You Suck: A Love Story Chapter 23~24

Chapter Twenty-three Being the Chronicles of Abby Normal: The Hunted Apparently I am the Hunted, which, I want to note here, I am totally not qualified for. Here I sit, perched in the rafters (I think these things are rafters) of the Oakland Bay Bridge like a crippled night bird, waiting for doom to descend on me in the form of an ancient, undead thing, to wrench the very limbs from my delicate body. So that sucks. Fortunately I have some sustenance until my Dark Lord and Lady rise from their diurnal slumber to kick some fucking ass. I know I should be eating bugs and spiders and stuff to facilitate my vampyrism, but as a vegetarian, I haven't developed the hunting skills, so I've started with some Gummi Bears I got at the theater. (Supposedly they are made out of beef pectin or extract of horse hooves or something, so I think they make a good transition to the nosferatu diet. And I like biting off their tiny heads.) Here, high above the City – well, actually, we're about ten feet above some homeless people who live under the bridge – I feel like the guardian of an ancient tomb, willing to face any attacker to protect my master and mistress, who are wrapped in tarps, lying on the next beam or rafter or whatever. OMFG, there are fucking pigeons everywhere! Sorry, one just pooped on my notebook. Never mind. Move along. I'm over it. But ewwww! Jared has gone to his dad's house in the Noe Valley to get the lawn cart and minivan so we can transport my masters to safety. He left me his dagger, which I've only had to brandish once, against a woman who wanted to take the tarp from over my Dark Lord. Then I used it to scrape off my old nail polish, which was totally chipped and stuff from doing minion manual labor. So, my masters like met up with us outside the Museum of Modern Art and they were all, â€Å"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?† And they were being all secretive around Jared, like he didn't know we were vampyres. And I was all, â€Å"Just chill, he's assistant minion.† So they relaxed. Then Flood pulls this bronze hand out of his bag and he's all, â€Å"Abby, do you know what this is?† And I was all, â€Å"Why yes, Lord Flood,† because I speak obvious as a second language. â€Å"It's a bronze hand, correct?† So the Countess took the hand from him. â€Å"Abby, this is what's left of the shell of the vampyre who turned me.† So I'm all, â€Å"Begging your pardon and whatnot, Countess, but that's a statue hand.† And she's all, â€Å"That's what I'm saying.† Which is not what the fuck she was saying at all. So it turns out that the bronze statue that used to be in the loft was actually the vampyre who turned the Countess, and then the Countess turned the vampyre Flood, except he was just Flood then. So the old vampyre, whose name is Elijah, got all PMS and started fucking with the Countess by leaving dead bodies all over town with evidence pointing toward her, and threatening to kill her minion, who was Flood at the time, and it got completely out of hand, with some cops and the geeks from the Safeway blowing up Elijah's yacht and really pissing him off, and then the Countess pretending to save Elijah when in fact she was extracting his ancient vampyry secrets, and Flood bronzing them both, but letting the Countess out because she is the love of his life and whatnot. So Flood, who is not a mysterious and ancient creature of the night at all, but has been a vampyre like a week longer than I have, took the statue down to the waterfront to drop it in the Bay, so it wouldn't remind the Coun tess of her heart being torn asunder by the yearning for two lovers and stuff. But the sun came up and Flood left the statue on the Embarcadero, and when they went back it was gone, and it turns out that Elijah is loose and he was the crusty vampyre in the yellow tracksuit I saw shaking the huge cat guy and he is now stalking me to get back at the Countess for being a duplicitous ho. So Jared was all, â€Å"Fuck. That's awesome.† And I was all, â€Å"You lied to me.† And the Countess was all, â€Å"Yeah, sunshine, that's why I'm telling you this now.† Which was completely unnecessary sarcasm on her part. And Jared was like, â€Å"This is the best Christmas ever.† And I was all, â€Å"Shut up, gay-bait. I've been betrayed.† And the Countess was all, â€Å"You'll get over it. We have to go see if William is okay.† And I see now that she was right, but I brooded as we went back to the loft, just to make a point, because I hate it when people take me for granted. When we got to the Countess's block, there was an ambulance there and cops all over the place, so Flood and the Countess hung back and sent me over to get the 411. I could see that the huge cat guy was on a stretcher and they were strapping oxygen on him. And I was all, â€Å"Let me through, this man is my father.† And the EMTs were all, â€Å"No way.† And I was all, â€Å"Who called you, anyway?† And they were like, â€Å"The guy in the building. A sculptor or something.† And then the cat guy was all, â€Å"Let her through.† So they let me through. So I blew by the EMT to the huge cat guy, and I was all, â€Å"Are you okay?† And he was like, â€Å"Well, my head hurts like hell, and I think my leg is broke.† And I was all, â€Å"Is there anything I can do?† Because I was under orders of the Countess to gain information and offer assistance. And he was like, â€Å"If you could take care of Chet. He's in the stairwell. He'll be hungry.† And I was all, â€Å"You got it.† So then he like pulled the oxygen mask off and had me bend over so he could whisper, and I was all, â€Å"Yes, Dad,† for the EMTs who were watching. And he whispered like, â€Å"Before they take me away, could I see your tits.† So I kicked him in the ribs. And the EMTs went all byzerk and shit, and told me to get away, but they were totally overreacting, because I had on my red Converse All Stars, which will hardly even bruise you. So they loaded him into the ambulance, and just as they were shutting the doors, he reached out his hand, like he was a drowning man reaching for the last spark of his mortality before the inky waves of death swept him away – so I flashed my boobs for him, just a quick lift of my bra and top at the same time, because I don't think we do enough to help the homeless, and I wanted him to die a happy man. And besides, they're small and I don't get that many requests. So I got Chet out of the stairway of the old loft and was carrying him kid-style when I saw the two cops from before – the ones the Countess said helped blow up Elijah – so I went up to the Hispano-cop and I was all, â€Å"So, what's up, cop?† And he was all, â€Å"You need to get home, and you have no business out at this hour, and we should take you to the station and call your parents and blah, blah, blah, threat, threat, disapproval, and fascist dogma all up in your darkly delicious grille.† (I'm paraphrasing. Although I do have a delicious grille as I had to wear braces for three years when I was a kid, and now my teeth are like my most acceptable feature. I hope my fangs come in straight.) And the big gay cop was all, â€Å"What are you doing here?† And I was all, â€Å"I live here, bone-smoker, what are you doing here? Aren't you guys homicide cops?† And he was all, â€Å"Let's see some ID blah, blah, bluster, bluster, Oh My God I am so full of shit.† And I was like, â€Å"I guess you wouldn't have to deal with this shit if you had properly blowed up that old vampyre when you stole his art collection.† So all of a sudden the Hispano-cop and his big gay partner were all, â€Å"Whaaa – ?† And I'm like, â€Å"Just so we know where we stand. How long you bitches going to be here?† And they were like, â€Å"Just a half hour or so longer, miss. We need to interview some witnesses and go clean out our boxers where we have just completely shit ourselves. Do you need a ride somewhere?† (Again paraphrasing.) So I walked off, while they were still stunned, let Chet into the new loft down the street like it was mine, then ran around the block and reported to the Countess and Flood. Jared was just staring at them like he was hypnotized or something. I was like, â€Å"Hey, Boo,† to remind him what a tard he was being and Jared snapped out. (Lily and Jared and I watched the To Kill a Mockingbird DVD like six times together and our favorite part is when Scout sees Boo Radley behind the door and goes, â€Å"Hey, Boo.† It's like thanking the universe for sending you a benevolent retard to help you out, which is how I often feel about Jared.) So I was like, â€Å"Buy me a coffee.† And the Countess and Flood look at each other and shake their heads. No money. So I was like, â€Å"You guys are so fucking lame. You have piles of cash and you roll with no money. You are no longer the Dark Lord and Lady of me.† Which I totally didn't mean, but I was stressed and starting to get a low-on-caffeine headache. But Jared goes, â€Å"Hey, Boo† at me, and he's holding a ten-dollar bill. And I pretended to find a snag in my fishnets so everyone would quit looking at me. The Countess said she knew of a Chinese diner off Freemont Street that was open all night on Christmas and we could hang out there until the cops left. Jared and I had cups of coffee and an order of fries, which FYI, taste a little like shrimp in a Chinese diner. And Flood and the Countess are watching us, looking all sad. So I'm like, â€Å"What? What? What?† And the Countess is all, â€Å"Nothing.† Which I know is totally something, because I say it all the time. And I watch her eyes follow Jared's cup as he sips his coffee and I'm all, â€Å"Oh, fucksocks, Countess, cowboy the fuck up, would you?† Then I slipped Jared's dagger out of his boot, grabbed his hand, and poked him in the thumb. I'd like to say right here that the screaming was totally unnecessary. And whatever the Chinese guy was saying at me from behind the counter was a total overreaction and how does he expect me to understand him when he's talking that fast AND in Chinese? Anyway, after I squeezed Jared's thumb into his cup, then a little into my own and gave it to Flood, everyone calmed down, even the Chinese guy after Jared paid him for two more coffees – and the meeting of the Immortal SOMA Drama Queens officially came to order. It seemed like we waited forever, and the Countess and Flood wouldn't answer any of my questions about the way of the nosferatu. It was like they had no idea what they were doing. Like last year I took Advanced Foods class (which is like cooking for nerds) after lunch, and so I usually took a nap. Which was fine, because I'm not even thrilled about regular foods, so, you know, what do I need with like advanced digital HD wi-fi foods and whatnot – so I took the course pass-fail and slept. But then, at the end of the semester, my mom springs this trap on me, like – â€Å"Oh, Allison, I've bought ingredients and you can prepare dinner for Ronnie and me to show what you learned in your Advanced Foods class. It'll be fun.† You can pretty much bet that anytime Mom uses the phrase â€Å"it'll be fun,† she is about to drive a stake in fun's heart so that it may never rise again. Which is what happened. Artichokes? Who eats something like that? I thought it was a weapon. So anyway, after nine eternities in the diner, we went back to the loft, where the Countess said she had my Christmas present waiting. When we got to the block, the cops and EMTs were gone and it looked like the coast was clear, but when the Countess opened the security door to the loft, there, sitting on the steps, was the old vampyre, naked. Well, the Countess and Flood jumped about eighteen feet in the air and I'm pretty sure I peed a little. Yes, I definitely peed. Jared just started an asthma attack, not the whole attack, just the first gasp. He just stopped breathing after that. So Elijah is all, â€Å"I needed to do some laundry.† Let me say right here, if I haven't made it clear, that I have seen as many pale, naked old-man parts in the last twenty-four hours to bruise my delicate psyche for a lifetime, so don't be surprised if you someday find me wandering the moors at midnight, a crazed look in my eye, babbling about albino Tater Tots nesting in Brillo pads and being pursued by sagging man ass, because that shit can happen when you've been traumatized. Then Flood threw himself against the door and screamed for us to run as he bravely held the door against our ancient vampyre ancestor's assaults. I was beginning to doubt Flood's ability to fulfill his duties as my Dark Lord until he stepped up and saved us – valiant vampyre hero that he is – because I was starting to think he was just a geek with a passing knowledge of poetry. As we ran I could hear Elijah saying, â€Å"He peed on my tracksuit,† as he threw himself against the door, or I guessed he did, because I didn't turn around until we were two blocks away. The Countess was all, â€Å"I've got to go back for him.† But before she even turned around, my Dark Lord came running around the corner. And he was all, â€Å"Go, go, go!† waving at us. And we were all, â€Å"Where? Where? Where?† And then as the Countess threw her arms around Flood and started to squeeze the bejeezus out of him, and Jared was all, â€Å"Gasp, get a room, gasp,† her watch started beeping. Then Flood's watch was beeping, too. And they were all, â€Å"Uh-oh.† So we had like ten minutes to find someplace dark to hide them, and no one had any money for a hotel, even if we had the time to check in and whatnot. So they ran toward a big construction site under the Bay Bridge. And I was thinking, I do not want to bury my masters in the construction site. What if they got paved? It would totally freak them out to get paved. And the Countess was all, â€Å"How did you get away?† And the vampyre Flood was all, â€Å"The dryer buzzer went off.† And she was all, â€Å"He let you live because his laundry was done?† And Flood goes, â€Å"Lucky, huh?† Totally not out of breath, even with the running. So when we got to the construction site, everything was either open or would be when everyone came to work. And the Countess looked up into the rafters or whatever of the bridge and goes, â€Å"There.† So there is where we went. I grabbed some tarps that were covering this generator thing by the construction site and Jared and I climbed up into the rafters with our vampyre sires and helped tuck them in just in time for them to go out. But as it got lighter, and we saw all the homeless people around, Jared and I realized that our masters would not be safe here when all the homeless people who lived under the bridge noticed the tarps and our delicate youth or smelled my Gummi Bears and came after us. So Jared went to get the garden cart, some trash bags and duct tape, and hopefully his stepmom's minivan so we can move our masters to a safer realm. Oh, check it, before the Countess passed into the inky sleep of the undead, I was like, â€Å"So what did you get me for Christmas?† And she was all, â€Å"Ten thousand dollars.† And I was like, â€Å"I didn't get you guys anything.† And she was like, â€Å"That's okay. You are our most special favorite minion and it's all good.