Teenage Smoking Essays - Smoking, Habits, Tobacco, Cigarettes

Teenage Smoking In a society where it is not unordinary to see a ten year old child smoking a cigarette in public, where large tobacco companies sponsor all big sporting events and where smoking advertisements are everywhere you look, how can it be understood that what is going on is a form of suicide. Smoking is comparable to a serial killer; a cigarette acts as the weapon used by tobacco companies and its victims subjecting themselves by their own free will to participate in the crime. The governments of the United States and many other countries have chosen to regulate addictive substances, like cigarettes, via taxation; minimum-age purchase laws; restrictions on consumption in schools, the workplace, and public places; and stiff fines for driving under the influence of alcohol. The prices of these substances will rise because of taxation; other forms of regulation, and bans. Thus, measuring their responsiveness to price is important in determining the optimal level of taxation and the impacts of legalization. Contrary to conventional wisdom, studies find that the consumption of addictive substances is quite sensitive to price. Teen smoking has been increasing since 1991. There are economic, psychological and sociological factors that play an important role in this increase. Economically, cigarettes are highly advertised, extremely affordable and accessible to practically anyone. As for the advertisement aspect in the sale of cigarettes, tobacco companies spend billions of dollars per year to advertise their brands. This money is spent on the actual advertisement, and also on manipulating the subconscious minds of teenagers. (Reynolds, 1999) Billboards and magazines lure teenagers to smoke, by using teen idols and appealing photos in their ads. The Canadian Government has been attempting to put a stop to tobacco industries using teen idols in selling their products, by passing Bill C-71, a legislation that forbids tobacco companies from putting up signs for events in which they sponsor. The car racer and teen idol, Jacques Villeneuve can no longer be advertised in his car racing suit as Rothman's cigarettes advertisements are highly visible on it, as this would give off a negative message to teens who look up to him. The only exception to this law however, is that the signs may be put up at the site of the event, in bars or in newspapers which are read by adults. (Scott, 1997) An example of a sporting event is the DuMaurier tennis tournament held in Montreal, and sponsored by the DuMaurier tobacco industry. This event was, until this law was passed, advertised (on billboards, in magazines and on television) all over Montreal. Bill C-71 was an attempt at preventing teenagers from seeing these advertisements, as the government believed this to be an important factor in the growth of youth smokers. This legislation though, was not very effective as statistics show that more than half of Canadian teens have seen advertisements for tobacco sponsored events. (Scott, 1997). During the 1040's and 50's smoking was popular and socially acceptable. Movie stars, sports heroes, and celebrities appeared in cigarette advertisements that promoted and heavily influenced teens. Influence also came from Television and other media sources. The desires to be accepted and to feel grown up are among the most common reasons to start smoking. Yet, even though teenagers sometimes smoke to gain independence, and to be part of the crowd parental influence plays the strongest role as to whether or their children will smoke, Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), 1991. Children are exposed to and influenced by the parents, siblings, and the media long before peer pressure will become a factor. Mothers should not smoke during pregnancy, nicotine, which crosses the placental barrier, may affect the female fetus during an important period of development so as to predispose the brain to the addictive influence of nicotine. Prenatal exposure to smoking has previously been linked with impairments in memory, learning, cognition, and perception in the growing child. (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 1995) Subsequent follow-up after 12 years suggest that regardless of the amount or duration of current or past maternal smoking, the strongest correlation between maternal smoking and a daughter's smoking occurred when the mother smoked during pregnancy. NIDA also reported that of 192 mothers and their first born adolescents with a mean age of 12 1/2, the analysis revealed that 26.6% of the girls whose mother smoked while pregnant had smoked in the past year. Tobacco companies target teens because 85 to 90% of all new smokers begin before or during their teenage years, so marketing demographics compel cigarette companies to target adolescents if they are the ones

Overview of Attachment Styles Essay

Overview of Attachment Styles Essay Overview of Attachment Styles Essay 1 Overview of Attachment Styles Mary Ainsworth and Mary Main (Disorganized) Based on Ainsworth’s â€Å"Strange Situation† Procedure (1970’s) The Strange Situation experiment revealed two general categories of infant attachment styles: 1) Secure attachment 2) Insecure attachment: o 2a) Avoidant attachment o 2b) Ambivalent attachment 2 o 2c) Disorganized attachment (this style was discovered later by researcher Mary Main) Secure Attachment - the 'Ideal' Attachment Behavior The child's attachment behavior when his or her: Mother is present: o The child demonstrates secure attachment by feeling safe enough to explore the world and engage in play. o The mother's proximity creates what is called 'secure base' - a space of security from which the child feels to free to explore the world. Mother leaves: o The child protests - e.g. by crying or trying to regain closeness. o The distress is not desperate as the child trusts his or her mother to return. Mother returns: o The child shows signs of being pleased or is quickly comforted if he or she is upset. o The child will soon re-enter 'secure base' and feel safe enough to play again. The child's behavior towards the stranger: The child will sometimes be comforted by the stranger but clearly prefers his or her mother. Mother's responsiveness: Responds quickly and consistently to her child's signals of wanting comfort and security. o The child feels confident that his or her mother will help ful fill any needs when they occur. Avoidant Attachment - Passive Attachment Behavior The child's behavior when his or her: Mother is present: o Little or no interest in playful interaction. o Prefers to play with object rather than people. o Seems emotionally distant from his or her mother. Mother leaves: o Hardly any sign of separation distress, indifference. Mother returns: o The child hardly displays any visible reaction, if any at all. o The child doesn't really respond to contact attempts. o The child may even try to avoid contact and ignore his or her mother. 3 The child's behavior towards the stranger: The child acts in the same way towards the stranger as towards the mother; there seems to be no preference. Sometimes the child shows preference to the stranger. Mother's responsiveness: Mostly disengaged; When the child is showing signs of distre ss, the mother shows little or no response. The mother often aims at making the child independent. o The child learns that his or her needs will probably not be met and therefore doesn't engage in typical attachment behavior such as crying or reaching out . As adults, this attachment style would be considered â€Å"dismissive.† (Hazan and Shaver, 1980’s) Ambivalent Attachment - Anxious Attachment Behavior The child's attachment behavior when his or her: Mother is present: o The child is uncomfortable and seems anxious in the unfamiliar setting. o The child is anxious as if anticipating separation even before it occurs. o The child doesn't feel secure even when his or her mother is present. o The child desires his or her mother's attention, comfort and proximity but rejects it angrily when it is achieved. Mother leaves: o The child is very distressed and protests strongly. Mother returns: o The child doesn't regain calmness and shows signs of anger towards the mother. o The child doesn't re-engage in play activities. The child's behavior towards stranger: The child is not easily comforted. Mother's responsiveness: Responses occur on the mother's terms ... in other words; when she feels like it. Her availability is therefore inconsistent; She

Benjamin Franklin and Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King and Benjamin Franklin are two well known significant figures throughout American history. King and Franklin are both similar and different In many aspects of their lives when It comes to their personal lives, such as, spouse, life, and education, their political movements, and their awards. They are good influential leaders to their followers. They both are dedicated and hard workers in what they do. Martin Luther King and Benjamin Franklins lives can be compared where both were born in the month of January.King was born on January 15, 1929 and Franklin was born on January 17, 1706. Another similarity Is that they both died In the month of April. Martin Luther King died on April 4, 1968 and Benjamin Franklin died on April 17, 1790. A difference is that King died at the age of 39 because of being assassinated and Franklin died at the age 84 because of being bed-ridden. Martin Luther King was born in Atlanta, Georgia as the middle child of the Reverend Martin Luther King S. And Alberta Williams King. Benjamin Franklin was born inBoston, Massachusetts to Franklin and Blah Folder as their eighth child. King went to T. Washington High School then after skipping two grades enrolled More house College then enrolled in Raze Theological Seminary. Franklin was educated at Boston Latin School but did not graduate due to the fact that his parents could not afford to send him for more than two years. King and Franklin were both married. King was married to Corvette Scott on June 18, 1953 and together they had four children; , Martin Luther King Ill, Dexter, andBernice King. Franklin had common-law marriage with Deborah Read and they had two children together Francis and Sarah. It later came out that Benjamin had illegitimate son name William. Maroon King was a prominent African- American Rights leader using non violent methods who was the youngest of that time to win the Noble Peace Prize. Benjamin Franklin was the president of the supreme executive council of Pennsylvania who won the Couple Medal in 1732 and a doctorate from SST. Andrews. Both men were not president of united States.King was a big figure in the marches of African Americans, such as, Montgomery Bus Boycott, Million Man March, and the March on Washington. Franklin created the Junta group, a discussion group for issues of the day and he also signed the Declaration of Independence. Martin Luther King Jar. And Benjamin Franklin well are known for many years to come as two important men that helped shaped the America that we live in today. Franklin, one of the founding fathers, and King, a civil rights leader, have both accomplished so much in their time that well always be remembered.Benjamin Franklin and Martin Luther King Jar. By teams 23 throughout American history. King and Franklin are both similar and different in many aspects of their lives when it comes to their personal lives, such as, spouse, life, born on January 17, 1706. Another similarity is that they both died in the month of Boston, Massachusetts to Franklin and Beach Folder as their eighth child. King Martin King was a prominent African- American Civil Rights leader using non violent president of United States. King was a big figure in the marches of African Americans,

