The Power of Fear Illustrated in The Storm Essay

Fear. By definition it is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, or pain, whether the threat is real or imaginary. Fear has power, but only when the person feeling it gives it power. In â€Å"The Storm† Janet gives power to her fear, and by doing so, fear masks what Janet should truly be afraid of, leading to the development of her character, the conflicts within her mind, and the overall theme of the short story. Throughout the story, Janet is depicted as a person with a â€Å"pale face with a blunt nose, slender with a childlike figure, and plain.† Because of this characterization it is not difficult to understand her mentality for protection. Janet is insecure about her looks and she constantly questions her actions, even†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Then she took herself firmly in hand. She must not let herself go. She must not let morbid fancy run away with her† (Malmar 6). Janet constantly has to convince herself that she is imagining a face in the window, that Ben is coming home soon, and that building a fire will be comforting. These conflicts within Janet’s mind convey the idea that sanity is partially no longer present in her mentality. It is repeatedly questioned whether Janet truly sees a dead body, or whether the fear she felt just presented a mirage to her. The conflict she has with herself helps establish once again who Janet is. She is always craving a vindication that what she is doing is right, and therefore, by arguing with her â€Å"little angel on her shoulder† she constantly battles between instinct and just plain stupidity. â€Å"At first the thought of policemen was a comforting one†¦then she realized it was her cellar, and policemen are suspicious and prying†¦would they thing Ben had done it? The dead woman must be hidden† (Malmar 9). This quote is evidence that Janet borders on asininity. She has come to the conclusion that to call those who cou ld put all this in order are to asinine to call and would lead to the possible imprisonment of her and her husband. The thoughts that she battles over are absurd and unfortunately lead to the insanity that presents itself in Janet. Inner conflicts in this story are what develop Janet and also lead herShow MoreRelatedThe Waste Land By. Eliot1134 Words   |  5 Pagesinfertile world void of water and spirituality. Despite the desert-like setting, there are countless images of water throughout the writing with numerous ways to illustrate them. Water plays many roles in the poem as we see its raw power. It can hurt as well as help. There is also fear of too much or too little. The portrayal of the water shows similar qualities to that of spirituality. The poem links them together to almost flow in the same manner. Water in The Waste Land can then be symbolized to a god-likeRead MoreKing Lear - Tragic Flaw Essay example902 Words   |  4 Pageslandscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them...great trees more likely to be struck by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divine lightning.† Tragic heroes are characters of notoriety; held in high regard but are struck with misfortune through their own error. The most noble of men can succumb to their own flaws until driven to the brink of insanity, as illustrated in Shakespeare’s play, King Lear. King Lear representsRead MoreA Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens1420 Words   |  6 Pagesgruesome scene in the cities and country sides of France. Charles Dickens uses a palate of storm, wine, and blood imagery in A Tale of Two Cities to paint exactly how tremendously brutal this period of time was. Dickens use of storm imagery throughout his novel illustrates to the reader the tremulous, fierce, and explosive time period in which the course of events takes place. Dicken’s use of illustrating storms throughout the novel serves the important purpose of showing the reader how the events ofRead MoreShakespeares Use of Language, Imagery and Setting to Illuminate Prosperos Journey from Revenge to Reconciliation1174 Words   |  5 Pagesship at sea caught in a tempestuous storm. This setting would immediately suggest to the Elizabethan audience, the presence of danger and evil, as they would be familiar with other Shakespearian plays where storms have been used in this way, for example, Macbeth and King Lear. The desperate language of the characters in the opening scene would further reinforce the audiences sense of evil afoot. The panic of the Boatswain is illustrated when he cries A plague upon thisRead MoreSublime In Frankenstein Essay1497 Words   |  6 Pagesenthusiasm preponderates over irony [1] . The Castle of Otranto is the first Gothic novel written by Horace Walpole in which the idea of the Sublime is presented through its physical, transcending and overpowering imagery. This experience is also illustrated in Mary Shelley s Frankenstein; both novels explore the idea and concept of the Sublime and show the theoretical notions through its characters and themes conveyed. I will examine the features of the genre by looking at the imagery which is presentedRead MoreAre Miraculous Gifts For Today?1670 Words   |  7 PagesI’m not attempting to lump all cessationist in this category, but I felt Gaffin demonstrated this denial. If cessationist have to diminish the power of the Holy Spirit while attempting to prove their devotion and commitment to God, this is a system that is fighting against itself. Our response to the Holy Spirit should no t be an attempt to reduce His power but to find ways and concepts to understand His ways. Gaffin’s objections were more to the action those who seek to be used by the Holy Spirt thanRead MorePolitical And Present Day Entrepreneurs928 Words   |  4 Pagessucceeded in a very stereotypical industry. Gender stereotypes are also of immense concern, and presented for reader awareness. The pitfalls associated with a tech startup are presented to show the vast complexity in the modern day. Options are illustrated of what an entrepreneur can do when the locale is not conducive to their business development. We summarize with a positive note if the right strategy is employed, anyone can be successful. Entrepreneurship is commonly linked with brick andRead MoreAnalysis Of A Prayer For My Daughter1299 Words   |  6 Pageslater years are best illustrated in the poem, â€Å"A Prayer for My Daughter.† Written in 1919, just days after the birth of his daughter Anne and in the midst of the Anglo-Irish War, the poem lays out the future Yeats wishes for his daughter. It begins with the image of a howling storm making its way to the Thoor Ballylee, Yeats’s home. His child, a newborn in her cradle innocently â€Å"sleeps on† as Yeats paces the room and prays to clear the â€Å"great gloom† (Yeats 90) on his mind. The storm battering on theRead MoreThe Wind As A Powerful Force Of Nature By Percy Bysshe Shelley1502 Words   |  7 Pagesas an inspiration to his writing career as a poet. Shelley’s yearning for the forces of the wind to flutter through his life and his poetry are illustrated through his infatuation with the West Wind, which is the focus of this well structured Romantic poem. 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Employment law Free Essays