† Which is why I love her and will guard her to the death. Then she like kissed the vampyre Flood and passed out. I'm sure their love will span the ages, if Jared and I don't fuck up and fry them during transport. OMG! I just remembered, we forgot to feed Chet! Chapter Twenty-four The Half-Life of American Cheese The Cheddar Princess of Fond du Lac was toasted. It wasn't just the bursting into flames that had crispied her up more than somewhat physically, it was that Drew's blood tasted like bong water, and she was still a little mentally baked from feeding on him. She'd made the mistake of trying to get the taste out of her mouth with some orange juice and had been rewarded with five minutes of the dry heaves. She brushed at her arms and great black flakes of burned skin came away, revealing fresh, unscarred skin below. Drew's blood was healing her, but it appeared that the process was going to take time and, like life in general, was going to be messy. Maybe a bath. She padded naked into the bathroom, which was done all in slabs of granite and green glass, and ran her bath. While the tub filled, she picked the last few burned tatters of her dress away from her skin and dropped them into the toilet. There was a swath of gray dust across the black tile, the remains of the original owner, and she was tracking him all over the bathroom and bedroom suite, so she stopped to sweep him into the corner with a towel. That had sort of been a surprise (in what was turning out to be a long line of surprises) when her first victim had disintegrated in her arms two nights ago, just as she was getting the hang of blood drinking. â€Å"Oops.† He had been so nice, too. Had picked her up in his Mercedes not two minutes after she'd stumbled out of Lash's apartment building wearing nothing but a leather bustier and thigh-high platform boots. It wasn't the first time she'd been on the street with her ass hanging out – that wasn't what had thrown her. It was waking up feeling like her tits were on fire to see her body rejecting the giant silicone globes she had spent so much money having implanted. Even as she tried to push them back in with her hands, the implants pushed through her skin, opening her up like they were aliens hatching out of her. She screamed as they broke through and rolled to the floor, then lay there, quivering on the carpet. As she watched, her skin mended, her breasts tightened and lifted, the pain had turned to a tingling, but now she felt a squirming in her face – her lips specifically, and she wiped her mouth and came away with two sluglike lines of silicone that had been injected years ag o. It was only then, in looking at the grotesque globs of lip filler on her hand, that Blue realized she wasn't blue at all. Her palms were baby white. Her arms, her legs – she ran to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. An old familiar stranger looked back at her – the Cheddar Princess of Fond du Lac. She hadn't seen this person since high school; the milky-white skin, hair almost white blond, still in the severe cut of the blue call girl, but looking somewhat like a pageboy cut now. Even the tattoos she'd had done in her early days in Vegas were gone. I'm alive, she thought. Then: And I'm going to be alive forever. Then: And I'm going to need some fucking money. She ran to Lash's bedroom to where she'd left her makeup case. It was gone. Her money was gone! She ran out of the apartment and down the steps like she might see a green trail of bills blowing in the wind in the direction her money had escaped, but once on the street, she headed for the only place she knew, toward the Marina Safeway. She got half a block before the Mercedes pulled up and the electric window rolled down. â€Å"Hey, you need a ride? It's a little chilly out here for that outfit.† His name had been David, and he did something that had to do with moving money around. Whatever it was, it must have paid well. He was wearing a two-thousand-dollar suit and his penthouse apartment on Russian Hill looked out on Golden Gate Bridge and the massive dome at the Palace of Fine Arts. He'd given her his coat to wear up in the elevator. It was in the elevator that the hunger had come upon her. Poor David. They hadn't even talked price before she'd had him bent over the green glass vanity in the bathroom, drinking his life away. â€Å"Oops.† The difference, she realized, between what had happened to her and what had happened to David had been the bloody kiss she'd taken from Tommy. But for a kiss, she, too, would be a pile of dust. There should be a song like that, she thought. At least she'd learned before she took her victims. Now she swept the last of David into the corner, then scraped him up with a piece of cardboard from his shirt drawer and dumped him into the wastebasket. Then she slipped into the tub full of bubbles and began to scrub off her charred skin. She wouldn't be able to stay long. David had been married or had a girlfriend. Blue had found a whole closet full of women's clothes – expensive clothes, and the woman would probably be back. Of course, this would make a great base of operations, maybe she could just wait for the wife to return and sweep her into the wastebasket with David. Blue leaned back and closed her eyes, listened to the bubbles popping, the wires humming through the building, the traffic out on the streets, to fishing boats leaving the wharf – then a sudden intake of breath from the living room, then another, deeper gasp as the second one found life, then a long man-scream. The dead Animals she'd collected were coming back to life. â€Å"Sit tight, boys,† Blue said. â€Å"Mama's just going to get cleaned up and put on a new dress, then we'll go get you something to eat and pick up my money.† She ran a sponge over her arm and smiled. She really could be Snow White now. One dwarf at a time, she thought. Elijah Ben Sapir had roamed the planet for eight hundred and seventeen years. In that time he had seen empires rise and fall, miracles and massacres, ages of ignorance and ages of enlightenment: the full spectrum of mankind's cruelty and kindness. He had seen all manner of freakishness, from the perversions of nature to the perversions of mind, twisted, beautiful, terrifying: he thought he had seen it all. But for all of his years, and all the acuity of perception enabled by his vampire senses, he had never seen a huge shaved cat in a red sweater, and sitting there in his newly washed yellow tracksuit, still warm from the dryer and smelling of soap and fabric softener, he smiled. â€Å"Hey, kitty,† the old vampire said. The huge cat eyed him suspiciously from across the loft. The cat could sense that he was a predator, just as Elijah could sense that the cat had been prey to a vampire. Kitty treat. â€Å"I'm not going to eat you, kitty. I've fed quite enough.† It was true. Elijah was feeling a little bloated from trying to keep the body count up. Perhaps he should just kill the next few, not feed. But no, the police wouldn't know it was a vampire then, and there'd be no joy in terrorizing the fledgling. He just wasn't ready to feed yet. There was someone in the stairwell right now, he could hear her breathing and smell patchouli and clove cigarette odor wafting under the door. Soon enough, he thought. â€Å"Perhaps we'll find something for you to eat, hey, kitty?† Elijah vaulted off the bar stool and began opening cupboards. In the third one he found pouches of Tender Vittles. He took a bowl from the cupboard that looked as if it had never been used, dumped in the meatish nuggets, and shook them around. â€Å"Come, kitty.† Chet padded a few steps toward the kitchenette, then stopped. Elijah put the bowl down and stepped away. â€Å"I understand, kitty. I don't like to eat in front of witnesses either. But sometimes – â€Å" The vampire heard a car pull up outside, a car that hadn't been tuned in a while. He cocked his head and listened as the doors opened and slammed. Four got out. He heard their steps on the concrete, a female voice, hissing at the other three. In an instant he was at the window looking down, and in spite of himself, he smiled again. There was no vivid life aura around the four down on the sidewalk. No healthy pink glow, no black shadow of death. The visitors below were not human. Vampires. On one hand, an indication of an enormous problem – one that just might attract attention that he could ill afford – but on the other, exciting in a way that he hadn't felt in a hundred years. â€Å"Four against one. Oh my, kitty, how ever will I prevail?† The old vampire ran his tongue over his fangs. For all the rage, frustration, and discomfort he'd endured since choosing the redhead as his fledgling, he was, for the first time in decades, not bored. He was having the time of his very long life. â€Å"Killing time, kitty,† he said, slipping into a pair of Tommy's Nikes. Jody awoke to the smell of clove cigarettes and the crunching of Cheese Newts. There was music screeching, too – a whiny guy singing about some girl named Ligeia, who apparently he missed a great deal because he was talking about dragging her worm-worn corpse from the earth and caressing her cheek on a cliff above the sea before throwing himself off, with her in his arms. The singer sounded a little down, and like he could have used a throat lozenge. She opened her eyes and was initially blinded until she adjusted to the black light, then she yelped. Jared White Wolf was sitting on the bed about two feet away from her, shoving handfuls of crunchy Cheese Newts into his mouth. There was a brown rat on his shoulder. â€Å"Hi.† Newt crumbs sprayed and fluoresced on the black sheets and clothing. â€Å"Hi,† Jody said, turning her head to avoid the crumbs. â€Å"This is my room. Do you like it?† Jody looked around, for once not really that thrilled with her vampire night-vision abilities. There were disturbing stains glowing on the sheets, and almost everything else in the room was black with a patina of vibrant blacklight-enhanced dust or lint – there was even lint on the rat. â€Å"It's swell,† she said. Interesting, she thought. She was no longer afraid of gang members and street criminals, and would even throw down with an eight-hundred-year-old vampire if need be, but rodents still sort of gave her the willies. The rat's eyes were glowing silver in the black light. â€Å"This is Lucifer Two.† Jared scooped the animal off his shoulder and held him out. Despite an attempt at self-control, Jody climbed backwards halfway up the wall, shredding a Marilyn Manson poster with her nails in the process. â€Å"Lucifer One went on to his dark reward when I tried to dye him black.† â€Å"Sad,† Jody said. â€Å"Yeah.† Jared turned the rat and rubbed noses with him. â€Å"I was hoping we could turn him to nosferatu when you bring Abby and me into the fold.† â€Å"Yeah, sure, that'll happen. Why am I in your room, Jared?† â€Å"It was the only place we could think to bring you. It wasn't safe under the bridge. Abby had to go, so I'm in charge.† â€Å"Good for you. Where's Tommy?† â€Å"Under the bed.† She would have known that – would have heard him breathing if the music wasn't cranked up to coffin-splitting volume. â€Å"Could you turn the music down a little, please?† † ‘Kay,† Jared said. He tucked Lucifer Two in his pocket and spidered across the bed, getting a little tangled in his black duster, then rolled to the floor and across the room in a commando-under-fire move until he got to the stereo, where he twisted the dial, putting the keening Emo singer out of his misery, or at least shutting him the fuck up. â€Å"Where are we?† Tommy's voice from under the bed. â€Å"It smells like gym socks stuffed with ground-up hippies.† â€Å"We're in Jared's room,† Jody said. She let a hand drop off the edge of the bed. Tommy took it and she pulled him out. He was still partially wrapped in duct tape and garbage bags. â€Å"Was I a hostage again?† â€Å"We had to cover you up to keep you from burning in the sun.† â€Å"Well, thanks.† Tommy looked at Jody, who shrugged. â€Å"I was unwrapped when I woke up,† she said. â€Å"That's because Abby says you're the Alpha vamp. Do you guys want to play Xbox or watch a DVD? I have The Crow Special Collector's Edition.† â€Å"Gee,† Jody said, â€Å"that would be great, Jared, but we'd better be going.† Tommy had already picked up the Xbox controller, but set it down with marked disapproval, as if he'd notice a little botulism there on the trigger button. â€Å"Oh, you can't go until the ‘rents go to bed.† Jared giggled, high and girlish. â€Å"The door is right by where they watch TV.† â€Å"We'll go out a window,† Jody said. Jared giggled again, then snorted a little, then started to honk, then took a hit from the inhaler that hung around his neck before he went on. â€Å"There's no window. This basement is totally windowless. Like we've been walled up in here with our own grotesque despair. Isn't it sweet?† â€Å"We could go to mist,† Tommy said. â€Å"Go out under the door.† â€Å"That would be so cool,† Jared said, â€Å"but my dad put rubber gaskets around the door to contain my disgusting Goth stench. That's what he calls it: my ‘disgusting Goth stench. Although I don't think I'm really Goth, more like death punk. He just doesn't like cloves. Or pot. Or patchouli. Or gay people.† â€Å"Philistine,† Tommy said. â€Å"Oh, would you guys like some Cheese Newts?† Jared picked the box up off the floor and held it out. â€Å"I can open a vein on them if you need me to.† He waved the thumb Abby had stabbed to prepare their coffee the night before, now wrapped in a ragged ball of gauze and medical tape the size of a racquetball. â€Å"I'm good,† Tommy said. Jody nodded in agreement; although she would love a cup of coffee, she didn't think she should ask the kid to stab himself quite so soon. She checked her watch. â€Å"What time do your parents go to bed?† â€Å"Oh, around ten. You'll have plenty of time to stalk the night and whatnot. Would you like to wash up or something? There's a bathroom down here. And a washing machine. My room was the wine cellar, then my dad crashed his car and started twelve-stepping, so I got this sweet room for my own. Abby says it's dank and disgusting – and she says it like it's a bad thing! I think it's just her perky side manifesting. I love her, but she really can be perky sometimes – don't tell her I said so.† Jody shook her head, then nudged Tommy, who shook his head in agreement. â€Å"We won't tell.† The kid was sort of giving her the creeps. She thought she might have lost that ability with blood drinking and the sleep of the undead and all, but nope, she was getting completely creeped out. â€Å"Jared, when is Abby coming back?† â€Å"Oh, she should be here any minute. She went to your loft to feed the cat.† â€Å"She went to our loft? The loft where Elijah was?† â€Å"No, it's okay. She went during daylight so he couldn't hurt her.† â€Å"It's not daylight anymore,† Jody said. â€Å"How do you know?† Jared said â€Å"No windows, duh.† Tommy Stooge-smacked his forehead with enough force to render a mortal man unconscious. â€Å"Because we're awake, you fucking moron!† â€Å"Oh yeah, ha,† Jared said. The trilling giggle again. â€Å"That's bad, huh?†

