Boring day Essay Example for Free

Boring day Essay My computer was broken so I couldnt browse the internet or socialize. My friends have gone on a vacation for summer break together while I had to go to summer school. Now its the weekend and It couldnt have got any more boring. My mom asked me to walk to the plaza down the street to buy some milk. I went upstairs to my room and got dressed. I decided to wear a shirt I got for my birthday. It had a cartoon duck face on It and on top of It; It said HI! In big bubble letters. I also wore a pair of blue Jeans, went downstairs, and then put on my shoes and walked out. Im walking down the street and Its been about ten minutes. A normal person would have reached the plaza In five minutes, but I wasnt a normal person, I was a bored person. Being a bored person, I tend to notice and observe things happening around, Like a bee gathering the nectar out of a flower on my neighbors garden, or an airplane in the sky miles away. While I was walking I noticed this old man kicking his son out of house. Dont come back till youre ready to apologize! he yelled in a gruff voice while his son was running round in his boxers. I chuckled; he must be looking for something to cover himself up with. I would have felt so embarrassed if that were me. I continued on toward the plaza with a smile. I finally arrived at the plaza; it was a fifteen minute walk because I was walking really slowly, eve n though it really felt like thirty. Taking my first steps I noticed the plaza was more crowded than Ive ever seen it. There was this supermarket that really wasnt that popular when it first opened. I remember coming here with my friends a while ago and it was the most dissected place Id ever seen. Now it was completely packed with customers, cars coming in and out of the parking lot. It kind of made me happy to see the plaza doing well. I walked in to the milk store and was it ever crowded. There must have been some special event going on. The line was really long too. I looked at the newspaper stand because I like looking at the covers of newspapers to see what the headline is, and I noticed the sign beside it. It said Milk sale 50% off The cashier then looked at me, Hey, you better run to the milk section before it runs out! I ran to the milk section, which Just happened to be located all the way at the back of the store. While running there I saw that there were two milk cartons left, with relief I started walking toward It. I opened the fridge door that had the milk in it and reached for It. Just as I was reaching for It another hand reached In with me and picked up the other can. I turned to see who It, and It was Carol, a girl from my school that I had a crush on. She was a really smart and beautiful person, although she has this problem of not being able to read In her head, Instead she would Just read out loud. Every time I saw her reading a book at he library, the people around her would get mad at her for not being quiet. She looked at me and said Hil in a really loud voice. I was in the girl Ive been crushing on has finally spoken to me. My heart wouldnt stop beating quickly and my hand wouldnt stop twitching. Looking at her face, I noticed her eyes were on my chest, she must have notice my muscles I thought to myself. I yelled Hil back along conversation Just ended, but at least she finally noticed me. I purchased the milk can and I walked out of the store a happy man. I had five dollars worth of change after purchasing the milk can, so I decided to head to the corner store further in the plaza. This corner store was the best; it was always the place to go when I was younger. All my friends and I would buy loads of candy and pop cans here when we younger, since the cost of it was as cheap as they come, ranging from five cents to a dollar. It was candy heaven for a kid. The only problem was the cashier; he was foreign and tends to have fun with every customer that walked in. For him it would be either laughing with you or laughing at you. I walked inside the store and went straight to he back where all the pop was. The pop in this store was only 60 cents. I walked up to the cashier and he looked at me with a smile on his face as I gave him a dollar for the drink. 40 cents change for the hobo! he said mischievously as if he planned out what he was going to say right when I walked in. The words didnt faze me though as I knew he was going to say something. As I was walking out an older woman walked in, Dont forget your wife! he said while laughing. I Just ignored his random comments and walked out of the store. I opened the drink and drank some. Its been ver an hour and it was going to get dark soon. l should get going I thought to myself. Right when I was about to take my first step towards home, I heard a commotion coming from the supermarket. Two men were fighting over watermelon. The watermelon was definitely big compared to the rest of the watermelons. One of the men had blond hair, with tattoos all over his arms. His Jeans had rips in them, he was wearing a wife beater, and he was wearing a head band. The other man was bald, he was wearing shorts, a t-shirt and his goatee hung down to his chest. This watermelon is mine! the blond man yelled. The bald man didnt reply and let go of the watermelon. Directly after he punched him in the face, took the watermelon and yelled Sucker! without even paying for it. There was crowd watching the whole incident go down as well. It was pretty serious for someone to hit a person and then steal something. My facial expression at that time showed a teenager with a straight face, but my in my head, Im laughing about the whole incident. I headed home, taking my time while observing my surroundings, as the sun was setting. All of the sudden, I heard a high pitch sound like someone was crying for help. I stood still so I could hear better, but the sound didnt come again. I continued walking, wondering what the sound could have been. It could have been someone from the plaza, but I really doubted that as Im a pretty far away from it. Chirp chirp! the sound came back again but much louder. It sounded like a bird. I stopped to look around and I found a bird behind a tree. The bird was stuck under a pile of branches and was crying for help. I put the milk carton down and I moved the branches off the bird. The branches were bigger than most branches and it was pretty heavy, as heavy as a pile f text books stacked together. The bird flew away while chirping. This time the chirping sounded very grateful like it was thanking me for helping it. The bird flew into the branches of the tree hidden in the leaves. All of the sudden an apple fell from the tree. I thought maybe it was a reward for helping it, so I took it graciously, picked up the milk can and continued on home while eating the apple. Im home! I said strongly as I walked in. Welcome home, Ill take the milk, do you want anything? while hurrying to my room. I decided to go straight to bed to catch up on some sleep, n a boring day, I guess I wouldnt want to spend the rest of it any other way. I went straight to sleep. The next day I woke up and I looked at the time. 8:30!? Im going to be late for summer school! I screamed. I got ready as quick as I could and ran out the door and barely managed to get on the bus. I sat down on the seat next to the bus doors. One of my classmates from my summer school happened to be sitting on the seat next to me and we started talking. I introduced myself and told him about my trip to the plaza. Wow! he said while laughing. mfr lucky, you had a really fun day!

Internet Health Information Pros Cons Health And Social Care Essay

Internet Health Information Pros Cons Health And Social Care Essay After becoming an essential part of life in less than two decades, the internet has fundamentally changed the way of information seeking and providing, and the nature of communication in many fields, including healthcare system. Nowadays we can see patients and carers search for health information through web-surfing, receive advice or education from on-line based health information providers, and communicate opinions on specific symptoms or newly developed treatments by exchanging e-mails, posting on the on-line message board, participating in the chat rooms (Servellen and Marram 2009). Though there are a myriad of merits on using the internet in health area, some have raised concerns about its negative effects on the vulnerable users and the relationship dynamics of face-to-face health consultation, especially with advent of the most informed patients ever. This report presents four internet sites on health information, describe positive and negative aspects of using the internet a s health information source, and discuss how so-to-speak impersonal nature of the internet has affected the relationship between patients and health professionals. Examples of health internet sites and their primary goals Department of Health and Ageing, Australian Government The Department of Health and Ageing(DHA) is a Department of State of Australia, operating under the Public Service Act 1999 and the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997(2009). Its homepage provides information for both health consumers and professionals. For example, the major part of the DHA web pages consists of extensive subjects such as ageing, chronic diseases, quarantine and travel health, communicable diseases, organ donation, patient education, maternal and infant health, Medicare benefits, health product and medicines, health and ageing thesaurus, etc., which aim to support the sick, teenagers, seniors, their families and health care workers. In addition, the DHA also render information on other related web sites and useful links. MoodGYM The MoodGYM is a web-based interactive tool for general public, assisting identification and management of anxiety and depression. Developed by the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University, it is known as one of the most widely investigated psychic therapy application(Bell 2007). After registering ones basic profiles, users can try its programs for free and approach to step by step questionnaires and exercises on emotions. According to the web site of MoodGYM, its therapeutical foundation derived from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which claims that the way a person recognise the exterior environment eventually influences his behaviour, and Interpersonal Therapy, which was designed to provide solutions on conflicting roles, to improve relationship with other people, to give consolation over deep sorrow. Sibs: For Brothers and Sisters of Disabled Children and Adults The Sibs is a UK rooted, not-for-profit organisation helping siblings of disabled people. While many other internet sites pertaining to the disabled conditions are focusing on the information directly relevant to the handicapped people, this charity particularly acknowledges and addresses the special needs for brothers, sisters and parents of them. Through its internet homepage, young people and adult can assess to the practical tips as to being a family member of the physically challenged. It also contains information on workshop and training run across the UK for health care professionals and supporting siblings. Royal College of Nursing, Australia The Royal College of Nursing, Australia (RCNA) is a national nursing membership organisation, established in Melbourne in 1949, now moved to Canberra to concentrate on the professional development and policy analysis. Its official web site provides a variety of information for nurses and nursing students, including notices on upcoming conferences, expos, and workshops. Besides, 3LP, the RCNAs life-long education scheme, supports practice nurses with free e-training handling chronic disease, cultural variation, care plan management, self-management, and support strategies. Pros and cons for internet health information Through the internet we can be in contact with large volume of health information for 24/7 basis, even across national borders, by paying relatively low expense. Virtually every kinds of health information for every level and format is flowing over the internet, which means it is quite possible for you to select the very information you have searched for with little effort(Lee, Park et al. 2009). This kind of electronic accessibility is especially meaningful for some underserved groups such as the physically challenged and the scattered population in rural areas (Abrahamson, Fisher et al. 2008). In most cases the traditional mode of intervention or education hardly delivers such subdivided information conveniently with the constraints of cost-effectiveness, time and place. The anonymous nature of the internet also plays a positive role in providing health information for the vulnerable groups such as the mentally-ill or the disabled. For example, some patients from these groups might prefer not to reveal their personal details to others while craving for the necessary knowledge about their condition. In that case, the internet makes the most desirable solution they can approach the health information or exchange experience about illness conditions, remaining unidentified people. To sum up, the internet is seen to have great capacity for supplying versatile health information to both the general public and minor groups rapidly, widely and easily, which presumably lead to reduction of effort and time for health professionals while educating their clients. However, the promising feature of the internet could lead to the unexpected results. Due to the extreme variety of the web-based health information, it is often pointed out that the ability to correctly understand the medical terms and context, referred to as health literacy, sometimes impedes the right use of the health websites (Abrahamson, Fisher et al. 2008). And for the underserved, the problem could be much bigger. The vulnerable including the disabled, the elderly, etc , may be less health literate and less educated about judging the quality of information (Eng, Maxfield et al. 1998), and might be at a riskier status of becoming suffered by erroneous use of the on-line health information. Besides, the anonymity of the internet that enables rather free communication between the unidentified could result in destructive or unethical outcomes particularly