16 to 19 years is 2.7 % more than any other age group. Accordingly citation is again 1.8% more in 16 years old drivers than other drivers. Alcohol used teenage drivers are causing 1.8% more accidents than other drivers in America. Teenagers are most dangerous when they are newly licensed. There are certain types of accidents where elders are mostly involved when compared to teenagers. Teenagers are inexperienced drivers after getting the license and this reason is major cause of accidents by them. Teenagers carrying teenager passengers are highly prone to accidents. Teenager passengers never try to correct driver on violations. Older drivers keep correcting teenage drivers while travelling in the same vehicle, which reduces the accident risk (â€Å"Teenage Driver Crash Statistics†). According to report published by pediatric, 5500 teenagers faced death due to automobile crashes in United States in year 2012. Few analysts do not agree but male teenagers’ cause 1% more accidents than females. Over speeding is a

Perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Perspectives - Essay Example But if the actual origin of this concept is explored, it can be attributed to the discovery of the earth being a circle rather than a square. In fact, the spherical connotation wards of all the edges! The satellite pictures of the earth also show it as a unified area with patches of green and blue lending a symphony to its being. Even geology justifies the concept of 'global village'! But ponder before you get euphoric over this expression of rationality. The concept of globalization operates on near ideal conditions. These conditions rest on one major condition, subsequently. And the condition is that the whole world needs to have an access to this technology. And there lies the catch! Sitting in your Los Angeles office, you cannot even imagine the gravity of starvation and epidemic in so many Afro-Asian countries. When even basic needs are not met, who cares about Internet or satellite revolution Or in a more jargonistic way, who cares for or for that matter, even understands globalization. Globalization is an umbrella term that refers to increased interdependence in the economic, social, technological, cultural, political and ecological spheres. Theodore Levitt is credited with the first use of this term in the economic context. It is very important to understand globalization in the economic context and attribute its origin to the West and see its ramifications as embraced by other societies. Ours is an age of democracy. Democracy as a form of government, characterized by elections and the installation of a representative government, has been becoming a global phenomenon. The fall of the socialist world and domestic and global changes in Latin America, Africa and Middle East have brought democracy to places and shores where it was undreamt a few years ago, giving people a taste of freedom. But the globalization of democracy as a form of more of more legitimate representative government has not been accompanied by genuine efforts to tackle the problems of democracy (such as tension between equality and liberty, the dictatorship of majority, the actual as well as manufactured disinterest of the so-called electorate process resulting in as much as 50 per cent of them not fulfilling their constitutional obligation to vote) and to widen the universe of democracy in accordance with the historical changes taking place in social systems as well as in the light of desired agenda o f transformation. The first wave of globalization was initiated by the British Empire during 1870-1914, when the whole world was virtually inducted into the extensive international trading relationships. This era collapsed after the First World War. It is pertinent to note that finance was not an important segment of that era's economy. Globalization therefore remained restricted to the domain of trade and direct (physical) investment. In fact, it was only after 1980s that this term got introduced in America. It became internationally popular in the 90s after the fall of Berlin Wall. Capitalism was declared to have been the winner of the Cold War over communism with which it was believed by many to have been in competition for three-quarters of a century. Now it was sold by the great powers to the world as the superior economic system, by sheer virtue of having outlived its rival.