Snort

Snort system softwareBy:College:Course:Professor:Date:AbstractThere has been a battle of supremacy among tech giants for quite a long; one company is always trying to outsmart the other. Positively speaking we can say that this has led to many innovations that have come in handy to make the customers navigations easy (morris-2014). Looking at it from the customers' eye, selection of good software has been a daunting task as most of them are brilliant if not classic. Selection of an operating is quite easy technology gurus but the situation is different for customers that are drawn to a product just because of peer reference or it popularity. Most of them end up being disappointed with their acquired systems after they underperform or demand other requirements to function. It is this battle that has led to specialization of the products in the technology industry, a keen analysis will show that some operating systems perform brilliantly in one field but fail in another; one is good in programming but moderate in its internet speed and vice versa. This research should be an eye opener for the operating system customers; before they pack bucks to go shopping for an OS they should know the precise features that they want their OS to have and hence need to do detailed digging to avoid confusion and later frustrations. Well, the most common operating system is windows; banking on popularity, but Linux is also catching up. Mac is out of question in this research as it only operates on Apple devices and if one owns the device then he has no option but stick to Mac operating system. On that point, I will be focusing on windows and Linux software in a bid to prove my point clear. The comparisons between these two should clearly show that one is superior to the other; I back the Linux system. To add a mint of credibility I will be sourcing for information from trustworthy online sites and scholarly articles that speak in favor of Linux. This will do away with bias and give the reader relevant insights. In the result section I will be showing that, truly there are benefits of Linux over windows software. In the discussion part I will highlight the requirements to run Linux, its file system location, instructions to run it and give examples of companies that use Linux to prove my point. IntroductionLinux was developed in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. It is a free open source open source operating system that allows users customize their own source code additional to main source code of Linux. It can be used on any device, smartphone, gaming consoles, e-books and desktops, however, it is mainly used as a server because of its openness and easy functionality. A common distribution of linux is the kernel; this is the central operating system component and link between a software application and its data. Other distributions are; downloading tools, system utilities, programs. It also comes in handy when installing or uninstalling updates. The ability of Linux to allow easy data manipulation and have resizable folders, buttons, windows and icons has made a preferred OS over its competitors as web developers use it to train themselves. Its robustness, scalability and flexibility have also made it a base OS for giant companies (gagne-2014). Some of it outstanding benefits are; open source nature, this allows it users to see the codes and make modifications. Community support system, this enables the user to reach share his problems to the Linux community and solutions be offered without waiting for experts. Reliability, it runs smoothly with no delays and reboot commands. Free to use, the customers can access it freely and even run it without subscriptions. Privacy does not pop out additional tools or make commands for information collection. Best for programming, allows a variety of programming applications like c/c++, python, perl and java to run on the OS.Research MethodsI used internet articles and scholarly reviews to build on my case. I mainly focused on the ones that explained the advantages that Linux has and disadvantages of windows. I also read ones that said the advantages of windows over linux. I aggregated the results of one party one party over the other and also summed the disadvantages of one case over the latter. This is the method I used so as to not look biased. I sourced the installation instructions from Linux and Windows official sites so that to give detailed steps and prove which one was simple to install and run and which had additional requirements for the process to begin. Results I discovered that windows has 13 steps to installation of the main and will require an antivirus before you begin to run the operating system. Windows also has a variety of products that are only fit to certain types of devices depending on the year it was manufactured and the storage space on the device. Linux on the other hand has 11 steps that can be downed to 6 and does not need an antivirus installation before it starts running. This feature reduces cost. This proves that Linux is way cheaper and way easy to control than windows. DiscussionThe steps after installation are not essential if you only need the Linux OS to be doing simple tasks like typing and doing calculation (dubey-2016). There also minimal requirements needed to run Linux on your device, they are;2GHz dual core processor2GiB system memory25 GB hard drive space, that can hold a USB stick, memory card on external driveVGA that has 1024 by 768 screen resolutionDVD/ CD or USB port for installer mediaInternet access ( optional)The requirements to install it on your desired servers are also less compared to windows;Processor should be 300MHz by 86 or above RAM should be 256MiB or above Disk space of 1.5GB or aboveMonitor cable and graphic card of 640 by 480 CD driveSystem files or log files are located in the directory of the software; there are different log files for different applications on the system. The most common files are history files that contain installation and removal information. In the directory you can view it at apt then history.logOther file destinations in the directory are;Installer, log files created during installationKern.log, kernel information like errors and warningsAlternatives.log, set of history on alternatives set by different packagesXorg.org, details on graphic driver that includes it warnings and failuresApport.log, saves information about number of crashes the OS has experiencedInstructions to install your Linux software are simple;Download the OS from Ubuntu site, this ensures it is authenticBurn the OS on a CD, memory card or flash diskPartition the computer's hard driveInsert your installer to the specific portRestart your device and wait for Linux installation window to appearSelect the language on the BIOS and click installCheck both boxes for preparing to install Ubuntu and continueCheck erase disk and install Ubuntu, click install nowFollow th e prompts to set location and time and enter your user informationSelect log in information and restart the computerSelect Ubuntu and press enterConclusion War lines were drawn on the technology industry floor when there was emergence of software and the situation tensed further when modifications were being done on the systems. All fronts have diehards and sycophants to vehemently prove their sides stronger but we must all agree that there are specific tasks that on OS performs better than the other; it is on this truce that I have proved that Linux has a better understanding of its customer base and it is by far the best as it offers simpler and more efficient tools over its arch rival. It is sad that a company's supremacy is always measured by its net sales and popularity but the judges ignore its suitability and fail to account for the grumbles from the customers. Truth be said, it is this ratings that lead to misleading of more customers. Linux efficiency and supremacy can be proved by giant companies that run on it; facebook, Google, Amazon, McDonalds, twitter, IBM, DELL, NASA and even the American submarines (das-2014). This clientele proves the point that Linux has a high level of privacy, is fast, can be modified to feed specific needs, cannot easily crash, is inexpensive and holds a large amount of data. Thumb rule of any manufacturing company should be; allow customers get the value for their money but meeting their specific needs. What is the need of getting of acquiring an operating system that is not long lasting or one that will need regular updates for it to function? That is how I conclude that Linux is by far much better than Windows operating system.ReferencesLA Morris- 2014Multi-OS (operating system) boot via mobile deviceG Gagne- 2014Operating system conceptsSK Dubey- 2016Implementation of operating system selection using AHP- entropy modelD Das- 2014Performance measurement and management model of data generation and writing time.