Pathophysiology and Current Management Practices Case Study

Pathophysiology and Current Management Practices - Case Study Example This paper outlines three differential diagnoses for a case, their respective pathophysiology and current management practices for those diagnoses. The case diagnosed in this paper is about a 62-year-old man who collapsed at a shopping center at about 10:30 am after feeling extremely dizzy. The man who is also living alone had experienced an episode of falling from stairs eight months ago without any major injury. Although the man is awake and sitting on the ground, he shows signs of drowsiness and disoriented and has difficulty in talking. The man insists on going home even though his eyes suddenly move upwards and in a few seconds he begins a seizure. The key symptoms, in this case, are drowsiness, difficulty in talking, dizziness, difficulty in talking and seizure. The history such as episodes of falling, age, time of the incident and the fact he lives alone are also crucial and important information in obtaining accurate differential diagnoses. The brain metabolism relies primari ly on glucose to supply the energy necessary for metabolism. When levels in blood drop below certain levels normally 0.55nm, subtle reduction in the mental effects of the brain occurs and results in the impairment of judgment resulting in symptoms like seizures. Small quantities of glucose can be derived from the stored glycogen within the astrocytes; however, a brain is dependent to the greater extent on the continual supply of glucose from the blood. Glucose from the blood diffuse into the interstitial cells, then into the central nervous system (CNS) and finally into the neurons. Within the CNS, energy is required for synthesis of signals and conveyance of information to the muscles. This explains the emergence of symptoms such as drowsiness, difficulty in talking, dizziness, and seizure. Generally lack of enough glucose supply to the brain would result in confusion and in severe cases, it is preceded with dizziness and drowsiness, seizure and finally, the patient can go into a c oma.

Quidelines for Communications Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Quidelines for Communications - Research Paper Example The controller is mainly nominated by the state or even the society law. It is essential and mandatory to ensure that the EU citizens are never in a position where their privileges to privacy are compromised. Therefore, there must be a satisfactory and valuable means of scrutinizing the dispensation of the personal identity data by an appointed controller. Thus, the EU member ought to assign a competent controller to do the work. When private data are accumulated, they are mainly used in a variety of ways. An individual can give his personal data when he for instance, records for a library tag, or when he signs for gymnasium association, or even opens a depository account. Therefore, personal data can be gathered unswervingly from the individual or from an existing database. This information may afterwards be utilized for other reasons and further shared with extra parties. Personal data can be any data that recognizes an entity, such as a person’s name, an individual’s telephone number, or moreover an individual’s photo. The idea of development in computer knowledge and also in telecommunications system is permitting personal data to go across borders through superior simplicity. As personal data is collected and exchanged more frequently, regulation on data transfers is necessary (Bennet & Raab, 2007). The Specific Role of the EU Member State Controller with regards to EU Citizen Privacy Protection The controller is chiefly appointed by the government body. The key roles of the controllers in the EU include a variety of duties. For instance, they must be able to ensure limited types of personal data are collected from the member states of the EU. For instance, the data that is capable of revealing an individual’s ethnic, or the race, the political conviction, religious beliefs, or even the health as well as the sexuality is not to be collected unless the individual collecting that information has the right to do so in the member co untry. For example the government body or the employers are an example of those who have full rights and privileges to collect an individual’s personal data. Secondly, the controller must guarantee accuracy of the data collected. The controller ought to ensure accuracy of data and any data without accuracy must be deleted. This is to enable the availability of correct data and therefore the inaccurate data must be removed or updated and rectified. Additionally, the controller of the EU members must further ensure that the data collected from the individuals is kept securely and safely. Moreover, the data controllers must further ensure that they have implemented appropriate technical and also organizational measures so as to protect personal data against any forms of accidental loss, or even the alterations, or from any unauthorized disclosure or even access. Furthermore, the controller’s role is also to fully guarantee redress of the personal data. This is an independ ent mechanism that ensures individuals have recourse if they want to and feel like their rights to their personal data has been interfered with or infringed. Eventually, the controllers must ensure that the individual has a right and access to the power to investigate claims of data protection violations. They must also have a right to intervene and further stop the collection of any personal data and further initiate a legal procedure against any violators of the data protection rights (Staples, 2001). The Required

The Importance of Early Childhood Education Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Early Childhood Education Essay Preschool education is a hot topic among parents and early childhood educators today. If you are the parent of a preschooler (or younger child) you need to ask yourself why you should care about preschool learning. There are three key reasons why you should not only concern yourself with your childs preschool education but become actively involved in it as well. First, you must remember that preschool education is the foundation for your childs education. The skills and knowledge (not to mention aptitude and attitude) that your child develops in the preschool years will have a dramatic impact on your childs success when formal schooling begins as well as life success. Today we expect children to know more by the time they start kindergarten. While previous generations learned basics like color identification and the alphabet in school, todays children are expected to possess these basic skills by the time they start kindergarten. Another reason to care about your childs preschool education is that by actively promoting and encouraging your childs preschool learning you will promote his or her self esteem as well. Help your child gain confidence by making learning fun and easy at this age and you will help make your child an eager lifelong learner. Finally, preschool education is important because it can give your child the edge in a competitive world and education climate. While children who do not receive the fundamentals during their preschool years will be taught the alphabet, counting, shapes and colors when they begin their formal education they will be behind the children who already possess that knowledge and skill set. Do you want your child to be at the head of the class or lagging behind?

An Analysis of Yeats The Second Coming Essay -- Yeats Second Coming E

An Analysis of Yeats' The Second Coming Yeats' poem "The Second Coming," written in 1919 and published in 1921 in his collection of poems Michael Robartes and the Dancer, taps into the concept of the gyre and depicts the approach of a new world order. The gyre is one of Yeats' favorite motifs, the idea that history occurs in cycles, specifically cycles "twenty centuries" in length (Yeats, "The Second Coming" ln. 19). In this poem, Yeats predicts that the Christian era will soon give way apocalyptically to an era ruled by a godlike desert beast with the body of a lion and the head of a man (ln. 14). Critics have argued about the exact meaning of this image, but a close reading of the poem, combined with some simple genetic work, shows that Yeats saw the new order as a reign of terror haunted by war. "The Second Coming," in its entirety, is an astounding encapsulation of Yeats' idea of the gyre and his fears about the future of mankind; it is expertly woven with threads of prophetic literary reference and impressive poetic t echniques. To begin, the gyre, a spiral or repeated circling motion, is a symbol and a concept that Yeats used repeatedly in his poetry and prose, and the poetics of "The Second Coming" illustrate the idea of the gyre. The repeated words in the poem enforce the idea of "spiral images" (Drake 131); words and phrases, such as "surely" and "is at hand" in lines 9 and 10, "turning" in line 1, "is loosed" in lines 4 and 5, and the very title, "Second Coming" in lines 10 and 11, are repeated, creating an onomatopoeic effect suggesting the repetitive movement of the gyre (Bornstein 203). Similarly, repetitious or paired images give the same effect, as Yeats seems to cycle through his "falcon" ("The Second Coming... ...tin's, 1966. Drake, Nicholas. The Poetry of W. B. Yeats. London: Penguin, 1991. Ellmann, Richard. The Identity of Yeats. New York: Oxford, 1954. ---. Yeats: the Man and the Masks. New York: Macmillan, 1948. Jeffares, A. Norman. A Commentary on the Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats. Stanford: Stanford U., 1968. ---. W. B. Yeats. New York: Humanities, 1971. Purdy, Dwight H. Biblical Echo and Allusion in the Poetry of W. B. Yeats: Poetics and the Art of God. Lewisburg: Bucknell U., 1994. Stock, A. G. W. B. Yeats: His Poetry and Thought. London: Cambridge, 1961. Yeats, William Butler. Michael Robartes and the Dancer Manuscript Materials. Eds. Thomas Parkinson and Anne Brannen. Ithaca: Cornell, 1994. ---. "The Second Coming." Norton Anthology of English Literature. Eds. M. H. Abrams, et al. 6th ed. Vol. 2. New York: Norton, 1993. 1880-81.

Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Five

â€Å"Thanks, Sheeb. Back at you.† Jezebel winked once, and then smiled wider until the black of her teeth seemed to envelop her entire face. She evaporated into the night. Sheba lingered in the dirty alley until the alluring scent of brimstone had faded away entirely, and then break time was over. Invigorated by the idea of joining the front lines, Sheba hurried back to her misery. The prom was in full swing, and everything was falling into place. Celeste was scoring high in her malicious game; she awarded herself a point for every girl who cried in a dark corner of the ballroom. Two points for every boy who threw a punch at a rival. All over the room, the seeds Sheba had planted were flowering. Hate was blooming alongside lust and rage and despair. A garden straight from hell. Sheba enjoyed it all from behind a potted palm. No, she couldn't force the humans to do anything. They had their innate free will, and so she could only tempt, could only suggest. Little things-high heels and seams and minor muscle groups-she could manipulate physically, but she could never force their minds. They had to choose to listen. And tonight, they were listening. Sheba was on a roll, and she didn't want any loose ends, so before she turned back to her most ambitious scheme-Cooper was pliant with intoxication now, ready for her direction-she sent her thoughts searching through the crowd for those small, annoying bubbles of happiness. No one was walking away from this prom unscathed. Not while Sheba had a spark in her body. Over there-what was this? Bryan Walker and Clara Hurst were staring dreamily into each other's eyes, totally oblivious to the wrath and despair and bad music surrounding them, just enjoying each other's company. Sheba considered her options and decided to have Celeste interfere. Celeste should enjoy that-nothing was more evilly fun than flaunting your power right in the face of a pure romance. Besides, Celeste listened to every suggestion Sheba fed her, entirely agreeable to any demonic scheme. Sheba continued with her evaluation before acting. Not too far away, Sheba found that she'd dropped the ball in an inexcusable fashion. Was that her own date, Logan, actually enjoying himself? Impossible. So, he'd found his Libby after all and they were both unacceptably happy. Well, that would be easy enough to rectify. She'd go reclaim her partner and send Libby running away in tears. Amateur and crude to intervene bodily†¦ Still, better that than let happiness win even one small battle. Sheba's assessment was almost done. There was just one more tiny pocket of peace-not a couple this time; it was a lone boy wandering into the far end of the room from the hall. That annoying Gabe Christensen. Sheba scowled in his direction. What did he have to be happy about? He was rejected and alone. His date was the scourge of the prom. A normal boy would be full of rage or pain right now. But he insisted on making more work for her! Sheba inspected Gabe's mind more closely. Hmm. Gabe wasn't really happy. In fact, he was worrying intensely at the moment, searching for someone. Celeste was quite clearly in his view, writhing to a slow song with Rob Carlton (Pamela Green watched the display with shocked eyes, despair leaking deliciously into the air around her), but she wasn't the source of Gabe's worry. There was someone else he wanted to find. So he wasn't happy-that wasn't the sensation that had trespassed on Sheba's atmosphere of misery. It was goodness itself that was exuding from this boy. Even worse. Sheba ducked behind the palm and pushed out with her thoughts. Smoke oozed from her nose. â€Å"Gabe.† Gabe shook his head absently and continued with his search. He'd waited half an hour as throngs of girls left the bathroom, drove after drove. Here and there Gabe had felt a weak pull, but nothing at all like that one girl's raging, suffocating need. When three separate groups had all come and gone, Gabe had stopped Jill Stein to ask after the girl. â€Å"Black hair and a red dress? No, I didn't see anyone like that in there. I think the bathroom is empty.† The girl must have slipped past him somehow. Gabe had just returned to the dance floor, brooding over the mystery girl. At least Bryan and Clara and Logan and Libby were having fun. That was good. The rest of the class seemed to be having an exceptionally nasty evening. And then, there it was again. Gabe's head jerked up, feeling the desperation he'd been searching for. Where was she? Sheba hissed in frustration. The boy's mind was entirely sober and singularly closed to her insidious voice. Well, that wasn't going to stop her. She had other tools. â€Å"Celeste.† It was time the evil girl tormented her own date. Sheba leaned lightly on Celeste, suggesting that avenue. After all, Gabe was attractive by human standards. Certainly good enough for Celeste, whose standards were hardly rigorous. Gabe was tall and subtly muscular, with dark hair and symmetrical features. He had pale blue eyes that Sheba personally found a bit repulsive-they were so decidedly un-damned, almost heavenly, ugh! – but that appealed to mortal girls. It was looking into those clear eyes that had made Celeste say yes to this squeaky clean do-gooder's invitation. Do-gooder, indeed. Sheba's eyes narrowed. Gabe had already been on her list before he insisted on disregarding her here at the prom. This was the very boy who had ruined her plans for the lecherous math teacher-just a little bit of pre-prom fun Sheba had arranged in between making sure that everyone asked exactly the wrong person to the big dance. If Gabe hadn't confronted Mr. Reese at a critical moment of temptation†¦ Sheba gritted her teeth and sparks flickered out of her ears. She would have ruined the man and the impossibly innocent girl, too. Not that Mr. Reese had had far to fall, but it would have been a fantastic scandal. And now the math teacher was being especially careful, made wary by those same sky-blue eyes. Feeling guilty, even. Considering counseling for his problem. Ugh! Gabe Christensen owed Sheba some misery. She would get her due. Sheba glared at Celeste, wondering why the girl had made no move toward her date. Celeste was still wrapped around Rob, enjoying Pamela's pain. Enough fun! There was havoc to be wreaked. Sheba whispered suggestions in Celeste's mind, nudging her in Gabe's direction. Celeste shrugged away from Rob and glanced toward Gabe, who was still combing through the crowd with his gaze. Her brown eyes settled on his blue for just a second, and then she moved, cringed actually, back into Rob's arms. Odd. Gabe's light eyes seemed to be almost as repellent to the vicious blonde as they were to Sheba. Sheba leaned again, but Celeste-for once-shook her off, trying to distract herself from thoughts of Gabe with Rob's eager lips. Baffled, Sheba cast around for another avenue to destroy the irritating boy, but she was interrupted by something much more important than one good human. Cooper Silverdale was simply quivering with rage on one side of the dance floor, glowering at Melissa and Tyson. Melissa had her head on Tyson's shoulder and was oblivious to the smug grin Tyson aimed in Cooper's direction. It was time to act. Cooper was considering another glass of punch to drown his pain, and he was much too close to passing out for Sheba to allow that. She focused on him, smoke at her ears, and Cooper realized dully that the green punch was revolting. He couldn't stand any more. He threw his half-empty cup to the floor and turned back to glare at Tyson. She thinks I'm pathetic, said the voice in Cooper's head. No, she doesn't even think of me at all. But I can make it so shell never be able to forget me†¦ His head thick with alcohol, Cooper reached back and stroked his hand along the barrel of the gun under his jacket. Sheba held her breath. Sparks flew from her ears. And then, in that vital second, Sheba was distracted by the knowledge that someone was staring intensely at her own face. Here, in the ballroom, that same sucking need, pulling at him-someone drowning, shrieking for help. It had to be the same girl. Gabe had never felt anything so urgent in his life. His eyes raked desperately over the couples on the floor, but he couldn't see her. He paced the edge of the floor, searching the faces of the people on the sidelines. She wasn't there, either. He saw Celeste with yet another boy, but his eyes didn't pause. If Celeste didn't claim her ride home soon, there wasn't much he could do about it. Someone else needed Gabe more. The need tugged at him again, yanked