Why is the auto accident fatality rate so high for teenagers Essay

Why is the auto accident fatality rate so high for teenagers - Essay Example Analysts suggest 25 years as appropriate age for issuance of license. Certain countries are on the verge of passing law for licensing people at the age of 25. This will help in controlling ever increasing accidents in which teens are involved. However, various measures have helped in overcoming the teenage accidents. Teen age drivers are found involved in most of the traffic accidents in the world. Various factors contribute is increasing teenage car accidents. Important causes are night driving, use of alcohol, texting while driving, lack of driving skills, reckless driving, poor hazard detection and not wearing seat belts. National Highway Traffic Association released statistics in 2012 regarding teenage fatal and non-fatal accidents due to various causes (â€Å"Teenage Driver Crash Statistics†). According to statistics 16 years old cause 3.7 % more accidents than other age drivers. Crash rate for drivers between 16 to 19 years is 2.7 % more than any other age group. Accordingly citation is again 1.8% more in 16 years old drivers than other drivers. Alcohol used teenage drivers are causing 1.8% more accidents than other drivers in America. Teenagers are most dangerous when they are newly licensed. There are certain types of accidents where elders are mostly involved when compared to teenagers. Teenagers are inexperienced drivers after getting the license and this reason is major cause of accidents by them. Teenagers carrying teenager passengers are highly prone to accidents. Teenager passengers never try to correct driver on violations. Older drivers keep correcting teenage drivers while travelling in the same vehicle, which reduces the accident risk (â€Å"Teenage Driver Crash Statistics†). According to report published by pediatric, 5500 teenagers faced death due to automobile crashes in United States in year 2012. Few analysts do not agree but male teenagers’ cause 1% more accidents than females. Over speeding is a

Case Study- Democracy and Islam Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

- Democracy and Islam - Case Study Example After the overthrow of dictatorial regimes in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya during the Arab spring, demands for a democratic form of government are also brewing up in the neighboring Arab states. The case study, written by Tessler and Brand in the year 1995, sheds some light on the present events happening in the Arab world as they reflect some repercussions originating from the historical realms of political Islam and democracy. The subject is of vital importance considering the current trend in Arab politics and its implications on international politics at large. The current events occurring in the Arab world have deep connections with the history of democracy and Islam in the region, and can be better understood with regards to the historical trends. According to Tessler and Brand (1995), Islam has significantly grown in its importance in the Arab world. Such sentiments are visible through the more apparent praying and veiling. And many campaigns seem to rake in a lot of support as they reinforce the Islamic banner. Such a support can materialize into successful election of the candidate provided that an electoral poll takes place. However, not all scholars agree with the supposed positive correlation between democracy and Islam. Many scholars argue that democracy and Islam are incompatible. To make a statement about the issue requires serious study into the current air prevailing across the Arab world while also seeking guidance from the theoretical frameworks. Political Islam is usually viewed as a conflicting concept to secularism or other liberal forms of democracy. However, in the Arab world, it is almost impossible to eliminate religion from political systems. The events of the Arab spring demonstrated the need to reconsid er the relationship between Islam and democracy as ideological rivals. Individual protests during the Arab spring grew immensely strong eventually changing the political system from authoritarian to democratic. More

Independence Is The Freedom Of The Soul

Independence Is The Freedom Of The Soul INDEPENDENCE IS the freedom of the soul, a perception of the mind and a feeling understood by the heart. This freedom, perception and more importantly, this feeling is that of liberation, patriotism, self-dependence and other such things. When all such terms are put together and imposed upon the majority, it is a big responsibility on the youth of that nation and on those who create it. That nation is India. Im proud to be an Indian. How often have you heard that phrase? How often have you heard that phrase and felt the emotion coming through, like a quiver of arrows? Maybe once, maybe twice or maybe you never gave it a thought. Now that is freedom of thought. But, is it any good? However, with the evolving face of the youth of today, the insight levels of the Indian youth is increasing, and for the better. Coming back to those rare instances of pride being linked to our nationality, as a part of our identity, we begin to wonder why each and every one of us doesnt feel that way, every single time our nation is being criticised. Why is it only on the 15th of August or 26th of January we feel Indian? Why does the pride and patriotism towards our motherland only come out during an India-Pakistan cricket match? Why does the sudden realisation of being Indian occur to us only when we watch a movie like Chak