Feminist Literature Is Greatly Represented English Literature Essay

Feminist literature is greatly represented in the two narratives, Sweat, by Zora Neale Hurston and Strong Horse Tea by Alice Walker. Females in society have it much harder than work forces, in world ; females still make 70 cents of a dollar that work forces make. It is a battle for adult females everyday in the universe. Feminist literature, as the name shows, is based on the values of feminism, and refers to any literary work that centers on the battle of a adult female for equal chance, and to be acknowledged as a human being, before being shed into a gender stereotype. Not all these plants follow a consecutive attack towards this end of para. It is merely through such media that adult females alleged a alteration was possible in the manner they were professed in society. Alice Walker wrote many narratives. She was born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia. She was the youngest kid of eight siblings. A scholarship pupil, Walker went to Atlanta ‘s Spelman College for two old ages and so reassigning to Sarah Lawrence College in New York. After graduating in 1965, she began her calling as a poet, printing her first book in 1968. She early exhibited an consciousness of her forebears in the Harlem Renaissance, redacting a aggregation of the Hagiographas of Zora Neale Hurston. Zora Neale Hurston was born in Notasulga, Alabama ; no existent day of the month of birth even exists. She excessively is a kid of eight siblings. Hurston published her first narrative while a pupil at Howard. In early 1925 she moved to New York, geting with â€Å" $ 1.50, no occupation, no friends and a batch of hope † ( 377 ) . She shortly became an of import member of the Harlem Renaissance, a group of immature black creative persons, instrumentalists, and authors who sought â€Å" religious emancipation † for African Americans by researching black heritage and individuality in the humanistic disciplines. Although sex/gender systems differ cross-culturally, most known societies have used and still utilize sex/gender as a cardinal structural rule forming their existent and conceptual universes, normally to the disadvantage of adult females. Hence feminist bookmans argue that gender is a important class of analysis and that manners of cognition which do non take gender into history are partial and uncomplete. Feminist literature is known by the features of the feminist motion. Writers of feminist literature are identified to appreciate and do clear the differentiation between sex and gender. They think that though a individual ‘s sex is programmed and natural, it is the gender that has been created by humanity, along with a finical penetration about gender functions. Gender functions, they consider, can be changed over clip. The preponderance of one gender over the other is a frequent impression across about all societies, and the world that it is non in favour of adult females is a cardinal, yet obvious, trait of women's rightist or adult females ‘s literature. Here, it is argued that a figure of societies that does non give channels of larning and cognition to both genders equally are non a absolute and nonsubjective society. â€Å" In Search of Our Mothers ‘ Gardens: The Creativity of Black Women in the South ( 1974 ) † by Alice Walker is a great representation of feminism but besides the African American adult females. It is said that these adult females in the early mid-twentiess became more than â€Å" Sexual objects † , in today ‘s society, that stereotype is still about, work forces look down at adult females and looking at adult females like a piece of meat. This quotation mark from â€Å" In Search of Our Mothers ‘ Gardens: The Creativity of Black Women in the South † â€Å" Black adult females whose spiritualty was so intense, so deep, so unconscious, that they were themselves unaware of the profusion they held. They stumbled blindly through their lives: animals so abused and mutilated in organic structure, so dimmed and confused by hurting, that they considered themselves unworthy even of hope. In the selfless abstractions their organic structures became to the work forces who used them, they became more than ‘sexual objects, ‘ more even than mere adult females. † ( Walker 2380 ) This quotation mark can demo that this is how adult females can be perceived as in others eyes. For many old ages it was a punishable offense for African Americans to read or compose, even worse for African American adult females. Life was n't easy for African American adult females yet they kept traditions in their household. The narrative, Strong Horse Tea, by Alice Walker is a dramatic, strong narrative. Rannie Mae Toomer ‘s infant boy Snooks is deathlike ill with pneumonia and whooping cough. Rannie ‘s neighbour, Sarah, tries to carry her to utilize some place redresss to seek to acquire Snooks better without a physician. Rannie is waiting for white medical specialty ; she believes that a white physician will come through the storm that is brewing outside her shaft. The forenoon that Snooks was really sick, she met this mail bearer who she wanted him to convey a physician but he sent Sarah, Rannie ‘s neighbour back over. Finally Rannie listened to Sarah and went out through the lightning and boom to roll up this strong Equus caballus redress. She is determined to salvage Snooks, even as Rannie faux pass and slides through the clay to return with the â€Å" tea † that Sarah needs, the reader is told that Snooks ‘s frail external respiration has already stopped with the boo m. The concluding paradox is Rannie ‘s usage of her leaky plastic shoe to catch the â€Å" tea † and her sealing the cleft by keeping her oral cavity to the toe. All at one time, ignorance is exultant, and Snooks is dead, even the mail bearer is perceived as to be â€Å" nescient † because he does n't understand that Rannie wanted a white physician to be sent to her house. He alternatively delivers Sarah once more to her shaft for her place redresss, the mail bearer does non cognize that Rannie denied Sarah one time earlier. Ignorance is a large subject to this narrative. Alice Walker frequently writes plants in which a black supporter, normally a adult female, is caught between black and white civilizations and surely becomes the victim of both. At her best, Walker neither indulges in polemics nor seeks to blame ; without a uncertainty, here, as third-person storyteller, she distances herself from her characters and allows the narrative to state itself. The consequence of this method is similar to high calamity. The reader of â€Å" Strong Horse Tea, † for illustration, knows that the white physician will non come, that besides Sarah will decline to assist one time Rannie has rejected â€Å" enchantress ‘s redresss † or that Sarah ‘s assistance will likely come excessively late. What comes as a daze is the monstrous shame to which Rannie submits in arrange to make what she awfully hopes will assist her kid. Here, most of all, Rannie ‘s straightforward artlessness comes into its sharpest focal point. Hurston ‘s narrative â€Å" Sweat † depicts an opprobrious and selfish hubby, Sykes. Deliah, Sykes married woman, has taken physical, emotional, and verbal maltreatment from Sykes for more than 15 old ages. Sykes treats his married woman as a grouchy adolescent treats his female parent: with little regard, but still anticipating to be wholly taken attention of. Positively, Sykes has some kind of mother-complex, even preferring large adult females to the skinny Deliah. Though his kept woman is described in an unattractive visible radiation â€Å" a hunk uh liver wid hair on it † ( Hurston 378-87 ) , it could be that Sykes finds bigger adult females attractive because he associates soft curves with a motherly figure. All the same, Deliah does look slightly at bay in her state of affairs because of her race. The work forces in town talk about Deliah and Sykes, to the full cognizant of how he has beaten her for their whole matrimony. Not one of the gossipmongers refer ences to assist Deliah, or naming the constabulary on her behalf. The one thing that works as a impermanent bar against Sykes is when Deliah threatens to name â€Å" the white folks † on him. Would Deliah hold felt as powerless against an opprobrious hubby had her character been white? I think so. Any adult female who takes physical maltreatment for 15 old ages might experience as though she had no other pick but to take the maltreatment for the remainder of her matrimony. However, this warrants studies: A Deliah does look slightly stuck in her state of affairs because of her race. Symbols are current in the narrative, every bit good, extra stressing the narrative ‘s subjects. One of the chief symbols in the work is Delia ‘s perspiration. First, perspiration is the rubric of the narrative, which suggests significance. Delia ‘s perspiration could be viewed as symbolic of all of the difficult work she ‘s done and all of the old ages of fighting she has been through. Her perspiration is a existent reminder of the unsmooth life she ‘s lead. Likewise, another frequent symbol in the narrative is the serpent. In the opening scene of the narrative, Sykes scares Delia with a bullwhip because it looks like a serpent, and he knows that she is scared of serpents. The serpent besides becomes the cardinal constituent of Sykes ‘s secret plan alongside Delia and finally the tool of Sykes ‘s ain expiration. The serpent could typify Sykes, Delia ‘s newborn strength, immorality, or destiny, among other possibilities. â€Å" Sweat à ¢â‚¬  is a short narrative loaded in significance, a narrative of happening strength, redemption, and of karma stuffing a blow. The echt feel as a consequence of the linguistic communication adds an excess bed of command to the relation of this brief but influential narrative. In a short narrative unfavorable judgment by Jelena Krstovis, she talks about Alice Walker and all of the plants she has done, but in the positions of feminism in Alice Walkers ‘ short fictions it is widely known that Walker has â€Å" sympathetic portraiture of predicament of African American adult females. The diverseness of societal fortunes and interior deepness of her female characters have prompted a general reevaluation of black muliebrity among literary and cultural critics. For illustration, they have analyzed Walker ‘s intervention of feminine consciousness in theoretical footings refering female subjectiveness and black individuality development. † ( Krstovis 247 ) It is decidedly shown through Walker ‘s work that she shows female subjectiveness ; in â€Å" Strong Horse Tea † a subject that is described is ignorance of Rannie. Believing in white medical specialty did non assist her babe, Snooks. The ignorance of Rannie being so obstinate, if she had non been so closed minded and listened to Sarah, Snooks may hold been alive. Thomas J. Schoenberg and Lawrence J discuss Zora Neale Hurston ‘s literature in their short narrative unfavorable judgment, Zora Neale Hurston 1891-1960 ; they province under the subdivision Critical Reception, â€Å" Observers have asserted that these and other narratives reflect Hurston ‘s attitude toward racism: she refused to concentrate on the restrictions of the Black experience, alternatively stressing the creativeness and imaginativeness of African Americans and observing her Black cultural heritage. Other critics have explored her word picture of the African American battle with economic subjugation and the relationship between work forces and adult females in her narratives † ( Schoenberg, and Trudeau 42-165 ) It is really true in Hurston ‘s narrative Sweat that the relationship between Delia and her hubby is opprobrious and Delia battles for 15 old ages ever being abused, physically and emotionally. Delia ‘s perspiration is demoing the battle that she goes through on a twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours footing. Though a batch has changed in today ‘s clip, from the narratives of Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker, but there is still a cardinal moving ridge of feminism, the company of which one can feel all over the universe. While in the urban scene, adult females have about been known their dues, in the rural scene, adult females are still expected to populate by the stereotypes spread by society. Even in the urban milieus, though adult females have achieved a batch more than society has given them recognition for, they are still expected to carry through certain functions and stereotypes that have been the â€Å" norm † for centuries. Feminist literature of diverse periods will portray different demands and different wants beneath the horizon of feminism. The functions of girls, married womans, and female parents in literature will maintain neutering, and so will their necessities and beliefs. The impression of gender equality that focuses chiefly on adult females ‘s ri ghts has come a long manner, and feminist literature has been a huge medium to convey about any noticeable alterations in the mentality towards adult females. Yet, it is a extended battle that is being fought, and it will be a piece before gender equality and the function of adult females in society will be obvious in the ideal sense.