hard, and for a moment, Gabe wondered if he was going crazy. Maybe he'd only imagined the girl in the fiery dress. Maybe this sense of frenzied need was just the onset of some delusion. At that moment, Gabe's seeking eyes found what they were searching for. Stepping around Heath McKenzie's big sulking form, Gabe's eyes locked on a tiny, but brilliant, red flash. There she was-half-hidden behind a fake tree, her earrings glinting like sparklers again-the girl in the red dress. Her dark eyes, deep as the pool he'd imagined her drowning in, met his. The vibrant need was an aura surrounding her. He didn't have to think about moving toward her. There was probably no way he could have stopped himself if he'd wanted to. He was sure he'd never seen this girl before tonight; she was completely unfamiliar. Her dark, almond-shaped eyes were composed and careful, but at the same time they cried out to him. They were the focus of the need he felt. He could no more resist their plea than he could tell his heart to stop beating. She needed him. Sheba watched with disbelief as Gabe Christensen walked straight toward her. She saw her own face in his head and realized that the person Gabe had been looking for was†¦ Sheba. She allowed the brief distraction-knowing that Cooper was hers for the taking, that a few minutes' time wouldn't save him now-and rejoiced in the delicious irony. So Gabe wanted to be ruined by Sheba personally? Well, she would oblige him. It would make his misery even sweeter knowing that he'd chosen it himself. She straightened up in her hell-hound dress, letting it caress her figure suggestively. She knew what any human male would have to feel when he examined this dress. But the exasperating boy was focused on her eyes. It was dangerous to look straight into the eyes of a demoness. Humans who didn't look away fast enough could get trapped there. And then they were stuck, pining after the demoness forever, burning for her†¦ Biting back a smile, Sheba met his gaze, staring deep into his sky-colored eyes. Silly human. Gabe stopped a few short feet from the girl, close enough that he wouldn't have to shout over the loud music. He knew he was staring too intently-she would think he was rude, or some kind of freak. But she stared back, just as intent, her deep eyes probing his. He opened his mouth to introduce himself, when suddenly the girl's careful expression melted into one of shock. Shock? Or horror? Her pale lips fell apart, and he heard a little gasp escape them. Her stiff posture crumpled, and she began to collapse. Gabe jumped toward her and caught her in his arms before she could fall. Sheba's knees buckled when her fires went out. Her internal flame died, sucked dry, snuffed like a candle in a vacuum. The room was not so cold anymore, and she could smell nothing more than sweat, cologne, and stale, conditioned air. She could no longer taste the delicious misery she'd created. She couldn't taste anything but her own dry mouth. But she could feel the strong arms of Gabe Christensen holding her up. The girl's dress was soft and warm. Maybe that was the problem, Gabe thought as he pulled her toward him. Maybe the heat of the crowded room was too much combined with her heavy dress. Anxiously, Gabe brushed the silky hair away from her face. Her forehead seemed cool enough and her soft skin wasn't clammy with sweat. All the while, her stunned eyes never wavered from his. â€Å"Are you okay? Can you stand? I'm sorry, I don't know your name.† â€Å"I'm fine,† the girl said in a low, purring voice. Despite the purr, her voice was just as stunned as her eyes. â€Å"I†¦ I can stand.† She straightened up, but Gabe didn't let her go. He didn't want to. And she wasn't pulling away. Her small hands had crept up to rest on his shoulders, like they were dancing partners. â€Å"Who are you?† she asked in that throaty voice. â€Å"Gabe-Gabriel Michael Christensen,† he elaborated with a grin. â€Å"And you are?† Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Five What do you think you're doing? she asked herself. Rhetorically, since she was already up the Snow-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarves-Do-Baby-Jesus neighbor's tree and staring into the yard of the house where she'd left Sibby. I can't wait to hear you say to the cops, â€Å"Yes, officer, I know I was trespassing but that woman was very suspicious because she was wearing false eyelashes.† With a full Creepy Cult costume. They just didn't go. Plus she had a hole for a nose piercing. And a French manicure. Maybe she just has really big pores! And a love of dated manicures! She wasn't what she was posing as. Is this about helping someone or having an excuse not to show up at prom and see Will with his face nuzzled in Ariel's huge, soft- Shut up, U-Suck. I was going to say hair. You are so not funny. You are so not brave. There were two guys sitting in the backyard, leaning across a picnic table toward each other with a book between them, both in T-shirts and khakis and Teva sandals, one of them wearing thick black-framed glasses, the other one with a scraggly beard. They looked like two geeky college guys playing Dungeons and Dragons and sounded like it too when the one wearing glasses said, â€Å"That's not how it works. It says in the Book of Rules she can't see for herself, only for other people. You know, like genies with wishes, how they can't grant their own.† Except they each had a large automatic rifle lying on the table next to them and Miranda could see shooting targets set up on the fence. So what? There are armed geeks. Maybe they're Sibby's protection. Go home. Sibby doesn't need you. She's fine. If she's fine, why isn't she out there trying to kiss the two boys? Miranda strained to hear something from inside the house but it was definitely soundproofed. A couple came out of sliding doors onto the patio away from the Geek Guys, a woman smoking a cigarette in short, tense puffs and a man. Miranda almost fell out of the tree when she recognized the woman as the cult lady, only now without the glasses, skirt, or sweater and with her hair down. Which doesn't mean anything. The woman whispered, â€Å"We still need the girl to tell us the location, Byron.† â€Å"She will.† â€Å"She hasn't yet.† â€Å"I told you, even if I can't get her to talk, the Gardener can. He's good at that.† The woman again: â€Å"I don't like that he brought a partner. That wasn't part of the plan. Does she get a cut-â€Å" The man called Byron cut her off. â€Å"Put that out and be quiet, we have company.† He pointed to the Geek Guys scrambling over to join them. The woman crushed her cigarette out under her foot and kicked it away. â€Å"Is She all right?† Bearded Geek asked breathlessly, pronouncing She like it should be capitalized. â€Å"Yes,† the man assured him. â€Å"She's resting after her ordeal.† Oh, they could not be talking about Sibby. Ordeal? No way. â€Å"Has She said anything?† Glasses Geek asked. The man said, â€Å"Just expressed how very grateful She is to be here.† Miranda almost snorted. Bearded Geek said, â€Å"Will we be able to see Her?† â€Å"When the Transition happens.† The geeks wandered off in a blissful daze and Miranda decided this was the weirdest thing she'd ever seen. But it proved that Sibby was in no danger. These people clearly worshipped Her. Which meant it was time- â€Å"Why is he called the Gardener, anyway?† Fake Eyelash woman asked the man. â€Å"I believe because he's good at pulling things out.† â€Å"Things?† â€Å"Teeth, nails. Joints. That's how he gets people to talk.† – time to find Sibby. Miranda dropped out of the tree into the neighbor's yard and found herself looking down the barrel of an automatic rifle. Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Five I shudder. I can't help it. Even though she's not exactly my type, it's not pleasant to think of Lila as some vampire's midnight snack. â€Å"Aren't you worried,† I ask, hoping to change the subject a little, â€Å"that Lila's just going to tell Drake not to show up at the prom since we'll be there waiting?† I say we and not you because there is no way I'm letting Mary go after this guy alone. Which I know Veronica would think is sexist, too. But Veronica's never seen Mary smile. â€Å"Are you kidding me?† Mary asks. She doesn't seem to notice the we. â€Å"I'm counting on her telling him. That way he'll show up for sure.† I stare at her. â€Å"Why would he do that?† â€Å"Because killing the exterminator's daughter will totally raise his crypt cred.† Now I'm blinking at her. â€Å"Crypt cred?† â€Å"You know,† she says, tossing her ponytail. â€Å"It's like street cred. Only among the undead.