for mentally weak patients. For instance, it is suggested that anonymity in a peer support website for the mentally ill might make it hard to identify whether the contents of posting of suicides and suicide attempts are real ones, therefore the members could be influenced by hoaxes to a greater extent(Hsiung 2007). In conclusion, the more information presented via the internet, the more sensitive approach and evaluation process are required, especially for the vulnerable groups lacking sound judgement capacity. How impersonal nature of the Internet affects the relationships between patients and health professionals Contrary to the traditional mode of providing health information, which involves direct communication and interactions between patients and doctors, the contemporary cyberspace generally offers one-way, impersonal communication. And this feature sometime motivates patients to search for the internet health information, because the internet seems more collectively objective source than the human being. For instance, the indirect interaction involving many unknown people lacking personal relationship, like the internet communication, may be seen to help find the impartial information(Robinson and Turner 2003). However, after surrounded by a large volume of one-way information and feeling the need to interpret or confirm them from the perspective of personally believable sources, patients are found to seek discussion with doctors about the internet health information found. Many patients are visiting GPs with print out of internet information. Some have argued that the internet might be a threat to the role of physician as a source of health information, as the internet would narrow the disparity of medical knowledge between patient and doctors(Hein 2001). But recently it is figured out that the health consultants remain the fundamental and essential authorities in selecting process of the information from the internet (Kivits 2006). Patients indeed have needs for integrated emotional support and personalised direction to get through the complex labyrinth of medical world. In summary, as the internet has become a convenient source of health information and substituted health professionals role in a degree, doctors and nurses are now required to be prepared to guide patients to choose more desirable health websites, answer their questions about the information found, and personally encourage patients willingness to learn and overcome their diseases, which would eventually make a substantial shift from traditional health care professional-patient relationship. Conclusion The internet educates patients and their carers in versatile levels, enhances accessibility to the health information for the underserved effectively, and assists health professionals to save effort and time to teach basic health information to the public. But there are also possibilities for some vulnerable subgroups to misuse the internet health information, due to lack of proper understanding of medical terms or appropriate capacity to distinguish between truth and falsehood. Even the patient with sound common sense and good educational backgrounds often find the information from the internet is confusing or untrustworthy. On top of that, the internet cannot provide the interactive personal communication by which patients can understand their specific conditions in the whole context. Therefore the roles for the health professionals now in demand are to actively accept the fact that they are not the only source of health information, help patient filter the internet health informat ion and support patients to take responsibility in understanding and conquering ones own disease. (2009). Annual Report 2008-2009. Canberra, Department of Health and Ageing, Australian Government. Abrahamson, J. A., K. E. Fisher, et al. (2008). Lay information mediary behavior uncovered: exploring how nonprofessionals seek health information for themselves and others online. Journal of the Medical Library Association 96(4): 310-323. OBJECTIVES: This research studied motivations for, barriers to, and effects of online health information seeking and explored lay information mediary behavior (LIMB) characteristics in the consumer health information domain. Lay information mediaries (LIMs) seek information on behalf or because of others, without necessarily being asked to do so or engaging in follow up, and have represented more than 50% of health information seekers in prior studies. METHODS: A web-based survey was posted on NC Health Info (NCHI) with 211 respondents, self-identified per the information need that brought them to NCHI as 20% LIMs (n = 43), 58% direct users (n = 122), and 22% health or information providers (n = 46). Follow-up telephone interviews were performed with 10% (n = 21). Interview analysis focused on lay participants (n = 15 LIMs and direct users combined). Interviewees were reclassified post-survey as 12 LIMs and 3 direct users when studied information behavior extended beyond NCHI search. Interview data were analyzed using grounded theory approach. RESULTS: Surveyed LIMs were 77% female (n = 33) and searched on behalf or because of family members (81%, n = 35) and people they felt extremely close to (77%, n = 33). LIMs reported various information seeking barriers sometimes to often. LIMs searched mostly without prompting (51%, n = 22). Interview results triangulated survey findings regarding gender, tie strength, and prompting. CONCLUSIONS: LIMB may be related to gender and relationship tie strength and appears more internally than externally motivated. Further LIMB research is warranted. Bell, V. (2007). Online information, extreme communities and internet therapy: Is the internet good for our mental health? Journal of Mental Health 16(4): 445-457. Background: Questions have been raised about the internets effect on mental health, although no principled review has yet tackled the issue. Aims: To examine the effect of the internet on mental health. Method: Literature review. Results: The internet is typically discussed as if it were a set of activities when it is actually a medium upon which various activities can occur. It is, therefore, neither good nor bad for mental health, although specific activities may have an influence. The standard of mental health information on the internet is probably equivalent to the mainstream media, although overall it still remains poor. The concept of internet addiction looks increasingly invalid, although it is likely that depressed or isolated individuals are more likely to focus on certain activities to excess. A number of extreme communities have formed online, such as pro-anorexia, pro-suicide, pro-amputation and likely-psychotic groups. These serve to provide support, outside a medical a nd social mainstream that finds their beliefs and behaviours unacceptable. A review of preliminary randomized controlled trials shows online therapy to be effective for many disorders. Conclusions: Mental health professionals are advised to lead the creation of online treatments and information. Clinical recommendations for the use of the internet are offered. Declaration of interest: None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Mental Health is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holders express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) Eng, T. R., A. Maxfield, et al. (1998). Access to health information and support: a public highway or a private road? JAMA: The Journal Of The American Medical Association 280(15): 1371-1375. Information and communication technologies may help reduce health disparities through their potential for promoting health, preventing disease, and supporting clinical care for all. Unfortunately, those who have preventable health problems and lack health insurance coverage are the least likely to have access to such technologies. Barriers to access include cost, geographic location, illiteracy, disability, and factors related to the capacity of people to use these technologies appropriately and effectively. A goal of universal access to health information and support is proposed to augment existing initiatives to improve the health of individuals and the public. Both public- and private-sector stakeholders, particularly government agencies and private corporations, will need to collaboratively reduce the gap between the health information haves and have-nots. This will include supporting health information technology access in homes and public places, developing applications for the growing diversity of users, funding research on access-related issues, ensuring the quality of health information and support, enhancing literacy in health and technology, training health information intermediaries, and integrating the concept of universal access to health information and support into health planning processes. Hein, E. C., Ed. (2001). Nursing issues in the 21st century : perspectives from the literature Philadelphia, Pa., Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Hsiung, R. C. (2007). A suicide in an online mental health support group: reactions of the group members, administrative responses, and recommendations. Cyberpsychology Behavior: The Impact Of The Internet, Multimedia And Virtual Reality On Behavior And Society 10(4): 495-500. Suicides in online mental health support groups are inevitable. This case report of such a suicide describes the responses of the group members and the moderator and makes recommendations. Members of a large, public, mental health message board supported each other, and the moderator, a mental health professional, managed the milieu. A member joined in February 2001 and killed herself in April 2002. The initial response of the members was grief. The moderator attempted to minimize suicide contagion by not making any special announcements and to facilitate mourning by starting a memorial thread. There were no reports of self-injury in response to the suicide, and the online ventilation of grief may in fact have had some preventative effect. One member went to the funeral, and gradually, the group moved on. The moderator later implemented a memorial page. The responses of online groups to suicide may, like those of real-life groups, have resuscitation, rehabilitation, and renewal phase s. Diffusion of dependency, a searchable archive, and threaded, asynchronous discussion may facilitate mourning, but anonymity may increase vulnerability to false reports. A thread started in memory of a deceased member may function like a virtual memorial service. A memorial page may function like a virtual cemetery. Preliminary recommendations can be made regarding suicide prevention and responding to suicide in moderated online mental health support groups. Kivits, J. (2006). Informed patients and the internet: a mediated context for consultations with health professionals. Journal Of Health Psychology 11(2): 269-282. This article investigates how individuals use of the Internet for finding health information may affect the relationship between health professionals and patients. It explores peoples rationales for searching for information online, the information selection process and the implications for doctor-patient interactions. Qualitative interviews were conducted by email with 31 health information seekers. Study findings show the importance of the everyday in orientating health information searches and of personal experience in navigating a multiplicity of online sources. Interviewees emphasize the primary role of the doctor-patient relationship for delivering health and medical information, their Internet searches complementing rather than opposing professional expertise. Lee, Y. J., J. Park, et al. (2009). Exploring antecedents of consumer satisfaction and repeated search behavior on e-health information. Journal Of Health Communication 14(2): 160-173. E-health information has become an important resource for people seeking health information. Even though many studies have been conducted to examine the quality of e-health information, only a few studies have explored the effects of the information seekers motivations on the perceived quality of e-health information. There is even less information about repeated searches for e-health information after the users initial experience of e-health information use. Using an online survey of information seekers, 252 e-health information users responses were collected. The research examines the relationship among motivation, perceived quality, satisfaction, and intention to repeat-search e-health information. The results identify motivations to search e-health information and confirm the relationship among motivation, perceived quality dimensions, and satisfaction and intention to repeat searches for e-health information. Robinson, J. D. and J. Turner (2003). Impersonal, interpersonal, and hyperpersonal social support: cancer and older adults. Health Communication 15(2): 227-234. Although cancer occurs throughout the life span, many of the most frequently occurring types of cancer increase as we grow older. In fact, only cardiovascular disease accounts for more deaths in adults 65 years of age and older. One of the ways that cancer patients cope or adapt to their illness is through socially supportive communicative interactions and relationships. Cutrona and Russell (1990) argued that social support is multidimensional and suggested that social support is most effective when the support needs of the individual are consistent with the type of social support being offered by the support provider. From the communicative perspective, the notion of optimal matching between the types of social support desired and the type of social support offered is extended to include the type of relationship between the communicants. In addition, it is argued that computer-mediated social support can be superior to face-to-face social support. This article attempts to identify s ome of the conditions under which this is true. Servellen, V. and G. Marram (2009). Communication skills for the health care professional : concepts, practice, and evidence. Sudbury, Mass, Jones and Bartlett. Hasman, L., Zafron, M. L. (2010). An Analysis of Online Resources for Parents, Siblings, and Other Caregivers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of Consumer Health On the Internet , 33-41.