De India? Why? Vishruta Mattu, an economics student of LSR College, Delhi gives us a fair idea of a thinking mans perception of freedom, Independence of India from a common mans point of view is not only the sense of belonging, but a sense of contribution and existence in every step that our nation takes. She also believes, We constitute our nation, it does not constitute us. Independence is not our right to express but our right to be heard. Independence is not only smart politics, but being a part of a smarter public. Lastly, she makes a vital point in saying, Independence of our nation is not what we feel, but what we make of it and most importantly, independence is not about rights, but our duties towards the nation. Kannagi Khanna on the other hand, hailing from Ahmadabad preferred to cut it short by saying, Independence to me is having the most important thing in the world, i.e., freedom, without having to own it. With all sorts of different views and perceptions coming through from the young minds of todays India, we had Karan Paul of St. Xaviers College, Kolkata being a little poetic about his viewpoint of the entire process of our Independence. He tries to convey to us that Independence is necessary to us as much as oxygen is, and hence, we must listen to what people have to say and then decide upon whether it is correct or not, or else remain a fool forever. Pooja Maheshwary, who has just finished her schooling from St. Xaviers College, Mumbai, gives us a completely different outlook to independence. How often do we actually think about the sacrifice, the struggle that has gone into obtaining this freedom that were enjoying, other than while studying about it in history class? To be honest, I never do. Independence to me means nothing. Being proud of my country on Independence Day and Republic Day every year has become more than a habit now. However, this needs to change, and fast. Independence is having the freedom of choice in whatever I may do, in whatever I may wish to do, and similarly, freedom with reference to our great heroes is the biggest gift that our forefathers could have ever given us. The very thought that believed in making the future generations see the light of an independent India, was a great vision and expressed the freedom of the mind, believes Dhiman Parekh, a B.A student of Fergusson College, Pune. After covering various viewpoints and ideas of and about Independence, we have Robin Mathew Babu, 19, of Delhi relating Indias Independence to his personal independence. He says, To me, it means the freedom to do what I want without thinking of anything and believing that no one can control the freedom of my expression and creativity. Not being in bondage, so that I can scale heights that I wish to, and that no external factor can control me or my thoughts, but myself. Lastly, Akshata Samant, an aspiring filmmaker, currently nurturing her dream at Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, believes, Were independent on a scrap of paper, but not independent in the mind. It may be easy to say that we are the worlds greatest democracy and yet not believe in it. We follow the western trends and feel proud, making our minds greatly dependent on the thinking of the west, and believing in the fact that we are modern. If we were independent, why would most of our countrys major decisions be governed or influenced by various external factors? What good is it to be Independent as a nation, if the mind is a prisoner? With such a lot of brainstorming over Independence and its importance in our lives, it is not difficult to believe that the youth are concerned about the issues of the nation, as long as they are given platforms. The need of todays youth is to be heard, not passed off. The need of todays youth is to be free, not restrained. The need of todays youth is realisation of values and not imposition. The need is not a need, but a want that must be satisfied. August 15. Independence Day. For an average young urban Indian, the day runs pretty much to this schedule: firstly, and most importantly, you hope to hell its not a weekend. If youre in school, you go for the flag-hoisting ceremony, followed by a mind-numbingly boring speech and a tableau of dances to depict national integration. If youre the enthusiastic type, youre probably participating in one of them. We must educate kids about the freedom struggle and Independence. We have to educate them as the environment is no longer what it was for us. In college, you could usually bunk the flag-hoisting, ignore the telecast of the parade from New Delhi on DD (not that you watch the channel, anyway) and bask in the holiday mood. And beginning to work is when an actual severing of all ties with I-Day happens. Because, you see, in college you could still get pulled up for not attending the flag-hoisting. Yes, its Independence Day, dude, for which those freedom-fighter people sacrificed everything to get us the power of choice we take so much for granted. And, can it be said that because we never fought for independence and never paid a price for freedom, the I in I-Day could mean only me and myself? Or, do some of the young people sipping cappuccinos at an outdoor cafe actually feel patriotic? Post-1947, there were the midnights children-born in the dawn of independence, torch-bearers of the ideals that won us this glorious freedom, blessed with promise and ridden with lapsesthe inheritors of that tryst with destiny. That was a generation split down the middle between those who stayed and those who left. Some fought and tried to create an India that could