The Technology behind MMOG or MMORPG Lab Report

The Technology behind MMOG or MMORPG - Lab Report Example The ever growing internet is one of the factors that can be attributed to the huge success that is witnessed in gaming. It has made it possible to have improvements on the dedicated gaming on the game consoles, the gaming PCs and most importantly, the chance to engage with other players irrespective of their global positioning. The advert of the Smart phones and mobile broadband has also made it possible for people to access the games using their mobile phones. This has also led to an increase in the number of companies that are developing games. Private developers have also not been left out especially after the launch of Android open source platform. Traditionally, gaming was seen as a thing for young boys. This has however changed significantly over the years thanks to the introduction of mobile phones and social networks. Developers have come up with games that are friendly to children, women and even girls. Some of these additions include puzzles, quizzes, arcades and even educa tional games. In fact, it has been observed that women gamers even outnumber their male counterparts in some age sets (Adolph, 2010). The best indicator to how much gaming has impacted the current society is the reports given in the Technology watch report by Adolph (2010). Reportedly, a gaming company lost over 171 million dollars when it experienced a one month outage. Terminals and platforms The gaming industry has seen a huge improvement not only in hardware but also in software over the years. In fact, gaming usually reflects the best and state-of-the-art electronics that are available in the era. The gaming industry has come along way. It began as single game units otherwise known as the pong machines which were placed in arcade halls in the 70s and the 80s. This was followed by the gaming consoles in the 90s and PC games also came on the scene almost concurrently with the gaming consoles. The PC game revolution paved way for easier and more convenient gaming since the games c ould be transported on ROM cartridges, tapes, CD-ROMS and DVDs. This is known as the sneakernet method of transporting games. The evolution in the gaming industry was rapid but the rapid development brought with it the challenge of lack of interoperability. The incompatibility of games and accessories of the games on the platforms provided was a huge challenge not only to the gamers but also to the developers. The advent of social networks and mobile phones has greatly helped to reduce the issues of interoperability but the challenges are still not fully solved. There are still many games that are platform locked (Adolf, 2010). Consoles Microsoft, Sega, Nintendo, Sony and Sega have taken the game industry by storm. They have likewise changed over the years in response to the changing environment in the ICT world. Some of the considerable advancements that have been introduced over the years are network functions, input devices like guitars, joy sticks and other natural user interfac es. The graphics of consoles have greatly been enhanced too. Each company has come up with its own devices that are locked to their platform in a bid to lock in the customers they have. This is a disadvantage to the gamers since the environment makes it impossible for gamers to use any third part accessories on the consoles. In fact, it is not even possible to transfer ones scores in a game from one console to another. Personal computers The contribution of

Andrei Rublev's The Holy Trinity Research Paper

Andrei Rublev's The Holy Trinity - Research Paper Example Olsufiev describes Andrew Rublev as one of the iconic painters in the Russian History. He lived between 1360 and 1430. Information on Andrew’s biography is very scanty. Nevertheless, the available history shows that he was born in Pskov. He is considered a hero in painting of the Russian icons and frescoes. His name is associated with the flourishing period of the Russian art. Additionally, it is also linked with the revival of the Byzantine art after its ruin under the Ottoman rule. In the 1380, he was one of the artisans in the Prince’s cartel. They engaged in painting and decoration of churches. According to the Russian Orthodox Church Andrew was first mention as a painter when under the apprenticeship of Theophanes the Greek. This was in the Trinity Sergei Lavra Monastery, where he was a pupil of Prokhor of Gorodets. The two artists painted icons and frescos for the Cathedral of Annunciation of the Moscow Kremlin. It is in this monastery that Andrew did most of his painting. He moved out of this monastery after the death of his friend, Danil Cherny. He relocated to Andronikov Monastery in Moscow where he painted the frescos of the Savior Cathedral. That was his last painting. He remained in the same area and no wonder most of his paintings are found in or around Moscow. He died in 1430. A museum was constructed in the Andronikov Monastery, where the art and the epoch of Andrew Rublev are displayed. Smirnova observes that the surviving work shows that he belonged to either early Muscovite school or Vladimir-Suzdal.

Supply Chain Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Supply Chain Management - Research Paper Example In this regard, this involves the processes of demand management and production management. Based on the foregoing, this expose elucidates on the link between both demand management and product planning with logistics planning. Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper (200_) noted, â€Å"The increasing complexity of product offerings and marketing tactics in conjunction with shorter product life cycles requires increased accuracy, flexibility, and consistency in determining inventory requirements† (p. 134). In effect, a firm should seek to ensure that their management of the supply chain was accurate, consistent, and allowed flexibility along the supply chain. This effectively inks demand management and logistics management since â€Å"demand management systems seek to provide such capabilities† in two different ways (Bowersox, Closs, & Cooper, 200_, p. 134). First, Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper (200_) noted, â€Å"Demand management develops the forecast that drives anticipatory supp ly chain processes† (p. 134). In effect, a firm will determine the amount of goods to produce and its requirements in terms of stock based on a firm’s projections. Secondly, Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper (200_) noted, â€Å"Demand management process focuses on creating forecast consistency across multiple products and warehouse facilities† (p. 135). ... m should balance between the capability of its resources, including human resources, and the manufacturing stock while identifying the optimum point, which is the ideal point of production. In order to achieve the optimum point of production and supply goods to customers, firms must practice effective approaches to production planning. Consequently, the need to forecast and identify the optimum point in production links product management to logistics planning. Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper (200_) support this argument and noted, â€Å"Production planning uses the statement of requirements obtained from demand management in conjunction with manufacturing resources and constraints to develop a workable manufacturing plan† (p. 135). In this case, a firm forecasts using this statement to identify the items required and the time when required by consumers, which enables the firm to manage its resources effectively to produce the desired goods. One of the elements in logistics planni ng involves a firm’s responsiveness to their customer’s needs. In this case, a firm should always make a product available to their customers when required. In effect, a firm’s production planning should be effective to ensure that its products were always available to their customers. Bowersox, Closs, and Cooper (200_) noted, â€Å"Production planning identifies the items that should be produced in anticipation of the need to remain within production constraints and yet minimize inventor† (p. 135). For this reason, production planning plays an integral role in logistics planning. In conclusion, effective logistics planning should involve accuracy and consistency in the forecasting of the required products by consumers, which is demand planning. In addition, demand planning will enable a firm

Read the instruction (Different hobbies) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Read the instruction (Different hobbies) - Essay Example I enjoyed purchasing a parrot and then setting it free from the cage. As I grew up, I developed a hobby of planting trees. This was also a good hobby. I planted at least one tree every week in my surroundings. Another very good hobby that I have is reading books. I love reading books of all genres including fiction stories, poetry, novels, and dramas. I like reading children’s literature as well as adult literature. I believe that reading a variety of literature diversifies the reader’s opinion and broadens his vision. One bad hobby that I have had for a long time is playing video games. I have spent a lot of time aimlessly playing computer games. Undoubtedly, it might be a good idea if played for a short while, but not when one spends hours playing them. As I gained more education, I developed a hobby of teaching. I fancy the idea of being a teacher because it is one of the most respectable professions. A pedagogue teaches hundreds of students every year, which serves as a way to broaden his social network. The teacher remains updated on the latest discoveries in knowledge, and knowledge is power. Through this reflection, I have reached the conclusion that most of my hobbies are good and only a few can be classified as