string(233) " test and therefore more information would be required in relation to the situation within the employer company, although on the face of it, Norman has a strong argument to support the claim for unfair dismissal against the company\." Abstract There are two employees both of whom are having difficulties with the employer Computer plc (the company). At this initial point, it is noted that both employees have been employed for a period of more than two years and therefore both employees could potentially bring actions for unfair dismissal, or would potentially be eligible for redundancy payment, if either of these situations are deemed to be appropriate[1]. In the case of Norman, he has not actually been dismissed but is facing an increasingly difficult working position whereas Duncan has been dismissed by the company and therefore both situations will need to be dealt with individually and the law applied individually. We will write a custom essay sample on Employment law or any similar topic only for you Order Now Introduction – Norman Norman is employed on a permanent, full-time contract and originally this contract stated that he would be required to work within a specific geographic region. Attempts were made by the management team to change his contract of employment to include a much broader mobility clause, which the company is now seeking to enforce by requiring Norman to move to any other part of the country, originally on a temporary basis, but potentially on a permanent basis. Insertion of Mobility Clause Norman stated that he was unhappy with this new two year contract, but continued to work for the company for a prolonged period of time and therefore it could be argued that he had, by implication, accepted the change of terms. Of particular relevance is the Aparau case[1]. In this case, a mobility clause was inserted into a contract as a change which the employee never accepted but did continue to work for the company for a period of over a year. As the mobility clause has not had an immediate effect on their day-to-day working, the fact that they have continued to work could not be seen as an implied change to the contract, which has been accepted. Based on this, it is argued, in this case, that Norman has not accepted the change to his contract of employment and therefore the mobility clause requiring him to change his location of work to anywhere in the UK would not be applicable to him[2]. Constructive Dismissal The question therefore moves on to consider whether this would be deemed to be a sufficient change of contract that Norman could refuse to work for the company and resign and argue that he had been constructively dismissed, which would potentially give rise to a claim of unfair dismissal. In order for unfair dismissal to be claimed, the individual must necessarily have actually been dismissed, unless there is some action by the employer which is so substantially in breach of the contract of employment that it is reasonable for the employee to consider themselves dismissed. As noted by Lord Denning, constructive dismissal takes place where the actions of the employer are such that the employee can argue that the breach has gone to the heart of the contract and the employee can no longer be held to be bound by such a contract[3]. In order for constructive dismissal to be established, it would be necessary for Norman to show that there had been a repudiatory breach of contract and this is done on an objective basis, meaning that the personal situation of Norman in relation to his wife would not be relevant in considering whether or not the employer has behaved in a way that would be deemed to be in repudiatory breach. Consideration would also need to be given as to whether the actions of the employer were within the range of reasonable responses and given the background to the reason why the vacancy became available in Exeter, there is at least a potential argument that the employer had acted in a reasonable manner by requiring Norman to cover the role of the Exeter sales representative for a period of time[4]. This discussion in relation to the reasonable responses shown by the employer would also be relevant if it came to the situation that Norman was arguing unfair dismissal from his position[5]. Based on the analysis here, it is argued that Norman were to be moved to Exeter on a potentially permanent basis, it could be deemed reasonable that there has been a breach of the contract. Based on this Norman could argue that he had been constructively dismissed, although it would however be necessary to look in more detail at the situation of the employer to see whether there are other sales representatives who may have been available and how reasonable it was to select Norman[6]. Finally, therefore, it would be then be possible for Norman to argue that he had been unfairly dismissed and to establish a schedule of losses which would reflect what he had lost from losing his position with the company[7]. It is probable that the company might argue that Norman had been dismissed for some other substantial reason such as the business needing to have an individual placed in Exeter in order to cover the injured sales representative. It would be necessary to look in more detail at the precise situation within the company and how reasonably it had acted when it came to selecting Norman as the individual to cover the region and whether there would have been other individuals who would be more suitable or more amenable to this transfer. Summary for Norman Based on previous case law, it is argued that the mobility clause would not have been incorporated into Norman’s contract and therefore any attempt to move him outside of the geographic location of his original contract could potentially be viewed as a repudiatory breach and he could argue that he had been constructively dismissed. This would then allow him potentially to bring an action under unfair dismissal, if he could show that the employer had behaved in an unreasonable manner towards him. This would be both an objective and a subjective test and therefore more information would be required in relation to the situation within the employer company, although on the face of it, Norman has a strong argument to support the claim for unfair dismissal against the company. You read "Employment law" in category "Essay examples" Introduction Duncan As was also the case with Norman, Duncan has been employed by the company for a period of more than two years and therefore has protection from being unfairly dismissed. Duncan has been subject to a disciplinary procedure in relation to his performance and has been more recently dismissed as a result of having alcohol in his blood system after a lunch time trip to the pub. However, a complication has arisen in relation to this latter issue, as it became apparent that he was spiked by another employee and did not knowingly consume alcohol. The key issue here therefore is whether or not Duncan has been fairly dismissed and whether the company has followed the necessary disciplinary procedures in order to effect his dismissal[8]. Unfair Dismissal The main statutory provisions which are relevant in this regard are contained within the Employment Rights Act 1996 which lays out the rules in terms of determining whether or not the dismissal is fair or not (Section 98). The requirement is put on the employer to show the reason for the dismissal and to show that the reason is fair or potentially fair. In this case, it is stated that Duncan was dismissed due to alcohol having been found in his blood system, something which is deemed to be gross misconduct in accordance with the contract of employment. On the face of it, therefore, and based on the case of Abernethy[9], an argument could be presented by the employer that, based on the facts which were known to them at the time of the dismissal, it is reasonable and fair to dismiss Duncan. However, a difficulty emerges with this argument being presented by the company, due to the fact that the company had been made aware of the events which led up to Duncan testing positive for alcohol and the fact that he had been spiked by his colleagues. Although it is noted that there have been concerns in relation to Duncan’s performance at work and he has been subject to several meetings in relation to this, the facts here indicate that Duncan was in fact dismissed by virtue of his alcohol intake. The position would be different if the company had gone through an informal process of attempting to improve the performance of Duncan and had ultimately dismissed him on the grounds of conduct and performance, but this is not the case and the issues here revolve around whether or not his dismissal for gross misconduct of having been drinking during a lunch break was on balance, fair and reasonable. Case law has argued that determining whether or not there has been an incidence of gross misconduct which would justify the dismissal of Duncan is a mixture of both fact and law[10]. Although it is stated that consuming alcohol is deemed to be gross misconduct, when applying this to the facts resented here, there is a strong argument that the reasonable response from an employer when faced with these facts would not be deemed as being gross misconduct, because the individual had not willingly consumed alcohol and therefore it would be potentially unreasonable for the employer to dismiss on this basis. This is particularly relevant when considered alongside the fact that the individual who undertook the spiking is not facing any form of disciplinary action. Disciplinary Procedure A further issue has emerged regarding the way in which the disciplinary procedure was undertaken, as Duncan was told that there would be no point in appealing his dismissal. This raises the question as to whether or not the ACAS code has been followed and failure to follow this code could result in an uplift of compensation for Duncan, if he is found to have been unfairly dismissed[11]. When a tribunal is faced with the decision as to whether or not an individual has been fairly dismissed, it will look not only at the reasons for dismissal but also if there are multiple reasons. Each individual reason will then be looked at to see whether the employer has acted reasonably, based on all of the information available. It is this latter issue that potentially presents Duncan with the best opportunity to argue that his dismissal was unfair as, by refusing to take into account the fact that he did not willingly consume alcohol and this has now been proven by the confession of his colleagues, it could certainly be argued that to consider him for gross misconduct would be unreasonable[12]. The test in this case was laid out in Burchell which is to look at what the employer reasonably believed at the point of dismissal; therefore, as it had not been made apparent that Duncan had not voluntarily drunk alcohol, there may have been some argument that the employer could have pre sented that it had acted fairly. Despite this, and with reference to the facts presented here, it is suggested that the dismissal of Duncan for consuming alcohol which he did not voluntarily consume, with no reference made to the individuals who spiked his drink, would not be deemed to be a reasonable reaction and the dismissal would therefore be deemed to be unfair. By refusing to allow an appeal to take place, this would be in breach of the ACAS disciplinary codes and this would potentially result in an uplift of up to 25% on the compensation awarded[13]. Summary for Duncan Although Duncan was subject to disciplinary procedures in relation to his performance the issue that has been raised here is in relation to gross misconduct by virtue of alcohol consumption. There is reasonable evidence to suggest that dismissing Duncan because of the consumption of alcohol would not be a reasonable reaction from his employer, based on the evidence that has been provided in relation to the fact that Duncan was in fact spiked. Failure to allow him an appeal was also a potential difficulty for the company and could result in an uplift of the compensation being received. References Abernethy v Mott, Hay Anderson [1974] ICR 323 Allders International Ltd v Parkins [1981] IRLR 68 Aparau v Iceland Frozen Foods plc [1996] IRLR 119 Bell, A (2006) Employment Law. Sweet Maxwell p.137 Bournemouth University Higher Education Corporation v Buckland [2009] IRLR 606 British Home Stores Limited v Burchell [1978] IRLR 379. Burnett, S and Holland, J (2012) Employment Law 2012, Oxford University Press, p.227 Collins, H (2010) Employment law. Oxford University Press p.167 Emir, A (2012) Selwyn’s Law of Employment, Oxford University Press, p.509 Employment Act 2008 Employment Rights Act 1996 Iceland Frozen Foods Ltd v Jones [1982] IRLR 439 Sandwell West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust v Westwood UKEAT/0032/09 Western Excavating (ECC) Ltd v Sharp [1978] ICR 221 How to cite Employment law, Essay examples Employment Law Free Essays Introduction This report will outline key arguments surrounding contemporary debates on UK employment law, which will provide a critical analysis from those that argue there is too much legislation and those that suggest there is not enough. It is beyond the scope of this report to generalise on employment law as a whole; it will therefore focus on the right to request flexible working, such as under the Employment Act 2002 and The Work and Families Act 2006 that has been subject to various reforms, amendments and regulations. This legislation has formed a significant debate as to whether such interventions ensure that individuals achieve a work-life balance, promote efficient working practice or create an unnecessary burden on UK businesses (Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD), 2005, British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), 2010). We will write a custom essay sample on Employment Law or any similar topic only for you Order Now This analysis will also look at the introduction of new employment legislation for flexible working, and discuss the impact on working practices today, with a glance toward the shape of new legislation in the future (Chartered Management Institute (CMI),2008). Findings Background and Context The last three decades have seen a trend toward increasing employment legislation. At the same time the United Kingdom (UK) still has lower levels of employment protection and more labour market flexibility than other European states (Keter, 2010). The flexible market in the UK was inherited through the general laissez-faire attitude, where industrial labour and relation laws have been less state regulated than other European countries (Biagi, 2000). Keter (2010) suggests that today’s flexible market is also the result of more recent trends, which from 1979 saw the introduction of more labour regulations in terms of statutes enacted, but with the aim of setting labour free of interference from state control and what was seen as unnecessary social partners, such as trade unions (ibid). The introduction of a New Labour administration however saw a shift toward more family friendly employment legislation. A European directive from 1997 (European Council Directives 97/81/EC and 98/81/EC) provided that part-time workers be entitled to the same rights as comparable to full-time employees. The directives required European member states to implement laws, regulations and provisions to eliminate discrimination against part-time workers. The aim was to facilitate the development of part-time and other working time arrangements, that were flexible and met the needs of both employers and employees (Danzinger Waters Boots, 2008). In order to promote citizens full participation in the labour market, the enactment of The Employment Relations Act 1999, while continuing to ensure that labour relations were free of state control, provided a floor of rights, such as increased rights for fixed and part time workers, (Biagi, 2000). Along this trajectory, the Employment Act 2002 introduced legislation providing employees with young or disabled children the right to request flexible working arrangements by their employers, that was subsequently extended in The Work and Families Act 2006 to allow the same rights for carers of adults (Davies, 2011). Lewis and Campbell (2007) suggest that New Labour’s concern with promoting a ‘work-life’ balance underpinned it’s ideological approach to welfare, that saw active citizenship for all achieved principally through labour market participation (Levitas,2005). For all to participate, legislation has provided for the extension of childcare services and ma ternity leave and the introduction of parental and paternity leave. Further, rather than reducing working hours, the Labour government promoted the right to request flexible working hours as a way for families to manage their working patterns with their caring responsibility timetables (Busby and James, 2011). Hill et al (2001) describe flexible working to include activities such as; part-time, job sharing and homeworking or any variation outside of working the traditional nine until five working day. For example, working from home, where such practices are facilitated due to advances in mobile technologies (Civicus, 2008). Lewis Cooper (2005) argue that although in principle flexible working can take many forms, in reality, the main flexibility that UK employers offer is a reduction of working hours. From an employer’s perspective, employment legislation can also be seen as promoting the creation of work patterns and arrangements in order to maximise employment productivity, customer satisfaction and staff efficiency (Pettinger, 1998). This demand, Pettinger suggests, has come about as a result of the expansion of global markets, competition and choice, pressures on resources and increasing customer demands, together with changing patterns of consumption (ibid). Therefore, Pettinger (1998) suggests that against this backdrop, flexibility can be seen as a corporate attitude, whereby a fully flexible labour market is seen as generating a more effective workforce. Faulkener (2001) argues that while it is recognised that it is the above drivers that have influenced the development of flexible working practices, there is also another important agenda. Here, Jones and Jones (2011) identify that family friendly legislation is more representative of the ‘business case’ for flexible working legislation, which revolves around the identification of recruitment pools, particularly women, and the older population, who have yet to be fully exploited (Faulkener, 2001, Jones Jones,2011). Arguments Against more Employment Legislation According to a British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) (2010) report on employment regulation, a survey of British businesses see an emerging consensus that the proliferation of legislation providing flexible working conditions has become increasingly problematic. The report argues that the shift from the regulation of collective bargaining to individual employment contracts, later evolving into the volume and complexity of statutory legislation today, has led to difficulties with understanding and compliance (ibid). The report specifically attacks the piecemeal legislative approach to flexible working shown by the latest introduction of laws and regulations (see Appendix 1) According to the BCC (2010), such an approach has been criticised by businesses. The problem for companies is that constant changes in the law mean that employers must incur the cost of familiarising themselves as each new law is enacted, where there is a greater risk of mistakes. As a result, businesses need to bring their knowledge up to date since the previous change in the law, such as through employment law books and guides or paying for legal advice. Consequently, the report argues, employment legislation can act like a tax, by raising costs (ibid). The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) (2006) argue further that even if there is a belief that the increase of employment law can improve the flexibility of the labour market, there are still questions as to whether such legislation is fit for purpose. Against a backdrop of increasing employment legislation, a National Audit Office (2009) research paper also casts doubt over whether governments are able to understand business e nough to design effective legislation. The BCC (2010), representing one hundred thousand businesses, suggest that due to the volume and complexity of employment legislation, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), now need professional legal advice to settle disputes. In reality, the BCC argue, it is less expensive to settle disputes with the employee and prevent reputational damage than it is to defend a claim. The BCC therefore recommends streamlining and reducing the amount of legislation, for example, in a similar way that the anti-discrimination laws became consolidated by the Equality Act 2010 (ibid, 2010). Despite such criticisms, not all the findings in the business sector are negative. According to a Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) Survey Report (2005), who surveyed Human Resources professionals from over six hundred companies, the majority saw employment law as making a positive contribution to their businesses. This research suggested that the main barrier to effective implementation of employment law is the perception that there is too much employment legislation (ibid). In response, the Annual Employment Law Review by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) (2012) aims to tackle perceptions that there are ‘too many’ employment laws, through lobbying for reform, while ensuring that reforms are not at the expense of compromising fairness for individuals. The report argues that although businesses complain about the amount of employment legislation, in reality the UK has one of the most lightly-regulated labour markets among developed countries. Only the United States and Canada have lighter overall employment regulation (OECD Indicators of Employment Protection, 2008: cit in: BIS, 2012). Arguments in favour of more Employment Legislation The UK’s ‘light touch’ employment regulations may be reflected in their flexible working legislation. The right to request flexible working does not enforce employers to comply with individual requests, only to offer the procedures for them to do so. It is therefore argued that it is individuals (particularly with dependents) and the social organisations who support them, who favour increasing employment legislation, in order to provide fairness at work that ensures a work life balance (Burnett et al, 2012). In a 2012 report by Working Families and One Plus One, Happy Homes and Productive Workplaces, from a sample of over two thousand respondents, nearly eighty percent of respondents felt that flexible working was the most beneficial working arrangement (Burnett et al, 2012). However, the report argued that in order to support flexible working, further legislation was needed in order to promote arrangements that are mutually beneficial and embedded as a culture of flexibility, rather than an approach that manages requests as an exception to the norm (ibid). Along with relationship and family support organisations, a growing number of business and HR associations support further employment legislation and reform to push forward the benefits of flexible working (CIPD, 2013). Drawing on the findings of the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study (WERS) the CIPD suggest that employment legislation needs to increase, due in part to a lack of effective mechanisms to tackle labour relations. The report points to recent socio-economic and political changes in the UK where an increase in employment law is becoming ever more essential. For example, the facilitation of employment legislation during the 1980’s and 1990’s discouraged union membership and reduced collective bargaining powers. This is reflected in the WERS study, in 2012, which shows very low levels of employee engagement in collective bargaining, only six percent in privat e businesses, with fourteen percent of employee trade union membership in the same sector (Wanrooy et al, 2011). The near absence of collective bargaining, although removing employer constraints on freedom of action, raises concerns over employee voice, where employment legislation may be seen as an attempt to close this gap (CIPD, 2012). Danzinger and Waters Boots (2008), argue that in reality flexible working legislation does not go far enough. Unions and parent advocacy groups argue that many workers who would benefit from flexible arrangements do not ask for them out of fear of being refused, or because of a fear that asking may jeopardise their careers. Research suggests that employees will only ask for flexible work if they believe their requests will be approved. It is also argued that flexible working legislation may reinforce gender inequalities by linking flexible work and care responsibilities, reinforcing a ‘mother career track’ that pairs women with demotions of pay and position. Further, unfair dismissal claims, involving refusal of flexible working, tend to favour women, who can rely on anti-discrimination legislation, such as in Adedeji v The City of London Corporation (2007) (see Appendix 2), in order to strengthen their claims (ibid). Future Changes to Flexible Working Legislation New flexible working employment legislation to come into effect in 2014 appears to address some of the above criticisms. The government plans to extend the statutory right to request flexible working arrangements to all employees (with over twenty-six weeks service) whether they are a carer or not. This removes the present requirement that the employee must have caring responsibilities. In addition, the procedure for considering flexible working requests, which is currently very prescriptive, will be relaxed and employers will instead be required to consider requests in a ‘reasonable’ manner and within a ‘reasonable’ time frame (ACAS, 2014). Currently, it is possible for an employee to claim compensation due to the employer’s failure to comply with the procedures laid down in the Flexible Working (Procedural Requirements) Regulations 2002. In Bryan v Corporate Advertising Ltd ET/2105111/10, although the tribunal rejected Mrs Bryan’s claim that she was constructively dismissed and subjected to indirect sex discrimination, it was however held that the company had breached the procedures laid down by the 2002 Regulations. This procedural breach may no longer by relied upon under the 2014 legislation. However, successful claims may still be used under anti-discrimination legislation. In Commotion Ltd v Rutty [2006] IRLR 171 (EAT), it was upheld that the employee had been subject to constructive unfair dismissal and indirect sex discrimination, due to the employer’s failure to have any lawful reason to reject flexible working conditions. However, in Winfindale v Debenhams Retail plc (ET/2404134/10, 20 Aug 2010), it was held that there was no indirect sex discrimination where an employer showed that they took seriously a request to return from maternity leave on a part-time basis to a manager’s role. According to a Equality and Human Rights Commission report (2009), proposed changes in flexible working legislation will continue to fail to encourage workers in management positions to request flexible arrangements (EHRC, 2009). The report suggests that under current legislation, employee’s in management positions are less likely to make a request for flexible working, and when they do, they are less likely to succeed (ibid). In the government’s Consultation on Modern Workplaces Report (2012), it is argued that current legislation that prioritises certain groups reinforces the idea that flexible working is only for those in caring roles, whereas the aim of the new legislation is to promote a culture where flexible working is a legitimate ambition for all employees (HM Government, 2009). Although the legislation proposes to ‘allow’ but not ‘require’ employers to prioritise competing requests, employers will continue to have to show that all competing requests cannot always be accommodated, in their entirety, on business grounds (ibid). Drawing on the CIPD report (2005), a large majority of employers find compliance with the current legislation relatively straightforward. Of those who have had problems, the main barrier to compliance is that managers find it difficult to manage employees on different flexible working arrangements. Given that the new legislation attempts to widen the right to request flexible working to all employees, employers may face an increased challenge to accommodate competing requests. However, according to the same report, since the introduction of the current legislation, less than one-tenth of employers have faced grievance or disciplinary proceedings, or an employment tribunal claim. Further, research shows that it is large multi-national companies that benefit most from flexible working arrangements. Among those benefits are improvements in staff retention, improved morale and a reduction in costs (CIPD, 2005). These reported benefits need to be balanced against arguments that oppose mor e legislation promoting flexible working (ibid). More significantly, the statutory provision to enable greater flexibility in the workplace looks set to increase in the future. In a recent report, Management Futures – The World in 2018 (2008), the findings predict that organisations will become more virtual, the premium for talent will increase, with new aspirations and ambitions of a multi-cultural, widely dispersed workforce (Chartered Management Institute (CMI),2008). Conclusion This report has attempted to provide an insight into the contextual background surrounding employment laws in the UK today. The focus on flexible working legislation may be seen as a salient debate, given the competing claims from employers, employees and the organisations that support them (Burnett et al, 2012). At the same time, against a backdrop of socio-political and economic changes there has been an increasing legislative response to address both the rights of individual workers and a drive to improve competition, efficiency and development in the market (Pettinger, 1998). Given the predictions of further changes in the labour market, statutory provision looks set to increase in response. The debate for or against increasing legislation surrounding flexible working therefore needs to be balanced with the benefit to both businesses and the rights of individuals (CIPD, 2005). Word count: 2644 Bibliography Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) (2014) Employment Law Update. Available [online] from: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3909 [Accessed on 4th January 2014] Anderman, S.D (2000) Labour Law:Management Decisions and Workers Rights:4th Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) (2005) Employment Law: Burden or BenefitBCC Available [online] from: http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/ [Accessed on 4th January 2014] British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) (2010) Employment Regulation: Up to the JobMarch 2010. Available [online] from: http://www.thamesvalleychamber.co.uk [Accessed on: 4th January 2014] Biagi, M (2000) Job Creation and Labour Law: From Protection Towards Pro-action. The Hague: Klvwar Law International Burnett, S Coleman, L, Houlston C, Reynolds, J (2012) Happy Homes and Productive Workplaces: Summary Report of Research Findings. Available [online] from: http://www.oneplusone.org.uk [Accessed on: 4th January 2014] Busby, N James, G (2011) Families, Care-giving and Paid Word: Challenging Labour Law in the 21st Century. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) (2012) Flexible Working Provision and Uptake Survey Report. May 2012. Available [online] from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/binaries/5790%20Flexible%20Working%20SR%20(WEB2).pdf [Accessed on: 4th January 2014] Chartered Management Institute (CMI) (2008) Management Futures: The World in 2018. CMI. Available [online] from: http://www.managers.org.uk-research-policy-published-reports [Accessed on 4th January 2014] Civicus (2008) Strategic Directions 2008-2012 World Alliance for Citizen Participation Available [online] from: http://civicus.org/downloads/SDConsultation/Annex%209%20-%202008-2012%20CIVICUS%20Strategic%20Directions.pdf Danzinger, A Waters Boots, S (2008) Memo on the Impact of the United Kingdoms Flexible Working Act. Georgetown: Georgetown University Law Centre Davies, A (2011) Employment Law and Workplace Law Handbook: Human Resources. Cambridge: Workplace Law Group Ltd Department for Business Innovation and Skills (2012) Employment Law Review – Annual Update 2012. Available [online] from: http://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/government/publication [Accessed on 4th January 2014] Department of Trade and Industry (dti) (2006) Employment Flexibility and UK Regional Unemployment: Persistance and Micro-economic Shocks. Employment Relations Research Series No.65. Available [online] from: http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file36144.pdf [Accessed on 4th January 2014] Equality and Human Rights Commission Report (2009) Flexible Working Policies: A Comparative Review. Research Report 16. Available [online] from: http://www.equalityandhumanrightscommission.com Faulkner, F. 2001 ‘The technology question in feminism: A view from feminist technology studies’, Women’s Studies International Forum, Vol. 2, No.1, pg.79-95. Hill, E.J., Hawkins, A.J., Ferris, M. Weitzman, M. 2001. ‘Finding an Extra Day a Week: The Positive Influence of Perceived Job Flexibility on Work and Family Life Balance’ Family Relations, 50(1): pg.49-58. HM Government (2012) Consultation on Modern Workplaces, Modern Workplaces – Government Response on Flexible Parental Leave. November 2012. HM Government. Available [online] from: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-modern-workplaces/ [Accessed on 4th January 2014] Honeyball, S (2008) Honeyball and Bowers Textbook on Employment Law:10th Edition. Oxford:Oxford University Press James, G (2006) The Work and Families Act 2006: Legislation to improve choice and flexibilityIndustrial Law Journal. Vol:35,issue 3 pp: 272-278 Jones, K Jones, E (2011) Flexible Working Practices in the UK:Gender and Management Perspectives. Women in Society, Vol 2 Autumn 2011Available [online] from: http://www.newport.ac.uk/research/Journals/wis/vol2/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed on 4th January 2014] Keter, V (2010) Issues in Employment Law: Key Issues for the New Parliament 2010. House of Commons Library Research, Social Reform. Available [online] from: http//wwwParliament.uk/document/key%20issues%20in%employment. [Accessed on: 4th January 2014] National Audit Office (2009) Complying with Regulation: Business Perceptions Survey 2009. Available [online] from: http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/0809/complying_with_regulation.aspx Painter, R Holmes,A (2008) Cases and Materials on Employment Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press Pettinger (1998) Managing the Workforce. London: Cassell Trade Union Congress (TUC) (2008) Changing Times Newsletter No.92 13th February 2008. Trade Union Congress. Available [online] from: http://www.tuc.org.uk/welfare-and†¦issues/†¦/changing-times-newsletter-no.92 Wanrooy,B, Bweley, H, Bryson,A, Forth,J, Freeth,S, Stokes, L, Wood,S (2011) The 2011 Employment Relations Study:First Finding. London: The Workplace Employment Relations Study. Available [online] at http://www.gov.uk/13.1010.WERS-first-findings-report-third-edition [Accessed on: 4th January 2014] How to cite Employment Law, Essay examples