† â€Å"Oh.† Strangely, this does make sense. As much as anything else I've heard this evening. â€Å"They call your dad the, um, ‘exterminator'?† I'm having a hard time picturing Mary's dad wielding a crossbow the way she did. â€Å"No,† she says, the smile vanishing. â€Å"My mom. At least†¦ she used to be. Not just vampires, either, but evil entities of all kinds-demons, werewolves, poltergeists, ghosts, warlocks, genies, satyrs, loki, shedus, vetelas, titans, leprechauns-â€Å" â€Å"Leprechauns?† I echo in disbelief. But Mary simply shrugs. â€Å"If it was evil, Mom killed it. She just had a gift for it†¦ A gift,† Mary adds softly, â€Å"I really hope I've inherited.† I just sit there for a minute. I have to admit I'm a little stunned by everything that's gone down over the past couple of hours. Crossbows and vampires and exterminators? And what in the world is a vetela? I'm not even sure I want to know. No. Wait. I know I don't want to know. There's a humming noise inside my head that won't stop. The weird thing is, I kind of like it. â€Å"So,† Mary says, lifting her gaze to meet mine. â€Å"Do you believe me now?† â€Å"I believe you,† I say. What I can't believe, actually, is that I do. Believe her, I mean. â€Å"Good,† she says. â€Å"It would probably be better if you didn't tell anybody. Now, if you don't mind, I need to start getting things ready-â€Å" â€Å"Great. Tell me what you need me to do.† Her face clouds with trouble. â€Å"Adam,† she says. And there's something about the way her lips form my name that makes me feel a little crazy†¦ like I want to throw my arms around her and race around the room at the same time. â€Å"I appreciate the offer. I really do. But it's too dangerous. If I kill Drake-â€Å" â€Å"When you kill him,† I correct her. † – chances are, his father is going to show up,† she goes on, â€Å"looking for revenge. Maybe not tonight. And maybe not tomorrow. But soon. And when he does†¦ it isn't going to be pretty. It's going to be awful. A nightmare. It's going to be-â€Å" â€Å"Apocalyptic,† I finish for her, a slight shiver going down my spine as I speak the word. â€Å"Yes. Yes, exactly.† â€Å"Don't worry,† I say, ignoring the shiver. â€Å"I'm all set for that.† â€Å"Adam.† She shakes her head. â€Å"You don't understand. I can't-well, I can't guarantee I'll be able to protect you. And I certainly can't let you risk your life like that. It's different for me, because-well, because of my mom. But you-â€Å" I stop her. â€Å"Just tell me what time I'm picking you up.† She stares at me. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Sorry,† I say. â€Å"But you're not going to the prom by yourself. End of story.† And I must have looked really scary or something as I said it, because even though she opens her mouth to argue, she closes it again when she gets a look at my face, and only says, â€Å"Um. Okay.† Still, she has to add, â€Å"It's your funeral,† just to have the last word. Which is fine with me. She can have the last word. Because I know now that I've found her: my future partner in the inevitable struggle to survive in post-apocalyptic America. Mary The music is pounding in time to my heartbeat. I can feel the bass in my chest-badoom, badoom. It's hard to see across the room of writhing bodies, especially with the flickering light show coming down from the ballroom's ceiling. But I know he's here. I can feel him. And then I see him, moving across the dance floor toward me. He's holding two glasses of bloodred liquid, one in either hand. When he gets close enough, he hands me one of the glasses, then says, â€Å"Don't worry, it's not spiked. I checked.† I don't reply. I just sip the punch, grateful for the liquid-even if it is a little too sweet-because my throat is so dry. The thing is, I know I'm making a mistake. Letting Adam do this, I mean. But†¦ there's something about him. I don't know what it is. Something that sets him apart from all the rest of the dumb jocks in school. Maybe it's the way he saved me back at the club when I lost my nerve, his shooting at Sebastian Drake-progeny of the devil himself-with a ketchup-filled squirt gun. Or maybe it's the way he was so nice about my dad, not cracking any jokes about him being like Doc from the Back to the Future movies and even calling him sir. Or the way he picked up my mom's photo like that and seemed so stunned when I told him the truth about her. Or maybe it's just the way he looked when he showed up at quarter to eight this evening, so impossibly handsome in his tux-and even holding a red rose corsage for me†¦ despite that less than twenty-four hours ago, he hadn't even known he was going to the prom (good thing tickets were available for sale at the door). Oh well. Dad was ecstatic, for once acting like a normal parent, snapping photos-â€Å"For your mother to see, when she's better,† he kept saying-and trying to slip twenty-dollar bills into Adam's hand, telling him to â€Å"treat Mary to an ice cream after the dance.† Which frankly made me decide I like Dad better when he never comes out of the lab. Still. I knew I was making a mistake by not sending Adam packing right away. This is no job for amateurs. This is†¦ this is†¦ †¦ beautiful. I mean, that's how the ballroom looks. I almost gasped when I entered it on Adam's arm. (He insisted. So we'd look like a â€Å"normal couple† if Drake was there already and watching.) The Saint Eligius Prep prom committee really outdid themselves this year. Securing the four-story grand ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria was a feat all on its own, but transforming it into such a sparkling romantic wonderland? Miraculous. I just hope all those rosettes and streamers are fireproof. I'd hate to see them go up in the flames that are bound to appear when Drake's corpse begins to self-conflagrate after I stab him in the chest. â€Å"So,† Adam says, as we stand on the edge of the dance floor, sipping our punch in a silence that's-to be frank-quickly gotten a little uncomfortable. â€Å"How's this going to go down, anyway? I don't see your crossbow anywhere.† â€Å"I'm just going with a stake,† I say, showing him my leg through the slit up the side of my gown. I'd strapped a hand-carved piece of ash there, using Mom's old thigh holster. â€Å"Keeping it sweet and simple.† â€Å"Oh,† Adam says, after choking on his punch a little. â€Å"Okay.† I realize he hasn't looked away from my inner thigh. I hastily lower my skirt. And it occurs to me-for the first time-that Adam might be in this for reasons other than wanting to liberate his best friend's girlfriend from the spell of a bloodsucking fiend. Except†¦ can such a thing even be possible? I mean, he's Adam Blum. And I'm just the new girl. He likes me, sure, but he doesn't like me. He can't. I've probably only got about ten minutes left to live. Unless something radically alters what I'm pretty sure is about to go down. Blushing, I keep my gaze on the gyrating couples in front of us. Mrs. Gregory from U.S. History is one of the chaperones. She's going around, trying to keep girls from grinding on their dates. She might as well try to keep the moon from rising. â€Å"It'd probably be best if you kept Lila busy,† I say, hoping he doesn't notice that my cheeks are now as scarlet as my gown, â€Å"while I'm doing the staking. We don't want her throwing herself in my path just to try to save him.† â€Å"That's what I dragged Ted here for,† Adam says, nodding toward Teddy Hancock, who's sitting slumped at a nearby table, looking out at the dance floor in a bored manner. Like the rest of us, he's just waiting for Lila-and her date-to arrive. â€Å"Still,† I say. â€Å"I don't want you anywhere near me when†¦ you know.† â€Å"I heard you the first nine million times you told me,† Adam mutters. â€Å"I know you can take care of yourself, Mary. You've made that abundantly clear.† I can't help wincing a little. He's not having a good time. I can tell. Well, so what? I didn't ask him to come! He invited himself! This isn't a date, anyway! It's a slaying! He knew that from the outset. He's the one changing the rules, not me. I mean, who am I kidding? I can't date. I have a legacy to fulfill. I'm the exterminator's daughter. I have to- â€Å"Want to dance?† Adam startles me by asking. â€Å"Oh,† I say, with some surprise. â€Å"I'd love to. But I really should-â€Å" â€Å"Great,† he says and takes me into his arms, steering me onto the dance floor. Prom Nights from Hell Chapter Five â€Å"Will died, Frankie,† she said. â€Å"The fall, the way he landed†¦ he didn't make it.† â€Å"I'm sorry†¦ what?† â€Å"Chen is on his way to get you. You'll stay with us, yes? As long as you want.