Fundamentals of molecular beam epitaxy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Fundamentals of molecular beam epitaxy - Essay Example Molecular beam epitaxy is a process to produce device grade epitaxial films and mutilayers. This is a very advanced and sophisticated process an have evolved gaining clear edge over competing processes like Liquid Phase Epitaxy, Vapor Phase Epitaxy (VPE) etc. This paper provides basic description of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) process. Different theoretical concepts of this process and essential ingredients of a MBE system are also briefly discussed. Epitaxial growth refers to the situation in which the depositing layer extends the existing crystalline order of the substrate i.e. growth of the new layer does not cause any crystalline discontinuity on the interface between the substrate and the film. This occurs even during industrial processes like welding and cladding; where the initial mode of solidification is planer mode and the growth layer is essentially epitaxial growth of the existing grains. However, there are many grains on which this growth occurs an also this very soon d egenerates into cellular and cellular dendritic growth and thus disrupting the crystalline order of the substrate. However, it is the planer mode of solidification coupled with solute partitioning between liquid and solid phase which form the basic underlying principle of Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) [1- 3]. Similarly, epitaxial films can be grown by placing a substrate in a chamber filled with vapors of constituent atoms / molecules through a process known as Vapor Phase Epitaxy (VPE) [4 – 6]. ... Many thin film technologies such as LPE, VPE, Sputtering, vacuum deposition etc. were developed for producing high quality epitaxial thin films. However, the films produced by these techniques were structurally different from the substrate and hence not useful for device making. Differential vapor pressure of different constituents atoms / molecules was the main problem associated with VPE. GaAs is one such useful film for device making. IN this case vapor pressures of Ga and As differ by two orders of magnitude at about 600 oC. Therefore, these sources will have to be heated at different temperatures to achieve equal vapor pressure and the temperature will have to be controlled very accurately, which is very difficult. [7]. Attempts were made to use different temperatures for different sources [8] and by exploiting angular distribution of the atomic / molecular fluxes [9] for maintaining desired ratio of atomic fluxes. In 1960s it was not possible to perform online monitoring and ch aracterization of the film growth process and the film itself. Even the characterization of the substrate surface condition and vacuum quality level was also not possible. One had to rely on post deposition characterization of the deposited film for the feedback for the subsequent deposition experiments; which was indeed a very slow, laborious and tiring procedure. Development of small mass spectrometers, auger electron spectroscopy and compact electron diffraction instruments made it possible to characterize the films in-situ while it was getting deposited and Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) was discovered as a result of developing a process for surface characterization [10].In-situ characterization of MBE

Popular World Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Popular World Music - Essay Example This is because the camera angles are shot from above viewing the cleavage of a woman, females bending in front of the cameras, and the camera looking up from below which is forbidden in numerous cultures as it is similar to looking up a dress. In addition, according to xStephhhXx, (1), numerous music videos are filled with images having shots where bodies of the females are showered with money, indicating that the women’s bodies can be controlled and bought by men. This is mostly common in the hip-hop music videos and the pornographic images in the videos form a cultural environment that inspires ferocious behavior by a number of men towards women. The images are not innocent, but the narratives they tell are firmly implicated in the power and gender relations of our culture. Knowing that the media is an influential tool that has so much power to influence how individuals behave and think in the society, and how we describe others and ourselves. Watching such music videos is not a simple thing to sit through, since music videos are a collection of numerous troubling clips displaying the extreme insolence given to women in the domain of music

ECON200 PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ECON200 PAPER - Essay Example In this regard, the article shows the existence of a barter economy or the existence of an exchange economy. The article represents the P.O.W economy as an alternative for the Robinson Crusoe economy. In the article, cigarettes are chosen to be the medium of exchange. In other words, cigarettes perform the function of metallic currency in the P.O.W economy. The importance of the article lies in the fact that the standard of living of an individual can be enhanced through a mode of exchange. (Radford)      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article â€Å"The Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines’ by Radford’ lays emphasis on the existence of barter system and the importance of an exchange economy in enhancing the welfare of the economy. The barter system provides the base of exchange. In earlier days when money was not invented, people would still trade among themselves using a standard form of currency as a substitute of money. Rice used to be a medium of exchange. For example, if anyone were in need of milk, then he would obtain one liter of milk from another person in exchange of rice. That is the person who needed milk, would give one quintal of rice to the person from whom he would obtain milk. In this way, trade used to take place in earlier days. However, there was a problem with this system. The problem is regarding the mode of exchange. In the above example, the person who was in need of milk may not always find a person who wo uld be ready to give milk in exchange of rice from him. In such a situation, the concept of using a commodity, say, rice, wheat, milk etc. as a medium of exchange fails. These problems soon lead to the invention of money. Thus, the process of exchange became faster and easier and enhanced the living standards of people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Trade is beneficial because of comparative advantages in production. David Ricardo proposed the theory of comparative advantage. The theory states that an economy should produce

Asia Pacific Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Asia Pacific Business - Assignment Example Rationalization involves the adoption of techniques that can lead to efficient production of the capital goods. Japan has a tradition of a high savings rate, and a low consumption rate. During the periods of growth, the Japanese government used these savings for purposes of constructing roads, and infrastructures (Lye, 2010). In 1990s, this surplus savings became a structural impediment to the growth of Japan (Asher, Newman and Snyder, 2002). There was a severe slump in its demand, causing the Japanese economy to stagnate. The support of various interest groups by LDP made it fail to implement various measures aimed at improving the economy. This includes, failing to implement reforms that could tackle non-performing loans (Lye, 2010). Lack of good leadership led to development of ineffective policies such as the consumption tax of 1997. These taxes led to an increase in prices of commodities, leading to stagnation in growth (Menkhoff, 2010). The Japanese complex economic structure led to its economic stagnation. The symbiotic relationships between the ministry of finance and other cooperation’s between its jurisdictions have contributed to the stagnation of its economy (Lye, 2010). There is also little transparency in the economic affairs of the state. It is possible to use technology in agricultural development (Rowley, 2007). It will enable farmers improve their produce, hence feeding the nation. For example, the use of green houses to produce fruits, and vegetables. Technology helps in the creation of jobs. This is mainly because the government will employ new people in the vacancies brought forth by these technologies. For example, technological innovations in the mobile phone industry will create jobs in the

Online Direct Competition Essay Example for Free

Online Direct Competition Essay The online airline ticket market is rife with cut-throat competition from a number of sources, including travel agencies, wholesalers and Internet travel agents such as Microsofts Expedia.com and CNNs BizTravel.com.  US-Airlines set competition for Priceline.com Six of the key US-Aircarriers have agreed to step up to the competition set by Priceline.com in the segment of consumer-self-pricing. United Airlines, American Airlines, Northwest, Continental, America West and US Airways will be selling their free allotments under www. hotwire.com.  Similar to Priceline.com, travellers will be quoting the rate at which they wish to travel and according to availability can be granted their requested price.  Increasing Competition  Priceline.com, which has patented several of its business models, faces increasing competition on multiple fronts. While companies like Budget Rent A Car have licensed one of priceline.coms business models, Microsoft has launched a name-your-price service for hotel rooms on its Expedia site. Priceline.com has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft.  In addition to worrying about protecting its business model, the consolidation of the online travel market could lead to increased competition for priceline.com. The upcoming merger of Preview Travel and Travelocity.com will create an online travel powerhouse, whose allies include America Online and Yahoo!. Both industry giants will have a stake in the new venture.  Intended as a comeback directed at its competitors, Priceline.com is focusing upon licensing its business models to other companies in other industries. For example, Alliance Mortgage will license the name-your-price business model and team up with priceline.com to launch an online mortgage service known as PricelineMortgage. The chart below shows the sites that customers visit both before and after visiting Priceline.com  All sorts of competing sites figure in the before and after surfing list above. These range from specific airline websites like www.delta.com to competing full-service travel sites like www.orbitz.com and www.expedia.com. A competitive site to note is www.hotwire.com as it figures prominently in both lists and is a site that drives customers to Priceline.com. Although it is compelling to see how competitors figure in the pre and post site visit categories, it is even more interesting to look at a typical Path that visitors take through Priceline.coms site. This path includes visits to off-site destinations. The figure below shows a typical path a visitor takes through the site and the sites they visit that are off-site  According to this path analysis, a visitor visits priceline.com, leaves the site and returns to the site to either continue surfing or make a purchase. Note the abundance of competing sites that visitors travel to: www.skyauction.com, www.expedia.com, www.orbitz.com, www.hotwire.com and also to banks perhaps to verify their account balances before booking their vacation. Legal issues: With the Name Your Own Price services, priceline.com and pricelinemortgage are the leaders in the field of electronic commerce and true innovators in the way people buy the things they need. They are very adamant about keeping customers privacy online. This is represented in their clearly displayed privacy policy and privacy promise.5 The information collected and stored by Priceline.com includes names, addresses, credit card numbers and other personally-identifying information of customers of the Site who make purchase requests. This information is saved in a secure environment and is kept in records to make it easier for customers to use the services on return visits. Priceline.com use cookies technology. Cookies are small bits of code, usually stored on a users computer hard drive, which enable a Web site to personalize itself for each user. They use cookies to reduce the time it takes for customers to submit purchase requests. No third party has access to the information they collect this way. Priceline.com also have a disable cookies button which will turn them off. Information collected by priceline.com or pricelinemortgage is stored in a single, secure database, accessible only by priceline.com and pricelinemortgage. Names, addresss, credit card numbers or any other personally-identifying information are not revealed to any participating seller, manufacturer, retailer, or sponsor of priceline.com. These are collectively referred to as Providers, unless a customer affirmatively respond to the Providers offer and/or the Provider agrees to provide the product or service the customer requested at a specified price.  From time to time, priceline.com or pricelinemortgage also contact customers to request feedback on their experience using the Site, to assist Priceline in improving the Site, or to offer special savings or promotions to customers. Priceline.com also offer an opt-out option on receiving these notices. Customers are also able to access and change any personal information kept by Priceline. To protect customers privacy and security, they verify your identity before granting access or making changes to your personally-identifying information. If you have registered your profile on any of the services available on their Site from priceline.com or pricelinemortgage, your e-mail address and password are required in order to access your profile information. Trade marks A trademark includes any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination, used, or intended to be used, in commerce to identify and distinguish the goods of one manufacturer or seller from goods manufactured or sold by others, and to indicate the source of the goods. In short, a trademark is a brand name.  Pricelines patent covers its marketing system as embodied in a computer. The claims, which define what the patent covers, recite a method for using a computer to facilitate a transaction between a buyer and seller. The buyer inputs a conditional purchase offer into the computer and a payment identifier, such as a credit card number. The computer outputs the purchase offer to sellers. A seller can then input an acceptance, at which time the payment is made using the payment identifier. There are also claims for an apparatus that can perform the same functions. At a first pass, it appears that much of electronic commerce could fit within Pricelines patent. If so, Priceline could extract a royalty for use of its patent on all commerce over the Internet or over any other computer system including proprietary systems. This patent could severely limit the use of electronic commerce.  Priceline (www.priceline.com) filed its application in 1996, as electronic commerce was just starting to grow. Now, when electronic commerce is more firmly entrenched, the patent is granted, and that award threatens to thwart the growth of electronic commerce.  There are many issues yet to be explored with respect to Pricelines patent. To appreciate them, it helps to understand how the Patent Office could issue a patent on a system that is little more than business relationships communicated using a computer. Until recently such a patent would have been rejected. Priceline.com has had a hard time defending itself within this type of market against possible threats of infringement on there patents or trademarks.  An example of this is major dot-com, Pannell-Christ Inc., an Indiana-based provider of consulting and training services to facing accusations of hijacking intellectual property. Sued by Priceline.com the firm that provides name your own price services for hotels, car-hire and airline tickets. According to the, Pannell-Christ is disputing Pricelines use of the phrases Name Your Price and Name Your Own Price.  Pannell-Christ maintains it used the Name Your Price! trademark as far back as 1997. However, the company had not filed for a trademark on the phrase until several months after priceline.com had begun using the slogan in 1998. The U.S. Trademark Office granted Pannell-Christ federal registration of the mark on February 1, 2000.