Discussion on Poverty in South Africa

Discussion on Poverty in South Africa Discussion on Poverty and the current situation in South Africa South Africa has a population of 47.9 million people (http://www.southafrica.info/about/people/popprov.htm) the largest provincial province in South Africa is Kwa-Zulu Natal with 10 million people that is 20.9%. Gauteng is the most densely populated province in South Africa which consists of 9.6 million people. Gauteng is not the biggest province but because of the demand for work and income many people vacate their countries to find work in South Africa, people come from all over such as Botswana, Mozambique and most of all Zimbabwe. Many of these people come to Gauteng because of the working and living conditions in these countries are terrible and people cannot get jobs to afford to pay for their families. This does create and cause a lot of the poverty because not all foreigners can find the work and so then they have no way of leaving because they illegally live there, hence the Xenophobic attacks. Poverty in South Africa has lead to many problems in South Africa such as lack of skills, crime and education. Capital is what revolves around these socio-economic issues, because of the demand for capital people with a lack of skills cannot afford school and so they have no education. People have no money without a job and so they have to get capital, this is where stealing comes in and so the only way to obtain capital is to steal, this is why South Africas crime rate is so high because it is poverty stricken. South Africas population is dominated by Africans consisting of 78% in of the total population growing at 7% from 2001 to 2006. The remainder of the population is split as follows, Coloured 8% of the population growing at 5.77%, Indian 2% of the population growing at 4.18% and white 11% of the population growing at 0.43%. (Population chart Ref South Africa Survey 2004 Institute of Race Relations)- refer to chart 1 and 2-population How Tiger Brands deals with poverty Tiger Brands is one of the leading packing businesses in the country. Listed on the JSE. As a large company Tiger Brands has to deal with many CSR related problems, one of their main focuses is poverty, because of their packaging they deal with a lot of food packaging. Tiger Brands have specifically looked at the feeding poverty stricken areas with many children in it. This is the starting point at helping the poverty in South Africa. Tiger has established a feeding and education program that has 17 township committees, 12 mothers clubs, 13 feeding centres and five mobile vans and a number of other methods that deliver food to the poverty stricken areas. I believe this helps poverty stricken people because obtaining food in an everyday struggle and so by addressing one of their main needs does help them a lot and also ables them to survive through the food provided by Tiger. This project is also sustainable because there is another short term program that is linked to the feeding which is an educational program that will ensure that the people in the area receive education that will allow them to be employed in the future and provide the country with valuable human capital, with the education and feeding programs Tiger Brands addresses 2 of the main corporate social issues, by addressing health they will be able maintain good levels of nutrition and so people will live healthy and so stealing should cut down because of a lesser demand of capital to purchase food, if other companies did this of course. Poverty in South Africa is too high, many major events will be held in the year of 2010 in South Africa such as the FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament many people will be travelling from overseas to come and watch this prestigious event and so foreign capital will be coming to the country. Crime rates could affect this and so eradicating poverty could help by lowering the crime rate. If South Africa is seen as a stable place for investment after the world cup, the country can start to see new light with new infrastructure, more capital to aid problems in South Africa, so it is key to portray the country as one that is stable. Population according to race-Chart Chart 2 population Race 2001 2006 Increase % of pop 2001 % of pop 2006 African 35185 040 37648 310 7.00% 78% 78% Coloured 3808 770 4028 360 5.77% 8% 8% Indian 1113 210 1159 720 4.18% 2% 2% White 5242 500 5265 030 0.43% 12% 11% Total 45351 521 48103 426 6.07% 100% 100% As a result of poverty and people not being able to live are forced to find new ways in obtaining other sources of food and income. One of the most common ways in obtaining these things is stealing. (Crime Chart Ref South Africa Survey 2004 Institute of Race Relations). Stealing is related to crime in South Africa and I believe crime is linked to poverty because people have no money to afford a house or food and so they have no way in obtaining basic needs and so they resort to stealing from people in cars, from peoples homes. I believe if we reduce poverty within South Africa we can solve crime because less pressure if found on people to support their families through illegal ways. Choice of company Discussion on choice of company My choice in companies was Tiger Brands, a local company that supplies with a wide variety food stuffs including basic nutrition such as bread, maize as well as canned foods. As Tiger are a local company and have a vested interest and social issues in South Africa their employment policy is directed at the local population because they have a true understanding of some of the problems that Tiger Brands faces. Listed below are some of the areas the compete in Domestic food Consumer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Hospital Products Fishing Exports of goods Tiger Brands can be seen on many items in South Africa such as Energade, tomato sauce and bread. I chose Tiger Brands because they are a multinational company, that operates mainly in South Africa and other emerging markets (http://www.tigerbrands.co.za/Default.htm) Tiger Brands mission statement is â€Å"to be the worlds most admired branded consumer packed Goods Company in emerging markets†. http://www.tigerbrands.co.za/Default.htm I believe this is a very attainable goal for Tiger Brands because they are renound for good services and quality. Tiger Brands have been involved in a number of scams such as when they increased the price for bread; this would be the only thing stopping them to reach their mission statement because of their reputation. One of my main influences of choosing this company was because my father has dealt with Tiger Brands before and has background information on it, so information was viable. Tiger Brands have many advantages and disadvantages for their company which either help to enhance the performance of the company or bring it down, Tiger Brands works on all of their disadvantages because this brings down their name such as the price of bread going up and so they try to better their image after that incident through CSR projects and helping out the public. Advantages Disadvantages * Large company = many investors so they can grow to reach their mission statement * Bread price raising crisis that brought down their reputation. * They have companies in emerging markets and so they have a broader capital intake. * * They have CSR projects which enhances a positive image in the eyes of the public. 2010 Vision, Mission, Strategy and Capabilities for Tiger Brands (www.tigrbrands/2010vision.co.za) Vision To be the worlds most admired branded consumer packaged goods and healthcare company in emerging markets Mission Increase turnover to R30 billion and grow EBIT margin to 20% by 2010 Strategy We will achieve sustainable and profitable top line growth by: Transforming the organisation Optimising our business portfolio Pursuing growth Organic Exports African expansion Acquisitions in selected markets Capabilities Ability to attract, retain and develop the best people A reputation for innovation Excellence in brand building and customer and channel management Continuous improvement Value creation for all our stakeholders in an environment of respect, teamwork, imagination and action-orientation. Summary of different CSR projects for chosen company (Immediate needs education) â€Å"Love thy neighbour† Ubuntu campaign, which helps mitigate the socio-economic effects of HIV/AIDS through education and training and entrenches the extended family Ubuntu culture through peer education. The information offered covers a number of topics such as counselling, communication skills, teenage, HIV/AIDS and the use of ARVs. Heartbeat Heartbeat supports orphaned and vulnerable children by ensuring that their basic needs are taken, care of to ensure they can finish their schooling and live their lives as children. In 6 years since inception, Heartbeat has successfully partnered projects in 7 provinces, collectively meeting the needs of 5000 orphaned and vulnerable children. Heartbeat has developed five programs which contribute to the holistic transformation of the child and consist of different products and services. Unite 4 Health Following on from the success of Unite against Hunger, Tiger Brands healthcare company, Adock Ingram launched Unite 4 health in Jan 2006, aimed at supporting efforts to improve healthcare for disadvantaged South Africans. As with its Unite against Hunger initiatives, Tiger Brands aims to ensure the sustainability of Unite 4 health projects by providing funding and supporting infrastructural development that will serve beneficiaries in the long term. Red Cross Childrens Hospital In June 2005, Unite 4 Health agreed to donate R4 million to the Red Cross War Memorial Childrens Hospital in Cape Town. This Hospital is the only specialist centre dedicated to treating children on the African Continent. At the hospital, Africa- specific research on childrens diseases and HIV/AIDS not only improves the health of the little patients, but also assists in training doctors and nurses. Soweto Hospice The unite 4 healths funding for the Hospice contributed towards the provision of a 24 new bed womans ward and state-of-the-art facilities to support the large team of professional nurses and volunteers who care for 450 people Soweto Hospice is now a vital community resource tackling HIV/AIDS complications and various psychosocial issues. Heart of Soweto Unite 4 Health committed R2 million in support of a study which aims to track the incidence of cardiovascular disease in a developing world scenario. This study, the first one of its kind in