do the freedom fighters proud and others sought Green Cards and work permits in countries that nurtured dreams to fruition and who lived with the memories of a country now long gone. As for us, the children of the midnights children, born into a country already jaded, corrupted and washed clean of the dreams of freedom fighters, we now march to the beat of the cash register. When you read or hear about Gandhi or Nehrus principles, you are inspired, but where does all that fit into our lives? We were raised to think for ourselves and to act on what we thought was best for us. If I can lead my own life, do whatever I want to do and not be judged because this is still a conservative society in so many ways, I would, then, feel independent, says Meghana Manay, 18, studying for a business degree in a Bangalore college. Basically, if I can be left to myself, thats my independence. Independence for us has, unfortunately, come to mean individualism in the worst sense of the word, says Roopa Mathew, 24, who works with a multinational firm in Bangalore. She talks about how the ideals that drove the independence movement have got lost over the years. When you read or hear about the principles of Gandhi or Nehru, you are inspired. But where does that fit into our lives? We take independence for granted and its the circumstances that made us this way, says Shane Witherspoon, 27, an editor with an online publication in Bangalore. Shruti Shwetambari, a 29-year-old media manager in Mumbai, finds that, We have been abusing and misusing freedom and independence. I dont want to play the blame game but it is a complex mixture of our indifference and circumstances. But, the fact also is that we can make our own circumstances. These circumstances, glossed over by an illusion of reality, in a post-liberalisation society where malls and multiplexes and global conglomerates mushroom, have almost completely cut us off from what is actually happening outside of our metros. Independence comes with certain riders, but how can you make people look beyond their immediate needs when that is how we have become? Or even in them. Susan Stanley, 30, who works with an international software firm in Bangalore, says, We take independence for granted because we have never experienced subjugation. And so, their lives in this illusion are led almost parallel to reality and no one seems to really want them to converge. There is corruption and its disgusting.Its also disgusting to see how politicians only care about themselves and make money.And, when you hear about how discrimination happens in rural areas, you feel terrible, says Meghana. But, its a momentary feeling. Once it passes, you get back to thinking about yourself and your own world. Thats how I think weve all grown up-we picture the world to be as it is for us. Not for anyone else. Rajvi Mariwala, 25, a management student in Mumbai, says, Arent we being raised to be the second largest market in the world? With the largest middle class in the world, arent we all being raised to sell a dizzying variety of products to one another? English with a phoren accent and increasing buying power is our wagon to the first world. Roopa agrees: The society we live in now in cities like Bangalore is almost neo-imperialistic. We work in MNCs, shop at malls that sell international brands that are flaunted and eat at chains like McDonalds or Subway. How does this daily routine ever reflect the idea of independence as it was initially conceived? Shane is honest when he says, I have to think about money and about what is important to me. If I can lead my own life, do whatever I want to do and not be judged, I would feel independent. Basically, if I can be left to myself, thats my independence. And I dont think that can change much. Shruti finds that when her generation is labelled as being irresponsible or too materialistic, it is unfair as most of us were never inculcated with a sense of community work or of reaching out to less privileged people. But then, I dont know whether its also our fault for not imbibing these values and maybe we really have just chosen to be escapists. With a 10-year-old daughter, Rhea, Aparajita Singh, a management professional in Mumbai, finds that parents today need to make a conscious effort to educate children about issues like the freedom struggle and independence. My husband and I read to my daughter from Nehrus letters to Indira Gandhi, for example, she says. When role models have changed from Gandhi to John Abraham (whom Rhea and her friends worship), Aparajita talks about the onus on parents, My friends and I have to constantly talk to our children and educate them because the environment is no longer what it was for us. Poverty, discrimination, underprivileged children and downtrodden women-all have become the other face of India to the young, regardless of whether the issues are urban or rural. Its not that my generation is unaware of these problems, we are just not interested in them, other than feeling a little compassion for the people struggling with these issues. But then feeling compassion is of no use if it is not followed by action, says Susan. Shruti links this to the eternal Indian chalta hai attitude-We never pull up our socks and do anything. When you hear about a rape case or see something on TV about atrocities, you feel terrible. But when you switch the channel, you forget, says Malavika, 14, Meghanas sister and a Bangalore high school student. Ajay Balasubramaniam, 26, who works with an IT firm in Bangalore, points out that with 24/7 news channels, internet and sms updates, you