A Case Study of Change Management from External Forces: Dell Computers

A Case Study of Change Management from External Forces: Dell Computers Two things characterize the business environment today; they are competition and change. Therefore, todays environment puts a premium on effective leadership. In fast- changing, team- oriented environment, managers need effective leadership skills so they can motivate knowledge workers, build self-managing teams, and lead transformation. In 1994, Dell was a struggling, the company ordered its components in advance and manufactured to inventory. Change was needed and was triggered by factors outside the company. The new business model that Dell implemented converted its operations to a build-to-order process, eliminated its inventories through a just-in-time system, and sold its products directly to consumers putting these new supply chain capabilities at the core of its strategy. Dell developed a supply chain mastery that went far beyond the simple pursuit of efficiency and asset productivity. However, the company had to make a series of very difficult strategic tradeoffs to bring its functional activities into alignment with its new business model. (Copacino, 1999). James Burns who wrote a book about called Leadership says changes like these require the guidance of transformational leaders who bring out change, innovation, and entrepreneurship. They are responsible for leading a corporate transformation that recognizes the need for revitalization, creates a new vision, and institutionalizes change. Transformational leaders inspire their followers to want to make the change and attempt to raise the needs of followers by promoting dramatic change in individuals, groups and organizations. Such leaders also encourage and obtain performance beyond expectation by formulating visions and then inspiring subordinates to pursue them. They focus on accomplishing the task at hand and maintaining good working relationship. It is common for the transformational leader to passionately communicate a future idealistic organization that can be shared. He or she uses visionary explanations to illustrate what the employee work group can accomplish in order to motiv ate the employees to achieve these organizational aims. Therefore, a transformational leader could make the company more successful by valuing its associates. One such example is Dell CEO Michael Dell who did it installing one of the worlds most sophisticated direct- sales operations; eliminating resellers markups and the need for large inventories, and keeping a viselike grip on cost. Dells mission statement is be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the customer service experience in markets we serve. With their markets changing so fast Chairman Michael Dell had to constantly focus his companys and employees attention on the companys mission. He has been quoted saying that looking for value shifts in the companys mission companys customer base is the most important leadership responsibility. In other words, Michael Dell had to constantly monitor what Dells customers want in terms of value. He had to stay in close contact with customers, and make sure that everything Dell does, Dell is addressing the customer needs. How do you build such a company? For Dell computers, the answer meant using technology and information to blur the traditional boundaries in the value chain among suppliers, manufacturers, and the end users; it basically meant that there are no intermediaries like wholesalers or retailers to come between Dell and its customers and suppliers; thus, Dell can be much faster-moving company that it might otherwise be. For most computer companies, the manufacturing process is like a relay race; components come in from suppliers, these components are assembled into computers, and the computers are then handed off to be distributed through wholesalers and retailers to the ultimate customers. Dells system changed all that. Dell interacts with and sells to customers directly, so it eliminates the activities of the wholesalers and retailers in the traditional distribution chain. The current economical crises are having a tremendous impact on how companies do business. Even one of the worlds biggest computer companies, like Dell has experienced this recession and had to make critical and dangerous decisions of lowering down the cost of expenses and tightening their belts. Today, Dell Inc. is cutting costs to weather a soft PC sales market, and even founder and CEO Michael Dell is feeling the pinch. The company disclosed proxy information that showed his total compensation declined by more than $200,000 in the latest fiscal year, to $2.1 million. The decline came mainly in the value of option awards, which were higher the previous year. Michael Dell received $931,731 in salary, stock options the company valued at $16,766 and personal security services valued at $1.1 million. Because Dell Inc.s bonuses for senior executives are tied to company performance, Michael Dell did not receive a bonus in the latest year, just as he has not the past three years. (Ladendo rf, 2009). Meanwhile, to cut operational costs and to save funds, the company has shut down factories and outsourced hardware manufacturing. Also, the company has laid off 1,900 employees and shifted its European PC manufacturing operation from Ireland to Poland. Like many companies, Dell has also been looking down the road and plans on spending $70 billion on computer parts from China between 2007-2009. Thats a lot of cash, but this could also save the company in a recession when people do not have much money and want much cheaper computers. Dell also cut 10% in global jobs last year, and announced further job cuts at its Ireland sites earlier this year. But what I found most interesting is the acquisition of David Johnson the former top IBM Corp. in early June. Although IBM still is pursuing a lawsuit against Johnson, saying his move to Dell Inc. violated a noncompet agreement; recent court rulings have freed him to take an active role guiding Dells acquisition strategies. Johnsons hiring cou ld be a signal that Dell intends to buy other companies, a growth strategy it has used less often than many of its industry peers. CEO Michael Dell also is expected to talk about the companys growth prospects, both from existing operations and from any companies that it might buy. Analysts are split on whether Dell will try to do big, transformational deals that would change the makeup of the company, or smaller, less risky acquisitions. A.M. Toni Sacconaghi with Bernstein Research said he expects Dell to make smaller deals as it tries to bolster its corporate-oriented service and product offerings. He quoted Brian Gladden, Dells chief financial officer, as saying the company is unlikely to do big deals and that it viewed its $1.4 billion acquisition of EqualLogic last year as the sweet spot. EqualLogic, which sells data storage systems, is Dells largest acquisition to date. Sacconaghi concluded that for Dell, smaller deals make sense because no obvious transformational targets exist, the odds of successful integration of the acquired company are better with smaller deals, and large acquisitions could distract top executives from the their two-year campaign to turn the company around integration of the acquired company are better with smaller deals, and large acquisitions could distract top executives from the their two-year campaign to turn the company around. (Ladendorf, 2009). One Wall Street analysts who follows Dell Inc. say theyve been impressed by the companys ability to cut costs and generate cash flow in the face of a steep industry downturn. Forward-looking businesses are using IT to target unnecessary cost and complexity, Dell said. Dell Inc. will continue to tap into IT for innovation and efficiency, and doing so now Dell Inc. will set itself apart as the global economy inevitably improves Dell identified three keys to smart IT: Increased standardization and virtualization; Better resource management that reduces IT maintenance; Greener computing that not only reduces carbon emissions but saves on energy costs. Dell itself has reaped the benefits of such IT improvements: facility improvements and a global power-management initiative that switches off computers when not in use is saving the company about $3 million a year and reducing its carbon footprint by some 20,000 tones. (Greenbang, 2009). Today the Dell machine is firing on all cylinders. In addition to being a PC juggernaut, Dell is moving fast into the $10 billion network server business. In notebook PCs, Dell has become the sixth-largest seller in the $40 billion market. Now, Dell is working on ways to combine its PC knowhow with better networking service. Through a partnership with network equipment maker 3Com Corp., Dell is trying to slash the 60 to 90 days required to test computer and networking configurations to just two weeks. Instead of each running independent tests of the same gear, Dell will deliver to 3Com each new computer so that 3Com can test compatibility with its networking devices (Business week). Leading and organizational change can be treacherous; there are no silver bullets or single- shot method of changing organizations successfully. (Ashford University). Single shot rarely hit a challenging target. Usually, many issues need simultaneous attention and any single, small change will be absorbed by the prevailing culture and disappear the change may require the cooperation of dozens of managers and resistance may be considerable. However, whether the required change is simple or complex, technological or structural or the basic organizational change process remains basically the sameà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦executives must ask themselves three basic questions. What are the forces acting upon them? What should we change? And how should we change it? According to Hesselbein and Cohen (1999), organizations that take the time to teach leadership are far ahead of the competition. By becoming familiar with the transformational leadership approach and combining the four Is, (idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration), managers should be able to handle the unforeseen change more effectively. Transformational leadership strategy must also make sense in terms of the business overall competitive strategy. Today, leaders have to be able to transform their company fast. Socio Economic Inequalities: Health Socio Economic Inequalities: Health Research on health inequalities is grounded in social epidemiology, which explains how peoples social circumstances affect their health (Graham, H 2007:5). Explanatory frameworks have been presented and theories proposed in order to explain the variations in health across social class (Asthana, S Halliday, J 2006:45). This essay will discuss and analyze the sociological theory necessary to understand social class inequalities in health within the UK. Implications for health policy and practice will also be discussed. Discussion: Socio-economic inequalities in health: demographic, mortality and morbidity information: Reports outlined since the 1980s the extent of which ill-health and death are unequally distributed among UK: The Black Report (1980), Health Divide (1988), The Acheson Report (1998), The Solid Facts, WHO (2003), The Marmot review (2010). These documents identified a social gradient in health: socio-economic status (SES) influences health, whereby higher position equates to better health (Caspi, A Poulton, R 2003). From here, sociology found a correlation between mortality against social position. Britton et al (1990), Rosato, M et al (1998), Reid, A Harding, S (2000a)(2000b) Asthana, S. et