Africa is led by Prof. Karen Silwa- head of the Soweto cardiovascular research unit at Chris Hani Baragwaneth Hospital- in collaboration with experts from Australia and the United Kingdom. The Heart of Soweto study has initiated the important task of better understanding and monitoring of the emergence of heart disease in the Soweto population. Its significance lies in tracking the incidence of a disease often associated with increasingly affluent lifestyles in one of South Africas largest urban areas. The environmental control system Tiger Brands recognizes that some of its activities and operations may have a negative environmental impact and to this end, an Environmental Control System has been implemented throughout the group to facilitate good environmental management and to ensure compliance with South African national , Provincial and local regulations. Environmental management is driven by the group safety, Health and Environment policy which commit all operations to follow best practice standards and to seek continuous improvement in Safety, health and environmental management. Discussion of a specific issue that the company concentrates on Poverty Hunger As we have read from the above articles Tiger Brands deals with many problems in society and we have learnt with each action they take another is re-acted. South Africa is overwhelmed with starving children, mothers, fathers and people who have shacks for houses if not nothing for a shelter. These are key areas that need attention from the public to help re-enforce their infrastructure and living conditions. South Africa is a Third World country because of the high percentage of people living in no homes and people running short of capital to purchase food, this is why there is a lot of crime because people have no way of obtaining their primary needs such as food, water, electricity and so people resort to stealing. (Immediate needs living conditions) Hunger and poverty continue to be a reflection of the bigger socio-economic challenges that South Africa still faces. Most of our people do not have access to sufficient nutrition or basic healthcare. They the most comprehensive array of food and healthcare brands and products that play a huge role in the lives of our citizens. As a good corporate citizen, our objective is to find ways in which to give back to the communities and our country as a whole.25% of available funds to be used in rural huger and health initiatives. Poverty in South Africa can be seen almost everywhere. Every stop street, robot we see people begging because they have no money and they need food and need a shelter for their families. In South Africa we have many informal settlements such as Diepsloot, Alexander, and Soweto, where many shacks are built and small businesses such as kiosks.   Malnutrition graph 3 urban Formal urban Informal Urban Commercial Farms Rural Tribal National Low height for age 17% 19% 19% 31% 27% 25% 22.0% Low weight for age 8% 8% 8% 13% 13% 11% 10% Low weight for height 3% 3% 2% 4% 5% 5% 4% (Malnutrition institute of race relations South African Survey 2004) Fighting off Hunger and poverty increases the positive image Tiger Brands strives for because its such a big issue in the community. The Project I have chosen is the ACFS. Tiger Brands whole CSR project revolve around this one and it has many links with different CSR projects they have. This Project is called the African Childrens Feeding Scheme. African Childrens feeding Scheme (ACFS) For over 60 years, the ACFS Community Education and feeding project has made a difference n the lives of poverty stricken children by combating malnutrition through feeding and education. The ACFS has 17 township committees, 12 mothers clubs, 13 feeding centres, 5 mobile vans and 6 tricycles that deliver food. Its activities are conducted through several interrelated projects: Its activities are conducted through several interrelated projects: Feeding the malnourished, needy and HIV/Aids affected and infected. The focus is predominantly on children and the project feeds 18 000 children daily and 1 000 families each month. As each family has an average of 7 to 9 people, this means about 8 000 people receive nutritious food parcels every month. â€Å"Love Thy Neighbour† Ubuntu campaign, which helps mitigate the socio-economic effects of HIV/ Aids through education and training and entrenches the extended family Ubuntu culture through peer education. â€Å"Care for Children† Programme, which supports orphans and vulnerable children, particularly child-headed households. Tiger Brands supports ACFS through regular donations of food, which when translated into monetary value over the past 13 months is over R1, 7 million. Living conditions and Communications Table (living conditions institute of race relations South African Survey) Types of housing Formal Informal Traditional Other 64% 16% 15% 5% Water Resources Clean water Borehole/Rain Stream, well, dam, other 84% 3% 13% Energy and lighting Electricity Paraffin Candles Other 70% 7% 23% 1% Cooking Energy Electricity Paraffin Wood Coal Gas Other 51% 21% 21% 3% 3% 1% Heating Energy Electricity Paraffin Wood Coal Gas Other 49% 15% 25% 7% 4% 1% Access to sanitation Flush lavatory Pit Latrine Bucket Latrine Other/None 54% 28% 4% 14% Sustainability Sustainability- The ability to preserve something with a limited capacity and still use it without jeopardising it for future use. Many projects such as Earth Charter have been implemented in the world to enforce sustainability concerning natural resources, capital and human resources. Sustainability is about saving something for the future and then using it again in a natural resource case, in human resource raising a person in a business environment and teaching him the ways of your business is part of CSR and sustainability. St Stithians Boys College does do this with some of their staff, they do this by paying for his accommodation at the school, and the school pays for his studies. Once the employee has completed his work he will then in return work for the school e.g. Cricket Coach etc. Sustainability falls into two categories, Conservation and preservation of natural resources. (Geography for all grade 11 learners book) Sustainable Development- this is one of the ways that people are trying to balance human development with conserving the environment. Sustainable development is defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present generation without undermining the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This means that before we begin any new development, we need to make sure it will not prevent our childrens generation from meeting their needs. For example, when we cut down trees for wood, we need to make sure we leave tress to grow for future generations to use. Ideally we plant one new tree for each one we cut down. (Life sciences for all grade 11 learners book) www.google/sustainability/images-spheres.co.za Sustainability has 3 sectors, Environmental, Economic and social the environmental is the natural resources and how you should manage the it, the economic environment is about Profit and cost savings and the social environment is about the standard of living and its about the community. The diagram above shows us how all 3 sectors are integrated. Sustainability of CSR Project (ACFS) I believe that the ACFS Project is sustainable. By helping out people in need of their main needs they can do this for their whole lives, as soon as they grow up they could join Tiger Brands and do what others did to them in the past. Through experience these people will know how and what to do and deal with because they were helped. South Africa has a very low literacy rate and many people are not educated this is a problem because this does cause poverty because people cannot get a job without an education and so an education is very important. Tiger Brands does deal with this in the ACFS project. Highest level of education table. No schooling Some Primary Completed Primary Some Secondary Completed Secondary Higher African 22.3% 18.5% 6.9% 30.4% 16.8% 5.2% Coloured 8.3% 18.4% 9.8% 40.1% 18.5% 4.9% Indian 5.3% 7.7% 4.2% 33.0% 34.9% 14.9% White 1.4% 1.2% 0.8% 25.0% 40.9% 29.8% Total 18% 16% 6% 31% 20% 8% (Education Institute of Race Relations South African Survey 2004) As we can see from the chart, education needs to be looked into because of such high rates of highest level education. South Africa has many unemployed people because of a lack of education. Tiger Brands has set up small schools and day care services to help the literacy rate. Private Schools are very expensive and so many children cannot afford to go to top schools. This is where you can find top quality education. Once education and hunger are being resolved people can start to prepare for other things in life such as saving capital for work and other things and then the unemployment rate should go down. Conclusion-All in all I think Tiger Brands main CSR Project is good and sustainable because people can come back and work for them. They have something good going on and they are making a difference in the community which CSR is all about and they are giving back to the community. Tiger Brands have addressed the serious problems in South Africa and have made a difference. South Africa has many problems that need to be solved in order to become a third world country which South Africa hopes to obtain and achieve. Glossary Dependent- A person who relies on another person for support GDP- Is the standard measure of the size of the economy. It is the total production of goods and services within a country. Sustainable- The ability to preserve something with a limited capacity and still use it without jeopardising it for future use Managerial- Of or relating to the function or responsibility or activity of management Legislation- Law made by Parliament, that is, statute law or Acts of Parliament. Law made by other bodies under the authority of Parliament is termed delegated legislation. Investor- Someone who commits capital in order to gain financial returns. Pharmaceuticals- A pharmaceutical drug also referred to as medicine or medicament, can be loosely defined as any substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease. Other synonyms include pharmacotherapy, pharmacotherapeutics, and drug treatment. CSR- Corporate social responsibility Attainable- something to try to reach for or try to gain. SWOT-Strengths, Weaknesses, Goals and Opportunities analysis. * Sustainable Development- this is one of the ways that people are trying to balance human development with conserving the environment.