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"I mean†¦ I don't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The box of waffles fell from my hand. â€Å"Will didn't die. Will couldn't have died?† â€Å"Frankie,† she said, her voice infinitely sad. â€Å"Please don't say that,† I said. â€Å"Please don't sound so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I didn't understand how to make my mind work. â€Å"I know you loved him. We all did.† â€Å"Just wait† I said. â€Å"Spray painting? Will doesn't spray paint. That's something a pothead would do, not Will.† â€Å"Let's get you to the house. We'll talk about it then.† â€Å"But what was he spray painting? I don't understand!† Mrs. Yomiko didn't answer. â€Å"Let me speak to Yun Sun,† I pleaded. â€Å"Please! Put on Yun Sun!† There was a muffled exchange. Yun Sun came back on. â€Å"I'll tell you,† she said. â€Å"But you don't want to know.† A cold feeling spread over me, and suddenly, I didn't want to know. â€Å"He was spray painting a message. That's what he was up there doing.† She hesitated. â€Å"It said, ‘Frankie, will you go to prom with me? â€Å" I sank to the floor, next to a box of waffles. Why was there a box of waffles on the kitchen floor? â€Å"Frankie?† Yun Sun said. Tinny, faraway sound. â€Å"Frankie, are you there?† I didn't like that tinny sound. I pressed the Off button to make it go away. Will was buried in the Chapel Hill Cemetery. I sat, numb, through the funeral, which was closed-coffin because Will's body was too mangled to be viewed. I wanted to say good-bye, but how did you say good-bye to a box? At the grave site, I watched as Will's mother threw a handful of dirt into the hole where Will lay. It was horrible, but the horror felt distant and unreal. Yun Sun squeezed my hand. I didn't squeeze back. It rained that evening, a gentle spring shower. I imagined the ground, damp and cool around Will's coffin. I thought of Fernando, whose skull Madame Zanzibar had liberated after his coffin shifted in the wet earth. I reminded myself that the east side of the cemetery, where Will was buried, was newer, with tidy landscaping. And of course there were modern ways of digging graves now, more efficient than men with shovels. Will's coffin wouldn't come undug. It was impossible. I stayed with Yun Sun for nearly two weeks. My parents were called, and they offered to return from Botswana. I told them no. What good would it do? Their presence wouldn't bring Will back. At school, for the first few days, kids talked in hushed tones and stared at me as I passed. Some thought it was romantic, what Will did. Others thought it was stupid. â€Å"A tragedy† was the phrase most often used, spoken in mournful tones. As for me, I haunted the halls like the living dead. I would have ditched, but then I'd have been corralled by the counselor and forced to talk about my feelings. Which wasn't going to happen. My grief was my own, a skeleton that would rattle forever within me. One week after Will's death, and exactly one week before prom, kids started talking less about Will and more about dresses and dinner reservations and limos. A sallow girl from Will's chemistry class got upset and said prom should be canceled, but others argued no, prom must go on. It's what Will would have wanted. Yun Sun and I were consulted, since we were his best friends. (And since I, though they didn't say it, was the girl he died for.) Yun Sun's eyes welled with tears, but after a shaky moment, she said it would be wrong to ruin everyone's plans, that sitting home and mourning wouldn't do anyone any good. â€Å"Life goes on,† she said. Her boyfriend, Jeremy, nodded. He put his arm around her and drew her close. Lucy, president of the prom committee, placed her hand over her heart. â€Å"So true,† she said. She turned to me with an overly solicitous expression. â€Å"What about you, Frankie? Do you think you could get behind it?† I shrugged. â€Å"Whatever.† She embraced me, and I staggered. â€Å"Okay, guys, we're on!† she called, bounding across the commons. â€Å"Trixie, back to work on the cherry blossoms. Jocelyn, tell the Paper Affair lady we need a hundred blue streamers and don't take no for an answer!† On the afternoon of the dance, two hours before Jeremy was due to pick up Yun Sun, I crammed my stuff in my duffel bag and told her I was going home. â€Å"What?† she said. â€Å"No!† She put down a hot roller. Her makeup lay in front of her on her vanity, her Babycakes body glitter and Dewberry lip gloss, and her dress hung over the hook of her open bathroom door. It was lilac, with a sweetheart neckline. It was gorgeous. â€Å"It's time,† I said. â€Å"Thank you for letting me stay so long†¦ but it's time.† Her mouth turned down. She wanted to argue, but she knew it was true. I wasn't happy here. That in itself wasn't the issue-I wasn't going to be happy anywhere-but moping around the Komikos' house was making me feel trapped and making Yun Sun feel helpless and guilty. â€Å"But it's prom,† Yun Sun said. â€Å"Won't that be weird, being alone in your house on the night of prom?† She came over to me. â€Å"Stay till tomorrow. I'll be quiet when I come in, I swear. And I promise not to go on and on about†¦ you know. The after-parties and who hooked up and who passed out in the girls' bathroom.† â€Å"You should get to go on about that stuff, though,† I said. â€Å"You should stay out as late as you want and come in as loudly as you want and be giddy and spazzy and all that.† Unexpectedly, my eyes filled with tears. â€Å"You should, Yun Sun.† She touched my arm. I pulled away, but in what I hoped was an unobvious manner. â€Å"So should you, Frankie,† she said. â€Å"Yeah†¦ well.† I heaved my bag over my shoulder. â€Å"Call me any time,† she said. â€Å"I'll keep my cell on, even at the dance.† â€Å"Okay.† â€Å"And if you change your mind, if you decide you want to stay-â€Å" â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Or even if you decide to come to prom! We all want you there-you know that, right? It doesn't matter that you don't have a date.† I winced. She didn't mean it the way it sounded, but it most certainly did matter that I didn't have a date, because that date would have been Will. And I didn't have him not because he liked another girl or was suffering from a terrible case of the flu, but because he was dead. Because of me. â€Å"Oh God,† Yun Sun said. â€Å"Frankie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I waved her off. I didn't want any more touching. â€Å"It's all right.† We stood in a bubble of awkwardness. â€Å"I miss him, too, you know,† she said. I nodded. Then I left. I returned to my empty house to find that the electricity was out. Perfect. This happened more often than it should have: Afternoon thunderstorms threw tree branches into the transformers, and entire neighborhoods lost power for several hours. Or the power would go out for no reason. Maybe too many people had their air conditioners on and the circuits overloaded, that was my theory. Will's theory was ghosts, ha ha ha. â€Å"They've come to spoil your milk,† he'd say in a spooky voice. Will. My throat tightened. I tried not to think about him, but it was impossible, so I let him exist there with me in my mind. I fixed myself a peanut butter sandwich, which I didn't eat. I went upstairs and lay on my bed without turning down the covers. Shadows deepened. An owl hooted. I stared at my ceiling until I could no longer make out the spider-web cracks. In the dark, my thoughts went places they shouldn't. Fernando. Madame Zanzibar. You're just like all the rest, aren't you? Desperate for a heart-stopping romance? It was that very desperation that gave birth to my stupid Madame Zanzibar plan and even stupider wish. That's what prodded Will into action. If only I'd never taken the damn corsage! I bolted upright. Oh my God-the damn corsage! I grabbed my cell and held down the â€Å"three,† Yun Sun's speed dial. ?One? was for Mom and Dad; ?two? was for Will. I still hadn't deleted his name, and now I wouldn't have to. â€Å"Yun Sun!† I cried when she answered. â€Å"Frankie?† she said. â€Å"S.O.S.† by Rihanna blared in the background. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"I'm fine,† I said. â€Å"Better than fine! I mean, the power's out, it's pitch-black, and I'm all alone, but whatever. I won't be for long.† I giggled and fumbled my way into the hall. â€Å"Huh?† Yun Sun said. More noise. People laughing. â€Å"Frankie, I can hardly hear you.† â€Å"The corsage. I've got two wishes left!† I jogged downstairs, zinging with glee. â€Å"Frankie, what are you-â€Å" â€Å"I can bring him back, don't you get it? Everything will be good again. We can even go to prom!†