are always aware of what is happening. So its not fair to say that we are oblivious to the problems because we cannot be with all this media exposure. Apart from scattered discussions over coffee or on email lists, few people actually get moving to resolve these problems. Yeah, we discuss things, we complain about how nothing changes but were also so immune. We dont want corruption, but what are we doing to stop it? If things dont change, thats also partly our fault, argues Roopa. Shane says that although he would like to do something to help, I fear that the so-called agencies of change could also be corrupt to the core. And, thus, while the heart may be in the right place, the TV channel still gets changed. Meghana reasons that this is because taking an initiative to counter a problem would be a responsibility not many want to shoulder.You appreciate your life more when you hear about these cases but you will have to go out of your way to help, she says. About rural problems, for example, how many of us would actually be okay with staying in villages to help those people? Its like another world completely and we dont even relate to it. They all worry about corruption, about rising crime, about giving children basic necessities like food and clothing and about raising their own children in this society, which is not really a pleasant thought. And one way to set change in motion could be through voting for the right politicians. But, as Shane points out, I dont think any one of us can relate to todays political leaders. They are full of empty promises and look only to make the most money in the short time they are in office. Malavika finds all of them sounding the same and talking about what they think we need, not the real issues. Too many vested interests are ruining the situation today and if we could just have some sort of goal congruence among political parties, it would help, reasons Shruti. Independence and democracy are responsibilities for us. Or, at least, they ought to be, says Rajvi. Patriotism is not just about standing up in a theatre for the national anthem before watching Mallika Sherawat in a steamy scene. The impetus lies with us to realise that not littering the street or demanding accountability from government is also patriotism. Ajay agrees that independence comes with certain riders, but how can you make people look beyond their immediate needs when that is how they have become? He finds that there is nothing at all that connects a young person today to the freedom struggle or even the concept of fighting for independence. History is taught to us in school and college with the intention of writing an exam and nothing more. This is where the true essence of what independent India is really all about is being washed away generation after generation. S. Iyer, 54, who works with a multinational firm in Chennai and has a daughter in her 20s, says his generation was probably so euphoric at the novelty of independence but also so disgusted at events like the Emergency that we got sick of murky politics. He argues that maybe they failed to provide their children with platforms to express patriotism. So, while the young might actually be very patriotic, I think we can be partly blamed for not guiding them towards the right channels of expression. And over the years, 1857 becomes just another date to be mugged up and Dandi becomes one more dot to be plotted on a map-learn up as much as you need to make the passing grade. Whoever else is not mentioned in those textbooks and whatever fact is not a question on the exam really does not matter. Just dont flunk the exam. This was a point driven well home by the sight of a 10-year-old on television some years ago, being asked by an anchor, Who wrote Vande Mataram? And the smug answer, given very confidently, was A.R. Rehman. Shane and Susan find that to many Indians, sadly, I-Day has become one more holiday with nothing to set it apart. And it is just that to them, too. Coming from a family that was entirely involved in the independence movement, however, Shruti says, In small towns, one sees a flag hoisted on top of every house on August 15, and Ive heard children humming patriotic songs-its like a festival. But in a city like Bombay, maybe it is just a history lesson with students saying khud to mar gaye aur chod gaye ek chapter humare liye(they themselves died, but left us another chapter to learn). Ajay is fascinated by how one mans dream actually became freedom for millions and can never think of it as just another day off work.This was a country where there were signs saying Dogs and Indians not allowed. And to be where we are now how can anyone miss the significance of Independence Day, asks Shruti. I do feel very patriotic on August 15. Because when I study about the independence struggle in class, I feel really moved by everything those people gave up and how they had to fight. I really appreciate it because without them, we may still have been ruled by the British, says Malavika. But what can I really do to celebrate independence on that day apart from being present at the flag-hoisting? And so, at some point during August 15, either while watching the tricolour unfold, or while standing up to sing the national anthem, or catching a glimpse of the defence regiments marching past the President, or seeing the little kids selling plastic flags at traffic signals, or listening to the FM station play Ai Mere Pyare Watan, your heart does swell with pride. But then, the moment passes. You bought the flag and tucked it on your windscreen. Jai Hind. Now lets go get a latte.