The Healing Process Essay -- essays research papers fc

The Healing Process This is a brief psychological overview of the healing process. The image of healing is best described by Gloria Vanderbilt in "A Mother's Story" when she talks of breaking the invisible unbreakable glass bubble which enclosed her that kept her always anticipating loss with echoes of all past losses. She wrote, for example (Page 3),"Some of us are born with a sense of loss there from the beginning, and it pervades us throughout our lives. Loss, as defined, as deprivation, can be interpreted as being born into a world that does not include a nurturing mother and father. We are captured in an unbreakable glass bubble, undetected by others, and are forever seeking ways to break out, for if we can, surely we will find and touch that which we are missing". This concept of healing was also described by Philip Berman in "If It Is Not Good Make It So" as changing positively from the unhappy attitude of(Page 48) "we never got the habit of happiness as others know it. It was always as if we were waiting for something better or worse to happen". Psychological theory of change suggest it is possible to heal, to break out of the glass bubble, to develop the attitude of happiness. For example, in "The Process of Change: Variations on a Theme by Virginia Satir says on Page 89 that "successful change-making turns out to involve struggle, necessitating skill, tenacity and perspective". The struggle occurs when a foreign element produces chaos until a new integration occurs which results in a new status quo. Kurt Lewin echoed this view in saying that an old attitude has to unfreeze, the person experiments, a new attitude develops and a refreezing occurs. Janis and Prochasky suggest a person starts in relative complacency, is presented with challenging information, the person evaluates the new challenge to habit or policy and reviews alternate policies to create a new policy or return to the original one, The psychological theories focus on perspective and rational thought. The significance of the therapist is in giving a new perspective and in aiding self-esteem in order to break down resistance to change. Otherwise, Satir suggests people are likely to revert to their trance lik... ... learn that laws and mores are not absolutes but open to constant revision as we are to do with our inner selves. Psychology seems to share the ideas that a person in emotional pain is stuck in a self made prison which can be escaped through unconditional positive regard and a fresh perspective. What isn't clear is how rational thought combined with 'love' enters the person's heart and soul. Bibliography Bugental James,F.T. "Lessons Clients Teach Therapists", J. of Humanistic Psychology Vol.31 No. 3 Summer 1991 Mittleman Willard "Maslow's Study of Self-Actualiztion: A Reinterpretation" Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 31 No.1, Winter 1991 Pages 114-135 Morrow Susan L. and Smith Mary Lee,"Survival Coping by Sexual Abuse Survivors", Journal of Counseling Psychology 1995 Vol 42, No.1, pages 24-33. "The Process of Change:Variations on a Theme by Virginia Satir", J. of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 34 No.3, Summer, 1994 Pages 87-110. Schoen Stephen MD "Psychotherapy as Sacred Ground", J. of Humanistic Psychology, Vol 31 No.1, Winter 1991 Pages 51-55 Vanderbilt Gloria, "A Mother's Story", Alfred A. Knopf, N. Y. 1996

Free College Essays - A Separate Peace :: A Separate Peace Essays

A Separate Peace "Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step toward him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb." This is a quotation from the novel A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles. My focus in the following will be on Man's Inhumanity to Man. There is a strong relation of this to the novel for which I read. My first point which I will talk about is about Finny's tragic fall and how Gene was the cause of it. My support from the story is Finny's desire to jump from the tree. Gene said that he was coming to join him but Finny reminded him about studying. Gene's thoughts on the matter were, "He had never been jealous of me for a second. Now I knew that there never was and never could have been any rivalry between us, I couldn't stand this." My second support is Gene's actions leading to the accident. He took a step toward the trunk, put his knees and jounced the limb. Thus, Finny lost his balance and tumbled to the ground. My third support goes back to the scene of the accident after Gene watches Finny fall. And he thinks to himself, "It was the first clumsy physical action I had ever seen him make." More less, this is a sign of pride within Gene as he watches the good athlete, Finny fall out of the tree. My second point is on the scene where Brinker brings Finny and Gene to the mock trial to let everyone know the real truth about the cause of the accident. In other words, it was a way of blasting away Gene and shoving his reputation as a respected individual into the ground. My support from the story is when Brinker and three acquaintances come into Gene and Finny's dorm and pull them out. After they entered the Assembly Room, Brinker remarks, "You see how Finny limps." This phrase was the beginning of his plan to set the truth loose, or primarily break the friendship link between Finny and Gene. Brinker chose the Assembly Room as the setting for this trial since there is nothing humorous about the place. It is a place which would be terrible for Gene's sake to talk about the cause of the accident.

Prelude to Foundation Chapter 6 Rescue

LEGGEN, JENARR-†¦ His contributions to meteorology, however, although considerable, pale before what has ever since been known as the Leggen Controversy. That his actions helped to place Hari Seldon in jeopardy is undisputable, but argument rages-and has always raged-as to whether those actions were the result of unintentional circumstance or part of a deliberate conspiracy. Passions have been raised on both sides and even the most elaborate studies have come to no definite conclusions. Nevertheless, the suspicions that were raised helped poison Leggen's career and private life in the years that followed†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica 25. It was not quite the end of daylight when Dors Venabili sought out Jenarr Leggen. He answered her rather anxious greeting with a grunt and a brief nod. â€Å"Well,† she said a trifle impatiently. â€Å"How was he?† Leggen, who was entering data into his computer, said, â€Å"How was who?† â€Å"My library student Hari. Dr. Hari Seldon. He went up with you. Was he any help to you?† Leggen removed his hands from the keys of his computer and swivelled about. â€Å"That Heliconian fellow? He was of no use at all. Showed no interest whatever. He kept looking at the scenery when there was no scenery to look at. A real oddball. Why did you want to send him up?† â€Å"It wasn't my idea. He wanted to. I can't understand it. He was very interested. Where is he now?† Leggen shrugged. â€Å"How would I know? Somewhere around.† â€Å"Where did he go after he came down with you? Did he say?† â€Å"He didn't come down with us. I told you he wasn't interested.† â€Å"Then when did he come down?† â€Å"I don't know. I wasn't watching him. I had an enormous amount of work to do. There must have been a windstorm and some sort of downpour about two days ago and neither was expected. Nothing our instruments showed offered a good explanation for it or for the fact that some sunshine we were expecting today didn't appear. Now I'm trying to make sense of it and you're bothering me.† â€Å"You mean you didn't see him go down?† â€Å"Look. He wasn't on my mind. The idiot wasn't correctly dressed and I could see that inside of half an hour he wasn't going to be able to take the cold. I gave him a sweater, but that wasn't going to help much for his legs and feet. So I left the elevator open for him and I told him how to use it and explained that it would take him down and then return automatically. It was all very simple and I'm sure he did get cold and he did go down and the elevator did come back and then eventually we all went down.† â€Å"But you don't know exactly when he went down?† â€Å"No, I don't. I told you. I was busy. He certainly wasn't up there when we left, though, and by that time twilight was coming on and it looked as though it might sleet. So he had to have gone down.† â€Å"Did anyone else see him go down?† â€Å"I don't know. Clowzia may have. She was with him for a while. Why don't you ask her?† Dors found Clowzia in her quarters, just emerging from a hot shower. â€Å"It was cold up there,† she said. Dors said, â€Å"Were you with Hari Seldon Upperside?† Clowzia said, eyebrows lifting, â€Å"Yes, for a while. He wanted to wander about and ask questions about the vegetation up there. He's a sharp fellow, Dors. Everything seemed to interest him, so I told him what I could till Leggen called me back. He was in one of his knock-your-head-off tempers. The weather wasn't working and he-â€Å" Dors interrupted. â€Å"Then you didn't see Hari go down in the elevator?† â€Å"I didn't see him at all after Leggen called me over.-But he has to be down here. He wasn't up there when we left.† â€Å"But I can't find him anywhere.† Clowzia looked perturbed. â€Å"Really?-But he's got to be somewhere down here.† â€Å"No, he doesn't have to be somewhere down here,† said Dors, her anxiety growing. â€Å"What if he's still up there?† â€Å"That's impossible. He wasn't. Naturally, we looked about for him before we left. Leggen had shown him how to go down. He wasn't properly dressed and it was rotten weather. Leggen told him if he got cold not to wait for us. He was getting cold. I know! So what else could he do but go down?† â€Å"But no one saw him go down.-Did anything go wrong with him up there?† â€Å"Nothing. Not while I was with him. He was perfectly fine except that he had to be cold, of course.† Dors, by now quite unsettled, said, â€Å"Since no one saw him go down, he might still be up there. Shouldn't we go up and look?