The Grapes Of Wrath Description Al free essay sample

The Grapes Of Wrath: Description Al Joad And The Setting Essay, Research Paper The Grapes of Wrath: Description Al Joad and the Setting Al Joad is a reasonably scraggy cat of medium built who starts out being a cocky, egotistic character. His lone justifiable ground for moving cocky is that his brother, Tom, killed a adult male and went to imprison. Al respects his brother and thinks of him as a adult male for holding killed another adult male. The fact of the affair is that Tom was merely moving in ego defence. After a adult male came after Tom with a knife, Tom hit him over the caput with a shovel, and killing him in the procedure. Al would have complements all over town from people who recognize him and being the brother of a adult male that was a slayer. Equally shortly as Tom Joad comes place from prison, Al is a changed individual. We will write a custom essay sample on The Grapes Of Wrath Description Al or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He is no longer cocky and he about resents his brother coming home so shortly. As the Joad household is forced to go forth their place land and travel to California, Al takes on a great duty. His occupation is to drive the household and take complete attention of the truck that they are driving. Al takes his occupation really earnestly and gets disquieted when anything happens to the auto. Emotionally, I would state Al has become really strong throughout the novel . He starts out reasonably depend on the â€Å"glory† of his brother, but he takes his duties earnestly. I see Al as being a crucial character subsequently in the novel. He is the sort of individual that needs motive from the start, but one time he gets traveling, he won # 8217 ; t halt. Puting Description Oklahoma could best be described as one big dustbowl. All rain has ceased to fall. The dry air current wisps through the air and gathers dirt. If you listen closely plenty, it sounds as though there are people groaning whenever air current is present. The heat is so humid that any beginning of H2O is dried up, and the workss wither off. All of the maize harvests are gone every bit good as all other harvests. The soil is like sand ; it has no wet or fertilisation. It is grainy and difficult as though no H2O has of all time moistened it. Day after twenty-four hours, storm clouds can be seen lingering overhead. You could curse it would rain any minute, but it neer does. The humidness merely increases and the all right dust atoms become portion of the air ; which merely makes things worse. Not merely is it unbearably hot, but it is awfully hard to take a breath. Life can non be in such intolerable conditions. For this ground, life moves on and foliages behind the elephantine dustbowl.

Theoretical Framework Essay Example

Theoretical Framework Essay Vida (2007) noted that since the mid 1990s when Elisabeth Hirschman, expressed the need for researchers to explore the ‘dark-side’ of consumer behaviors, literatures investigating and explaining the various factors that influence consumer purchase behaviors, especially with regard to illegal or counterfeit products, have increased considerably. Building on the willingness to pay concept, Vida conceived explored consumers willingness to purchase fake products. The author contended that demographic and socio-economic factors like age, gender, education, marital status, income and religiosity shape consumers attitude towards counterfeits, innovativeness (desire to be unique) and social pressure. These three, in turn, influence consumers willingness to purchase counterfeit products. Also, Xuemei and Veloutsou (2005) in their exploratory study, also reports that personal and social factors significantly influence consumers purchase behaviors. The authors contended that personal and social factors such as: value consciousness, normality susceptibility, novelty seeking and collectivism, and five attitude measures: reliability of the product in question, functionality of the product, recognized social benefits of purchasing the product, risks of purchasing and legality of purchasing, influence consumer purchase of counterfeit products. The study found that novelty seeking significantly influences consumer purchase of counterfeits products due to the similar or sometimes, superior quality of counterfeit products. We will write a custom essay sample on Theoretical Framework specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Theoretical Framework specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Theoretical Framework specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Moreover, in a more elaborate study, Augusto de Matos, Ituassu and Rossi (2007) also found that price quality inference and previous experience, among others, significantly increases the chances of consumers purchasing fake products. This study, drawing from the findings of the studies mentioned above, contends that a consumer attitude towards counterfeit product greatly influences their purchase behavior. It also hypotheses that previous experience with safety concerns, quality of counterfeits with respect to the price, and the intention to use counterfeits to test the product before purchasing the genuine brands, shape consumer attitudes towards counterfeit and subsequently, their purchasing of counterfeit products. Augusto de Matos, Ituassu and Rossi (2007) rightly point out that quality and price are two fundamental factors that shape consumer purchase behavior. Traditionally, consumers believe that lower priced products are of lower quality, and this is largely the case with deceptive counterfeit products. However, with non-deceptive counterfeits products, consumers are offered products of similar or superior quality, compared to the genuine products, at lower prices. The combination of low price and high quality is bound to improve consumer attitudes towards counterfeits. For this reason, it is expected that: Counterfeits with superior quality enhances consumers’ perception and attitudes towards counterfeit products. Safety concerns are one of the most important issues with counterfeit products. These products have been known to pose significant threat to consumer health and safety, especially when it concerns medications and household items. However, not all consumers consider counterfeit goods to be unsafe or dangerous. It is expected that: Consumers who consider counterfeit goods to be unsafe and dangerous will have unfavorable attitudes towards counterfeit products, and vice versa. Lastly, novelty seeking can also influence consumer attitude towards counterfeit products. This feeling refers to individuals need for a sense of worth or social recognition; people always want to be seen as special and capable of affording material things. The increasing materialism in the world means that people that cannot afford the finer things of life feel unworthy. Since the presence of cheaper and yet quality counterfeit products provide the opportunity to afford these luxuries, individuals in the lower economic range are often willing to purchase such counterfeit products. Thus, it is expected that the sense of novelty influences consumer attitude towards counterfeit products.

Repartee Definition and Examples

Repartee Definition and Examples A repartee means having a quick, witty reply or an exchange of witty remarks and comes from the Old French to set out again. Examples and Observations First one speaks, then presently tothers upon him slap, with a Repartee.(Bayes in The Rehearsal by George Villiers, 1672)†The concept of staircase wit, authored by the French writer Denis Diderot, refers to those devastatingly clever remarks that we’re unable to produce when they’re needed, but come to mind with perfect clarity moments later, as we’re walking down the staircase and heading out the door. There is no similar expression in English, but the Germans have long had their own word for it: Treppenwitz (also ‘staircase wit’). The writer Heywood Broun certainly had this phenomenon in mind when he wrote: ‘Repartee is what you wish you’d said.’... While the word retort suggests the notion of putting adversaries and opponents in their place, repartee is a broader term that refers to clever or witty remarks in almost any social situation. Repartee stories have been around for centuries.†(Mardy Grothe, Viva la Reparte e. Collins, 2005)†Even when members of the Algonquin Round Table pondered some of life’s most serious questions, one or another of the witty group would somehow find a way to lighten the conversation. During a discussion of suicide one day, George S. Kaufman was asked by another member of the group, ‘So, how would you kill yourself?’ Kaufman considered the question thoughtfully for several moments before replying: ‘With kindness.’†(Quoted by Mardy Grothe in Viva la Repartee) Repartee is something we think of twenty-four hours too late.(Mark Twain)[T]art-tongued Lady Astor, the first woman elected to the House of Commons, allegedly told [Winston] Churchill, If you were my husband, Id put poison in your coffee (in his tea, more likely). Madam, Churchill is said to have responded, If you were my wife, Id drink it. Many biographers of both Churchill and Astor report that some form of this exchange took place. However, the researcher for a biography of Churchill... discounted the comment as uncharacteristic of the rather prim prime minister.(Ralph Keyes, The Quote Verifier: Who Said What, Where, and When. Macmillan, 2006) Dorothy Parker â€Å"In the hospital Dorothy Parker was visited by her secretary, to whom she wished to dictate some letters. Pressing the button marked NURSE, Dorothy observed, ‘That should assure us at least 45 minutes of undisturbed privacy.’† â€Å"Dorothy Parker and a friend were talking about a forceful and garrulous celebrity. ‘She’s so outspoken,’ remarked the friend. ‘By whom?’ asked Dorothy.† â€Å"Looking at a worn-out toothbrush in their hostess’s bathroom, a fellow guest said to Dorothy Parker, ‘Whatever do you think she does with that?’ ’I think she rides it on Halloween’ was the reply.†(Quoted in The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes, edited by Clifton Fadiman. Little,Brown and Co., 1985) Oscar Wilde â€Å"Ah, well, then, I suppose that I shall have to die beyond my means.†(at the mention of a huge fee for a surgical operation) â€Å"Work is the curse of the drinking classes.† â€Å"I have nothing to declare except my genius.†(at the New York Custom House) â€Å"Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.†(Quoted in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, 6th ed., edited by Elizabeth Knowles. Oxford Univ. Press, 2004)

University of Maine at Fort Kent Admissions Statistics

University of Maine at Fort Kent Admissions Statistics With an acceptance rate of 81%, the University of Maine at Fort Kent is an accessible school for students with decent grades in college preparatory classes. Students will need to submit an application (the Common Application is accepted), high school transcripts, and a writing sample. SAT and ACT scores are not required. For guidelines and instructions about applying, be sure to visit the schools website. Admissions Data (2016): University of Maine at Fort Kent Acceptance Rate: 81%The University of Maine at Fort Kent has largely open admissions, but students will need adequate college preparatory coursework as well as an essay and letter of recommendation.UMFK has test-optional-admissionsTest Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 390 / 510SAT Math: 400 / 475SAT Writing: - / -Compare SAT scores for Maine CollegesACT Composite: 16  / 22ACT English: 12 / 22ACT Math: 16  / 20Compare ACT scores for Maine Colleges University of Maine at Fort Kent Description: The University of Maine at Fort Kent is a  public liberal arts college  and one of the seven institutions that make up the University of Maine System. Students who hate winter need not apply Fort Kent sits on the northern edge of Maine along the Canadian border, and the town is home to the CanAm Crown Sled Dog race, an event in which participants can qualify for the Iditarod. Outdoor lovers will appreciate the fishing, skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, hunting, camping, and kayaking opportunities in the area. The colleges location has largely shaped the curriculum with its experiential approach to learning and its focus on environmental stewardship and rural communities. The town of Fort Kent is home to about 4,000 people, and French-speaking Canada is just a few blocks away. Student life at the college is active with clubs and organizations focused on music, gaming, religion, hobbies, and education. UMFK also has a small fraternity and sorority system. In athletics, the UMFK Bengals compete in United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). The school fields two mens and three womens intercollegiate sports. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 1,904 (all undergraduate)Gender Breakdown: 31% Male / 69% Female35% Full-time Costs (2016  - 17): Tuition and Fees: $7,575 (in-state), $11,205 (out-of-state)Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $7,910Other Expenses: $2,500Total Cost: $18,985  (in-state), $22,615 (out-of-state) University of Maine at Fort Kent Financial Aid (2015  - 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 94%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 81%Loans: 66%Average Amount of AidGrants: $5,250Loans: $7,076 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Business, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Nursing, Social Science Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 75%Transfer Out Rate: 28%4-Year Graduation Rate: 29%6-Year Graduation Rate: 47% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Soccer, BasketballWomens Sports:  Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like the University of Maine Fort Kent, You May Also Like These Schools: Husson University: Profile  Thomas College: Profile  University of Maine - Orono: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of New England: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of New Hampshire: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphLyndon State College: Profile  University of Vermont: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of New Haven: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphChamplain College: Profile  University of Maine - Augusta: Profile  University of Hartford: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