al (2004) Marmot Wilkinson, (2005) Barry Yuill, (2008) Health Survey for England (HSE) provide information on mortality and morbidity by social class: people in class I have longest life expectancy while people in Class IV have the shortest life span; mortality is greater in Wales, Scotland, N. Ireland and N. England than in S. England; same patterns appear for IHD, stroke and cancer mortality in between social classes, but is less evident for accidents and suicide; risk of developing chronic illness in adult life is high for people with low SES; childhood mortality is more prevalent in socially disadvantaged groups; Sociological theory: The cultural / behavioral explanation: In this argument primary responsibility for the differential between social position and health is placed within the individual, rather than the larger society {a culture of poverty approach}(Matcha, D.A 2003:90). Explanations focus on the way individuals from different social groups lead their lives (Clarke, A 2003:122). Smoking, alcohol, diet and exercise are chosen for detailed enquiry, as they are thought to be voluntary choices (Blaxter, M 1990:113). Social epidemiologists identified a hard and a soft version of cultural/behavioral explanation. Both versions start by observing that health-damaging behaviors are more prevalent among the poor than the socially disadvantaged (Asthana, S Halliday, J 2006). The hard version implies that behaviors are voluntary, the result of individual decisions (Blaxter, M 1990) thus, the fact that people adopt unhealthy behaviors is due to ignorance, recklessness or fatalism (Asthana, S Halliday, J 2006:26). The soft version suggests that rather that seeing health-related behaviors as a cause of health inequalities, they should be seen as outcome or consequences of differences in the material circumstances between socio-economic groups {behavior as a result of culture} (Asthana, S Halliday, J 2006:27). For example, in Britain smoking displays a clear class-gradient: the less advantage social class, the more likely is the individual will smoke (Bartley, M. 2004:65). Townsend, in 1995 shows that 70% of single parents on low income, social housing, manual occupations, with few educational qualifications, are regular smokers. Also, in 1998, The Office for National Statistics showed that levels of smoking for men were 12% for class I and 41% in class V. However, in sociological research focus exists on behavior rather than culture (Woodward et al, 1992; Lynch, Kaplan and Salonon, 1997b) because reckless behavior is not accepted as a definition of culture (Bartley, M. 2004:68). Bosma, Von Mheen and Mackenbach, (1999a) (cited in Bartley, M 2004:66) suggest a direct behavioral model in which people with low status and income are less endowed with intelligence and coping skills which make them unable to grasp the long-term health consequences of things that give them short-term pleasure (e.g. smoking, drinking, etc). Regarding education and behavior Blaxter, 1990; Gran, (1995), Hoeymans et al., 1996 (cited in Bartley, M. 2004) find that education is correlated with health behavior: educated people have a better understanding of health. They also make better use of preventive health measures such as contraception, screening services or immunization. For example, a survey published in 2007 by Health Survey for England (HSE) Healthy lifestyles: knowledge, attitudes and behavior 30% men and 24% women agreed with the statement I get confused over whats supposed to be healthy and what isnt(p. 108). Marmot et al (1981 ) that individuals from class V have high incidence of CHD due to diet being higher in sugar content than in fiber. National Food Survey (1985) shows that low-income groups purchase less vegetables, fruits or whole meal bred. Behavioral explanations view consumption patterns as a reflection of cultural differences in the way people live their lives. Lifestyles are thought to be shaped by traditional views and socially accepted patterns of behavior. The fact that low income may constrain food choice is ignored or rejected (Clarke, A 2001: 123) Critique and weaknesses of the cultural/ behavioral explanation The problem with this explanation is that it separates behavior from the social context in which it takes place and effectively blames the victim of health inequality for the poor health that they experience (Asthana, S Halliday, J 2006:26). Instead, individual decisionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœmaking should be seen in the context of the social structure and of the constraints that impede the behaviors of people. In support to this, Dobson et al 1994(cited in Barry Yuill 2006) researched forty-eight households to observe food purchasing and attitudes toward eating. They found a pattern of life under constant economic restrictions. Also, in 1991, the national Childrens Homes survey on nutrition and poverty finds that 1 child in 10 and 1 adult in 5 skip meals because of costs. Thus, it is not people failing to practice good health habits but their choice is affected by limited funds (Barry Yuill 2006:108). Also, in an HSE survey (2007) 22% men and 20% women agree, it costs too much[to eat healthy] (p. 108). In 2010, The Marmot Review emphasized that insufficient funds to lead a healthy life is a significant cause of health inequalities (p. 29) Although health-damaging behaviors are more common among low groups, these groups also lack: adequate income, decent housing and secure employment. Therefore it is hard to separate behavioral explanation (Gatrell, C.A 2003: 113) from structural/material explanation (poor housing Ġº unhealthy life) and social selection explanation (poor health for low classĠº unhealthy life) Health policy response to inequalities in health linked to social class: Advocating healthy public policies is the most important strategy we can use to act on the determinants of health. (CPHA Action Statement on Health Promotion 1996) Up to date health policies include: The New NHS (1997); A First Class Service (1998); Choosing Health (2004); The Wanless Report (2004) Tackling Health Inequalities (2008); Darzi Report (2008); The Marmot Review (2010) The Marmot review: Policy objectives A-F:  · Give every child the best start in life  · Enable all children, young people and adults to maximize their capabilities and have control over their lives  · Create fair employment and good work for all  · Ensure a healthy standard living for all  · Create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities  · Strengthen the role and impact of ill-health prevention. (UCL Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, 2010) Implications for health care practice: Important documents: Choosing health: making healthy choices easier (2004) and Health Challenge England (2006) people need convenience and choice in advice available to prevent ill health. Health care practice can contribute to reducing health inequalities through:  · Assessment / use of evidence: accurate assessment of peoples health promotion needs; linking evidence of practice outcomes to broader changes  · Strategy: population specific health care strategies; getting the promotion/prevention/treatment balance right  · Communication Collaboration: 1.collaboration with people: involving and engaging most excluded; 2.collaboration with MDT: assessing / implementing / evaluating / updating  · Training: improving training and professional development, particularly in relation to work with most disadvantaged  · Service development: being well informed about health inequality trends, impacts and intervention effectiveness  · Service access: reducing financial barriers to health care  · Resource allocation: making conscious, informed choices about priorities. (Wiseman, J 2007) (Choosing Health 2004) The time for action on health and health inequalities Health in the consumer society Children and young people starting on the right path Local communities leading for health Health as a way of life A health-promoting NHS Making it happen national and local delivery Consultation making it happen Assessment suitable assessment of local needs (collaborative therefore patient and public involvement / use of evidence) Strategy Communication appropriateness (methods and means) Service Needs (recruitment, training) Resources (access, materials, skills mix {MDT?, suitable tools and interventions) References: Asthana, S., Gibson, A., Moon, G., Brigham, P. and Dicker, J. (2004) The demographic and social class basis of inequality in self reported morbidity: an exploration using the Health Survey for England. Epidemiology and Community Health, 58, (4), 303-307 Blaxter, M. (1990) Health and Lifestyles, London: Tavistock Payne J, Coy J, Milner P, et al. Are deprivation indicators a proxy for morbidity? A comparison of the prevalence of arthritis, depression, dyspepsia, obesity and respiritory symptoms with unemployment rates and Jarman scores. J Public Health Med 1993;16:113-14. Dahlgren G Whitehead M (1991). Policies and Strategies to Promote Equity in Health. Stockholm: Institute for Future Studies.Davey Smith G, Hart C, Watt G, et al. Individual social class, area-based deprivation, cardiovascular disease risk factors and mortality: the Renfrew and Paisley study. J Epidemiol Community Health 1998;52:399-405. Drever F Whitehead M (1997). Health Inequalities. London: The Stationary Office. Graham, H (2007) Unequal lives: Health and Socioeconomic Inequalities, Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education: England Graham H (2004a). Social determinants and their unequal distribution: clarifying policy understandings. Milbank Quarterly, 82, 101-24. Graham H (2004b). Closing the Gap: Strategies for Action to Tackle Health Inequalities. Presentation at the 1st Business Meeting of the EU Project Closing the Gap on 27/28 October 2004, Cologne. Lynch, J.W., G.A and Salonen, J.T (1997b) why do poor people behave poorly? Variations in adult health behaviors and psychosocial characteristics by stages of the socio-economic life course; Soc Sci Med 44, 809-19. Marmot M Wilkinson RG (2005). Social Determinants of Health. Oxford: Oxford University Press (2nd edition). Williams, A. Cooke, H. May, C (1998) Sociology, Nursing and Health, Elsevier Health Sciences: London Woodward, M., Shewry, M.C., Smith, W.C.S and Tunstall-Pedoe, H. (1992), Social status and coronary heart disease, Preventive medicine 21, 136-48. Mackenbach JP Bakker M (2002). Reducing Health Inequalities: a European Perspective. London: Routledge. Williams, A. Cooke, H. May, C (1998) Sociology, Nursing and Health, Elsevier Health Sciences: London Caspi, A Poulton, R Personality and the socioeconomic-health gradient, Oxford Journalls online, International Journall Of Epidemiology, vol. 32, number 6, pp. 975-977, accessed online on February 27th 2009, http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/32/6/975 The Marmot Review( 2010) UCL Research Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, accessed online February 29th 2010 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/gheg/marmotreview/FairSocietyHealthyLives Social Inequalities in Health. New Evidence and Policy Implications. J Siegrist and M Marmot (eds). Oxford University Press, 2006 Rickards L, Fox K and Roberts C (2004) Living in Britain: Results from the 2002 General Household Survey. London: The Stationery Office; Bambra C, Joyce K and Maryon-Davis A (2009) Task Group on priority public health conditions, final report. Submission to the Marmot Review http://www.ucl.ac.uk/gheg/marmotreview/consultation/Priority_public_health_conditions_summary Wiseman, J. Health Inequalities: Key Trends and Implications for Health Care, Presentation to Primary and Community Health, March 2n 2007