† Clowzia said nervously, â€Å"I told you we looked around before we went down. It was still quite light and he was nowhere in sight.† â€Å"Let's look anyway.† â€Å"But I can't take you up there. I'm just an intern and I don't have the combination for the Upperside dome opening. You'll have to ask Dr. Leggen.† 26. Dors Venabili knew that Leggen would not willingly go Upperside now. He would have to be forced. First, she checked the library and the dining areas again. Then she called Seldon's room. Finally, she went up there and signaled at the door. When Seldon did not respond, she had the floor manager open it. He wasn't there. She questioned some of those who, over the last few weeks, had come to know him. No one had seen him. Well, then, she would make Leggen take her Upperside. By now, though, it was night. He would object strenuously and how long could she spend arguing if Hari Seldon was trapped up there on a freezing night with sleet turning to snow? A thought occurred to her and she rushed to the small University computer, which kept track of the doings of the students, faculty, and service staff. Her fingers flew over the keys and she soon had what she wanted. There were three of them in another part of the campus. She signed out for a small glidecart to take her over and found the domicile she was looking for. Surely, one of them would be available-or findable. Fortune was with her. The first door at which she signaled was answered by a query light. She punched in her identification number, which included her department affiliation. The door opened and a plump middle-aged man stared out at her. He had obviously been washing up before dinner. His dark blond hair was askew and he was not wearing any upper garment. He said, â€Å"Sorry. You catch me at a disadvantage. What can I do for you, Dr. Venabili?† She said a bit breathlessly, â€Å"You're Rogen Benastra, the Chief Seismologist, aren't you?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"This is an emergency. I must see the seismological records for Upperside for the last few hours.† Benastra stared at her. â€Å"Why? Nothing's happened. I'd know if it had. The seismograph would inform us.† â€Å"I'm not talking about a meteoric impact.† â€Å"Neither am I. We don't need a seismograph for that. I'm talking about gravel, pinpoint fractures. Nothing today.† â€Å"Not that either. Please. Take me to the seismograph and read it for me. This is life or death.† â€Å"I have a dinner appointment-â€Å" â€Å"I said life or death and I mean it.† Benastra said, â€Å"I don't see-† but he faded out under Dors's glare. He wiped his face, left quick word on his message relay, end struggled into a shirt. They half-ran (under Dors's pitiless urging) to the small squat Seismology Building. Dors, who knew nothing about seismology, said, â€Å"Down? We're going down?† â€Å"Below the inhabited levels. Of course. The seismograph has to be fixed to bedrock and be removed from the constant clamor and vibration of the city levels.† â€Å"But how can you tell what's happening Upperside from down here?† â€Å"The seismograph is wired to a set of pressure transducers located within the thickness of the dome. The impact of a speck of grit will send the indicator skittering off the screen. We can detect the flattening effect on the dome of a high wind. We can-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, yes,† said Dors impatiently. She was not here for a lecture on the virtues and refinements of the instruments. â€Å"Can you detect human footsteps?† â€Å"Human footsteps?† Benastra looked confused. â€Å"That's not likely Upperside.† â€Å"Of course it's likely. There were a group of meteorologists Upperside this afternoon.† â€Å"Oh. Well, footsteps would scarcely be noticeable.† â€Å"It would be noticeable if you looked hard enough and that's what I want you to do.† Benastra might have resented the firm note of command in her voice, but, if so, he said nothing. He touched a contact and the computer screen jumped to life. At the extreme right center, there was a fat spot of light, from which a thin horizontal line stretched to the left limit of the screen. There was a tiny wriggle to it, a random non-repetitive seder of little hiccups and these moved steadily leftward. It was almost hypnotic in its effect on Dors. Benastra said, â€Å"That's as quiet as it can possibly be. Anything you see is the result of changing air pressure above, raindrops maybe, the distant whirr of machinery. There's nothing up there.† â€Å"All right, but what about a few hours ago? Check on the records at fifteen hundred today, for instance. Surely, you have some recordings.† Benastra gave the computer its necessary instructions and for a second or two there was wild chaos on the screen. Then it settled down and again the horizontal line appeared. â€Å"I'll sensitize it to maximum,† muttered Benastra. There were now pronounced hiccups and as they staggered leftward they changed in pattern markedly. â€Å"What's that?† said Dors. â€Å"Tell me.† â€Å"Since you say there were people up there, Venabili, I would guess they were footsteps-the shifting of weight, the impact of shoes. I don't know that I would have guessed it if I hadn't known about the people up there. Its what we call a benign vibration, not associated with anything we know to be dangerous.† â€Å"Can you tell how many people are present?† â€Å"Certainly not by eye. You see, we're getting a resultant of all the impacts.† â€Å"You say ‘not by eye.' Can the resultant be analyzed into its components by the computer?† â€Å"I doubt it. These are minimal effects and you have to allow for the inevitable noise. The results would be untrustworthy.† â€Å"Well then. Move the time forward till the footstep indications stop. Can you make it fast-forward, so to speak?† â€Å"If I do-the kind of fast-forward you're speaking of-then it will all just blur into a straight line with a slight haze above and below. What I can do is move it forward in fifteen-minute stages and study it quickly before moving on.† â€Å"Good. Do that!† Both watched the screen until Benastra said, â€Å"There's nothing there now. See?† There was again a line with nothing but tiny uneven hiccups of noise. â€Å"When did the footsteps stop?† â€Å"Two hours ago. A trifle more.† â€Å"And when they stopped were there fewer than there were earlier?† Benastra looked mildly outraged. â€Å"I couldn't tell. I don't think the finest analysis could make a certain decision.† Dors pressed her lips together. Then she said, â€Å"Are you testing a transducer-is that what you called it-near the meteorological outlet?† â€Å"Yes, that's where the instruments are and that's where the meteorologists would have been.† Then, unbelievingly, â€Å"Do you want me to try others in the vicinity? One at a time?† â€Å"No. Stay on this one. But keep on going forward at fifteen-minute intervals. One person may have been left behind and may have made his way back to the instruments.† Benastra shook his head and muttered something under his breath. The screen shifted again and Dors said sharply, â€Å"What's that?† She was pointing. â€Å"I don't know. Noise.† â€Å"No. Its periodic. Could it be a single person's footsteps?† â€Å"Sure, but it could be a dozen other things too.† â€Å"It's coming along at about the time of footsteps, isn't it?† Then, after a while, she said, â€Å"Push it forward a little.† He did and when the screen settled down she said, â€Å"Aren't those unevennesses getting bigger?† â€Å"Possibly. We can measure them.† â€Å"We don't have to. You can see they're getting bigger. The footsteps are approaching the transducer. Go forward again. See when they stop.† After a while Benastra said, â€Å"They stopped twenty or twenty-five minutes ago.† Then cautiously, â€Å"Whatever they are.† â€Å"They're footsteps,† said Dors with mountain-moving conviction. â€Å"There's a man up there and while you and I have been fooling around here, he's collapsed and he's going to freeze and die. Now don't say, ‘Whatever they are!' Just call Meteorology and get me Jenarr Leggen. Life or death, I tell you. Say so!† Benastra, lips quivering, had passed the stage where he could possibly resist anything this strange and passionate woman demanded. It took no more than three minutes to get Leggen's hologram on the message platform. He had been pulled away from his dinner table. There was a napkin in his hand and a suspicious greasiness under his lower lip. His long face was set in a fearful scowl. † ‘Life or death?' What is this? Who are you?† Then his eye caught Dors, who had moved closer to Benastra so that her image would be seen on Jenarr's screen. He said, â€Å"You again. This is simple harassment.† Dors said, â€Å"It is not. I have consulted Rogen Benastra, who is Chief Seismologist at the University. After you and your party had left Upperside, the seismograph shows clear footsteps of one person still there. It's my student Hari Seldon, who went up there in your care and who is now, quite certainly, lying in a collapsed stupor and may not live long. â€Å"You will, therefore, take me up there right now with whatever equipment may be necessary. If you do not do so immediately, I shall proceed to University security-to the President himself, if necessary. One way or another I'll get up there and if anything has happened to Hari because you delay one minute, I will see to it that you are hauled in for negligence, incompetence-whatever I can make stick-and will have you lose all status and be thrown out of academic life. And if he's dead, of course, that's manslaughter by negligence. Or worse, since I've now warned you he's dying.† Jenarr, furious, turned to Benastra. â€Å"Did you detect-â€Å" But Dors cut in. â€Å"He told me what he detected and I've told you. I do not intend to allow you to bulldoze him into confusion. Are you coming? Now?† â€Å"Has it occurred to you that you may be mistaken?† said Jenarr, thin-lipped. â€Å"Do you know what I can do to you if this is a mischievous false alarm? Loss of status works both ways.† â€Å"Murder doesn't,† said Dors. â€Å"I'm ready to chance a trial for malicious mischief. Are you ready to chance a trial for murder?