The bicycle Thieves Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The bicycle Thieves - Essay Example It should be clarified that the movement began not to highlight the economic decline that followed World War II but because of it. The film-making industry suffered in particular – by the conversion of studios in to military and refugee camps, the lack of equipment and the unreliability of the electrical supply. This lead to the production of films shot strictly on location, capturing the war-ravaged sights of post-war Italy – and focusing on a more honest portrayal of real lives and real people. Neo-realist filmmakers believed that cinema had moral repercussions and should thus be manipulated carefully to draw attention towards some truths. ‘The Bicycle Thieves’, in keeping with traditional neo-realist films casts non-professional actors in lead roles. Indeed, the protagonist of the movie, Antonio Ricci, was played by Lamberto Maggiorani, a worker himself. The character Antonia Ricci is shown to have been unemployed for almost two years at the start of the film before he is offered a job – the sole requirement of which is the possession of a bicycle. Despite knowing that he does not own one, Ricci takes up the job of putting up movies posters around town. His wife, Maria, pawns linen bed-sheets that were a part of her dowry in exchange for money to buy a bicycle. On their way home, his wife stops at an old building, claiming to meet someone. However, Antonio discovers that Maria is actually there to give money to a clairvoyant who predicted that he would get a job soon. Ricci mocks her and tells her off for being superstitious. The next day, as Antonio sets out for work, a young man steals his bicycle while his back is turned and takes off with it. Antonio pursues him frenetically until he loses track of him. He goes to the police to enlist their help but discovers that there is not much they can do. In despair, Antonio takes to walking the streets and scouting marketplaces with his son, Bruno, and his friends in search of his bicycle. Their search leads them to many places and to falsely accusing a man of possessing the stolen bicycle. However, after vainly attempting to find it, they give up. At this point, Antonio decides to treat his son to dinner at a restaurant. The scene that follows is pivotal to the theme of the movie. While Antonio and Bruno are enjoying their meal, Bruno keeps turning around to look at another seemingly wealthier family dining at a table nearby. He exchanges glances with a boy his own age seated at this table. Antonio notices this, and exclaims with frustration ‘To eat like that, you’d have to earn at least a million a month.’ Antonio and Bruno, in the throes of their despair, go to see the clairvoyant that Antonio had mocked earlier on. It is interesting to note that when faced with the prospect of poverty, Ricci turns to the same superstitions he derided his wife for believing in while when at the start of the film, shortly after the acquisition of his bi cycle and a job, he believes them to be associated with irrationality and thus baseless. The clairvoyant gives Ricci vague and unhelpful advice, telling him that he would either find his bicycle today o not at all. Dismayed, Bruno and Antonio leave the building. Soon after, however, they spot the thief who had stolen his bicycle. They chase him down, but are surrounded by hostile neighbors. Bruno discreetly slips away to find a policeman while Antonio accuses the thief of having

Political influence of different racial politicians Essay

Political influence of different racial politicians - Essay Example This method will be efficient in narrowing the vast area of study to few hypotheses that can be used to substantiate the main hypothesis. This method involves study and research but omits interviews that may give misleading information. Also the method does not take a lot of time and it can be carried out in fewer phases. This makes it very easy to allocate time to analysis and elimination of non essential materials. This will help in making an accurate assessment on the main hypothesis. This method will also allow for sampling of many materials that may lead to the accurate conclusion of views and reasons in accordance to the hypothesis. The statistical approach in this will involve quantitative research which will be emended with two approaches; the process and principlesThe process; the examination will have one or more speculations. These are the inquiries that they need to address which incorporate forecasts about conceivable connections between the things they need to research (variables). Keeping in mind the end goal to discover replies to these inquiries, the exploration will additionally have different instruments and materials and a plainly characterized arrangement of movement. The principles; Objectivity is exceptionally vital in quantitative exploration. Subsequently, specialists take incredible forethought to dodge their vicinity, conduct or demeanor influencing the results. They likewise basically inspect their strategies and conclusions for any conceivable predisposition.

Morality and Obligation Essay Example for Free

Morality and Obligation Essay 1. Two preliminary steps taken, that may be necessary, before one can intui? vely appreciate the rightness of an ac? on are thinking fully about the consequences of an ac? on. In other words, think before you act. Also give thought (considera? on) to the persons involved in said ac? on or your rela? on(ship) with the persons involved. 2. An ac? on is considered morally good in addi? on to being right when it is the right thing to do, while also stemming from a good place. When the person or agent performs said act because it is right, from a feeling of obliga? on, a morally good act is also right. 3. According to Prichard, an ac? on done from a sense of obliga? on, there is no purpose consis? ng either in the ac? on itself or in anything which it will produce. A mo? ve, being something that moves one to act, can be the sense of obliga? on, an ac? on done from a sense of obliga? on can indeed have a mo? ve. 4. Avirtuous act is done from a desire that is intrinsically good. A moral act may be done from obliga? on. There cant be an obliga? on to act virtuously, because we can only feel an obliga? on to act or do something. We cannot, however, feel an obliga? on to act from a certain desire 5. It is a mistake to expect moral philosophy to prove through argumenta? on that we ought to ful+ll our obliga? ons, because moral rightness cannot be demonstrated, only apprehended directly by an act of moral thinking. The sense of obliga? on is a result of a moral thought or thoughts. Moral philosophy can provide re-ec? on on the immediacy of our knowledge of moral rightness and the intui? ve recogni? on of the goodness of the virtues.

Celtic Lifestyle :: European Europe History

Celtic Lifestyle During the period when the Celts existed, which is approximately 800 BC - 400 AD, they were just a little tribe compared to other large civilizations such as the Romans and Greeks. They still managed to conquer many regions and prove victorious in most of their battles. Who were these Celts that survived numerous struggles? Where did they originate? What kind of social structure did they have? What kinds of beliefs did they have? What sort of weapons and armor did they use in battle? What were some of their military tactics? These are some of the questions that will be evaluated in the following paragraphs. The Celts were tall, fair-skinned warriors who were well built, had blond hair and blue eyes. Some of them washed their hair in lime water to increase the hue of it. Some of them shaved their beards, but others let them grow long. Some also shaved their cheeks and let their moustaches grow so long that they would cover their mouth. While eating, they sat on wolves or dog skins. They ate at low tables, like the Chinese, and were served by young boys and girls. They cooked big quarters, usually from a pig or calf over a fire on a spit and the hero was served the biggest portion. Seeing as how the they were so aggressive and easy to anger, they often fought during meals or challenged each other to fights. The Celts lived in the Western region of Europe called the Normandy region. Normandy is a small region in the north of France, but they spread out from that region through all of France and Belgium. They also conquered areas in the western part of Germany, through the Black Forest region, along the Jura Mountains of Switzerland, along the Alps and to the upper part of Spain in the Pyrenees Mountains. They expanded their region to Spain and Portugal in 600 BC and through Italy, beyond the Alps in 386 BC. In 325 BC - 279 BC, they conquered areas throughout Greece, and in 278 BC they expanded into Asia Minor. But around 250 BC, the Romans regained their power in Italy and pushed the Celts back towards Gaul (modern day France) until 52 BC when the Romans, under command of Julius Caesar finally pushed them out of main land Europe and into England and then into Ireland, where the Celts fended themselves from any further attack from their southern and eastern neighbors.