A personal performance manifesto based on the 21st century

A Manifesto is a document that seeks to pass certain information about a certain issue as viewed by somebody.   Personal performance Manifestos as such, are therefore documents that consists of an Individual’s views, about how an artiste presentations should be created and presented.Performance Manifesto history   can be traced back to the early 1910’s when groups of artists   which included futurists, Dadaists and the likes, used them   to express their views on what art really   was and what it encompassed.There after performance manifesto have been recurrently used with main embassies associated to avant-garde Modernism.   Thus rise in the use of personal performance manifesto can be also associated to the emergence of internet technology which has created a potential world wide audience.According to Tristan Tzara (A historical artist), A performance manifesto is like a communication made to the whole world, whose main pretension is on the discovery of an instant cure for political, social, astronomical, economical artiste and literary syphilis. (Lee   Scivner ).   Performance of artiste presentations since their start hundreds of years back has undergone a series of transformation.This has been occasioned by things like, changing level of technology and preferences of people among many other reasons.   Performance of hundred years back is very different with contemporary performances in many aspects ranging from the styles, genres among many other aspects.However, these changes are not enough to satisfy the needs of the contemporary society.   Worse still the rapid change have caused some other valuable aspects which were common in historical performances to be ignored. Due to the above two reasons personal performance manifestos have been on the increase especially from critics and friends of theatre.A keen scrutinization of majority of this performance manifesto shows a uniform, a similar and a common argument, that the c ontemporary society is becoming more informed day by day and hence needs retirement and competency in general theatric performance.To begin, it would be fair to say that the contemporary society is dying to see a performance that is socio-political, economic, and erotical, mystical, that does not just make people amused for exchange of their hard-earned cash.The contemporary society needs performances that grows up not knowing it is performance at all, a performance given the chance of having a string point of zero.(Harron, C. and Wood, P (2006) Art in Theory, 1900 – 2000 an anthology of changing ideas. 2 ed. USA Blackwell Publishing).The above things can only be achieved by doing away with bourgeois sickness, commercialized culture, work of dead performance, imitation, artificial performance, Abstract performance, illusionist performance and Mathematical performances.   Inn addition all people including both materially and morally (Fluxes manifestation by George Meckonaz à ¢â‚¬â€œ 1963).Once more contemporary society is desperate for performance that will integrate many cultures of the world.   We are living in a world full of socio-political and economic injustices and therefore any avenue which seeks to take us away from these injustices is highly welcomed.In many instances performances have been staged with the main aim of addressing these injustices but sincerely speaking it has not been enough.   Therefore there is a great need form performance which will integrate the diverse cultures in view of addressing the above injustices which in most cases are brought about by cultural differences.Art, Music and Poetry the three mean genres of performance need to be fully recognized by the relevant authorities.   It is only by due recognizers that the quality of performance will be improved. This is because potential and practicing performances will start taking their work seriously and therefore give a performance which is in line with 21st Century performance expectations.   The relevant authorities have included Ministries in charge of social affairs and governments.The above views and opinions about the fate of performance in respect to 21st century expectations do not mean the state of performance as of now are pathetic.   This is only an eye opener to the stakeholders in the performance industry so that they can pull up their socks and live to the standards of the changing world.As a matter of fact contemporary performance can be said to be among the very many sectors which have struggled to stay in level with changes of time and technology.   It is not a surprise therefore new styles of performance have sprouted all over.For instance in Music new styles have come up with the latest being hi-hop music.   Contemporary artists (sculptors, painters) Writers, Poets are also doing a commendable job but t is imperative that they put more efforts in their work to stay in level with the 21st Century demands.Another area sensitive to performance industry is production of artistic works.   This is where contemporary performance is failing as compared to historic performances.   With emerging technology it is obvious production of artists work is done with care and without any problems arising, but it is sad to not that unscrupulous   pirates are making use of improvement in technology to come up with illegal publications of these artistic works without the consent of the artists producer.This needs to be done away with once and for all, so as to let the real beneficiaries of royalties coming from the sale of their music.This manifesto also covers the improvement of performance instruments and equipments as another key method of taking performances in general to a higher level in relation to 21st Century.   Most of artistic performances require the accompaniment of instruments. As such, therefore latest instruments and equipments need to be invented and pt into constant use.   Many are time when potential performers are limited to the option of producing their items.   This is sometimes due to lack of enough funds to access the equipments.There is dire need also to change the mode of presentation of performances..   A new mode or language of presentation should be introduced so as to help save the audience of the usual common place methods of performance presentation.Lastly it is important that the actors and the audience collaborates and share ideas as to what really needs to be addressed in the contemporary performances.   This will enable actors and artists to come up with only those performances that are morally upright and help the contemporary society in solving mysteries of nature.This manifesto is not in any way exhaustive as to what needs to be done or not in contemporary performances to meet the 21st century demands.   Therefore the above listed views and opinions may be challenged but of importance to note is that they were arrived at after a careful scrutization of the current and historical performance trends.   They are practically possible to implement and therefore result driven.A Critical Reflection of the above Personal Performance ManifestoOnce again it is in order to note that the writing of Manifestos is not a practice which has started just the other day as explained above.Manifesto writing has been with us over the last one hundred years.   Critics and artists write manifestos so as to relay a message of dissatisfaction of a previous practice and therefore put forth a correctional course of action.   In relation to the above manifesto for the 21st century it is crystal clear that the previous practices employed in performance industry needs to be overhauled if the 21st century demands and expectations are to be realized.The manifestos recommendations are therefore not in any way hollow, they are commonplace†¦. Yes but greatly serves to put the level of performances in the right track towards the 21st cent ury expectations.The Manifesto talked of performances that are in themselves informing.   It is just sad to note that even today people continue staging performances which are substandard despite many efforts by other people who are determined to take performance industry a level higher.This point seeks to bring out the difference between what contemporary performance should give its audience as compared to the historical performances when things were very different from what they are today.In respect to Karen Finley who is currently based in New York, performance need also to take a different dimension if they will continue being used as a tool for informing, educating and also entertaining.Karen has pushed beyond the boundaries of normal practices and natural acts and as a result her works have drawn a lot of attention.Although this much attention led her in to waling along the corridors of justice following low suits filed against her work by politicians it is a nice piece of w ork for the 21st century.

Ways in which activities of international firms threaten sustainable development. The WritePass Journal