† Jenarr reddened, perhaps more at the necessity of giving in than at the threat. â€Å"I'll come, but I'll have no mercy on you, young woman, if your student eventually turns out to have been safe within the dome these past three hours.† 27. The three went up the elevator in an inimical silence. Leggen had eaten only part of his dinner and had left his wife at the dining area without adequate explanation. Benastra had eaten no dinner at all and had possibly disappointed some woman companion, also without adequate explanation. Dors Venabili had not eaten either and she seemed the most tense and unhappy of the three. She carried a thermal blanket and two photonic founts. When they reached the entrance to Upperside, Leggen, jaw muscles tightening, entered his identification number and the door opened. A cold wind rushed at them and Benastra grunted. None of the three was adequately dressed, but the two men had no intention of remaining up there long. Dors said tightly, â€Å"It's snowing.† Leggen said, â€Å"It's wet snow. The temperature's just about at the freezing point. It's not a killing frost.† â€Å"It depends on how long one remains in it, doesn't it?† said Dors. â€Å"And being soaked in melting snow won't help.† Leggen grunted. â€Å"Well, where is he?† He stared resentfully out into utter blackness, made even worse by the light from the entrance behind him. Dors said, â€Å"Here, Dr. Benastra, hold this blanket for me. And you, Dr. Leggen, close the door behind you without locking it.† â€Å"There's no automatic lock on it. Do you think we're foolish?† â€Å"Perhaps not, but you can lock it from the inside and leave anyone outside unable to get into the dome.† â€Å"If someone's outside, point him out. Show him to me,† said Leggen. â€Å"He could be anywhere.† Dors lifted her arms with a photonic fount circling each wrist. â€Å"We can't look everywhere,† mumbled Benastra miserably. The founts blazed into light, spraying in every direction. The snowflakes glittered like a vast mob of fireflies, making it even more difficult to see. â€Å"The footsteps were getting steadily louder,† said Dors. â€Å"He had to be approaching the transducer. Where would it be located?† â€Å"I haven't any idea,† snapped Leggen.-That's outside my field and my responsibility.† â€Å"Dr. Benastra?† Benastra's reply was hesitant. â€Å"I don't really know. To tell you the truth, I've never been up here before. It was installed before my time. The computer knows, but we never thought to ask it that.-I'm cold and I don't see what use I am up here.† â€Å"You'll have to stay up here for a while,† said Dors firmly. â€Å"Follow me. I'm going to circle the entrance in an outward spiral.† â€Å"We can't see much through the snow,† said Leggen. â€Å"I know that. If it wasn't snowing, we'd have seen him by now. I'm sure of it. As it is, it may take a few minutes. We can stand that.† She was by no means as confident as her words made it appear. She began to walk, swinging her arms, playing the light over as large a field as she could, straining her eyes for a dark blotch against the snow. And, as it happened, it was Benastra who first said, â€Å"What's that?† and pointed. Dors overlapped the two founts, making a bright cone of light in the indicated direction. She ran toward it, as did the other two. They had found him, huddled and wet, about ten meters from the door, five from the nearest meteorological device. Dors felt for his heartbeat, but it was not necessary for, responding to her touch, Seldon stirred and whimpered. â€Å"Give me the blanket, Dr. Benastra,† said Dors in a voice that was faint with relief. She flapped it open and spread it out in the snow. â€Å"Lift him onto it carefully and I'll wrap him. Then we'll carry him down.† In the elevator, vapors were rising from the wrapped Seldon as the blanket warmed to blood temperature. Dors said, â€Å"Once we have him in his room, Dr. Leggen, you get a doctor-a good one-and see that he comes at once. If Dr. Seldon gets through this without harm, I won't say anything, but only if he does. Remember-â€Å" â€Å"You needn't lecture me,† said Leggen coldly. â€Å"I regret this and I will do what I can, but my only fault was in allowing this man to come Upperside in the first place.† The blanket stirred and a low, weak voice made itself heard. Benastra started, for Seldon's head was cradled in the crook of his elbow. He said, â€Å"He's trying to say something.† Dors said, â€Å"I know. He said, ‘What's going on?' â€Å" She couldn't help but laugh just a little. It seemed such a normal thing to say. 28. The doctor was delighted. â€Å"I've never seen a case of exposure,† he explained. â€Å"One doesn't get exposed on Trantor.† â€Å"That may be,† said Dors coldly, â€Å"and I'm happy you have the chance to experience this novelty, but does it mean that you do not know how to treat Dr. Seldon?† The doctor, an elderly man with a bald head and a small gray mustache, bristled. â€Å"Of course, I do. Exposure cases on the Outer Worlds are common enough-an everyday affair-and I've read a great deal about them.† Treatment consisted in part of an antiviral serum and the use of a microwave wrapping. â€Å"This ought to take care of it,† the doctor said. â€Å"On the Outer Worlds, they make use of much more elaborate equipment in hospitals, but we don't have that, of course, on Trantor. This is a treatment for mild cases and I'm sure it will do the job.† Dors thought later, as Seldon was recovering without particular injury, that it was perhaps because he was an Outworlder that he had survived so well. Dark, cold, even snow were not utterly strange to him. A Trantorian probably would have died in a similar case, not so much from physical trauma as from psychic shock. She was not sure of this, of course, since she herself was not a Trantorian either. And, turning her mind away from these thoughts, she pulled up a chair near to Hari's bed and settled down to wait. 29. On the second morning Seldon stirred awake and looked up at Dors, who sat at his bedside, viewing a book-film and taking notes. In a voice that was almost normal, Seldon said, â€Å"Still here, Dors?† She put down the book-film. â€Å"I can't leave you alone, can I? And I don't trust anyone else.† â€Å"It seems to me that every time I wake up, I see you. Have you been here all the time?† â€Å"Sleeping or waking, yes.† â€Å"But your classes?† â€Å"I have an assistant who has taken over for a while.† Dors leaned over and grasped Hari's hand. Noticing his embarrassment (he was, after all, in bed), she removed it. â€Å"Hari, what happened? I was so frightened.† Seldon said, â€Å"I have a confession to make.† â€Å"What is it, Hari?† â€Å"I thought perhaps you were part of a conspiracy-â€Å" â€Å"A conspiracy?† she said vehemently. â€Å"I mean, to maneuver me Upperside where I'd be outside University jurisdiction and therefore subject to being picked up by Imperial forces.† â€Å"But Upperside isn't outside University jurisdiction. Sector jurisdiction on Trantor is from the planetary center to the sky.† â€Å"Ah, I didn't know that. But you didn't come with me because you said you had a busy schedule and, when I was getting paranoid, I thought you were deliberately abandoning me. Please forgive me. Obviously, it was you who got me down from there. Did anyone else care?† â€Å"They were busy men,† said Dors carefully. â€Å"They thought you had come down earlier. I mean, it was a legitimate thought.† â€Å"Clowzia thought so too?† â€Å"The young intern? Yes, she did.† â€Å"Well, it may still have been a conspiracy. Without you, I mean.† â€Å"No, Hari, it is my fault. I had absolutely no right to let you go Upperside alone. It was my job to protect you. I can't stop blaming myself for what happened, for you getting lost.† â€Å"Now, wait a minute,† said Seldon, suddenly irritated. â€Å"I didn't get lost. What do you think I am?† â€Å"I'd like to know what you call it. You were nowhere around when the others left and you didn't get back to the entrance-or to the neighborhood of the entrance anyway-till well after dark.† â€Å"But that's not what happened. I didn't get lost just because I wandered away and couldn't find my way back. I told you I was suspecting a conspiracy and I had cause to do so. I'm not totally paranoid.† â€Å"Well then, what did happen?† Seldon told her. He had no trouble remembering it in full detail; he had lived with it in nightmare for most of the preceding day. Dors listened with a frown. â€Å"But that's impossible. A jet-down? Are you sure?† â€Å"Of course I'm sure. Do you think I was hallucinating?† â€Å"But the Imperial forces could not have been searching for you. They could not have arrested you Upperside without creating the same ferocious rumpus they would have if they had sent in a police force to arrest you on campus.† â€Å"Then how do you explain it?† â€Å"I'm not sure,† said Dors, â€Å"but it's possible that the consequences of my failure to go Upperside with you might have been worse than they were and that Hummin will be seriously angry with me.† â€Å"Then let's not tell him,† said Seldon. â€Å"It ended well.† â€Å"We must tell him,† said Dors grimly. â€Å"This may not be the end.† 30. That evening Jenarr Leggen came to visit. It was after dinner and he looked from Dors to Seldon several times, as though wondering what to say. Neither offered to help him, but both waited patiently. He had not impressed either of them as being a master of small talk. Finally he said to Seldon, â€Å"I've come to see how you are.† â€Å"Perfectly well,† said Seldon, â€Å"except that I'm a little sleepy. Dr. Venabili tells me that the treatment will keep me tired for a few days, presumably so I'm sure of getting needed rest.† He smiled. â€Å"Frankly, I don't mind.† Leggen breathed in deeply, let it out, hesitated, and then, almost as though he was forcing the words out of himself, said, â€Å"I won't keep you long. I perfectly understand you need to rest. I do want to say, though, that I am sorry it all happened. I should not have assumed-so casually-that you had gone down by yourself. Since you were a tyro, I should have felt more responsible for you. After all, I had agreed to let you come up. I hope you can find it in your heart to†¦ forgive me. That's really all I wish to say.