The One Percent Research Paper

Running Head: THE ONE PERCENTPage 1 THE ONE PERCENT Ryan M. Kerrick March 18, 2012 THE ONE PERCENTPage 2 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard Cannella English Composition II March 18, 2012 A good friend of mine recently recommended me to watch a documentary called â€Å"The One Percent. † I do not usually watch documentaries unless I am gaining some type of knowledge out of the information presented. Unsure of what it was about and what I was going to get out of it, I turned on NetFlix and proceeded to watch the film. I soon came to realize I was enamored by this film, â€Å"The One Percent,† and it remains one of my favorite documentaries of all time.The documentary deals with the disparity between the wealthy elite and the citizenry and how they are both so far removed from one another. â€Å"As of 2010, the top 1% of households (the upper class) owned 35. 4% of all privately held wealth. † (Domhoff, 2010, The Wealth Distribution, para. 1). The producer and interviewer presents this film through many wealthy American businessmen, critics, economists and even his own family to explain this major social gap that exists on our home front. When looking at the differences side-by-side, it is hard to grasp that we all live in the same place, the United States of America.The film was created by Jamie Johnson, the heir to one of America’s most affluent families. Being born with a â€Å"silver spoon,† Jamie never really had anything to worry about in life– from private schools to private jets, equestrian clubs and charitable dinner parties. But, he always felt something was missing in his life and he couldn’t quite put a finger on it. The fortune that Jamie inherited on his 21st birthday was from one of the wealthiest family-owned companies in the United States, Johnson and Johnson. THE ONE PERCENTPage 3 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard CannellaEnglish Composition II March 18, 2012 His great grandfather â€Å"started the company in 1886† (Johnson and Johnson, 1997) and it continued to grow well beyond imagination. Jamie would always wonder what made him deserve this prosperous lifestyle. After self-examination, Jamie was determined to investigate some of the questions haunting him in his head about the wealth disparity in America. Attempting to bring his mind to ease, he decided to create this documentary, â€Å"The One Percent. † Within the first few minutes of the film I noticed a sign labeled â€Å"Private Property Members Only. To me the sign is showing how the wealthy pride themselves in being part of such an elite club. Meanwhile, on the other side of the spectrum, the working class feel like they are not truly part of society at all. In the beginning of the documentary you see the Johnson’s having a family meeting. At first it looks normal, but they are not discussing chores around the house. It is a â€Å"family meeting† with their financial wealth and money management advis ors. The meeting is centered on managing their wealth and assets and essentially turning their millions in to more millions.The consensus from the advisors is that every year the family fortune tenfold and they continue to become richer and richer. Jamie seems to be upsetting his father with the making of this documentary and the advisors seem hesitant to talk about money and wealth on camera. THE ONE PERCENTPage 4 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard Cannella English Composition II March 18, 2012 His father’s initial reaction is that his son’s documentary is nonsense, but something that might have a huge ripple effect if taken seriously. Jamie does a great job trying to get answers and asking difficult questions to the wealthy elite of America.The footage he presents is of people giving their most honest views and thoughts and it is evident there is a huge gap between the wealthy and the poor. Jamie Johnson interviewed numerous people within different social classes. They rang ed from Milton Freedman and Steve Forbes, who owns his own private cruise ship, to some local residents of the south side of Chicago, who live in poverty without locks on their mailboxes. Jamie is presenting the social gap with visuals– broken down buildings compared to mansions, a homeless man asking for money compared to fancy beach resorts and post hurricane Katrina victims with private country clubs.A poignant moment that stood out to me in the documentary was when Jamie interviewed Nicole Buffet, the granddaughter of Warren Buffet through marriage (his son Peter’s ex-wife’s daughter. ) It was comforting to watch and I feel even Jamie felt a sense of self-awareness as he interviewed the young female. She seemed so confident in who she was but most of all peaceful, content and happy with the simple things in life. In this situation, you can see money seems to be the root of all evil. Even to the point of ridding someone of your family that has great memories of you. THE ONE PERCENTPage 5 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr.Richard Cannella English Composition II March 18, 2012 She talked of her â€Å"grandpa† as the loving man she knows him as (not as multimillion dollar business man. ) In response to her participation in the documentary, he wrote to her â€Å"I have not emotionally or legally adopted you as a grandchild, nor have the rest of my family adopted you as a niece of cousin. † (Schroeder, 2008, p. 976) He disclaims her as a granddaughter despite all the good she says about him just because of her role in the film. People argue that Buffet was not out of place because Nicole was adopted or a step child and was not part of his immediate family.I thought the same until I stumbled upon an article written in The Wall Street Journal. The article stated â€Å"Susan Buffett, Warren's first wife, who died in 2004, named Nicole in her will as one of her â€Å"adored grandchildren† and left her $100,000. She added that Nicole †Å"shall have the same status and benefits †¦ as if they were children of my son, Peter A. Buffett. † Also, â€Å"a source close to the family says Nicole spent â€Å"very little time† with Warren Buffett over the years but that he paid for Nicole's school and living expenses until she was 28. Nicole says that Mr.Buffett's reaction may have reflected his philosophy about wealth. â€Å"Sharing my experience as a Buffett was stepping outside the box,† she says. † (Frank, R. 2008). Another part of the film that stood out to me is when Jamie interviewed the taxi cab driver and I did like what the man had to say. He said, â€Å"My family is one of the richest families in the world, but not with money. With love, kindness, tolerance and patience. Qualities that are worth more than money and you can’t buy that. † THE ONE PERCENTPage 6 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard Cannella English Composition II March 18, 2012This showed the much clear distinction in values between the rich and the working class. Comparing what the taxi driver had said to the values of Warren Buffet who wrote his granddaughter disclaiming because she did not support the family lifestyle, which would you prefer? Watching this documentary I came to find that with money also comes a fear of losing that money and becoming consumed by it. Along with money comes the changing of your values and whole aspect on life. It allows families in America to move up in class, often times allowing them to adopt different ideas and different family values.After viewing this documentary my analysis on the disparity of the wealth gap is that it is reality and there isn’t much we can do about it. I am able to see what people have to go through to make it to the top. Business men do not become who they are by being nice to people. They have to be aggressive in the business world, cut throat, sharp and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams. That might come with risks or even mean walking all over people. But, sometimes to make a difference, you have to ride through hell to make it to heaven.This might be a hard pill for some people to swallow, but, it is reality and it is the truth. People have not become moguls overnight singing KUM-BAH-YA and dancing around a fire. Las Vegas was built on mob money before it was cleaned up and presented with a new face by entrepreneur investing. This is business. You have to be able to stomach it and it is not for the weak hearted. I would therefore have to agree with what I have seen in the documentary regarding Jamie’s father and his behavior. THE ONE PERCENTPage 7 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard Cannella English Composition IIMarch 18, 2012 He did what he had to do to get to where he is today even though he inherited his thrown. In my personal opinion, if you look hard enough you will always find dirt and the top of the social ladder. You do not only have to be rich for that either, all of huma nity is flawed in its own way. I do not believe that everyone was born to be a millionaire. However, I do believe that in our own way, if we preserve and strive to work hard, we are all able to be â€Å"millionaires† in our own eyes and live fulfilling lives and contribute to making our society a better place to live.Being unemployed, uneducated and living off welfare is not fair to the people who work hard to pay taxes to support their fellow citizens. I consider it to be a lazy and irresponsible way of life. However, it is a choice in life you have. The money is out there for the taking so it is also your prerogative whether you choose to go out and get it or not. Make your decision wisely and keep your values in mind while climbing the social ladder if that is the route you decide to take. THE ONE PERCENTPage 8 Ryan M. Kerrick Mr. Richard CannellaEnglish Composition II March 18, 2012 REFERENCES Johnson and Johnson. (1997). History of Johnson and Johnson. Retrieved from htt p://www. jnj. com/connect/about-jnj/company-history/ Schroeder, A. (2008). The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life. Domhoff, G. (2010). Wealth, Income, and Power: The Wealth Distribution. Retrieved from http://whorulesamerica. net/power/wealth. html Frank, R. (2008). The Wall Street Journal: The Rich Man’s Michael Moore. Retrieved from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB120371859381786725. html? mod=fpa_mostpop