Ways in which activities of international firms threaten sustainable development. Introduction Ways in which activities of international firms threaten sustainable development. ) Ways in which activities of international firms threaten sustainable development. The issue of whether activities of international firms exert pressures on environment has fueled much of the ongoing debate on international trade and environment (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004). On one side, international firms are seen to contribute to sustainable development  whereas on the other hand, they serve as impediments to this transition. Some of the benefits of international trade include increased investment flows and production of goods in which a country has a comparative advantage in (DFID 2002). Countries also benefit through access to foreign markets that allow for better exploitation of economies of scale (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004). Beyond the economic benefits, FDI can also contribute positively to the environment. Multinationals may contribute to climate change mitigation in important ways. They can play a greater role in the shift towards a low carbon economy. Multinationals may contribute to sustainable development through international transfer and diffusion of low-carbon technologies to the host country (Randaccio 2012).The cleaner production technologies used by multinationals may be absorbed by local firms (Randaccio 2012). In fact, the presence of international firms in developing countries may yield substantial environmental benefits, a process known as Pollution Halo effect (Randaccio 2012). As pointed out by Dean Lovely (2010), FDI may bring greener technology to a countrys fragmented sector. This is particularly evident with top Chinese firms which have benefited from environment spillover effects. A study by Marconi Sanna-Randaccio (2011) found that top Chinese firms used Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in many areas to adopt technology provided by leading foreign firms. It is clear from the above that activities of international firms may contribute to sustainable development through international transfer of cleaner energy production technologies and through the transfer of financial resources and managerial skills to resource-constrained economies (Randaccio 2012) However, while such multinational firms may have positive socio-economic benefits and environmental spillover benefits in the host country, their activities may as well threaten sustainable development. The negative effects can be categorized into: scale effects, structural effects, production and distribution effects and regulatory effects. Scale effects While cross-border investments may increase the scale of production and consumption; it may as well have adverse social and environmental impacts. The increase in production may be accompanied by an increase in resource material use and higher levels of pollution (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004). Structural effects Structural changes in the economy of a country may occur as a result of trade liberalization (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004). Where such changes favour industries that extract less natural resources, the impact on sustainable development becomes positive (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004). However, where such changes favour industries that extract more of the natural resources, the effects occur in the opposite direction (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004). Production and distribution effects The transfer of production from the foreign country to the host country may have certain distributional effects in the host country. The consequent distributional effects between trading partners may be damaging to the environment (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004). In particular, trade liberalization may result in pollution havens (Smarzynska Wei 2004) Regulatory effects The regulatory effect may be positive or negative. A positive effect may occur where increase in trade may stimulate adoption of environmental standards whereas a negative effect may occur where policies and regulations are constrained by the need to comply with multilateral agreements (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004).. Fig.2 Impact of trade policy on sustainable development (Kirkpatrick et al. 2004). Although activities of international firms may have positive or negative impact on sustainable development, the overall trend that has been observed across the globe has been negative. In many countries, the viability of the ecosystems has been threatened by the activities of multinational firms.   Since most of these international firms are purely profit driven, their activities have led to the depletion of tropical forests, marine pollution, habitat destruction, and extinction of endangered species, land degradation and loss of crop cover (Moir Carter 2012). A prime example can be seen with Shell’s operations in Nigeria. Given the abundance of natural resources, particularly the vast reserves of petroleum, Nigeria has played host to oil multinationals (Kadafa 2012). The activities of Shell have turned hitherto productive areas into wastelands, adversely affecting the livelihoods of the local community who are predominantly small-scale farmers (Kadafa 2012). The loss of natural capital and degradation of land especially in the delta region has forced the affected delta community to migrate to other productive regions (Kadafa 2012). This has also heightened tensions between the local community and oil operating companies (Kadafa 2012). This notwistanding, gas flaring in the region has contributed significantly to greenhouse gases and air pollution which has had dire consequences on ecology. A similar scenario can be seen with the activities of Multinational oil companies in Angola. Oil exploration in Angola has also adversely affected fish farming in Cabinda (Agostinho et al 2005). Other popular examples include Exxon Valdez and BP oil spills, which have had the largest and most damaging impact on the environment. Ways in which government can seek to reduce the threat Governments have a greater role to play in reducing such threats. Governments can adopt a number of measures which include: Offering financial incentives to encourage environment friendly activities. Closely monitoring activities of international firms to ensure compliance with the set environment standards Ensuring adherence to the ‘polluter pay principle’ which require the person responsible for pollution to bear the cost (Harris 1995). Ensuring that areas under agriculture, forestry and aquaculture are managed sustainably (Carvalho 2001) Safeguarding endangered species and protecting their habitats (Carvalho 2001). Auditing environmental and social management systems of international firms (Harris 1995) Ensuring that multinationals have contingency plans in place to prevent the adverse impacts of their activities on environment Engaging and consulting with the local community when undertaking projects (Harris 1995) Requiring multinationals to disclose information on project risks and their approach to mitigation Ensuring a robust environment and social impact assessment (ESIA) is undertaken by international firms before commissioning of a project (Harris 1995) Promoting international trading system that enhances sustainable development. Conclusion It is clear from the above that the activities of international firms threaten sustainable development in a number of ways. Cross-border investments increase production which is accompanied by an increase in resource material use and higher levels of pollution. Trade liberalization may result in pollution havens. Also, environment policies and regulations may be constrained by the need to comply with multilateral agreements. On the contrary, the activities of international firms may contribute to sustainable development through international transfer of cleaner energy production technologies and transfer of financial resources and managerial skills to resource-constrained economies. The overall trend on sustainable development has however been negative. In many countries, the viability of the ecosystem has been threatened by the activities of multinational firms. Reference Anon, 2010. Republic of Angola national marine oil spill contigency plan. BCLME region Angola Carvalho, G.O., 2001. ‘Sustainable development: is it achievable within the existing international political economy context?’ Sustainable Development, 9, 61-73 Dean, J. M. and Lovely, M. E., 2010, Chinas Growing Role in World Trade, NBER Conference Report series. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, pp. 429-69, DFID,   2002. Sustainable Urbanisation: Achieving Agenda 21, UK Department for International Development and UN Habitat, Harris, G., 1995, ‘Transnational Corporations’ Strategic Responses to â€Å"Sustainable Development†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ , In: Helge Ole Bergesen, Georg Parmann, and Øystein B. Thommessen (eds.), Green Globe Yearbook of International Co -operation on Environment and Development 1995, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp.93–106. Kadafa, 2012. â€Å"Oil exploration and spillage in the Niger Delta of Nigeria†. Civil and Environmental Research, vol.2 (3) Kirkpatrick, C., George, C., Scrieciu, S.S., 2004. The implications of trade and investment liberalization for sustainable development: review of literature. The University of Manchester Marconi, D. and  Sanna-Randaccio, F., 2011, The Clean Development Mechanism and Technology Transfer to China. Social Science Electronic Publishing, Inc Moir, S. and Carter, K., 2012. ‘Diagrammatic representions of sustainability a review and synthesis’. In: Smith, S.D (Ed) Procs 28th Annual ARCOM Conference, Edinburgh, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 1479-1489. Randaccio, F.S., 2012. Foreign direct investment, multinational entreprises and climate change. Review of Environment, Energy and Economics Smarzynska J. B. and Wei, S.J., 2004, Pollution Havens and Foreign Direct Investment: Dirty Secret or Popular Myth?, Contributions to Economic Analysis Policy, 3: 1-32. World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987, Sustainabilty, Oxford University press

An Inside Look at the Economic Performance of China in April 2012 Essay

An Inside Look at the Economic Performance of China in April 2012 - Essay Example Recently, the china daily newspaper, reported that the economy is dwindling, a factor that has taken the country by storm, considering that the country has had a booming economic pattern in the last few years. This article looks at the factors that have affected the country’s gross domestic product, and the resultant consequences. According to the china daily, the recently released economic informants have indicated that the country’s economy have continued to slow down throughout the month of April, which has raised concerns that the country’s government will opt to adopt greater policies so that it can ease and help to stimulate the growth of the country’s gross domestic product. 2 The policy makers of the country have resulted to quickly annihilating the industrial production and fixed investment sector, in addition to the disappointing trade figures, factors that have overtaken inflation as the main issues of concern for Chinese policymakers.3 Various factors and measurement tools are used to determine the value of the gross domestic product. These factors are subdivided into four major groups of expenditures. These are consumption, investments, government purchases, and the net exports. However, other means of calculating the gross domestic product include adding up the value of every firm that is involved in the production of final goods and services. In addition, other measures can also be employed such as the total production and the total income.4 According to the China Daily, various risks are associated with this downtrend, which has driven the policy makers to act quickly. According to the analysts, the gross domestic product for the country is expected to reduce in the month of April compared to other months in the year. The reasons for these downward trends are the weak exports and dwindling real estate markets. However, there are other factors that I will analyze, which have caused the economic downtown in the country. These factors are related to consumption, investments, government purchases, and net exports.5 The basic equation for calculating the gross domestic product is GDP=C+I+G+ (X-M), where C represents the private consumption, I represents the gross investments, G represents government spending and (X-M) represents the exports minus imports.6 Production approach In order for China to experience declining economic growth in the in the production sector, a number of reasons can be attributed. One of the major factors is that the country has been experiencing a decline in the number of exports to other countries. As a result, the manufacturers have been hard hit and the ports remain piled due to the low demands of these goods. A major contributor to the low demand of the products is the availability of quality substitutes, which are produced in another country.7 Products such as the mobile phones and the electronic equipment such as the televisions have remained in low demand though the co st of production in the country is low. In addition, the value of the Chinese Yuan has constantly been on the rise due to the recent demand for its products and services. This has made the Yuan appreciate over other currencies such as the Japanese yen, the Australian dollar and the Hong Kong dollar. Consequently, importers from other countries are required to spend more to import this product. The result is that other importers cease buying from China.8 Another reason for

Southeast Asia in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Southeast Asia in the US - Essay Example For Ricky, the sea journey was difficult as explained by Hai, one gang member who gave their account while on a sea travel with pirates said that he was only ten years old and his mother was beaten up and thrown into the vast seawaters an experience he will never forget. Most of the Vietnamese had other painful stories to tell about their experience during the war. For instance, they state that on their way to U.S.A, pirates attacked them.. For a period of two years, the South East of Asia became the home for many ‘boat people’ refugees before they were taken to United States. In the camps, there were many crimes and they engaged in survival tactics.In our close association with Ricky, we felt that there were unfamiliar faces either from the gang or from the others who lived in the house at one time. He also informed us that many of their recruits were coming down from Minneapolis. He did not explain the condition they were in at that time. Johnny, a friend of his was a victim who was on the run. His foster father had beaten him and he adapted slowly to the conditions. He seemed to very cautious and afraid of the group members. His friends were cool with him and allowed him to adapt slowly. Though their experience varies, they had similar themes. Most of the members gave their experience as school dropouts, they had language barrier between them, and they could not assimilate it successfully. After two years, they were two years adrift and their parents were forced to adjust their birth dates. In similar life experience, Tam a victim focuses on the family unity that existed in Vietnam that was dismantled by the war. The split families found it difficult to adjust with the transitional life in United States. This has caused a change in the gender roles of most