† Seldon yawned, putting his hand over his mouth. â€Å"Pardon me.-Since it seems to have turned out well, there need be no hard feelings. In some ways, it was not your fault. I should not have wandered away and, besides, what happened was-â€Å" Dors interrupted. â€Å"Now, Hari, please, no conversation. Just relax. Now, I want to talk to Dr. Leggen just a bit before he goes. In the first place, Dr. Leggen, I quite understand you are concerned about how repercussions from this affair will affect you. I told you there would be no follow-up if Dr. Seldon recovered without ill effects. That seems to be taking place, so you may relax-for now. I would like to ask you about something else and I hope that this time I will have your free cooperation.† â€Å"I will try, Dr. Venabili,† said Leggen stiffly. â€Å"Did anything unusual happen during your stay Upperside?† â€Å"You know it did. I lost Dr. Seldon, something for which I have just apologized.† â€Å"Obviously I'm not referring to that. Did anything else unusual happen?† â€Å"No, nothing. Nothing at all.† Dors looked at Seldon and Seldon frowned. It seemed to him that Dors was trying to check on his story and get an independent account. Did she think he was imagining the search vessel? He would have liked to object heatedly, but she had raised a quieting hand at him, as though she was preventing that very eventuality. He subsided, partly because of this and partly because he really wanted to sleep. He hoped that Leggen would not stay long. â€Å"Are you certain?† said Dors. â€Å"Were there no intrusions from outside?† â€Å"No, of course not. Oh-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, Dr. Leggen?† â€Å"There was a jet-down.† â€Å"Did that strike you as peculiar?† â€Å"No, of course not.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"This sounds very much as though I'm being cross-examined, Dr. Venabili. I don't much like it.† â€Å"I can appreciate that, Dr. Leggen, but these questions have something to do with Dr. Seldon's misadventure. It may be that this whole affair is more complicated than I had thought.† â€Å"In what way?† A new edge entered his voice. â€Å"Do you intend to raise new questions, requiring new apologies? In that case, I may find it necessary to withdraw.† â€Å"Not, perhaps, before you explain how it is you do not find a hovering jet-down a bit peculiar.† â€Å"Because, my dear woman, a number of meteorological stations on Trantor possess jet-downs for the direct study of clouds and the upper atmosphere. Our own meteorological station does not.† â€Å"Why not? It would be useful.† â€Å"Of course. But we're not competing and we're not keeping secrets. We will report on our findings; they will report on theirs. It makes sense, therefore, to have a scattering of differences and specializations. It would be foolish to duplicate efforts completely. The money and manpower we might spend on jet-downs can be spent on mesonic refractometers, while others will spend on the first and save on the latter. After all, there may be a great deal of competitiveness and ill feeling among the sectors, but science is one thing-only thing-that holds us together. You know that, I presume,† he added ironically. â€Å"I do, but isn't it rather coincidental that someone should be sending a jet-down right to your station on the very day you were going to use the station?† â€Å"No coincidence at all. We announced that we were going to make measurements on that day and, consequently, some other station thought, very properly, that they might make simultaneous nephelometric measurements-clouds, you know. The results, taken together, would make more sense and be more useful than either taken separately.† Seldon said suddenly in a rather blurred voice, â€Å"They were just measuring, then?† He yawned again. â€Å"Yes† said Leggen. â€Å"What else would they possibly be doing?† Dors blinked her eyes, as she sometimes did when she was trying to think rapidly. â€Å"That all makes sense. To which station did this particular jet-down belong?† Leggen shook his head. â€Å"Dr. Venabili, how can you possibly expect me to tell?† â€Å"I thought that each meteorological jet-down might possibly have its station's markings on it.† â€Å"Surely, but I wasn't looking up and studying it, you know. I had my own work to do and I let them do theirs. When they report, I'll know whose jet-down it was.† â€Å"What if they don't report?† â€Å"Then I would suppose their instruments failed. That happens sometimes.† His right fist was clenched. â€Å"Is that all, then?† â€Å"Wait a moment. Where do you suppose the jet-down might have come from?† â€Å"It might be any station with jet-downs. On a day's notice-and they got more than that-one of those vessels can reach us handily from anyplace on the planet.† â€Å"But who most likely?† â€Å"Hard to say: Hestelonia, Wye, Ziggoreth, North Damiano. I'd say one of these four was the most likely, but it might be any of forty others at least.† â€Å"Just one more question, then. Just one. Dr. Leggen, when you announced that your group would be Upperside, did you by any chance say that a mathematician, Dr. Hari Seldon, would be with you.† A look of apparently deep and honest surprise crossed Leggen's face, a look that quickly turned contemptuous. â€Å"Why should I list names? Of what interest would that be to anyone?† â€Å"Very well,† said Dors. â€Å"The truth of the matter, then, is that Dr. Seldon saw the jet-down and it disturbed him. I am not certain why and apparently his memory is a bit fuzzy on the matter. He more or less ran away from the jet-down, got himself lost, didn't think of trying to return-or didn't dare to-till it was well into twilight, and didn't quite make it back in the dark. You can't be blamed for that, so let's forget the whole incident on both sides. â€Å"Agreed,† said Leggen. â€Å"Good-bye!† He turned on his heel and left. When he was gone, Dors rose, pulled off Seldon's slippers gently, straightened him in his bed, and covered him. He was sleeping, of course. Then she sat down and thought. How much of what Leggen had said was true and what might possibly exist under the cover of his words? She did not know.

A Fine Balance: Characters

4 Characters: Dina, Ishvar, Om, Maneck. Ishvar is Om's nephew. Dina is widowed. Maneck college student. Dina Shroff, who was raised by her strict brother after her father died she meets Rustom Dalal. The couple fall in love and marry, but on their third wedding anniversary Rustom is killed in a bicycle accident, leaving Dina alone. Rustom’s aunt teaches Dina to sew her eyesight begins to fail, so she is forced to find another way to make money Her friend Zenobia introduces her to Mrs Gupta, who offers her some tailoring piece work She hires Ishvar Darji and his nephew Omprakash, originally from a small village, to do the work. Ishvar’s father wanted a better life for his sons and so sent them to a neighbouring town to learn to be tailors They became the apprentices of Muslim tailor Ashraf Ishvar was seventeen, racial hatred of Muslims reached boiling point and any homes or shops belonging to Muslims were burnt to the ground Ishvar and his brother Narayan saved Ashraf’s shop by claiming it belonged to them, leaving Ashraf forever in their debt. Narayan returned to the village and set up a successful tailor business for lower caste people He married and had a son. His business was very successful and it gave him enough money to build a proper house All was going well until Narayan discovered that the elections were being fixed by Thakur Dharamsi, a powerful land owner Narayan confronted Thakur, who had him tortured Not satisfied with just killing Narayan, Thakur decided to punish his whole family. Narayan’s wife, daughters and parents were tied up and burnt alive in their home. Omprakesh and Ishvar were the only ones to escape they continued working in their tailor shop, but were forced out of business when a ready-made clothing shop opened in the town. Maneck. He grew up in a mountain village, where his father was the proud owner of the local village store and inventor of a popular drink, Kohlah Cola Maneck was sent to college and became good friends with the student president, Avinash Avinash led an uprising against the conditions and became involved in politics When the Emergency was declared, Avinash had to go into hiding, leaving Maneck alone His mother then arranged for him to move in with Dina Dalal The four are quite happy for almost a year, but then the Emergency starts to impact their lives. The tailor’s shack is demolished in a government beautification program, forcing them to live on the streets After two months they bribe their way out and persuade Dina to let them move in with her. Ishvar decides it is time for Om to find a wife, so they return to Ashraf's town There they bump into Thakur, who recognises the pair Ashraf is beaten to death and Ishvar and Om are given compulsory vasectomies Thakur visits them as they are recovering from the operation and arranges on a medical pretext to have Om's testicles removed. Ishvar’s legs become infected and have to be amputated. Maneck finishes his college course and returns home His father’s business is failing due to cheap imports of commercial soda, and Maneck decides to leave, taking a job in the Middle East. Dina finds herself all alone. A Beggarmaster who had been protecting her from her landlord's bailiffs is murdered, leaving her vulnerable; she reluctantly returns to live with her brother. Eight years later, Maneck returns home for his father’s funeral. Maneck reads some old newspapers and discovers that Avinash was found dead by the side of a railway track and Avinash’s three teenage sisters hanged themselves because their parents could not afford their wedding dowries. Maneck decides to visit Dina She explains that Ishvar lost his legs and that the tailors are now beggars Maneck leaves Dina’s house, pretending not to recognize the tailors in the street, and heads for the railway station where he steps in front of a train.