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 15~17

Chapter 15 A MOMENTARY FLASH OF MOLLY â€Å"By the purple horn of Nigoth, I command thee to boil!† screeched the Warrior Babe. What good was a higher power, after all, if he wouldn't help you cook your ramen noodles? Molly stood over the stove, naked, except for a wide sash from which was slung the scabbard for her broadsword at the center of her back, giving the impression that she had won honors in the Miss Nude Random Violence Pageant. Her skin was slick with sweat, not because she'd been working out, but because she'd chopped up the coffee table with her broken broadsword and burned it, along with two chairs from the dining-room set, in the fireplace. The cabin was sweltering. The power hadn't gone out yet, but it would soon, and the Warrior Babe of the Outland dropped into survival mode a little sooner than most people. It was in her job description. â€Å"It's Christmas Eve,† said the Narrator. â€Å"Shouldn't we eat something more festive? Eggnog? How about sugar cookies in the shape of Nigoth? Do you have purple sprinkles?† â€Å"You'll get nothing and like it! You are but a soulless ghost that vexes me and stirs in my mind like spiders. When my check arrives on the fifth, you shall be banished to the abyss forever.† â€Å"I'm just saying, hacking up the coffee table? Screaming at the soup? I think you could channel your energies in a more positive way. Something in the holiday spirit.† In a momentary flash of Molly, the Warrior Babe realized that there was a line she could cross, when the Narrator actually became the voice of reason, as opposed to a niggling voice trying to get her to act out. She turned the burner down to medium and went to the bedroom. She pulled a stool over to the closet and climbed up on it so she could reach to the back shelf. The problem with marrying a guy who was six foot six, is you often find yourself scaling the counters to get to stuff that he placed there for convenience. That, and you needed a riding steam iron in order to press one of his shirts. Not that she did that very often, but if you try to get a crease straight in a forty-inch sleeve once, you're as likely as not to give up ironing altogether. She was nuts already, she didn't need help from trying to perform frustrating tasks After feeling around on the top shelf, brushing over the spare holster for Theo's Glock, her hand closed on a velvet-wrapped bundle. She climbed down from the stool and took the long bundle to the couch, where she sat down and slowly unwrapped it. The scabbard was made of wood. Somehow it had been laminated with layers of black silk, so that it appeared to drink the light out of the room. The handle was wrapped in black silk cord and there was a cast bronze hand guard with a filigreed dragon design. The ivory head of a dragon protruded from the pommel. When she pulled the sword from the scabbard, her breath caught in her throat. She knew immediately that it was real, it was ancient, and it had to have been exorbitantly expensive. It was the finest blade she had ever seen in person, and a tashi, not a katana. Theo knew she would want the longer, heavier sword for working out, that she would spend hours training with this valuable antique, not lock it in a glass case to be looked at. Tears welled up in her eyes and the blade turned to a silver blur in her vision. He had risked his freedom and his pride to buy her this, to acknowledge that part of her that everyone else seemed to want to get rid of. â€Å"Your soup is boiling over,† said the Narrator, â€Å"you sentimental sissy-girl â€Å" And it was. She could hear the hiss of the water hitting the hot burner. Molly leaped to her feet and looked around for a place to set the sword. The coffee table had long since gone to ash in the fireplace. She looked to the bookshelf under the front window, and in that second there was a deafening snap as the trunk of a big pine gave way outside, followed by lighter crackles and snaps as it took out branches and smaller trees on the way to the ground. Sparks lit up the night outside, and the lights went out as the entire cabin shook with the impact of the tree hitting in the front yard. Molly could see the downed power lines out by the road arcing orange and blue through the night. Silhouetted in the window was a tall dark figure, standing there,just looking at her. Although a lot of single people attended, the Lonesome Christmas party was never supposed to have been a pickup scene, an extension of the holiday musical chairs that went on at the Head of the Slug. People did occasionally meet there, become lovers, mates, but that wasn't the purpose. Originally it was just a get-together for people who had no family or friends in the area with whom to spend Christmas, and who didn't want to spend it alone, or in an alcohol-induced coma, or both. Over the years it had become somewhat more – an anticipated event that people actually chose to attend instead of more traditional gatherings with friends and family. â€Å"I can't imagine a more heinous horror show than spending the holidays with my family,† said Tucker Case as Theo rejoined the group. â€Å"How about you, Theo?† There was another guy standing with Tuck and Gabe, a balding blond guy who looked like an athlete gone to fat, wearing a red Star Fleet Command shirt and dress slacks. Theo recognized him as Joshua Barker's stepfather/mom's boyfriend/whatever, Brian Henderson. â€Å"Brian,† Theo said, remembering the guy's name at the last second and offering his hand. â€Å"How are you? Are Emily and Josh here?† â€Å"Uh, yeah, but not with me,† Brian said. â€Å"We sort of had a falling-out.† Tucker Case stepped in. â€Å"He told the kid that there was no Santa Claus and that Christmas was just a brilliant scheme cooked up by retailers to sell more stuff. What else was it? Oh yeah, that Saint Nicholas was originally famous because he brought back to life some children who'd been dismembered and stuffed into a pickle jar. The kid's mom threw him out.† â€Å"Oh, sorry,† Theo said. Brian nodded. â€Å"We hadn't been getting along that well.† â€Å"He sort of fits right in with us,† Gabe said. â€Å"Check out the cool shirt.† Brian shrugged, a little embarrassed. â€Å"It's red. I thought it would be Christmasy. Now I feel –  » â€Å"Ha,† Gabe interrupted. â€Å"Don't worry about it. The guys in the red shirts never make it to the second commercial break.† He punched Brian gently in the arm in a gesture of nerd solidarity. â€Å"Well, I'm going to run out to the car and grab another shirt,† said Brian. â€Å"I feel silly. I have all my clothes in the Jetta. Everything I own, really.† As Brian walked toward the door, Theo suddenly remembered. â€Å"Oh, Gabe, I forgot. Skinner got out of the car. He's rolling in something foul out there in the mud. Maybe you should go with Brian and see if you can get him back in the car.† â€Å"He's a water dog. He'll be fine. He can stay out until the party is over. Maybe he'll jump up on Val with muddy paws. Oh, I hope, I hope, I hope.† â€Å"Wow, that's kinda bitter,† Tuck said. â€Å"That's because I'm a bitter little man,† Gabe said. â€Å"In my spare time, I mean. Not all the time. My work keeps me pretty busy.† Brian had skulked away in his Star Trek shirt. As he opened one side of the double doors, the wind caught the door and whipped it back against the outside church wall with a gunshot report. Everyone turned to watch the big man shrug sheepishly, and Skinner, muddy and wet to the core, came trotting in, carrying something in his jaws. â€Å"Wow, he's really tracking in a mess,† Tuck said. â€Å"I never realized the perks of having a flying mammal as a pet before.† â€Å"What's that he's carrying in his mouth?† asked Theo. â€Å"Probably a pinecone,† Gabe said without looking. Then he looked â€Å"Or not.† There was a scream, a long protracted one, that started with Valerie Riordan and sort of passed through all the women near the buffet. Skinner had presented his prize to Val, dropped it on her foot, in fact, thinking that because she was standing near food, and she was still the Food Guy's female (for who could think of food without thinking of the Food Guy?), she would, therefore, appreciate it, and perhaps reward him. She didn't. â€Å"Grab him!† Gabe yelled to Val, who looked up at him with the most articulate glare he had ever seen. Perhaps it was the weight of her M D. that gave it eloquence, but without a word, it said: You have got to be out of your fucking mind. â€Å"Or not,† Gabe said. Theo crossed the room and made a grab for Skinner's collar, but at the last second the Lab grabbed the arm, threw a head fake, then ducked out of Theo's reach. The three men started to give chase, and Skinner frisked back and forth across the pine floor, his head high and proud as a Lippizaner stallion, pausing occasionally to shake a spray of mud onto the horrified onlookers. â€Å"Tell me it's not moving,† shouted Tuck, trying to cut Skinner off at the buffet table. â€Å"That hand is not moving.† â€Å"Just the kinetic energy of the dog moving through the arm,† said Gabe, having gone into a sort of wrestling stance. He was used to catching animals in the wild and knew that you had to be nimble and keep your center of gravity low and use a lot of profanity. â€Å"Goddammit, Skinner, come here. Bad dog, bad dog!† Well, there it was. Tragedy. A thousand trips to the vet, a grass-eating nausea, a flea you will never, ever reach. Bad dog. For the love of Dog! He was a bad dog. Skinner dropped his prize and assumed the tail-tucked posture of absolute humility, shame, remorse, and overt sadness He whimpered and ventured a look at the Food Guy, a sideways glance, pained but ready, should another BD come his way. But the Food Guy wasn't even looking at him. No one was even looking at him. Everything was fine. He was good. Were those sausages he smelled over by that table? Sausages are good. â€Å"That thing is moving,† Tuck said. â€Å"No, it's not. Oh, yes it is,† said Gabe. There was another series of screams, this time a couple of man-screams among the women and children. The hand was trying to crawl away, dragging the arm along behind it. â€Å"How fresh does that have to be to do that?† Tuck asked. â€Å"That's not fresh,† said Joshua Barker, one of the few kids in the room. â€Å"Hi, Josh,† said Theo Crowe. â€Å"I didn't see you come in.† â€Å"You were out in your car hitting a bong when we got here,† Josh said cheerfully. â€Å"Merry Christmas, Constable Crowe.† † ‘Kay,† Theo said. Thinking fast, or what seemed like it was fast, Theo took off his Gore-Tex cop coat and threw it over the twitching arm. â€Å"Folks, it's okay. I have a little confession to make. I should have told you all before, but I couldn't believe my own observations. It's time I was honest with you all.† Theo had gotten very good at telling embarrassing things about himself at Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and confession seemed to be coming even easier since he was a little baked. â€Å"A few days ago I ran into a man, or what I thought was a man, but was actually some kind of indestructible cybernetic robot. I hit him doing about fifty in my Volvo, and he didn't even seem to notice.† â€Å"The Terminator?† asked Mavis Sand. â€Å"I'd fuck him.† â€Å"Don't ask me how he got here, or what he really is. I think we've all learned over the years that the sooner we accept the simple explanation for the unexplained, the better chance we have of surviving a crisis. Anyway, I think that this arm may be part of that machine.† â€Å"Bullshit!† came a shout from outside the front doors. Just then the doors flew open, the wind whipped into the room carrying with it a horrid stench. Standing there, framed in the cathedral doorway, stood Santa Claus, holding Brian Henderson in his red Star Trek shirt, by the throat. A group of dark figures were moving behind them, moaning something about IKEA, as Santa pressed a .38 snub-nose revolver to Brian's temple and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered across the front wall and Santa threw the body back to Marty in the Morning, who began to suck the brains out of dead Brian's exit wound. â€Å"Merry Christmas, you doomed sons a' bitches!† said Santa. Chapter 16 SO So that sucked. Chapter 17 HE KNOWS IF YOU'VE BEEN BAD OR GOOD†¦ While she was horrified by what was going on in the doorway of the chapel, with the gunfire and brain-sucking and the threats, Lena Marquez couldn't help but think: Oh, this is so awkward – both my exes are here. Dale was standing there in a Santa suit, mud and gore dripping onto the floor while he roared with anger, and Tucker Case had immediately headed to the back of the room and dived under one of the folding buffet tables. There was screaming and a lot of running, but mostly people stood there, paralyzed by the shock. And Tucker Case, of course, was acting the consummate coward. She was so ashamed. â€Å"You, bitch!† dead Dale Pearson shouted, pointing at her with the snub-nose .38. â€Å"You're lunch!† He started across the open pine floor. â€Å"Look out, Lena,† came a shout from behind her. She turned just in time to sidestep as the buffet table behind her rose, spilling chafing dishes full of lasagna onto the floor. The alcohol burners beneath the pans spilled blue flame across the tabletops and onto the floor as Tucker Case stood up with the table in front of him and let out a war cry. Theo Crowe saw what was happening and pulled an armload of people aside as Tuck barreled through the room, the tabletop in front of him, toward the throng of undead. Dale Pearson fired at the tabletop as it approached, getting off three shots before Tuck impacted with him. â€Å"Crowe, get the door, get the door,† Tuck shouted, driving Dale and his undead followers back out into the rain. The blue alcohol flame climbed up Dale's white beard, as well as spilling down Tuck's legs as he pushed out into the darkness. Theo loped across the room and reached outside to catch the edge of the door. A one-armed corpse in a leather jacket ducked around the edge of Tuck's buffet-table barrier and grabbed at Theo, who put a foot on the corpse's chest and drove him back down the steps. Theo pulled the door shut, then reached around and grabbed the other one. He hesitated. â€Å"Close the damned door!† Tuck screamed, his legs pumping, losing momentum against the undead as he reached the bottom of the steps. Theo could see decayed hands clawing at Tuck over the edge of the table; a man whose lower jaw flapped on a slip of skin was screeching at the pilot and trying to drive his upper teeth into Tuck's hand. The last thing Theo saw as he pulled the door shut was Tucker Case's legs burning blue and steaming in the rain. â€Å"Bring one of those tables over here,† Theo shouted. â€Å"Brace this door. Jam the table under the handles.† There was a second of peace, just the sound of the wind and rain and Emily Barker, who had just seen her ex-boyfriend shot and brain-sucked, sobbing. â€Å"What was that?† shouted Ignacio Nuà ±ez, a rotund Hispanic who owned the village nursery. â€Å"What in the hell was that?† Lena Marquez had instinctively gone to Emily Barker, and knelt with her arm around the bereft woman. She looked to Theo. â€Å"Tucker is out there. He's out there.† Theo Crowe realized that everyone was looking at him. He was having trouble catching his breath and he could feel his pulse pounding in his ears. He really wanted to look to someone else for the answers, but as he scanned the room – some forty terrified faces – he saw all the responsibility reflected back to him. â€Å"Oh fuck,† he said, his hand falling to his hip where his holster was usually clipped. â€Å"It's on the table at my house,† Gabe Fenton said. Gabe was holding the buffet table that was braced sideways under the double latches of the church doors. â€Å"Pull the table,† Theo said, thinking, I don't even like the guy. He helped Gabe pull the table aside and crouched in a sprinter's stance, ready to go, as Gabe manned the latches. â€Å"Close it behind me. When you hear me scream, ‘Let me in, well – ; Just then there was a crash behind them and something came flying through one of the high, stained-glass windows – throwing glass out into the middle of the room. Tucker Case, wet, charred, and covered with blood, pushed himself up from the floor where he had landed and said, â€Å"I don't know who parked under that window, but you'd better move your car, because if those things climb on it, they'll be coming through that window behind me.† Theo looked at the line of stained-glass windows running down the sides of the chapel, eight on each side, each about eight feet off the ground and about two feet across. When the chapel had been built, stained glass was at a premium and the community poor, thus the small, high windows, which were going to be an asset in defending this place. There was only one large window in the whole building – behind where the altar used to stand, but where now stood Molly's thirty-foot Christmas tree – a six-by-ten-foot large cathedral-shaped stained-glass depiction of Saint Rose, patron saint of interior decorators, presenting a throw pillow to the Blessed Virgin. â€Å"Nacho,† Theo barked to Ignacio Nuà ±ez, â€Å"see if you can find something in the basement to board up that window.† As if on cue, two muddy, decaying faces appeared at the opening through which Tuck had just dived, moaning and trying to get purchase on the windowsill with their skeletal hands to climb in. â€Å"Shoot them!† Tuck screamed from the floor. â€Å"Shoot those fucking things, Theo!† Theo shrugged, shook his head. No gun. Something flashed by Theo and he spun to see Gabe Fenton running hell-bent-for-leather at the window, holding before him a long stainless-steel pan full of lasagna, evidently intent upon diving through the window in a pastafarian act of self-sacrifice. Theo caught the biologist by the collar, stopping him like a running dog at the end of his leash. His arms and legs flew out before him and he managed to hang on to the pan, but nearly eight pounds of steaming cheesy goodness sailed on through the window, scorching the attackers and Pollocking the wall around the window with red sauce. â€Å"That's it, throw snacks at them, that'll slow them up,† shouted Tuck. â€Å"Fire a salvo of garlic bread next!† Gabe regained his feet and jumped right up in Theo's face, or he would have if he had been a foot or so taller. â€Å"I was trying to save us,† he said sternly to Theo's sternum. Before Theo could answer, Ignacio Nunez and Ben Miller, a tall, ex-track star in his early thirties, called for them to clear the way. The two men were coming to the broken window with another of the buffet tables. Gabe and Theo helped Ben hold the table against the wall while Nacho nailed the table to the wall. â€Å"I found some tools in the basement,† Nacho said between hammer blows. Animated dead fingernails clawed at the tabletop as they worked. â€Å"I hate cheese!† screamed the corpse, who had enough equipment to still scream. â€Å"It binds me up.† The rest of the undead mob began pounding on the walls around them. â€Å"I need to think,† Theo said. â€Å"I just need a second to think.† Lena was dressing Tucker Case's wounds with gauze and antibiotic ointment from the chapel's first-aid kit. The burns on his legs and torso were superficial, most of the alcohol fire having been put out by the rain before it could penetrate his clothing, and while his leather bomber jacket had protected him somewhat from his dive through the window, there was a deep cut on his forehead and another on his thigh. One of the bullets that Dale had fired through the table had grazed Tuck's ribs, leaving a gash four inches long and a half inch wide. â€Å"That was the bravest thing I've ever seen,† Lena said. â€Å"You know, I'm a pilot,† said Tuck, like he did this sort of thing every day. â€Å"I couldn't let them hurt you.† â€Å"Really?† Lena said, pausing for a moment to look into his eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry I was – you were –  » â€Å"Actually, you probably couldn't tell, but that thing with the table? Just a really badly executed escape attempt.† Tuck winced as she fastened the bandage over his ribs with some tape. â€Å"You're going to need stitches,† Lena said. â€Å"Any place I missed?† Tuck held up his right hand – there were tooth marks on the back of it welling up with blood. â€Å"Oh my God!† Lena said. â€Å"You're going to have to cut his head off,† said Joshua Barker, who was standing by watching. â€Å"Whose?† Tuck said. â€Å"The guy in the Santa suit, right?† â€Å"No, I mean your head,† said Josh. â€Å"They're going to have to cut off your head or you'll turn into one of them.† Most everyone in the chapel had stopped what they were doing and gathered around Tuck and Lena, seemingly grateful for a point of focus. The pounding on the walls had ceased, and with the exception of the occasional rattling of the door handles, there was only the sound of the wind and rain. The Lonesome Christmas crowd was stunned. â€Å"Go away, kid,† said Tuck. â€Å"This is no time to be a kid.† â€Å"What should we use?† asked Mavis Sand. â€Å"This okay, kid?† She held a serrated knife that they'd been using to cut garlic bread. â€Å"That is not acceptable,† Tuck said. â€Å"If you don't cut his head off,† said Joshua, â€Å"he'll turn into one of them and let them in.† â€Å"What an imagination this kid has,† said Tuck, flashing a grin from face to face, looking for an ally. â€Å"It's Christmas! Ah, Christmas, the time when all good people go about not decapitating each other.† Theo Crowe came out of the back room, where he'd been looking for something they could use as a weapon. â€Å"Phone lines are down. We'll lose power any minute. Is anyone's cell phone working?† No one answered. They were all looking at Tuck and Lena. â€Å"We're going to cut off his head, Theo,† Mavis said, holding out the bread knife, handle first. â€Å"Since you're the law, I think you should do it.† â€Å"No, no, no, no, no, no,† said Tuck. â€Å"And furthermore, no.† â€Å"No,† said Lena, in support of her man. â€Å"You guys have something you want to tell me?† Theo said. He took the bread knife from Mavis and shoved it down the back of his belt. â€Å"I think you were onto something with that killer-robot thing,† Tuck said. Lena stood up and put herself between Theo and Tuck. â€Å"It was an accident, Theo. I was digging Christmas trees like I do every year and Dale came by drunk and angry. I'm not sure how it happened. One minute he was going to shoot me and the next the shovel was sticking out of his neck. Tucker didn't have anything to do with it. He just happened along and was trying to help.† Theo looked at Tuck. â€Å"So you buried him with his gun? Tuck climbed painfully to his feet and stood behind Lena. â€Å"I was supposed to see this coming? I was supposed to anticipate that he might come back from the grave all angry and brain hungry, so I should hide his gun from him? This is your town, Constable, you explain it. Usually when you bury a body they don't come back and try to eat your brains the next day.† â€Å"Brains! Brains! Brains!† chanted the undead from outside the chapel. The pounding on the walls started again. â€Å"Shut up!† screamed Tucker Case, and to everyone's amazement, they did. Tuck grinned at Theo. â€Å"So, I fucked up.† â€Å"Ya think?† Theo said. â€Å"How many?† â€Å"You should cut his head off over the sink,† said Joshua Barker. â€Å"That way it won't make as big a mess.† Without a word, Theo reached down and picked Josh up by the biceps, then walked over and handed him to his mother, who looked as if she were going into the first stages of shock. Theo touched his finger to Josh's lips in a shush gesture. Theo looked more serious, more intimidating, more in control than anyone had ever seen him. The boy hid his face in his mother's breasts. Theo turned to Tuck. â€Å"How many?† Theo repeated. â€Å"I saw maybe thirty, forty?† â€Å"About that,† Tuck said. â€Å"They're in different states of decay. Some of them just look like there's little more than bone, others look relatively fresh, and pretty well preserved. None of them seems particularly fast or strong. Dale maybe, some of the fresher ones. It's like they're learning to walk again or something.† There was a loud snap from outside and everyone jumped – one woman literally leaping into a man's arms with a shriek. They all fell into a crouch, listening to a tree falling through branches, expecting the trunk to come crashing through the ceiling beams. The lights went out and the whole church shook with the impact of the big pine hitting the forest floor. Without missing a beat, Theo snapped on a flashlight he'd had in his back pocket in anticipation of a power outage. Small emergency lamps ignited above the front door, casting everyone in a deep-shadowed directional light. â€Å"Those should last about an hour,† Theo said. â€Å"There should be some flashlights in the basement, too. Go on. What else did you see, Tuck?† â€Å"Well, they're pissed off and they're hungry. I was kind of busy trying not to get my brains eaten. They seemed pretty adamant about the brain-eating thing. Then they're going to IKEA, I guess.† â€Å"This is ridiculous,† said Val Riordan, the elegantly coiffed psychiatrist, speaking up for the first time since the whole thing had started. â€Å"There's no such thing as a zombie. I don't know what you think is happening here, but you don't have a crowd of brain-eating zombies.† â€Å"I'd have to agree with Val,† Gabe Fenton said, stepping up beside her. â€Å"There's no scientific basis for zombieism – except for some experiments in the Caribbean with blowfish toxins that put people in a state of near death with almost imperceptible respiration and pulse, but there was no actual, you know, raising of the dead.† â€Å"Yeah?† said Theo, giving them an eloquent deadpan stare. â€Å"Brains!† he shouted. â€Å"Brains! Brains! Brains!† came the responding chant from outside; the pounding on the walls resumed. â€Å"Shut up!† Tuck shouted. The dead did. Theo looked at Val and Gabe and raised an eyebrow. Well? â€Å"Okay,† Gabe said. â€Å"We may need more data.† â€Å"No, this can't be happening,† said Valerie Riordan. â€Å"This is impossible.† â€Å"Dr. Val,† Theo said. â€Å"We know what's happening here. We don't know why, and we don't know how, but we haven't lived in a vacuum all our lives, have we? In this case, denial ain't just a river in Egypt, denial will kill you.† Just then a brick came crashing through one of the windows and thumped into the middle of the chapel floor. Two clawlike hands caught the window ledge and a beat-up male face appeared at the window. The zombie pulled up enough so that he could hook one elbow inside the window, then shouted: â€Å"Val Riordan went down on the pimply kid who bags groceries at the Thrifty-Mart!† A second later, Ben Miller picked up the brick and hurled it back through the window, taking out the zombie face with a sickening squish. As Ben and Theo lifted the last of the buffet tables into place to be nailed over the window, Gabe Fenton stepped away from Valerie Riordan and looked at her like she'd been dipped in radioactive marmot spittle. â€Å"You said you were allergic!† â€Å"We were almost broken up at the time,† said Val. â€Å"Almost! Almost! I have third-degree electrical burns on my scrotum because of you!† Across the room, into Lena Marquez's ear, Tucker Case whispered, â€Å"I don't feel so bad about hiding the body now, how 'bout you?† She turned and kissed him hard enough to make him forget for a second that he'd just been shot, set on fire, beaten up, and bitten. For years the dead had listened, and the dead knew. They knew who was cheating with whom, who was stealing what, and where the bodies were hidden, as it were. Besides the passive listening – those sneaking out for a smoke, sideline conversations at funerals, the walking and talking in the woods, and the sex and scare-yourself activities some of the living indulged in in the graveyard – there were also those among the living who used a tombstone as some sort of confessional, sharing their deepest secrets with someone who they thought could never talk, saying things they could never say in life. There were some things that people thought no one else, the living or the dead, could possibly know, but they did. â€Å"Gabe Fenton watches squirrel porn!† screeched Bess Leander, her dead cheek pressed against the wet clapboard siding of the chapel. â€Å"That is not porn, that's my work,† Gabe explained to his fellow partyers. â€Å"He doesn't wear pants! Squirrels, doing it, in slow motion. Pantsless.† â€Å"Just that one time. Besides, you have to watch in slow motion,† Gabe said. â€Å"They're squirrels.† Everyone turned their flashlights on something else, like they really weren't looking at Gabe. â€Å"Ignacio Nuà ±ez voted for Carter,† came a call from outside. The staunch Republican nursery owner was caught like a deer in the flashlights as everyone looked at him. â€Å"I was only in this country a year. I'd just become a citizen. I didn't even speak English very well. He said he wanted to help the poor. I was poor.† Theo Crowe reached over and patted Nacho's shoulder. â€Å"Ben Miller used steroids in high school. His gonads are the size of BBs!† â€Å"That is not true,† exclaimed the track star. â€Å"My testicles are perfectly normal size.† â€Å"Yeah, if you were seven inches tall,† said Marty in the Morning, all dead, all the time. Ben turned to Theo. â€Å"We've got to do something about this.† The others in the room were looking from one to the other, each with a look on his or her face that was much more horrified than when they'd been only facing the prospect of an undead mob eating their brains. These zombies had secrets. â€Å"Theo Crowe's wife thinks she's some kind of warrior mutant killer!† shouted a rotted woman who had once been a psych nurse at the county hospital. Everybody in the chapel sort of looked at one another and nodded, shrugged, let out a sigh of relief. â€Å"We knew that,† yelled Mavis. â€Å"Everybody knows that. That's not news.† â€Å"Oh, sorry,† said the dead nurse. There was a pause; then, â€Å"Okay, then. Wally Beerbinder is addicted to painkillers.† â€Å"Wally's not here,† said Mavis. â€Å"He's spending Christmas with his daughter in L.A.† â€Å"I got nothing,† said the nurse. â€Å"Someone else go.† â€Å"Tucker Case thinks his bat can talk,† shouted Arthur Tannbeau, the dead citrus farmer. â€Å"Who wants to sing Christmas carols?† said Tuck. â€Å"I'll start. ‘Deck the halls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And so they sang, loud enough to drown out the secrets of the undead. They sang with great Christmas spirit, loud and off-key, until the battering ram hit the front doors.